By relying solely on his Shunpo, Byakuya effortlessly evaded all of Kenpachi's attacks. Then, seizing an opening in Kenpachi's follow-through, he instantly Shunpo'd to his front and slashed Kenpachi's left arm!
Kenpachi looked at his injured left arm, but instead of frustration, his excitement grew even stronger!
"Hahahaha! As expected of Kuchiki Byakuya! Even without using your Zanpakutō, you still possess such incredible power!" Kenpachi roared in admiration.
But Kenpachi wasn't just praising Byakuya. His battle instincts kicked in—he instantly wrapped a surge of spiritual pressure around his left arm, grabbed Byakuya's incoming blade, and held it firmly in place!
That technique—it was insane!
With a vicious pull, Kenpachi yanked Byakuya's Zanpakutō toward him, and with a swing of his right hand—
Swish!
He slashed Byakuya's shoulder!
Byakuya Shunpo'd away, shocked that Kenpachi's spiritual pressure was so immense that he could block his Zanpakutō barehanded!
Of course, this was not a battle destined for a decisive outcome.
After all, Byakuya's mission wasn't to fight Kenpachi. The golden smoke from Kazeshini's Shikai spread across the area, concealing Byakuya and Senbonzakura as they retreated.
Kenpachi didn't pursue—his own spiritual pressure was depleted as well. If he forced a chase, there was a real chance he might lose!
At this stage, Byakuya and Kenpachi were roughly evenly matched—maybe a 60-40 split. But a Kenpachi without his Zanpakutō's full power was still too limited.
That said, in the Thousand-Year Blood War, Kenpachi got stronger—but so did Byakuya. Both had firmly stepped into the tier of the strongest captains.
The difference lay in their fighting styles: Kenpachi relied on raw strength and reckless power, while Byakuya wielded refined technique.
Meanwhile, Suì-Fēng, though blown away by Kenpachi's spiritual pressure, was still thrown alongside her Zanpakutō, Suzumebachi!
Unlike other Zanpakutō, Suzumebachi was uniquely compatible with Suì-Fēng's speed.
And because of her smaller size, Suzumebachi was even more agile than Suì-Fēng!
In no time, Suì-Fēng's body had been marked by several Suzumebachi stings. If she were struck in the same spot again, she would die by her own Zanpakutō!
However, through sheer willpower—!
Utilizing Shunko's superior mobility and attack power, Suì-Fēng ultimately triumphed, striking Suzumebachi down with her own Zanpakutō.
But having fought against three captain-level Zanpakutō spirits, Suì-Fēng's spiritual pressure was drained. She collapsed toward the ground.
At that moment, Ichigo arrived.
He reached out and caught Suì-Fēng in his arms.
"Ugh… Ichigo?" Suì-Fēng's voice was weak from exhaustion.
"Yeah, it's me. Just rest now," Ichigo said gently.
"Alright…" Suì-Fēng murmured, finally losing consciousness in his embrace.
Ichigo, holding her tightly, hurried toward the 4th Division.
Meanwhile, Kazeshini's smoke had covered Byakuya and Senbonzakura's retreat, but Kazeshini itself had been left behind.
Yachiru Kusajishi gleefully treated Kazeshini like a spinning toy, laughing in delight.
At that moment, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, who had been secluded in his lab, finally emerged.
Upon seeing his Zanpakutō, Kazeshini, Mayuri calmly pressed a detonator and blew it into fragments.
"What a shame. Though this won't make the Zanpakutō return, I've already developed a new idea!" Mayuri sighed regretfully.
Kenpachi watched Mayuri with mild curiosity but said nothing.
After a night of rest, everyone's spiritual energy had recovered.
Then, the strongest outside reinforcement for the Soul Society—Yoruichi—arrived, bringing good news.
...
4th Division Conference Room.
All able captains and vice-captains were present.
Yoruichi spoke first:
"I've located where Captain-Commander Yamamoto is sealed."
Her words instantly ignited hope among the assembled Shinigami.
If they could free the strongest Shinigami, Yamamoto Genryūsai, the Zanpakutō rebellion would no longer be a serious issue!
Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jūshirō exchanged a glance.
"In that case, Ukitake, Ichigo, Kenpachi, Yachiru, and I will accompany you to rescue Old Man Yama!" Shunsui declared.
"Captain Unohana, please continue treating the injured Shinigami," he added, turning to Unohana Retsu.
Unohana merely nodded slightly. In truth, she no longer craved combat—well, except perhaps against Ichigo. As for others? They barely interested her.
Meanwhile, in the Zanpakutō's stronghold, Byakuya had successfully completed his mission, returning with a Hell Butterfly.
Muramasa nodded with satisfaction. He dismissed the butterfly, then led Byakuya to where Yamamoto Genryūsai was sealed.
He sighed.
"Yamamoto's power is simply too immense. It took Sōgyō no Kotowari, Katen Kyōkotsu, and Minazuki—three captain-level Zanpakutō—to seal him."
But Byakuya didn't buy Muramasa's words.
"I don't believe that. No one can match Yamamoto-soutaichō."
Approaching the barrier, Byakuya saw Yamamoto Genryūsai seated calmly in the center, holding Ryūjin Jakka.
Perhaps sensing Byakuya's spiritual pressure, Yamamoto slowly opened his eyes.
In an instant, flames surged toward Byakuya. Though the barrier dampened the spiritual pressure, Byakuya still felt Yamamoto's terrifying power!
Meanwhile, Ichigo and the others had arrived at the Zanpakutō stronghold.
Yoruichi examined the entrances.
"There are several of these, each radiating different spiritual pressures. That likely means different Zanpakutō spirits are inside."
Ichigo thought for a moment.
"Then we'll split into two teams and enter through different paths!"
Kyoraku nodded. "Good idea."
Kenpachi, Yachiru, Kyoraku, and Ukitake took one entrance. Yoruichi and Ichigo took another.
But shortly after entering, Kenpachi and Yachiru were—predictably—already lost.
Even with Kyoraku and Ukitake following them, those two could get lost in an instant!
Ichigo's team, on the other hand, was immediately ambushed.
His old "friends" Haineko and Tobiume took advantage of the cave's shadows and struck at Yoruichi!
"Take this!"
Their blades pierced into Yoruichi's chest!
"How… is this possible…?" Yoruichi murmured in disbelief as blood dripped from her lips.
Haineko and Tobiume laughed arrogantly.
"Hmph, so much for the great Yoruichi! Is that all you've got?"
"Hahaha! The Commander of the Onmitsukidō? Just a joke, huh?"
But then—boom!
The Yoruichi before them exploded like a balloon.
"What?!"
Haineko and Tobiume were stunned.
Not far away, the real Yoruichi and Ichigo stood atop a boulder.
"Go on ahead, Ichigo," Yoruichi said.
"Okay. Be careful, Yoruichi-san," Ichigo replied, then Shunpo'd deeper into the cave.
Kyoraku and Ukitake, meanwhile, had encountered their own Zanpakutō—Sōgyō no Kotowari and Katen Kyōkotsu.
Kenpachi faced Tenken and Gonryōmaru.
As Ichigo ran deeper into the cave, he suddenly sensed a familiar spiritual pressure!
"This reiatsu… Minazuki?" Ichigo muttered, staring at a Zanpakutō in a green cloak.
This was the Zanpakutō Ichigo was most familiar with.
After all, he'd fought Unohana Retsu more than once!
Yet Minazuki clearly didn't want to fight. It kept retreating further into the cave.
"Oi! Minazuki! Don't run away! Retsu-san misses you!" Ichigo shouted.
But Minazuki only ran faster, forcing Ichigo to give chase.
He followed it into a wide cavern, but there Minazuki vanished entirely.
Instead, Ichigo sensed Yamamoto's spiritual pressure nearby!
Following the source, he soon located the platform where Yamamoto was sealed—directly above him.
But before Ichigo could act, an attack came from the shadows!
Clang clang clang!
Twin scythes spun toward Ichigo. He swiftly drew Zangetsu and deflected them with a double slash.
The attacker was none other than Fūshirō, freshly healed by Muramasa.
"Hahaha! Kurosaki Ichigo! I finally get to fight you!" Fūshirō shouted, twirling his twin scythes.
Clearly, he still wanted to fight.
Ichigo sighed.
With Yamamoto right above him, he couldn't afford to hold back anymore.
Exhaling deeply, Ichigo called out:
"Cry out, Zangetsu!"
He gazed at Fūshirō with cold eyes.
"I'm not in the mood to play around with you. Sorry, but I'm heading straight to Yamamoto-soutaichō."
With that, he Shunpo'd in front of Fūshirō and slashed with no mercy!
Fūshirō yelled, "You think you can defeat me so easily? Too naive!"
He crossed his scythes to block Ichigo's attack.
But Ichigo roared,
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
The close-range blast engulfed Fūshirō. When the blue light faded, Fūshirō lay in two pieces on the ground.
"Sorry, Hisagi, but I don't have time to waste on you!" Ichigo muttered, then Shunpo'd upward.
He reached Yamamoto's sealed platform.
"Old man!" Ichigo shouted, running toward Yamamoto.
But before he could approach, Ryūjin Jakka's flames erupted, forcing Ichigo back!
"Damn it! A barrier?!"
Ichigo prepared to smash the barrier with brute force when another Zanpakutō attacked him.
Ichigo parried it with a single slash, and the weapon spun back into the hands of—
Muramasa!
"Well, well! Kurosaki Ichigo! You actually made it here! Looks like we're destined to cross blades. Perhaps it's best to settle this here and now!" Muramasa said, an odd look in his eyes.
"I don't care about destiny. I'm here to save the old man! Let's finish this!" Ichigo shouted, his spiritual pressure surging.
"Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!"
A wave of black spiritual energy swept through the cavern.
Seeing Ichigo's overwhelming reiatsu, Muramasa's eyes widened in shock.
"What a fearsome reiatsu! But even so, it's still not enough to defeat me!"
Muramasa raised his own reiatsu to its peak, his green spiritual pressure clashing evenly with Ichigo's.
Ichigo was a bit surprised.
Muramasa didn't seem this strong before… how did he get so much stronger all of a sudden?
But he shook his head.
"You're not even worth my full power," he declared.
Muramasa burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Is that so? Then show me if you can defeat me! If you can't, you'll never reach the old man!"
Ichigo felt something was off about Muramasa, but he didn't have time to dwell on it.
"Getsuga… Tenshō!"
A black crescent slash, far stronger than any previous one, roared toward Muramasa!
At that moment, Yoruichi, Kyoraku, and Ukitake burst into the sealed chamber!
"No, Ichigo! His goal is to provoke you into using Getsuga Tenshō!" Yoruichi shouted.
But it was too late!
Muramasa forcibly absorbed Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshō into his own spiritual pressure and redirected the attack at the barrier surrounding Yamamoto!
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Three loud shatters echoed as the barrier around Yamamoto Genryūsai shattered under the combined force of the attack!
In that instant, Muramasa extended his right hand toward Yamamoto!
(End of Chapter)
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