No sooner had the six yellow beams of light flared to life than Yoruichi Shihōin vanished from the spot.
"Have you forgotten?" Yoruichi Shihōin chuckled. "A Bakudō of this level can't hold me."
Back when she was Captain of the 2nd Division, her Lieutenant at the time had even mastered the ability to cast multiple Bakudō techniques simultaneously just to catch her, yet she had still escaped with ease.
"Of course I know." Senbonzakura flicked her finger. "You're not the one I'm trying to catch."
The six beams of light shot straight toward Shinji Hirako, intending to completely immobilize him.
Shinji Hirako flashed aside, only for a fresh set of light beams to lock his body in place.
"Hm?" Yoruichi Shihōin immediately sensed something was wrong and rushed toward Senbonzakura, who was removing the white cloth.
A cold voice rang out.
"Bakudō #81, Dankū!"
Boom!
Yoruichi Shihōin's attack slammed into an invisible wall. The impact blasted the air outward in rolling waves, briefly outlining the indistinct surface of the barrier.
Yoruichi Shihōin shifted her gaze to Byakuya Kuchiki, who had appeared behind Senbonzakura. "Byakuya, aren't you going to explain yourself?"
The one who had cast the second Rikujōkōrō was none other than the long-missing Byakuya Kuchiki.
His answer came in the form of cherry blossoms filling the sky.
"Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"
Billions of blades reflected a pink glow, drifting through the air like flower petals. Yet every one of them carried a razor-sharp edge and terrifying killing intent as they completely engulfed Yoruichi Shihōin and Shinji Hirako.
"Shunkō!"
Golden lightning erupted, lashing violently at everything around her.
Yoruichi Shihōin threw a single punch, scattering the sea of cherry blossoms.
But by then, Senbonzakura and Byakuya Kuchiki were already gone.
...
"So..." Yoruichi Shihōin drained a large cup of the 4th Division's specially brewed fatigue-relieving tea. "We lost them."
"I'm sorry, Yoruichi-sama." Suì-Fēng lowered her head. "I also..."
Unlike the other materialized Zanpakutō Spirits, Suì-Fēng's Zanpakutō, Suzumebachi, was only palm-sized after materializing. She was incredibly agile and extremely difficult to hit.
Suzumebachi, however, could strike Suì-Fēng with ease. One Hōmonka after another bloomed across her body, leaving Suì-Fēng increasingly restricted in her movements.
"Don't worry about it." Yoruichi Shihōin ruffled Suì-Fēng's hair. "Most Shinigami end up in more or less the same situation when they face their own Zanpakutō."
It wasn't only Suzumebachi, who had been fighting Suì-Fēng. Kichōmaru, who had fought Ikkaku Madarame, Fuji Kujaku, who had fought Yumichika Ayasegawa, and Kazeshishi, who had fought Shūhei Hisagi, had all escaped before Muten Natsu and Rukia Kuchiki finished dealing with Tenken and Gonryōmaru.
Gegetsuburi had tried to grab some extra food before leaving and failed to get away. By now, Marechiyo Ōmaeda had already subdued him again.
"Getting your own Zanpakutō to submit again really isn't easy." Shunsui Kyōraku looked toward Muten Natsu. "Especially in your case, Muten Natsu. There's no way your Zanpakutō would submit that easily, right?"
Muten Natsu frowned slightly. That was indeed true.
Even without the Hell Flames, the materialized Bokukō and Myōki were terrifying in their own right.
Without the limitations of a physical body, Bokukō could absorb Reishi without restraint and gain tremendous power.
Against an even stronger opponent, Myōki's Bankai, "Meiki," could turn the enemy's strength into its own and unleash it all in a single instant.
Even Kenpachi Zaraki had been unable to inflict any meaningful damage.
Fortunately, Kenpachi Zaraki had collapsed near the Research and Development Institute, so Mayuri Kurotsuchi had simply stuffed him into a bottle.
Like steeping liquor.
It worked surprisingly well. After soaking in the specially formulated restorative solution, Kenpachi Zaraki quickly recovered enough strength to smash his way out of the bottle.
Jūshirō Ukitake had heard about the earlier battle and asked curiously, "Muten, how did you make Myōki submit before?"
Muten Natsu discreetly glanced toward Retsu Unohana.
Rather than saying he had made Myōki submit, it would be more accurate to say Retsu Unohana had made Muten Natsu...
"Before, I only subdued the manifested Myōki. That doesn't mean the same method will work on a fully materialized Myōki," Muten Natsu pointed out. "Suì-Fēng should understand that better than anyone."
Remembering what Suzumebachi had said, Suì-Fēng nodded with a grim expression.
"The Captain-Commander is missing. The 2nd Division is searching for him, the 3rd Division is tracking the enemy, the 4th Division is overwhelmed treating the wounded, the 5th Division is on patrol, and the Captain of the 6th Division... is missing." Shunsui Kyōraku paused before continuing. "The Captain of the 7th Division is critically injured, the 8th Division is handling security, the 9th Division is guarding the prison, the Captains of the 10th and 11th Divisions are critically injured, the 12th Division is occupied with research, and the 13th Division still has to monitor the World of the Living..."
And that was without even mentioning the devastated Seireitei.
For a moment, the atmosphere grew heavy.
"Isn't that actually a good thing?" Rukia Kuchiki pursed her lips before finally speaking up. "We still haven't found the Captain-Commander, but we haven't received any bad news either. A lot of people were injured, but there haven't been any major casualties. With Orihime's help, almost all of the wounded are out of danger. The Research and Development Institute has also found other ways to subdue Zanpakutō. So the next time we encounter them, we won't have to worry as much and can fight without holding back. A lot of Zanpakutō have already been subdued, and our strength is recovering. Things are only going to get better from here..."
Rukia Kuchiki had started out sounding perfectly confident, but as more and more people turned to look at her, her voice gradually grew quieter.
Muten Natsu took Rukia Kuchiki's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "She's right. The operation they planned has already fallen apart. Their strength is dwindling while ours is recovering. Compared to us, they're the ones who should be worried."
"Hahahahaha!" Shunsui Kyōraku burst out laughing. "That's true. I was being too pessimistic."
Jūshirō Ukitake looked at Rukia Kuchiki with approval. "Exactly. This is the kind of youthful spirit the Gotei 13 needs!"
"That's right!" Yoruichi Shihōin slapped her thigh. "You old geezers had me feeling gloomy too. I'm starving. Let's eat first and worry about the rest afterward."
"The enemy probably won't make any major moves for a while. Everyone should use this opportunity to rest and prepare for the battles ahead." Retsu Unohana clapped her hands, bringing the impromptu meeting to an end.
After everyone else had left, Retsu Unohana brought up what she had heard earlier.
"Let me see your new Zanpakutō."
"They call it a new Zanpakutō..." Muten Natsu raised his left arm. "But it doesn't even have the shape of a blade. Compass, Line, Square, and Ink: Heaven's Will."
A bone-white Hell Arm Armor appeared around his arm. Wisps of white mist seeped from the armor around his wrist.
Retsu Unohana studied it curiously, then carefully sensed its presence. "What exactly can it do?"
Muten Natsu answered truthfully, "I haven't completely mastered it yet."
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