As soon as the Zanpakutō was stabbed into the faceless white dummy, it was absorbed by it, and its shape began to change into a familiar form.
Long black hair like a waterfall, a pair of crimson eyes, a perfectly proportioned body that would make most supermodels envious, and a face so beautiful it was almost unreal.
"I didn't expect you to force me to manifest in the real world," — a beautiful and familiar voice rang in Ren's ears, as Mikazuki stared at him with complex emotions.
"Sorry, but to achieve my goal, I need more power..." — Ren smiled apologetically, though it was clear he wasn't truly sorry for what he had done.
"It's fine, since I know you well enough to have expected this already," — Mikazuki smiled helplessly as she looked at Ren, before disappearing from her place and appearing directly in front of him.
Mikazuki raised her delicate, beautiful hand and gently touched his blindfold, letting it trace along his face until it reached his lips, which she played with silently.
Ren didn't react much, allowing her to touch him without resistance, since she was a part of him, not someone else.
The two stared deeply into each other's eyes. Ren's hand also rose, reaching for Mikazuki's beautiful face, running through her hair, her forehead, her eyes, her cheeks, and finally her cherry lips.
"... " — Urahara silently observed the scene before him. He had heard that many Shinigami shared mysterious bonds with their Zanpakutō spirits, but this was the first time he had witnessed it with his own eyes.
What Urahara didn't know was that he himself was among those who had a mysterious connection with their Zanpakutō spirit — a fact well known among Shinigami in the Soul Society.
"Originally, I wanted you to accept your true self before obtaining Bankai, but you've already done that," — Mikazuki said softly, her fingers moving to reveal Ren's crystal-blue eyes — "And honestly, I don't mind giving you Bankai but…"
"It would be a shame to return to your inner world while I still have time to manifest here," — Mikazuki said with a gentle smile, placing her hands behind her back as she circled around Ren — "So for the next two days, I'll train you rigorously so you can properly adapt to the power of Bankai."
"And the last day?" — Ren asked, staring into her crimson eyes, which looked just like his own before obtaining the Six Eyes.
"I'll tell you later," — Mikazuki smiled playfully, and two identical Zanpakutō appeared before them. She extended her elegant hand and took one — "I must admit, you're a bit creative with your Shikai usage… but you're still inexperienced. That's why, over the next two days, you'll gain a proper understanding of Shikai while preparing yourself for Bankai."
Ren's Shikai transformed his shining black blade into a bright red one, capable of slicing through space. He had created a technique called Mark of the Wind, inspired by an anime character from his past life — but it was clear he still didn't fully understand Mikazuki's power.
Mikazuki stared at the glowing red blade for a moment, then raised her head and locked eyes with Ren — a sharp gaze that pierced into the depths of his soul.
She lifted her own Zanpakutō, and from its tip, a thin crimson light shot out like a cracked moonbeam, slicing through the ground beneath them with utter silence.
"Shikai isn't just a weapon… it's the embodiment of your will and my spirit, harmonized. And you… Ren, you're still fighting in someone else's style, not your own."
"Now, get ready. The first lesson is very simple..." — Mikazuki smirked slyly before dashing at him with deceptive speed, "You must create your own fighting style. I don't mind drawing inspiration from others — but it mustn't be empty imitation without real substance."
Ting!
Ren raised his sword and blocked Mikazuki's strike, feeling a numbness in his arm from the sheer force, even though it looked like a casual swing.
A playful smile spread across Mikazuki's face as she muttered — "Getsuga Tenshō!!"
Without even swinging her blade, a sky-blue Getsuga Tenshō launched toward Ren with destructive force, sending him flying backward from the impact.
But with instinctive reflexes, Ren used his sword's ability to slice through space, causing the Getsuga Tenshō to vanish before it could cause serious harm — aside from throwing him back several meters.
Without hesitation, Ren created solid footing using the surrounding reishi and stood mid-air. He then swung his sword toward Mikazuki — "Getsuga Tenshō!!"
He slashed toward her, but nothing immediately noticeable occurred — even though Mikazuki was confident he had used Getsuga Tenshō.
Boom!!
Suddenly, a rift tore open in the space behind Mikazuki, and from it emerged a powerful, highly concentrated Getsuga Tenshō. It was clear Ren had modified the technique using Concentrated Spiritual Energy, allowing him to compress his reiatsu and increase its power.
"... " — Seeing what Ren had done, Mikazuki's eyes briefly lit up with surprise. Her sword glowed slightly as space distorted around her, allowing her to escape the attack unscathed.
'A power that can cut through space... That's truly terrifying,' — thought Urahara, adjusting his hat slightly as he walked away from the scene. It was best not to get involved in a fight between the two. As for the data — this space recorded everything that happened, so he could easily review the recordings later to analyze Ren's capabilities.
...
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