**Chapter 11: Enclose, Murciélago**
Everyone saw the smile on Ren's lips and couldn't believe it.
What kind of mindset allowed Ren to smile when facing the overwhelmingly powerful Gildarts?
"Ren, why are you smiling?" Gildarts asked curiously.
Normally, seeing such powerful magic power being released, almost everyone would lose the courage to continue fighting.
Aside from Ren, he had never seen anyone smile in this kind of situation.
"Because I'm happy! Being able to fight such a strong opponent, I'm truly lucky."
Hearing Ren's words, Gildarts seemed to take a slight impact, and then a smile appeared on his face. "You will become stronger."
He had intended to teach Ren fear, as only fear could urge a person to become stronger.
Who knew Ren would be the complete opposite?
*Shing!*
Ren slowly drew his Zanpakutō.
"He drew his sword!"
Ren always carried that sword, so anyone looking at him would think he was a Magic Swordsman.
However, Ren rarely used it, often relying on his teleportation-like skills and powerful magic instead, as if the sword were merely a decoration.
Only a few people like Mirajane and Natsu knew that Ren's swordsmanship was top-tier, comparable to Erza's.
"Using a weapon won't change anything at this point, right?"
"Gildarts will just crush the weapon."
Gildarts was interested. "Using a weapon? I've been watching, and you haven't used that sword at all. I wonder how your swordsmanship is."
Ren shook his head. "My swordsmanship is just average. This sword isn't meant for swordsmanship."
"?!"
Ren's words left everyone confused; they didn't understand what he meant.
If the sword wasn't for swordsmanship, then what was it for?
At this moment, Ren raised the Zanpakutō and pointed it forward, whispering the release command:
"Enclose, Murciélago!"
*Hum————!!!*
The sky seemed to darken as black droplets of spiritual pressure rain fell from the heavens.
Everyone couldn't help but look up at the sky.
"Black rain?"
When the droplets hit their faces, they realized there was no wet sensation.
Makarov's expression changed drastically. "No! This isn't real rain, it's liquefied magic power!"
"Impossible?!"
Soon, all the anomalies disappeared.
Everyone turned their gaze to Ren, and their pupils instantly shrank.
"Is that... Ren?"
Ren's image had changed completely.
A pair of giant black wings that obscured the sky appeared on his back.
His clothes had turned into a long white robe. He wore a helmet with two horns, his hair had grown longer, his eyes had turned emerald green, tear-like markings appeared on his face, and his fingernails had become long black claws.
This was Ulquiorra's form after the First Stage Resurrección.
If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, no one would believe this person was Ren.
At this moment, Ren radiated a terrifying aura, not inferior to Gildarts in the slightest.
"Did Ren use Take Over magic?"
Ren's current appearance was very similar to Mirajane's Satan Soul transformation.
"No! If I'm not mistaken, that brat's transformation is caused by that sword."
Makarov was experienced and immediately saw the difference between before and after the transformation.
Hearing Makarov's words, the others also noticed that the sword in Ren's hand had disappeared.
Gildarts looked at Ren in this moment, a serious expression appearing in his eyes.
Although Ren's combat power was good before, it didn't pose too much of a threat to him.
But from the current Ren, Gildarts felt a sense of fatal danger. This was an opponent whose strength rivaled his own.
This made Gildarts, who hadn't met an evenly matched opponent in a long time, feel somewhat excited.
"Here I come!"
"Come!"
*Boom!!*
Ren stomped his foot, his body rushing toward Gildarts at high speed.
"So fast!!"
This speed wasn't the teleportation-like *Sonído*, but true physical speed.
Ren punched toward Gildarts.
Gildarts also threw a punch to meet him.
The two fists collided.
*BOOM——!!!!*
A terrifying shockwave spread out into the surroundings.
"Whoaaaa!"
"Ughhh!"
Natsu and the others hiding in the distance screamed as they withstood the shockwave.
After a moment, everyone could see the situation in the center of the battlefield clearly.
Ren was standing where they collided, while two drag marks had appeared beneath Gildarts' feet.
"Gildarts was pushed back!"
In that clash just now, Ren had the upper hand.
"What strong power!" Gildarts felt his arm go slightly numb. He realized that Ren's current form was like Mirajane's transformation; his strength, speed, attack power, and defense had all increased drastically.
This wasn't a little monster the Master picked up; he was a full-blown monster.
**Luz de la Luna!**
*Hum——!*
A javelin-like weapon made of spiritual particles, emitting a pale green light, formed in Ren's hand.
**Sonído!**
Ren instantly appeared behind Gildarts, the Luz de la Luna slashing toward Gildarts' neck.
Gildarts quickly ducked to avoid it and punched the ground.
"Disassemble!!!"
*BOOM——!!!*
The ground around Gildarts' body instantly exploded.