Rukia Kuchiki had already given up.
In her mind, Lin Xuan probably wouldn't come for her. Rescuing her meant making an enemy of the entire Seireitei.
As a member of the Gotei 13, she knew how powerful the Seireitei was—especially Captain-Commander Yamamoto, whose strength was unfathomable.
Lin Xuan had no obligation to save her. No reason to risk himself for her sake.
Truthfully, their bond wasn't deep. She'd been summoned to the Naruto world to help him fight—and in return, he'd told her Aizen's true face.
They were even.
She'd even wondered if Lin Xuan had only summoned her to the Naruto world as a means to reach the Soul Society.
Rukia didn't hate Lin Xuan—but she was disappointed.
Yet at the last moment, this man had appeared.
He'd stormed into the Seireitei, saved her from the Sōkyoku, and was now preparing to stand against the entire Seireitei for her sake.
Rukia's gaze toward Lin Xuan grew complicated.
But looking at the captains nearby—especially her brother Byakuya Kuchiki—her expression turned grave again.
"We need to go. You can't beat them!" she urged.
Lin Xuan smiled faintly and patted her shoulder. "Relax. It's fine.
Just sit back and enjoy the show."
After handing Rukia to Kūkaku's care, Lin Xuan stepped forward to face Yamamoto and the captains.
"Hmph. You dare touch my people?" Lin Xuan snorted coldly.
In an instant, a domineering aura swept through the air.
Behind him, Rukia—watching Kūkaku with guilt—heard those words and felt a strange mix of emotions.
The captains didn't move. Their eyes turned to the Captain-Commander.
Yamamoto looked at Lin Xuan, expression unchanged. "Do you truly believe your little group can take her from us?"
Reiatsu erupted from his body. "Have you underestimated us?"
The other captains released their reiatsu as well, bearing down on Lin Xuan and his group together.
Yoruichi, Kūkaku, Rukia—everyone's face changed.
So many captains releasing reiatsu at once was terrifying. Even Rukia had never seen anything like it.
Yamamoto's reiatsu alone was nearly suffocating.
Rukia and Ganju's legs began to shake under the pressure, nearly buckling.
Then Lin Xuan stepped forward, shielding them.
The pressure eased immediately.
Lin Xuan looked at the group across from him and smiled. "Then let's see which is stronger."
Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body—a terrifying pressure crashing head-on into the captains' reiatsu.
Boom!
The ground shook violently. Surrounding vegetation was flattened.
Several Shinigami who'd escorted Rukia to the execution ground foamed at the mouth and collapsed instantly.
Even Nanao Ise, lieutenant standing behind Shunsui, dropped to her knees, struggling to breathe.
Shunsui quickly grabbed the affected and used flash step to carry them a kilometer away. They slowly recovered.
"What kind of monster is this? That presence is terrifying—probably no weaker than Old Man Yamamoto," Shunsui said grimly.
Yamamoto's gaze toward Lin Xuan turned serious.
"You're strong. But if that's all you've got, you still can't take her."
His cane shattered. A Zanpakutō appeared in his hand. Reiatsu like solid flame erupted from his body.
Other captains—Byakuya Kuchiki, Kaname Tōsen—grew grave as well, drawing their Zanpakutō.
Discovering Lin Xuan was stronger than expected had ignited their fighting spirit.
But Lin Xuan smiled. "True. If just our little group rescued Rukia from under your noses, that would be too embarrassing for you."
"In that case—let me call some reinforcements."
He waved his hand. Dozens of white figures appeared on the open ground before them.
"Come on. Let's raise hell—Cross-Dimensional Edo Tensei!"
Every White Zetsu was instantly wrapped in dust, forming large cocoons one after another.
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T/N:
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