Chapter 42: The Strongest Noble Phantasm
As Gilgamesh chanted, golden ripples suddenly appeared on the ground beneath Shiba Isshin's feet.
Driven by his body's instinctive warning of danger, Shiba Isshin didn't hesitate and immediately used Shunpo to escape the area.
It was at this moment that massive, golden-glowing chains burst forth from the golden ripples on the ground, connecting heaven and earth.
Watching the scene before him, Shiba Isshin's pupils trembled uncontrollably.
Reflected in Shiba Isshin's pupils, the space between heaven and earth seemed to be connected by those massive, golden-glowing chains.
Before these massive chains, Shiba Isshin felt as small as an ant.
His mind began to tremble, and Gilgamesh's words kept replaying in his head.
Divinity.
The true power of Chains of Heaven.
That chant, similar to a Zanpakuto's release command.
Shiba Isshin couldn't help but stammer, "What in the world is going on?!"
"Are these chains, connecting heaven and earth, this guy's Bankai?"
"But didn't he say he didn't have a Zanpakuto?"
"Moreover, if it's a Bankai, why can't I sense any spiritual pressure?"
Not only Shiba Isshin, but also Shiba Kaien and Yoruichi Shihouin, who were battling in the distance, were drawn by the commotion of Chains of Heaven's Noble Phantasm release.
When they saw those massive, golden-glowing chains connecting heaven and earth, Shiba Kaien and Yoruichi Shihouin were both utterly shocked.
They were further away and could see the full scope, which made it even more astonishing.
They were so shocked that they even forgot they were still in battle.
After a brief silence, Shiba Kaien and Yoruichi Shihouin simultaneously rushed towards the Chains of Heaven, where the Noble Phantasm was being released.
Shiba Kaien was worried about Shiba Isshin.
As Shiba Isshin's nephew, Shiba Kaien understood Shiba Isshin very well; he knew that these massive chains were absolutely not the ability of Shiba Kaien's Zanpakuto.
Yoruichi Shihouin was worried about Gilgamesh.
She didn't know Shiba Isshin well, nor had she ever seen Gilgamesh use Chains of Heaven.
But she had just sensed Shiba Isshin's unconcealed spiritual pressure.
Upon seeing these heaven-and-earth-connecting Chains of Heaven, Yoruichi Shihouin assumed it was Shiba Isshin's Bankai.
So Yoruichi Shihouin was worried if Gilgamesh might be in any danger.
Just as Yoruichi Shihouin and Shiba Kaien were frantically rushing over, those heaven-and-earth-connecting chains suddenly converged, forming a single Chains of Heaven that spanned the sky, soaring freely like a mythical golden dragon.
Shiba Isshin's body's instinctive warning of danger also reached an unprecedented level at this moment.
Run!
Run!
Run!
In his mind, 'run' kept appearing, growing larger and larger until it occupied his entire thoughts.
Shiba Isshin's body also followed its survival instinct, rapidly escaping with continuous Shunpo.
This action seemed to enrage the golden dragon of Chains of Heaven soaring in the sky, which directly swooped down towards Shiba Isshin like a meteor.
As it passed, the atmosphere was torn, space roared, boundless airwaves surged, raising violent winds.
This scene was like a natural disaster, as if the golden dragon of Chains of Heaven was venting its fury.
Shiba Kaien and Yoruichi Shihouin saw this scene from afar and felt a jolt of fear even before getting close.
This was even more true for Shiba Isshin, who was directly facing the golden dragon of Chains of Heaven.
However, Shiba Isshin was indeed a Captain-level powerhouse; even at this moment, his composure did not break.
He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to calm down, while his spiritual pressure surged wildly into his Zanpakuto, Engetsu, as if it were worthless.
His current state was not enough to support his Bankai.
Shiba Isshin knew that the only thing he could do now was to embrace death and find a way to live, casting aside everything to unleash the strongest Getsuga Tensho of his life.
With wide, angry eyes, Shiba Isshin raised Engetsu in his hand and roared, "Getsuga Tensho!!!"
As Shiba Isshin swung Engetsu, an incredibly scorching spiritual pressure blade of flame suddenly rose in the void, like a fiery cremation, directly striking the Chains of Heaven's soaring dragon.
Heaven and earth seemed to fall silent at this moment.
In the eyes of Shiba Kaien and Yoruichi Shihouin, they only saw the extreme wind pressure formed by the terrifying collision, creating a turbulent wind circle mixed with scattering flames spreading outwards.
And at the center of the collision, sand and rocks filled the sky, completely obscuring the situation inside, with only the Chains of Heaven visible outside the debris.
Then, the delayed sound echoed.
Boom!
The terrifying aftermath of the battle forced Shiba Kaien and Yoruichi Shihouin to stop their Shunpo, leaving them suspended in mid-air, their hearts already in their throats.
When the dust settled, the Chains of Heaven gradually dissipated, returning to King's Treasure along with the golden throne beneath Gilgamesh.
Subsequently, the god's gate closed.
Shiba Kaien and Yoruichi Shihouin also arrived at this point.
Yoruichi Shihouin immediately went to Gilgamesh's side, and after carefully checking and finding that Gilgamesh was unharmed, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, Yoruichi Shihouin had the presence of mind to observe her surroundings.
Yoruichi Shihouin found that the surrounding terrain had been completely disfigured by the recent battle; the ground was cracked, trees had fallen, and as far as the eye could see, there were numerous craters of varying sizes and depths.
Shiba Kaien and Shiba Isshin were in one of the largest craters.
At this moment, Shiba Isshin was slumped on the ground, his face filled with the relief of having survived a great calamity, constantly gasping for breath.
Shiba Isshin knew that the reason he was able to survive was not because his strongest Getsuga Tensho had blocked the Chains of Heaven, but because Gilgamesh had no intention of taking his life.
Although the Chains of Heaven seemed to strike towards him, it had deviated its angle, and after dispersing his Getsuga Tensho, it slammed heavily into the ground nearby.
Shiba Kaien looked at the bottomless, massive crater beside Shiba Isshin, which resembled a small lake, and cold sweat had already seeped onto his face.
Although he hadn't faced it directly, just by looking at the ground gap caused by the Chains of Heaven, Shiba Kaien already felt suffocated, heavy, and fearful!
That's right, Shiba Kaien, who possessed Captain-level strength, at this moment felt fear towards the beautiful young man who appeared to be only about 12 years old.
Shiba Isshin finally recovered his senses at this point, leaning on his Zanpakuto, which had reverted from Shikai, trying to stand up, and exclaimed, "What a terrifying guy."
"I'm willing to believe he's Gilgamesh now."
"If not, I really don't know what those divine artifacts with no spiritual pressure and those incomprehensible methods are all about."
Saying this, Shiba Isshin looked at Shiba Kaien, who was frowning slightly and had not yet accepted the facts, and spoke seriously, "Kaien, pay attention later, absolutely do not antagonize him, at least not now."
"Because he has the power to keep both you and me here."
Shiba Kaien was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting Shiba Isshin to say such words.
Before Shiba Kaien could ask, Shiba Isshin continued, "Do you know? Those golden whirlpools he summoned are actually connected to his treasury."
"According to him, his treasury contains the original texts of all human myths."
"That heaven-and-earth-connecting Chains of Heaven just now was merely one of those mythical original texts."
"Moreover, I can sense that the Chains of Heaven is not the strongest mythical original text he possesses..."
Before Shiba Isshin could finish speaking, Gilgamesh's appreciative voice rang out, "As expected of a Gotei 13 Captain, that intuition is indeed sharp."
"Indeed, Chains of Heaven is not the strongest Noble Phantasm of this King."
"It's no harm to tell you; this King's strongest Noble Phantasm is called Ea!"