Shirou gritted his teeth and met his blade with a swing from both swords, creating sparks in the air.
But the attack was too strong and Shirou had to put more strength to hold, however before his feet dug in, the enemy's sword fell to his side. The tip aimed at his waist. If it struck, he was done for.
"Ugh!"
In desperation, he blocked it with the hilt of one sword while the other pushed back the man's sword. However, before he knew it, he was sent flying to the wall, crashing through and landing on the hard floor.
Shirou coughed out in pain and groaned, his muscles tensed up and he gritted his teeth to stop the cry that wanted to escape his lips. Kanshou and Bakuya shattered like glass and he was forced to let go of his projection, the blades were no longer usable.
"Hey, what's wrong? Your blades are so weak."
The voice was teasing, yet the words were laced with bloodlust.
Shirou's instincts told him to run away right now; that man was far more dangerous than Byakuya. He wasn't going to let him get out unharmed or try to incapacitate him.
That Zaraki would be the death of him if Shirou didn't fight all out.
Pushing the dust off of himself, he stared at him. Blood trickled from the wound he sustained from being blown earlier, but nothing felt too bad to hinder his movement, just a bruised muscle and minor injuries.
'This guy is like a Berserker.' He observed his opponent with cold, calculating eyes.
"You are far worse than a Hollow." Shirou stated.
The bells in his hair jiggled, telling Shirou that the Captain was interested in him. It was a good thing to not be ignored, that meant the Captain wouldn't take him lightly.
"Then why did you not attack?" The question that came out of Zaraki's mouth made him think for a second. "I told you I am here to kill or die. Easy opponent is not fun."
"Hm." The auburn-haired boy groaned and took a stance again.
Yes, holding back wouldn't do anything good. He needed a sword, one that could contest with the man's power.
Compared to the Holy Grail War, he had more reserve and a stronger body. His power was fueled by something different than magic circuits, stronger and potent. Pure, to the point his projection would turn out much better and easier to make.
However, his greatest advantage right now was the ability to project not one, but many objects.
This power allowed him to keep the enemy occupied without a break between projections, allowing him to unleash multiple projections of low rank weapons at once, overwhelming him.
With this, he had a way to counterattack. All that was left was to attack the moment he showed an opening.
"Trace, on."
Once again, Kanshou and Bakuya materialized from nothing, only this time it was more durable and harder than the last one he used earlier.
'These things will break after a few exchanges, but I'll use it for all they are worth.'
Zaraki seemed interested in the swords he used and looked like he could barely restrain himself.
"You have strange powers." The man commented with a deep tone, "Tell me what you call that."
"Noble Phantasm."
His opponent's reaction was strange, but he didn't expect a question. "Hm? Noble Phantasm you say?"
"Yes." Shirou nodded, wondering why he looked interested in the term.
"Interesting... Noble Phantasm, eh?" His eyes shone, and a smirk adorned his face, "Come."
Both moved at the same time at speed far beyond a normal person's capability. They swung the swords at each other in an exchange that lasted for just a few seconds.
Sparks flew, creating blinding lights. They jumped backward, making some distance. The impact caused the wind to blow, sending a chill to their bodies.
Shirou was fine except a shallow cut on his right cheek. A bit more and it might get deeper. That was how deadly Zaraki was, his swing was fast, brutal and powerful.
But, he also managed to make a slight cut. Blood spurted from Zaraki's left stomach. His blade met his skin and caused a shallow cut. Not much, but enough to show that he was no easy prey.
Shirou felt his lips twitching as a small grin appeared. His swords began to crack and shatter in the next second.
'How long since I felt like this?' He couldn't help but think about how good and dangerous it was to fight against someone stronger than him.
Heroic Spirits were all strong and prideful, they were on a whole different level than him. And Zaraki was strong, a beast that enjoyed fighting, just like them.
Fighting him would prove to be useful to awaken his dormant battle instinct after living peaceful lives for so long.
"You're really fun!"
The Captain charged again. Shirou gritted his teeth and met his challenge. Swords clashed against each other and the sound resounded loudly. Both sides didn't relent, trying to break through their defense.
Shirou's swordsmanship was swift and unpredictable. He aimed only at vitals and didn't hold back. His blades were a bit weaker, so he needed to rely on speed and accuracy. His goal was to make him drop his guard.
But that didn't mean it worked. His opponent's strength was greater, and the difference in their experience made it hard to keep up.
Kanshou and Bakuya shattered, but he quickly projected a new one and took Zaraki off guard. His blade moved in a blur as the Captain blocked the incoming strike with his sword.
Shirou used this as a distraction and used Hirenkyaku, creating some distance between them. The blades disappeared, and in his left hand a black bow appeared. Following that, he traced three nameless Noble Phantasm, reinforced them to the limit, and shot them.
Red trail appeared as they flew to Zaraki, who grinned in delight as he blocked them all, breaking them in an instant.
"Hey, that was good!" He laughed. "Show me more!"
'What is he? I never met anyone like this guy before. Is he even a human?'
"You're still holding back!" Zaraki roared in anger as he charged again.
His attack was stronger, faster. Shirou could barely keep up with the pace.
Zaraki didn't care about his defense at all and attacked with everything he had. His sword was broken and shattered in just a swing, unable to keep up with the Captain.
'I don't know how much longer I can go. He's too strong, so there's no other choice.'
Time to use something greater, stronger than the twin swords he usually made. Shirou didn't have much choice but to do this.
"I am the bone of my swords."
Shirou's reiatsu suddenly spiked as aria flew from his mouth. Kanshou and Bakuya in his hands hardened and lengthened, their edges became sharper, and the blades looked more solid.
They became like wings, glimmering under the light of the sun, their blades shone with white and black colors.
The reinforcement changed the look of Kanshou and Bakuya completely, making them stronger. Shirou knew this technique would destroy the blade faster, but he only needed time.
Swinging both swords, Shirou attacked again, faster and stronger than before, but Zaraki met his blades. Sparks flew as they collided.
Some attacks managed to pass through Zaraki's defense. Cuts appeared in the Captain's body, blood dripped from his wounds, yet the smile on his face widened.
Zaraki raised his sword and swung it down heavily.
The impact sent a powerful gust of wind, and the blade hit the ground with tremendous force, causing the earth to shake, and cracks to form.
Shirou dodged the attack and landed in a crouch on the opposite side of the road, looking up at his opponent with a fierce gaze, the swords crumbled from the pressure earlier.
"That's a lot better!" Zaraki laughed. "Now you look like you want to kill me."
"Steel is my body, and fire is my blood."
Once again, his reiatsu spiked. This time, it was greater, thicker, and more violent than ever. Shirou felt the familiar surge of energy within himself, his body and mind were pushed beyond the limits.
He raised his right hand, his mind accessed his reality marble to find the right sword. He found it.
Against a Berserker, nothing was better than this. He knew that he could handle this blade now. His body was stronger and his power was greater.
"Trace, on."
The sword's information flowed into his mind. He traced a large sword made from stone belonging to the Heroic Spirit he encountered in the war.
A large, jagged and crude black sword materialized in Shirou's right hand. His fingers curled tightly around the grip, which was bigger than a regular sword.
The sword felt heavy in his grasp, yet he knew this was the right weapon. He needed something to match that man in raw power.
"What is that sword?!"
"Something you should be worried about." Shirou replied.
The sword was even bigger than his body, yet the weight didn't slow him down at all. He took a deep breath and gathered strength.
Circuits ran through his arms and the muscles burned with pain, his energy surged and his Spiritual Power flowed through his veins. Blood trickled from his mouth due to the strain of reinforcing his body to the limit.
Still, the pain didn't register. His eyes focused on the man, and his mind told him to strike now.
"Nine Lives Blade Works."
And so, he swung. His speed couldn't be followed by eyes—reaching the godspeed.
Before the Captain could even move, Shirou already swung his sword nine times. His sword was a blur as he cut him with each swing. It was impossible to tell what kind of damage he had inflicted on his enemy.
Sword scars ran through the ground behind Zaraki, destroying the surrounding area in the wake of his swing. Flesh cut like butter and blood sprayed, turning the road into a mess of dust and smoke.
Shoulders, arms, waist, and chest. The sword of stone cut through them and his blood spilled on the ground.
"Gah!" A cry escaped from Zaraki's lips.
The Captain fell onto one knee. His face twisted into a scowl, his eyes were wide open in pain, and he gripped the wounds tightly with his left hand. His blood poured on his palm and flowed onto the ground, painting it in crimson.
Shirou stared at the man and dismissed the sword, changing it to Kanshou and Bakuya once again. His breath turned erratic due to the toll of projecting a powerful sword and reinforcing his body at the same time.
He wiped the blood from his mouth and stared at Zaraki. He noticed that the man's eyepatch was off now.
The man's reiatsu increased in intensity, his body emitted an intense heat and he breathed heavily.
"Finally! Finally, someone that can hurt me!" His face twisted in pain and his voice sounded raspy, but his mouth curved into a wide grin and his eyes were wild and bloodshot. "This is the best! Hahaha! I haven't felt like this in a long time. It's like the thrill of a real battle!"
Zaraki's spiritual pressure rose higher, and it felt even heavier than before. The aura of violence around him became stronger.
"Come on! Come on!" Zaraki shouted, swinging the blade at Shirou.
Sensing the hidden danger, he quickly used Hirenkyaku to move away. And then, he saw it.
Swoosh!
The pressure from the sword's swing cut through the large building like butter. A large crack ran from the ground up to the roof and it collapsed under its own weight.
"Hey! Come on, I can barely feel this!"
Shirou's eyes were wide and his heart beat fast. It was like looking at an incarnation of death.
'He's really a Berserker!'
Even when Zaraki's flesh gouged and his body injured greatly, he could still bring out strength far more than a regular man could ever possess.
Zaraki's reiatsu rose again. This time it was more powerful and the ground beneath him shook. Shirou's instinct screamed, his body tensed up.
The next second, he felt something dangerous coming and he jumped back, just in time to avoid the sword's slash to avoid a fatal wound.
Yet…
Blood spilled from Shirou's chest and his clothes were torn. The twin swords he used to block the attack at the last moment shattered, unable to withstand the force.
"Gah!"
*** Chapter End ***
I felt Zaraki's strength at early arc is pretty much muted or Ichigo is too strong (I don't know. I need Tite Kubo to answer me.)
This is the Captain that can beat an Arrancar with one swing of his sword and defeat 3 Quincy in TBW without wound.
So, thoughts?
More stones = more chapters?!
And if you're curious about Soul Society arc (Almost finished) and don't want to wait, visit my pat -reon / ShuviLily.