"Bankai—!!!"
"Sōō Zabimaru (Hihiō Zabimaru)!!!"
From the screen filled with smoke and dust,
Abarai Renji's roar rang out, full of emotion.
Through the countdown video's broadcast,
his voice echoed across the entire Shinigami world,
heard clearly by every spectator.
Naturally, it caused a massive uproar.
Especially among the Gotei 13—every Shinigami was shaken.
"What the hell?!"
"Bankai? No way! Did Renji really hide this so well?"
"Or is he just shouting to bluff Captain Kuchiki?"
"Doesn't seem like someone with the brains to master Bankai…"
It wasn't that everyone wanted to underestimate him—
But his Zanpakutō, Zabimaru, was considered trash.
Its Shikai ability was unimpressive,
just a double-edged segmented blade,
capable of extending and retracting.
Nothing special.
No highlights.
People even mocked it as little better than a street weapon.
And Renji himself was thought of the same way.
That was why,
when the word "Bankai" resounded from the footage,
everyone was stunned.
"Eh?!"
"Even Renji had secretly achieved Bankai?"
"So every Shinigami is good at hiding cards, huh? Aizen-taichō, don't you think so?"
Inside the 5th Division,
Ichimaru Gin turned toward Aizen,
teasing him slyly.
From the surging wave of reiryoku pulsing off the screen,
Gin could confirm it without a doubt.
This was the unmistakable aura of Bankai.
Which meant—
The red-haired boy wasn't bluffing.
He really had it.
"Gin…"
"Isn't that even better?"
Aizen, long accustomed to Gin's deliberate sarcasm,
looked back with a faint smile.
"At least now, this fight won't be one-sided.
To deal with Zabimaru's Bankai,
Senbonzakura will have to respond in kind."
Indeed.
Senbonzakura had already been released.
Its Shikai power was flashy and elegant.
But still—
For Aizen, it wasn't enough.
A simple Shikai wasn't enough to convince the world.
But now was the perfect chance—
To prove Byakuya and his Zanpakutō belonged in the rankings…
by defeating a Bankai with a Bankai.
Meanwhile—
On the screen.
BOOM!
The dust cleared.
Renji reappeared, transformed alongside his Zanpakutō.
The blade had vanished,
replaced by a colossal form—
a massive skeletal serpent with crimson fur,
coiling around Renji, radiating power.
His aura was far stronger,
and his eyes brimmed with confidence.
It seemed as if—
With this new Bankai,
he truly believed he could defeat Byakuya.
"Tch…"
"So that's a Shinigami's Bankai? Looks the part, at least.
Let's hope it doesn't disappoint me."
In Hueco Mundo,
inside Las Noches,
Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez stood with hands in his pockets.
Beneath his light-blue hair,
his face was twisted with wild arrogance.
But deep in his eyes,
a flicker of interest appeared.
Yes.
Just like the Shinigami,
the Arrancar army had gathered to watch when the light screens appeared.
As their ancient enemies,
they were curious about the Zanpakutō rankings.
The earlier scene,
where Byakuya easily cut down Ichigo,
hadn't impressed them.
In Hueco Mundo,
such slaughter was daily routine.
But now—
Renji's Bankai had awakened.
Finally, it piqued their curiosity.
"I've heard a Shinigami's Bankai is many times stronger than Shikai…"
"So to win, that cold-faced Captain will have to use his own Bankai."
Across the chamber,
Szayelaporro Granz spoke slowly, elegantly.
The Arrancar scientist,
keenest intellect among them all.
His instincts told him—
this fight would no longer be one-sided.
Senbonzakura would soon reveal its true form.
And indeed—
As his words ended,
the video fast-forwarded.
Renji's Bankai dominated,
pressing Byakuya, smashing apart the inner corridors.
Though Byakuya's mastery of Shunpō (Flash Step) let him evade with little injury,
the destruction caused by Zabimaru's strikes
still proved the power of Bankai.
"Byakuya's on the defensive…"
"With his pride, he won't endure this for long. He'll have to release his own Bankai."
In the Human World,
at the Urahara Shop,
Kisuke Urahara narrowed his eyes at the screen.
Knowing Byakuya's arrogance,
he was certain—
The man would not tolerate being overshadowed.
He would unleash Bankai to crush his opponent's spirit.
And indeed—
As soon as the thought crossed Kisuke's mind,
the next moment—
On screen,
Byakuya was forced back again.
His eyes sharpened.
"Bakudō no. 61: Rikujōkōrō (Six Rods Prison of Light)!"
His black hair swayed as his fingers lifted.
As the Kidō chant left his lips,
the next shot revealed—
Renji was bound in place by six rods of golden light.
And Byakuya's pressure climbed higher still.
Turning toward the camera,
his expression arrogant,
he reversed his grip on Senbonzakura,
pointing the blade vertically toward the ground.
"It's coming!"
"He's going to use Bankai!"
"A Captain's Bankai… this is worth seeing!"
At once—
Las Noches fell silent.
The Espada, the Arrancar army—
all eyes locked on the screen.
None dared blink,
afraid to miss a single detail.
Thus,
because of the countdown video,
Senbonzakura's Bankai was now the most anticipated moment of all.
(End of Chapter)
If I see that this fanfic has support, I will upload it to Patreon!!
[[email protected]/Zukooo]
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