"Why so surprised? I'm just stating the facts."
Seeing the shock and surprise on Byakuya's face, Renji spoke again in a deep voice: "I've seen through your tricks!"
With that, Renji attacked again. The massive yellow serpent instantly split into countless bone joints, shooting explosively towards Byakuya.
"Swish, swish, swish!!"
The bone joints attacked with incredible speed. Byakuya quickly dodged.
"Bam! Bam! Bam!"
The explosive power of the bone joints blasted deep craters into the ground.
Whether because shock slowed Byakuya's reaction or Renji's attack was too fast, this time Byakuya, though dodging at the last moment, ended up kneeling on one knee somewhat awkwardly.
"Well, well, down on one knee, Captain Kuchiki," Renji taunted.
Seeing the man he once could only look up to, the man he desperately wanted to surpass, now kneeling on one knee before his attack, Renji felt a surge of intense satisfaction.
"I will defeat you!"
"It ends now, Kuchiki Byakuya, this duel between us."
Renji once again assumed an attacking posture.
"Ends now, is it?"
Byakuya pushed himself up from the ground with one hand.
"Very well. I'll use my blade... to end this fight."
Byakuya gripped his Zanpakuto tightly.
Hearing this, Renji couldn't help but get angry: "Didn't I just tell you? Have you forgotten so quickly? I can see your blade clearly now! So the one ending this fight will be my blade!!"
Renji stamped his right foot hard on the ground and swung his arm violently. The massive yellow serpent lunged at Byakuya once more.
This time, facing Renji's attack, Byakuya's expression was utterly calm. He calmly extended his right hand.
"Hado #33, Sokatsui!"
Boom!
A surge of blue-white flame shot out like a bolt of cloth, its power so great it demolished the surrounding buildings. Even Renji's attack was momentarily halted by the shockwave.
Simultaneously, the smoke and dust made it impossible for Renji to see Byakuya's figure clearly.
"Ugh..."
"Incantationless!"
"An intermediate Kido used without the incantation, and it has this much power!"
Renji was horrified.
"Ridiculous! You think this will stop me from seeing your movements!!"
Renji roared.
Then, Renji swung his arm repeatedly, manipulating the massive yellow serpent like a whip, attacking wildly in all directions within the smoke.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The ground and buildings were ravaged hideously under Renji's indiscriminate assault, but he never once touched Byakuya.
Crack!
A sound of breaking suddenly came.
"Damn! A mistake!!"
Renji was horrified.
Because the serpent's body was so large and difficult to control, and because Renji had just learned Bankai, he made a critical control error.
This error caused the massive serpent, composed of countless bone joints, to actually break apart at one section.
"The ridiculous one is you."
Byakuya's taunting voice suddenly rang out.
"I used Kido not to obscure your vision or distract you, but simply to disrupt your Bankai."
"The flaw of Bankai is its proportional increase in power. Because its shape and size are vastly different from an ordinary sword, fully controlling Bankai and wielding it freely requires at least a decade of training."
"It's still too early for you to fight using Bankai, Renji."
Byakuya stated calmly.
Enraged, Renji retorted, "So what! It's only one broken section! It doesn't matter!!"
With that, Renji prepared to attack again.
But Byakuya simply pointed at him: "Bakudo #61, Rikujokoro!"
Swish, swish, swish!!
Six bands of light shot out, binding Renji's body.
"Not good!"
Renji struggled fiercely but couldn't break free.
"I suggest you stop. You're not still holding out hope, are you?"
"Have you forgotten?"
"Bankai?"
"I can use it too."
Byakuya suddenly released his Zanpakuto, letting it fall towards the ground.
"Bankai—"
The ground rippled like a lake, and Byakuya's Zanpakuto, Senbonzakura, sank into the surface and vanished.
At the same time, two rows of massive blades rose from the ground on either side of Byakuya, like orderly guards flanking a majestic king.
"Scatter, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"
With that, the massive blades on either side of Byakuya instantly transformed into hundreds of millions of tiny, cherry-blossom-like blades, fluttering down upon Renji, still bound by Rikujokoro.
Shlk! Shlk! Shlk!
Bright red blood sprayed from Renji's body.
Thud!
Renji's body crashed to the ground.
"Let me tell you where the gap lies."
"It's in our level. The difference in our levels is far too great. While most Captains can use Bankai, that doesn't mean using Bankai makes you a match for a Captain."
Byakuya looked down at Renji impassively.
"The monkey reaches for the moon's reflection. The beast sees only the illusory moon on the water's surface. The hand reaching for it only sinks into the water. Your fangs can never touch me."
"Never."
Byakuya turned his back on Renji and began walking away, speaking calmly as he went.
"A thousand blades rise from beneath your feet. The countless blades they produce are as numerous as hairs on a cow."
"Without a trajectory, there is nowhere to dodge."
"Like a gentle breeze passing by, then all return to dust."
"You are truly remarkable. To still maintain your human form after being hit by my blades... not being torn to pieces."
The victor, Byakuya, proudly praised the fallen Renji.
"Hmm?"
Byakuya suddenly stopped.
"Still breathing?"
Byakuya said, seemingly a little surprised.
Renji, originally lying on the ground covered in blood, slowly lifted his head. He struggled to crawl towards his Zanpakuto and grasped it once more.
"You'd better not move. You'll die faster."
Byakuya said calmly.
But Renji, ignoring Byakuya's warning entirely, painfully stood up.
"It's not over yet... I can still..."
"Keep fighting!"
Renji roared and prepared to charge at Byakuya again.
"I told you not to move! Didn't you hear me!!"
Byakuya's expression turned cold. He pointed his right hand at Renji and gently flicked his fingers.
Swish, swish, swish!!
Blades shot towards Renji like arrows.
"Aaaaaah!!"
Renji's agonized scream rang out.
While most of the blades stuck into the ground beside him, several pierced his body, pinning him to the earth.
Tap, tap, tap...
Byakuya walked back to Renji's side. He drew one of the blades from the ground and placed it against Renji's neck.
"I should commend you. To still be alive after being hit by my Bankai... But if you move again, don't blame me. I will use this blade to turn your entire body..."
"to dust."