Chapter 341: Chapter 341: Your Power Is Insignificant
"I've never paid attention to that. What, are you going to cut off the transmission of visual information to the brain? Planning to become blind?" Shinji Hirako sneered, the corners of his mouth curling up with a mocking smile.
His Zanpakutō's blade emitted a fragrance that caused anyone who smelled it to experience a reversal of their perception—up, down, left, right, front, and back would all be inverted. In a direct confrontation, once someone was caught in the effect of his Zanpakutō, it was as good as handing themselves over to be cut down. Very few could quickly adjust to the disorienting sense of direction, leaving them vulnerable.
For any being reliant on sight, the disorienting inversion of directions could easily prove fatal with even a minor misjudgment.
"The retinal response time is 20 milliseconds, the transmission to the brain takes another 20 milliseconds, and the brain's information processing takes 95 milliseconds. Even if a Shinigami's reaction time is ten times faster than that of an ordinary human, do you have any idea how long that still is?" H'el walked out from the encirclement of Kensei Muguruma, Rose Otoribashi, and Love Aikawa, his face calm as he continued to walk forward, speaking in an even tone.
"This technique of distorting the brain's perception through visual information is far weaker than the ability of someone I previously encountered, who could directly manipulate all five senses," H'el commented, comparing Shinji Hirako's Zanpakutō's power to the ability of Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu. No wonder Shinji had ended up as Aizen's experimental subject; from just the abilities of their Zanpakutō, the difference was too vast to even compare.
"Oh, really? Then try this again," Shinji raised an eyebrow, his smile taking on a dangerous edge, his eyes narrowing with a glint of menace. H'el's dismissive evaluation of his Shikai left Shinji seething inside. He had always had immense confidence in his Shikai, which had been nearly invincible in most confrontations.
In an instant, Shinji Hirako flashed with Shunpo, darting between Kensei, Rose, and Love, who had failed in their previous attack attempts, and stabbed towards H'el.
H'el once again felt his vision flip as Shinji's sword tip approached. With a slight smile, H'el adjusted his movements, identifying the reversed elements as the visual information transmitted to his brain. Unhindered, he raised his own Zanpakutō and slashed at Shinji.
The two clashed in the air, their blades crossing dozens of times in rapid succession. Shinji's figure flickered around H'el, each swing of his sword being met with a calm and deliberate counter from H'el, who parried each attack with ease. Forced to retreat, Shinji rapidly flashed around H'el with Shunpo, creating a constant flurry of motion and sound in the sky.
The sight was astonishing to Kensei, Rose, and Love, who watched in shock.
"Is he unaffected by Shinji's Shikai?" Love asked, surprised that H'el could fight back against Shinji's attacks so effortlessly, seemingly unaffected by the disorienting power of Shinji's Zanpakutō.
"It seems his brain can process the inverted signals from the Shikai." Kensei said, his face grim. This was the first time he'd seen someone able to directly counter Shinji's Zanpakutō ability with such precision and speed.
Shinji continued his relentless assault, the sound of clashing blades echoing in the air, creating shockwaves that rippled outward. Yet, it was clear to the onlookers that this was not a battle on equal terms.
Shinji's Shikai had no effect on H'el.
Despite Shinji's relentless Shunpo and rapid strikes, not a single blow landed on H'el. H'el's steps remained steady, his blade casually deflecting Shinji's attacks, which seemed omnipresent but ultimately futile.
H'el's march forward remained unhindered.
*Clang!*
With a swift and powerful slash, H'el forced Shinji back. Shinji skidded across the air, his feet digging into the reishi platform beneath him as he slid, leaving a trail of dust in his wake. He stood, sword held defensively in front of him, his posture slightly hunched, his expression dark with frustration.
His Zanpakutō had no effect on H'el.
He had attempted to use his Shikai's inversion ability over thirty times, trying to disrupt H'el's perception and exploit the disorienting effect to land a blow. But it had no effect whatsoever. Each strike was effortlessly parried and countered. If not for his exceptional speed and reflexes, allowing him to strike and retreat swiftly, he would have been hit multiple times by now.
The person standing before him was unlike anyone he'd ever fought—a swordsman whose skill surpassed anyone he'd encountered, proving incredibly difficult to deal with. Shinji didn't want to admit it, but he was utterly unable to harm H'el.
"You can react to my Shikai's inversion ability?" Shinji's face no longer bore any trace of a smile. His pupils were dilated with shock, his expression strained.
His Zanpakutō wasn't being countered—it was being outright negated.
This realization was staggering. H'el was able to react to the inverted directions of his Shikai, without even a moment of hesitation, rendering its ability useless.
This meant one thing.
H'el's reaction speed far outstripped his own, likely by a factor of five or more, allowing him to instinctively adapt to its effects with ease.
Shinji couldn't help but compare—no one, not even Unohana Retsu, the first Kenpachi of the Fourth Division, had been able to overcome his ability so quickly. The implications were staggering.
"Your power is insignificant," H'el said, his footsteps never faltering as he continued forward, his tone matter-of-fact but perceived by Shinji as outright contempt.
Shinji gritted his teeth, the jagged edges grinding together as his eyes filled with anger and frustration. "Tch, if you've already figured out my ability, I guess I'll just have to assist and harass you from the sidelines then."
H'el gave him a curious glance, responding, "At what point did you believe you could safely attack me and get away unharmed?"
Shinji blinked in confusion, looking down at the hand holding his Zanpakutō. Thin, threadlike strands of blue-green energy had wrapped around his wrist, weaving into the folds of his Shihakushō.
He realized that each time he clashed blades with H'el, these fine threads had entered his body, carried along by the force of their exchanges. The threads were so subtle, blending with the shockwaves of their clashes, that Shinji had mistaken them for the normal vibrations of their battle.
Shinji turned in astonishment, glancing at Kensei, realizing the threads felt similar to the blue-green energy of Kensei's Shikai, Tekken Tachikaze.
H'el gave Shinji a cold glance, swinging his Zanpakutō horizontally.
*Swish!*
The blue-green threads inside Shinji's body transformed into razor-sharp winds, slicing through his veins and arteries. In the next instant, Shinji's eyes widened in shock, his body erupting with countless blue-green blades that tore through his Shihakushō, sending a spray of blood splattering through the air, creating a crimson mist.
He fell from the sky, tumbling through the blood mist.
"Shinji!"
"Shinji!"
"Shinji!!!"
°°°
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