Just as the Gran Rey Cero was about to strike Unohana Retsu—
She swung Minazuki.
Yachiru Style — Flesh Carver!
In her hands, Minazuki transformed into a torrent of blood-red light—an illusion created by countless high-speed slashes.
In reality—
It was simply an overwhelming number of strikes delivered in an instant.
As the name implied—
This technique stripped all flesh from the enemy.
So fast that, even after it ended, the victim would feel no pain—continuing to move as nothing more than a skeleton.
During the Thousand-Year Blood War, Zaraki Kenpachi had been reduced to bones countless times by this very technique, only to be restored by Minazuki's blood pool—until his body itself learned swordsmanship through sheer repetition.
The blood-red blade shaved away part of the Gran Rey Cero.
The moment her blade made contact, Unohana realized—
She couldn't fully break through it.
Without hesitation, she changed her strategy.
Half her strikes dispersed part of the Cero—
The other half turned toward Tsunayoshi.
BOOM!
Her choice meant one thing—
Half the Cero still struck her.
And likewise—
Half of Tsunayoshi's flesh was silently stripped away.
The Cero devoured half of Unohana's body, its remaining force blasting into the ceiling behind her.
The explosion tore through the underground chamber—blowing open the floor of Squad 4.
"What was that?!"
Outside, Shinigami turned toward the blast.
A massive crater had opened in the Squad 4 courtyard.
As the dust cleared—
They saw it.
Unohana hovered midair—
Half her body gone.
Only her right side and head remained intact.
Below her—
At the bottom of the crater—
A hellish sea of blood churned like something out of legend.
There stood Tsunayoshi—
Both hands gripping his blade.
The left half of his body had been reduced to bone, his organs visible through the skeletal frame.
"That's Captain Unohana?!"
"She's… that strong?!"
"Lieutenant! Give the order—we need to support her!"
One inexperienced Squad 4 Shinigami shouted, unable to grasp the situation.
"Everyone, stand down. Do not enter Captain Unohana's battlefield."
Sasakibe Chōjirō appeared and immediately issued the command.
"Lieutenant Sasakibe! Captain Unohana is severely injured—are you sure she'll be alright?" Kotetsu Isane asked anxiously.
"You cannot intervene. Anyone who enters will be caught in her attacks."
Among everyone present—
Only Sasakibe understood.
That expression on Unohana's face—
He hadn't seen it in centuries.
A thousand years ago—
Whenever Unohana Yachiru showed that look—
No one within a hundred meters survived.
His gaze shifted to Tsunayoshi.
Just how strong is this Ryoka… to awaken that side of her again?
Unohana's eyes were slightly unfocused.
It had been ages since anyone had injured her to this extent.
Still—
Just a fatal wound.
Nothing serious.
A fountain of blood surged up, engulfing her.
When it subsided—
Her missing half had completely regenerated.
She wrapped her exposed body with her torn captain's haori—
Half black, half white—
Standing reborn.
Unohana had fully recovered.
Meanwhile, Tsunayoshi's body was only just being restored by the white fluid of his Hollow regeneration.
Even High-Speed Regeneration couldn't match the greatest healer in Soul Society.
With the underground chamber exposed, Unohana's excitement calmed slightly.
Her true nature—hidden for centuries—had now been revealed.
She needed to end this quickly.
She appeared before Tsunayoshi again.
Her sword shifted fluidly between countless styles—
Every strike embodying Flesh Carver.
The sheer complexity of her assault overwhelmed him.
Even as his flesh regenerated—
It was stripped away again.
Tsunayoshi fought back with both blades and his fins—
But he was steadily driven back.
Even with regeneration—
He couldn't stop the gradual loss of flesh.
Cheers erupted from the watching Shinigami.
Only Abarai Renji felt uneasy.
He hesitated—
Should he intervene?
Tsunayoshi was supposed to save Rukia—
But Sasakibe's warning, and Unohana's overwhelming strength, made him waver.
Tsunayoshi was forced into a corner.
"Let's end this," Unohana said.
Her gaze held admiration.
She had no intention of killing him.
An opponent like this—
Was far too valuable.
She swung her blade without hesitation.
Whatever injuries he suffered—
She could heal them later.
"It's time to end this."
To her surprise—
Tsunayoshi agreed.
But his eyes held no despair—
Only resolve.
"I wanted to fight you with swordsmanship alone… but I'm sorry. I'll have to rely on other power now."
Her blade struck—
But it felt like cutting into liquid.
His swords were now enveloped in Rain flames.
"Zanpakutō power? Show me," she said.
"As you wish!"
The rain-shaped blade necklace slipped from Tsunayoshi's neck.
Behind him, his tail glowed with brilliant blue light.
The two resonated.
At that moment—
Vongola Rain Flames merged with the True Six Funeral Wreath Rain Flames.
Their purity rose to an extreme.
Absolute—
Perfect—
Rain flames.
A sphere of azure flames erupted outward—
Encompassing the entire battlefield.
"What is this…?" Iba muttered.
"That Reiatsu… something's wrong," he couldn't explain.
"Lieutenant Sasakibe—?" Isane turned—
But he had already vanished.
"Should we intervene?" someone asked.
"I'll test it," said Hisagi Shūhei.
He released Kazeshini, sending the chained scythes toward the crater—
But the moment they reached it—
They stopped.
Frozen in midair.
They wouldn't even spin.
This—
Was Tsunayoshi's power.
The ultimate calming force of pure Rain flames—
Manifested as the Shigure Sōen-ryū secret art:
Shigure Transformation (Shigure no Ka).
Within its domain—
Everything was stilled.
Attacks.
Objects.
Even living beings.
Nothing could move—
Except Tsunayoshi.
This version far surpassed Yamamoto Takeshi's.
Its duration—
Its suppression—
Both vastly stronger.
Inside the domain—
Unohana was frozen mid-swing.
She tried to activate Minazuki—
But even the blood pool had been stilled.
No flow.
No movement.
She was completely immobilized.
For the first time—
Tsunayoshi could breathe.
He stood before her, allowing his body to regenerate.
Fighting her had pushed him to the brink.
Another moment—
And he would've been reduced to bones.
But even now—
Her Reiatsu remained overwhelming.
As long as she maintained Bankai—
He couldn't defeat her without killing her.
And that—
Was not an option.
Killing Unohana meant becoming an enemy of Yamamoto.
That was a path he refused to take.
So—
He chose another way.
Rain flames gathered along his blade.
He slashed upward—
And the azure flames darkened.
Soon—
Deep-blue droplets began to fall.
Where the rain touched—
The blood pool reacted.
It began to contract.
Gradually—
It receded—
Returning to Unohana.
Climbing back onto her blade.
The crimson faded—
Until the sword returned to its sealed form.
Bankai — Minazuki.
Dispelled.
Secret Art — Soul-Calming Rain.
By shifting the nature of his Rain flames toward pure "calming,"
All power was forced back to its original state.
That was why the blood pool returned—
Why Bankai was undone.
Without Bankai—
Unohana's Reiatsu dropped.
Now—
She could be defeated.
"…Sorry."
Tsunayoshi whispered.
His left blade swept across—
Between her chest.
The domain dissolved.
Unohana Retsu—
Collapsed.
Unconscious.
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