Baraggan planted his massive axe into the ground. From the center of the blade, a single eerie eye opened.
"Rot away... Arrogante."
As his deep voice rumbled, a wave of purple-black Reiatsu enveloped his entire body.
Within that dark aura, a crown emerged first.
His face and body transformed into a skeleton cloaked in black flames, silver chains hanging from his crown like a symbol of death itself.
He looked less like a Soul Reaper and more like a grim reaper straight out of Castlevania—a monarch of decay.
Compared to Yamamoto or the others, Baraggan was perhaps the most fitting embodiment of the title Shinigami.
Watching his transformation, Suì-Fēng stood frozen.
This powerful Reiatsu combined with such a terrifying ability...
There was no way she could take him alone.
Baraggan slowly stepped forward, and with each stride, everything around him aged and crumbled into nothingness.
Even the rooftop of the building he stood on—any section he touched—disintegrated instantly.
Decay incarnate.
Strangely, Ōmaeda, normally a coward, showed no fear.
Instead, he charged at Baraggan, swinging his massive mace!
But Suì-Fēng quickly kicked him aside, shouting, "Idiot! Can't you see?! This isn't an enemy you can beat just by being brave!"
And she was right—this wasn't someone you could even touch. Rushing in would be suicide.
Baraggan merely watched their exchange without reacting.
He didn't feel the need to interfere. He was too confident. To him, both Suì-Fēng and Ōmaeda were as good as dead already.
Then—he made his move.
"Respira... The Breath of Death."
With a sigh, Baraggan released a dark cloud from his body—
A miasma that disintegrated anything it touched.
Suì-Fēng immediately Shunpo'd away—
But the black mist matched her speed! It chased her down like a curse!
Her previously infected left hand came into contact with the mist again—
And instantly decayed into exposed white bone!
Suì-Fēng screamed in agony as the decay spread up her arm!
With gritted teeth, she shouted, "Ōmaeda! Cut off my arm—now!"
He hesitated.
"DO IT!"
Seeing the desperation in her eyes, Ōmaeda didn't hesitate again.
He swung and severed her left arm—
And the decay finally stopped.
Suì-Fēng sighed in relief—but her combat ability had been greatly diminished.
She knew there was only one thing left she could do.
"Ōmaeda, stall him for a bit! I'll be back soon!"
She vanished in a blur of Shunpo.
No—she wasn't fleeing.
She was preparing her Bankai.
Ōmaeda, watching her leave, felt numb.
If even she can't win... how am I supposed to do anything?
But Ōmaeda had one redeeming quality—
Absolute loyalty.
He obeyed his Captain's orders no matter what.
His combat ability might be lacking, but his dedication? Top-tier.
As a member of the Ōmaeda family—who had served the Shihōin clan for generations—obedience was ingrained in his bones.
So, even if the enemy was terrifying... he would still stand his ground.
Baraggan, meanwhile, was unimpressed.
Untouchable, unstoppable—what could this worm possibly do?
But Ōmaeda simply used what he had—stealth.
He used Shunpo to duck into the shadows of the fake Karakura Town, hiding from Baraggan's sight.
This wasn't about winning—it was about buying time.
Surprisingly, it worked.
Or maybe Baraggan simply couldn't be bothered to chase a mosquito.
Annoyed by the constant evasions, Baraggan summoned a second axe—Axe of Extinction.
This one was bound by golden chains and looked even more fearsome than the one before.
But just then—
A powerful spiritual pressure erupted in the distance.
Suì-Fēng had returned.
She climbed the fire escape, dragging behind her a massive weapon that crushed the roof beneath her with its sheer weight.
Her left sleeve was now tied off. In her right hand—
Was a golden, missile-like cannon.
"Bankai... Jakuhō Raikōben!" she declared.
A Bankai that completely went against her stealth-based image.
But it was exactly what she needed to defeat Baraggan.
Even Baraggan sensed danger from her Reiatsu.
This wasn't some weak imitation—it was the real thing.
Ōmaeda stood dumbfounded.
"C-Captain... is this really your Bankai?"
From the delicate Shikai of Suzumebachi to this behemoth—
The contrast was absurd.
But that was the point.
Her Shikai was for silent assassinations.
Her Bankai—was for obliteration.
Because of its massive recoil, she had to wear silver restraining straps to control the blast.
She hated using it.
It was too conspicuous, too hard to carry, and completely unfit for stealth missions.
But against this enemy... it was perfect.
Baraggan didn't flinch. He didn't believe something that big could possibly harm him.
Suì-Fēng aimed with her shoulder-mounted scope.
The missile roared to life—blazing toward Baraggan in a blinding flash.
BOOOOOM!!!
The explosion turned the sky into a sea of flames.
It was literally nuclear.
Ōmaeda and the surrounding Soul Reapers were blasted by the shockwave!
But thanks to the restraining straps, the recoil was dampened—though the metal was torn to shreds from the strain.
Still airborne, Suì-Fēng was launched backward—
Ōmaeda quickly Shunpo'd into position—
And caught her with his own body, breaking her fall!
Once again—he proved himself a worthy Lieutenant.
In the sky, Baraggan was swallowed whole by the firestorm.
Suì-Fēng exhaled.
Even Baraggan couldn't possibly survive that.
Elsewhere, Tōshirō Hitsugaya had sealed Harribel with Hyōten Hyakkasō, and now Baraggan had been struck by Jakuhō Raikōben.
Only three enemies remained:
Aizen Sōsuke, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen—
Encased within Yamamoto's fire barrier.
The rest of the battlefield had mostly calmed—
Except for one more fight...
Shunsui Kyōraku vs Coyote Starrk.
Unlike the tense duels elsewhere, Ukitake Jūshirō and Lilynette were...
Playing a children's game.
Lilynette, no matter how hard she tried, couldn't tag Ukitake.
In frustration, she tripped over herself and fell.
Ukitake simply chuckled—he was having too much fun teasing her.
Meanwhile, Starrk looked back at his Fracción and sighed.
Despite being in the middle of a war, she was playing with the enemy.
Still... Starrk wasn't angry.
If anything, he was worried for her.
He turned to Shunsui. "Are all your Bankai that terrifying? That guy's Bankai and the freezing one—who's stronger?"
Shunsui, despite being nicked by one of Starrk's strikes, calmly closed his eyes.
"Don't say that. Bankai is our final card. Besides, Captain Hitsugaya is a rare genius."
"So he's stronger than you?"
Shunsui shook his head slightly. "Give him a hundred more years. He might surpass me."
It sounded arrogant—but it was true.
Other than Unohana and Yamamoto, Shunsui was one of the strongest Captains alive.
Starrk narrowed his eyes. "Is that so? Now I really want to see what your Bankai looks like."
He sheathed his Zanpakutō and called Lilynette back.
Unlike other Fracción, Lilynette wasn't just an ally—
She was a part of Starrk's soul.
Split off from him long ago—she wasn't a separate entity, but him.
As she ran back to him, she shouted, "You dummy! I was about to beat that Captain!"
Starrk placed a hand on her head, sighing softly.
Her body began to glow—
And slowly dissolved, fusing back into him.
"Los Lobos... Hunt them down."
Azure-blue Reiatsu erupted from Starrk, shooting into the heavens.
Even Shunsui and Ukitake were momentarily stunned by the sheer pressure.
"Katen Kyōkotsu."
Shunsui released his blade, removing his flowered haori and preparing to fight seriously.
As Starrk's Reiatsu calmed, his appearance had changed—
Now dressed like a hunter, dual pistols in hand.
Even after Resurrección, Starrk looked completely human.
In fact, he looked more human than before.
Aside from his eyes and the visor covering them—there was almost no visible change.
(End of Chapter)
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