"Hmm…!"
Not far away, Kyōraku Shunsui's eyes widened slightly. His rapidly working brain was swiftly recalling everything that had just happened.
If he hadn't seen wrong, the moment Kisuke Urahara's Zanpakuto achieved Bankai, everything in front of where the sword was swung changed?
It looked like a physical slash.
But the marks weren't.
The spiritual pressure discharge wasn't high.
How could the mountain split open?
The feeling it gave him was more like an operation on the spatial plane…
—Spatial Slash? (Kyōraku's deduction, don't stand from a God's perspective)
At this thought, Kyōraku Shunsui took a small gasp. If this ability were real, it would be impossible to guard against.
Because a slash at space would disregard all hardness of an object, like how no matter what is drawn on paper, it can be easily torn apart with a pair of hands.
Increasing the paper's hardness with spiritual pressure could resist it for a bit, but if the same spiritual pressure were used…
"Ukitake, what do you think?"
His thoughts raced, and Kyōraku Shunsui's gaze deepened slightly. "I wonder if you have the same idea as me."
"If it truly is an operation on the spatial plane, his ability in terms of pure offensive power might even surpass the Head Captain's by a margin."
"There really have been many monsters appearing these years. The junior apprentice-brother is one, Zaraki Kenpachi is one, and now Kisuke Urahara is another…"
"I can imagine a future where some Hollows are fighting and then split open from the middle."
"A spatial slash with no fluctuations; if the Head Captain encounters it, he could get hit if he's not careful."
"…It's not that serious." Jūshirō Ukitake caught his breath and explained,
"His sword materializes. In other words, there will be a clear attack tendency before using the ability."
"Furthermore, he shouldn't be able to attack other places not pointed by the blade, which means as long as one reacts in time, it can be dodged."
"It probably won't work against the Head Captain, but other captains…"
"It's roughly as you said. Under equal spiritual pressure, this sword possesses the characteristic of a one-hit kill, and it also relies on an information gap."
"Overall, it's above average. I just don't know if my Sogyo no Kotowari can absorb his attack…"
Jūshirō Ukitake's sword possesses both absorption and release characteristics.
Theoretically, all attacks originating from spiritual pressure can be absorbed by it.
But…
There are some exceptions; attacks that exceed his reaction limit in speed cannot be absorbed.
Coincidentally, his physical condition is not good, so this seemingly perfect ability can only be used a few times within a hundred years.
Now, seeing Kisuke Urahara's Bankai, he couldn't help but compare it to his own ability, ultimately concluding that he should be able to absorb it.
After all…
During the six hundred years he served as a captain, he had more or less encountered other Zanpakuto with spatial abilities.
Thinking of this, Jūshirō Ukitake silently nodded, a faint sense of emotion in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Tsugikuni Yoriichi, who was listening to their conversation and analysis, also understood Kisuke Urahara's ability.
His two senior brothers truly lived up to their reputation as experienced veteran captains.
He had just begun to see some signs, and they had already deduced it and ranked its combat power.
Although this information might differ somewhat from Kisuke Urahara's true abilities, based on overall performance, it should be quite similar.
One-hit kill…
He hadn't expected Kisuke Urahara's inner self to be so straightforward and direct.
Of course, this was roughly similar to his own [Judgment].
Silently exhaling, Yoriichi remained silent.
At this moment, on the battlefield, Zaraki Kenpachi looked at his Zanpakuto, which now only had a hilt, and his thoughts couldn't help but freeze.
Sand swirled in his ears, and the desolate wind brushed his cheeks. In his peripheral vision was a rift valley hundreds of meters long, silently splitting the mountain.
This sight was shocking to him.
He found it difficult to accept the current situation.
It was too sudden.
Although he had failed before, being defeated so thoroughly was a first. What exactly just happened?!
Zaraki Kenpachi held his breath and shouted with a grin, "Hey! Kisuke Urahara, you finally got me excited!"
"Is this your Bankai? It looks pretty ordinary!"
He tossed his Zanpakuto aside, rubbed his wrist, and prepared to use pure hand-to-hand combat.
If he lost his sword, he still had his hands. If he lost his hands, he still had his feet. If he lost his feet, he still had his head. In short, until he completely lost the power to resist.
He would not stop fighting!
Kisuke Urahara stood beneath the materialized Benihime. His sword, with the release of its ability, reverted to its original asauchi-like appearance.
Slender and long.
Facing Zaraki Kenpachi's resolute fighting spirit, he sighed:
"Kenpachi-dono, that's enough. Although I don't want to admit it, you have indeed lost."
"If you wish to continue fighting, I cannot guarantee the casualties that will follow."
"This is merely an assessment for you and for me."
"It is not a life-or-death battle."
"My duty in this battle is to perform as well as possible and use Bankai…"
He looked at the Captain-Commander, trying to discern some emotion from Yamamoto Genryusai's narrowed eyes.
Unfortunately, Yamamoto Genryusai remained impassive.
He watched for a long time but saw nothing.
Kisuke Urahara sighed helplessly: "That's how it is. Since everyone is here, I'll explain. Just don't reveal it to anyone else later."
"Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame is the name of the Bankai I've mastered. She possesses the ability to reconstruct anything she touches."
"Physical contact, spiritual pressure contact—both are possible. The latter is slightly less flexible and easier to dodge, but its expressive power is best. It can disregard an object's hardness, defense, and material type."
"From something as small as a virus or a torso, to something as large as a building or a planet."
"Of course, the latter is an overestimation, but theoretically, it can be done, as long as my spiritual pressure output can cover the entire planet."
"I can adjust these materials to the form I wish to see, like cutting open a virus and destroying its essence; modifying limbs, regenerating organs."
"Or silently destroying everything in front and reshaping it."
"Currently, because I've just learned Bankai, I cannot operate on a microscopic level, but I can already repair and regenerate limbs."
Upon hearing these explanations, Yamamoto Genryusai's narrowed eyes slowly opened.
He exchanged glances with Retsu Unohana and Kuchiki Ginrei, then turned back, his voice low:
"Given that your Bankai ability is too dangerous, and Zaraki Kenpachi has lost his Zanpakuto, you are the victor of this battle."
"The Twelfth Division Captain inauguration ceremony will take place tomorrow at noon in the First Division."
"Kisuke Urahara, you must remember not to be late."
"I passed?" Kisuke Urahara asked hesitantly, as the conclusion was too sudden.
Yamamoto Genryusai did not answer, only nodded slightly, then looked at Zaraki Kenpachi, who was full of anger and clearly on the verge of erupting:
"Kenpachi, do you accept the Head Captain's judgment?"