Chapter 372: Something That You'll Regret

"Who are you?"

Matsumoto Rangiku leaped back, her orange hair slightly disheveled. Her Zanpakuto that had turned into smoke dispersed and then reformed in her hand. She gripped her Zanpakutō, glancing at the skin on the back of her hand that had been slammed into the ground by a heavy force. It was already showing signs of microvascular bleeding and bruising. The bones inside were fractured, and even holding the Zanpakutō tightly caused intense pain.

Her opponent's method of attack was something she had never seen before; there wasn't even a reaction from the spiritual particles. If what he said was true, it would be truly terrifying.

"Who am I?"

H'el halted his steps towards her, his brows furrowed in slight thought. Even he didn't know who he was—where he came from, what his past was like, or where he was headed. For now, it seemed he was searching for his past and always eager to learn something new.

"Maybe just a lost lamb who loves to learn," H'el replied casually, releasing the tension in his brows as he continued walking towards Matsumoto Rangiku.

"Huh?"

A lost lamb? What nonsense.

Rangiku's face grew stern, her brows knitted together. She swung her Zanpakutō again. "Scatter, Haineko."

Her Zanpakutō, including the hilt, transformed into a massive cloud of smoke, dispersing to a degree that was almost invisible to the naked eye, subtly enveloping the surroundings.

After deploying her attack, Matsumoto leaped back, beginning a low chant:

H'el glanced at the smoke spreading around him and continued advancing as Rangiku retreated. He commented nonchalantly, "You're quite adept at using your Zanpakutō to form an array that amplifies the power of Kido spells, aren't you? Your Zanpakutō's ability does seem well-suited for this kind of combination."

He nodded in acknowledgment, giving her attack method some praise.

This was probably the best and most powerful attack she could muster.

Rangiku's face remained serious, her eyes flickering with danger. Her chanting intensified:

"Ruler! Mask of flesh and blood, all things of the universe, fluttering wings, bearer of the name of humankind! Carve a double lotus on the wall of blue flames, awaiting the abyss of conflagration from far away!

Hadō #73: Twin Lotus Blue Fire, Crash Down!"

Finishing her incantation, Rangiku's retreating steps released white smoke from the spiritual particles. Instead of directly launching Hadō #73: Twin Lotus Blue Fire, she pressed her glowing red hands down towards the void in front of her.

Instantly, the red spiritual energy, like flames, began to appear from the outer ring of the array set up by the Haineko smoke. The energy flowed rapidly in circles, forming an inexplicable trajectory, accelerating to the brink of losing control, and finally converging at H'el's feet.

H'el watched with interest as she used the pathways created by the Haineko smoke to accelerate and amplify the original power of Hadō #73: Twin Lotus Blue Fire fourfold. The concentrated burst would likely be unbearable even for a Captain-level Soul Reaper.

*Boom!*

An array formed at H'el's feet, accelerating in circles until all its energy converged beneath him.

The power of Hadō #73: Twin Lotus Blue Fire exploded, forming a massive ball of red flames on the spot. The shockwaves spread wildly, and heat waves surged all around.

Far away, other Soul Reapers searching for the enemy turned their eyes toward the fireball, as bright as the sun.

"That's Rangiku!" shouted Hitsugaya Tōshirō, Captain of the 10th Division, who was leading the search. Turning to see the huge fireball and the formation of the Haineko smoke in the air, he immediately recognized it as his lazy, sake-loving Vice-Captain, Matsumoto Rangiku.

No one else could unleash Kido spells stronger than even the Captains of the Kido Corps with such force, except Matsumoto Rangiku in her Shikai form.

Hitsugaya Tōshirō, who had once suffered losses to her before understanding her ability, was familiar with her power.

But now, for someone to force her to use such a powerful formation-enhanced Kido, it couldn't be a weak enemy.

Hitsugaya Tōshirō turned and used Shunpo, rushing toward the location of the fireball explosion.

Meanwhile, many other Captains raised their heads, their eyes fixed on the explosion site.

The heatwave and shockwave sent Inoue Orihime flying, crashing her against a wall and knocking her unconscious.

Ishida Uryū was blown away, slamming into a wall with even more severe injuries.

Matsumoto Rangiku squinted slightly, staring at the center of the explosion caused by Hadō #73: Twin Lotus Blue Fire. From the remnants of flames, a dark silhouette began to emerge.

Gradually, her face grew grim.

H'el's tall figure calmly stepped out from the burning remnants, his body glowing faintly with blue-silver dendritic patterns, completely unharmed. He shook his head slightly at Matsumoto Rangiku and said:

"Don't be too surprised. I was merely testing Ishida Uryū's body, which holds great potential. The spiritual particles within it should have had a defensive arrangement in place. It seems to work quite well; it's a good system capable of defending against external energy and physical attacks."

H'el spoke with a slight tone of praise as he walked out from the lingering flames.

Indeed, Ishida Uryū's body held immense potential and a systematic way of utilizing spiritual particles; he just hadn't unleashed it before being taken down by Matsumoto Rangiku.

It was a different system from that of the Soul Reapers, focusing on controlling external spiritual particles. However, compared to H'el, its precision, based on using the body to manipulate spiritual particles, was inadequate.

"If it's just another ordinary attack with increased power, there's no need to continue fighting."

H'el extended his hand, and in Matsumoto Rangiku's horrified gaze, pressed down lightly. Instantly, she was pulled from the air by a tremendous force and slammed onto the ground.

*Bang!*

Matsumoto Rangiku hit the ground with such impact that her head spun and her ribcage felt fractured. She coughed up a mouthful of blood as the very air around her seemed to gain weight, pressing her down.

Terrified, she propped herself up against the wall, her mouth dripping blood onto her chest, vivid and striking. Her pupils dilated and trembled as she watched H'el descend from the sky, step by step, wearing a deathly smile. He extended a finger toward her forehead.

A sense of death seemed to envelop her, bearing down on her.

Rangiku froze, feeling a vague sensation as if her life was being ignored, a reflexive flicker of fear. Her pupils quivered as the approaching fingertip loomed larger and larger.

Suddenly.

A wrinkled, skeletal hand clasped H'el's wrist.

An old man with a long, well-groomed white beard and eyebrows, appearing frail and ancient, but with a grip strong as iron, held H'el's wrist firmly.

"Young friend... do not do something you will regret."

°°°

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