[BleachxMultiverse] - Conquering Worlds After Death

Bang—

The muffled sound of impact echoed as Kanoh Agito was sent flying, landing hard on the dojo floor.

He quickly rolled and flipped back to his feet, adopting a defensive stance. Yet, his opponent didn't press the attack. Instead, Ren walked to the side and casually tossed him a bottle of water.

"Mr. Hoshino, where do you think I fall short?" Kanoh asked curiously. He was utterly fascinated by Ren Hoshino—this man had completely upended his worldview.

Kanoh had always believed himself to be at the pinnacle of martial arts, akin to a climber who had summited the world's tallest peaks and conquered Everest, left with a sense of lonely invincibility.

There were so few challengers who could push him that his growth had long since stagnated.

Yet today, he realized there were mountains even taller than the ones he'd climbed before—unimaginably higher. The realization reignited his fighting spirit.

"Where do you fall short?" Ren sipped from his water bottle and chuckled. "Everywhere."

It wasn't meant to crush Kanoh's confidence, but Ren couldn't help feeling somewhat disappointed after arriving in this world.

The Seed of Origin had yet to cause significant changes to this world—or perhaps it hadn't been here long enough.

For now, fighters like Kanoh Agito still largely fell within the bounds of 'human'.

Kanoh's stats weren't higher than Ren's, and in terms of technical ability, Ren estimated he was just barely approaching the threshold of master-level proficiency.

Raian Kure, on the other hand, who had been honed under Ren's guidance, might now qualify as master-level, albeit at the lower end.

In terms of specialized rankings, Ren had come to realize the immense value of skill ratings in his system.

In comparison, Kanoh was likely below 10 in most combat areas, while Raian might barely scrape the master's bar after training. Ren himself had already exceeded level 25 in several core combat specializations, a mark that reflected extraordinary mastery.

However, skill levels alone didn't capture the entirety of a martial artist's strength. A true warrior's power stemmed from understanding martial essence: battle instincts, judgment, intuition, and the ability to perceive the flow of power.

Kanoh wasn't weak. His stats were comparable to Ren's base form, so why was Ren able to easily catch his powerful punches? The answer lay in the realm of their understanding of martial arts.

The moment Kanoh threw a punch, Ren's intuition mapped out the flow of power in the attack. He could even faintly perceive its 'point of focus'.

Ren's master had once said that ancient martial artists from his homeland could perceive the core of an object and the principles behind the flow of power. Reaching that realm allowed one to shatter a massive stone with minimal effort.

Conversely, if a martial artist could discern the flow of force in a powerful punch and pinpoint its focus, they could neutralize it with minimal effort.

When Ren caught Kanoh's forceful punch without being pushed back, it wasn't because his raw strength vastly outclassed Kanoh's. It was because he had mastered martial essence.

This wasn't brute force overpowering Kanoh—it was technique, pure and simple.

To the uninitiated, such mastery might seem like mysticism, but it was very real. Unfortunately, it was a skill that couldn't be taught. It required not just experience and training but also innate talent.

Even if another Explorer possessed a similar level 25 mastery in combat specialization, they wouldn't necessarily be able to replicate Ren's feats. They lacked the eyes, instincts, and innate talent to perceive the focal points of power.

This natural aptitude was what allowed Ren to accomplish the impossible in the world of Bleach. Facing the legendary swordmaster Unohana Retsu, who had honed her craft for a thousand years, Ren managed to outmatch her in technique—not because he was more skilled but because his battle intuition surpassed even her millennia of expertise.

"All of it, huh…I never thought I'd hear those words directed at me," Kanoh murmured.

There was no disappointment in his tone. A man of few words, Kanoh was not adept at expressing his emotions, but today's sparring session had made his inadequacies crystal clear.

He realized that the man before him wasn't just physically extraordinary, like Wakatsuki Takeshi, but had also refined his techniques to a peerless degree. That combination of overwhelming power and honed skill left Kanoh with a clear realization of his own limitations.

While he couldn't change his physique, he believed his techniques still had room to grow. And now, a new mountain had appeared before him.

"You two really are tireless, huh? Sparring all the way from morning until now?"

A pleasant female voice called out from the dojo's entrance, drawing their attention.

The newcomer was Katahara Metsudo's daughter, Katahara Sayaka.

"Apologies. I was the one who asked Mr. Hoshino for guidance," Kanoh said earnestly. As the daughter of his benefactor, she commanded his utmost respect.

Ren turned to her. Sayaka was in her twenties, with a tall, athletic frame and a lively energy. Her sun-kissed skin and vibrant presence gave her a distinct charm.

He remembered she would later serve as the announcer for the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, known for her ability to energize the crowd and manage the event's chaotic atmosphere.

But seeing her up close for the first time, he couldn't help but want to comment. "Metsudo really is something else," he mused internally. "He had her when he was in his seventies?"

"Here's the information you requested, Ren-san."

Though they'd only met twice, Sayaka addressed him with a familiarity that felt natural, a testament to her knack for building rapport.

"Thanks, Sayaka-san," Ren replied with a smile.

Ren thanked Sayaka and took the document, flipping through it briefly. Within moments, he had a clear idea of what to do.

The report was a joint investigation by the Kure Clan and Katahara Metsudo, a collaboration that ensured it was both thorough and highly credible.

With the combined resources of these two major powers, the efficiency was impeccable—less than 24 hours had passed since Ren made his request the previous night.

"There does seem to be someone behaving rather unusually within the Kengan Association recently," Sayaka remarked curiously. "Ren-san, what do you intend to do with them?"

Kanoh Agito also glanced at Ren, intrigued but unsure of his intent.

"To eliminate anomalies, of course," Ren replied, closing the file. He already knew who to target.

Among the recent spike in strength observed among Kengan fighters, one individual stood out as particularly abnormal—the newest fighter representing Koyo Academy: Kiryu Setsuna.

Ren had a vivid impression of this character, though not solely because of his strength. It was his sheer insanity.

In the original story, Kiryu Setsuna was a disturbingly obsessive stalker of the protagonist. Strong, emotionally twisted, and utterly unhesitant to kill, he had left a chilling mark. When Ren first read the manga, he thought Kiryu would be the protagonist's destined rival, someone who would make it to the finals.

But the series subverted expectations. Just when it seemed the older, seemingly insignificant Kuroki Gensai would merely serve as a stepping stone for Kiryu, the seasoned fighter ruthlessly dismantled him.

If Kiryu Setsuna had obtained the Seed of Origin, he would be even more dangerous now. His strength in the original story could no longer be used as a baseline to assess him.

Considering the recent spate of Explorer killings, Ren felt everything was starting to make sense. Initially, he had assumed a rogue violator was causing the chaos, but now it seemed likely Kiryu Setsuna was the culprit. After all, his 'beloved' Tokita Ohma had died.

Ren was careful not to underestimate Explorers, assuming them to be weaklings. If Kiryu was capable of killing multiple high-stat Explorers, it meant he had already amassed significant power.

Fortunately, Ren had been strategic about this mission.

By leveraging alliances and acting methodically, he had narrowed down his target within just six days—well before the Kengan Annihilation Tournament had even begun. At this point, Kiryu Setsuna likely hadn't yet grown to a truly overwhelming level.

This window of opportunity was crucial.

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