For a Shinigami, if one's spiritual pressure is too weak, even an overpowered zanpakutō won't have any effect. But if the spiritual pressure is high enough, even an ordinary zanpakutō becomes fearsomely deadly. Isn't that how Ichigo, with just his Crescent Moon Blast, can sweep the entire battlefield—much like how Naruto relies on his signature jutsu to conquer all?
Is Aizen's strength due to Mirror Flower, Water Moon? Certainly not. Even if Aizen were given a different zanpakutō—say, one like Hinamori's—the fact remains that Aizen is Aizen. In his case, Mirror Flower, Water Moon merely cuts out a few steps from his planned procedure.
No one else, even if they possessed Mirror Flower, Water Moon, could ever become Aizen. For instance, when Gamyadai Shitan later appeared wielding the same technique, the gap between his performance and Aizen's was like night and day.
"Finally, it's begun—they've finally arrived. And look, the spectators are still just watching."
On the third night after the giant Hollow incident, Byakuya Kuchiki and Renji Abarai showed up, intercepting Rukia on the street. This, of course, hadn't escaped Daniel Davis's notice. Among those roused by the commotion was Uryū Ishida as well.
Even Daniel Davis hadn't expected Uryū to be such a tsundere. Although Uryū claimed he'd come because he sensed Rukia's spiritual pressure, he actually used a nearby tailor shop as his excuse. The most ridiculous part was that he openly blabbed about it—going so far as to pull out a convenience bag from home containing a doll as a pretext.
"Looks like his injuries haven't fully healed. But with everyone just watching like this, aren't you worried he might end up killing Uryū?"
Uryū did appear, but he was quickly overpowered by Renji. After all, Uryū still bore wounds from his previous encounters with numerous Hollows and even the giant one—his arms were wrapped in bandages.
Just as Renji was about to finish off the prone Uryū, the onlookers continued spectating. Among them was Uryū's own father, Ryugen Ishida.
At that very moment, Ichigo appeared wielding his massive zanpakutō. Its sheer size startled Renji—it was clear that such a weapon was extremely rare, even in the Soul Society.
"A proper lieutenant captain, after achieving his Shikai, isn't matching up against Ichigo—who only recently became a Shinigami—just because of some limitation?"
After taking a blow from Renji's sword, Ichigo suddenly unleashed a surge of overwhelming spiritual pressure. This burst was so potent that it not only shocked Renji but even caught Byakuya's attention.
Seeing the extent of Ichigo's spiritual pressure, Renji immediately activated his Shikai—Snake Tail Blade—but it still couldn't stand up to Ichigo's assault and was suppressed.
Eventually, Byakuya had no choice but to step in. And when Byakuya strikes, he strikes decisively. Before Ichigo could even discern his approach, Byakuya snapped Ichigo's zanpakutō in half and delivered two swift strikes to his back, shattering both his binding seals and his "soul sleep." Ichigo never fully comprehended what had happened before he collapsed.
"Silver-White Wind-Flower Silk—rumor has it that in the Soul Society, this accessory is worth as much as ten luxurious mansions. No wonder the Kuchiki clan is one of the four great noble families. Taken together, his entire ensemble is nothing short of a treasure trove."
Daniel Davis wasn't particularly concerned with the duel between Ichigo and Byakuya—it was an inevitable outcome. His curiosity was piqued by the ornate adornments on Byakuya's person. As for Byakuya himself, Daniel Davis held a deeply conflicted impression—not only of his zanpakutō but also his vast personal fortune.
Silver-White Wind-Flower Silk and the Star-Binding Shackle—these two embellishments are so valuable that in the Soul Society, even an average Shinigami, let alone a lieutenant captain, might never amass such wealth in several centuries.
"Rukia, what exactly happened here?" After Ichigo collapsed, Daniel Davis stepped forward. It wasn't that he wished to see Ichigo injured; without such wounds, Ichigo's true potential would remain dormant.
While speaking, Daniel Davis moved to where Uryū lay and inspected his injuries. Fortunately, although Renji had boasted of his ruthlessness, his strikes were measured. Uryū's wounds weren't severe—just more profuse bleeding than usual.
"People like this keep popping up—one oddity after another." Daniel Davis's arrival prompted Renji to vent his frustration. As the vice-captain of the 6th Division, Renji could hardly accept losing to a mere human who had only recently become a Shinigami, and all of this in front of his own captain.
Before Daniel Davis could finish, Renji lunged at him with his Shikai, Snake Tail Blade. However, just as Rukia shouted for him to stop, Renji suddenly groaned. Daniel Davis had already caught Renji; his left hand clamped around Renji's neck, hoisting him upward. Simultaneously, the Snake Tail Blade clattered from Daniel Davis's grip.
"Although all this has transpired, these are my students—you all owe me an explanation." Despite knowing that Renji harbored no ill will toward Rukia, seeing him choke her prompted Daniel Davis to make him pay.
"Just as I suspected." As he spoke, Daniel Davis noticed that the right-hand Snake Tail Blade had degraded into a mere standard-issued zanpakutō.
Daniel Davis had long wondered: after a Shinigami's zanpakutō reaches its Shikai state, if someone else were to seize it, could they use it? Now it was proven—they couldn't. After all, a zanpakutō is a weapon formed from its owner's soul and naturally won't serve someone else.
"What is it that you want as your explanation?"
At that moment, Byakuya's voice suddenly rang in Daniel Davis's ear. Simultaneously, Daniel Davis swung his right-hand zanpakutō in a wide arc, blocking a sword thrust coming from behind—a move identical to the technique he had used earlier against Ichigo, employing Shunpo: Flowering Steps.
Trained under the master of Shunpo, Yoruichi Shihōin, Byakuya's Shunpo was among the best in the Soul Society. His own signature technique, "Flowering Steps," was nearly unparalleled—almost no one could see or block it. Yet this time, he had clearly miscalculated.
"That will depend on your sincerity."
As he spoke, Daniel Davis hurled Renji aside with his left hand. In an instant, both his and Byakuya's figures vanished as they engaged in Shunpo.
Clang! Clang!
The intermittent clash of their blades sent sparks flying, leaving Rukia unable to discern their figures—she could only track their positions by the scintillating sparks produced with every collision.
Shunpo was a technique Daniel Davis had mastered quickly under the tutelage of Ginjō Kūgo; it essentially involved the manipulation of spiritual energy. Although Daniel Davis did not yet possess a zanpakutō or Kidō, executing Shunpo was second nature to him.
"Captain!"
Renji, having regained his footing, stared in shock at the duel unfolding before him. To see someone matching Byakuya in Shunpo was something he'd never witnessed before—and it filled him with deep concern.
"Never thought there'd be someone like you in the real world. Scatter, Senbonzakura!"
After another clash, Daniel Davis and Byakuya landed on opposite sides of the street. Byakuya's expression remained calm, but his eyes had grown solemn. Clasping his zanpakutō to his chest, he began intoning the release command of his Shikai. As his incantation fell from his lips, the blade transformed—its edge dissolving into sakura-pink petals that danced through the air.
"Big brother, stop!"
Alarmed at the sight of her older brother entering his Shikai, Rukia dashed forward, interposing herself between Byakuya and Daniel Davis. Terrified of witnessing her brother unleash his full power, Rukia pleaded, "Big brother, come with me—we can't keep fighting."
"He's your big brother, Rukia. What's going on here?"
After Rukia intervened, Daniel Davis realized the duel was ending. Others, aware of Byakuya's notorious otaku tendencies, knew he rarely unleashed his Shikai. Yet seeing Rukia step in, Daniel Davis deduced that he must ensure she returned to the Soul Society—otherwise, she'd forever be a fugitive.
The Soul Society's Central 46 Division wasn't known for leniency these days—especially now that Aizen's plotting was in full swing. Even if Byakuya's actions were merely a ruse, Rukia's status as a fugitive was sealed.
Daniel Davis tossed his zanpakutō to Renji. This time, his intervention wasn't to stop Rukia from being dragged back to the Soul Society; rather, resolving Rukia's predicament required her return to face justice. After all, the Soul Society's judicial system, now possibly dismantled by Aizen's covert machinations, would need to pass sentence on her. This was all part of Aizen's master plan.
Daniel Davis and Byakuya's duel had served primarily to gauge the strength of a Shinigami captain-level adversary. For many, a Soul Society captain's power was measured by their fists alone—but here, Byakuya displayed mastery of both his sword techniques and Shunpo. In Daniel Davis's eyes, no one embodied captain-level combat prowess quite like Byakuya—his command of sword techniques and Shunpo was peerless.
"Teacher Davis, I'm sorry—but please, take care of Ichigo and Uryū."
Rukia, unwilling to prolong the conflict further, stepped forward. Without elaborating on her own situation any further, she strode directly toward Byakuya. Confronted by Rukia, Byakuya paused; after a brief silence, he retracted his Shikai. At that moment, Renji activated the portal to the Soul Society.
"Rukia, you can't go back with them!"
Just as Rukia was about to step through the portal, a revived Ichigo stirred. This turn of events caused Byakuya to cast a lingering, disdainful glance at Ichigo—Byakuya was never one to forgive someone who had committed a grave transgression against his own sister.
"Ichigo, take care of yourself. We may never meet again."
Without even turning back to look at Ichigo, Rukia left through the portal. Soon after, Byakuya and Renji followed, and the portal closed behind them.
"Whoa, what just happened?"
After Rukia and the others vanished, Kisuke Urahara stepped out. Casting a quick glance at Daniel Davis, he then hurried over to Ichigo's side to tend to his wounds.
"Mr. Urahara, what about Rukia?"
"Ichigo, no matter what happens, right now you're powerless to help."
"Is that so? Distributing Shinigami power to outsiders—what punishment does that merit in the Soul Society?"
For the first time, alongside Ichigo and Uryū, Daniel Davis found himself in Kisuke Urahara's shop. It was there that he learned the full account of events straight from Urahara's own mouth.
"It's hard to say exactly. If no one interfered, she'd likely be confined for a century or so. But if someone were to stand against it… the death penalty might even be on the table."
"Mr. Urahara, how can we save Rukia?"
There's no denying Urahara's prowess in healing—wounds that would have incapacitated ordinary humans were mended almost instantly on Ichigo. Uryū fared similarly.
As for saving Rukia, the only option was to head to the Soul Society. Yet with your current strength, even if you go there, you wouldn't be able to rescue her. She chose to return on her own to avoid dragging you all down."
"No matter what, I must save Rukia."
"If you're that determined, I might be able to lend a hand," Urahara replied, his gaze shifting to Daniel Davis.
"My student is in trouble. As his teacher, I cannot simply stand by."
After Daniel Davis pledged his support, Uryū also agreed to help rescue Rukia—even though he still harbored a deep-seated dislike for Shinigami, Rukia was his classmate.
"Well then, prepare yourselves—the coming days are going to be tough."
Once they resolved to save Rukia, the group began their own specialized training. Uryū, being an Extinction Cultist, had to rely solely on his own efforts, while Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado received personal training from Yoruichi Shihōin. Meanwhile, Urahara personally oversaw Ichigo's retraining, aiming to restore his Shinigami powers.
"Come to think of it, this guy seems to have more than a few different Shikai forms."
Watching as Urahara pushed Ichigo through various Shikai techniques left Daniel Davis rather exasperated. In the Soul Society, most people believed a Shinigami's zanpakutō should have only one true Shikai. Yet Urahara had displayed five different forms—who knows if there are even more hidden variations?
When Urahara mentioned that the Soul Society would likely impose the most severe punishment on Rukia, Ichigo's training intensified. Thanks to Orihime's restorative shield, "Six-Flower Shield," Ichigo was training virtually around the clock—often twenty-two hours a day alongside Urahara.
"They're all just pawns."
Looking back at the events leading up to their incursion into the Soul Society, it became clear that Ichigo had been nothing more than a tool from the very beginning—a tool used by both Aizen and Urahara to further their own plans. Each side was setting traps for the other. Ultimately, Urahara proved to be the more cunning strategist. The Collapse Jewel had been bait to lure out Aizen. At the very least, Daniel Davis never believed that Aizen would learn in advance that Urahara had placed the Collapse Jewel within Rukia's body. Had Aizen known beforehand, it would have meant that Aizen and Urahara had colluded—an outcome far more staggering.
The reason Urahara ultimately outmaneuvered Aizen was that, although Aizen did seize the Collapse Jewel, he ended up exposing himself. If Aizen hadn't been so careless, he would have been far more difficult to deal with. And with Mirror Flower, Water Moon in play, Urahara's enemies wouldn't just be Aizen—they'd also include the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.
Moreover, knowing Urahara's character, when he unveiled the Collapse Jewel, he had likely already completed his specially developed Kidō sealing technique for it.
"These tactical schemers are such lowlifes. I wonder—did Urahara tamper with his own Collapse Jewel at all?"
Contemplating Urahara's far‑reaching plans, Daniel Davis couldn't help but feel wary of the Collapse Jewel. In theory, it should be nearly impossible to tamper with. Yet if Urahara were to unleash his Bankai, who knows what might happen.
"Are we finally heading into the Soul Society?"
Originally, Urahara had intended to spend more time training Ichigo. But with Aizen constantly shifting the execution date for Rukia's sentence, Ichigo had no choice but to end his training.
(End of Chapter)
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