Though the two Bount before him possessed captain-level spiritual pressure, Sajin Komamura wasn't intimidated. He could handle them. The problem was their cunning, particularly the erratic younger one, whose Doll could control his lieutenant, Tetsuzaemon Iba. If not for his concern for Iba's safety, Komamura wouldn't be fighting so defensively.
"Yes! That's it! That's it!" Mabashi crowed, reveling in Komamura's frustration. He felt no shame in using such tactics.
"Ritz! Kill him!"
"Yes, Master Mabashi," a high-pitched voice chirped from the flower on Iba's chest.
Ritz, Mabashi's Doll, could insert its head into a victim's body and control them. Ritz's power depended on the host's strength.
Mabashi had hoped to control a captain-level Shinigami, which was why he had followed Gō Koga. But he hadn't anticipated encountering such a formidable captain.
His attempt to control Komamura had been thwarted by a sudden appearance of black armor that shielded Komamura from Ritz's attack.
The subsequent summoning of a massive weapon had nearly killed both him and Koga. They had only survived thanks to the Seireitei's dense reishi, which allowed them to quickly regenerate. Forced to change tactics, Mabashi had then used Ritz to control Iba, turning Komamura's lieutenant against him.
Komamura's grip tightened on his Zanpakutō. The most efficient solution was to attack both Iba and the Bount, ending the fight quickly. But how could he attack his loyal lieutenant? Iba had served him faithfully for years, always respectful and diligent.
With a roar, Komamura parried Iba's attacks. While Iba posed no real threat, the close-quarters combat restricted Komamura's ability to use his Zanpakutō's full power.
"Dalk!" Gō Koga shouted.
"Yes, Master!"
With Komamura occupied, Koga unleashed his Doll. Dalk, a spider-like creature with six legs, fired a barrage of small iron balls from its hands, a metallic storm aimed at both Komamura and Iba.
Komamura roared again, deflecting the projectiles with his Zanpakutō, protecting both himself and Iba. Iba was just a puppet. If he died, Mabashi could simply find another host. But Komamura cared about his lieutenant.
As Komamura shielded Iba, however, the controlled lieutenant's Zanpakutō slashed across his back, leaving deep wounds.
Komamura gritted his teeth. He had no choice but to endure the attacks, protecting Iba from the relentless barrage. The wounds on his back multiplied. Dalk's ammunition seemed endless. He didn't know how much longer he could last.
Suddenly, golden ripples shimmered in the air above them. Relief washed over Komamura. The worst was over.
"What… what is that?"
The tips of several Zanpakutō emerged from the ripples, their sharp edges glinting menacingly.
"Dalk!" Koga yelled.
"Yes, Master!"
Dalk raised its arms, firing a volley of iron balls at the ripples.
Golden lightning crackled within the ripples, and then, five bolts of pure energy descended.
A massive mushroom cloud erupted, the shockwave pulverizing everything within a hundred-meter radius. Even Komamura, shielding Iba, was forced to take a defensive stance to withstand the blast.
"Captain Ailin… he's even stronger than before…" Komamura was surprised.
He had witnessed Ailin's final battle against Zaraki twenty years ago. The power of this attack far surpassed anything he had seen then.
The implication was clear.
"It seems I've grown complacent," Komamura thought. "At this rate, I won't even be worthy of fighting alongside him."
Twenty years ago, he had faced the aftershocks of Ailin's King's Treasury with his arms crossed. Now, he had to actively defend himself to withstand a single attack. It was as if he had grown weaker, while Ailin had become even stronger.
Komamura thought, "While it's reassuring to have such a powerful ally. it's also… humbling."
As the dust settled, he saw that the small hill where the Bount had stood was gone, replaced by a deep crater. Both Koga and Mabashi had been annihilated.
"I apologize, Captain Komamura. I have failed you."
With the Bount dead, their Dolls vanished. The flower on Iba's chest dissolved into particles, freeing him from Mabashi's control. He looked at Komamura's wounds, shame filling his eyes. Komamura had been dominating the fight until he had been controlled. He had even injured his captain.
Komamura sheathed his Zanpakutō and helped Iba to his feet. "Don't blame yourself, Iba. It is I who should be ashamed. As your captain, I failed to protect you. That is my failing."
"No, Captain!" the arriving Seventh Division members protested. "It is we who are too weak! We are the ones who failed you!"
Komamura smiled. "You are right. It is because we are too weak. So… are you willing to become stronger, with me?"
…
Having eliminated Sawatari, Koga, and Mabashi, Ailin didn't intervene further. He sensed that Soi Fon had dealt with Yoshi and Ugaki. Only two Bount remained: Jin Kariya, who was fighting Ichigo, and Ryō Utagawa, who was facing Uryū.
…
"Well done."
A slow clap echoed through the air as Ichigo and Uryū, their battles concluded, looked up to see Ailin standing above them.
"It's you?"
"Uryū, do you know him?" Ichigo asked, glancing at his companion.
Uryū rolled his eyes, dispelling his spirit bow. "Ichigo, even if you don't recognize him, you should at least recognize his haori. He's the captain of the Eleventh Division, the strongest division in the Gotei 13."
Ichigo's eyes widened. The strongest division's captain. That must mean he was the strongest captain. He wondered how he compared to Gin Ichimaru.
Ichigo had only experienced two defeats since becoming a Shinigami: the first against Byakuya Kuchiki, who had stolen his powers, and the second against Gin, who had effortlessly defeated him, even after he had achieved Bankai. Gin was the strongest opponent he had ever faced.
He nudged Uryū. "Uryū, are you sure you're right? You said he was the captain of the Eleventh Division. But the number on his haori is five."
Uryū looked up, startled. He had been so focused on Ailin's face that he hadn't noticed the number on his haori.
Ailin landed gracefully before them. "That's not surprising," he said, having overheard their conversation. "I was the captain of the Eleventh, but after three captains defected to Hueco Mundo, there were some… reshuffling. Since my lieutenant was qualified for captaincy, I transferred to the Fifth Division."
He found a rock and sat down. "Young Quincy, it seems you've succeeded."
Uryū glanced at the Quincy bracelet on his wrist, his expression a mix of pride and apprehension. "Yes, thanks to you, Senior Ailin." Only after losing his powers had he realized how precious they were.
"Congratulations. But judging by the reishi fluctuations around you, I suggest you use that… sparingly. Your body might not be able to handle the strain. You could become a walking time bomb."
Uryū nodded. He was acutely aware of the risks. But… Ailin could see the stubborn glint in his eyes. He knew his words wouldn't deter him. Uryū would rather fight to the death than become a burden.
Ailin said, "While I was in the World of the Living, I sensed another Quincy's reiatsu in Karakura Town."
Uryū's head snapped up. His grandfather had told him he was the last Quincy. Could it be…? An image flashed through his mind. "Another Quincy? Here?"
"I haven't been able to find a solution to your… condition. But I'm sure your Quincy records have something. Perhaps this other Quincy knows something that could help you."
"I understand, Senior Ailin."
Ailin then turned to Ichigo.