Chapter: 52
The golden shockwave had barely faded before Hiroto appeared above Renji midair, daggers spinning so fast they blurred.
"Bladestorm Breaker!"
Hundreds of golden slashes rained down like a storm, each one sharp enough to cut through steel — but Renji didn't run.
He slammed his foot into the ground, his golden mana erupting outward and shaping into a glowing spear.
"Lance of Sol!"
He hurled the spear upward with all his strength. It met Hiroto's storm of blades head-on, exploding in a blinding flash of light that rocked the entire training ground and knocked both of them back.
Choji was thrown off his feet, covering his face. "ARE THEY TRYING TO DESTROY THE HOUSE?!" he screamed, but deep down he couldn't look away.
Renji landed, his golden aura flaring brighter, mana waves rolling off him like heat.
"You're not holding back anymore, are you?"
Hiroto landed a few meters away, his eyes glowing like molten gold.
"Of course not," Hiroto said, spinning his daggers. "If I hold back now, I'll die!"
Renji grinned, excitement rushing through his veins.
"Then don't hold back. Give me everything."
The air trembled as Hiroto's mana spiked again, his golden aura becoming a raging inferno.
"Celestial Mirage!" he shouted.
Suddenly, five copies of Hiroto appeared, each radiating the same mana signature. They moved in perfect synchronization, surrounding Renji from every side.
"Let's see how fast you really are, Renji!"
The Hirotos struck at once .. five golden blurs attacking from five different directions.
Renji closed his eyes, his senses sharpening.
His body moved before his mind caught up.
In a burst of speed that cracked the ground under his feet, he ducked, twisted, and countered each attack, his fists and legs striking with precision.
Three clones vanished under the force of his blows .. the real Hiroto appeared right behind him, daggers aimed for Renji's back.
"Too slow!"
Renji spun, his fist colliding with Hiroto's dagger in a shower of sparks.
The shockwave blasted both of them apart again, neither willing to give an inch.
"Rising Dragon Strike!" Hiroto roared, leaping into the air, golden energy coiling around his body like a dragon before he dove toward Renji.
Renji raised his hand, golden runes swirling around his palm.
"Solar Counter!"
The two attacks collided midair — the explosion was so massive that the training ground floor gave way, leaving a deep crater where they stood.
When the dust cleared, both of them were on opposite sides of the crater, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down their faces.
Hiroto wiped his mouth, laughing between gasps.
"YOU… really are insane, Renji!"
Renji smirked, trying to steady his breathing.
"You too… Hiroto-san. This is fun."
"Fun?!" Hiroto shouted, then burst out laughing like a maniac. "This is the most fun I've had in YEARS!"
He twirled his daggers, his golden aura sparking dangerously.
"Last one, Renji! Let's finish this!"
Renji's golden mana flared even brighter, his body glowing like a star.
"Fine by me!"
Both of them charged at the same time, their fists glowing with power.
"Golden Breaker!" Hiroto shouted.
"Solar Crush!" Renji roared back.
Their fists collided in the center of the crater.
BOOOOOM!
The impact was so strong that the shockwave blew the roof off the training room entirely, sending a shock across the entire district.
When the dust settled, both Renji and Hiroto were lying on their backs, staring at the sky through the new hole in the ceiling.
Renji was the first to laugh, softly at first, then louder.
"Pfft— HAHAHA! Look at what we did to the place!"
Hiroto started laughing too, rolling onto his side.
"You… you might actually be my favorite person in the whole world right now!"
Takeda entered the room with a deep sigh, looking at the cratered floor, the missing ceiling, the shattered walls.
"I should've known better than to let you two fight seriously…" he muttered.
Choji just stood there, grinning like an idiot.
"You two are insane," he said. "But Renji… you were amazing."
Renji, still lying on the ground, raised a weak thumbs-up.
"Thanks… I think I broke my everything."
Hiroto laughed so hard tears rolled down his face.
"Takeda-san, I'm begging you — don't let him stop training. Next time, I want to fight him again
Takeda couldn't help but smile proudly, even though the room was completely destroyed.
"You will," he said simply. "But for now… both of you need to rest before you blow up the whole city."
Renji and Hiroto exchanged a tired grin, lying there side by side, two rivals who had just forged a bond in the only way they knew how through battle.
The room was still a wreck — walls cracked, floor shattered, and the ceiling completely gone — but laughter filled the air.
Lily came running in, Choji right behind her, their eyes wide at the destruction.
"RENJI!" Lily shouted, her small hands clutching her skirt. "Are you okay?!"
Renji, still lying flat on his back, turned his head toward her with a weak grin.
"I'm fine, Lily. Just… can't feel my legs right now."
Choji walked over, crouching next to him with a big grin.
"'Fine,' he says — when you just blew up Takeda's entire training ground. You're really amazing, Renji."
Hiroto, still sitting cross-legged and catching his breath, let out a short laugh.
"'Amazing' doesn't even begin to cover it. Renji…" Hiroto's smile widened, his golden eyes shining with excitement.
"From now on ...you're my rival."
Renji's eyes widened slightly, then he let out a small chuckle.
"Rival, huh? Guess I can live with that."
But deep down, both men knew the truth.
Neither of them had gone all out.
Neither of them had shown their final cards.
That was what made it exciting.
Hiroto stood, brushing the dust off his shoulders, then offered a hand to Renji.
"Next time, I want us both at full power."
Renji took the hand, standing up despite the aching pain in his body.
"Deal."
Choji crossed his arms, looking between them.
"You two are crazy. But, damn… I'm proud of you, Renji. You're not the same kid who cried about everything three years ago."
Renji smiled softly at that.
It was true.
In just four years, he had gone from the boy who couldn't sleep at night without nightmares, terrified of losing what little family he had left to one of the strongest hunters in Japan.
Lily walked up and hugged his arm tightly.
"You've gotten so strong, Onii-chan," she said softly, her voice almost trembling. "I'm proud of you too."
Renji gently patted her head, smiling warmly.
"We did it together, Lily. All of us."
And it was true.
Through those years, the three of them — Renji, Lily, and Choji — had gone through hell together.
They had trained together, lived together, and fought through hardships together.
They were no longer just friends.
They were family.
Even Hiroto felt it, standing there watching them, smiling faintly.
In the months that followed, Takeda had told Hiroto the truth about Renji, about Januza.
Hiroto had been skeptical at first, even alarmed.
A being with the power to erase its own existence and choose its reincarnation?
That was something that could easily terrify even the strongest SS-rankers.
But then he saw Renji fight.
He saw the determination in his eyes.
And he decided.
He wouldn't see Renji as some godlike entity to be feared or caged by the bearu
He would see him as Renji his rival.
His friend.
The quiet moment was broken by Takeda, who stepped forward, arms crossed, an unusually soft smile on his face.
"Well…" he said, looking at the ruined training ground, "…it seems there's nothing left of this room anyway. Good job."
Renji blinked.
"Good job? I thought you'd be mad—"
Takeda shook his head.
"Mad? No. I told you before, Renji. You've surpassed my expectations."
Renji stood a little straighter at that.
Takeda approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"You're ready. It's time you had your official hunter valuation."
Renji froze, then slowly smiled, his exhaustion melting away into excitement.
"For real?!"
Takeda nodded.
"Yes. You've worked harder than anyone I've ever seen. You've earned it."
Renji clenched his fists, his heart pounding in his chest.
For so long, he had lived in fear of this world — a world of hunters, dungeons, monsters, and mana.
But now… now he was ready to face it head-on.
"Alright," Renji said, grinning from ear to ear. "Let's do it."
Choji slapped him on the back with a grin.
"This is it, Renji. Time to show everyone just how far you've come."
Lily nodded, her eyes bright with pride.
"Show them who you are, Onii-chan."