The giant fiery bird that covered the sky and sun let out a piercing cry.
Its blazing wings struggled desperately, and its Reiatsu burst out with a power rivaling Unohana Retsu's, but it was still bound tightly by the golden chains.
Amid the harsh grinding of metal, the bird was swallowed whole by the Gedo Statue.
Byakuya Kuchiki could no longer hold back. He sank his Soul-Slaying Sword into the ground and said calmly:
"Bankai — Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"
In an instant, thousands of sakura petals fell like a beautiful storm. But beneath the delicate appearance was a sharp, deadly intent. The petals rose against the wind, sweeping everything away.
Kyoraku Shunsui sighed, drawing his sword slowly:
"It's arrogant to say it, but there's really nothing I can do. It's been ages since I last used this…"
"Bankai!"
"Katen Kyōkotsu — Black Pine Heart!"
As Kyoraku Shunsui's Bankai—whose Reiatsu surpassed even Byakuya Kuchiki's—erupted, the captains nearby felt the crushing pressure.
"Kyoraku Shunsui, is he really that strong!?" Sui-Feng gasped in surprise.
Although she knew him as the captain's apprentice, many Shinigami underestimated him because of his lazy, carefree nature.
And it had been hundreds of years since Kyoraku last unleashed his Bankai.
Though his Zanpakutō itself did not change, behind him appeared a shadowy female figure made of an unknown substance.
The two swords driven into the ground sprouted tall black pine trees and dark pine needles. The atmosphere around them dimmed noticeably.
"What is this feeling?" Tousen Kaname looked around uneasily.
Born blind, he relied on spirit veins to sense his surroundings, yet the environment hadn't changed—still, he felt overwhelming unease and panic welling inside.
"Leave Captain Kyoraku alone! That is the power of his Zanpakutō…" Jūshirō Ukitake coughed twice and quickly stepped back.
The thoughtful captain was shocked. He never expected Kyoraku Shunsui's Bankai to affect even them.
Only one captain remained steady as a mountain. His expression was calm, unchanging, standing like a volcano about to erupt.
Meanwhile, Nanaya barely glanced at the scene beneath the Bankai. He simply raised Susanoo's sword.
"I'm so annoyed. Enough yelling already!"
He fixed cold eyes on the King of Destruction. With a single strike of his sword, the fiery giant bird was cleaved in two.
The Gedo Statue roared skyward, and the chains bursting from its body forcefully restrained the flaming bird.
"Stop!" Byakuya Kuchiki frowned and waved his right hand, sending thousands of sakura petals sweeping forward.
But—
"Captain Kuchiki! You're not allowed to pass!" Abarai Renji flashed in front of the petals, sword ready, yelling:
"Your opponent is me!"
"Bankai — Zabimaru, the Baboon King!!!"
With his Bankai, red Reiatsu erupted from Renji's body, quickly climbing to captain level.
His Zanpakutō transformed into a giant skeletal python, its head covered with bright red fur, its body lined with spikes, coiled like a deadly snake.
His Death Tyrant uniform changed too.
Brown fur draped his shoulders; the right shoulder's fur hung down to his wrist, while the left stopped at his elbow, decorated with a skull and a chain.
From a distance, he looked like a wild hunter emerging from an ancient forest.
Thousands of sakura petals struck the giant skeletal python but didn't immediately defeat it.
Byakuya Kuchiki's expression remained calm as he recalled the sakura petals swirling in the sky.
"Bankai! Is this all you've gained from your training!?"
"That's right!" Abarai Renji stared fiercely at Byakuya. He manipulated the python's head to open its jaws and spoke deeply:
"Captain, are you still my opponent?"
"Try me."
Byakuya Kuchiki didn't waste words. Thousands of sakura petals rushed forward again, fiercer than before.
"Then don't expect me to go easy on you, Byakuya Kuchiki!"
(TLnote-bro will get destroyed)
Renji roared, dropping all formalities:
"Baboon Bone Cannon!"
From the python's mouth burst a violent red energy shaped like a crow, shooting forward like a laser.
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion rocked the battlefield.
On the other side, Kyoraku Shunsui, having fully released his Bankai, walked forward helplessly with two swords in hand.
"Wait, Captain Kyoraku."
A gentle female voice called out. Unohana Retsu approached gracefully, drawing her Soul-Slaying Sword as she spoke softly,"Your opponent is me. Let's settle this next."
Kyoraku Shunsui stopped in his tracks, scratched his head helplessly, and said,"Captain Unohana Retsu, you're the Fourth Division captain of Seireitei—are you seriously going to team up with those thieves!?"
Unohana cast a brief glance at Nanaya in the sky and licked her lips almost imperceptibly."He's still growing. You can't stop him."
In nearly a thousand years, she had never seen an opponent so fitting—not even Zaraki Kenpachi measured up.
Kyoraku Shunsui suddenly felt a headache coming on.Had he known Unohana would show up, maybe he wouldn't have released Bankai after all—would've been better off just sitting and fishing."Oh, what a headache!"
Meanwhile, during this moment of hesitation, the burning flames of the King of Destruction let out a desperate wail.No matter how fiercely it struggled, it was useless.
It was swallowed whole by the Gedo Statue.
The Shinigami watching from a distance gasped in shock, shouting in horror:
"How could even the Sōkyoku platform be destroyed?!"
"Is there really no one who can stop this disaster?!"
"The captain has already acted, but was blocked by others!"
"Seireitei has so many captains… is it really impossible to stop that thing?!"
The uproar grew louder and louder.
Though they couldn't understand the captains' battles, they saw the giant flaming bird of Duan Huangwang being devoured.
Nanaya paid no attention to the chaos. After sheathed Susanoo, she gently embraced Rukia Kuchiki and landed on the shattered Sōkyoku platform.
Rukia suddenly grew nervous, clutching Nanaya's arm tightly.
"Nanaya, what are you doing? Why are you still here? We need to leave Seireitei—now."
She had no idea what Nanaya was planning.
Having saved herself, why linger in the execution ground? Did Nanaya really think she could defeat all the captains?
Nanaya knocked her forehead playfully."Stupid, shut up. I don't want people to watch the fun backstage—I want to take out what's inside your body."
Rukia blinked in confusion."What's inside my body?"
Nanaya wasted no time talking. She placed her right hand gently over Rukia's chest.
"Humanity."
With a burst of spiritual power, Nanaya's palm slipped inside Rukia's body, searching freely.
Rukia's face flushed instantly. She grabbed Nanaya's hand tightly with both of hers and whispered,"Nana, Nanaya, what are you doing?! We can't do this here! There are so many captains around—and my brother is here too! This isn't right."
Though she felt a growing fondness for Nanaya, this was too embarrassing.
(TLnote-tsun-tsundere???)
At least find a room first.
Nanaya was exasperated."I'm not touching you. What are you embarrassed about?"
(TLnote-i am touching you)
But the Shinigami watching didn't see it that way.
Many widened their eyes, shocked that Nanaya was so brazen—doing such a thing openly in public.
Byakuya Kuchiki's pupils contracted. His face turned red with anger."Nana!!! What are you doing?!"
His sister was being taken advantage of in public.The innocence of his sister, the honor of the Kuchiki family—it was all being tarnished by that bastard.
Even though Nanaya had saved her, Byakuya's fury was unrelenting.
His Reiatsu surged, and thousands of sakura petals nearly drowned the giant skeletal python.
But Abarai Renji was equally furious."Nanaya, you bastard! What are you doing to Rukia?!"
The girl he had secretly loved since childhood—his heart ached seeing her like this, Nanaya's hand invading her chest.
Both Byakuya Kuchiki and Abarai Renji shared the same burning hatred for their enemy.
Especially Byakuya, who, despite fighting Renji moments ago, was so enraged he pointed his right hand at Nanaya and shouted:
"Beast bones scattered everywhere! Spires? Red crystals? Steel wheels! The moving ones are wind, the still ones are heaven! The sound of long spears clashing resounds through the city!"
"Hadō 63: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten — Fiery Lightning Howl!!!"
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