Chapter 22 – Suppression

Chapter 22 – Suppression

"This is..."

Feeling that he had lost control of his right hand, Ailin's left hand was the first to light up with lightning.

"Hadō #11: Bound Lightning!"

Crackle!

A bolt of lightning shot out from Ailin's left hand, striking Tessaiga.

"Ah--!"

This bolt of lightning spread along Tessaiga to Ailin's body. After Ailin let out a muffled grunt, his right hand released Tessaiga, regaining control of his right hand.

Clang...

Looking at Tessaiga fallen on the ground, Ailin's gaze towards Kōga Kuchiki contained surprise, wariness and also pleasant surprise.

He was surprised that the weapon he had forged would actually be controlled by Kōga’s Muramasa like a Zanpakutō. He felt wary because with the hundreds of Zanpakutō Ailin possessed, if Muramasa truly entered his inner world, it would likely bring tremendous trouble for Ailin.

The pleasant surprise was for the same reason. Muramasa had already been copied by Ailin. Once Ailin forged Muramasa, with its ability he could truly have an "army of one"! However, all that would have to wait until Ailin was safe.

"Humph!"

Although the desired effect wasn't achieved, destroying Ailin's Zanpakutō with one strike still brought a smug look to Kōga’s face. In his eyes, his ability was the strongest!

"Surrender! If you accept judgement afterwards you might still keep your life." Pointing his released Muramasa at Ailin, Kōga uttered unbelievable nonsense.

Spare Ailin?

How was that possible?

Haruko Kuchiki had disguised herself when entering the tavern, but that was only an external disguise. Her spiritual pressure had never changed at all. Investigating only required tracing Haruko Kuchiki's spiritual pressure to understand everything.

"Relying solely on personal assumptions without seeking the facts yet pressing such a weighty title on me, I really cannot accept this. As for you saying your next strike will take my life—Since when could a 3rd seat be so arrogant when speaking to a Vice Captain?"

Ailin was deliberately provoking him!

"Phantasm Break!"

This ability could greatly boost the might of projected weapons at the cost of damaging them. Although only a one-shot power up, that one strike's power could already match the real things.

Furthermore, as mere Zanpakutō projections, there were no actual "Spirits" within them at all, completely immune against the effects of Kōga’s Zanpakutō ability.

Having lost the initiative, Kōga could only wave Muramasa to deflect these dozens of incoming Zanpakutō.

But—!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The instant these Zanpakutō were struck by Kōga, violent explosions occurred on all of them. Every Zanpakutō's detonation wasn't the least bit inferior to a Lieutenant-class Hadō #31: Shot of Red Fire.

Whoosh!

Amidst the surging flames a figure shot into the sky.

The three captain-class experts, Ginrei Kuchiki, Love Aikawa and Isshin Shiba raised their heads. The other Shinigami were slightly slower to react but still followed their gazes towards that figure hovering in midair.

"You're kidding right?"

"He's actually injured despite being from the 1st Division's 3rd Seat?"

"So powerful, both these guys are truly so powerful!"

Suspended roughly twenty-plus meters above ground, Kōga’s body was shrouded by large amounts of black fumes, with multiple burns visible on his hands and body. Even his Shihakusho had a few holes punctured through. There was also a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth.

"Very good, you've truly angered me now!"

After wiping the blood from his mouth, Kōga glanced at the three captains dressed in white haoris on the ground and the more than fifty Shinigami present. His eyes brimmed with viciousness.

I can't control your weapons but can I still not control these people instead?

The Zanpakutō of three captain-class experts plus over fifty Shinigami manifested, let's see how you die!

"Bankai— Mukōjōchū Muramasa!"