Chapter 40

Simply insane!

"Why did a spiritual pressure suddenly appear? I sense a Shinigami's spiritual pressure—he's fighting right now!"

"That's Kuchiki Senya's spiritual pressure! I can't be wrong—he's alone, facing a siege of several hundred Hollows! He can't die!"

"Issue the highest order immediately—all forces, full rescue!"

The members of the Central Forty-Six Chambers immediately issued the order, transmitting it to everyone in Seireitei through black butterflies.

One person, facing several hundred Hollows, and not dying.

Kuchiki Senya is not only potential—even his actual strength has reached an utterly terrifying level!

Absolutely the very top-tier, even surpassing the level of the topmost Captains!

Such combat power must be firmly held in our grasp—absolutely no mishaps allowed!

Hope.

May he hold out a little longer!

……

The Kuchiki Clan.

"That's…"

"Big brother's aura!"

Kuchiki Bai Zai's pupils contracted violently, his entire body trembling madly.

He snatched up his Zanpakuto and dashed outside.

The moment he stepped out of his room, he saw Kuchiki Sōjun with a solemn face, as well as Kuchiki Ginrei……

"I—"

Before Kuchiki Bai Zai could speak, Kuchiki Ginrei scooped him up in one motion, Shunpo activated, and rushed off into the distance.

That is a siege of several hundred Hollows, dozens of Menos Grande!

And—

In all of Rukongai, only Kuchiki Senya alone possesses top-tier Captain-level combat power!

Under such an offensive—

Any Captain would meet their end!

To deal with a Hollow tide of this scale, half the strength of the Gotei 13 must be deployed!

"Big brother, you have to hold on!"

The wind howled. Kuchiki Bai Zai gripped his Zanpakuto tightly, face full of worry, gazing far into the distance—at the crisscrossing, colossal, pure-white blade-flashes.

Countless Menos Grande that pierced heaven and earth, Gao Song towering into the clouds, their towering silhouettes, and the faintly discernible roars!

……

Gotei 13.

Headquarters.

The instant the spiritual pressure was detected, within five minutes, all the Captains had gathered, appearing in the meeting room with grave faces.

Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni sat at the head, the aged furrows on his face crisscrossing, his expression dark beyond compare.

"All members of the Gotei 13, deploy!"

"Rescue Kuchiki Senya!"

With a single command.

Unohana Retsu, Muguruma Kensei, Ukitake Jūshirō, Kyōraku Shunsui, Zaraki Kenpachi……

At this moment.

Every Captain at headquarters, without the slightest hesitation, flashed forward, charging toward Rukongai!

035. The Strongest Shield of Soul Society!

"This is a plot against Kuchiki Senya!"

"This fluctuation—they've been clashing for at least over ten minutes! Yet it only just erupted now!"

On the way.

Kyōraku Shunsui was still wearing his familiar cherry-blossom haori, his usual laziness restrained, his tone extremely solemn.

"Right now, the most urgent thing is to go rescue him first."

"That is a coordinated assault by several hundred Hollows—no matter how gifted Kuchiki Senya is, he can't hold out for long."

Unohana Retsu sat atop a giant manta ray, gently shaking her head.

Soaring swiftly through the air.

This is the ability after Nikushina's Shikai—a giant one-eyed manta ray!

"Tch."

"I really envy that kid, getting to experience such a life-and-death, thrilling battle!" Zaraki Kenpachi grinned.

His serrated Zanpakuto was squeezed until it creaked—"Gakki~"

His entire being had been raised to peak condition! Eagerly anticipating the coming battle!

The next moment.

A flash of fire appeared—like a meteor trailing blazing flames across the horizon—rushing at top speed toward Rukongai, toward the battlefield.

"Even the Captain-Commander has taken the field personally."

"It seems he truly regards Kuchiki Senya as Soul Society's hope, terrified of Senya suffering even the slightest injury."

Sensing the all-annihilating spiritual pressure within the flames, Kyōraku Shunsui sighed.

There aren't many reasons that could make Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni act personally—but Kuchiki Senya counts as one.

……

The Tsunayashiro Clan.

The Tsunayashiro clan head gazed at the moonlight in the distance, feeling the spiritual pressure of the Hollows and the keen edge of sword-light.

He gave a slight nod.

A faint mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Go ahead and make your final death throes."

Hundreds of Hollows, dozens of Menos Grande, among them even Arrancar-class spiritual pressure — this was the killing formation laid out for Kuchiki Senya!

Even so.

His combat prowess was extraordinary, his Zanpakuto unmatched in sharpness, capable of cutting down every Hollow.

But how could the Tsunayashiro clan fail to prepare specifically against his Zanpakuto?

Before this.

The Tsunayashiro clan had long ago borrowed a divine artifact from the Shihoin clan, under the pretext of research.

In Soul Society.

No one could cut through it — the strongest shield!

It was famed alongside the "strongest spear of Soul Society," the "Sokyoku," which possessed the attack power of a million Zanpakuto!

Even if his Zanpakuto were ten thousand times sharper, it could not possibly cut through it! That represented absolute defense!

……

Within the Seireitei.

The students of Shino Academy were also jolted awake in the dead of night by that immense spiritual pressure, their startled, doubtful gazes turning toward Rukongai.

"This is Kuchiki Senya's spiritual pressure, isn't it!"

"How could it be this immense — is he fighting hundreds of Hollows all by himself right now?!"

The crowd buzzed with discussion.

During the entrance test, they had all felt Kuchiki Senya's spiritual pressure.

Although.

This spiritual pressure was several times stronger than back then, the fundamental aura would not change — the one fighting was definitely Kuchiki Senya!

"This time, can Kuchiki Senya pull through?"

"If he dies, the entire Soul Society will be shaken!"

"After all, he is the number-one genius, the rising star that even Captain-Commander Genryusai holds in high regard!"

It was the dead of night, yet the crowd was more alert than during the day.

Their strength was insufficient; they could only stay here and wait for the final outcome.