Chapter 42: Stray Dog
The dueling ground was located at the academy's southwest, an open-air circular bluestone plaza.
The surface was paved with hard stone slabs. Having weathered the years and countless battles, the ground was covered in small pits and somewhat scorched marks.
Around the field's edge stood a circle of stone pillars carved with kidou runes, jointly forming an invisible barrier that confined battle aftershocks within the arena.
A supervising teacher wearing a black teaching robe with a stern expression stood before Suoh's group.
Already long accustomed to duels between students, he swept his gaze across Suoh and Abarai Renji standing at the crowd's forefront, speaking in a low voice:
"The dueling ground has three rules:
One: Deliberately using wooden swords to deliver lethal strikes to the head, throat, or heart is forbidden.
Two: Using mid-to-high level hadou above number thirty is forbidden.
Three: When I declare the end, you must immediately cease."
"Are the rules clear?"
His tone carried unquestionable authority, his gaze resting on both their faces.
"Understood."
Suoh nodded calmly with a composed expression.
"Got it!"
Abarai Renji clenched his fists tightly, his voice carrying barely suppressed battle intent.
"Good. Enter."
The supervising teacher said no more and stepped back several paces.
The two successively entered the arena, standing opposite each other, separated by merely a dozen steps.
Abarai Renji gripped his sword handle tightly, his body leaning slightly forward with his advancing stance.
His red ponytail swayed with his breathing like a burning flame flickering in the air.
A pair of unruly eyes carried a restless aura as they firmly locked onto Suoh before him.
His entire person was like a beast ready to pounce at any moment. His spiritual pressure leaked out uncontrollably, carrying extremely obvious aggression.
At this moment, only one thought existed in his heart: prove himself with strength, use facts to slap that damn baldy's face hard!
In contrast, Suoh's posture was abnormally calm.
His body simply stood casually, his right hand holding Hazy Night with the blade tip naturally drooping. His jet-black eyes calmly gazed back at the other party.
His eyes held no anger, no battle intent. Even that bit of irritation from having his good morning mood disturbed had long since dissipated.
Based on personal memory and impressions, he couldn't say he liked Abarai Renji before him, but it wasn't to the point of dislike either.
"What adult would get serious with a youth?"
This sentence was the most honest portrayal of Suoh's current mindset.
This wasn't a simple comparison of age and appearance. The cognition, ability, and mental state of both parties on the field weren't on the same dimension at all.
"Abarai won't go too hard on him, will he...?"
At the field's edge, Hinamori Momo watched the aggressive Abarai Renji in the arena, speaking in a low voice.
"With the teacher here, it should be fine..."
Kira Izuru looked worriedly toward that black-clothed figure in the field, speaking nervously.
Compared to Abarai Renji's crude exterior, Suoh's gentle appearance and style were completely different.
Adding his first-year student identity, it was hard not to worry for him.
"Renji..."
Rukia felt the same. Her childhood friend in the field made her feel familiar yet strange.
With complicated emotions, she murmured to herself.
Due to the Shinoreijutsuin's school atmosphere and small class system, even though they belonged to the same year, being in different classes meant their daily contact was minimal—basically spending little time together.
Though their feelings from growing up together in Rukongai hadn't faded, the changes that had occurred in Abarai Renji's psychology over these past three-plus years weren't something she could fully understand or grasp.
Not far away, Hitsugaya stood with arms crossed before his chest watching the field, his expression relaxed without the slightest worry for Suoh.
Training together with Suoh, he understood his strength better than anyone else in the field.
Those rumors that sounded somewhat exaggerated to others were, in his eyes, precisely appropriate evaluations of Suoh.
This conflict arising from youthful pride—from the instant they stepped into the dueling ground, the outcome was already predetermined.
"Suoh Tsukasa. Please teach me well."
Before battle began, Suoh followed sparring etiquette, lightly nodding his head and announcing his name.
"..."
His voice transmitted clearly and steadily into Abarai Renji's ears.
Facing this sudden yet protocol-compliant greeting, he froze abruptly.
The anger and battle intent accumulated for so long seemed lightly pricked by a fine needle, producing a moment's stagnation.
He glared at Suoh. His lips moved, ultimately only gritting his teeth to squeeze out a few words from between them:
"Abarai Renji..."
The supervising teacher seemed quite satisfied with Suoh's adherence to etiquette, lightly nodding his head in Suoh's direction.
"Begin!"
He then delayed no further and called out coldly.
"Haaa—!"
The supervising teacher's command released the shackles on the red beast in the field.
Abarai Renji's long-suppressed anger and battle intent exploded thunderously. He roared and charged forth fiercely, his wooden sword wrapped in surging spiritual pressure.
He would use the most direct method to harshly teach this eyesore of a first-year before him—a lesson!
"Bakudou Number Four: Hainawa."
Facing the assault, Suoh raised his left hand. As his words fell, a cord of light shot rapidly from his fingertips.
The next moment, Abarai Renji's fierce attack was tripped up by the cord of light released from Suoh's fingertips. His offensive reduced.
"Hah! This little trick!"
He immediately exploded his own spiritual pressure to break free from the bakudou's restraint.
However, this was merely the beginning.
"Hadou Number Four: Byakurai."
Two slender, swift white lightning bolts almost simultaneously struck through the acupoint on Abarai Renji's sword-arm shoulder and the acupoint on his supporting leg.
Instantly, Abarai Renji's arm and leg went numb and powerless. The wooden sword in his hand loosened. His momentum undiminished, he stood unsteadily and fell to the ground.
Since his awakening during hakuda class, Suoh had read quite a few hakuda-related books and today integrated some of his insights into combat.
"No! Impossible!"
The sudden fall's internal humiliation and unwillingness transformed into an even more crazed roar.
Abarai Renji struggled, trying to use his other intact hand to push himself up for another round.
He couldn't accept it, absolutely wouldn't accept such defeat!
"Bakudou Number Thirty: Shitotsu Sansen."
The next second, Suoh's voice from before him brought him final despair.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
Three massive beak-shaped yellow light panels appeared in midair, carrying powerful binding force to precisely clamp onto Abarai Renji's waist and shoulders, pinning him to the bluestone floor unable to move.
And after Shitotsu Sansen's technique completion, the supervising teacher's voice rang through the field.
"Finished."
"Victor: Suoh Tsukasa."
Ordinarily, he only used the word "finished" to end duels.
Today, having witnessed an excellent kidou performance, he specially expressed his appreciation for the victor.
The next moment—
"Ahhhhhhhhh!"
Abarai Renji pounded the ground with his left hand, roaring in anguish.
And all his struggling, all his unwillingness—after the voice declaring the end fell, it all became meaningless.
Only heavy panting remained, his tightly clenched left fist, and those eyes full of defeated bewilderment.
Within the dueling ground, deathly silence.
At the field's edge, Kira Izuru and Hinamori Momo were so shocked by the scene they couldn't speak at all. It had ended too quickly.
Rukia covered her mouth, her eyes similarly filled with shock and worry for Abarai Renji.
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