Amamiya Shin's laughter echoed in the dilapidated room, his turbid Spiritual Pressure surging like a tide.
The Spiritual Pressure was thick yet erratic, as if many different types of power had been forcibly injected into his body.
His Zanpakuto slashed down once more, wreathed in chaotic energy. Hasumi Ren blocked with his own blade but was forced back several steps.
Amamiya Shin stood with his sword drawn, his Spiritual Pressure surging again and repelling Soi Fon as she tried to close in.
Ren and Soi Fon exchanged a glance, their expressions grim.
The total Spiritual Pressure of the man before them already exceeded that of an ordinary Lieutenant; he was proving to be troublesome.
The mission was to gather intelligence. Since they already had clear leads, retreating now might not be a bad idea.
But with the enemy right in front of her, Soi Fon was loath to simply walk away.
With her Zanpakuto's ability, she was fully capable of killing him then and there.
This was why she hesitated to break off the engagement.
In an instant, Soi Fon made her decision.
She would restrain him alongside Ren first.
After all, two members of the Stealth Force were nearby, and the four members of the Ninth Division would surely return after sensing the Spiritual Pressure here.
Eight against one—the advantage was theirs.
It would be even better if they could take him alive.
"Ren, help me pin this man down."
Seeing Soi Fon's resolve, Ren nodded.
The two stepped forward with their blades drawn, engaging Amamiya Shin with probing strikes and feints to keep him occupied.
"Those ignorant nobles only want to exploit my research, yet they fail to grasp the true essence of this power."
"I will make every single one of you regret this..."
Amamiya Shin appeared mentally unstable, muttering incessantly, yet his movements were exceptionally sharp.
He targeted Soi Fon, who seemed the greater threat, and swung his blade. However, her form blurred as she vanished from the spot.
"Too slow."
Soi Fon's voice came from behind Amamiya Shin. Her Zanpakuto had already transformed into a sharp stinger, radiating a golden glow.
"Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi."
The Spiritual Pressure from her Shikai condensed at her fingertip, thrusting toward Amamiya Shin's rear shoulder with a lethal glint.
She struck true. A black butterfly crest appeared on Amamiya Shin's shoulder.
Yet at that very moment, a twisted smile spread across Amamiya Shin's face.
He slammed his Zanpakuto into the ground.
"Entwine, Senshishu!"
His Zanpakuto instantly disintegrated, transforming into several nearly transparent threads that spread behind him with incredible speed.
These threads weren't physical, but spiritual constructs formed from Reiryoku. They were exceptionally fluid, directly binding the target's spirit body.
Soi Fon's pupils shrank as she retreated rapidly, but the threads were faster, snaring her ankle in mid-air.
The moment the threads touched her, Soi Fon felt her Spiritual Pressure being drained unnaturally, her limbs becoming as heavy as lead.
Something else was hidden within those threads, already seeping into her spirit body.
"This is my Zanpakuto's ability. Once ensnared, it will devour the enemy's Spiritual Pressure."
"And to complement this power, I added a little something extra to my blade. Your hands and feet should be starting to go numb right about now."
Amamiya Shin grinned savagely as he dodged Ren's slash, though he was forced to release the spiritual threads binding Soi Fon.
But his objective had already been achieved.
Soi Fon stumbled, her heart tightening as she felt her limbs grow increasingly heavy.
"Ren, be careful! There's a neurotoxin in those threads!"
Soi Fon looked at Ren, her eyes filled with urgency.
She had been careless.
She hadn't expected the enemy's Zanpakuto to be such a troublesome Kido-type.
And to use such insidious methods on top of that.
Ren appeared by her side and supported her as she wavered, a slight frown on his face.
"How are you? Can you still fight?"
"I'll manage. Don't worry about me; focus on the enemy."
Soi Fon struggled to her feet, staring intently at Amamiya Shin as cold sweat beaded on her forehead.
"Be careful. Do not let the threads of his Zanpakuto touch you."
In the next instant, Amamiya Shin's Zanpakuto attacked again. The two dodged using Shunpo, but Amamiya Shin had already finished his Bakudo incantation.
"Bakudo 61: Rikujokoro!"
Six beams of light flashed instantly, pinning Soi Fon—whose reactions had slowed significantly—firmly in place.
Soi Fon cried out in pain, pinned down by the Bakudo's Spiritual Pressure and unable to move.
She looked anxiously at Ren while trying to break the seal with her own Spiritual Pressure, but it would take time.
Yet Amamiya Shin didn't rush in to finish her off; instead, he turned his gaze toward Ren.
Soi Fon finally realized the enemy's goal was clear: disable her first, and then...
"Ren, look out!"
Amamiya Shin looked at Ren, a flash of murderous intent in his eyes.
"The troublesome one is dealt with. Next... it's you."
As he swung his Zanpakuto, threads surged toward Ren from all directions.
It seemed that in his eyes, Ren was nothing more than a minor nuisance to be crushed at will.
"What, do I look that easy to deal with?"
Ren stood his ground, a glint flashing in his eyes as he softly incanted.
"Endless chains, where all laws fall silent."
"Garenge."
The Zanpakuto bloomed into its true form upon release, chains coiling around Ren's wrists.
In the next moment, a certain restriction within Ren's body was lifted.
At the same time, the analysis began.
[SYSTEM: Analyzing Zanpakuto: Senshishu]
[SYSTEM: Analysis Progress 20%... 25%...]
[SYSTEM: Analyzing Zanpakuto: Suzumebachi]
[SYSTEM: Analysis Progress 20%... 25%...]
"A Shikai? Unfortunately, all is futile before the power of my Zanpakuto."
"All I need is to hit you once..."
Amamiya Shin grinned, swinging his blade again as the threads reached for Ren.
In the next instant, Ren's figure vanished from the spot.
Amamiya Shin's pupils contracted. He hadn't even seen Ren's Shunpo.
Amidst the whistle of torn air, Ren appeared at Amamiya Shin's side, his blade slashing diagonally.
So fast!
Amamiya Shin hurriedly raised his sword to block, twisting his spiritual threads together into the shape of a shield.
Clang!
The blades clashed, and the sheer force sent Amamiya Shin flying backward. He crashed through the wall and tumbled onto the open ground outside.
A copper taste filled his throat as he coughed up a mouthful of blood, his eyes wide with horror.
The power and Spiritual Pressure of that last strike were completely beyond his ability to withstand.
What was going on?!
The Spiritual Pressure and Shunpo speed Ren had shown earlier were Seated Officer level at best.
How could his power increase so drastically after a Shikai?
What kind of output efficiency was this?
Before Amamiya Shin could react, Ren closed in again.
After a few exchanges, Amamiya Shin's hands were numb from the impacts. Let alone counterattacking, merely shielding his vitals was the limit of his capability.
The two continued their exchange of offense and defense until text appeared before Ren's eyes.
[SYSTEM: Zanpakuto: Senshishu, analysis successful!]
[SYSTEM: Senshishu: Zanpakuto transforms into spiritual ribbons capable of entwining and binding targets, devouring their Spiritual Pressure. The blade contains neurotoxins.]
This Zanpakuto's ability was now useless against Ren.
To Ren's surprise, the neurotoxin added to the blade seemed to be treated as part of the Zanpakuto's ability, granting him immunity to that as well.
This was an unexpected boon.
"Bakudo 30: Shitotsu Sansen!"
Amamiya Shin bypassed the incantation, attempting to disrupt him with Bakudo.
Three sharp beams of spiritual energy shot from the void, but Ren simply stepped aside to dodge them, not even sparing the beams a glance.
Ren raised his blade and charged once more, but this time, Amamiya Shin's actions caught him off guard.
He left himself completely exposed, allowing Ren's blade to fall and carve a massive wound across his body.
Using the opening created by his injury, those Zanpakuto threads finally wound themselves around Ren's arm.
"Finally... I've got you..."