"Whoosh!"
Suì-Fēng, worthy of her title as Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō, displayed Shunpo speed far surpassing Ito Makoto's. In a single flash step she appeared before him, drawing the small Asauchi at her waist and thrusting straight toward his face. Ito Makoto reacted instantly, raising his blade to intercept.
This time he did not borrow Reiatsu from his main body. He intended to face Suì-Fēng with his own hard-earned strength. Against Zaraki Kenpachi, the gap had been so overwhelming that Reiatsu sharing was unavoidable. Without it, survival would have been impossible.
But Suì-Fēng was different.
Fighting her was a rare opportunity to refine his Shunpo under true Captain-level pressure. Naturally, he would not waste it by leaning on external power.
"Clang!"
Steel collided, sparks bursting between them.
"What? Not releasing that strange barrier yet? Or are you still holding back against me?"
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Blade met blade in rapid succession. With only his current strength, Ito Makoto was clearly at a disadvantage. In pure Zanjutsu exchanges, Suì-Fēng's precision and speed forced him onto the defensive within moments.
Her figure flickered.
Shunpo.
"Pfft!"
She appeared behind him almost instantly, her blade carving across his back. Blood seeped through his Shinigami uniform.
"You're relentless, Captain Suì-Fēng."
Ito Makoto inhaled sharply at the sting.
So this was the disciple personally trained by the Flash Goddess Yoruichi.
Among the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, Suì-Fēng might not rank at the very top overall, but when it came to Shunpo, aside from Captain-Commander Yamamoto, few could rival her.
Even with three-tenths of his main body's Reiatsu reinforcing him, his Shunpo would still be a notch below hers. In his current state, the gap was obvious.
Sensing her near-invisible movements around him, Ito Makoto abruptly swung his blade and called out:
"Chīmèi Sēnlúo, Wǎngliǎng Wànxiàng, Zhūshén Zhòngshèng, Jiē Huà Chéntǔ—Annihilation God!"
"Annihilation God First Form—Tremor!"
He twisted the hilt lightly. An invisible vibration spread from the blade in all directions. Suì-Fēng, mid-movement, was struck by the oscillating force and felt as though unseen hands were kneading her internal organs.
"Ah!"
Brilliant white Reiatsu erupted from her body, forcefully expelling most of the destabilizing vibration.
"As expected."
Ito Makoto clicked his tongue inwardly. Tremor was effective against opponents with weaker Reiatsu, but against a Captain possessing Third-Class spiritual pressure, its lethality was greatly diminished without reinforcement from his main body.
"Hmph. Is that all your Zanpakutō can do? Where is that barrier from earlier? Use it."
Ito Makoto only smiled faintly.
"Captain Suì-Fēng, your Shunpo has truly pushed me to my limits."
He raised his blade slightly.
"The real excitement is just beginning. Prepare to regret that sharp tongue."
"Sting all enemies to death—Suzumebachi!"
At her release command, the Asauchi transformed into a compact, cone-shaped stinger affixed to the middle finger of her right hand. The tail was black; the needle and tip gleamed gold.
"So this is your Shikai? Small and delicate—just like you."
Ito Makoto observed with interest.
Suì-Fēng's jaw tightened. In a flash she closed the distance, thrusting directly at his chest.
Just as Suzumebachi was about to make contact—
"Whoosh!"
Ito Makoto used Shunpo to evade at the last possible instant.
Suì-Fēng's eyes narrowed.
"You're copying my movements."
She realized he had been studying her Shunpo patterns throughout the fight. From barely keeping up at first, he had already grasped nearly thirty to forty percent of her rhythm.
"Are you using me as a stepping stone?"
Surprise flickered across her face, quickly replaced by irritation. White light burst around her body.
Shunko.
Her speed surged dramatically. She advanced like a streak of lightning and drove Suzumebachi against his chest.
A flash.
A black butterfly-shaped mark bloomed where she had struck.
"Hmph."
She allowed herself a faintly satisfied sound.
Ito Makoto widened his eyes theatrically, staring at the bee-crest mark.
Internally, he was unimpressed.
So this was the famed Two-Hit Kill that Aizen had effortlessly nullified with raw Reiatsu.
"My Zanpakutō is Suzumebachi. Its ability is Two-Hit Kill. Strike the same location twice and you die."
Her gaze sharpened.
"Ito Fourth Seat, try not to lose control of your bladder."
He tilted his head.
"What, Captain Suì-Fēng? Planning to help me wash my undergarments?"
Veins throbbed at her temple.
"How did someone of such deplorable character graduate from the Spiritual Arts Academy? Do they screen only talent and not integrity?"
"Yes," he replied calmly. "Exactly that."
Her lips pressed thin. Realizing she could not win verbally, her expression turned cold as she surged forward once more.
Shunko flared again. She vanished.
Ito Makoto carefully observed. Each activation of her Shunko lasted less than a second before dispersing.
So she had not yet fully stabilized it.
Understanding this, he responded with consecutive Shunpo steps, clashing fiercely against her assault.
"Clang!"
They separated after a heavy exchange.
Her Shunko flickered out.
Now.
"Annihilation God Secret Art—Four Directions Realm!"
He slashed outward. A gray-black barrier expanded instantly, enclosing them within a ten-meter radius.
The moment it formed, Suì-Fēng felt her speed and physical output suppressed.
"With my current Vice-Captain-level Reiatsu, I can only reduce her speed by about one-tenth."
Ito Makoto felt the feedback and sighed inwardly.
In the end, Shinigami battles revolved around Reiatsu.
"Tremor!"
Empowered by the Realm, the vibration doubled in intensity. Though Suì-Fēng's Captain-level Reiatsu neutralized much of it, discomfort still rippled through her body.
"Shunko!"
Unexpectedly, white light erupted again around her. She endured both suppression and vibration, forcibly activating Shunko once more.
Suzumebachi pressed instantly against his neck.
Ito Makoto glanced at the golden stinger, then at her delicate face.
"By my calculation, your Shunko interval should be at least ten seconds. Yet this time it's been less than four—and your speed increased."
He smiled faintly.
"Impressive, Captain Suì-Fēng. Were you deliberately concealing your true rhythm?"
She snorted.
"If you can analyze and copy my movements mid-battle, why can't my Shunko break through during combat?"
Her tone carried unmistakable pride.
After a moment, she withdrew the stinger from his neck. She had not expected that struggling against him would force such progress in her unstable technique.
Looking at him now, her irritation had lessened slightly.
Ito Makoto stood still, replaying the clash in his mind.
Without borrowing Reiatsu, he could not defeat her.
Even with reinforcement, victory was uncertain. After all, he had yet to achieve Bankai.
This "little girl" was truly formidable.
He stretched lazily.
"Captain Suì-Fēng, it seems we've both gained something today. I look forward to our next spar."
She gave no reply.
Turning silently, she walked away without another word.