Chapter 182
High in the sky, Kyōraku Shunsui and Starrk had already begun their clash.
How much strength either of them was using was unclear. Their movements were measured, and neither revealed their full hand immediately.
Not far away, Lilynette floated in midair. She first glanced toward Starrk's fight, then turned her gaze toward Ukitake Jūshirō, who was seated calmly on the rooftop of a nearby building.
Ukitake sat upright, hands resting lightly on his thighs, his usual gentle smile softening his expression. He carried an air that contrasted completely with Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's sternness. Where Yamamoto embodied strict order, Ukitake projected leniency. Where Yamamoto was the beginning of the Gotei 13, Ukitake represented its quiet conclusion.
The Thirteenth Division had always been the end point for souls passing from the human world to Soul Society, both a final step and a new beginning. This symmetry tied into the larger balance of things: Yamamoto at the foundation of Soul Society's history, Ukitake embodying its quiet persistence through illness and burden. Even their birthdays mirrored each other, one in January and the other in December.
For Kyōraku and Ukitake, Yamamoto was a complicated figure. He was their master and teacher, but also a man whose ways they sometimes disagreed with. He was a commanding figure of honor, yet also someone whose rigidity could feel outdated.
At this moment, Ukitake's gentle nature was on display. From where he sat, he smiled warmly toward Lilynette, his eyes narrowing kindly.
Lilynette glared back indifferently, unimpressed. Her dull stare carried no warmth, as though she suspected the captain's kindness was just foolishness.
"Hey, aren't you going to help your teammate?" She placed her hands on her hips, her tone sharp as she stared down at Ukitake.
"No need," Ukitake answered evenly. "Two against one would be too unfair."
Lilynette jabbed her finger toward Kyōraku in the distance. "Starrk is strong, but that man will die out there."
Ukitake shook his head slightly. "Don't worry. Shunsui is strong as well."
Lilynette frowned and scratched her head, her short hair tousled by the wind. "Fine then. How about I fight you instead?"
"How could that be possible?" Ukitake's tone held surprise, though it remained calm. "You are a child. It isn't right for you to be on the battlefield."
"A child? Don't you dare look down on me!" Lilynette's voice rose with anger, her eyes narrowing into a fiery glare.
Ukitake's smile didn't waver. "Regardless, to me you are still a child-and a girl besides. I cannot fight you. If you insist, I'll have no choice but to send you home."
"You should be the one going home to play shuttlecock!" Lilynette snapped, her forehead veins twitching in anger. The fragment of her Hollow mask still clung to her head like a broken horn, and from behind it she pulled a sword free.
"If that's the case, I'll force you to fight me!"
She swung down with frustration and force, her blade cutting toward Ukitake.
Before it could land, however, a hand appeared between them-slender and steady, fingers spread just enough to stop her sword between thumb and forefinger.
Lilynette's eyes widened. "Who are you...?"
Yuta stood silently before her, his grip halting her attack as though it were nothing.
"Ah… Yuta-kun," Ukitake said, scratching his head with a smile as he recognized the newcomer.
Yuta nodded slightly, his tone composed as he addressed the captains. "Leave the top three Espada to me. Kyōraku-san, Ukitake-san, Hitsugaya-taichō-your focus should be on Aizen Sōsuke."
Ukitake blinked in shock. "What? Yuta, are you saying you'll fight three of the Espada by yourself?"
Each of the Espada present was at the level of a Vasto Lorde-Hollows whose base power already exceeded most captains. After gaining Arrancar forms and Zanpakutō, their strength heightened even further. A one-on-one battle against any of them posed significant danger. For Yuta to suggest taking on three simultaneously bordered on reckless.
Kyōraku descended lightly from above, landing beside Ukitake. He clapped a hand onto his comrade's shoulder. "You heard him, Jūshirō. Yuta-kun must have his reasons. Let's take him at his word."
Ukitake's expression tensed but he eventually nodded. "Very well. But if you're ever in danger, Yuta-kun, call us immediately. We'll be ready to back you up."
Yuta raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
Beneath Coyote Starrk, Lilynette, Baraggan Louisenbairn, and Tier Harribel, the air split open. A black garganta yawned wide, pulling at their bodies with immense force.
The Espada fell through and appeared together in one space with Yuta standing opposite them.
Lilynette stumbled at first, then regained balance. Her eyes darted between Starrk and Yuta as she realized the situation. "Hey, you're really going to fight all four of us alone? You can't be serious."
"Of course," Yuta replied evenly, reaching out to place a hand on her head.
"Hey! I said don't treat me like a kid!" Lilynette shouted, struggling and pushing against his arm, but her much smaller frame couldn't escape his casual hold.
Baraggan let out a dry, ominous chuckle. "So bold, Shinigami. You've chosen to face me? I'll end you alone. My power makes me invincible."
Nearby, Tier Harribel's calm voice cut through the air. "Sung-Sun, Apacci, Mila Rose... you fought well." Her tone carried finality.
Her hands rose to the zipper of her jacket, tugging slowly as the sound of metal teeth sliding apart filled the air. She pulled open the front of her clothing to reveal her Hollow mask fragment beneath, shaped like shark's teeth covering her jaw and nose. The tattoo of the number 3 marked her right breast clearly.
Her toned stomach and lean figure left no room for weakness. Every line of her body reflected efficiency and control as her reiatsu surged even higher.
"Conquer him... Tiburón."