Suì-Fēng retreated hastily, her tense and guarded posture causing a soft chuckle to escape Ren's lips.
"What's wrong? Didn't you say you were going to teach me a lesson on Yoruichi's behalf?"
"Staying so far away and refusing to attack won't get the job done."
Suì-Fēng forced herself to stay calm and barked, "Shut up!"
"If you want me to be quiet, then get closer and attack me."
Ren beckoned her with a slight curl of his finger, a faint smile playing on his face.
"You're afraid to attack. You're trembling, aren't you?"
"Shut up!"
"What are you so afraid of?" Ren asked. "You're afraid of my sudden movements. You're afraid a part of my body will suddenly vanish from your sight."
"I told you to shut up!"
"Suì-Fēng, your fear is pointless. Look, just like this..."
A single finger reached out and lightly tapped Suì-Fēng's forehead.
Ren's voice rang out right in front of her.
"I can touch you whenever I please."
Shadows loomed over Suì-Fēng as the upper half of her body was draped in shade. Her pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks as she stared blankly at Ren, who had appeared before her in an instant.
'When did he get here?'
'I didn't sense him at all...'
'Even though I was on high alert and completely on guard!'
In that moment, as Suì-Fēng looked up at the tall figure before her, it was as if she were staring at a mountain peak that could never be scaled.
In this fight, the man hadn't even drawn his Zanpakuto or used Kido. He was toyed with her using nothing but Shunpo and Hakuda.
No, looking at his relaxed and effortless posture, he probably wasn't even taking Hakuda or Shunpo seriously.
She didn't even know how much of his true strength he was actually using.
A tenth? Or perhaps just a hundredth?
Even with just that much, she didn't have the slightest room to fight back.
Did she really have a chance of winning this battle?
Could she ever hope to surpass him in the future?
Was someone as weak as her really capable of defeating this man and taking back Lady Yoruichi?
For the sake of Lady Yoruichi, she had endured hellish training. Suì-Fēng felt she had grown significantly, believing that even if she couldn't win, she could at least graze him.
Just a little bit would be enough. She just needed to see a single glimmer of hope.
But now, Suì-Fēng couldn't see any light on the path ahead.
There was only a profound, bottomless darkness.
In an instant, the resolve and fighting spirit she had maintained began to crack. It felt as though they would shatter into dust with the slightest touch.
Ren withdrew his hand and looked at Suì-Fēng. He saw that the shock on her face hadn't faded; instead, her vitality was rapidly draining away.
Her sharp eyes gradually lost their luster, sinking into a dull gloom.
'The shock was too much. She's lost her confidence.'
Ren hadn't expected Suì-Fēng to be so fragile. He had barely toyed with her, and her spirit was already breaking.
If Yoruichi found out he had accidentally crushed Suì-Fēng's will, she probably wouldn't forgive him.
Ren felt a bit helpless. He extended his right hand, palm open, and waved it in front of Suì-Fēng.
"At least your stinger was able to reach me."
Suì-Fēng's eyes subconsciously followed the movement of Ren's palm. When she saw the butterfly-shaped black pattern on it, light slowly returned to her gaze.
This was...
The Horinka formed after being struck by Suzumebachi!
She had succeeded!
That hellish training wasn't for nothing. She really did it!
Color returned to Suì-Fēng's face at a visible pace, and her fighting spirit flared up once more.
Hope reappeared before her eyes.
"Looks like you've recovered."
Ren shook his head slightly.
The current Suì-Fēng was still too young. Despite living for so long, her mental fortitude was inferior to a certain high school student from years in the future.
Even under Aizen's constant manipulations, that boy might have felt hesitant, but he never lost his will to fight back.
But Suì-Fēng...
In the end, she wasn't quite up to the mark.
However, Ren wouldn't hold it against her.
A normal person couldn't be compared to someone with a cheat code.
"Lady Yoruichi!"
Suì-Fēng growled, her expression becoming more determined with every breath.
That name seemed to possess a powerful magic, restoring the strength in her heart.
Her eyes shone with a brilliant light as they focused.
She looked at the enemy before her, her fighting spirit soaring.
"So you can be hurt after all."
Sui-Feng's words sounded a bit strange to Ren's ears.
Why did that line sound so familiar?
"I'm not a god. Of course I can get hurt."
Even God, in this world, had his limbs severed and was turned into a living pillar.
He was still suffering even now.
His treatment wasn't much better than the one sitting on the Golden Throne.
"Suì-Fēng, have you regained your confidence?"
"It's not about confidence. I've simply realized one thing."
The weapon on Suì-Fēng's hand extended, its tip pointing directly at Ren.
"Since I can pierce your skin, I can surely pierce your throat."
"Heh. Having confidence is good, but overconfidence is just arrogance."
Ren held out his right hand, revealing the mark on his palm.
He was completely defenseless.
"I went easy on you for one moment, and you've already started having delusions."
"Try it again. See if you can actually wound me."
"Don't look down on me!"
Suì-Fēng roared, her body flickering into a series of blurred afterimages.
She was even faster than she had been just moments ago.
In the blink of an eye, she was in front of Ren, Suzumebachi thrusting toward his palm.
But just as she was about to strike, Suì-Fēng suddenly retreated several steps.
Seeing that Ren hadn't made a single move to defend himself, she barked, "Why aren't you defending? Are you really not afraid of being struck by my Suzumebachi?"
"It doesn't matter if you strike me. With your current power, even if you can touch me, it would take at least two hundred years before you could actually cause me harm."
Ren kept his hand extended, waiting for Suì-Fēng's attack.
"If your attack actually works and I die by your hand, then it's my own lack of strength. I'd deserve it."
"What? Did I scare you so much that you've lost the courage to even try?"
Suì-Fēng grit her teeth and steeled her resolve, casting aside her hesitation.
"Don't blame me if you die!"
Her figure blurred into an afterimage again, appearing before Ren in an instant.
Suzumebachi lunged straight for the Horinka on Ren's palm.
'He'll dodge, right...?'
'I told him about Suzumebachi's ability—death in two stings. His tough talk must just be a bluff.'
Even as Suzumebachi was about to hit, Suì-Fēng still didn't see Ren react or attempt to dodge.
He just stood there, completely still.
It was as if he were truly waiting for her Nigeki Kessatsu.
'Why isn't he dodging? Is this an afterimage?'
'That's it. His Shunpo is so fast that this must be a residual image. His real body must be hiding somewhere, waiting to toy with me again.'
'He might be right behind me. I have to be careful...'
Her hand met with a massive resistance. Suì-Fēng's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Ren.
It was his real body!
She really... hit him?
Then...
As Suzumebachi struck the same spot, another Horinka appeared on his large palm, overlapping to form the eight-sided floral pattern.
Death in Two Stings—successful.
In that instant, Suì-Fēng suddenly lost herself.
She stared blankly at the motionless Ren, her eyes filled with confusion, shock, and even a hint of deep regret.
"I..."
"I killed Ren..."
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]