If the power of an ordinary Shinigami was like flowing water, then the Reiatsu Hiyori Sarugaki released at that moment was more like water heated to a boil, roaring out like scorching steam.
Clang!
Ink burst across Muten Natsu's chest, only to be violently crushed apart in the next instant. A terrifying force slammed into his chest and sent him flying backward.
The air under his feet creaked as Muten Natsu steadied himself, eyes wide.
This was it... this kind of power.
They were both using Hollowfication, but his Hollowfication could only briefly let him control the Reishi left behind after the Hell Flames had burned through it, while Hiyori Sarugaki was able to release her own power far more completely, erupting with strength far beyond what she had before.
Both increased destructive power, but the difference between them was fundamental.
Muten Natsu changed his own state so he could better control the power released by the Hell Flames.
That was why, after mastering the Hell Flames, simply using them directly was enough most of the time.
Hiyori Sarugaki, who did not have Hell Flames, was clearly taking a different path, using Hollowfication to better release power that had already belonged to her in the first place.
If Muten Natsu could master Hiyori Sarugaki's method, then he would naturally be able to use his own method more effectively as well. If the two methods were combined, the result would be greater than the sum of their parts.
The question was... how was Hiyori Sarugaki doing it?
A black shadow flashed. Ink Fortress shattered apart. Muten Natsu had barely managed to raise Bokukō to block when he felt a tremendous force crash into him, pressing the back of the blade down against his shoulder.
Hiyori Sarugaki's masked face filled his vision, and the horn on her Hollow mask was already touching his throat.
Flash!
The scattered ink gathered in Muten Natsu's left palm. Myōki shot out from his palm and stabbed toward Hiyori Sarugaki's chest.
Hiyori Sarugaki simply drove her arm forward harder, using Bokukō to smash Muten Natsu away.
The green-haired girl in the white bodysuit looked at the pink-haired big man, who was dripping with sweat. "Hey! Are you okay...?"
"I... am not okay..." The Reiatsu from the clash made the barrier in front of him tremble. "Very not okay..."
Hiyori Sarugaki pushed her mask up onto the top of her head. "Use Bankai, Muten Natsu."
Muten Natsu steadied himself in midair. "My Bankai isn't suited for use here."
"You've still got the nerve to worry about whether it's suitable or not... looks like I've been too gentle." Hiyori Sarugaki clicked her tongue. "You really don't understand at all..."
She pulled the mask back down and instantly rushed in front of Muten Natsu. It was only a simple downward slash, yet it erupted with overwhelming Reiatsu.
The motion of her blade carried the terrifying force of a mountain crashing down head-on.
Spiritual ink flowed into Ink Fortress, strengthening Ink Fortress's defensive power.
Layer upon layer of ripples spread out before Muten Natsu, blocking Hiyori Sarugaki's attack.
"It's exactly because you think too much that you can't master the power of Hollowfication." A fierce light blazed in Hiyori Sarugaki's eyes. "What kind of strength do you think gives you the right to hold back so much?"
The ink began to gather. Muten Natsu swung Myōki and used Flash, the inward-curving blade slashing toward Hiyori Sarugaki's throat.
"One after another, all of you are so damn wishy-washy..." Hiyori Sarugaki knocked aside Muten Natsu's attack with one swing. Before the sparks from their clashing blades had even faded, her Zanpakutō had already cut across Muten Natsu's chest. "Are you in such a hurry to die?!"
"Muten!" Orihime Inoue raised both hands, ready to activate Shun Shun Rikka.
The Visored immediately fixed their eyes on her.
"Don't move..." Rukia Kuchiki stopped Orihime Inoue. "Don't interfere!"
"But..."
"I know." Rukia Kuchiki bit her lower lip lightly. "But not now."
Like Orihime Inoue, Rukia Kuchiki was worried about Muten Natsu's injuries.
The difference was that Rukia Kuchiki understood the gap in strength more clearly.
Hiyori Sarugaki's Reiatsu was far too violent. Orihime Inoue's Shun Shun Rikka would probably be crushed by that Reiatsu before the barrier could even open.
Most importantly... Muten Natsu's fight was not over yet.
Bulging veins stood out on his forehead. The Hell's Eye opened, reflecting Hiyori Sarugaki's blurred figure moving so fast she was nearly impossible to see.
"This is what you asked for."
The blood splashing through the air was swallowed by pitch-black flames and gathered on Myōki. Muten Natsu swung Bokukō and unleashed an ink blade at Hiyori Sarugaki.
Without making any extra move at all, Hiyori Sarugaki charged straight into the ink blade. The surging Reiatsu around her forcibly blew it apart.
From within the shattered ink blade, Muten Natsu's figure appeared.
He raised the burning Myōki high overhead and brought it down, dragging with it a black banner of karmic fire.
That power... The pupils behind Hiyori Sarugaki's mask shrank. She dodged on instinct as the cold black flames brushed past her body and swept over the factory wall. Fine cracking sounds layered over one another as the cracks spread, building into a deafening roar. The entire wall shattered, along with the barrier in front of the pink-haired big man.
"Now you finally look a little more convincing." Hiyori Sarugaki raised her Zanpakutō again.
"That's enough." Shinji Hirako grabbed Hiyori Sarugaki by the arm. "We're done here."
"This is only the beginning!"
"It's already over." Shinji Hirako jerked his chin toward the side. "You need to think about Hachi too."
The pink-haired big man was panting heavily, the spiritual energy around him in disarray.
"You pass, Muten Natsu." Shinji Hirako looked at Muten Natsu, who was currently being treated by Orihime Inoue. "Now let's start preparing to control Hollowfication."
As for that preparation...
"Why isn't lunch here yet?!" Shinji Hirako propped up his chin. "Hiyori, go cook something first."
"What are you talking about?" Hiyori Sarugaki shot back irritably. "Why me? Even if I did cook, I wouldn't let you eat any!"
The blond man was tuning his guitar. "Love, want to hear the new Prince of Darkness song that just came out?"
"Pwahaha!" Love with the afro laughed so hard tears spilled out from under his sunglasses. "Not yet..." He called out to the blond man, "Rose, did you read this week's manga chapter? It was hilarious, wahahaha!"
The white-haired man in the tank top adjusted the bandages around his fists. "Lisa, you're on watch today, right? Keep an eye on that Muten Natsu, and on that human and that Shinigami too."
"I am watching them." Lisa, in her sailor uniform and braids, held a manga volume in her hand. "I don't need you to tell me that!"
"You've been staring at that book the whole time, okay?"
"Kensei, shut up," Lisa snapped coldly. "Don't annoy me."
In the corner, Muten Natsu was huffing and puffing as he ran on a crude treadmill.
Orihime Inoue crouched beside it with her chin resting in her hand. "Rukia, do you think this kind of training really works?"
Rukia Kuchiki looked doubtful. "I've been wondering the same thing..."