Pitch-black Reiatsu (Spiritual Pressure) poured down around Madarame Ikkaku like a waterfall. Limited by the murky visibility of the Shinkai (Deep Sea), Ikkaku couldn't see what Sakahone Saizō looked like after releasing his Zanpakutō, but he could feel it clearly—the pressure closing in from all directions.
It was a circle, boxing him in together with Sakahone Saizō, as if they were standing inside an arena.
"Heh. Just what I wanted!"
Ikkaku was thoroughly satisfied with Saizō's "arrangement," because he'd planned to go one-on-one with him anyway—to test the results of his recent training. Saizō doing this simply saved him the trouble.
In the darkness, blades and weapons crashed together.
To be honest, the situation's complexity exceeded what Sakahone Saizō—or rather, Tokinada Tsunayashiro—had imagined.
For Iba Tetsuzaemon, an opportunity like this didn't seem hard to come by.
Time was running out for Tokinada Tsunayashiro.
Tokinada wasn't counting on luck. He only hoped to quickly finish off Madarame Ikkaku, Ayasegawa Yumichika, and that extremely irritating Iba Tetsuzaemon. That way, if fortune favored him, he could still catch the final "burst" phase of Saizō and go meet Kuchiki Byakuya and the others rushing in as reinforcements.
But Iba Tetsuzaemon's Shinkai (Deep Sea) itself blocked the very concept of "knowing." To the Deep Sea, everything inside it was unknown—only the fisherman could determine where the hooked prey was through the fishing line.
A three-section staff was Ikkaku's favorite kind of weapon to mess around with. In his Zanpakutō's Shikai state, it even had a corresponding three-section staff mode.
Tokinada had always believed that when Higashino Shuuichi proposed forming a special class—meant specifically to cultivate Shinigami he thought might become Captains—it was nothing but grandstanding and empty talk.
Tokinada discovered a blind spot he'd never noticed before: Ikkaku's Zanpakutō had, unbelievably, used a "revival coin."
Because as long as Sakahone Saizō followed that fishing line, he would definitely be able to find him.
So he quickly saw through this Bankai ability of Saizō's. To Shinigami who made their living by cutting people down with a single Zanpakutō, Saizō's threat was enormous—absurdly so.
The existence of the fire brand didn't just reduce Ikkaku's damage against Saizō to zero—it also directly interfered with the destructive "count" of Ikkaku's Bankai.
Two massive blades formed in Ikkaku's hands, and a third was planted vertically—reversed—into his back.
Blood sprayed. Limbs shattered.
Because a warrior's instincts, a swordsman's muscle memory, and the like could still help Ikkaku complete attack motions even in this state.
"Perfect for dealing with you lot!"
A pitch-black grand hall erupted from the ground. The Shinkai (Deep Sea) couldn't stop it from taking shape—instead, it became nourishment for the Enma-den. Deep, heavy mist coiled around the pillars, making it even more eerie and gloomy.
As the hall fully formed, cracks appeared around Sakahone Saizō's toes—feedback from a body that couldn't bear that kind of power.
Ikkaku wasn't stupid. After more than a decade of careful training under Higashino Shuuichi in the Hirugetsu Class, he understood at least a little about weighing pros and cons.
Because Saizō's Gokumei: Hikotsu (Sorrow Bone) hadn't, as Tokinada imagined, separated the battlefield away from the original space.
In other words, before Saizō's eyes, it was still pitch-black.
"Higashino Shuuichi… you really did put your heart into teaching Soul Society a batch of outstanding Shinigami."
"This ability is basically my—no, even the entire Eleventh Division's—natural enemy!"
Buffs that should've been stacked to full with a simple bit of back-and-forth were forcibly shoved into an endlessly delayed state by Saizō's fire brand.
Everything happened too suddenly. Iba Tetsuzaemon hadn't even seen the hall beneath him fully rise before, amid that steadily approaching sound, he first lost his right eye, then his left leg—then his abdomen was pierced through with more than a dozen holes. After that, an invisible hand lifted him into the air and slammed him viciously into the ground.
Sakahone Saizō's voice echoed from above. Then—no flames appeared. All that could be seen was Saizō's large, command-talisman-like Zanpakutō "having a friendly exchange" head-on with the massive blade in Ikkaku's hands.
Because Ikkaku was standing in front of him, blocking the pressure and attacks coming from Saizō.
"Bankai, Gokkei: Enma-den!"
"Ikkaku, you—"
For Ikkaku, his Bankai was the slow-burn type—it had to build power through continuous fighting—so he was more than happy to see things go this way.
Even now, the only thing he still looked forward to was Kyōraku Shunsui and Kuchiki Byakuya arriving next.
Hoping Tokinada had keen combat instincts was like hoping Matsumoto Rangiku would quit drinking.
In the distance, Iba Tetsuzaemon—who had also been "judged," collapsed, and could no longer get back up, his bodily functions almost entirely stripped away, clinging to life by a few breaths—barely opened one eye and looked toward Ikkaku's direction, his mouth filled with surprise and anticipation.
Without the support of an original soul, without spirit and "life" to them, Bankai was an extremely heavy burden for these specially manufactured puppets. After Bankai ended, having the body collapse was considered a relatively "good" outcome—most test results showed many puppets couldn't maintain Bankai for long.
Which meant: although Hikotsu (Sorrow Bone) had locked Saizō and Ikkaku together, the Shinkai (Deep Sea) influence Iba Tetsuzaemon had imposed earlier was still in effect.
"I'm waiting for Gokkei: Karaku (Fire Brand) to take effect—so what are you waiting for?~"
And as for Kuchiki Byakuya…
Tokinada Tsunayashiro was overthinking it. Realistically speaking, he really was overthinking it.
As for why Tokinada was so sure the Captain coming wouldn't be anyone else—of course it was because a noble would tip Byakuya off, saying his wife's younger sister had met with disaster, and that someone had secretly taken out the already-banned "Sakahone Saizō."
In fact, Tokinada only needed a single thought to tell his Zanpakutō roughly where Ikkaku was.
"How is that possible? I used Sakahone Saizō's Bankai, and this Madarame Ikkaku has already been judged once—his Zanpakutō was even destroyed… w-wait. Why is his Zanpakutō still perfectly fine?!"
In its place was excitement—and a gnawing sense of dissatisfaction.
But thankfully, Ikkaku wasn't fighting alone.
"Gokumei: Rakukotsu (Joy Bone)…"
Unless Saizō could, like his original self once did against Yushima Ōko, fight from outside the Shinkai (Deep Sea).
And in most cases, he'd also throw a few sarcastic remarks at the opponent.
This was what battle was supposed to be—fighting an opponent with this kind of toughness, and this kind of strength.
Because this had been a "big gift" Tokinada prepared for Kuchiki Byakuya. At minimum, it should've been Kyōraku Shunsui who came over to drink the bitter cup—yet he'd been forced into this by two Shinigami who weren't even Vice-Captains.
What's more, Tokinada was controlling Saizō remotely right now, making it even harder to form effective combat instinct.
Because the Ikkaku standing before him—who had just been used by Tokinada through Saizō's Bankai to complete an initial "judgment"—rubbed his cheek, and within his eyes there wasn't the slightest trace of fear or panic.
By the logic of Shinigami strength and Reiatsu (Spiritual Pressure), Iba Tetsuzaemon's Shikai ability shouldn't be able to affect a First Generation Captain like Saizō. Even if it did, the impact should've been limited.
While Ikkaku and Saizō were locked in fierce combat, Yumichika had, at some unknown point, used his excellent Kidō (Demon Arts)—inherited from Higashino Shuuichi—to rescue Iba Tetsuzaemon from inside Saizō's Enma-den.
This was the difference between a Vice-Captain and a Captain—an unbridgeable gulf.
If he ever got the chance, Iba Tetsuzaemon swore that one day he would master a Bankai of his own.
After Ikkaku drove another thrust into Saizō's body and churned out a mess of bone fragments, Tokinada felt annoyed—and helpless.
In fact, just as Tokinada expected, the Saizō he was controlling failed to use Rakukotsu (Joy Bone) to leave a "mark" on Ikkaku and trigger the third stage of the ability.
Whether Tokinada chose the Eizō Hall's surveillance devices, or chose to rely on Saizō's control method, he still couldn't obtain Saizō's vision within the Shinkai (Deep Sea).
Tokinada sneered. With all the labels Shihōin Yoruichi already carried—labels she couldn't tear off—he didn't believe she'd dare hand Rukia over to Kuchiki Byakuya openly.
A First Generation Captain had activated Bankai—Even if it was only a puppet copy, it still wasn't something two mere seated officers who weren't even Vice-Captains could withstand, right?
Just like the Sakahone Saizō of the past: he only needed to let his Zanpakutō "know" that Yushima Ōko existed in another space—and that space was the one Saizō had carved out before—then Saizō's Zanpakutō could cut precisely into Yushima Ōko.
And in truth, Ikkaku's situation wasn't much better than Saizō's. Iba Tetsuzaemon's Shikai ability didn't distinguish friend from foe. So aside from using the fishing line Iba had set on Saizō as a guide, Ikkaku didn't really have any other way to know Saizō's position.
As long as Rukia wasn't returned by Shihōin Yoruichi, then for that entire time, Rukia could remain "killed."
It was a curse Higashino Shuuichi used to joke about in his previous life: "A fisherman never comes home empty-handed."
And for Sakahone Saizō—meaning Tokinada Tsunayashiro—
At the same time, iron chains linked the three blades together, unbelievably sturdy.
Huh? What? Rukia's already been rescued?
Tokinada ground his teeth and said.
Whether the fish was real or not was unclear—but Iba Tetsuzaemon had absolutely become a clown.
So even Saizō's Zanpakutō, deep within the Shinkai (Deep Sea), couldn't possibly pinpoint Ikkaku's location.
Steady retreat and utter inability to defend seemed to be the true state of Saizō within the Deep Sea right now.
Now it seemed that Higashino Shuuichi truly had thought that way—and truly had acted on it…
"Destroy everything, Hōzukimaru!
Bankai, Ryūmon Hōzukimaru!"
Because that fishing line connected to Saizō couldn't be reeled back unilaterally by Iba Tetsuzaemon unless Saizō was "caught" (killed).
But in reality, since Saizō at this moment was only an empty shell with part of a First Generation Captain's strength—without even a soul—
Iba Tetsuzaemon's Shinkai (Deep Sea) turned into a shallow sea.
Ikkaku seized the opening and split Saizō's shoulder blade with the left-hand blade—only this time, there was no dramatic spray of blood, no sickly diary-writing melodrama. Ikkaku's cut felt like it was chopping into cotton.
For Ikkaku, that wasn't a huge problem.
But it was for Tokinada. He was just a "shut-in"—for hundreds of years, he'd basically lived a three-point commute between the Tsunayashiro estate, the Great Spirit Book Corridor, and the Eizō Hall.
Without guidance from sight, trying to leave a mark on Ikkaku was like trying to climb to the heavens.
Had his power dropped?
No. Ikkaku could clearly feel he was still brimming with strength, so…
"It's Karaku (Fire Brand). Anything—living or dead—that's successfully branded with the mark can no longer deal any real, substantive damage to Sakahone Saizō."
"Such a headache, Ikkaku. If I had a choice, I absolutely wouldn't do this… but it looks like I don't. So, Tetsuzaemon, please help me keep this secret~"
So strictly speaking, the Saizō inside the Shinkai (Deep Sea) couldn't really be considered a true Shinigami. That was why it displayed this "not-following-Shinigami-logic" level of underperformance.
That was Tokinada's thinking.
What gifts should he send these two, using this special body?
For Kyōraku Shunsui, the best gift would be to personally send Ise Nanao—someone with a very special meaning to him—on her way.
By all logic, Iba Tetsuzaemon's Reiatsu (Spiritual Pressure) wasn't that strong—around ordinary Vice-Captain level, not even an exceptional Vice-Captain.
Bankai!
Then he issued Saizō his newest order.
"Gokkei: Karaku (Fire Brand)!"
And Ikkaku's Bankai answered the truest desire in his heart: three giant blades—triple the joy!
Tokinada understood clearly, and he was confident.
Inside the dim Eizō Hall, Tokinada started asking and answering his own questions. Every time he saw those bewildered expressions appear on the screen, he couldn't help but explain—just to show off how high his "wisdom" was.
Staring at Saizō's clear, empty gaze, Iba Tetsuzaemon couldn't leave even if he wanted to.
Tokinada realized it.
Normally, this should've been impossible—unless Ikkaku still had another Bankai that also required a Zanpakutō as the medium. Only then, under the overwhelming rule-power of Bankai, could a Zanpakutō that had already become shattered and fragmented in Shikai be restored to its former splendor.
But could something like that really happen?
And to help his very close friend, Yumichika had no choice but to shout his Zanpakutō's true release command:
"Bloom wildly, Ruriiro Kujaku!"
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