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Chapter 571: Are You Even Human?
Chapter 571: Are You Even Human?
The air froze for a fleeting moment.
Aside from Oomaeda and Soi Fon, several other members of the Second Division present in the training field turned their attention to the spar between Soi Fon and Feng Ye, clearly intrigued by the match.
It was at this moment that Soi Fon made her move.
Swish!!
Her movements were incredibly agile. Instead of a direct frontal assault, she seemed to be aiming her Zanpakuto straight at Feng Ye, but in the next instant, she lowered her body and darted to his left.
She held her Zanpakuto in a reverse grip and swung it towards Feng Ye's lower body. If her opponent assumed she was going for an overhead strike and focused on defending from above, they would undoubtedly be caught off guard by this sudden, unexpected attack from the side.
With just this simple first move, Soi Fon displayed a combat style vastly different from that of a typical Shinigami—more nimble and flexible, taking the elements of surprise and precision to the extreme.
Clang!
Feng Ye remained composed as he countered Soi Fon's move. He twisted his Zanpakuto downward and blocked Soi Fon's blade.
Soi Fon's Zanpakuto slid along Feng Ye's, sending sparks flying and creating an ear-piercing metallic screech.
Even as their blades clashed, she continued her assault, her right leg sweeping low towards Feng Ye's legs with a powerful spiritual pressure.
Swish!
Feng Ye's Zanpakuto continued its downward arc, piercing the ground. With both hands gripping the hilt, he leaped into the air, evading Soi Fon's side kick, and then descended, stomping downward.
Feng Ye's evasive maneuver and counter-attack did not rattle Soi Fon in the slightest. She slapped her left hand on the ground, and her body spun horizontally like a dancing petal. As she evaded the range of Feng Ye's stomp, she completed a full horizontal three-sixty-degree spin four times, her blade slashing towards Feng Ye's body like a high-speed spinning gear.
Clang!!
Feng Ye withdrew his Zanpakuto from the ground, blocking Soi Fon's spinning blade horizontally. After a brief clash, they both pulled away in opposite directions, creating distance between them.
The brief exchange between Soi Fon and Feng Ye, lasting only a second or two, left the Onmitsukido members and some of the Second Division Shinigami awe-struck.
In that short span of time, they had each executed no fewer than two 'evade-and-counter' maneuvers, skillfully evading each other's attacks while delivering their most potent counter-attacks. If it had been any of them, forget about achieving this level of skill—whether they could remain standing in those few seconds would have been a significant concern.
And...
What was even more startling was Feng Ye's composure. If he had relied solely on his spiritual pressure to forcefully withstand Soi Fon's attacks, that would have been understandable. But Feng Ye countered Soi Fon's assaults purely with his hand-to-hand combat skills and swordsmanship, and he was holding his own!
It must be noted that Feng Ye had only become a Shinigami a few months ago. His proficiency in hand-to-hand combat had already far surpassed theirs and reached a level comparable to Soi Fon's!
"...So strong..."
"...He's actually on par with Squad Lieutenant Soi Fon in hand-to-hand combat... Captain Hatake must have only started training in hand-to-hand combat a few months ago. Is this what you call... a genius?"
Someone exclaimed, their eyes wide with shock.
As they marveled at Feng Ye's prowess in hand-to-hand combat and swordsmanship, Soi Fon launched another attack.
Soi Fon's body suddenly flickered, moving at an unbelievably rapid speed. She vanished from her original spot, leaving only an afterimage behind, and reappeared behind Feng Ye.
Shunpo!
As a prodigy favored by Yoruichi, Soi Fon was expected to become the future captain of the Second Division. Her talents and aptitudes in various areas were second only to Yoruichi herself. Naturally, her mastery of Shunpo, the art of flash-step, was exceptional, falling just short of Yoruichi's otherworldly skill but still outstanding among Shinigami.
Facing Soi Fon's display of Shunpo, Feng Ye straightened his posture slightly, as if he hadn't noticed the Zanpakuto stabbing towards his back. A composed smile played on his lips.
Silent and invisible.
Soi Fon's Zanpakuto pierced Feng Ye's chest from behind, but the figure of 'Feng Ye' dissipated like smoke and cloud—it was merely an afterimage! Feng Ye's true body appeared silently behind Soi Fon, also using Shunpo, and his movement seemed even more imperceptible and unpredictable than Soi Fon's.
"How is this possible..."
Sensing the threat from behind, Soi Fon reacted instinctively without any hesitation. She rolled forward, evading Feng Ye's attack from behind.
Although she dodged the strike, her heart was no longer calm. Instead, she felt a sense of disbelief. Aside from Feng Ye's exquisite hand-to-hand combat skills and swordsmanship in parrying her previous attacks, how could his Shunpo be this advanced!
She couldn't fathom his expertise in hand-to-hand combat.
But this Shunpo... It was definitely superior to hers!
She had been practicing Shunpo since childhood. After joining the Onmitsukido and displaying exceptional talent, she had earned Yoruichi's recognition and received personal guidance and training from the captain herself. But what about Feng Ye? He had only become a Shinigami a few months ago, and his Shunpo training couldn't have been more than a few months old!
What was going on with this man?!
From a distance, Yoruichi watched this unfold, and a glint flashed in her eyes. She murmured, "I seem to have underestimated him. Has his Shunpo reached this level already?"
The measure of a Shinigami's battle prowess wasn't solely based on the release of their Zanpakuto. It also included their mastery of swordsmanship, Kido, hand-to-hand combat, and Shunpo.
While spiritual pressure was the foundation, Bankai was a standard ability among captains. Each captain possessed comparable spiritual pressure and a variety of Bankai abilities. In such cases, it was challenging to gain the upper hand solely through Bankai capabilities and spiritual pressure. Therefore, when captains fought, the outcome often depended on their proficiency in Shunpo, swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, and Kido.
Soifon let out a low shout, spun her body, and released a set of three interconnected golden magatama-like energy blasts, instantly restraining Feng Ye in place.
With his flash-step suppressed and his hand-to-hand combat at a disadvantage, he had no choice but to try using Kido to find an opening in Feng Ye's defense. However, the binding number 30 was clearly too weak.
Bang!
Feng Ye merely swayed his body and shattered the golden light fang's restraints.
Soifon took this opportunity to close in on Feng Ye's right side, slashing diagonally at his lower body with her Zanpakuto.
Ding!
Feng Ye deftly twisted his blade, blocking Soifon's attack.
As their Zanpakuto clashed, Soifon's second attack fell. She arched her body in the air, displaying incredible flexibility, and her small feet, wrapped in a bundle of Kido's spiritual pressure, kicked downward toward Feng Ye's neck.
Feng Ye remained calm and composed. He blocked Soifon's ankle with a left-handed upward punch, stopping her attack. But then, a prismatic hidden weapon shot out from the tip of Soifon's toes.
Feng Ye smiled.
"You really have a bag of tricks up your sleeve."
He casually sidestepped Soifon's attack and then retracted his left hand, throwing a straightforward punch at Soifon's midsection.
This punch seemed simple, but the movement was incredibly fast, displaying an unimaginable speed, and his fist was imbued with a powerful spiritual force.
Soifon's expression changed, and she wasted no time in withdrawing her Zanpakuto to block in front of her. Still, Feng Ye's punch landed squarely on her blade.
Bang!!!
Her Zanpakuto bent into an arc, unable to withstand the surging power, and she was sent flying backward, landing dozens of meters away.
"Let's end it here."
After punching Soifon away, Feng Ye retracted his hand and smiled at her, saying, "If we continue, I'll have to release my Zanpakuto, and that would go beyond a spar. So, let's call it a draw."
Soifon, who had been knocked away by Feng Ye, somersaulted gracefully in the air and landed smoothly on the ground dozens of meters away, showing no signs of dishevelment. However, her demeanor was noticeably subdued as she knew that if the fight continued, she would undoubtedly lose.
Even if she released her Zanpakuto, Feng Ye could do the same, and he also possessed Bankai. In terms of releasing their Zanpakuto, she was actually at an advantage.
Despite all this, she couldn't win.
This dealt a significant blow to her confidence.
Her hand-to-hand combat was at a disadvantage, her swordsmanship was ineffective, her flash-step was surpassed by Feng Ye, and there was no need to mention releasing her Zanpakuto. All her years of training seemed meaningless in the face of Feng Ye's prowess, leaving her feeling dispirited.
Just then, a hand reached out and patted her head.
Soifon turned to see Yoruichi standing beside her, stroking her head with a reassuring smile. "Don't be so glum. You did wonderfully. There's no shame in not being able to beat a monster like him; it's just irrational to try."
Feng Ye sheathed his Zanpakuto and walked towards Yoruichi, chuckling, "It's not very nice to call me a monster to my face, Captain Yoruichi."
Yoruichi shrugged, "Am I wrong? How many people can cultivate hand-to-hand combat and flash-step to this level in just a few months..."
At this point, she circled Feng Ye, her eyes scrutinizing him from head to toe as if trying to see through him. "Are you even human?" she muttered.
Feng Ye couldn't help but smile at that. "I was human a long time ago. Now, I am a Shinigami."
Yoruichi tapped her forehead. "Alright, go eat breakfast, and then take Soifon to the Fourth Division to bring their seventh seat to the Worm's Nest."
Feng Ye looked at Yoruichi and asked, "Shouldn't you be the one to go to the Fourth Division to fetch their seat officer? It might not be appropriate for me to lead the team."
"I have other tasks to attend to. You and Soifon can handle this together. Captain Unohana already knows about this, and as a senior, she won't stand in your way."
With that, Yoruichi vanished from the spot.
Seeing Yoruichi's departure, Feng Ye shook his head helplessly. He then turned to Soifon, who was still standing at a distance, her head slightly bowed as she replayed the earlier battle in her mind. "Shall we go, Vice-Captain Soifon?" he said.
"......Okay."
Soifon lifted her head to meet Feng Ye's gaze, her demeanor gradually regaining its composure.
However, as Feng Ye turned away, a complex look flashed in Soifon's eyes as she watched his retreating back.
In just a few short months, he had surpassed her in every aspect and even mastered Bankai. Perhaps he was the most talented member of the Gotei 13 in its history, yet he remained humble and respectful throughout, showing no hint of arrogance or superiority. His demeanor before and after their spar was unchanged, and he continued to treat her with the same respect.
Such a person... was indeed difficult to dislike.
With his gentle, handsome features and approachable demeanor, it was no wonder that Feng Ye had surpassed Omaeda in popularity within the Second Division in just a few short months.
(End of Chapter)
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