The battle raged on within the mental world — a clash between Kurotsuki Renya and his inner Hollow self, Bai Renya. Each movement was fluid and instinctive, but it was Bai Renya who dominated the exchange. His body moved without hesitation, responding to every attack with natural precision that came only from pure fighting instinct.
Renya found himself struggling to gain an advantage. The Hollow fought as though he could read the flow of battle itself — anticipating each move, exploiting every gap.
So Renya stopped attacking. Instead, he shifted to defense — closing his stance, tightening his movements, increasing his reaction speed. His goal wasn't victory through brute strength, but observation.
Bai Renya fought by instinct, his reactions far sharper and his battle sense far keener.
"He's faster," Renya thought, parrying a strike that would have split his mask. "His instincts… they're superior to mine."
But he narrowed his eyes, recalling something.
"Instinct alone — is it really enough?"
Renya thought of Zaraki Kenpachi, who fought purely through instinct and raw might. Kenpachi was a monster, yes — but even he had limits.
Instinct gave strength, but instinct alone could not always ensure victory. It lacked calculation. It lacked reason.
Renya flickered back, widening the distance between them. Bai Renya scoffed.
"What's this? You running away?"
He surged forward, hurricanes of reiryoku swirling around his arms as his body blurred into motion.
Renya didn't move. His reiryoku condensed around his hands, and his voice rang through the storm:
"Hadō #31: Shakkahō — Red Fire Cannon.
Hadō #32: Ōkasen — Yellow Fire Flash.
Hadō #58: Tenran — Heavenly Whirlwind.
Bakudō #26: Kyakko — Curved Light."
A massive explosion erupted as the spells intertwined — red fire and white wind bursting outward, shrouding the rooftop in flames.
"Combination Kidō: Curved Light — Red Cannon — Burning Wind!"
The shockwave swallowed Bai Renya whole. His instincts told him to flee, but instead he charged through the inferno, using the chaos as cover to strike.
"So predictable," Renya whispered.
He raised his hand, lightning forming at his fingertips.
"Electromagnetic Pulse."
A sphere of vibrating thunder energy expanded outward, washing over the rooftop. Bai Renya's eyes widened.
"Damn it—!"
He tried to convert his reiryoku into a magnetic shield — but as he gathered the lightning energy, Renya suddenly dispelled it. The defense collapsed instantly.
The pulse slammed into Bai Renya, and he screamed — his insides burning as the current tore through his core. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he crashed to one knee.
"How… how did you—?"
Renya's calm voice answered:
"Instinct makes you strong. But humans — even Shinigami — aren't beasts. We fight with thought, not impulse."
The earlier Kidō barrage wasn't meant to kill — it was a distraction, bait to trigger Bai Renya's natural reflex to counterattack. The moment Bai Renya acted on instinct, Renya had already set his trap — timing the electromagnetic pulse perfectly, predicting his reaction down to the breath.
"You share my power and my memories," Renya continued, walking forward, "but you also share my weaknesses. And instinct can be exploited."
Bai Renya glared through blood-soaked teeth.
"You cunning bastard!"
Renya disappeared with a shunpo, reappearing behind him in an instant.
"You feel it, don't you?" Renya said quietly. "Your body weakening."
Before Bai Renya could respond, Renya thrust his Tianraijin forward, the blade glowing with compressed wind and lightning.
Boom!
The strike connected with Bai Renya's back, and the hurricane-infused blast detonated — a deafening roar split the rooftop as Bai Renya's spine cracked under the impact, hurling him across the air.
Renya landed lightly on his toes and appeared beside the fallen Hollow. Bai Renya looked up, gasping.
"Wh… what was that move?"
Renya lowered his spear.
"A fusion of Hadō #58: Tenran and my own Kazekōka technique — condensed and redirected through Tianraijin. It's a compressed, instantaneous hurricane shot — more destructive than any basic Kidō."
Bai Renya spat blood, his voice trembling.
"Damn it… you used tricks… you couldn't even fight me head-on."
Renya smiled faintly.
"You said you fight by instinct — and that you could use all my abilities. That means I could never defeat you in a straight fight.
So I used what you can't predict — preparation, misdirection, traps. I lured your instincts into reacting, and turned them against you."
Indeed, every motion had been deliberate: the Kidō barrage, the electromagnetic pulse, even the distance control — all crafted to force Bai Renya's instincts into making the "perfect" move that led to his downfall.
Bai Renya chuckled weakly.
"You got me this time… but I'll return. When I do… you won't win so easily."
Renya shrugged.
"Then we'll see when that time comes."
He raised Tianraijin — and drove it through the Hollow's chest. Bai Renya's body scattered into particles of light, dissolving into the storm.
⸻
Reality — Visored Training Grounds
Renya's right arm and chest were now encased in white Hollow armor, his breathing uneven as his body pulsed with unstable reiryoku.
Across from him, Love Aikawa (Liuche Kenji) swung his massive Zanpakutō, its blade cutting across Renya's shoulder — blood spattered the ground.
"That's enough!" Love shouted, his blade glowing with his Shikai's power — Tengumaru.
But Renya's wound sealed instantly, white matter reforming where the blood had been. He lunged forward, and Love barely managed to pivot aside, stabbing into Renya's waist.
The blade sank deep — but Renya only grinned beneath his cracked mask.
"Be careful!"
A warning came too late — Renya opened his mouth, crimson light glowing at its core.
A Cero.
Love's eyes widened. He leapt back as the crimson beam fired, splitting the barrier with thunderous force, leaving a charred scar across the field.
"He's forming a Cero — Just like a Shinigami turning Hollow, it's unheard of" Hirako shouted from outside the barrier. "His mask's covering's full — no jaw opening!"
Indeed, Renya's Hollow mask was fully enclosed — a smooth, curved surface with a single horizontal slit for vision, like Yadomaru Lisa's. Unlike partial masks such as Ichigo's or Hiyori's, which exposed the mouth, Renya's was sealed — his Cero emitted from a core vent above the visor.
"Damn!" Love muttered, shielding himself as the beam dissipated. "He's still got control enough to form that?"
"Time's up — switch!" Shinji commanded.
Lisa stepped forward, gripping her Shinso-style katana.
"Got it."
She flash-stepped into the barrier, replacing Love in a blur, and slashed across Renya's back. The impact cracked through the air — and Renya fell to his knees.
Blood pooled beneath him. For a moment, silence fell — then a faint voice broke through.
"Next time… warn me before you cut me in half."
Lisa blinked.
Renya's mask crumbled away, pieces of white falling like dust, revealing his tired but conscious face.
"You're awake?" she asked, blushing faintly.
"I— sorry. Reflex."
Renya sighed, sitting up slowly, his back still bleeding.
"It's fine. Just… maybe no more blade greetings next time."
Shinji exhaled in relief.
"He did it. Hollowfication complete. Open the barrier!"
Hachigen released the seal. Shinji was the first to step inside — only to get immediately kicked backward by Hiyori.
"Don't crowd him, baldy!" she snapped.
"Oi! That's my line!" Shinji groaned, rubbing his head.
"Shut up!" Hiyori barked, glaring. "You always steal the dramatic moments."
Renya chuckled weakly at their antics, watching the bickering pair. Despite their loud mouths and constant insults, their bond was obvious.
"So this… is the Visoreds," Renya said softly. A small smile formed.
"Guess that makes me one of you now."
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