The King before him was stronger than any enemy Qin Yi had ever faced.
King Chengdui.
Qin Yi knew that even in the endless future beyond this world, he would never forget those three words. He understood clearly that a King of Chengdui's caliber was a true genius of the universe, one of heaven's favored sons. Among the King Race, he was an absolutely outstanding rising star.
This man was crazy, ruthless, daring, and dark-hearted, a peerless tyrant destined for great things.
Every King walked a different path because of their personality. Qin Yi knew that, with his original temperament, he would never have come this far if he hadn't possessed knowledge of these worlds. Every royal ruler wore countless masks. Outwardly calm, they hid all their thoughts deep within, making it impossible to know what they were truly thinking.
Even King Chengdui was like that.
Though he appeared insane on the surface, his mind was actually clear and methodical. He knew exactly what he should and shouldn't do. Beneath his reckless exterior lay careful planning and the intelligence to seize every possible advantage. He was a terrifying opponent.
As for Qin Yi, he governed internally through benevolent policies and bonds of emotion, tempered by the cold realities of politics. Externally, he preferred alliance-building, weakening enemies while strengthening himself. His style carried some of the essence of a certain great strategist from his previous life, a strategy of endurance and accumulation.
Slow and steady, building strength over time. The longer it went on, the stronger he became.
"You've got me excited too," Qin Yi muttered.
Meeting a worthy opponent was dangerous, but it was also thrilling. A decisive battle like this could make one's blood boil.
The King of Hell in his hand was humming and trembling. The black-and-red lines across the blade grew brighter and brighter, radiating intense light. The glowing lines gradually carved a mysterious pattern onto the edge of the sword.
The power hidden within the King of Hell after breaking its limits was unimaginably terrifying. Yet with Qin Yi's current strength, defeating King Chengdui was still impossible.
He needed... even greater power.
Crack... crack...
The demon horns on his head spiraled upward toward the sky. His tail lengthened as well, sharp barbs emerging along it as every swing sliced through the air.
Across from him, King Chengdui stared with a cold, murderous gaze. His long tailbone rose up, curved over his head, and pointed forward like the venomous stinger of a scorpion.
"That guy seems to be running out of stamina. It looks like this battle is going to be between the two of us after all."
The chilling words had barely left his mouth when Qin Yi suddenly drew his blade and charged.
Whoosh!
The air distorted instantly, and sonic booms exploded one after another. In the blink of an eye, the two met in midair.
Their swords swung, and the void trembled.
"Netherwave!"
"Imprisonment!"
The two different powers slammed into each other head-on. One breath later,
Bzzzt!
Shockwaves rolled outward in circles. Their blades collided violently, black-and-red lightning erupting between them.
Swish!
Less than a thousandth of a breath later, the tails behind them shot forward simultaneously, stabbing toward each other's necks.
King Chengdui's stinger-like tail was lined with razor-sharp hooks capable of tearing off chunks of flesh. Qin Yi's tail, meanwhile, was impossibly sharp, capable of piercing anything. The offensive power of their tails was no weaker than any weapon.
Soon, the two tails collided. Then they wrapped around each other, pulling tighter and tighter until they became completely entangled.
The two men were now face-to-face, bound together by their tails and unable to separate easily.
A cold smile appeared in King Chengdui's eyes. "Let's see how you're going to escape my Imprisonment now!" he said darkly.
He had absolute confidence in the power of his Zanpakutō. A large-scale Imprisonment like this was impossible to escape from, especially after his Zanpakutō had been fully released, making its power even more formidable. And once Qin Yi could no longer use his strength, then to King Chengdui, he would be no different from Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, a helpless target waiting to be slaughtered.
But at that very moment, Qin Yi suddenly spoke.
"Great Underworld King, Blade Control: Beginning and End!"
What King Chengdui never expected was that Qin Yi's Zanpakutō suddenly erupted with dazzling black-and-red light. As those eight words left his mouth, a completely different aura spread from the blade. It was utterly unlike Ryūjin Jakka's flames.
And King Chengdui was extremely familiar with that aura.
"Hiramikurufū!!"
At that moment, both men spoke the name of the sword simultaneously.
"How is that possible?! How can you, ?!" King Chengdui's eyes widened in shock as he stared at Qin Yi.
In the next second, their swords collided once more.
The air hummed and winds surged. A powerful force of Imprisonment swept outward and instantly enveloped both of them. At the same time, both men's bodies trembled.
"I... I've been imprisoned?!" King Chengdui muttered in disbelief.
He could clearly feel the power within his body stop flowing. It was Hiramikurufū's Imprisonment ability.
"Damn you!" King Chengdui suddenly raised his head, madness flickering in his eyes.
He couldn't believe it. He simply couldn't believe it. Qin Yi's sword was actually using the power of his Zanpakutō.
But by the time he looked up, Qin Yi had already anticipated this moment. His free hand had clenched into a fist, and he swung it without hesitation.
Bang!
The punch landed squarely on King Chengdui's cheek. His entire body shook violently. With a series of cracking sounds, his cheek caved inward, and teeth flew from his mouth. Thirteen teeth shattered and scattered.
"You bastard!!" King Chengdui roared.
But the force behind that punch was overwhelming. His tail loosened involuntarily, and he was smashed straight into the ground. A massive crater appeared as dust and smoke billowed upward.
No one had expected this. No one at all.
"W-What's going on?"
"Has Kenpachi Chengdui's Imprisonment ability stopped working?"
"No! It's not that Kenpachi Chengdui's ability failed, it's Qin! Qin's Zanpakutō!"
Urahara Kisuke stared fixedly at the sky. Looking at the skeletal figure standing there with his sword casually lowered, thin in build yet possessing the aura of a supreme ruler, he took a deep breath.
"That sword... it can use the abilities of every Zanpakutō! And that includes Kenpachi Chengdui's!"
A chorus of sharp breaths echoed throughout the battlefield.
"That blade... it can be called the origin of all Zanpakutō. It is the Blade of Origin!"
Shock filled the faces of the Shinigami. Their gazes all turned toward the King of Hell in Qin Yi's hand.
The long, slender sword wrapped with chains looked deceptively simple, yet the aura it emitted was enough to send chills down one's spine. Just looking at it gave the unsettling sensation that one's very soul might be pulled into the blade.
Gradually, the smoke dispersed.
King Chengdui stood atop the crater, sword in hand. His eyes were blood-red, and he breathed heavily. But the sunken cheek and shattered teeth had already completely recovered. That terrifying regenerative ability made it look as though he had never been injured at all.
"Super Regeneration! That's Super Regeneration!" an Arrancar exclaimed in shock.
High above the battlefield, Qin Yi slowly bent forward. It looked as though he was about to dive down once more.
Murderous intent flickered in his eyes. He was preparing to launch a second assault.
(End of Chapter)
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