Chapter 61: Fierce Battle

Chapter 61 - 61: Fierce Battle Black rain began to fall from the sky. It was the charred and carbonized remains of the Hollow's body, reduced to countless fragments. Shihōin Yoruichi stood frozen, staring up at the sky, her mind reeling. She had fought a Hollow before—even if she had only been on the receiving end, she had truly felt their terrifying power. And yet that overwhelming Hollow had vanished in an instant at her teacher's hands. "So strong... Is this what a true powerhouse looks like..." Yoruichi's eyes sparkled as she stared at the figure in the sky. Above, in the heavens— Nanatsuki stood in midair. The lightning that had wrapped around his body and Zanpakutō quickly dissipated. He exhaled a puff of white smoke, which also rose from his body. The heat radiating from him distorted the air around him. "Raikiri" stimulated the body with electricity, granting him tremendous speed. But Nanatsuki's Raikiri was still at the introductory level. For now, he couldn't prevent the violent lightning from damaging his own body. Using it took a toll. And yet, he had used it twice in a row. Once to travel. The second time, he combined it with his shadow manipulation ability to slay the Hollow. Still, he dared to use it this way because he could heal himself through Kaido Self-Regeneration. A soft glow of Kaido soon shimmered over his body, mending the damage caused by casting Raikiri twice in a row. At the same time, a previously dim skill entry began to flash rapidly. [Battleborn Berserker (Active): Glory belongs to the Battleborn Berserker! Reduces the impact of injuries on your movement. The more you fight, the stronger you grow—never backing down until death!] Four Hollows had descended on Karakura Town, but only one had come this way—the one Nanatsuki just killed. The remaining three had gone in other directions. Still, the noise caused by Nanatsuki had already drawn their attention. The three remaining Hollows were now converging toward him. He had a brief window to tend to the students' injuries. He could no longer sense Kōta's Reiatsu. Hoshino Rie's spiritual pressure was on the verge of disappearing, and even Shihōin Yoruichi was in critical condition. Shup— He used Shunpo to reach Hoshino Rie. Among the living, she was the most gravely wounded and had fallen unconscious, close to death. Nanatsuki quickly examined her injuries. After confirming her life could be saved, he felt a bit more at ease. "Teacher Katori!" Naoko cried out. "Rie's lost consciousness!" "It's alright," Nanatsuki said gently. "The Hollows will be here soon. I have to move you all to a safer location. Naoko, can you still use Shunpo?" "I can... Rie shielded me from the explosion of that Cero just now. I didn't get hurt too badly," Naoko replied. "Then head north and wait for me." Nanatsuki lifted Hoshino Rie in one arm and used Kaido to treat her injuries with the other. Then he Shunpo'd to Yoruichi. She looked at the unconscious Rie and asked, "Is she going to be okay?" Nanatsuki set the two students down and replied, "Her life can be saved, but she'll need a long period of recovery afterward." "That's good... Sensei! That move just now was amazing... You absolutely have to teach me how—cough, cough—" Yoruichi got too excited and started coughing. "I will. But don't talk now. I'm getting you all to safety first." With one arm around Hoshino Rie and the other around Shihōin Yoruichi, Nanatsuki vanished from the ruins in a flash of Shunpo. His Shunpo was much faster than Naoko's, and he quickly caught up with her. Then he led the way north. Nanatsuki didn't head toward their original base—the south—because that direction housed two powerful Quincy. Based on his observation, those two were elite Quincy, far stronger than Gillians. Their base was in the south of Karakura Town, the Hollows had come from the west. So Nanatsuki decided to relocate the students to the north. He used Kaido to perform emergency treatment on both Hoshino Rie and Shihōin Yoruichi. Time was short—there was no way to fully heal them, but he could stabilize their injuries and ensure they didn't worsen. The external bleeding soon stopped. Thankfully, his current Kaido skill level was high enough to provide such quick emergency aid. Nanatsuki's eyes shifted slightly—he sensed a terrifying Reiatsu gathering in the distance. One of the remaining Hollows, the closest one, had found them. And it was preparing a Cero! The charge time was fast. In the Hollow's massive white mask mouth, an enormous black-and-red orb was forming. But Nanatsuki's blade was faster! He drew his sword. Katori-ryu: Flowlight! —A streak of brilliant light tore through the sky, instantly reaching the Hollow's mask. The Flowlight technique covered over a hundred meters, but by the time it struck the Hollow, the Reiatsu Blade had lost its edge. It only carved shallow cracks across the mask. Even so, it was enough for Nanatsuki's purposes. BOOM! The black-and-red Cero fired, but its aim had shifted, now blasting toward a small mountain outside Karakura Town. RUMBLE! Even those inside Karakura Town felt the tremors. Nanatsuki sheathed his blade and sank into the shadows. If someone had been watching from above, they would have seen the shadows on the ground—those of trees, buildings—stretching and connecting rapidly. In the next instant, Nanatsuki crossed over a hundred meters and reappeared behind the Hollow. He crouched low, every muscle taut, Reiatsu concentrated in his right arm, waist, and legs. Shadow Strike: Shunpo Iaido! His form vanished from where he stood and reappeared above the Hollow's head. The Hollow suddenly froze, as if someone had pressed the pause button. CRACK— A split appeared along the edge of the Hollow's massive white mask. Crack, crack— The split widened and spread across to the other side. A moment later, half of the Hollow's head slid off. BOOM— Its massive body crashed down and slowly dissolved into Reishi. Having slain another Hollow, Nanatsuki didn't pause. The other two Hollows were very close now. They had locked onto his location and were both charging Cero at the same time! Two massive black-and-red orbs formed in rapid succession. Nanatsuki dropped to the ground, flipped his Zanpakutō, and thrust it into the shadow below. Shadow Bind! His shadow quickly linked with those of the two Hollows. The Hollows' enormous shadows raced across their forms, wrapping tightly around their necks and heads. As the shadows tightened, their aim was forcibly redirected. BOOM! BOOM! Two Cero fired simultaneously—but not at Nanatsuki. Each one struck the other Hollow. —KABOOM! Both were hit squarely by the other's attack.