Chapter 238
"What does that evenmean?"
"You obviously don't understand, do you?"
Ice and snow began to spread slowly across Kuchiki Rukia's body.
"Sode no Shirayuki isn't simply a sword that emits cold air from its tip."
"It's a blade that lowers the temperature of its wielder's body to freezing point."
As the frost spread, the lieutenant's armband on Rukia's left arm cracked under the layer of ice and shattered into pieces that fell to the ground.
"Everything it touches will freeze. The blade is merely the arm used to extend that freezing range."
"Nonsense! If the body's temperature falls below freezing, molecular movement ceases! That would make life impossible! How are you even alive?"
"That's correct. I am, indeed... dead for now." Her Zanpakutō gleamed pure white, snowflake patterns rippling across its surface with cold radiance. "I've learned to temporarily kill my own body by halting my reiryoku flow. All molecular motion within me has stopped. Even fear itself-once it reached my core-was frozen upon my skin."
"How could this be?!" Äs Nödt's eyes widened as he saw the black tendrils of his fear ability frozen solid at Rukia's fingertips, unable to move further.
-At minus 18 degrees, blood freezes; wounds no longer bleed.
Rukia's blade cut across Äs Nödt's shoulder. The wound crystallized instantly; frozen blood sparkled on his skin, refusing to flow.
-At minus 50 degrees, even the ground beneath my feet freezes solid.
Frost spread outward from where she stood, the white circle expanding beneath her step.
-At minus 273.15 degrees... Absolute Zero.
I have to finish this quickly. At this temperature, I have four seconds of movement.
Rukia's form flickered-a slash passed through Äs Nödt's figure.
In that instant, his body froze entirely, transformed into motionless ice.
Fear. Was this... fear?
-Negative 198 degrees...
-Negative 142 degrees...
-Negative 116 degrees...
When returning to normal temperature, it must be done gradually. Too fast, and cellular damage will occur.
As her temperature rose, frostbite broke open along her fingertips; blood welled from the cracks. It seemed she'd endured slightly longer than four seconds.
...
No. This isn't fear!
Being reprimanded by his Majesty-that is true fear!
Compared to that, battle holds no terror or pain!
Breathing... Breathing itself is agony.
Living is trouble enough.
Äs Nödt lay on the hospital bed, each breath tearing through his chest with unbearable pain. He wondered-was Heaven free from this sensation? Or would Hell simply magnify it? If so... Hell was truly terrifying.
"Survivor," said Yhwach, gazing down upon him. "I shall grant you power."
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!"
Äs Nödt convulsed, his frozen form bursting apart as shards of ice and sprays of blood scattered from his skin. The veins across his face pulsed crimson until they resembled the visage of some hideous demon.
From his eyes emerged the Quincy Cross-a glowing silver symbol-and behind his head, the same sigil formed into the halo-like shape of the Schrift Cross.
"-Tzomel der Gott-'God's Cowardice'!"
His stomach ruptured wide open. A jagged seam split straight up through his torso and across his face, as if some monstrous being had been sewn inside him long ago and now tore at the stitching to escape.
Rukia's expression darkened as she rushed forward, blade in hand, slashing again and again at the resurrected Quincy before her.
"You cannot kill me," Äs Nödt laughed hoarsely. "Your legs won't move-you're staring, aren't you? Even if you freeze your body, your nerves remain alive!"
Rukia closed her eyes, but the creeping tendrils of fear continued to spread through her consciousness.
"It's useless to close your eyes!" Äs Nödt's laughter deepened. "Your pleasant memories fade fast, but your pain and sorrow linger forever! Fear always returns in darkness!"
However, the moment that black fear touched the core of Rukia's reiatsu, it stopped. Her spiritual energy pulsed outward, dissolving the dark waves easily-like sunlight burning away mist.
Hideki Yuta's words echoed faintly in her heart.
"The so‑called fear doesn't appear from nowhere. It's born from the seeds of anxiety rooted within us…"
She remembered that moment-Yuta had kissed her. Her face had gone bright red as she clung to his neck, body rigid and breathless from shock. She could feel his reiatsu flood into her body, mingling with her own spirit particles and settling deep inside her soul.
She had no idea then that his reiatsu would later protect her-that in the presence of that power, every fragment of fear would vanish entirely.
It felt as if Yuta himself reached forward from behind her now, his warmth enveloping her completely.
"Are you afraid now?" she heard his whisper in the depths of her heart.
Rukia's lips curved slightly. "No… not anymore."
Äs Nödt stared, disbelieving, as his ability collapsed before her calm gaze.
Impossible. How could she completely erase fear itself?
"Even if I don't understand what kind of power this is…" he roared, "then I'll simply kill you with my strongest attack!"
His body split open from the seams once again, torrents of flesh and blood spilling outward as his form grew grotesque-his muscles swelling grotesquely until his head distorted to several meters across. One eyeball fell loose from its socket, dangling by its optic nerve.
What once inspired fear now only repulsed.
Rukia raised her sword calmly.
"If there's no fear in my heart," she said, "then what you see before you is merely your own cowardice reflected back."
"Bankai-Hakka no Togame!"
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