BLEACH: Blade of Purification

However, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni was no ordinary figure.

Though he had nearly let Ling Qing succeed due to a moment of carelessness, he had recovered in time and was finally getting serious.

What truly made Yamamoto serious was not Ling Qing's power, nor his Reiatsu, but his will—the will to endure any injury to himself just to leave a scar on his enemy.

Yamamoto had not expected Ling Qing to possess such a terrifying level of determination. In terms of spirit, even if Ling Qing were thrown into the original Gotei 13 a thousand years ago, he would certainly not have been an unknown.

And it was for this reason that Yamamoto had to raise his level of seriousness from simply playing with a junior to something more. Because if he didn't, he wouldn't be able to exert the near-death pressure that Ling Qing needed. If he couldn't inflict real damage on Ling Qing, then Ling Qing would never be able to awaken his... Shikai.

With this thought, Yamamoto took a slow breath in, and then gently exhaled.

He was no longer waiting for Ling Qing to attack. On the contrary, his tactics became more aggressive, and he began to take the offensive.

When Ling Qing once again broke through the flames to attack Yamamoto, he was shocked to find that Yamamoto seemed to have predicted his line of attack and was already waiting for him.

"Your sense of rhythm in battle is indeed good, but you know too little about the nature of a Shinigami's combat!"

The swords clashed!

It was completely different from Ling Qing's fight with the man from the Zaraki district. This wasn't a frantic exchange of high-speed blows, but a single, simple collision.

Then, with ease, Yamamoto flicked Ling Qing's longsword aside!

The difference of more than a meter, nearly two meters, in blade length meant nothing to Yamamoto. His Ryūjin Jakka mercilessly struck Ling Qing's body!

In a single blow, it left a gruesome and terrifying scar across Ling Qing's chest! The wound, which should have gushed blood, was instantly cauterized by the intense heat of Ryūjin Jakka!

Ling Qing was sent flying like a baseball, crashing through the golden flames and into the wall of the training grounds, destroying it! Half of his body was buried in the rubble!

Only then did the second half of Yamamoto's sentence reach him.

"Without power on my level, your every intention in battle is laid bare before your enemy!"

The raging flames began to subside, no longer surging everywhere. Yamamoto seemed to have reduced his power. But contrary to that, the flashy spectacle of a sea of flames vanished, replaced by the fire converging around Yamamoto himself. The aura emanating from him changed. It was no longer ancient, or fiery, or powerful.

All those sensations were swallowed by another. The feeling that now permeated Yamamoto was...

Danger!

"Have you ever fought someone stronger than yourself before? Or have all your victories been against those far weaker than you?"

Blasted into the wall, Ling Qing struggled to pull himself free. Only then could the full extent of the damage be seen. A massive gash ran from his right shoulder to his left waist. His clothes were sliced open, and along with them, his flesh. But not much blood flowed.

Ling Qing gritted his teeth, tore off his tattered clothes, and threw them aside. The intense heat had made him forget that it was the first snow of a cold winter. His chest bore a horrific scar, and his body was covered in wounds.

"In that case, let me teach you how to fight a superior foe. Let me show you, once and for all, what an enemy that you absolutely cannot defeat with your own power looks like!"

His Reiatsu scattered by Yamamoto's merciless frontal assault, Ling Qing desperately re-gathered it, his hand trembling as he once again raised his longsword and aimed it at Yamamoto. He would not allow himself to fall, would not allow himself to fail. Not even against an opponent like Yamamoto.

Was Ling Qing strong? Perhaps. Was Ling Qing skilled? Maybe.

But Ling Qing himself would never have known that it wasn't until this moment—until he had been beaten to this state by Yamamoto and still refused to drop his sword—that his true warrior's pride was being forged, like steel hammered by a master blacksmith, by the thousand-year Shinigami.

Until he faced the advancing god of fire, radiating an endless sense of danger, and still refused to retreat. Only then was his true strength being born.

The weak only swing their blades at those weaker than themselves.

Only a true warrior can look a stronger opponent in the eye and desire to overcome them.

After just a few brief exchanges—which couldn't even be called a proper fight—he was already covered in wounds. But facing Yamamoto, who advanced towards him like a terrifying force of nature, Ling Qing managed a slight, defiant smile.

In a tone that was almost arrogant, he said, "Then show it to me, Captain-Commander. If you don't show me, how will I ever know what that view is like?"

The words, which could have been taken as the defiant taunt of a child, came from Ling Qing's mouth.

Yamamoto's advance stopped short.

He did not answer Ling Qing. Instead, unexpectedly, he sheathed Ryūjin Jakka.

But! This did not mean it was over.

This meant that the greater terror Ling Qing had wished for was now about to be unleashed!

Shing—

The blade was unsheathed!

The moment Ryūjin Jakka was drawn again, all the flames that Yamamoto had gathered, all the fire that had coiled around him, was unleashed with this single swing!

Everything became a tornado of fire that completely surrounded Ling Qing, roaring as it engulfed him.

"Shōkaku." (Torch)

Outside the inferno, Shunsui Kyōraku spoke the name of Yamamoto's technique.

"This technique envelops the enemy and burns them in a vortex until they are reduced to ash. Captain Shihōin, you miscalculated. That kid actually made the old man get serious."

Shihōin Sōichirō pressed his lips together, not responding to Shunsui.

But Shunsui wasn't finished.

"I hope what you said is true. If his Shikai is really as strong as you think, and if he can actually achieve it, then he will live. If he can't, then he will die under the old man's blow."

And at that moment, completely enveloped by Yamamoto's flames, in a truly life-or-death attack, Ling Qing was trapped. With that one sword stroke, Yamamoto had released all the flames from his Zanpakutō's release onto Ling Qing.

Ling Qing was utterly consumed by fire.

But standing in the very heart of the inferno, Ling Qing looked up and saw...

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