Chapter: 48
The room was silent except for the faint hum of mana coming from Hiroto's golden aura. He stared at Renji, then tilted his head with an amused grin.
"What's your name, kid?"
Renji straightened his back, fists still clenched. "I'm Renji."
Hiroto chuckled, wiping the last of his tears from his earlier dramatic entrance. "Renji, huh? Fine." He cracked his neck, golden sparks dancing around his body. "Let's see what you've got."
Takeda quietly stepped back, giving them space. His expression was unreadable, but Choji noticed the faint glint of pride in his mentor's eyes.
Choji, however, couldn't stop the worry on his face. "Takeda-san… are you sure this is okay?"
Takeda glanced at him. "Relax. Hiroto won't kill him."
"That's not what I'm worried about," Choji muttered under his breath.
Takeda crossed his arms. "Listen, Choji. Renji is not the same boy he was three years ago. He may not have mana, but he's stronger than most S-rank hunters even without it."
Choji's eyes widened. "Stronger… than S-ranks?"
Takeda nodded slowly. Four months ago I saw a glimpse of januza strength first hand he was so strong I couldn't even react and I still don't think that's he's full strength But,"If he learns to control even a fraction of Januza's power, he won't just be an S-rank — he'll be an SS-ranker. . possibly even higher "
Higher ?? Choji said ?
Takeda noded in agreement" Yes without mana he's stronger than most s ranks in strength and speed what do u think he'll be with a fraction of that power you saw four months ago ??
Choji swallowed hard, staring at Renji as he squared off with Hiroto. SS-rank?
Takeda's voice dropped lower, his eyes narrowing as if remembering something far away. "His speed and reflexes are already beyond human. Maybe it's because he's a vessel… or a reincarnation of something greater. I don't know. But he's not a defenseless kid anymore. He can hold his own."
Choji clenched his fists, anxiety mixing with pride. Renji… don't get yourself killed.
Back in the center of the room, Hiroto tilted his head again, looking Renji up and down. "You're a non-awakened human. How the hell are you moving that fast?"
Renji grinned sheepishly, tapping his head. "Ehh… Mr. Takeda trained me."
For a moment, Hiroto just stared at him. Then, unexpectedly, his eyes welled up with tears again.
"TAKEDA-SAN!!!" Hiroto suddenly dropped to one knee, wiping his eyes like a child. "As expected from you! You truly are amazing, Takeda-sama!"
Takeda sighed, BAGA!!
The tension instantly shifted Hiroto stood and slowly, turning back toward Renji. His expression had changed his grin sharper, his golden eyes focused.
"Don't disappoint me, Renji."
Renji tightened his fists, his breath steady. The fear was still there, but it was different now it wasn't the kind that froze him in place. It pushed him forward.
"I won't," he said firmly.
Then, in a single instant, both of them vanished.
BOOM!
Their fists collided mid-air, creating a shockwave so strong the training room's reinforced glass walls rattled. Choji stumbled back, eyes wide.
"They're… fast!" he gasped.
Renji's feet skidded across the floor as Hiroto's raw strength pushed him back, but he didn't fall. Instead, he twisted, his knee shooting toward Hiroto's ribs.
Hiroto blocked it easily, his grin never fading. "Not bad, kid."
Then he stepped in, faster than Renji could react, and drove a kick into Renji's torso.
CRASH!
Renji flew backward, slamming into the far wall, dust rising from the impact.
Choji started forward, but Takeda held up a hand. "Stay where you are. He can take it."
Renji coughed, clutching his stomach, but slowly stood back up. His breathing was heavy not from fear, but from adrenaline.
Hiroto tilted his head, his grin turning slightly more serious. "Is that all you've got?"
Renji wiped the blood from his lip, his eyes narrowing.
"I haven't even gone all out yet."
Hiroto's grin widened. "Good."
Golden energy flared around him as he crouched, ready to strike.
Renji gritted his teeth. The pain in his chest was screaming at him to stop, but deep inside, another voice was louder.
I'm not the same Renji I was back then.
His eyes sharpened, determination burning in them like fire
Hiroto's golden aura flared so brightly it painted the walls with light. His grin was wider than ever, but this time, it wasn't just playful it was the grin of a predator excited to see prey that dared bare its fangs.
"Here I come, Renji!"
He launched forward, his speed so explosive that even the floor cracked under his feet.
BOOM!
Renji barely saw him coming — but something inside him moved first. His instincts screamed louder than his thoughts, and his body reacted on its own.
DODGE!
Renji ducked low just as Hiroto's fist cut through the air above him, creating a shockwave that blew his hair back. The impact struck the wall behind him, leaving a massive crater.
Choji's jaw dropped. "If that hit landed…"
"He'd be out cold," Takeda finished calmly, though a small smile tugged at his lips. "But it didn't."
Renji twisted on the ground, using the momentum to sweep Hiroto's legs. It wasn't strong enough to drop him, but Hiroto was forced to hop back.
"Ohhh!" Hiroto's golden eyes gleamed. "You're fast No he said in his thoughts he's learning as we fight."
Renji didn't answer. He didn't have time. Hiroto charged again, this time with two blinding punches.
WHAM! WHAM!
Renji blocked one, dodged the other, and countered with a straight jab that grazed Hiroto's cheek.
Blood.
Just a thin red line, but it was there.
Choji gasped. "He… hit him!"
Takeda's smile widened ever so slightly. "Good."
Hiroto touched the line of blood on his cheek, then licked it off his finger. He started laughing — low at first, then louder and louder until the room practically vibrated with his excitement.
"HAHAHA! You actually hit me!"
He dropped into a lower stance, aura blazing hotter. "Alright, Renji. Playtime's over. Let's see if you can keep up now!"
Renji tightened his fists. His arms were already throbbing, his legs screaming from the strain -but he couldn't stop. Not now. Not when he had come this far.
Hiroto vanished.
Renji's pupils shrank — too fast! — but instead of panicking, he listened to the voice in his head.
Breathe. Move.
He stepped to the side just as Hiroto reappeared, fist already flying.
BOOM!
Their fists clashed again — this time, Renji didn't slide back as far. His feet dug into the floor, leaving deep cracks beneath them.
"That's it!!" Hiroto roared with excitement. "AGAIN!"
He threw another punch. Renji ducked and countered with a knee to his gut — Hiroto blocked, but this time, he stumbled back two steps.
Choji's heart was racing as he watched. "He's… he's adapting. Every exchange he's getting faster."
Takeda's eyes gleamed like a proud teacher's. "Exactly. This is Renji's real power growth. He learns and evolves with every fight. It's not mana that makes him dangerous."
Hiroto was laughing again, but this time, his grin carried real respect.
"You're good, kid. You might actually make me get serious."
Renji's chest was heaving, sweat dripping down his face, but there was fire in his eyes.
"Then stop talking and fight."
Hiroto's grin widened. "Careful what you wish for!"
Golden energy exploded around him, shaking the room. The very air seemed to vibrate as he released more of his power.
Renji felt it press against him like a storm, but unlike before, he didn't freeze. He set his stance, teeth gritted, ready to clash again.
"Come on, Hiroto-san!"
And just like that they vanished from sight.
The room erupted with shockwaves as fists and kicks collided at speeds Choji could barely follow. Cracks spread across the floor, the walls groaned under the pressure, and yet Renji kept going, driven by sheer willpower.
For the first time in a long while, Hiroto felt it — excitement.
"This kid…" he muttered between blows, blocking a punch that nearly grazed his jaw, "he's insane!"
Renji's knuckles were bleeding, his breath ragged, but he didn't stop. Every strike, every dodge, every counter was faster, sharper — almost as if his body was learning mid-battle, reshaping itself for each exchange.
Then, Renji feinted left and drove a punch straight into Hiroto's chest.
BOOM!
Hiroto slid back across the floor, his boots digging trenches in the ground. He looked down at the faint bruise forming where Renji had struck.
Then he started laughing again, louder than ever.
"Takeda-san!" Hiroto shouted without taking his eyes off Renji. "You've raised a monster!!"
Takeda smirked. "Not yet. But give him time."
Renji was panting heavily, his entire body sore, but when he looked at Hiroto, he smiled through the pain.
"Not done yet."
Hiroto's grin turned feral. "Good. Because I was just about to go all out."
The room trembled as Hiroto unleashed even more of his power, his golden aura turning almost blinding.
Takeda crossed his arms. "Now… let's see how far Renji can really go."