Shihōin Shrine.
Marenoshin stared gravely into the pitch-black darkness — as deep as an abyss — where tangible Reiatsu drifted slowly, creating a suffocating pressure.
Beside him, several family elders stood rigid with tension. Upon learning that Yoruichi was inside, their expressions had frozen, their composure nearly shattering.
After the previous head's death, the Shihōin clan had found no worthy successor. They had finally produced a genius in Yoruichi, someone capable of shouldering the clan's burden, yet their own stubbornness had plunged them into crisis.
This filled the elders, who desperately wished to revitalize the Shihōin family, with crushing guilt.
"What should we do now? Should we attempt a forceful attack?"
"That wouldn't be wise. Little Yoruichi is still in there! We might harm her!"
Everyone spoke in turn, their opinions divided.
Finally, Marenoshin interjected, "Actually, we can only wait."
At these words, all eyes turned to him.
He continued grimly, "I've already tried multiple high-level Hadō without effect. None of us here can break through this darkness."
Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts sank.
A monk-headed elder suddenly spoke up, "I'll go request Genryūsai!"
The others fell silent.
Without wasting a moment, the tonsured elder vanished in Shunpo, departing the Shihōin compound.
Soon, Genryūsai arrived at the shrine.
The scene before him made his heart seize.
Even from the initial description, he'd had an unsettling feeling. Now, seeing it firsthand confirmed his suspicions.
Well, well, well! It hadn't even been five days since the incident where two roasted sweet potatoes attacked him, had it? And in the blink of an eye, you're performing rituals at the Shihōin shrine now, are you?
{T/N: Wait a little more and you'll retire sooner than you expect.}
Genryūsai remained silent, feeling only a burning tightness in his chest.
"Captain-Commander, what do you think?" Someone asked anxiously, "Can you break through this darkness and rescue Yoruichi?"
Genryūsai's gaze fixed on the darkness ahead, where an indifferent eye seemed to stare back at him, its heavy pressure bearing down.
After a moment's hesitation, he spoke gravely, "It will be difficult. However, I believe Yoruichi Shihōin is still alive. We should wait here — perhaps a miracle will occur..."
At his words, everyone turned their attention back to the darkness ahead, waiting expectantly.
Marenoshin studied Genryūsai with confusion, his instincts suggesting that the elder knew more than he was revealing.
Though he wanted to speak, he held his tongue, pushing aside his doubts as he stood like a sentinel at the shrine's edge.
⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬
"Are you alright?"
Yoruichi looked anxiously at the young man in her arms. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, indicating serious internal injuries.
"Cough! It's not too bad." Akira spat out the metallic taste in his mouth. As he pressed both hands against his chest, an emerald light symbolizing life enveloped him, healing at maximum efficiency, "Who knew that little lion had such a powerful move."
Rolling clouds of dust scattered in the aftershocks as the massive figure stepped out slowly, looking nothing like its previous majestic self.
The Thunder Beast's body appeared as if it had been through a dye factory — patches of red, black, and yellow mixed together in disarray. Its wheat-like mane had been completely incinerated, with white bones visible beneath.
"What should we do next?" After witnessing his mind-blowing performance in the previous battle, Yoruichi instinctively looked to Akira for guidance.
"Can you still fight?" He glanced at the dark-skinned girl beside him.
Due to the intense fighting, her clothes were in tatters, revealing large patches of tender skin, with certain areas barely contained.
Though young, she already showed great promise — no wonder her future performance would be impressive.
Ignoring his gaze — or rather, having grown somewhat used to it — Yoruichi pondered.
"I still have some Reiryoku left, plus an unfinished secret technique that can unleash intense destructive power briefly. The drawback is that using it now would temporarily drain all my fighting ability. If we can't finish the opponent then, I'll be defenseless."
Akira waved his hand with a grin, "If it comes to that, I'll definitely die before you."
Yoruichi's expression froze at his words, but before she could respond, Akira tore away his restricting clothes, revealing his muscular upper body.
Intense flames erupted around him, their terrifying heat distorting the air and making it hard to breathe. Electric arcs roared and crackled through the flames like swimming dragons, while the ground beneath his feet turned charred black.
His powerful Spiritual Body merged the powers of Byakurai and Shakkahō into an entirely new form!
Reiatsu surged forth, drawing out his last reserves of power!
The scorching aura rippled outward, making the Thunder Beast recoil in unease. It let loose an ear-splitting roar, its limbs tearing into the ground as it charged at Akira like an enraged juggernaut.
Closing in!
Brilliant lightning arced through the air as the Thunder Beast transformed into a massive sphere of electricity, bearing down from above with its dangerous aura unleashed.
Thunder crashed!
Facing the danger head-on, Akira's expression held no fear—only raw ferocity. In the Sakahone District, that place where people devoured people—
Only those with savagery in their bones survived!
His body coiled like a drawn bowstring, his low voice resonating as he pushed his extraordinary Spiritual Body to its absolute limits.
Abandoning the Death Sword Style, he chose instead to unleash the most devastating punch in his arsenal!
Electric arcs danced around him as his body exploded into motion; flames converged on his fist, sending shockwaves rippling outward in concentric circles.
⤫ Tenrin Ryūsei ⥤ Celestial Meteor Fist! ⤬
When giant claw met fist, the combatants — so drastically different in size — were engulfed in overwhelming force. Scorching energy erupted from the ground, tearing through the air and the dark clouds above.
Vast stretches of wasteland burned to ash as heat waves exploded outward, making the earth itself tremble.
Before Yoruichi's astonished eyes, the figure wreathed in flames and lightning unleashed unprecedented power, hurling the Thunder Beast — many times his size — through the air!
Like bamboo split asunder!
BOOM!
The Thunder Beast crashed into the wasteland, sending dust clouds billowing skyward.
Akira, utterly spent, stumbled and sat down. He turned to the shocked girl behind him with a smirk.
"Silly cat, why are you just standing there? Hurry up — it's wounded. Time for you to finish it..."
⤫⤬⤫
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