Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Bloodbath
Chapter 5: Bloodbath
The key to fighting multiple opponents is to intimidate them and strike first.
The assassin leader was no mere show-off; his physical strength was genuinely formidable. The moment Yato surged into his guard, the man retaliated with a brutal knee strike to the youth’s abdomen.
However, the boy chose to endure the pain, decisively launching himself at the remaining assassins. Eliminating one instantly with a Senbon, he overpowered the enemy with sheer killing intent.
Consequently, the scales of victory inexorably tipped in his favor.
Shattering ribs, crushing insteps, and snapping necks, Yato reaped the lives of his enemies with highly efficient, lethal maneuvers.
The nameless girl stood on the eaves of the roof, gazing down at the one-sided slaughter. Yet, her eyes betrayed no sense of relief; instead, they burned with anxiety.
"Faster, Yato!" she urged in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Something’s coming!"
CRACK!
Uchiha Yato drove his knees downward with vicious force, landing squarely on the assassin leader’s face. The tremendous impact snapped his head to the side, breaking his neck with a sickening crunch.
With that, all ten assassins from the Kusajishi district had been slain by Yato!
"Too late..."
He muttered softly, slowly rising from the corpse. Rolling his wrists, he stretched out his bones.
Even while fighting, Yato had sensed a "hurricane" hurtling toward his small yard.
A Class 12 Rei-i was already on par with the Spiritual Pressure of a lower-seated officer. Across the entirety of the Soul Society, it certainly wasn’t considered low.
Although Yato had never undergone systematic training, he could still vaguely perceive the Spiritual Pressure of others.
—The entity rapidly approaching him possessed a Spiritual Pressure akin to a raging hurricane!
Turning his back and running from a hurricane was undoubtedly the most idiotic way to die.
Inside the dimly lit hut, Uchiha Yato exhaled slowly, steadying his heartbeat as he awaited the enemy.
The assassination trap laid by the Horiuchi family tonight far exceeded the youth’s expectations.
What exactly had happened to make them so dead-set on securing his Shin’o Academy acceptance letter?
But regardless of the reasoning behind it, for Yato, there were only two paths remaining.
Life or death.
There was no third option.
Under the moonlight, a foot stepped onto the splintered remains of the wooden door.
The enemy materialized abruptly.
A black shihakusho, a sword strapped to his waist, sheathed in its scabbard.
—A Soul Reaper and a Zanpakuto.
The newcomer wasn’t some burly thug from the Rukongai, nor a wet-behind-the-ears rookie. He was a bona fide Soul Reaper!
Although Yato was mentally prepared for this outcome through his perception of the man’s Spiritual Pressure, genuinely coming face-to-face with the enemy still caused his heart to sink heavily.
He let out a breath of stale air and, right in front of his enemy, walked over to the cabinet and took down a katana.
It was the sword he normally used for kendo practice. Kept razor-sharp, its edge glinted with a chilling light beneath the moon.
Gripping the hilt with both hands, he planted his feet, one forward and one back, his back arching slightly like a drawn bow.
A textbook combat stance.
By now, the youth’s heart was as calm as a still lake. He locked eyes with the enemy standing at the end of his blade and spoke softly:
"Uchiha, Yato."
The unfamiliar Soul Reaper was visibly taken aback.
Seeing his attire, the boy opposite him not only didn’t flee, but even drew his sword, faced him head-on, and stated his name.
Not a simple kid. Better not get careless. He scoffed internally. I’m definitely going to squeeze more money out of Yosuke Horiuchi for this.
The Soul Reaper rubbed his chin with amusement. Watching the youth who was poised to strike, he slowly unsheathed his Zanpakuto:
"Squad 9, 17th Seat. Kentaro Koizumi."
If an opponent drew their blade and stated their name, even if there was a blood feud between them, one was obligated to return the gesture with equal respect. In the Soul Society, this was the tacit, brutal aesthetic shared between combatants.
"A Seated Officer, huh..."
Yato sighed internally. Then, suddenly dropping his shoulder, he channeled all his strength into his legs. His explosive muscles drove into his feet, cratering the tatami mats beneath him.
In the next instant, Yato had closed the distance to Kentaro Koizumi, swinging his blade upwards in a vicious slash.
The Seated Officer didn’t flinch. Gripping the hilt with one hand and pressing down on the spine of the blade with the other, he slammed his sword downward to meet the incoming strike.
CLANG!
Without any flashy Zanjutsu or intricate techniques, the two clashed with pure, unadulterated strength.
Kentaro Koizumi was sent flying backward.
He had actually lost to the youth in a test of pure strength!
"Good! Plenty of power! Fast, too!" the Seated Officer shouted mid-air, not a trace of panic in his voice.
But Yato didn’t pause for even a split second. Pushing off the ground, he leapt up rapidly, his blade carving an arc of brilliant white light directly toward his opponent’s chest.
Suspended in mid-air and still carrying backward momentum, the enemy would find it extremely difficult to regain balance. Yato intended to seize this exact opening to inflict a lethal blow!
The timing was impeccable, and the youth’s kendo skills were pushed to their absolute limits.
However, this beautiful, relentless pursuit only managed to slice off a piece of clothing.
Kentaro Koizumi vanished in mid-air.
Uchiha Yato’s pupils shrank violently. Just as a realization hit him, the Seated Officer’s chilling voice echoed right next to his ear:
"Hado #4: Byakurai!" (Pale Lightning)
Casting a low-level Hado without an incantation utilizing the power of a 17th Seat certainly couldn’t be described as devastating, but it was more than enough to instantaneously paralyze Yato’s muscles.
A thin bolt of lightning struck the youth’s back. His vision instantly whited out, and he temporarily lost all mobility.
Then came the unbearable, agonizing pain.
Kentaro Koizumi’s Zanpakuto pierced into Yato’s abdomen. With a casual upward flick, he tore open a horrific wound.
Yato plummeted to the ground, drenched in blood. He stared blankly at his own body, his internal organs practically visible.
"So this is the power of a Seated Officer..."
Using "Shunpo" to evade and reposition, using "Kido" to incapacitate muscles, and then finishing with "Zanjutsu" to deal a critical blow.
He hadn’t even used his "Shikai"!
The combat prowess of a lower-seated officer was truly not something a rookie who hadn’t even entered the Shin’o Academy could match.
"You’re pretty good, kid."
Kentaro Koizumi sheathed his Zanpakuto and looked down at the blood-soaked Yato.
"You know what I’m here for. Where is the academy acceptance letter? Spare yourself the suffering. It’s better for both of us."
The only response he received was a mouthful of bloody spit.
"Real tough guy." Kentaro Koizumi wiped his face and sneered coldly. "But no matter how hard the bones, a Zanpakuto can cut right through them."
The Seated Officer pulled out a flask of oil and set the house ablaze.
He then strolled leisurely back toward Yato, his killing intent radiating without restraint.
"Just tell him, Yato."
The nameless girl in the crimson Sengoku armor knelt beside Yato, her face a picture of despair, her voice pleading.
"It’s right under the tatami mats. Just tell him, okay?"
"It’s no use." The youth shook his head, a bitter smile on his face.
From the moment Yuji Nomura came to visit, there was no longer any room for negotiation.
The logic of the Soul Society’s nobles was always to be absolute in their methods, to crush any potential risk in the cradle. The lives of the Rukongai residents were nothing but a negligible cost in their eyes.
The only chance of survival was to kill every single enemy who came through that door.
Yato had actually known for a long time that the girl who had crossed over into the Bleach world with him was incredibly strong.
Once he acquired a Zanpakuto, he would forcefully achieve Shikai and Bankai, unlocking those unimaginable abilities.
But the prerequisite was... having a Zanpakuto.
He was only fifteen days away from entering the Shin’o Academy and receiving an Asauchi.
Fifteen days... the difference between life and death, heaven and earth.
"I’m sorry."
Lying in a pool of blood, the youth closed his eyes.
I won’t be able to speak your name.
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