Before Tsunayoshi could even process what was happening, his vision went black. Wrapped in a dense, dark Reiatsu, he lost all sight.
A massive sphere of black spiritual pressure engulfed him completely. Just before it could swallow the surrounding Squad 7 members, a ring attached to a black chain shot forward, dragging them all out of the affected area.
"Captain Komamura, we'll leave this Ryoka to our Captain. Please take custody of the other one and bring your men for treatment."
The speaker was a man with facial scars and a "69" tattoo—Hisagi Shūhei, Lieutenant of Squad 9.
It was his Zanpakutō, Kazeshini, whose chain had pulled Squad 7 out of danger.
Komamura nodded and dismissed his Bankai. From the voice and the black domain before him, he had already recognized the one who acted—
His friend, and Captain of Squad 9—
Tōsen Kaname.
"Understood. We'll leave this to you. That Ryoka is… unusual. Be careful," Komamura said before turning. "Iba, take Yasutora Sado. We're leaving."
Under Komamura's lead, Squad 7 withdrew with Chad, leaving the battlefield to Squad 9.
Inside the black domain stood Tōsen Kaname.
"We bear no grudge," said the blindfolded man with braided hair. "But for the sake of peace, I must eliminate you."
"Though it hardly matters… you can no longer hear me."
"Within Enma Kōrogi, all senses are stripped away—Reiatsu perception, touch, smell, sight, hearing. This is a world of absolute darkness. Only the wielder of Suzumushi retains them."
Confident in his victory, Tōsen didn't rush. Instead, he calmly explained his ability.
After all—
Inside this space, Tsunayoshi couldn't hear a word.
Tōsen raised his blade toward him.
This unknown man—someone even Ichimaru Gin couldn't easily handle—had to be eliminated now, while Tōsen still held the authority of a Captain.
Within the void, Tsunayoshi quickly understood.
First, sight disappeared.
Then, sound.
Then everything else.
He immediately recognized the ability.
Tōsen Kaname.
For most people, being trapped in this Bankai was fatal.
But for Tsunayoshi—
It was another matter entirely.
Tōsen moved calmly within his domain and slashed toward Tsunayoshi's shoulder.
Yet, at that exact moment—
Tsunayoshi casually shifted his body, narrowly avoiding the strike.
…Luck?
Was it panic?
Tōsen didn't understand. He had never encountered such a situation before. He could only attribute it to coincidence.
But next time—
There would be no such luck.
He changed tactics, slashing horizontally toward Tsunayoshi's waist.
This time—
The blade connected.
Yet—
There was no resistance.
No cutting sensation.
It felt like striking soft cotton.
What…?
Tōsen clearly sensed Tsunayoshi standing right there. Why wasn't his attack landing?
Because—
He couldn't see.
A dark cloak now draped over Tsunayoshi's body.
The Cloak of Vongola Primo.
A defensive artifact of immense power.
Tōsen's blade had struck it directly—and dealt no damage whatsoever.
Unaware of this, Tōsen grew increasingly agitated. He launched a rapid series of strikes—four, five slashes in succession.
Still—
Nothing.
"No… impossible!" he roared in disbelief.
To him, Tsunayoshi felt like an indestructible pillar—untouchable, unmoving.
"Getting frustrated?"
That single sentence—
froze him.
"…What?"
If Tsunayoshi could speak—
Then his Bankai wasn't working?
Tōsen's mind spiraled. The domain was intact. The Reiatsu stable. Nothing was broken.
So why—
could the enemy respond?
What he didn't know was—
Tsunayoshi still couldn't see or hear anything.
Everything he did—
every movement, every word—
was guided by one thing:
Hyper Intuition.
Realizing he was trapped, Tsunayoshi simply left everything to instinct.
But Tōsen didn't know that.
And Tsunayoshi's next words shattered him further:
"Let's end this… boring game."
Game.
Boring.
His Bankai—
reduced to that?
Rage consumed him. He attacked wildly, slashing again and again.
Even if Tsunayoshi were made of steel—
he would cut him down.
But—
His next strike missed.
Then—
He felt a different kind of pressure above him.
Something—
not Shinigami.
At this point, Tōsen could only assume the impossible:
His Bankai had been broken.
Tsunayoshi, meanwhile, had had enough.
Being deprived of all senses—even for him—was unpleasant.
Time to end it.
He stepped into the air with Bringer Light.
The Cloak of Vongola Primo transformed into green light, converging onto his right hand—
Forming a gauntlet.
Vongola Primo's Defensive Gloves.
A three-sided protective glove fully encased his right hand. At its center was a blue gem engraved with the Vongola crest. Along the sides of the palm extended claw-like guards.
Legend said—
When all flames were concentrated into a single ultimate punch—
This glove would transform.
In the original Vongola legend, its strike rivaled even a full-powered X-Burner.
And now—
Tsunayoshi intended to use it to shatter this domain.
Flames gathered.
Condensed.
Intensified.
Sensing danger, Tōsen rushed toward him—but Tsunayoshi easily evaded using Hyper Intuition and widened the distance with Bringer Light.
Tōsen spun and immediately cast:
"Hadō #54: Haien!"
A purple disc of destructive energy shot forward.
He didn't care whether Tsunayoshi could perceive it—he only needed to interrupt that attack.
But Tsunayoshi didn't dodge.
Because—
He was ready.
He threw a straight punch.
From the glove—
an orange sphere of flame burst forth.
The moment it left his hand—
it expanded violently.
Swallowing Haien whole.
The heat surged through the entire space. The orange sphere deepened in color, turning red at its core—
Until it filled the entirety of Enma Kōrogi.
Like a miniature sun.
Even the blind Tōsen—
faintly sensed light.
But he had no time to process it.
He felt only one thing—
danger.
"Bakudō #39: Enkōsen!"
A circular barrier formed before him—
Just as the sphere—
detonated.
All energy erupted outward, filling the domain.
Outside—
Hisagi suddenly saw the black sphere crack.
Flames burst through its surface, turning it into something like a burning lotus.
In less than a second—
It exploded.
The entire structure was obliterated.
Hisagi raised Kazeshini to shield himself from the blast.
Burning Supernova.
The attack unleashed from Vongola Primo's gloves—
like a star collapsing into an explosion.
Overwhelming—
yet strangely natural.
Tsunayoshi stood in the air, covering his eyes as his senses returned.
"Captain Tōsen!" Hisagi shouted.
Tōsen lay on the ground—his body soaked in blood. Enkōsen had only blocked a fraction of the blast.
The rest—
he had taken directly.
Hisagi helped him up, staring at Tsunayoshi with deep caution.
If even Tōsen had been brought to this state—
he stood no chance.
"Captain, I'll report to Squad 1 immediately—"
"No."
Tōsen refused instantly.
"You won't last long enough."
Hisagi fell silent.
He understood.
Without Tōsen, there was no way he could stall until reinforcements arrived.
Regret crept in—he shouldn't have let Squad 7 leave.
Together, they might have stood a chance.
Both he and Komamura had placed too much faith in Tōsen's ability.
Against most opponents, Enma Kōrogi was a perfect first-strike killer.
But this time—
It had met something beyond its design:
Hyper Intuition.
In truth, Tōsen wasn't worried about holding out.
He simply didn't want Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto leaving Squad 1.
If Yamamoto passed by Squad 5 and discovered Aizen's disappearance—
everything would unravel.
Even Aizen could not guarantee what hidden power that ancient guardian might possess.
Tsunayoshi lowered his hand as his vision stabilized.
He waved casually.
"That was fun. I've got things to do—see you."
Fun.
Tōsen felt a bitter weight in his chest.
His Bankai—
reduced to entertainment.
Compared to Aizen-sama…
who was stronger?
Tsunayoshi didn't linger.
He had something more important to do.
Retrieve Chad.
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