Chapter 238: The Captains' Defeat—The Captain-Commander Enters Battle!
No one would have anticipated that the prestigious Gotei 13 would face massacre risk one day. Perhaps because they'd remained at the apex for far too long, they'd grown complacent as self-proclaimed defenders of world order.
When this mentality spreads throughout most of them, it signifies that this organization's extinction time approaches rapidly...
Sternritter "S"—The Superstar, Mask de Masculine—spoke with contemptuous gaze while gripping the bloodied Byakuya Kuchiki:
"Your Bankai really isn't spectacular. Although I prefer beating you with my fists, I apologize—you're genuinely... far too weak..."
The instant his words concluded, Mask de Masculine hurled Byakuya Kuchiki directly into the distant wall with his arm, then trampled upon Renji—who resembled mud. He shook his head and sighed: "One captain, one vice-captain. You two prove genuinely matching trash."
"However, honestly speaking, I'd always believed Bankai was exclusively possessed by captains. You truly startled me just now!"
"Captain..."
His consciousness had grown blurred. Abarai Renji extended his hand with all remaining strength. He raised his head tremblingly and gazed toward Byakuya Kuchiki's direction. The unwillingness and shame of losing to enemies was deeply imprinted within Renji's heart.
"Renji... Rukia... My apologies..."
CLANG—
With Senbonzakura's blade shattered, Byakuya Kuchiki's hands hung downward feebly. He was covered in blood, possessing no strength resisting the invaders anymore.
"Byakuya Kuchiki appears to have perished."
In District 7705, Jugram Haschwalth—who'd been following Yhwach—had been sensing each battlefield's situation. When he noticed that Byakuya Kuchiki's Reiatsu had weakened almost beyond perception, he turned toward Yhwach, who sat upon a tremendous boulder within the ruins, and spoke.
"Indeed?"
"It appears circumstances are requiring longer than anticipated!"
Hearing Haschwalth's observation, His Majesty Yhwach also spoke indifferently: "Well, underestimating enemies indeed constitutes our Sternritter's weakness. Wasn't that precisely the case when you traveled to Hueco Mundo?"
"That occasion differed. We cannot steal Arrancar Resurrección. Most critically, that woman's strength proved not inferior to mine."
After gently closing his eyes, Haschwalth recounted what had transpired then.
"Arrancar prove utterly insignificant—except for that man. His threat surpasses even Yamamoto considerably."
"I understand..."
A trace of nostalgia flashed across Yhwach's features. He could only sigh deeply.
BOOM!
Suddenly, a figure descended from the sky and landed heavily before them both. The corners of his mouth curled upward slightly as he spoke with a smile:
"Hey! Are you the leader of this group of worthless soldiers?"
Haschwalth's eyes widened, witnessing Zaraki Kenpachi materialize before them while carrying the corpses of two Sternritter members.
"This individual is... Zaraki Kenpachi!"
After confirming the other party's identity, Haschwalth addressed Yhwach positioned beside him.
"Hmm? Two Sternritter were eliminated... What did you accomplish?"
Hearing the inquiry from the enemy before him, Zaraki Kenpachi grinned. He shrugged dismissively and declared: "Nothing special."
"Initially, the massive creature moved completely freely. It relied upon sound to knock people away, then transformed into a gorilla and charged forward. However, I killed it with a single blade stroke. The second was this nagging individual. He voiced objections regarding everything about me, discussing his nonsensical abilities. Because that enormous creature had just rattled my ears tremendously, I didn't hear clearly regardless. Finding him both irritating and disgusting, I directly closed distance and stabbed his throat."
After listening to Zaraki Kenpachi's account, Haschwalth's expression remained unchanged. He didn't display any emotional fluctuation despite his companions perishing before him.
"I see. I've heard regarding you, monster..."
Haschwalth hadn't concluded speaking when suddenly an afterimage passed beside him. Zaraki Kenpachi laughed and raised his Zanpakutō, slashing at Yhwach seated upon the ruins while shouting: "Ha! Haha! I'm not here for you, small fry! I came eliminating this individual!" His voice concluded just as the sharp blade light was about to descend upon Yhwach's head. Haschwalth's expression finally transformed slightly as he shouted: "Your Majesty!"
BOOM!
Accompanied by violent impact, Hisagi Shūhei's entire body was nearly embedded within the wall. A man positioned not far before him covered his face with helpless sarcasm: "Ugh!"
"Truly arduous labor..."
"Cleaning up weak-legged vice-captains proves far too difficult! So exhausting, so exhausting, so exhausting, so exhausting, so exhausting, so exhausting!"
After repeating the declaration several times consecutively, the man suddenly pointed at himself and addressed Hisagi Shūhei: "Hehe! Does fighting against a powerful man like me frighten you? The Schrift His Majesty bestowed upon me is [O—The Overkill]! Whether enemies, companions, or beasts—I'll slaughter everyone and grow stronger!"
After stating this, the man named Driscoll Berci approached Hisagi Shūhei step by step, swinging his arms dramatically.
"When I arrived here today, I eliminated at minimum one hundred individuals. Oh yes—I also killed one hundred en route. Additionally, there are individuals who serve as vice-captains like yourself."
Driscoll Berci—who trampled upon stone pathways filled with Shinigami corpses—boasted regarding his killing record while raising the Heilig Pfeil that had already charged within his grasp and declaring: "Just like this!"
"Aaahh!"
After concentrating intensely, Driscoll Berci raised the condensed Heilig Pfeil within his hand and hurled it heavily toward Hisagi Shūhei's direction!
The Heilig Pfeil flashing with electrical arcs pierced through space, shooting toward Hisagi Shūhei—who was powerless to resist—at unstoppable velocity. Witnessing that the young vice-captain was about to perish, at this critical juncture, a solid, majestic figure suddenly materialized before Shūhei.
Grasping the Heilig Pfeil thrown by Driscoll Berci with bare hands, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni directly annihilated it with both hands. Then he brushed his palms together and addressed Hisagi Shūhei positioned behind him: "Stand behind me obediently. Observe how this old man will annihilate all enemies who've come!"
"Captain-Commander..."
Observing this serious, rigid elder's back, Hisagi Shūhei experienced unprecedented sense of security.
"Wow... Ahahahahaha!"
"Truly fortunate! My luck proves extraordinarily excellent! I hadn't anticipated encountering you here, Captain-Commander!"
Driscoll Berci spread his arms wide and laughed wildly, displaying no concern that the other party could easily block his Heilig Pfeil.
"My purpose coming to Soul Society was finding you—specifically to utilize your subordinate's Bankai eliminating you here!"
As he spoke, Driscoll Berci withdrew the star medallion that had absorbed Chōjirō Sasakibe's Bankai and gripped it within his hand, gazing arrogantly at Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni standing before him.