Fantasy Library, Ch 251-255

Chapter 251: Begin the Battle! Fierce Fight Against Six Captains!

Without a doubt, Suì-Fēng’s words were aggressive.

At the very least, Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake did not want to engage in direct conflict with Kaiser here.

They both felt something was off about this incident—even if Kaiser had admitted he wanted to kill Sōsuke Aizen, they still hadn’t asked him for his reasons.

So, the two of them didn’t respond to Suì-Fēng’s proposal.

However, the others didn’t feel the same.

“Cry out, Suzumushi.”

The most taciturn and the most justice-driven, Kaname Tōsen, was the first to act, softly releasing his Zanpakutō into Shikai.

“Bzzzz——”

In an instant, Tōsen’s Zanpakutō began to emit a strange Reiatsu from its surface. That Reiatsu vibrated rapidly, producing an insect-like buzzing that echoed through the scene.

That buzzing became sonic waves, which vibrated intensely as they reached Kaiser’s ears and drilled into his mind.

This was Suzumushi’s First Movement, the most basic ability of Tōsen’s Zanpakutō. Its sonic waves not only caused physical vibrations but could also hypnotize enemies, making them lose the ability to resist.

Under the effect of the sonic waves, Kaiser’s figure paused slightly, as if frozen in place, unable to move.

Seeing this, Sajin Komamura, who shared Tōsen’s sense of justice and was his close friend, immediately drew his Zanpakutō.

“Roar! Tenken!”

With Komamura’s shout, his Zanpakutō trembled violently, and a semi-transparent giant arm formed above him.

The arm gripped a massive blade, and as Komamura swung his Zanpakutō downward, the giant arm mirrored the motion, raising its sword high before cleaving down violently. The blow howled through the air, shattered the ground, and struck directly at Kaiser below.

“Boom!”

The giant arm’s blade smashed the earth, and with a thunderous roar, the ground collapsed and crumbled instantly.

However, at the center of the crumbling pit, the previously frozen Kaiser suddenly moved, drawing the Zanpakutō at his waist to block the massive descending sword. Sparks flew at the point where the elegant Zanpakutō met the giant blade.

“Such powerful strength.”

Holding the blade one-handed, Kaiser blocked a weapon many times larger than his own body, as if pinned down by a giant stone pillar, and gave an admiring comment.

“Unfortunately, besides my Reiatsu, my physical strength isn’t bad either.”

As he said this, Kaiser suddenly exerted force in his sword arm, and with a loud “clang,” he knocked the massive blade away.

“Shff!”

Just as Kaiser deflected the blade, a petite figure appeared behind him in a flash.

“Sting all enemies to death! Suzumebachi!”

With a cold voice, Suì-Fēng drew her Zanpakutō and released its Shikai.

The blade transformed into a small, queen bee stinger-like weapon that wrapped around one finger like a gauntlet, the tip gleaming with deadly light.

With her Zanpakutō released, Suì-Fēng struck at Kaiser’s back without hesitation.

The strike was fast and sharp, like a real queen bee’s sting, so quick that only a fleeting glint could be seen.

“Pa!”

Suddenly, a hand reached out and caught the wrist wearing the stinger gauntlet, halting the rapid and deadly thrust.

“So this is the famed Suzumebachi?”

Looking at the queen bee-like blade on Suì-Fēng’s hand, Kaiser spoke playfully.

“You even used this move. Seems like Captain Suì-Fēng doesn’t intend to take me to see the Captain Commander, but to directly eliminate this eyesore of a man here and now.”

One could hardly blame Kaiser for saying this.

Because Suì-Fēng’s Zanpakutō had a terrifying ability.

That ability was called “Two-hit Kill.”

As the name suggested, it was an ability where hitting the same spot twice would instantly kill the target.

This terrifying ability, combined with Suì-Fēng’s unparalleled Shunpo and skill, made her the nightmare of all enemies.

“Since you know Suzumebachi’s ability, then surrender your weapon now.”

Suì-Fēng knocked away Kaiser’s hand from her wrist and flashed back a distance, her face cold as ice.

“Don’t expect me to show mercy again. I don’t have time to waste with you here.”

She truly didn’t have time to waste with Kaiser.

All she wanted now was to find the black cat Kaiser mentioned and verify whether it was the person she had been waiting for all this time.

That was what she cared about most. Everything else—Aizen’s death, the Ryoka invasion, even Rukia Kuchiki’s situation—she didn’t want to be involved in at all.

If not for her responsibilities as the Commander of the Punishment Force and the Onmitsukidō, she would have ignored the Captain Commander’s orders and continued searching for that cat.

Of course, no one besides Kaiser knew this.

So, seeing Suì-Fēng’s assassination attempt fail, the others immediately attacked again.

“Suzumushi’s Second Movement: Benihikō!”

Tōsen leapt into the air, swirling his Zanpakutō in a circle. Blades with pointed tips on both ends appeared where his blade moved, raining down toward Kaiser like a storm.

“Bakudō #39: Enkōsen.”

Kaiser raised his hand and invoked a Bakudō, forming a circular shield of pure Reiryoku before him.

“Clang clang clang clang clang clang clang clang clang clang...!”

The falling blades struck the circular shield and bounced off like hitting solid steel, clattering to the ground.

“Tenken!”

On the other side, Komamura roared and swung another slash at Kaiser, sending a shockwave howling like a hurricane.

“Shff!”

Kaiser finally moved to dodge, using Shunpo and leaving a residual image in place while his true body reappeared in midair.

At that moment, the serpent hidden in the grass struck.

“Shoot to kill, Shinsō.”

With a whisper like a devil’s murmur, a blade light ripped through the air and shot toward Kaiser.

The blade light was long and fast—within a blink, it pierced toward Kaiser’s back.

“Clang!!!”

A loud clash of metal rang out. The shooting blade was blocked by Kaiser’s suddenly-raised Zanpakutō, stopping it from piercing his body and only colliding with the blade.

The force of the blow pushed Kaiser back through the air before he stabilized himself midair.

“As expected, even using a sneak attack-like move, Captain Kaiser still blocked it.”

Gin Ichimaru smiled from behind, his extended Zanpakutō Shinsō still piercing toward Kaiser’s blade.

“I’ve been watching out for you.”

Kaiser still held his Zanpakutō in one hand, bracing it in front of him as its edge scraped against the elongated blade of Gin’s Shinsō. His eyes narrowed.

“Even I don’t want to be hit in the back by your Bankai.”

Kamishini no Yari—Shinsō’s Bankai—was said to extend up to thirteen kilometers and move at five hundred times the speed of sound, terrifying in every way.

Though both of those claims were Gin’s lies, not actually that long or that fast, in the battle with Hitsugaya Tōshirō, the extension and retraction speed was so fast that even Captains couldn’t follow it.

Even Kaiser could only vaguely catch a glimpse of a fast flash of blade—he couldn’t see the body of the sword at all. So even if Gin exaggerated the numbers, the weapon was still a threat.

At the very least, Kaiser didn’t want to be struck in the back by Gin’s Kamishini no Yari—he wasn’t confident he could react in time.

Because of that, Kaiser had always kept a portion of his attention on Gin. If he saw any sign of Bankai, he would use Shunpo immediately and finish Gin with a single slash.

“Oh my, being watched so closely by Captain Kaiser—it’s truly an honor.”

Gin still wore his snake-like smile, and Shinsō had already retracted to its normal size.

“Suzumushi!”

“Tenken!”

Tōsen and Komamura weren’t interested in chatting with Kaiser. One launched sonic attacks, the other unleashed shockwaves, striking from both sides.

“Shff!”

Suì-Fēng also used Shunpo, instantly closing in on Kaiser.

The three Captains engaged Kaiser in close combat, filling the battlefield with sonic waves, shockwaves, blades, giant arms, and countless residual images in a fierce clash.

Kaiser dodged using Shunpo, playing cat-and-mouse with Suì-Fēng, while leaving residual images to confuse Komamura and Tōsen, causing their attacks to repeatedly miss.

Gin occasionally took shots from behind, having Shinsō cut through the air again and again toward Kaiser, but with only its Shikai, Kaiser wasn’t worried. With just a few dodges, he avoided all of Gin’s thrusts.

Despite the four Captains working together, they had yet to land a single effective hit on Kaiser. Watching from the sidelines, Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake exchanged glances.

“We should step in too.” Shunsui sighed. “Captain Kaiser is more troublesome than we thought. His Shunpo alone makes him nearly untouchable. Even Captain Suì-Fēng can’t catch up. If this goes on, he’ll escape.”

“…I understand.” Ukitake’s expression was grim. “If we want answers, Captain Kaiser needs to cooperate. We’ll have to subdue him first.”

The two stopped watching and both raised their hands.

“Bakudō #79: Kuyō Shibari!”

Ukitake moved first, invoking a high-level Bakudō. Nine black orbs of light formed around Kaiser, locking him in place.

“Hadō #78: Zangerin!”

Shunsui drew his Zanpakutō and released a wheel-shaped slash toward Kaiser.

The spinning slash flew through the air with a buzzing sound, straight toward him.

“So they’re finally joining in?”

Surrounded by the nine black light orbs, Kaiser laughed instead of showing fear.

He hadn’t just been guarding against Gin, but also the silent Shunsui and Ukitake.

After all, these two were probably the most formidable opponents here.

The Gotei 13 had been established for a thousand years, and Shin'ō Academy dated back just as far.

Both were founded by Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, who served as both Captain Commander and the first instructor of the academy.

Shunsui and Ukitake were from the first class of academy students—both debuted a thousand years ago.

They were also the first graduates to become Captains. Within the Gotei 13, aside from Yamamoto and the semi-retired veteran Retsu Unohana, no one had greater seniority or deeper experience, nor stronger abilities than those two.

In the later stages of the original story, Shunsui even succeeded Yamamoto as the second Captain Commander. Ukitake, though physically weak, harbored a great terror within him. With such formidable foes lurking, how could Kaiser not be on guard?

Seeing them move, Kaiser stopped holding back as well and instantly unleashed his full Reiatsu.

“Boom!”

Golden Reiatsu burst from Kaiser’s body like a column of light, soaring skyward.

The terrifying spiritual pressure scorched the atmosphere and burned the Reishi in the air, shattering the nine black orbs restraining him.

“Shff!”

Free again, Kaiser stepped with Shunpo and flashed backward to higher ground. Then, he slashed downward toward all the Captains below.

This slash contained Reiatsu gathered at high speed upon his Zanpakutō—it was a Sword Pressure attack.

The golden Sword Pressure streamed downward like a flood of light, shaking heaven and earth.

“Not good!”

“Dodge it!”

“No—it’s too late!”

Tōsen, Komamura, and Suì-Fēng all shouted in unison, and even Gin opened his usually closed eyes.

Seeing the massive Sword Pressure about to crash down, Shunsui and Ukitake once again raised their hands.

“Proud heir of heaven, iron-walled fortress, dragon stride, lion’s roar, tiger’s roar, wolf’s charge—cut the heavens and earth before they crumble!”

“Bakudō #81: Dankū!”

They chanted loudly, invoking Bakudō, forming a heavy transparent barrier in front of everyone.

“BOOM!!!”

The golden Sword Pressure crashed into the barrier, triggering a thunderous explosion.

Its roar shook the heavens and the earth.

Chapter 252: It Will Happen Very Soon

“Rumble rumble rumble...!”

Amid thunderous explosions, the golden Sword Pressure continuously slammed against the heavy transparent barrier, sending wave after wave of golden ripples surging outwards, destroying everything in their path.

The battlefield, already reduced to rubble, began collapsing once more under the terrifying impact, triggering a second collapse.

The buildings were all gone, the ground had no intact spot left, and even the debris, shattered stones, and ruined walls were gradually evaporating in the Reiatsu intense enough to burn away Reishi, disappearing without a trace.

“Crack crack crack crack...”

Before long, cracks began to appear on the thick transparent barrier, spiderwebbing across its surface.

“No good! It can’t hold anymore!”

The laziness on Shunsui Kyōraku’s face vanished, and he shouted with some urgency.

“His Reiatsu is too strong!”

Suì-Fēng had already started sweating.

Kaname Tōsen, Gin Ichimaru, and Sajin Komamura all looked extremely grim, their hearts trembling.

They knew Kaiser was strong—so strong that he was unfathomable.

Decades ago, before even graduating from the Shin'ō Academy, he was already able to single-handedly slay Adjuchas-class Menos Grande, and could even face Kenpachi Zaraki head-on and emerge victorious, proving he had Captain-level power.

Now, decades later, he had grown even stronger. His Shunpo alone had surpassed everyone, and in other areas, he had surely improved drastically as well—otherwise, he wouldn’t be worthy of being called the strongest genius in a thousand years.

So, the gathered Captains never underestimated Kaiser. They had already cast aside unnecessary pride and teamed up to take him down.

But even after teaming up, their opponent was still able to display such overwhelming power—it was deeply shocking and left many shaken.

“His Reiatsu is much stronger than it was decades ago. Even a fully unsealed Kenpachi Zaraki probably can’t match him now.”

Such thoughts surfaced in the minds of the Captains.

Precisely because his Reiatsu had grown so much stronger, Kaiser’s full-power Sword Pressure was nearly able to shatter Dankū, a Bakudō that could perfectly block all Hadō below number 90.

“Move!”

Seeing that the transparent barrier was about to be completely shattered, Suì-Fēng shouted loudly.

“Ukitake!”

Shunsui Kyōraku shouted in turn.

“Shff!”

Jūshirō Ukitake instantly flashed in front of everyone, stepping between them and the incoming Sword Pressure.

He reached both hands into his Captain’s haori and suddenly drew his Zanpakutō.

“All waves, become my shield!”

“All lightning, become my blade!”

Ukitake held the hilts of his blades with both hands and slowly crossed them.

His Zanpakutō split into two. One in each hand, the blades gradually changed shape into something resembling fish fins. The hilts were connected by a red cord adorned with five plaques, which chimed as the blades swayed.

“Sōgyo no Kotowari!”

With his Zanpakutō released, Ukitake raised the blade in his left hand to meet the descending Sword Pressure that had broken through Dankū.

“Bzz!”

The tip of his Zanpakutō met the incoming Sword Pressure and actually absorbed the energy that could have shattered Bakudō #81.

“Buzz!” “Buzz!” “Buzz!” “Buzz!” “Buzz!”

As the Sword Pressure was absorbed by Ukitake’s left sword, the energy seemed to flow through the connecting red cord to the right blade. The five plaques on the cord lit up and vibrated one after another.

Then, Ukitake raised the blade in his right hand and released the accumulated Sword Pressure in the direction of Kaiser.

“Boom!”

The golden Sword Pressure, now like a massive beam of light, shot across the sky and launched toward Kaiser.

“Shff!”

Kaiser unhesitatingly activated Shunpo, flashing away from his original position.

The beam of Sword Pressure passed through where he had just been and continued up toward the sky, dispersing the clouds above.

Kaiser reappeared on the other side, gazing at the dissipating clouds and at Ukitake below with both blades raised. His eyes began to shimmer.

“So that’s one of the only two dual-blade Zanpakutō currently in Soul Society...?”

As everyone knew, a Shinigami normally only had one Zanpakutō. At first, it would appear in the standard katana form, only changing after its Shikai.

But in the past millennium, two Zanpakutō had split into dual forms during Shikai.

Their wielders were none other than Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake.

If you looked closely, you’d notice that Kyōraku had two Zanpakutō at his waist—one long, one short. One was easy to spot, while the other was hidden beneath his haori.

The blade Kyōraku drew earlier to cast Hadō #78 was the long one. The short one was still sheathed.

Meanwhile, Ukitake’s Zanpakutō only split into two upon Shikai.

Its name was Sōgyo no Kotowari, and its ability was the absorption and release of energy. The left blade absorbed, the right blade released. The red cord and five plaques connecting them could regulate the speed and intensity of energy transfer, making it the nemesis of all energy-based attacks.

Whether it was Kidō, Cero, Sword Pressure, or even Getsuga Tenshō, all of them could be absorbed and reflected by Sōgyo no Kotowari, catching the enemy completely off guard.

With those blades in hand, Kaiser’s Sword Pressure and Kidō attacks were effectively nullified. Using them would only result in them being reflected back.

“This ability is even more troublesome than I imagined...”

As Kaiser thought this, Shunsui Kyōraku also stepped forward.

He drew the short blade hidden under his haori—one hand now held a long blade, the other a short one. Then, he softly chanted:

“Winds of flowers scatter, the god of flowers weeps.”

“Winds of heaven scatter, the demon of heaven laughs.”

Kyōraku’s twin swords began to change form as well, transforming into one long and one short large curved blade.

The blade bodies were black, the edges white, and the guards rectangular with clipped corners and floral designs. The hilts were patterned, and the ends adorned with red tassels—powerful and beautiful.

“Katen Kyōkotsu!”

Shunsui Kyōraku released his Zanpakutō.

The two large curved blades were, like Sōgyo no Kotowari, one of only two dual Zanpakutō in all of Soul Society.

“Bushōgoma!”

Kyōraku spun his body and raised both swords horizontally, each releasing a spinning wind like a top. As he twirled, the two winds merged into one, forming a massive tangible gust that howled toward Kaiser.

“Shff!” “Shff!” “Shff!”...

Kaiser stepped with Shunpo, retreating rapidly to widen the gap, but Kyōraku didn’t let up—continuing to spin and slash, sending wave after wave of wind at him.

“Hadō #33: Sōkatsui!”

Kaiser raised his hand and released a blast of blue flames at the incoming whirlwind.

But as soon as he cast the spell, Ukitake arrived with Shunpo.

“Buzz!”

As the Reiryoku vibrated, the blue flames were absorbed by Ukitake’s left blade, passed through the red cord and plaques, and were quickly transferred to the right blade—then released back at Kaiser.

“Shff!”

Kaiser instantly used Shunpo to dodge, leaving behind a residual image that was obliterated by the blue flames. He landed back on the ruined ground.

“Suzumushi!”

“Tenken!”

“Shinsō!”

The other Captains finally reacted, activating their Zanpakutō abilities. Countless blades rained from the sky, a massive arm slashed downward with a great sword, and dazzling blade light streaked through the air—all targeting Kaiser from different directions.

Seeing this, Kaiser was just about to respond when a voice stopped him.

“Bakudō #30: Shitotsu Sansen!”

Suì-Fēng had appeared in the air at some point, tracing a triangle with her hand, forming three giant beak-shaped light projectiles at each corner.

The beams shot forth and struck Kaiser’s arms and waist, pinning him in place.

“Boom!”

Without hesitation, Kaiser released his full Reiatsu, causing golden spiritual pressure to erupt and burn away the binding light.

But by then, he could no longer evade the incoming attacks from three Captain-class Zanpakutō.

“Boom!”

The massive arm and sword descended first, shattering the ground where Kaiser stood. Countless blades rained down and pierced the shattered earth, while blade light slashed through the area with the sound of ripping flesh, and a flash of blood appeared in the dust.

The six Captains had successfully cornered Kaiser and completed their combined assault.

His volcanic Reiatsu suddenly faltered and began weakening rapidly.

“Did we get him?”

The Captains gathered, sensing the weakened Reiatsu, and the same thought flashed through their minds.

“Could he be dead?”

Gin Ichimaru smiled as he spoke, causing Kyōraku and Ukitake’s brows to furrow.

“He’s not someone who would die so easily.”

Suì-Fēng coldly responded, prompting Komamura and Tōsen to tighten their grips on their Zanpakutō.

The six silently watched the area, trying to see through the dispersing dust.

As it cleared, the scene within was revealed.

“What?!”

All the Captains’ expressions changed.

Because the area they had bombarded was now completely empty—not a soul in sight.

“Shff!” “Shff!” “Shff!” “Shff!”...

The Captains instantly used Shunpo, appearing in the blast zone.

Then, they saw it—there was a hole in the ground.

“This is...”

“A sewer entrance?”

“He went into the sewers?”

“After him!”

Suì-Fēng, Komamura, Tōsen, and even Ukitake all reacted instantly and dove in without hesitation.

“Still chasing? Captain Kyōraku?”

Gin Ichimaru asked reluctantly with a bitter smile.

“This is... so troublesome.”

Kyōraku sighed, but still jumped in after them.

“...Give me a break.”

Gin’s bitter smile deepened, but he too followed, disappearing underground.

The six Captains all entered the sewers in pursuit of Kaiser.

None of them noticed a figure appearing high above the ground.

With inorganic white light wings on his back, like a meteor, Kaiser soared into the sky and arrived at this spot.

“Drip... drip...”

Drops of fresh blood fell from his left hand, dripping from the clouds—proof he wasn’t entirely unscathed.

“I overdid it...”

Flicking the blood from his hand, Kaiser muttered to himself with a hint of helplessness as he retracted the pure white wings.

“Sure enough, trying to face six Captains without releasing my Zanpakutō or using other special weapons was pushing it too far.”

And that was considering the enemy had only used Shikai.

If Kyōraku and the others had unleashed their Bankai, he likely wouldn’t have remained so composed.

“I’d like to keep fighting, but if I keep going, I won’t be able to wrap this up.”

Kaiser clearly sensed it—the scorching Reiatsu from Division 1 was already approaching.

That person was the truly troublesome one, no less dangerous than Sōsuke Aizen.

Though Kaiser wasn’t afraid, there was no need to go all-out here.

After all, his true enemy was still Aizen.

“Shff!”

Kaiser retracted his wings and sheathed his Zanpakutō.

“Buzz buzz buzz...”

The Zanpakutō at his waist began to tremble, as if conveying its dissatisfaction and rage, nearly causing the Reiatsu he had painstakingly suppressed to leak out.

Kaiser, of course, knew what it was upset about.

“Don’t worry.”

He placed a hand on the hilt and said softly.

“The battle where you’ll show your true power is coming very soon.”

As he soothed his Zanpakutō and felt that scorching Reiatsu approaching, Kaiser had a hunch—the climax of this entire farce was about to begin.

Ichigo Kurosaki had likely begun training for Bankai. When he emerged, it would be time for the real storm to hit.

“Before that... can I find Aizen?”

Kaiser wasn’t too sure.

So, he wanted to meet someone first.

“What are you going to do, Renji Abarai...?”

Chapter 253: The Origin of the Matter

A restless night slowly passed as all of Seireitei remained shaken.

By the time morning came and sunlight once again shone upon the earth and Seireitei, the atmosphere throughout Seireitei had not relaxed in the slightest. On the contrary, it had grown even heavier.

There was no helping it. After a whole night of effort, all the Shinigami had returned empty-handed—not a single one managed to locate Kaiser, not even any of the intruding Ryoka were captured, which worsened Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto’s mood.

The six Captains who had gone so far as to dive into the sewers to find Kaiser were the first to return in vain, helplessly heading back to their own barracks, intending to rest before acting again.

The Shinigami who had been searching for the Ryoka were also exhausted and could only return to their quarters for a temporary rest.

Of course, there were still some who had no leisure for rest, still searching for the Ryoka—or rather, for Kaiser.

Renji Abarai was one of those people.

He had spent the entire night looking for Kaiser, yet hadn’t found even the slightest trace of him. With Rukia’s execution drawing near, his mood had become increasingly agitated, as if he’d fallen into a dazed state. Even with morning breaking, he didn’t think to rest and continued wandering aimlessly.

After wandering for quite a while, Renji Abarai suddenly stopped walking.

Because he realized he had arrived at a very nostalgic place.

“Shin'ō Academy...”

Yes, Renji Abarai had arrived in front of the main gates of the Shin'ō Academy.

At this moment, the academy gates were tightly shut, with no one entering or exiting, and not a single sign of life.

Because all of Seireitei had entered a state of lockdown, the Shin'ō Academy had closed its doors for safety reasons, publicly announcing a temporary suspension of visitation, and internally issuing orders that no students were to leave the dormitory buildings to avoid unexpected incidents.

Staring at the academy he hadn’t seen in decades, Renji Abarai stood frozen for a long time before suddenly launching into Shunpo, flashing into the academy and sprinting at full speed in a particular direction.

He had a premonition that the person he was looking for might be here.

So, guided by a sudden inspiration, Renji used Shunpo all the way until he reached a training hall.

This was none other than the kendō hall they had used back when they took swordsmanship classes.

Upon arriving, Renji finally slowed his steps and walked inside.

Not long after, he entered the kendō hall and saw the person he had searched for endlessly without finding.

“I knew it. If I waited here, I figured you’d show up.”

That person was seated cross-legged on the floor, his Zanpakutō, usually tied to his waist, placed beside him. In his hand, he held a small bottle, sipping from it slowly as he smiled and greeted Renji.

A faint scent of alcohol lingered in the air, letting Renji know that the other had already been waiting here for quite some time—enough to leisurely have a drink.

Seeing that familiar smiling face, the restlessness that had filled Renji’s heart suddenly began to calm.

He sat down cross-legged in front of the other person and snatched the bottle from his hand, tilting it back and gulping it down.

“Hey hey hey, could you slow down a bit?” Kaiser complained with some displeasure. “That’s a bottle I’ve had stashed away for a long time. I didn’t even dare to keep it in the barracks for fear that Hinamori would find it.”

“...Hinamori even controls your drinking now?” Renji responded dully, not acknowledging Kaiser’s dissatisfaction. “I thought she wasn’t the kind of person who hated alcohol that much.”

“She wasn’t, but that’s not necessarily true anymore.” Kaiser replied helplessly. “She’s close friends with Lieutenant Ise Nanao of Division 8, and it seems that Lieutenant Ise frequently vents to her about Captain Kyōraku’s drinking habits and how she ends up having to handle most of his paperwork.”

“Plus, she’s also quite close with Third Seat Matsumoto from Division 10—another drunkard. Because of her drinking, her childhood friend has been driven to his wit’s end. So now that girl has started managing my drinking too.”

“If she found out I was secretly stashing alcohol, I bet her cheeks would puff up in anger for a whole day.”

Hearing this, Renji couldn’t help but smile, and his irritation eased a little more.

“I always thought Hinamori would be totally obedient to you.”

Renji voiced what he’d always believed.

“Well, most of the time she is.” Kaiser didn’t deny it. He shrugged and said, “But sometimes, that girl can be strangely stubborn—it makes it hard not to give in.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Renji said honestly. “You’re way too easygoing. It’s good to have someone keep you in check!”

“Guess that’s the downside of being too familiar.” Kaiser said with a sigh. “Before Hinamori became my Lieutenant, Lieutenant Iba’s style was much stricter than hers, and even she didn’t dare interfere with me.”

Someone with the demeanor of a yakuza wife like Chikane Iba didn’t dare manage Kaiser, yet the gentle Momo Hinamori was bold enough to firmly keep him in line—it truly defied explanation.

But...

“The barracks of Division 3 are being watched now,” Renji said in a low voice. “Hinamori has also been banned from leaving. She’s probably worried sick about you right now—she may have even cried several times.”

That single sentence made the mood on-site grow heavier.

Kaiser didn’t respond to it. He just took the bottle back from Renji and drank calmly.

“Why did you kill Captain Aizen?”

Renji couldn’t hold back anymore and asked the question.

“What will you do once you know the reason?”

Kaiser didn’t answer—instead, he posed a question of his own.

“...I don’t know,” Renji said in confusion. “I really don’t know what to do.”

In the Gotei 13, and even across all of Soul Society, there were only two people Renji Abarai could truly consider “important.”

One was Rukia Kuchiki, the childhood friend he had grown up with, whom he’d drifted apart from due to various circumstances.

The other was Kaiser, who, after Renji enrolled in the Shin'ō Academy, had treated him as an equal regardless of status and never looked down on him because of his background.

Though Izuru Kira and Momo Hinamori were also classmates and comrades, when it came to importance, Kaiser and Rukia held a higher place.

And now... in just a matter of days?

His important childhood friend was sentenced to execution and would soon be put to death.

His important friend had suddenly killed a Captain and was now wanted by the Gotei 13.

It was as if both of them were being ripped away from him, their situations worsening, the future uncertain—they might never see each other again. This reality tormented Renji.

He didn’t know what to do anymore. He didn’t know how to help Kaiser. He didn’t know how to save Rukia. He didn’t know how to ensure both could survive.

“Have you met Ichigo Kurosaki?”

Seeing the lost expression on Renji’s face, Kaiser suddenly asked this.

“Ichigo Kurosaki...”

Renji’s gaze sharpened immediately.

Of course he had met Ichigo Kurosaki.

When they went to the World of the Living to bring Rukia back, Renji had crossed paths with that human and even fought him fiercely—nearly a life-and-death battle.

He remembered that human well. His Reiryoku was unbelievably strong. Even though he had only become a Shinigami thanks to borrowed power, after being knocked down by Renji, he had suddenly unleashed terrifying strength and nearly defeated him.

Renji was both shocked and resentful.

“If it weren’t for him, Rukia wouldn’t be in this situation.”

Renji clenched his fists tightly.

But Kaiser poured cold water over him.

“No. Even without him, Rukia wouldn’t have escaped this fate.”

At those words, Renji immediately raised his head.

“What do you mean?” Renji’s voice grew anxious as he asked quickly, “Why would Rukia still face this fate even without him?”

“What exactly do you know? Tell me everything, Kaiser!”

Renji no longer wanted to keep muddling through in ignorance.

He suddenly remembered—Kaiser had seemed to know a lot from the very beginning. When he went to visit Rukia, he had said many strange things. He even knew she would be sentenced to execution before Central 46 made the announcement.

This convinced Renji that Kaiser must know some inside information.

This matter not only concerned Rukia’s life—it might also be related to why Kaiser had killed Captain Aizen.

“Stop hiding it from me!”

Renji shouted and even started to rise to his feet.

Facing such a Renji, Kaiser remained calm, still sipping the sake unhurriedly, showing not the slightest hint of urgency.

Just as Renji was about to explode from anxiety, Kaiser finally spoke.

“Someone wants something inside Rukia’s body.”

Kaiser’s words stunned Renji.

“Something... inside Rukia’s body?”

Renji couldn’t comprehend what that meant.

“Yes,” Kaiser continued calmly. “It’s something created by the former Captain of Division 12—implanted in her body without her consent.”

The former Captain of Division 12.

Renji had, of course, heard of this individual.

It was said that this person was the founder of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, possessing an incredibly brilliant mind, and had developed many unbelievable inventions and strange techniques, contributing greatly to Soul Society’s technological advancement.

However, over a century ago, he had committed taboo acts and caused a major incident, leading to his defection from Soul Society.

Renji remembered—the former Captain’s name was...

“Kisuke Urahara.”

Kaiser stated the name that left a deep impression on many people.

“He’s now settled in the World of the Living, running a shop that provides goods and services for stationed Shinigami—living quite comfortably.”

“Of course, that’s only on the surface.”

“In truth, he’s always known that his situation isn’t secure.”

Here, the “not secure” didn’t refer to being an enemy of the Gotei 13 due to defection—but rather that someone had always been watching him.

“Over a century ago, forbidden Hollowfication experiments suddenly emerged.”

“Someone used Rukongai residents and even Shinigami from Seireitei for experiments—trying to Hollowfy them and develop a way to break the limits of Shinigami.”

“This experiment drew great attention from the Gotei 13, and many Captains and Lieutenants were sent to investigate. But they were all secretly targeted by the mastermind and became test subjects—losing control and going berserk.”

Kaiser narrated these hidden truths in a calm tone—truths that no ordinary person could possibly know.

“At that time, former Division 12 Captain Kisuke Urahara had developed similar technology. His research closely overlapped with the mastermind’s and their creations complemented each other.”

“In order to save the many Captains and Lieutenants who were undergoing Hollowfication and on the verge of becoming Hollows, Urahara used his inventions.”

“But what he didn’t know was that he had already been marked by the mastermind.”

This was how the incident began—and why Kisuke Urahara was ultimately drawn into it.

Though he fled Soul Society, he had always known that the mastermind was searching for him, aiming to obtain the key to breaking Shinigami limits—to combine it with their own research and complete the technology.

So, Urahara constantly monitored Soul Society and remained vigilant against the mastermind.

“To prevent the item from being stolen, Urahara chose to hide it somewhere the enemy wouldn’t easily retrieve.”

“That place was the inside of a Soul.”

“And the soul he chose was Rukia.”

Kaiser’s calm voice nearly destroyed Renji’s sanity.

“Why Rukia?!”

Renji finally couldn’t hold back and stood up.

“Circumstance and coincidence, I suppose? She just happened to be in the World of the Living at that time.” Kaiser replied indifferently. “Anyway, his plan worked. That item really was hidden inside Rukia. Even I couldn’t extract it.”

“Remember what I did back in the prison?”

“At that time, I was trying to extract that item.”

Hearing this, Renji was stunned again.

“Wait—weren’t you just trying to take advantage of Rukia back then?!”

Renji blurted out what he had always thought.

“Bam!”

Kaiser instantly had dark lines across his face and kicked Renji over.

“Take advantage of Rukia? What is there to take advantage of?!”

Kaiser cursed harshly.

Just that little bit of flesh—what’s there to take advantage of?

You really haven’t seen the world. One day, I’ll show you what it really means to take advantage of someone!

(Kirin Toudou, Rias, Kuroka: ???)

Chapter 254: The Best Moment to Strike

“So, the reason Rukia is going to be executed is because the mastermind orchestrated everything just to get the thing inside her body?”

After a while, clutching his kicked and aching abdomen as he got up from the ground, Renji Abarai finally understood the meaning behind what Kaiser had been saying, albeit with a pained expression.

“That’s right.” Kaiser glanced at Renji with clear annoyance and said, “If you want to extract that thing inside Rukia, ordinary means won’t work.”

“But if she’s killed by the released Sōkyoku, then the thing inside her might be forced to emerge.”

The Sōkyoku is said to possess the destructive power of a million Zanpakutō and, during an execution, as it severs and pierces the body of the condemned, its power rapidly multiplies several dozen times over, completely disintegrating the soul of the condemned.

To be killed by such overwhelming force, an ordinary Soul has no chance of survival—it would be instantly reduced to nothing.

If Rukia were to be completely eradicated by that power, then the thing within her body would be exposed.

“If she were killed in an ordinary manner, that thing inside her could vanish together with her. That’s why the mastermind had no choice but to take a roundabout path—using this method to extract it.”

Otherwise, a mere Shinigami born in Rukongai, not even a Seated Officer, let alone a Lieutenant or a Captain, who hadn’t committed some heinous crime—just gave her Reiryoku to a human to help him become a Shinigami—why would she be sentenced to execution, and why would the Sōkyoku have to be used?

It’s precisely because someone wants her dead but must have her die in a specific way that this situation came to be.

“In other words, Central 46…”

Renji Abarai realized something and his expression changed dramatically.

“Central 46?” Kaiser said flatly, “There’s no Central 46 anymore.”

From the moment the ruling was made under the mastermind’s manipulation, something had already gone wrong with Central 46.

Over a hundred years ago, Central 46 had already fallen victim to the mastermind’s schemes, leading to the exile of Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihōin, and the Captains and Lieutenants who were Hollowfied. Now, more than a century later, in order to obtain the item inside Rukia, the mastermind once again set their sights on Central 46.

But this time, rather than using schemes to achieve their goal, they secretly eliminated everyone in Central 46.

The ruling to execute Rukia wasn’t made by Central 46 at all—it was made by the mastermind.

“Then why didn’t you tell the Captain Commander?” Renji asked loudly, his face contorted as he learned that Central 46 had been wiped out.

“Because it’s pointless,” Kaiser said indifferently. “Even if someone did believe me—which is unlikely—do you think the mastermind wouldn’t have already made preparations?”

“This isn’t the first time they’ve used Central 46. There’s no way they wouldn’t know the consequences of their actions. And there’s no way they’d leave the crime scene exposed.”

“So I can say with certainty—if I did speak out, I wouldn’t achieve my goal. On the contrary, I’d fall into their trap.”

“And then, my situation would be even worse than it is now.”

A being who had been laying out plans for over a century, hiding in Soul Society all the while, scheming with all their might to break the limits of Shinigami, causing multiple severe incidents in the process—there was no need to question their intelligence.

Someone who could develop technology to surpass the Shinigami’s limits on par with Kisuke Urahara, yet remain hidden in the shadows, would be a flawless strategist, unlikely to leave any openings.

Central 46 was too big of a vulnerability—there’s no way the mastermind wouldn’t cover their bases.

As someone who knows the original story, Kaiser knew exactly what kind of person the mastermind was—and how terrifying their powers of deception could be. That’s why he didn’t want to outwit the opponent. He just wanted to outfight them—strike them unawares and catch them off guard.

For this reason, Kaiser had spent the past several decades acting like the mastermind didn’t exist. He didn’t pay attention to them, didn’t raise any suspicions, and avoided provoking any kind of defense.

The reason he struck now was because he knew the item the mastermind wanted was here—inside Rukia—and would appear during the execution with the Sōkyoku. For the sake of that object, the mastermind would no longer be able to stay hidden, nor escape early with their defenses up.

This finally gave Kaiser a chance to attack openly and seek revenge.

Unfortunately, he still didn’t manage to take them down—they escaped.

But that was fine. It was within Kaiser’s expectations.

As long as the object the mastermind wanted remained here, they absolutely could not stay hidden forever, and certainly couldn’t leave Soul Society.

All Kaiser needed to do was lie in wait.

Understanding Kaiser’s intent, Renji Abarai had to face a certain truth.

The reason Kaiser attacked Aizen…

“The one behind all this—is it really…”

Renji clenched his fists.

“Sōsuke Aizen,” Kaiser didn’t hide it anymore and said bluntly, “The very Captain you think I killed.”

“Of course, he’s not dead.”

“The corpse you all saw last night—that was just a fake created by his terrifying deception abilities.”

No one had been able to detect that.

Not even Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto had realized that the corpse was a fake.

Only Retsu Unohana—Captain of the Fourth Division—noticed something strange thanks to her many years of medical experience.

Even so, she couldn’t be sure. She was probably still examining the body in the barracks.

That alone showed how terrifying Aizen’s deception ability was.

Kaiser had already experienced it firsthand.

He recalled the occasional sense of being watched and an uncanny feeling that had plagued him over the years.

He normally wouldn’t notice those sensations—only when holding his Zanpakutō would he become aware of them.

Just like when he was in the High School DxD world—where he had compensated for his lack of perception and spiritual defense by sealing off his five senses in battle, relying entirely on the instincts awakened through his weapons and permissions—letting his weapon guide him to fight, to pierce through illusions.

When he held his Zanpakutō, even if his senses weren’t reliable, his instinct awakened through permissions would alert him—there was an enemy nearby.

The enemy seemed to be observing him. So Kaiser pretended not to notice, avoided alerting them, and let them watch him.

As long as the things he didn’t want revealed were well-hidden, the enemy would get nothing from observing him—and might even be misled instead.

When he confronted the enemy openly last night, it was mostly a test, so he didn’t reveal many of his methods.

The enemy seemed to have noticed, and seeing that they couldn’t defeat Kaiser outright, faked their death and used the opportunity to turn the Gotei 13 against him.

Kaiser knew their plan. That’s why he chose to search for the mastermind rather than argue with the Gotei 13.

Regrettably, once the enemy deliberately went into hiding, Kaiser couldn’t find them at all.

There were probably traps in Central 46, and likely surveillance at the Senzaikyū. If Kaiser showed up, the enemy would definitely try to gather all the Captains and launch a siege against him.

“The snake’s been startled. Finding him again won’t be easy. And I don’t want to fight the Gotei 13 to the death, letting the enemy benefit from it all. All I can do now is wait for him to come out again.”

Once he understood that, Kaiser finally had the leisure to come here for a quiet drink—and to talk some sense into his friend, so he wouldn’t stay stuck in a dead end.

“That’s my current plan.”

Kaiser turned to Renji Abarai and asked:

“And you? Now that you know the truth, what do you plan to do?”

Renji clenched his fists even tighter.

To be honest, he still couldn’t quite believe this was the truth.

Mostly because Sōsuke Aizen gave off such a deceptive impression—gentle and kind, approachable and humble. Despite being a Captain, he never looked down on anyone. Whether it was a Division Member, an Academy Student, or even a soul from Rukongai, he always treated them equally.

To many, he was a good man. A kind man. A highly charismatic man.

Even Momo Hinamori had deeply admired Aizen at first. If Kaiser hadn’t been there, she definitely would have joined the Fifth Division and become Aizen’s Lieutenant like in the original story.

Renji Abarai also had a good impression of Aizen. If not for meeting Kaiser, his path would have followed the original timeline—joining the Fifth Division before transferring to the Eleventh and then the Sixth.

Now Kaiser told him that this man had been orchestrating one horrifying incident after another from the shadows—it was hard to believe.

If anyone else had said this, Renji would never have believed them.

But the one saying it was Kaiser...

“I’m going to save Rukia!” Renji Abarai said firmly. “I won’t let her be killed!”

“Now’s not the time,” Kaiser shook his head. “I already said it—that place is being watched. If you go now, you’ll walk straight into a trap.”

“Then when can I go?” Renji asked urgently. “When can I act?”

“The day of the Sōkyoku execution,” Kaiser said calmly. “On that day, all the actors will take the stage—no one will be able to stay hidden anymore.”

“That will be the best moment to strike.”

Chapter 255: As You Can See, I’m Here

From that point on, the entire Seireitei fell into a strange calm.

The once-bustling Seireitei, for some unknown reason, suddenly entered this quiet lull.

Kaiser, who had killed Aizen, vanished without a trace—no one could find him.

The Ryoka also mysteriously disappeared, as if someone had taken them and hidden them away—not a single one could be found.

Kenpachi Zaraki searched for them for three whole days, but didn’t encounter them even once, which left him in a furious rage.

On the other hand, Mayuri Kurotsuchi was reportedly said to have encountered the Ryoka and even fought with them, but by the time nearby Shinigami rushed to the scene, the Ryoka had already vanished—and so had Kurotsuchi himself.

Afterwards, someone claimed that Kurotsuchi had returned to the Division 12 barracks, but he refused to meet with anyone. Even when summoned for follow-up Gotei 13 operations, he declined by claiming he was injured, sparking widespread suspicion.

Some said Kurotsuchi had been defeated by the Ryoka and was too ashamed to show his face.

Others said Kurotsuchi had won and obtained precious research samples, and was so absorbed in his experiments that he used injury as an excuse to shut himself in the Shinigami Research and Development Institute.

Only a few knew that Kurotsuchi had indeed been defeated by a Ryoka—nearly killed—and had been holed up in his barracks since then, treating himself, and seemingly in a very foul mood.

After that, all the Ryoka mysteriously vanished, making Seireitei temporarily calm once more, as if nothing more would happen.

Of course, anyone with a discerning eye knew—the calmer it was now, the more likely a major incident was brewing.

The evidence was that besides Kaiser and the invading Ryoka, various anomalies began surfacing among the Gotei 13’s Divisions.

For instance, Lieutenant Renji Abarai of Division 6 mysteriously went missing during these days and hadn’t been seen since.

Also, Lieutenant Momo Hinamori of Division 3 had a violent conflict one night with the Division 10 Shinigami stationed at her barracks, then suddenly left the Division 3 barracks without a trace, leaving behind only unconscious members of Division 10.

Divisions 8 and 13 had also been acting strangely. Captains Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake no longer searched for Kaiser but seemed to be secretly discussing something, their movements suspicious.

Captain Kaname Tōsen of Division 9 and Captain Gin Ichimaru of Division 10 were even more bizarre—often disappearing without warning and never bringing their Lieutenants. When others asked where they’d been, they brushed it off with vague answers, clearly unwilling to elaborate.

Captain Suì-Fēng of Division 2, upon confirming that Kaiser couldn’t be found, suddenly began asking around about a black cat. Captain Retsu Unohana of Division 4 remained hidden in her barracks and hadn’t come out in days. Captain Byakuya Kuchiki of Division 6 stood watch at the Senzaikyū constantly, unwilling to leave even for a moment.

With all that, the movements of the Captains and Lieutenants of each Division grew increasingly strange. Combined with the mysterious disappearance of the Ryoka and the intense focus placed on Kaiser, the atmosphere in Seireitei became more and more bizarre—like something ominous was brewing.

In such circumstances, some people felt unease, some felt solemn, some were indifferent, and others had a knowing look in their eyes—making these short three days feel especially difficult to endure.

But no matter how difficult, those three days eventually passed.

In the blink of an eye, the day of execution arrived.

……

That day, the weather in Seireitei remained bright and clear, with not a cloud in the sky, making one feel relaxed and cheerful.

Under the escort of the enforcers, Rukia was finally led out of the Senzaikyū—but not to freedom. She was being taken to the execution ground.

Sōkyoku Hill, a place like a cliff, sat at a relatively high location in Seireitei. It wasn’t far from the Senzaikyū and appeared like a floating platform in midair. Atop it was nothing but barren rocky ground, and at its edge stood a single long spear and an execution scaffold.

The spear was long—at least ten meters. Its shape resembled more of a guandao than a spear, standing upright at the edge of the hill, swaying in the wind.

The scaffold was also tall, shaped somewhat like a torii gate. At its base was a platform—currently empty.

Nearby the platform, however, were many people.

Captain of Division 1 and Captain Commander of the Gotei 13, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.

Captain of Division 2 and Commander of the Onmitsukidō, Suì-Fēng.

Captain of Division 6 and current Head of the Kuchiki Clan, Byakuya Kuchiki.

Captain of Division 7, Sajin Komamura.

Captain of Division 8, Shunsui Kyōraku.

Captain of Division 9, Kaname Tōsen.

Captain of Division 10, Gin Ichimaru.

Also, Captain of Division 11, Kenpachi Zaraki, and Captain of Division 13, Jūshirō Ukitake.

Nine Captains in total—all gathered here, with their Lieutenants in tow, seemingly to witness the execution.

Aside from the deceased Captain of Division 5, Sōsuke Aizen, and the absconded Captain of Division 3, Kaiser, the only other absent Captains were Retsu Unohana of Division 4 and Mayuri Kurotsuchi of Division 12—who remained in seclusion and didn’t even come to witness the Sōkyoku execution.

Looking at those Captains, each draped in their Haori, standing proudly with their Lieutenants, their presence imposing, Rukia’s thoughts at this moment were unexpectedly peculiar.

“What did I ever do to deserve this?”

She, a Shinigami not even a Seated Officer, was not only sentenced to execution by the Sōkyoku—a tool said to unleash the destructive power of a million Zanpakutō—but also had nearly ten Captains coming to witness it?

Even those who had caused massive chaos and damage in Soul Society’s history likely didn’t receive such a reception, did they?

Rukia wasn’t sure whether she had given up or was laughing bitterly, but such thoughts crossed her mind.

She glanced toward the position of Division 6 and saw her elder brother standing there with a cold expression, indifferent as ever, as if the one about to be executed wasn’t his sister. It felt utterly heartless.

Then she looked toward Division 13 and saw Jūshirō Ukitake looking at her with worry—bringing her some comfort.

“Renji… isn’t here?”

Rukia noticed her childhood friend was not among them.

“That idiot… he better not be doing anything stupid.”

Rukia murmured softly, as if she had some premonition.

The enforcers escorting her did not stop their steps, leading her—the condemned—all the way to the platform beneath the scaffold.

Rukia was placed on that platform, standing beneath the scaffold.

“Rukia Kuchiki.” Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto opened his wrinkled eyes and looked at the white-robed convict about to be executed. “Do you have anything to say?”

The attending Captains all turned toward Rukia. Some expressionless, some solemn, some indifferent, and some anxious.

As for Rukia, she was surprisingly calm. Her face showed no fear, nor any signs of resentment or grievance.

She did not wish to explain her actions or cry injustice here.

Nor did she want to leave any last words or regrets—no confessions of guilt.

Though she hadn’t expected her helping that boy become a Shinigami to lead to this end, she had no regrets about what she had done.

So, she had only one thing to say.

“I have nothing I wish to say.”

As if accepting her fate, she said it serenely.

Some among the Captains reacted to this.

“…I see.”

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto also looked at her deeply but said nothing more.

“Buzz…”

At that moment, the restraints around Rukia’s neck and wrists began to vibrate. Though connected to nothing, they seemed to move as if by remote control—spreading her arms out into a cross shape.

Then, Rukia’s body began to float upward, slowly rising above the scaffold.

“Release!”

The executioners then released the seal on the spear, which suddenly burst into flames and soared into the air.

“Boom!”

Flames roared, Reiryoku surged, and under everyone’s gaze, the spear transformed into a massive bird engulfed in fire—screeching as it flapped its wings and circled before Rukia.

“Oh? So that’s the true form of the Sōkyoku?” Gin Ichimaru spoke with feigned curiosity.

“Kikōō, the true form of the Sōkyoku once released.”

Several Captains who understood the Sōkyoku murmured.

Byakuya Kuchiki stared fixedly at the giant bird, as if gazing upon the mythic phoenix. Unknowingly, his hand tightened around his Zanpakutō’s hilt.

The Captains all exchanged glances, each with a different expression.

“Begin the execution!”

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto remained stoic, like a merciless executor, shouting coldly.

“Screee!”

The firebird in front of the scaffold let out a sharp cry, flapped its wings, locked onto Rukia, and prepared to charge.

Its sharp beak was the tip of the Sōkyoku—a point said to contain the destructive power of a million Zanpakutō.

All it needed was to strike the condemned on the scaffold, and the execution would be complete.

Unfortunately…

“Can you fly past me, Firebird King?”

As that amused voice echoed and reached everyone’s ears, the expressions on the Captains' faces grew even more intense.

Especially Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto—his wrinkled eyes filled with cold light, as if he had been waiting for this moment a long time, and his gaze turned toward the source of the voice.

It came from the entrance of Sōkyoku Hill—the stairs that led up from the ground.

A figure, like someone on a leisurely stroll, arrived fashionably late. Under everyone’s gaze, he ascended the steps one by one, each step ringing clearly.

“I’m guessing many of you have been waiting for me to show up?”

Still wearing his Captain’s Haori, Kaiser carried his Zanpakutō as he smiled at everyone.

“As you can see, I’m here.”

Just like that—calmly, plainly, he came.

(End of Chapter)