Chapter 323: What a Fine Sword!
Look, in a corner of the battlefield, something wonderful is happening.
Katori Batsu'unsai, gripping a naginata, is driving Satoru step by step into a corner.
Despite her slender build, her strength is unbelievably immense.
Satoru had thought his natural physique was unmatched in the world, never expecting someone could be this formidable.
Facing Katori Batsu'unsai's relentless slashes, he grips two swords with both hands, meeting every strike head-on without a trace of fear.
Watching the man fight before her, Katori Batsu'unsai is delighted.
Having followed Yamamoto into battle for many years, participating in the Seireitei Pacification War and the Quincy Invasion War, she has killed countless foes but never enjoyed herself this much.
Once, she believed that only Yachiru Unohana in this world could provide her with a satisfying battle, but now she had encountered another. How could she not be overjoyed?
Just then, she suddenly recalled the condition Satoru had mentioned earlier.
Katori Batsu'unsai's face flushed red, nearly disrupting her rhythm.
She quickly composed herself, devoting her entire being to the fight.
After more than a dozen exchanges, she spotted an opening in Satoru's defense.
Her naginata swept in a crescent arc, slashing fiercely toward his neck!
Watching the blade aimed at his throat, Satoru smiled.
Creeak!!
To her astonishment, Katori Batsu'unsai found her naginata abruptly halted mere centimeters from Satoru's neck, unable to advance.
Turning her head, she saw dozens of shadow-formed threads tightly coiled around the shaft of her weapon.
Earlier, these shadows had moved in sync with her actions, making them undetectable.
Only when they suddenly tensed did she notice them.
With a low shout, Katori Batsu'unsai exerted force again.
Snap! The shadow threads wrapped around her naginata shattered instantly.
But it was already too late.
Seizing that momentary pause, Satoru had closed in.
With practiced ease, he shifted behind her, applying a tight rear naked choke and bringing them both crashing to the ground.
"Mmm…"
Katori Batsu'unsai struggled fiercely but to no avail.
A few seconds later, Satoru—lying beneath her—released his grip on her neck.
"Alright, halftime break. We'll resume after resting."
Katori Batsu'unsai shook her head and tried to rise from him.
"I can't. If I stop, Hell might take over and I'll lose my consciousness."
"Just like the first time."
Hearing this, Satoru recalled the previous scene: Katori Batsu'unsai's aura shifting abruptly, her eyes turning gold.
That must have been when Hell seized control of her body.
He had wondered why these original captains obeyed Hell so unquestioningly, fighting on command.
It turned out this brief freedom came with such constraints.
After a moment's thought, he suddenly wrapped his arms around Katori Batsu'unsai's waist.
Then, lifting his legs, he pinned hers down.
"??"
Katori Batsu'unsai froze, not expecting Satoru to act out at such a time.
As anger stirred, Satoru's voice murmured by her ear:
"Right now, it's not that you don't want to fight—it's that I've restrained you, and you can't break free."
"Once you break free, we'll continue."
Katori Batsu'unsai didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Hell's will wasn't foolish; how could it not notice such passive resistance?
Yet, to her surprise, while lying atop Satoru without fighting, she showed no signs of being taken over.
Could it be… Hell also considered this a state of combat?
She tested his hold, trying to wrench free.
But his limbs were firmer than steel—her struggles proved utterly futile!
"You're incredibly strong…" Katori Batsu'unsai exclaimed in amazement.
Satoru snorted. "This is my innate physique."
In truth, every muscle in his body was enhanced by shadow overlay.
Without merging his shadow with his form to double his strength, he truly couldn't have restrained Katori Batsu'unsai.
Feeling the soft body in his arms, Satoru revealed a look of contentment.
"As expected of my beloved, you're truly comfortable to hold."
"...We're not lovers yet."
Katori Batsu'unsai voiced her objection.
Satoru tilted his head.
"You're right. As lovers, we should at least start with changing how we address each other."
"Let me think... hmm, I'll call you Little Katori."
Li-Little Katori?!
Katori Batsu'unsai's eyes widened.
Although she had died young, considering the era, she was now a thousand-year-old "elder."
How could he give her such a nickname?
"Th-That won't do! You have to change it!" she hurriedly said.
Hearing this, Satoru showed a conflicted expression.
"Then... should I just call you Batsu'unsai?"
"No, no, that's even stranger."
"True, I think so too. It feels like I'm calling out to Genryūsai—way too weird."
"?"
Katori showed a displeased expression.
How could her lovely name be compared to that old man Captain-Commander Yamamoto?
Oh, wait—he's not an old man now, but an old grandfather.
That's even worse!!
After some negotiation, Katori Batsu'unsai had no choice but to reluctantly accept the nickname "Little Katori."
Lying on the ground, Satoru said:
"Little Katori, what is the inside of Hell really like?"
When it came to serious matters, Katori Batsu'unsai instantly regained her dignified demeanor.
"The interior of Hell is divided into many layers."
"The first layer is the area with the most sinners."
"Countless massive pure white structures stand there, covering a nearly infinite expanse. Sinners dwell within these buildings—they don't need to eat, or rather... they lack the ability to eat."
"Innumerable hell guards roam between these white structures, randomly slaughtering the sinners."
"After being slain by the guards, sinners are reborn in the Great Blazing Hell located on the fourth layer, only to be transferred back to their original stratum, repeating this cycle again and again."
"The second layer consists of arenas established to pit powerful sinners against each other in combat."
"Strong sinners compete for these arenas here, seeking temporary peace."
"In reality, this is merely a false tranquility. Once the sinners finish their battles, the will of hell—that is, we guards—will slay them once more."
"Further down lies the third layer, the Blazing Hell."
"Endless streams of molten iron and boiling copper flow freely across the land."
"No matter how powerful a sinner may be, contact with these molten metals brings unbearable agony."
"Those with grave sins are brought to this layer by the guards to suffer endless torment."
"The fourth layer... the Great Blazing Hell. This is where sinners resurrect, and the apparent deepest level of hell."
"A small number of exceptionally powerful sinners, strong enough to confront the guards, are active here."
"But, much like the second layer, they believe they've gained the power to resist, when it's merely an illusion crafted by hell to deceive them."
"Whenever they grow confident in their strength and believe they can secure a stable existence in hell, more powerful guards are dispatched to slay them again, perpetuating the cycle."
"In short, within hell, sinners can never find liberation."
"As long as this chain remains attached to them, they will forever be slaves of hell."
Katori Batsu'unsai placed her hand on her chest, beneath her substantial bosom.
As her fingers made contact, half of a black chain extended outward from within.
"Unless heart failure occurs, and one loses their sense of self, turning into a handful of hell's dust, neither sinners nor guards can ever escape hell's control."
Katori Batsu'unsai lowered her eyelids slightly, revealing a resigned smile.
Satoru released one hand and touched the chain on her body.
It was made of an unfamiliar material.
If he could remove it and present it to Sōsuke as a new material, that guy would probably be delighted, right?
After pondering for a few seconds, he suddenly released his legs and stood up, bringing Katori Batsu'unsai with him.
"Hoho, the welfare time is over! To enjoy welfare time again, please accumulate welfare time through battle!""Until you've saved enough time for the next benefit, fight to your heart's content!""
Katori Batsu'unsai was initially surprised by Satoru's sudden burst of exuberance.
But as she spent more time with Satoru, she was growing accustomed to this somewhat eccentric individual.
Katori Batsu'unsai curled the corners of her lips upward and pulled her naginata from the ground.
"Alright, I'm coming at you!"
The moment they clashed, Katori Batsu'unsai noticed something was off.
Satoru's speed and power had both elevated to a higher level.
Not only that, but the aura about him had shifted from casual ease to focused intensity.
Satoru, wielding dual blades, continuously sought openings in her defense. The moment she showed the slightest carelessness, he would suddenly accelerate, ruthlessly pressing her with over a dozen strikes.
Just as Katori Batsu'unsai felt she was beginning to adapt to Satoru's current speed, he abruptly charged forward.
What now? Is he going to use that shadow ambush technique again?
Katori Batsu'unsai's gaze turned icy. She was fully prepared—no matter where the shadow threads might strike from, she could activate her Reiatsu and instantly unleash a second burst of power to sever them.
However, the anticipated shadow threads never came.
Instead, Satoru acted as if seeking death, throwing his chest directly toward her blade!
"Mikami!!"
Katori Batsu'unsai instinctively cried out.
But just as she was about to deliver the fatal blow, Satoru suddenly disintegrated on the spot, transforming into a shower of light particles.
"?"
Katori Batsu'unsai froze, bewildered by what had happened.
The next moment, to her astonishment, the light particles that passed through her blade abruptly coalesced in her embrace, reforming into Satoru's figure.
Gripping his short sword, he thrust it toward the spot beneath her breast.
CLANG!!!!
Risō Jakumetsu struck hard.
The precise location was where the Hell Chain resided.
The black chain, as if shedding optical camouflage, revealed its form.
Seeing Satoru's actions, Katori Batsu'unsai roughly guessed his intent.
She shook her head.
It's useless. If the Hell Chain could be so easily destroyed, cut by a mere Zanpakutō, the prisoners would have escaped long ago.
Yet, in the next instant, she stood stunned.
Under her disbelieving gaze, the black chain around her chest and abdomen actually developed a fine crack from Satoru's strike!
Light seeped through the fissure, making it clearly visible.
Though it was only a crack and not a complete break, to Katori Batsu'unsai, this was utterly inconceivable.
From the moment she was cast into Hell until now, she had never heard of such a thing!
As if sensing the threat, the power of Hell suddenly surged into her body in an endless stream.
Nourished by this infernal energy, the cracked chain began to rapidly repair itself.
In the blink of an eye, the fissure Satoru had created was restored to its original state.
Satoru showed no disappointment; instead, he smiled.
"It works? Then this will be easier."
"Mr. Mikami?"
Katori Batsu'unsai looked at Satoru, uncertain of his next move.
Under her watchful eyes, Satoru stepped back, raised his Zanpakutō—
"Bankai."
"Risō Jakumetsu, True Self Illumination!"
A storm of Reishi swept past as metallic shields unfolded behind him, and metallic claws extended from his hands.
Then, with a powerful stomp, he charged at Katori Batsu'unsai!
"Out of my way!"
As she swung her naginata at him, he grabbed it, crushed the shaft with a crack, and let the blade clatter to the ground.
With his other hand, he clenched the metallic claw and violently stabbed at the black chain!
"Ugh!!"
Katori Batsu'unsai grunted.
The moment Satoru's metallic claw pierced the chain, Hell's power surged into her body like a tidal wave, converging furiously at the point of impact.
A blinding light erupted from the chain!
Cracks spread inch by inch, gradually covering the entire length.
Under Katori Batsu'unsai's incredulous stare, the chain shattered with a loud crack amidst the radiant golden light!
The Hell Chain that had bound her for centuries was broken!
For a moment, countless emotions surged in her heart.
Excitement, exhilaration, gratitude, liberation...
"Kehahaha! As expected of this invincible one! Mere hell chains are nothing to speak of!"
Beneath the half-covering metal helmet, Satoru grinned widely.
With a flash of light, he released his Bankai and grasped Risō Jakumetsu in his hand.
"Well done, Risō Jakumetsu!"
"What a fine blade, worthy of all the care I've shown you daily!"
As he spoke, he burst into laughter once more.
Katori Batsu'unsai stood nearby, gazing at Risō Jakumetsu.
Though the latter showed no reaction—being merely a sword—she couldn't shake the illusion of sensing anger emanating from the blade.
Just as she was immersed in the joy of regained freedom, a terrifying Reiatsu suddenly surged from the broken chains.
The spiritual pressure shot into the sky, rapidly forming a massive monster amidst deep purple light.
A skull head, muscular shoulders and arms, a skeletal body.
A Hell's Will!
"ROAR!!!!!"
No sooner had it appeared than the Hell's Will threw back its head and roared.
Sensing the familiar power fluctuations radiating from the Hell's Will, Katori Batsu'unsai exclaimed in surprise:
"Mr. Mikami, this is... the hell power that was dwelling within me!"
"This is exactly how I looked when I transformed into a hell guard in the underworld!"
Satoru looked up.
At that moment, Aizen's voice echoed in his ears:
[It's likely that by severing the hell chains, you've severed the connection between Katori Batsu'unsai and hell. The hell power stored within her has nowhere to hide and can only manifest itself.]
Satoru jumped in surprise.
"Sōsuke? Where are you?"
[The research institute.]
"?" Satoru's mind filled with question marks.
"You're at the institute... How do you know exactly what's happening over here?"
"Ah, I get it! You installed surveillance devices on me!"
"Sōsuke, I'm truly heartbroken! After all these years of friendship, you distrust me so much that you'd put such things on me!"
[First, this isn't about distrust, but rather being prepared for situations your brain can't handle, allowing me to provide remote assistance.]
[Second, I didn't pioneer this method. Back when we were studying at Shin'ō Academy, someone once placed a tracking Kidō on me... Satoru, do you have any insights about this matter?]
Gulp. Satoru swallowed hard.
"Sōsuke, bad connection, hanging up now. We'll talk next time if there's anything."
His expression turned solemn, as if etched with Araki lines.
In the laboratory, while inserting and removing various detection devices from Rennosuke Kamikawa, Aizen let out a contemptuous light laugh.
Still... one had to admit, while Satoru this guy was somewhat outrageous, he truly knew how to deliver surprises.
I never expected this guy to actually cut through the hell chains.
This move could only be described as wildly imaginative.
If I hadn't been tied up with unfinished work, I would've gone over to study it immediately.
...
...
A fifty-meter tall Hell's Will suddenly descended, drawing all surrounding attention.
That terrifying Reiatsu, even from thousands of meters away, carried a heart-palpitating sensation.
Hell's Will opened its hand, and a large blade materialized out of thin air, grasped firmly in its grip.
Then, it swung the great blade, slashing down fiercely toward Satoru!
Facing Hell's Will's strike, Satoru raised his own blade to meet it—
BOOM!!!
Amid the massive explosion, Satoru's figure emerged from the dust and smoke.
Grabbing Katori Batsu'unsai's hand, he flew up into the air.
In that instant, he was shocked to discover that this Hell's Will's power actually surpassed even Katori Batsu'unsai's.
"Little Katori, does your power increase when you transform into Hell's Will?"
Katori Batsu'unsai shook her head:
"After transforming into Hell's Will, I can't maintain self-awareness, so I'm uncertain about its actual strength."
"But according to my calculations, it shouldn't possess this level of power."
Satoru thought for a moment before speaking:
"Sōsuke, help analyze this situation."
[Heh.]
Aizen's cold laugh echoed in his ear.
"If you ignore me, I'll go back and eat all your tofu puddings! All three you've hidden away—I won't leave a single one!"
[...]
After two seconds of silence, Aizen took a deep breath:
[Isn't it obvious if you just think? When you cut the chains, didn't Hell transmit massive energy to repair them?]
[Before the repairs could complete, you'd already severed the chains. That energy with nowhere to go naturally merged into Hell's Will's body.]
[Find a way to capture it alive. I have use for it.]
Having said this, Aizen fell completely silent, as if having muted himself.
Satoru nodded.
Good, now he fully understood the situation.
All that remained was pure, simple ass-kicking!
Katori Batsu'unsai looked at him curiously.
"Were you just using Heavenly Link to communicate with someone?"
"No, something more advanced than Heavenly Link."
"Is it also a Kidō technique?"
"Maybe yes, maybe no."
"?"
While they were talking, Hell's Will's great blade came swinging at them again.
Despite having a body as massive as Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō, its movements were as fast as a rabid dog.
Having experienced this thing's brute strength, Satoru decided to abandon using his blade.
He raised Risō Jakumetsu, about to casually throw it.
But remembering he'd still need Risō Jakumetsu's armor-piercing ability to cut through others' hell chains later, he restrained the impulse and properly sheathed the blade again.
Facing Hell's Will's great blade, Satoru charged forward bare-handed.
Seeing his actions, Katori Batsu'unsai was startled, thinking her lover... ahem, thinking her comrade had gone berserk.
Gripping her Zanpakutō, she hurried after him.
Because her Shikai had been broken by Satoru earlier, her Zanpakutō couldn't be released for some time.
Even so, her combat ability remained among the highest tier of captains.
She could still help Satoru share some of the pressure!
But before she could reach him, she saw Satoru roar loudly, punching straight toward Hell's Will's great blade!
"Triple... One Bone!!"
BOOM!!!!
A massive explosion blossomed and expanded across the sky.
Satoru flipped in mid-air, flying back a considerable distance before being caught by Katori Batsu'unsai's outstretched arms.
"Mr. Mikami, are you alright?!" she asked with visible tension.
"Huh? Why would anything be wrong with me?" Satoru gave her a puzzled look.
"Don't waste time, hurry up! Who knows if that thing's sword might regenerate."
With these words, his figure blurred as he charged toward the Will of Hell once more.
Hearing this, Katori Batsu'unsai looked up. To her disbelief, the Will of Hell's great sword had shattered into countless fragments during the earlier explosion, scattering pieces everywhere!
After a brief moment of astonishment, Katori Batsu'unsai suddenly smiled.
Long ago, she had sustained incurable injuries during the war against the Wandenreich. During a battle to suppress rebel forces, her old wounds flared up and she fell in combat.
At the moment of her death, her greatest concern had been that if Captain-Commander Yamamoto were to die someday, there would be no one left to uphold the Gotei 13 they had painstakingly built.
Until this moment, she finally felt relieved.
As long as this man remained, the Gotei 13 would never fall.
That punch earlier... it was the hand-to-hand combat technique created by Senior Yamamoto, wasn't it?
It seemed Senior Yamamoto had already placed his hopes in him too.
Watching Satoru's retreating figure, Katori Batsu'unsai couldn't help but feel a surge of exhilaration. Her eyes shining with brilliant conviction, she gripped her Zanpakutō and shot toward the Will of Hell, trailing a long stream of Reiatsu!
The massive Will of Hell wildly swung its arms, trying to crush Satoru. Satoru laughed heartily as he Flash Stepped around its body. Each time he appeared, he delivered an explosive Ikotsu strike.
In less than two minutes, the Will of Hell's enormous body began to slow down. Several of its crucial joints had been destroyed by Satoru.
"Little Katori, this one's all yours!" Satoru called back to Katori Batsu'unsai.
Without hesitation, she nodded. Currently, Satoru had far more important tasks to complete. Besides herself, the Hell Chains on the chests of other captains also needed Satoru to sever them.
If everyone could break free from Hell's control and regain their freedom, the Soul Society's power would experience explosive growth!
Even if Hell sent more powerful enemies, with so many captain-level fighters on their side, they could suppress the enemy's attacks and potentially convert more allies.
By then, Hell would no longer be something to fear!
In the Mikami Technical Bureau laboratory, Aizen harbored similar thoughts. However, unlike the blindly optimistic Katori Batsu'unsai, Aizen recognized the underlying issues.
What exactly were these Hell creatures who regained freedom after having their chains severed?
Their near-immortal lifespans existed because of Hell's power enhancement. Now, having lost Hell's power yet having lived for hundreds or thousands of years, what would become of them?
Aizen desperately wanted to capture a few freed captains immediately, to thoroughly dissect and research them inside and out.
He prayed that Satoru would work faster. If Hell realized what was happening, cutting the chains wouldn't be so easy anymore...
...
...
In the Second Division's defensive zone, two figures danced through the air, occasionally colliding with explosive bursts of Reiatsu.
Swish!
Yoruichi landed steadily on the ground, supporting herself with one hand. Golden lightning flickered across her shoulders and back.
Across from her, Shihōin Chika flipped through the air and landed gracefully.
Watching the electric sparks crackling around Yoruichi, he exclaimed in astonishment:
"Kidō-wrapped body... You actually perfected this technique!"
"Truly worthy of being my descendant—what a prodigy!"
Yoruichi curled the corner of her lips upward.
"This technique is now called Shunkō—my signature skill."
"Tch, still built upon my research... If not for the notes I left behind..."
Shihōin Chika grumbled discontentedly.
The more he observed Yoruichi Shihōin, the more pleased he felt.
This granddaughter had surpassed him in every aspect.
He merely disliked using his Zanpakutō, though he still carried it most of the time.
But Yoruichi? She outright refused to carry a Zanpakutō.
The incomplete Kidō-wrapped body technique—now called Shunkō—had been perfected by this girl.
Her Flash Step technique was no less skilled than his own.
Apart from slightly inferior Reiatsu and combat experience, she had achieved perfection in all other areas.
Truly a child worthy of bearing my Shihōin Chika's bloodline!
He shook his wrist, preparing to exert his full capability to properly nurture this promising seedling.
But just then, a sinister sensation surged from the depths of his mind.
This feeling was all too familiar to him.
Hell... was taking control of his body!
Damn it, why now?
"I've been fighting hard all along, never slacking off!"
"Does chatting a few words during battle violate the will of hell?"
Shihōin Chika struggled angrily to break free from the control, but his body was already beginning to stiffen.
His eyes were gradually turning into the golden color controlled by hell.
Seeing Shihōin Chika's transformation, Yoruichi frowned.
Golden pupils, sudden change in demeanor.
Satoru had explained this situation during the captain's meeting before.
Once the enemy undergoes a similar change, communication becomes impossible afterward.
Watching the struggling expression on Shihōin Chika's face, she remained silent for a few seconds before assuming an offensive stance.
"It seems the time for family chat has ended."
"Don't worry, Grandpa Chika. As the current head of the Shihōin Clan, I will take responsibility and send you back to the other side."
"There's no need to worry about things here. With Satoru and me around, the Shihōin Clan will continue to move forward."
"?"
Originally, Shihōin Chika had begun to show a relieved expression.
But upon hearing the last sentence, he immediately lost his composure.
"That bastard Satoru... I won't rest in peace until I beat the crap out of him!"
No, you're already dead to begin with.
Yoruichi remained expressionless.
Suddenly, she sensed something and turned to look at the sky.
"RAAAAAAAH!!!"
Satoru erupted with a dazzling Reiatsu glow, his entire body resembling a fiery meteor as he shot straight toward them from the sky.
Behind him, a pair of metal wings spread out to stabilize his body while continuously accelerating him.
The raised metal claws gleamed with a chilling cold light.
And his target was precisely Shihōin Chika!
Witnessing Satoru charging forth like a demon, Shihōin Chika's eyes widened in shock.
That bastard! Before I could even go looking for him, he's already coming to kill me to silence me?
Damn it! Even if I get cut down, I'll never approve of this marriage!
Filled with grief and indignation, Shihōin Chika simply stopped resisting hell's control and instead cooperated with it, throwing a punch at the diving Satoru.
BOOM!!!!
Under Yoruichi's merciless gaze, Satoru crashed down like a wrecking ball. Due to poor coordination during the control transition, Shihōin Chika couldn't mount a proper counterattack and was directly knocked to the ground by Satoru.
After pinning Shihōin Chika down, Satoru raised his elbow and aimed his claw at the position of the chain on his chest, striking down!
Amid the flashing Reiatsu glow, Shihōin Chika's chain became visible.
Seeing the cracks madly spreading across it, Shihōin Chika's eyes widened with the joy of someone who'd just won the lottery.
What method did this kid use? He can actually break the chains of hell?!
He quickly mustered all his strength to suppress hell's control over his body, making it easier for Satoru to work.
After a few seconds of stalemate, the chain on his chest snapped in two with a sharp crack.
"Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!!"
Shihōin Chika lay on the ground, wildly praising the man before him.
"Satoru, you damn brat, you're truly a genius! How the hell did you do it?!"
"Wait, no, not Satoru ... Brother Satoru! From today on, you're my real brother!!"
Confirming that his chain had truly broken and all control from hell had completely dissipated, Shihōin Chika was so ecstatic he couldn't close his mouth.
Yoruichi couldn't help but mentally raise a question mark.
If you call him brother, then what should I call him?
Before she could grasp the logic of the situation, a terrifying Reiatsu surged from Shihōin Chika's chest.
The second Hell's Will had descended upon the Soul Society!
Satoru extended his senses to gauge the strength of this Hell's Will.
"Strong, but not entirely strong."
He took a deep breath and raised his arms.
A massive sphere of Reiatsu rapidly took shape!
"Yoruichi! Get Chika out of here!"
"..."
Yoruichi nearly laughed in exasperation at these two.
One dared to say it, the other dared to agree?
After Yoruichi evacuated Chika, Satoru faced the colossal Hell's Will and hurled the energy sphere with all his might—
"Take this... Gaia Energy Cannon!!!"
...
...
In the Sixth Squad's defensive zone, Shiba Isshin gripped his Zanpakutō with both hands, skidding back dozens of meters as his feet left trails of white smoke on the ground.
Staring at the girl whose pupils had turned completely gold, he gritted his teeth.
This was absolutely insane.
The girl looked slender and petite, yet she fought with more ferocity than a rabid dog.
If not for the defensive swordsmanship he'd learned from Aizen over the years, he might have truly been overwhelmed by her relentless assault.
What baffled him more than her fighting style was her seemingly endless stamina.
They had been fighting for over ten minutes. Even he, a veteran of the Eleventh Squad, was reaching his limit, yet this girl remained as vigorous as ever.
Could this be some special enhancement from Hell?
Seeing the golden glow in her eyes, Isshin knew he had to end this quickly.
He took a deep breath:
"Bankai..."
"ROAR!!!!"
In a flash of light, Satoru seemed to use some super-acceleration technique, instantly bypassing Isshin and charging toward the girl.
Even through the partial helmet of his Bankai, Isshin could see the bloodshot veins in his eyes.
Thinking Satoru had come to assist him, Isshin quickly said:
"Big bro! No need! I can handle this myself!"
Satoru didn't respond.
The armor-breaking capability of Risō Jakumetsu wasn't limitless.
Just like when the Quincy deployed their Final Dogma, his dual blades hadn't been able to break through immediately.
After activating Bankai, though the armor-breaking effect was significantly enhanced, it still had its limits.
Every confrontation with Hell's power was exhausting work.
Severing the chains of Katori Batsu'unsai and Shihōin Chika had drained nearly half of his stamina.
But even so, there was no time to rest.
He raised his iron claw, preparing to sever the pink-haired girl's chains.
Her golden eyes flashed as she thrust her Zanpakutō toward him.
"Out of my way!!"
Satoru grabbed her arm with a sharp crack.
RIIIP!!
With a violent tug, Satoru tore off the girl's arm, ripping away a large chunk of flesh where it connected to her body. Blood sprayed out instantly.
Watching from the side, Isshin winced at the sight.
After tearing off the girl's arm, Satoru seized the opportunity to strike her chains with his Bankai's iron claw—
...
...
In the Thirteenth Squad's defensive zone, explosions from colliding Reiatsu echoed continuously.
Kenpachi Zaraki laughed maniacally, swinging his Zanpakutō back and forth as he charged at Sakahone Saizō.
Not far away, Jūshirō Ukitake lay on a stretcher, surrounded by several medical Shinigami performing emergency treatment.
After Sakahone Saizō activated his Bankai, his combat power had increased exponentially.
At first, Jūshirō Ukitake could keep up with the rhythm, exchanging blows in a back-and-forth manner.
However, in less than two minutes, he began coughing up blood.
Sakahone Saizō initially intended to stop and mock him with a few laughs.
Unexpectedly, at that very moment, the control of Hell suddenly took over.
His eyes turned golden as he stabbed Ukitake multiple times in succession.
Just as he was about to decapitate Ukitake, Kenpachi Zaraki descended from the sky.
Before the war began, Aizen had given him a device to monitor the Reiatsu states of those Satoru cared about.
If anyone's Reiatsu showed abnormalities, the machine would alert Kenpachi Zaraki and transport him to the scene.
Thanks to this, Ukitake escaped with his life.
Watching Sakahone Saizō, who was now passionately clashing with him, Kenpachi Zaraki felt exhilarated.
Usually, in the Eleventh Division, he never fought to his full satisfaction.
Sparring, after all, could never compare to a life-or-death battle.
The sensation of each strike cutting into flesh was what truly captivated him.
When sparring with individuals like Kaname Tōsen or Ichimaru Gin, even if he won, he couldn't just slash them freely.
As for sparring with his elder brother, he simply couldn't win at all.
Neither scenario provided the thrill he craved.
Sakahone Saizō was different.
This guy wasn't an ally—he could be cut down without restraint.
His strength was perfectly matched with Kenpachi's own, making the fight intensely satisfying.
Fueled by excitement, he transformed into a beast of war, advancing step by step to compress Saizō's space while wildly swinging his sword.
Under Satoru's constant provocations, Kenpachi Zaraki had not only completed his "rehabilitation" but had even grown slightly stronger than he was a millennium ago.
Though he still hadn't learned Shikai, his combat prowess had reached a level that even Aizen couldn't help but take notice of.
By the time Satoru arrived, Sakahone Saizō had already been hacked into a bloody pulp.
Gazing at the corpse on the ground, Satoru felt a wave of emotion.
That lanky young man he had picked up from Rukongai had, unknowingly, grown to such an extent without him realizing.
It seemed it was time to find him a captain's position.
Hmm... which division should I choose?
Most divisions already have captains. If there's no other choice, I'll just have to remove a few.
How about... the Fifth Division?
After pondering for a moment, he suddenly froze.
Wait, wasn't Kenpachi Zaraki being groomed to inherit the Eleventh Division?
Since he's already grown strong enough, it seems like the perfect time to pass the position to him and make my escape...
At this thought, Satoru felt an itch of excitement.
While sending Kenpachi Zaraki to assist the others, Satoru raised his hand and rubbed his brow.
Three original captains released... Judging by the Reiatsu, there should still be fourteen captain-level fighters controlled by Hell within the Seireitei.
Damn, is Hell that overflowing with personnel? They sent out eighteen captain-level fighters all at once?
Oh, plus Rennosuke Kamikawa, whom I captured, that makes nineteen.
With such an extravagant lineup, if it were Yamamoto, not only would he not be dissatisfied, he'd probably be grinning from ear to ear.
Taking a deep breath, Satoru steeled himself and prepared to rescue the next one.
The next second, he suddenly froze and looked up at the sky.
Unnoticed by anyone, the Gates of Hell had opened once more.
From the deep crimson abyss, a black shadow shot out.
Then a second, a third...
Hundreds... thousands...
Countless black shadows, like a torrential downpour, surged forth from the Gates of Hell, charging straight toward the Seireitei!
Watching these shadows, Katori Batsu'unsai wore an expression of disbelief.
"Hell sinners?!"
Each of those countless shadows was a sinner imprisoned in Hell!
She could hardly believe that Hell would actually release these individuals!
The Hell sinners raining down like a storm laughed maniacally the moment they landed, immediately engaging in frenzied combat with their surroundings.
The Seireitei's defensive formations, under this sudden assault, instantly became precarious.
Shihōin Chika's eyes widened as he roared:
"Yoruichi! Run!"
"Don't be ridiculous! I'm not running anywhere!"
Yoruichi shouted back.
She scanned her surroundings, searching for a way to stabilize the situation.
Just then, a flicker of flame caught her eye from the periphery of her vision.
Yoruichi instinctively turned to look.
There, a blaze burned like a candle flame in the darkness, radiant and fierce.
From within the flames, Yamamoto drew his Zanpakutō.
"All creation, turn to dust."
"Zanka no Tachi!!!"