"Whisper, Muramasa!"
As Kōga Kuchiki chanted the release command, Muramasa's blade emitted a pale purple wave of Reiatsu, spreading outward through the dissipating smoke.
"You really don't know when to quit, do you?"
Masatsuki Aozaki sighed, standing motionless as the thin, thread-like ripples of Reiatsu passed through his body.
In that instant, he felt his Zanpakutō stir.
It wasn't Muramasa's ability taking effect—rather, the mischievous little demon, Banshō, was protesting.
"You actually sealed off your heart on purpose! I was hoping that after he used Bankai, you'd bring me and my sister out to play with you!"
"Alright, alright, we'll have plenty of chances to play. Just hold on for now."
Masatsuki Aozaki reassured her. This little demon was truly spoiled.
Banshō snorted in displeasure. "Whatever, I'm going back to find my sister!"
...
Kōga Kuchiki waved his Zanpakutō, scattering the remaining smoke, and murmured, "So… it really had no effect."
He had known that Masatsuki Aozaki had closed off his heart, but he still wanted to try.
For decades, his Zanpakutō's ability had struck fear into enemies across countless battlefields. Yet, now, it was completely useless.
Letting out a sigh, Kōga Kuchiki suddenly widened his eyes, unleashing a powerful burst of Reiatsu.
In an instant, the surrounding area for several kilometers was swallowed by a vast and oppressive wave of spiritual pressure, rolling outward like an endless tide.
Fortunately, Reiatsu perception had its limits, and this remote mountain forest served as the perfect battlefield. Otherwise, his carefully maintained secrecy would have been ruined.
Masatsuki Aozaki remained still, quietly observing as the air grew heavier and more suffocating.
"If this is all you've got, you might as well admit defeat now."
In Kōga Kuchiki's current state, Masatsuki Aozaki was confident he could crush him instantly—without even letting him activate Bankai. But that wasn't what he wanted.
He wanted to defeat Kōga Kuchiki at his strongest. To make him completely acknowledge his superiority.
"I know full well that Shikai alone won't be enough to defeat someone like you… so…"
Kōga Kuchiki exhaled slowly, his gaze sharpening under Masatsuki Aozaki's watchful eyes.
"Bankai."
Boom!
A massive surge of spiritual pressure erupted from Kōga Kuchiki, shaking the very air around them.
Masatsuki Aozaki didn't stand idle—he unleashed his own Reiatsu to counter, the sheer force of their collision rippling through the atmosphere.
Yet, there was no doubt—Masatsuki Aozaki was at a disadvantage.
Their base Reiatsu levels were nearly equal, but with the boost from Bankai, Kōga Kuchiki's pressure instantly surpassed his.
Even so, Masatsuki Aozaki remained unfazed. He had fought opponents beyond his level before—and he wasn't about to lose confidence now.
...
"Mukōjōchū Muramasa!"
Kōga Kuchiki gripped his Zanpakutō tightly with both hands and raised it high above his head.
At that moment, a figure clad in a flowing white coat emerged from his blade.
Muramasa.
The instant he appeared, Muramasa's gaze flickered toward Banshō Senran, which was firmly held in Masatsuki Aozaki's grasp.
However, he made no unnecessary movements. He simply stood there in silence—because he knew that no matter what he did, it would be futile.
Then, with a slight motion, he raised his right hand.
In the blink of an eye, a long, gleaming blade materialized in his palm, radiating a cold, lethal presence.
Masatsuki Aozaki chuckled.
"So, you used Bankai specifically to summon Muramasa… so that his Reiatsu could also reach its Bankai-enhanced state?"
Kōga Kuchiki's eyes gleamed with admiration.
"As expected from the man who once defeated me. You're absolutely right. But…" He smirked. "Can you handle two Bankai-level versions of me at the same time?"
Masatsuki Aozaki showed no particular reaction to his words.
Instead, it was Muramasa who couldn't suppress the smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
My master just said that I am him!
A Zanpakutō is an extension of a Shinigami's heart and soul. Just as Kōga Kuchiki longed for recognition from Ginrei Kuchiki, Muramasa, too, craved acknowledgment.
But where Kōga Kuchiki sought the approval of his clan elder, Muramasa longed to be acknowledged by Kōga Kuchiki himself.
That one sentence from Kōga Kuchiki struck Muramasa deeply. His heart swelled with exhilaration—so much so that he could hardly contain himself.
As soon as the words left his master's lips, Kōga Kuchiki blurred into motion, his figure vanishing like a phantom.
Muramasa followed immediately, the two of them streaking toward Masatsuki Aozaki like arrows loosed from a bow.
"That was fast, but I'm not who I used to be."
Masatsuki Aozaki let out a low breath as he met the two men head-on, blade in hand.
Watching them charge at him, he had a fleeting thought—pulling an Aizen and using Kyōka Suigetsu's Complete Hypnosis to make them turn on each other. But the vast gap in Reiatsu, along with Yamamoto's warning, made him drop the idea.
Shinigami battles were mostly fought head-on, clashing blades while using Reiatsu to enhance speed, strength, and overall combat ability.
Masatsuki Aozaki, however, was in a unique position. His Reiatsu wasn't just reinforcing his already formidable physique—it was also compensating for the power gap caused by the difference in Reiatsu levels.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Ryūjin Jakka, Urozakuro, Katen Kyōkotsu, Bōkunchō, Gonryōmaru, Nejibana…
Multiple elemental Kidō-based Shikai were unleashed at once.
For a moment, the sharp clash of blades echoed through the mountains and forests, as if tearing through the sky itself!
The sound was deafening, like a thousand gongs struck in unison, or the battle cry of countless soldiers charging into war—vast, thunderous, and overwhelming.
Each collision sent powerful shockwaves through the air, making leaves swirl and dance like butterflies in the wind.
Amidst the flurry of flashing blades, three figures moved at incredible speed. Their weapons gleamed coldly as they clashed and separated in rapid succession, every strike filled with lethal intent and immense force.
"This swordsmanship is terrifying… Was he holding back every time we sparred?"
Beneath his black mask, Kōga Kuchiki's eyes darted rapidly, tracking Masatsuki Aozaki's movements. Even with Muramasa's aid, he was struggling to keep up.
And it wasn't just the swordplay—the bursts of Kidō flames, gusting winds, crashing waves, and crackling lightning made his situation even worse.
His long sword and Reiatsu-coated body offered little defense against the relentless assault, leaving him with no choice but to dodge in desperation.
"Damn it… How is he this strong!?"
A storm of disbelief raged in Kōga Kuchiki's mind.
Ever since mastering Bankai, ordinary Shinigami had been beneath his notice.
Even among the Captains of the Gotei 13, aside from the Captain-Commander and his father-in-law, he never thought himself weaker than anyone.
After wreaking havoc on the Tsunayashiro Clan and slaughtering countless of their Shinigami, he had even begun to believe that he could stand his ground against his father-in-law—and perhaps even Yamamoto himself.
So while he had always lost to Masatsuki Aozaki when only using Shikai, he had been certain that his Bankai would make this fight an easy victory.
Yet now, even at full power, he was struggling just to keep up.
Clang!
With another fierce clash, the two of them recoiled from the impact, parting like they had been jolted by an electric shock.
Kōga Kuchiki fixed his gaze on Masatsuki Aozaki, his eyes flashing with wariness and caution.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake