Hirako Shinji's Shikai, Sakanade, relies on a special aroma to trap its victims.
Once the enemy smells it, their visual perception of up and down, left and right, front and back, as well as the direction they see and the direction they are slashed from, are all inverted.
To put it simply, it's a very practical ability; even a battle-hardened expert would find themselves struggling and unable to utilize their full strength when facing it for the first time.
But it's fine as long as one doesn't fall for the trick.
"No way..."
The members of the Visoreds stopped in their tracks.
They had originally planned to coordinate with Hirako Shinji and strike together to take down Rias once she fell for the ability.
However, it now seemed they had been too naive.
Involuntarily, everyone turned their gaze toward Rias.
"It's true."
The anger on Hirako Shinji's face vanished, replaced by an extremely serious expression. He said, "The scent of Sakanade disappeared the instant it got close."
"Bring whatever moves you have together. After all, if I don't crush you, I'm afraid you won't be willing to talk business properly."
Rias said with a smile.
"I didn't want to make a move against a little girl, but it looks like I have no choice."
Kensei Muguruma clenched his fists and shouted after Hollowifying, "Bankai, Tekken Tachikaze!!"
Wearing a Hollow mask on his face, he held a serrated blade in each hand. His arms were wrapped in tank treads that connected across his back, which was also protected by armor, channeling explosive power into his fists.
With a thunderous boom, Kensei Muguruma's weapons arrived before Rias.
"Are you guys playing 'Calabash Brothers saving Grandpa'? Delivering yourselves one by one."
Rias quipped.
Despite being infused with endless wind pressure and the violent explosive power flickering at his fists, he couldn't get even a millimeter closer to Rias.
"Alright, you exit too."
Rias raised her hand and gave a gentle flick to his forehead, sending Kensei Muguruma flying.
"How the hell are we supposed to fight this?!" Hirako Shinji complained speechlessly.
Kensei Muguruma's fists were the strongest among the Visoreds; releasing air currents capable of shaking an entire city was no problem for him.
Yet, such an attack didn't have the slightest effect.
If they didn't'save Grandpa' one by one, should they all charge together only to be insta-killed in one hit?
Being defeated individually was embarrassing enough. Eight people fighting one little girl—not only would winning sound bad, but losing would look even worse.
And there wasn't the slightest hope of victory in sight!!
"Can we talk business now?"
Hirako Shinji said with a submissive smile.
"No."
Rias smiled and said, "I don't think you'll listen properly yet, so let's talk after the fight."
"Then there's no helping it..."
Hirako Shinji sighed, then said, "Then I'm coming too!!"
One could tell Hirako Shinji's attack was serious, but his mindset was perfunctory.
It was like he was just going through the motions.
"Don't be half-hearted with me."
Rias smiled, and then a punch landed right on Hirako Shinji's eye.
Hirako Shinji, who was sent flying far away, let out a scream as his eye immediately swelled up.
"Hey, hey, isn't your acting a bit too exaggerated?"
Lisa Yadomaru remarked.
"Exaggerated my ass, it hurts like hell!!"
Hirako Shinji roared.
"Looks like it's for real then."
Lisa Yadomaru nodded.
"Yeah, it's for real."
The others nodded as well.
"Damn it, the swelling won't go down!!"
Hirako Shinji felt his eye with his Spiritual Pressure, his face turning pale.
"I wrapped my fist in Power of Destruction. The energy attached to your eye is enough to blow your head off a hundred times. I suggest you don't move recklessly."
Rias warned.
"Huh?!"
Hirako Shinji said, looking like he'd lost all hope, "Why am I the unlucky one?"
The tense atmosphere from their first meeting had vanished; they clearly understood that Rias bore no malice.
Or rather, if she had malice, their entire group would have been wiped out already.
"Come, let's continue."
Rias looked toward Lisa Yadomaru.
"Eh, it's my turn next?"
Lisa Yadomaru exclaimed in surprise, then raised both hands and said, "I surrender."
"Not allowed."
Rias responded with a smile.
"Then there's no choice."
With a sigh, Lisa Yadomaru underwent Hollowification and drew her blade.
"Crush him, Haguro Tonbo!!"
A spear-like weapon formed, and Lisa Yadomaru charged forward.
With a thud, Lisa Yadomaru fell face-first onto the ground.
"Who's next?"
Rias's gaze kept shifting, making the members of the Visoreds nervous.
Seeing their rather amusing expressions, Rias's playful side emerged.
After a full ten minutes, everyone was lying on the ground, motionless.
"Honestly, you could have at least kept me entertained."
Rias complained.
"We aren't toys."
Mashiro Kuna raised her hand.
"Fine, let's talk business."
Rias smiled.
Once Rias finished speaking, all eight of them crawled up from the ground and sat directly opposite her.
"Alright, you can tell us what your purpose for finding us is now."
Hirako Shinji said.
Among this group of former Captains, Vice-Captains, and the former Vice-Kidō Chief, Hirako Shinji acted as their representative to the outside world.
From a comprehensive perspective, Hirako Shinji was the most suitable for the role.
"As you can see, the power I use is not Spiritual Pressure, and essentially, I am not a person of your world."
Rias explained her origins and her thoughts, then waited for them to choose.
"What if we refuse?"
Hirako Shinji pondered for a moment and asked.
"As you wish."
Rias shrugged. "Your combat power is too weak; to me, you're only at the level of providing some amusement. I won't force you even if you refuse."
"You wanna fight, brat?"
Hiyori Sarugaki said, clenching her fists.
"I really don't care about Shinigamis like you, whose upper limits are so low they can't even withstand my pressure."
Rias smiled. "It's just that in my world, you won't be wanted criminals, and you'll have a stage to compete against Aizen. Whether you agree or not is up to you."
"What is your purpose for coming to this world?"
Hirako Shinji inquired.
"For this~"
Rias took out the Hōgyoku.
By now, the Hōgyoku had completely fused into one.
This was due to Rias's manipulation of time.
The ability to manipulate time was rare, but it was nothing to Rias.
Setting aside Rias's research into 'Aion Barroll,' the inherent trait of the Agares family among the High-Class Devils was the manipulation of time.
Rias had some research into time; although she couldn't use it as her primary combat method, it didn't mean her application of it was insufficient.
By placing the Hōgyoku within a Formula and then accelerating the Hōgyoku's time, she could speed up its fusion.
"The level of your world is very low, but it has gathered the providence of a world, occasionally allowing for the birth of interesting items like this."
Rias smiled.
"So you mean we're just incidental?"
Hirako Shinji facepalmed.
"Pretty much."
Rias said, "But don't worry about me playing with you and then discarding you once you're useless; that won't happen."
"Because from the very beginning, you haven't been of much use to me."
"..."
Hirako Shinji gave a smile and said, "Can I hit you?"
"If you aren't afraid of being beaten up by me in return."
Rias also smiled.
Even if someone wants to hit you, they have to consider if they'll get hit back.
This is the benefit of having power.
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