pdf-ebookys Chapter 689 Now it's several against several
Chapter 689 Now it's several against several
Kyoraku Shunsui had considered this possibility when Ikuko approached him.
At the time, he couldn't be sure whether Yuko was fabricating a lie to muddy the waters and deliberately trying to distract them.
Judging from Vice Captain Kotetsu's subconscious reaction, he is now almost 100% certain that Unohana Retsu and Ikuko are having an affair, or at least have communicated.
It's important to know that Kotetsu Isane only became the vice-captain of the Fourth Division after Ikuko and the others left Soul Society; he wasn't familiar with Ikuko before that.
Almost everyone understood the meaning immediately and looked at Retsu Unohana, hoping she could explain.
Unohana Retsu smiled helplessly, then turned and nodded slightly to Kotetsu Isane.
"Go, Yuon."
I got tricked by that idiot Yuko.
"Yes, Captain." Kotetsu Isane nodded without any reaction and left with the other vice-captains.
Kyoraku Shunsui tapped his hat brim with his finger, revealing a pair of calm eyes: "So, can you tell us now why you haven't made a move yet?"
"Time should be very precious to you."
Yuko watched Kotetsu Isane walk away before turning around with a smile: "I'm waiting."
"wait?"
"Hmm, let's wait for Aizen to say."
Kyoraku Shunsui's expression remained unchanged: "What nonsense are you talking about? Didn't you kill Captain Aizen a long time ago?"
I, who was supposed to cooperate with your performance, actually... tried my best to cooperate.
"No, Aizen's target was Rukia. He faked his death just to make us both suffer heavy losses."
That's really good, Kyoraku.
It seems we've got another traitor...an informant.
As Yuko spoke, she looked at Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, who had a serious expression: "It's just that this old geezer isn't very bright; he only likes to believe what he sees."
"Nonsense." Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni scoffed, his aged eyes filled with distrust. "You're saying Aizen's goal is Kuchiki Rukia?"
Why would a captain care about an ordinary Grim Reaper?
Even if this Shinigami is the adopted daughter of the Kuchiki family, Aizen Sousuke is still the captain.
Yuko curled her lips slightly, and with a slight flick of her Zanpakuto, the domain covering the entire Sōkyō Hill began to shrink.
Although it was shrinking, the sky was getting grayer and grayer. Even though it was midday with the sun shining brightly, the sky was as gloomy as if it were six or seven o'clock in the evening.
Has the scope been shrunk?
Was it to make the young lady from the Kuchiki family leave?
As Kyoraku Shunsui was pondering, Ikuko suddenly looked at him and smiled, "You just said how long my Bankai could last, right?"
A bad feeling rose in Kyoraku Shunsui's heart.
"There were probably seven or eight minutes left just now," Yuko paused, "but at this rate... fifteen minutes!"
Kyoraku Shunsui's eye twitched; there's such a thing as this.
Kyoraku Shunsui's eyes narrowed slightly: "However, among the captains present now, almost all of them can ignore your ability to block."
Because Yuko closed the domain, Rukia Kuchiki and the others, as well as Gin Ichimaru and Byakuya Kuchiki, had already left the domain's area. The only people still in the domain now are the old man, him, Ukitake, and Retsu Unohana.
Since he was able to successfully initiate liberation, others in the field can do the same now.
Just as he continued to press for answers, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni finally decided not to wait any longer and took half a step forward.
"Then let this old man burn you to ashes with flames."
With a flick of his wrist, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni wielded Ryujin Jakka, and the previously dormant, intensely bright flames once again enveloped the blade.
His gaze swept over the remaining captains present, and he shouted in a low voice: "All men, listen to my command, regardless of whether you are dead or wounded, kill Tsugikuni Yuko."
"Everyone?" Yu Zi tilted her head. "Grandpa, you don't really think I'm just making things up, do you?"
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ichigo and Renji protecting Rukia, getting entangled with Toshiro and the others.
Still not planning to show up? Aizen.
"So, what's the current situation, the odds on who's on whom?" Yu Zi withdrew her gaze, a playful expression appearing on her face. "You agree, right, Sister Hua?"
Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni frowned deeply: "What did you say..."
If we're talking about who knows Unohana Retsu best, he's number one in the entire Soul Society, and no one would dare to say they're second. Therefore, he also knows very well that even if, as Ikuko said, there is a traitor among the captains, it definitely wouldn't be Unohana Retsu.
Well, he wouldn't be surprised even if it were Kyoraku.
That's what he said, but Ukitake's gaze really fell on Unohana Retsu.
Retsu Unohana sighed softly, slowly untied the whip that was draped over her chest, then gently patted it behind her head, and walked slowly toward Ikuko, finally standing next to her.
Everyone's pupils trembled violently.
Yu Zi smiled and teased, "This look is quite stylish, I like it."
"If you keep talking nonsense, don't blame me for betraying you."
Retsu Unohana responded calmly to Ikuko and drew her Zanpakuto from her waist.
Their posture speaks for itself.
Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni frowned deeply: "Unohana... it was you..."
He wouldn't even care about Kyoraku...
"Hey, you pink-haired old man, why don't you take this opportunity to choose a side?" Yuko waved to Kyoraku Shunsui. "This is the best chance to personally beat this old geezer up."
Kyoraku Shunsui was shocked by Unohana Retsu's direct attitude. Hearing Ikuko's words, he couldn't help but shush: "That's quite a tempting topic..."
Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni stared at him silently.
"But I refuse."
Yu Zi's playful expression suddenly changed: "Sister Hua, can you stop those two scumbags for me?"
Yuko's rapid change of expression prompted Kyoraku Shunsui to exclaim, "Hey! I just refused, there's no need to change your expression so quickly!"
Yu Zi gave him a strange look: "Do you really think 'flirtatious pink uncle' is a good title?"
"..."
Damn, it really is!
But at least it's better than garbage.
Unohana Retsu gripped her Zanpakuto and sighed softly, "Alright, after this, all favors will be wiped out."
"What nonsense are you talking about? I haven't even settled the score with you for slandering me yet."
Retsu Unohana called out with a smile, "Ikuko~"
"Reset to zero!"
Unohana Retsu's smile faded. After exchanging glances with Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, she stood next to Ikuko and confronted Kyoraku Shunsui.
"Do me a favor, Kyoraku-sensei," Retsu Unohana said with a smile, "Just stand there like that."
"I don't want to kill you."
Kyoraku Shunsui gave a forced smile, "Then I really have to thank you for sparing my life, senior."
Ukitake glanced at his friend and looked at him questioningly.
Kyoraku shook his head slightly, indicating that he should not move for the time being.
"It seems you've reached an agreement." Retsu Unohana watched the interaction between the two and said with a smile, "Then let's find a suitable spot to enjoy the Captain-Commander's performance."
"Why isn't it my performance? Sister Hua, have you already sentenced me to death?"
Retsu Unohana chuckled: "Yuko, I'm the captain of the Fourth Division, of course I'll support the Captain-Commander."
"Sister Hua, the kind of person who's a fence-sitter is the most annoying."
"Oh, does that mean I have to change my position?"
"...Please feel free to do as you please."
After being timid with Unohana Retsu, Yuko immediately became assertive with Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.
“Old man, this time it won’t be like a hundred years ago. If you don’t want your title as the strongest death god in a thousand years to be tarnished, I advise you to obediently get out of the way.”
Kyoraku Shunsui's eyes twitched. "Listen to this, listen to this."
Does this sound like something a good person would say?
You really don't want to go back to Soul Society?
Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni said no more.
The verbal exchange was over. To him, the very existence of Tsugikuni Ikuko was the greatest threat to the order of the Seireitei.
Whether it was the betrayal a century ago or the blatant prison break today, her actions have crossed the absolute line.
He tightened his grip on his swift, fiery fingers, the veins on the back of his hand twisting like the roots of an old tree.
"All things in the universe turn to ashes—Ryujin Jakka!"
In an instant, the flames underwent a qualitative change from being restrained to exploding, and the scorching spiritual pressure transformed into visible orange-yellow flames that fiercely coiled around the blade.
The rising temperature of the flames dried out the air, and Yuko instinctively felt her body losing moisture rapidly.
That old geezer is actually quite something.
Even in her field, she can still generate such a huge amount of anger.
The ground of Twin Pyrrhic Hill was scorched and cracked, resembling a scene after a long drought.
Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni raised his hand, unleashing a slash of flames refined to its extreme, like a falling sun that turned the gray sky within the domain orange, slashing down towards Yuko.
The speed of this strike surpassed the comprehension of ordinary captain-level Grim Reapers.
In Yu Zi's field, no one else besides this old man can achieve this level of skill.
However, faced with this attack that was powerful enough to scorch the heavens and boil the seas, Yuko did not even move an inch.
Yuko's eyes reflected the orange flames, her expression calm: "You think you can shake my Bankai with your Shikai? Don't underestimate me, you old geezer."
The moment the words left his mouth, a bizarre scene unfolded.
That exaggerated fiery slash, just three feet above Yuko's head, suddenly went out without warning.
There was no explosion, not even the aftershocks of the dissipation of spiritual particles.
The sweltering heat abruptly stopped before her, forming an invisible boundary between hot and cold, a bizarre and unsettling sight.
"what?!"
Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro, who were watching from the sidelines, both looked shocked, and Unohana Retsu's expression also revealed that she was not at peace with herself.
Although I didn't verify it with Yuko, Yuko's ability is probably to interfere with or influence reality to some extent.
This was almost certain a century ago.
However, in the battle a hundred years ago, Ikuko was unable to use Bankai and her spiritual pressure was somewhat inferior, so she was not able to completely erase the Captain-Commander's ability.
And now, she is demonstrating her seemingly unbeatable power to the Soul Society.
As for Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni himself, his pupils contracted sharply, but his thousand years of combat experience allowed him to instantly understand the situation.
The opponent's domain was not invincible; otherwise, she wouldn't have needed to say anything and could have simply annihilated herself. This kind of interference at the level of laws inevitably involves extremely high consumption and limitations.
"A childish magic trick!"
Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni let out a low growl and advanced instead of retreating. He used Instant Step, leaving an afterimage in his original position, and his true form appeared beside Yuuko.
"Fuzhao!"
A lightning-fast New Year's greeting sword strike aimed straight at Yu Zi's head, attempting to cleave her in two with a single blow. Even the flames of the Flowing Blade were transformed into an orange-yellow curtain of flames at this speed.
Yuko's clear vision had already allowed her to see his body movements and spiritual pressure flow clearly, and streaks of blood-red thorns shot out from the ground at his feet.
Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, as expected of a skilled fighter, reacted almost instinctively, leaping up on the spot while swinging his Zanpakuto downwards.
"It's so slow."
As he jumped, Yuko calmly raised her Zanpakuto, a faint white breath escaping from her lips.
"Snow Breathing - Eleventh Form - Red Furnace Lights Snow".
Like a spark appearing in a blizzard, a rainbow-like thrust aimed straight at Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's heart.
clang!
Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni parried with his sword, but the moment the blades clashed, it wasn't a clang of metal against metal, but rather a piercing hissing sound.
The collision of extreme heat and extreme cold caused the surrounding air to groan in agony, and a burst of white steam exploded out, temporarily engulfing the two figures.
“Not bad, old man.” Yu Zi’s voice, tinged with laughter, came from the steam. “But with this little skill, you can’t do anything to me.”
"Insanity!"
Amidst Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's furious roar, even more intense flames erupted.
"Chengguo Yanshang!"
Centered on him, an inescapable ring of flames suddenly spread out, burning away the surrounding steam and threatening to turn everything within the area into scorched earth.
"Didn't I tell you? Your trick doesn't work anymore." Yu Zi, bathed in flames, walked out of the fire without flinching.
This scene is more convincing than ever.
"Snow Breathing - Seventh Form - Snow - A Line of Sky".
Yuko moved with lightning speed, and when she appeared, the blade was already aimed directly at Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's heart.
That distance was almost unavoidable.
However, the old man's fighting instincts still allowed him to twist his body to the limit, the blade grazing his heart and piercing his chest.
"Humph."
Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni groaned, his spiritual pressure surging, forcing Ikuko back.
Yu Zi dodged away, her figure appearing silently in the distance. She casually flicked her sword, shaking off the bloodstains on the blade.
"Old Man Shan... has been suppressed."
Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro were both sweating profusely.
Although the old man hadn't used his full strength yet, Yuko was clearly not serious either. He believed that even with Bankai, he couldn't achieve this level.
Yuko's icy voice rang out again: "If you're not planning to use Bankai, then you might as well die here."
Kyoraku Shunsui became extremely alert. To be honest, he was already finding it hard to distinguish which of Ikuko's words were lies and which were true.
If what he was told was all a lie, and if the scar on his chest was just a way to gain his trust, then he would have to watch as the old man was hacked to death.