The street fell completely silent.
Renji Abarai and Rukia Kuchiki stood frozen, staring at Byakuya Kuchiki with nervous eyes.
He had just been punched in the face by a human. With Byakuya's pride and noble nature... how furious was he going to be?
As expected, Byakuya stepped back slowly. His eyes were colder than ever—like solid ice—focused directly on Rukia.
"Rukia," he said, his voice calm but threatening, "it seems you truly don't want to return. But do you think this human can actually stop me?"
As he spoke, Byakuya's spiritual pressure exploded.
A wave of blue Reiatsu shot into the sky, glowing like a beacon and lighting up everything around them.
Seeing this, Nanaya didn't hold back. He released his own spiritual pressure—a red column of Reiatsu burst upward, clashing violently against Byakuya's.
The two colors—red and blue—took the shape of roaring beasts, colliding in midair with fierce energy.
"This... this is captain-level Reiatsu for sure..."
Renji stared in shock at the two figures locked in spiritual combat. A human was actually going head-to-head with Captain Kuchiki...
Then, snapping out of it, he turned toward Rukia and gritted his teeth.
"Rukia, you're up against me."
He knew he couldn't interfere in a fight between captains. But against Rukia, he was confident.
"Renji..."
Rukia clenched her fists, biting her lip.
"My powers..."
Back when she still had her full strength, she was confident she could stand her ground. Her Zanpakutō, Sode no Shirayuki, was one of the most beautiful and powerful.
But now...
"No. You're not fighting her!"
A voice called out from nearby.
Kurosaki Ichigo walked in, carrying his oversized blade on his shoulder.
"Ichigo?!"
Rukia turned, surprised to see him.
Ichigo yawned. "Geez. You two just had to jump into this mess without telling anyone."
"Another one? And his Reiatsu... it's vice-captain level?"
Renji looked at Ichigo, stunned.
First a human with captain-level power, and now this guy with spiritual pressure close to a lieutenant's?
Was this really the human world?
"And I've been standing here this whole time, just watching you two flirt."
Another voice chimed in. Ishida Uryu stepped out from the shadows, adjusting his glasses.
A glowing blue bow appeared in his hand.
"A Quincy!?"
Renji shouted.
"And we're here too!"
Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado joined them, stepping out with determined looks on their faces.
"Everyone..." Rukia covered her mouth, eyes tearing up slightly.
Ichigo raised his sword and pointed it at Renji.
"If you want to take Rukia back, you'll have to go through all of us first."
Veins bulged on Renji's forehead. He let out a frustrated roar and charged forward.
"What the hell are you people!?"
The battle between the others was about to begin.
But Byakuya and Nanaya didn't even spare them a second glance.
They both knew—the only real fight here was between them.
Everyone else... was just background noise.
Byakuya moved first. He reversed his grip on his sword, pointing the tip down, and slowly let go.
The blade dropped and sank smoothly into the ground.
"Scatter, Senbonzakura."
In an instant, the pure white blade dissolved.
Thousands of pink petals floated into the air—graceful, elegant, dancing in the wind like cherry blossoms.
But through Nanaya's Mangekyō Sharingan, the truth was clear.
They weren't petals at all.
They were blades.
Sharp, thin blades disguised as Sakura flowers. Beautiful... and deadly.
It was the perfect mix of elegance and violence—just like Byakuya.
With a single wave of his hand, Byakuya sent a storm of petal-blades rushing toward Nanaya.
Nanaya's eyes sharpened. His lips moved slightly as he whispered:
"Amaterasu."
"Flame Control!"
A single black spark appeared on one of the falling cherry blossom blades—then erupted into black fire.
Under Nanaya's control, the eternal black flames writhed and spread like a living sea of destruction, engulfing the street and rapidly consuming the scattered Senbonzakura petals.
Each petal was a blade. Each one now burning.
"He's burning my spiritual energy... and my Zanpakutō!?"
Byakuya's eyes widened slightly—but only for a moment. A veteran of countless battles, his instincts kicked in instantly.
He manipulated the still-burning petals, sending a storm of ignited blades hurtling toward Nanaya.
Just as they were about to strike—
Clack.
Red bones materialized out of thin air, forming a skeletal barrier around Nanaya's body.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The flaming petals slammed into the red armor, striking like blades on steel. Sparks flew. Metal screamed.
Byakuya narrowed his eyes. "What... is this power?"
From within the bones, Nanaya's calm voice echoed:
"This is Susanoo—the third power."
Then, with a grin, Nanaya stepped forward—and vanished.
Byakuya's gaze sharpened. He waved his hand, sending more petals at Susanoo, and raised his index finger.
"Hadō #4: Byakurai!"
"Hadō #4: Byakurai!"
They cast the spell in unison.
Twin bolts of white lightning collided midair, lighting up Karakura Town like a thunderstorm. The explosion echoed for blocks.
But Nanaya's spell pierced through. Byakuya's shoulder was struck, his captain's haori scorched and torn.
"Kidō without chanting... did that cat demon teach you this too?"
Nanaya chuckled. "Yep. Two days' training."
"Lies," Byakuya growled. He didn't buy a word of it. His spiritual pressure surged again.
"Hadō #32: Ōkasen!" (Yellow Fire Flash!)
But this time, Nanaya didn't copy him.
Instead, he raised a hand with a smirk."Hadō #54: Haien!" (Waste Flame!)
Purple fire erupted forward, devouring the incoming yellow blast and continuing its path toward Byakuya.
Forced to abandon pride for practicality, Byakuya dodged.
And in that instant—
BOOM!
Nanaya slammed Susanoo's fist into him.
Even with a last-second block, the sheer force drove Byakuya into the pavement, cracking the ground beneath him.
Half-buried, Byakuya looked up, expression still cold and composed. "You are strong. Your powers are strange… and Kidō above 50, without even chanting."
Nanaya raised an eyebrow. "You're half-buried in the ground and still acting like you're not impressed?"
Byakuya twitched. His pride was boiling.
"Don't get cocky, human," he snapped. "What you've seen is only a fraction of my power. I've held back... to avoid damaging the world of the living."
His hand reached for his blade, and his Reiatsu flared like a storm.
"Now witness a true captain's strength."
"Bankai—Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"
With a flash of steel, two massive blades rose from the ground like obelisks, then crumbled into dust—
That dust became a torrent.
Tens of thousands—no, hundreds of thousands of blade-petals filled the air, a typhoon of death and beauty.
Renji's jaw dropped.
"He forced Captain Kuchiki to use Bankai...! We should've reported this level of threat..."
But before he could process it further—
"Susanoo—Full Form."
The ground trembled.
From within the swirling storm of blades, a towering crimson war god emerged.
Susanoo had taken full shape.
The massive figure ignored the swarm of petals as if they were nothing—and raised its foot.
BOOM!!!
It came crashing down toward Byakuya like a divine judgment.
From a rooftop near the Urahara Shop, five figures watched the chaos unfold.
Urahara Kisuke, Shihōin Yoruichi, Tsukabishi Tessai, Ururu, and Jinta.
All of them stood in silence, eyes locked on the battlefield in the distance.
Finally, Yoruichi sighed and rubbed her forehead.
"...I didn't expect it to escalate like this."
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