Bleach : Begins with a Contract with the Departed Souls of the Uchiha Chapter 292 292: The Death of Ren

An invisible strike followed; Ren's blade lunged toward the chest of the Yamamoto standing before him.

Limited by Ren's imdiate reach, these slashes did not cover a large area, but they were extrely dense.

The slashes were thick and fast, crisscrossing into a pattern like a chessboard as they surged forward.

Yamamoto's eyes sharpened as if he had sensed sothing. Ryujin Jakka's trajectory changed instantly, swinging horizontally in front of him.

A massive eruption of fire surged forth, covering the sky as it rushed toward Ren.

However, amidst those continuous slashes, the fire was sliced into tiny sparks and quickly dissipated.

'He can even cut through flas?!' Yamamoto was internally shocked, his blade swinging repeatedly to create a flurry of afterimages.

Though he blocked a portion of the slashes, Ren had unleashed too many this ti. The distance between them was so short that even with Yamamoto's best efforts to parry, so still slipped through.

These slashes bypassed Yamamoto's defense and landed squarely on his body.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Blood mixed with shredded flesh sprayed everywhere. In an instant, Yamamoto's chest had beco a bloody ss.

Within that gore, bits of white ribs were even visible, exposed to the air.

"You brought this on yourself!"

Seizing the opportunity, Ren gripped the hilt with both hands. His arm muscles tensed as he swung the massive zanbato in a wide sweep.

Yet Yamamoto seed prepared for this follow-up attack.

He pressed his left hand against the sword guard, using the sudden surge of Ren's strength to propel himself sideways.

His feet hit the ground, plowing through the dirt for several ters before the old man finally ground to a halt.

Despite the agonizing pain from his chest, the old man's expression remained unchanged. He acted as if he felt no pain at all, maintaining his composure.

His gaze remained fixed on Ren, who had already retracted his sword. Yamamoto touched his chest, his hand coming away soaked in blood.

"That sudden flurry of slashes... it seems that is also your ability!"

"Earlier, when I was launching my surprise attack, I suffered two wounds. Those were caused by this ability as well, correct?"

Ren turned slightly but did not answer.

After his initial surprise, Ren had cald down. He couldn't help but marvel, "Kuchiki, it seems that no matter how highly I regard you, your actual performance far exceeds my expectations."

"In this world where ti is stopped, logically speaking, I should be the only one capable of moving. How did you do it?"

Shigekuni's face was calm, his aged voice carrying a hint of disdain.

"Brat, who do you think I am?"

"Once I understood your ability, finding a way to counter it beca a simple matter."

"While Ti-Stop Kido is a forbidden art, that does not an I am unable to use it."

"I see."

Hearing this, Ren nodded in realization.

Ti Stop—as far as he knew, Tessai Tsukabishi was a master of such forbidden techniques.

The cris the Central 46 had previously levied against Ren involved the use of such disallowed forbidden arts.

Kuchiki had always been known for his overwhelming power, a truly peerless warrior; mastering forbidden Kido was naturally within his capabilities.

Thinking back, the mont Kuchiki saw Ren release his Bankai, he must have cast a Ti-Stop Kido on himself, allowing him to move freely within this frozen world.

"Quite a bold idea. One mistake and you would have ended up in a grave with no one to bury you. To think you dared to make such a gamble," Ren praised sincerely.

In Ren's rhythm, for Kuchiki to find a way to break the deadlock by subjecting himself to stopped ti was sothing that sounded easy but was incredibly difficult to execute.

A keen grasp of timing, extensive combat experience, and decisive execution... none of these could be lacking.

And Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper who had fought for over a millennium, clearly lacked none of these attributes.

What Ren admired even more was Kuchiki's willingness to gamble everything.

Kuchiki likely had no absolute certainty when facing an opponent who could stop ti for the first ti, yet he dared to make such a bold decision. It was truly rare. After all, there was almost no precedent for using Ti-Stop Kido to combat his Ti Cut.

No one knew what the result would be.

If Kuchiki's Kido had no effect in the world of stopped ti, he would have been like a fish on a chopping block, left to Ren's rcy.

But Kuchiki dared to bet!

He had wagered his own life and the lives of all the Soul Reapers behind him on a single move.

"Luck was on my side, that is all," Kuchiki said indifferently.

Despite his words, even Kuchiki himself had not been entirely sure.

If the result had not been what he anticipated, he and the other Soul Reapers would likely have been cut down one by one by Ren.

Reflecting on it now, even with his steady heart, he couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of dread.

Fortunately, the outco was good.

Everything went according to his design.

In this round, he had won the bet.

"Your ti-stopping ability is now useless against . Whatever other tricks you have, use them all."

"Is that so?" Ren narrowed his eyes. "How much longer will your Ti Stop allow you to move in this world?"

Kuchiki t him blow for blow. "Brat, no matter how long you wish to endure, I will see this through to the very end."

"Hoh? To the very end?"

Those words caused Ren to suddenly burst into laughter.

"Haha, Shigekuni, I understand your limitations now."

"Old man, here is a piece of advice: do not explain your abilities to your enemy. It will only put you at a disadvantage."

Kuchiki's brow furrowed, then sothing clicked, and his expression changed drastically.

"Not good!"

The old man imdiately used Shunpo, his entire body rushing toward the direction of the other Soul Reapers.

Just as Kuchiki turned, Ren had already taken action.

He gripped the massive zanbato and gave it a slight wave.

"Ti, resu your flow!"

As his movent fell, the grey and white tones of the world rapidly faded away.

In an instant, the entire world was filled with color again, and various chaotic sounds erupted simultaneously.

Ren, having stepped out of the stopped ti, did not hesitate. Using Shunpo, he materialized right in front of Shigekuni.

At this mont, Kuchiki was caught in mid-stride, yet he was completely motionless.

He was like a wax statue, fixed in place, even the look of anxiety on his face frozen at that exact mont.

Looking at Kuchiki in this state, Ren gave a cold laugh.

You spent so much effort trying to counter my Ti Cut, even going as far as trapping yourself in a state of stopped ti.

But what happens when ti returns to its normal flow?

The answer was obvious. Just like Kuchiki now, his body remained trapped in the state of stopped ti, leaving him at the rcy of others.

"Old man, you shouldn't use forbidden arts so recklessly!" A look of mockery flashed across Ren's face as his zanbato swung down.

However, he did not strike Kuchiki; instead, he aid toward the Soul Reapers.

Pfft!

Blood sprayed into the air!

A figure wearing a captain's haori was struck head-on by Ren.

This man was tall and lean, with a spirited appearance. His grey hair was ticulously grood, and his mustache added to his air of nobility and majesty.

It was none other than Ginrei Yamamoto.

However, at this mont, Ginrei Yamamoto had taken the full force of Ren's strike, and a wave of agony instantly radiated from his chest.

The old man's already pale face turned ghostly white as cold sweat broke out imdiately.

Looking at Ginrei Yamamoto, a look of 'as expected' flashed in Ren's eyes.

Kuchiki was experienced; it was impossible for him not to realize the limitations of such a forbidden art.

He would have certainly left a backup plan to help him deactivate the spell in an ergency.

And his chosen person... was the equally battle-hardened Ginrei Yamamoto.

Ren raised an eyebrow.

"For Koga's sake, I held back."

His voice was quiet, yet it reached Ginrei Yamamoto's ears clearly.

Hearing the dismissive tone and the familiar na, Ginrei Yamamoto felt his blood boil.

"You—"

His pale, old face instantly flushed red!

Just as Ren had surmised, Ginrei Yamamoto had been entrusted by Kuchiki to keep a close eye on the battle.

If any abnormality occurred, he was to move quickly to break the forbidden art for Kuchiki.

Just monts ago, his nerves had been stretched thin, his eyes locked onto the battlefield.

Seeing Kuchiki and Ren seemingly teleport to a different location, he reacted instantly, using Shunpo to rush toward Kuchiki.

But he never expected Ren to see through this and launch an attack right in his path.

He had essentially run straight into Ren's blade. Unable to react in ti, he was cut down by a direct blow.

Whether he was enraged by the humiliation or the wound was simply too painful, Ginrei Yamamoto's body began to tremble.

To Ren's surprise, the old man did not retreat. Instead, he reached out and firmly grasped the hilt of the zanbato beneath the guard.

He pinned the blade down with all his might!

"Do it!"

Ginrei Yamamoto's roar thundered.

Surprise flashed in Ren's eyes as he suddenly realized sothing.

Just as he was about to turn his head, a tearing pain erupted from his back and chest.

Puchi!

A broken blade, missing its tip, pierced through Ren's body, erupting from his chest.

Traces of blood lingered on the silver-bright steel.

Ren's face turned deathly pale as his mind went blank.

He struggled to turn his head to look behind him.

It was Kuchiki Shigekuni.

Ren felt a tearing, agonizing pain coming from his heart.

Kuchiki's aged face was cold as ice.

"Cough... cough..."

Ren opened his mouth and couldn't help but cough twice, yet he still asked with great effort, "You... actually... can move?"

"Heh, brat, I gave you a piece of advice: do not underestimate !"

With that, Kuchiki gripped the hilt and slowly twisted the blade, directly shredding Ren's heart and one side of his lungs.

The old man sneered.

"Did you truly think I had been seen through by you?"

"Ha, every thought you've had up until now has been within my calculations."

The sight of Ren's heart being pierced was reflected in everyone's eyes.

The captains on the Soul Reaper side imdiately showed looks of joy, cheering for Kuchiki's successful strike.

anwhile, among Ren's subordinates—be it Sengoku, Shisui, or the others—all were filled with panic, shock, and anxiety.

"Great King!"

"Ren!"

"Lord Ren!"

They were frantic with worry, rushing toward the scene in a state of chaos.

Ren's face grew paler, the light in his eyes fading rapidly, yet he still managed to voice his question to Shigekuni.

"Why... can you move?"

"Such a simple thing can be achieved by rely seeing through your attacks and thoughts in advance!"

"This is the gap in combat experience between you and ."

"Do you understand now, brat!"

Seeing the commotion among Ren's subordinates, Kuchiki let out a loud shout.

"Yamamoto, do it!"

Simultaneous with Kuchiki's command, Ginrei Yamamoto swung his Zanpakuto.

A cold flash of steel followed, and the world in Ren's eyes began to spin.

A headless corpse, spraying blood, entered his field of vision.

Kuchiki's blade was still impaled in that headless corpse, making Ren realize instantly.

'Is that... my body?' As Ren's head was thrown high into the air, the faces of Sengoku and the others turned ashen.

The crowd was instantly plunged into a state of horror.

"Great King!"

"How could this..."

Blood sprayed across Shigekuni's face, stripping away his usual squint-eyed, benevolent appearance.

It made him look even more cruel!

"Ryujin Jakka!"

Raging flas erupted from the blade, pouring entirely into the internal organs of Ren's headless body.

The exposed blade also erupted with fire, enveloping the headless corpse within.

The flas soared several ters high, even scorching the head that had not yet landed in the air.

Kuchiki pulled out his blade and swung it forcefully toward the approaching Sengoku and the others!

Scorching fire exploded from the blade, rushing toward Sengoku's group as Kuchiki swung.

Facing the oncoming heatwave and flas, Ace's expression remained calm as he stepped in front of everyone.

"Enkai!"

Circles of fla walls rose from the ground, shielding everyone within.

Under Ace's control, the wall of fire entwined with Kuchiki's flas and began to spin.

The flowing flas stirred the air, turning into a vortex that absorbed all the fire, forming a pillar of fla that shot straight into the sky.

The surge of fire exploded in the sky like brilliant fireworks, turning into streaks of falling stars that scattered in all directions.

On the ground, as the fire gradually died down, the earth had beco a charred wasteland, emitting billowing black smoke.

The air was suddenly filled with a nauseating scent of cooked at.

In front of everyone, Kuchiki Shigekuni was no longer there, having flashed back to the position of the Soul Reapers.

On the charred ground, only a blackened, headless corpse remained, with a solitary head lying not far away.

"Lord Ren!"

Shisui flashed forward, arriving in front of the head.

Ren's head no longer looked human.

The surface had turned to charcoal, his features no longer discernible; it looked like a large lump of coal.

The headless corpse was in even worse shape, completely carbonized with no visible flesh, and brittle bone showing in so places.

His hands and feet had been destroyed in those brief monts, his limbs looking like half-burnt firewood still emitting faint sparks.

The once-grand torso was also a pitiable sight, with a massive crater in the chest and abdon, grey fragnts occasionally falling from the edges.

Slling the pungent scent of burnt at, Shisui knelt down and reached out, wanting to cradle the head.

But he stopped halfway, not daring to touch it.

The scarlet Mangekyo glowed in Shisui's eyes, the whites already bloodshot as tears of blood stread down his cheeks.

Toji appeared at his side. He wasn't as emotionally expressive as Shisui, his voice remaining as calm as ever.

"Shisui, you take the head. I'll drag the body."

"But..." Shisui's lips trembled uncontrollably, his voice breaking, "I'm afraid... he'll just crumble to pieces..."

After a few seconds of silence, Toji said helplessly, "The BOSS is already like this. There's no need to worry about that anymore."

As he spoke, he reached out, grabbing the corpse's arms to drag it back.

Crack! Crack!

Two crisp sounds echoed as Ren's charred arms snapped off, falling to the ground and splashing grey-white residue.

Toji's movents froze.

He opened his mouth and looked at the crowd gathering around him, wanting to say sothing, but the words were stuck in his throat.

"Great King!"

Sengoku closed his eyes in deep pain, gritting his teeth to keep himself from making a sound.

Only after several seconds did Sengoku open his eyes, his gaze beneath his glasses filled with nothing but cold fury.

He slowly turned his body, looking toward Kuchiki and the other Soul Reaper captains. He spoke through gritted teeth, his voice raspy.

"Soul Reapers!"

"To think you truly dared to do this!"

Sengoku stepped forward.

With every step, his aura grew more powerful, and his body began to enlarge. His skin took on a golden hue, and a Buddhist light radiated from him, making him look like a wrathful Gilded Vajra.

Beside him, Garp's face was grim, his eyes shrouded in shadow. A thick, terrifying killing intent emanated from him.

He reached out and tore off his Justice Cloak. His fist, the size of a sandbag, bulged with veins as he cracked his knuckles.

"Soul Reapers! Steel yourselves!"

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