This exchange had finally decided the match.
A large part of the outcome came down to Gin Ichimaru's peculiar fighting style, yes—but that was no excuse for Rayleigh's defeat. Even with Observation Haki, he still failed to evade that strike.
"…I actually lost."
Rayleigh covered the wound on his left shoulder and slowly pushed himself back to his feet. The injury itself was not severe, but the blow to his pride ran deep.
As one of the strongest swordsmen of the age, Rayleigh had shown this duel all the respect it deserved. At the very least, the slash he launched earlier had not held back at all.
And yet—
when it came to swordsmanship, Gin Ichimaru was plainly superior.
The reason was simple.
Gin Ichimaru was one of the most gifted prodigies in the history of the Gotei Thirteen. After training in Soul Society for centuries, it was only natural that his mastery of the blade had reached an extraordinary level.
"Rayleigh actually lost… How is that possible?!"
Seeing it with her own eyes, Shakky was completely shaken. The wineglass in her hand slipped free and crashed to the floor.
Rayleigh had gone all out—
and yet Gin had beaten him head-on through sheer force of swordplay.
That contrast only made Gin's strength seem even more monstrous.
More terrifying still—
even after such an overwhelming display in direct combat, Gin's expression didn't change in the slightest, as though the result had been obvious from the beginning.
And in Gin's mind—
it had been.
"You really are a monster," Rayleigh admitted at last.
It didn't matter whether Gin's methods were direct or deceptive. Blocking a strike of that level was no easy thing.
"Oh my, Rayleigh-san, you were the one who wanted a contest of swordsmanship." Gin narrowed his eyes and smiled, as though the battle just now had been nothing worth mentioning. "So don't blame me for fighting seriously."
"I can tell…" Rayleigh stared at him, all trace of his earlier ease gone. What remained was pure wariness. "You're still hiding an even greater power, aren't you?"
As a legend of the seas, Rayleigh had never imagined he would be so thoroughly suppressed.
Only now, after the clash, did he understand how foolish that confidence had been.
Thinking back to that last attack, he could vaguely sense that Shinsō still concealed a far greater power.
Which meant—
Gin Ichimaru had not yet gone all out.
"Oh dear… so you saw through it."
Gin's smile curved, cold and thin as a snake's.
"You're right. I am still holding back."
"For a Zanpakutō, Shikai is only the initial stage. In other words, while Shikai draws out much more of a Zanpakutō's power, it is not the end. The true form that releases all of a Zanpakutō's strength…"
"…is Bankai."
For any Zanpakutō, Bankai was the second stage of release after Shikai. It required the manifestation of the Zanpakutō spirit and its submission to the wielder.
Once achieved, a Zanpakutō's abilities were unleashed more completely and more thoroughly than ever before. It was the final release—
and one of the requirements for becoming a captain of the Gotei Thirteen.
"Bankai…?"
Rayleigh looked baffled. He didn't understand the term, but the sense of danger in his chest only intensified.
His instincts screamed that if Gin truly released that power—
disaster would follow.
"My Bankai is powerful enough to kill even Captain Aizen." Gin reversed his grip on Shinsō, and violent spiritual pressure began to surge from his body. A dazzling glow shone across the short blade. "Rayleigh-san, you should be proud. Not many can force me this far."
At that instant—
the Reiatsu flooding the air began to boil, hissing sharply as though the very atmosphere had been set on edge.
Gin Ichimaru was about to release his Bankai.
"What is this pressure…?!"
Rayleigh's expression darkened.
Beneath Gin's crushing Reiatsu, he felt as though his breathing were being strangled away.
What shocked him even more was this—
the pressure of Bankai felt similar to Conqueror's Haki, and yet it was more than a hundred times heavier.
Even someone as strong as him found it difficult to endure.
"This is insane… what kind of power is this…?"
Shakky could no longer bear it. Her knees buckled and she collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath, almost suffocating.
The entire bar began to tremble violently, as though it might be crushed apart by Reiatsu alone.
"Gin Ichimaru, that's enough."
Just as the pressure reached its peak, Ren Kuro finally spoke.
"Hm?" Gin turned slightly, puzzled. "You don't want me to kill them?"
"There's no need." Ren Kuro shook his head. "We didn't come here to kill anyone. Pull back your Reiatsu. I'm not letting you destroy this bar."
"…Fine."
Gin shrugged helplessly.
"Well, you are the master."
He withdrew his spiritual pressure. A moment ago, he had truly intended to kill them—but as a summoned figure, he could not go against Ren Kuro's will.
The moment the pressure of Bankai vanished, everything returned to normal.
Rayleigh and Shakky could finally breathe again.
"Hah… hah…"
Shakky panted violently, still struggling to steady herself after that brush with death.
"Ren Kuro… thanks."
Rayleigh exhaled slowly, cold sweat covering his back as he recalled the crushing force from just now.
"If you hadn't stopped him…"
"I'm sorry. We almost wrecked the place."
Ren Kuro looked embarrassed. If Gin had actually released Bankai, the entire bar would probably have been wiped off the map in an instant.
And if that happened—
Shakky and Rayleigh would be left homeless, and the blame would land squarely on his shoulders.
"Rayleigh-san, I came here today for two reasons."
Ren Kuro raised two fingers.
"First, I want information on Devil Fruits. I don't think that will be difficult for you or Shakky."
"Second…"
"I want to train under you and learn Haki."
"…What?"
Rayleigh stared at him in disbelief.
"You heard me correctly," Ren Kuro said openly. "We really don't know Haki."
As a transmigrator who had only just arrived in this world, neither he nor Gin understood the three forms of Haki yet.
"You don't know Haki… and you're still this strong?"
Rayleigh was stunned.
Without even mastering Armament Haki, Gin had already overwhelmed him head-on. It was absurd.
What frightened Rayleigh even more was the thought of what Gin's attacks would become once he did learn Armament Haki.
No one could say.
After a long silence, Rayleigh finally spoke.
"Ren Kuro… since I lost, I'll keep my word."
"For the time being, you can stay here."
In the end—
Rayleigh agreed.