At the same time.
While audiences everywhere reacted differently to the revealed footage—
On the transparent screen,
new images flashed rapidly,
and the countdown video continued.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
The sharp clash of blades rang out once again.
But this time—
There was no night sky, but bright blue sky and clouds.
And the battlefield was not in the Human World!
"Renji…"
"Do not attempt to rescue Rukia—unless you can defeat me here."
With each swing of Senbonzakura,
Kuchiki Byakuya's cold face reflected in the steel.
His voice carried no mercy,
only absolute resolve.
Facing him—
The one fiercely clashing blades with Byakuya was…
Abarai Renji!
"???"
"What's going on?"
"Captain… we're fighting each other?!"
"No way!!!"
Inside the 6th Division—
Just a minute ago,
Renji had grinned ear to ear when he saw Ichigo bloodied,
relishing his misfortune.
Now—
That grin froze.
His eyes bulged in shock,
as though he had seen a ghost.
His body jolted upright like a spring,
utterly terrified by what he saw.
"No… impossible! Fake!"
"Even in the future, I wouldn't be so stupid as to challenge Captain Kuchiki!"
Renji shook his head desperately, drenched in cold sweat.
As Lieutenant of the 6th Division,
he carried the title of being "captain-class."
But he knew well how inflated that was,
and how massive the gap truly was between him and a real Captain.
Which was why—
He couldn't accept what he saw.
Had his future self gone insane?
Actually daring to fight Byakuya?!
That was suicide.
Yet Byakuya himself was equally unsettled.
"Rescue Rukia? What does that mean?"
He frowned, recalling the earlier footage of Rukia being taken away.
A sense of unease welled up in his chest.
Reluctantly, he muttered:
"Could it be… that human boy's becoming a Shinigami is connected to Rukia?"
The thought darkened his expression.
As Captain, he knew the regulations by heart.
Shinigami were forbidden from excessive contact with humans.
To impart skills,
or transfer spiritual power—
such acts crossed the line.
If it happened,
the punishment was capture and trial.
An unforgivable crime.
And now—
From his own future words in the video,
Byakuya could deduce the truth.
He and Renji's journey to the Human World…
It had been to arrest his adoptive sister.
The realization weighed heavily.
As the Soul Society's most notorious "sis-con,"
the idea of having to condemn Rukia under the law
was bitter beyond bearing.
Like being forced into the tragedy of slaying one's own kin.
Meanwhile, the fight escalated.
Byakuya raised his Zanpakutō.
"Scatter, Senbonzakura!"
Instantly—
The image froze. Light dimmed.
The camera zoomed close on Byakuya,
a high-resolution close-up.
The air trembled.
Spiritual pressure peaked.
The sword vanished, scattering into countless cherry blossom petals.
Each petal was a blade,
falling like a vertical waterfall,
surging toward Renji.
"Tch…"
"I don't bother with Shikai, don't need it either.
"But I'll admit—at least visually, Senbonzakura deserves to be on the list."
11th Division,
Inside the barracks.
Wearing his white haori over black Shihakushō,
Zaraki Kenpachi grinned, wild-faced, arms crossed.
Though he admitted its ranking was fair,
his eyes brimmed with disdain.
To him, Senbonzakura's release was trash,
nothing compared to his own raw sword strikes.
Behind him—
Ikkaku Madarame's bald head gleamed in the pink glow from the screen.
He nodded in agreement:
"Kenpachi-taichō, you're right! Out of all 13 Captains,
Senbonzakura at 10th place makes sense—it's basically the bottom."
In truth,
Ikkaku, who secretly possessed a Bankai,
hoped his own Zanpakutō, Hōzukimaru,
might also rank later.
As a member of the combat division,
he firmly believed his blade was no weaker than Senbonzakura.
But of course—
that was only his wishful thinking.
"Anyway…"
"With Senbonzakura released, and the gap in power, Renji won't last. He'll be down soon."
Nearby,
Ayasegawa Yumichika added confidently.
On-screen,
the entire view was swallowed in pink light.
The countless petal-blades swirled and descended,
closing in around Renji.
Yumichika could already picture it:
Renji's body shredded with cuts,
blood spraying,
collapsing helpless in defeat.
But then—
The unexpected happened.
Something that shocked Yumichika…
and even made Kenpachi raise his brows.
"Now then…"
"Let me surpass you, Captain Kuchiki!!!"
From the smoke and pressure,
Renji's voice thundered, wrapped in spiritual energy.
His power erupted.
Reiatsu exploded from his body,
far greater than before.
And with it—
a release phrase never before revealed.
"Bankai—!!!"
"Sōō Zabimaru (Hihiō Zabimaru)!!!"
The scene stunned all who watched.
Renji's Zanpakutō revealed its Bankai for the first time.
With no prior hint,
no one had expected it.
But now, exposed by the countdown video—
The revelation shocked Soul Society to its core.
(End of Chapter)
If I see that this fanfic has support, I will upload it to Patreon!!
[[email protected]/Zukooo]
[Thanks for your support!]