"A zanpakuto built purely for brute force…"
"Are we sure this isn't already its bankai?"
Yoruichi and Urahara exchanged grim looks.
A shikai weighing tens of thousands of jin, capable of smashing a mountain peak in a single strike… if it hadn't been Urahara standing there, any other shinigami would've been reduced to pulp.
Within Seireitei, many zanpakuto boasted fearsome destructive power.
But those were almost always bankai.
Only a handful of shikai ever reached such terrifying levels.
Urahara shook out his aching hands and muttered, "The only zanpakuto I'd dare compare to his… there are maybe a few in Soul Society."
Yoruichi nodded, listing them off.
"Ichimaru Gin's Shinso, Hitsugaya Toshiro's Hyorinmaru, Kuchiki Byakuya's Senbonzakura, and the Head Captain's Ryujin Jakka…"
"No."
Urahara cut her off, face hardening. "I don't think Cole's zanpakuto has reached its limit yet."
Tessai rumbled, "Of course it hasn't. He only just learned its name—he hasn't fully mastered it."
"So…"
Urahara drew a sharp breath, eyes narrowing. "The only blades I'd truly compare it to are the Head Captain's Ryujin Jakka and Hitsugaya's Hyorinmaru."
Yoruichi's golden eyes darkened. She understood his meaning well.
Ryujin Jakka—the oldest and strongest of all flame-type zanpakuto, said to hold the most destructive power in Soul Society.
Hyorinmaru—the most powerful ice-type, proclaimed master over all the skies.
Among countless blades, only those two bore the title of "strongest."
"You mean to say…" Yoruichi asked softly.
Urahara nodded. "Cole's zanpakuto may well be the strongest of all physical-type zanpakuto."
The words stole the air from the room.
If this truth spread through Seireitei, the uproar would shake Soul Society to its core.
Nearly ninety percent of shinigami wielded zanpakuto of pure physical nature.
And now, a human shinigami possessed the strongest one.
Every blade-user in Seireitei would want to challenge him.
Urahara opened his mouth again—but Tessai coughed, cutting in.
"Even if his zanpakuto is monstrous, it won't matter. He'll be learning kido under me."
"Hah?" Urahara blinked, then frowned. "Tessai, leave the kido aside. He should study swordsmanship first, or else that zanpakuto's wasted on him."
"What did you say!?" Tessai's eyes bulged. "He's the finest kido prodigy I've ever seen! You'd have me give that up for sword drills?"
"He carries the strongest physical zanpakuto! If he masters kenjutsu, it'll be unstoppable!"
"And I say his kido talent could rival a Captain-Commander's!"
The two glared, voices rising, sparks flying between them.
Off to the side, Yoruichi stretched lazily. "His shunpo talent isn't bad either, you know…"
Urahara: "…"
Tessai: "…"
—
Meanwhile, the second division officer from before—Sekawa—finally stumbled back into Seireitei through the Senkaimon.
Three steps forward, one step back, dread filling his heart. He stood before the Captain's office, convinced he wouldn't live to leave.
A cold woman's voice snapped from inside.
"What are you loitering for?"
"Enter."
He swallowed hard, pushed the door, and knelt on one knee.
"Captain Soi Fong!"
Behind the desk, a petite woman with dark hair, clad in a captain's haori, her face as cold as steel, glanced at him once.
"Sekawa. Report on Kuchiki Rukia's situation."
His throat bobbed. His words came out dry.
"Captain… according to my investigation, Kuchiki Rukia's powers were stolen by two humans. They… treated her as a toy."
"…What?"
Soi Fong froze. Her pen halted.
"Humans stole a shinigami's powers? And used her as a plaything?"
It was too absurd to believe. What humans would dare such madness?
"Were they Quincies?"
"There was a Quincy present… but those two were humans turned into shinigami."
"Humans… as shinigami?"
Her brows drew tight. "And you didn't engage them?"
"I did. But… I was defeated."
"Then how did you return alive?"
At that, Sekawa's expression twisted bitterly.
"The human claimed his teachers were Urahara Kisuke and Tessai. Those two… released me."
"…Urahara Kisuke."
Soi Fon's eyes flared cold. Her palm slammed down on the desk with a crack.
"That bastard dares provoke Soul Society again?!"
That man—the one who lured Yoruichi away—her hatred for him burned bone-deep. She'd dismember him a thousand times if she could.
She forced the fury down, staring daggers into Sekawa.
"And Yoruichi?"
The words struck him like a death sentence. Sweat poured, his voice cracking.
"I… I did see Yoruichi-sama."
"What!?"
Soi Fong shot to her feet, killing intent flooding the room.
"Tell me. Now. Everything about her."
Sekawa stammered, face ashen.
"A-according to that human… he claimed to be Yoruichi-sama's man. He said… she defected from Soul Society for him."
...
Three minutes later—
BOOOOOOM!!!
A spiritual pressure blasted skyward, shaking the entire Seireitei.
The captain's office was reduced to rubble under the surge.
And every shinigami in Seireitei heard Soi Fong's roar echo through the heavens:
"Cole!!!"
...…
...
(End of Chapter)
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