Chapter 130: Drip, Boom!!
"Whisper, Muramasa!"
As Kōga chanted the release command, Shunsui's expression changed dramatically.
He swiftly retreated, attempting to create distance once more.
But before he could act, invisible purple threads had already made contact with his body.
Instantly, he felt his Zanpakutō beginning to stir restlessly.
The twin blades that had always obeyed his every command suddenly felt unfamiliar.
The two swords moved against his will, dragging his arms as they swung toward his own body!
"My... this is quite something."
Though he already knew about Muramasa's ability, experiencing it firsthand still gave Shunsui an indescribably eerie feeling.
The Zanpakutō that had accompanied him for hundreds of years was actually turning against its master.
Suddenly, his eyes widened as he unleashed a powerful Reiatsu.
Instantly, the space within several kilometers was engulfed in a terrifying wave reminiscent of an ocean upheaval.
The air trembled violently!
Under the suppression of his powerful Reiatsu, Muramasa's influence was significantly reduced.
Although the twin blades still didn't obey perfectly, they no longer displayed the same aggressive behavior as before.
Kōga stood in place, quietly observing the scene before him.
Feeling the liquid-like, viscous Reiatsu swirling around him, he slowly said:
"As expected of Shunsui Kyōraku. To think you can suppress my ability through Reiatsu alone."
"Indeed, the power of Shikai alone cannot defeat a warrior of your caliber."
Upon hearing this, Shunsui's pupils contracted.
Under his watchful gaze, Kōga slowly exhaled—
"Bankai."
BOOM!!!!
A dense Reiatsu erupted from Kōga as its center.
The air trembled once more.
Kōga's Reiatsu and Shunsui's Reiatsu clashed like two armies engaged in fierce combat across heaven and earth.
"Mukōjōchū Muramasa!!"
Kōga raised his Zanpakutō high.
With his movement, the Blade Spirit wearing a white overcoat emerged from his Zanpakutō.
The moment he appeared, Muramasa looked toward the two Zanpakutō held in Shunsui's hands.
"Awaken, those who resist."
The instant his words fell, the Zanpakutō in Shunsui's hands suddenly stopped trembling...
...
...
BOOM!!!!
A window of the Kyogoku House suddenly exploded.
A figure was sent flying backward through the window, tracing a long arc through the air before crashing into the street below.
Nearby residents screamed in terror, scattering in all directions.
Inside the tavern, Satoru stood up.
He raised his hand, cracking his knuckles with audible pops.
Over a dozen assassins surrounding him couldn't help but break out in cold sweat.
These people wore various types of clothing.
Some wore common Rukongai civilian clothes, dressed as tavern patrons.
Others were dressed as tavern servers.
Some were dressed as merchants or students.
Just moments before, one of them had suddenly attacked when they got close to Satoru.
Moving at incredible speed, they thrust a blade toward him.
And Satoru, without even standing up, had simply thrown a casual punch.
The assassin who had charged at him was sent flying back at even greater speed than they had approached.
If I'm not mistaken, that guy's bones were pretty much shattered before he was sent flying.
After all, if his bones weren't broken, his body couldn't have bent into such a bizarre shape...
Under the assassins' gazes, Satoru shook his head.
"You can't be serious, everyone."
"Is this the caliber of assassins sent by the Tsunayashiro Clan?"
"With your meager skills, where did you find the courage to take on this mission?"
Hearing Satoru's insulting remarks, the assassins couldn't help but tremble.
These men were all killers heavily funded and trained by the Tsunayashiro Clan.
Each possessed strength not inferior to elite Stealth Force members.
With careful planning against unprepared targets, the probability of them taking down vice-captain level opponents was actually quite high.
However, when facing Satoru, their advantages instantly vanished.
First was stealth assassination.
This guy seemed to possess foresight—even during close-quarters assassination attempts with nearly guaranteed strikes, he showed no surprise and instantly countered.
Then came close-quarters combat.
Normal Shinigami primarily relied on sword techniques, their first reaction to danger being to draw their blades.
This fixed mindset often led them to make wrong decisions when facing close-range attacks.
But Satoru had no such weakness.
When confronted with close-quarters assassination attempts, he didn't hesitate to throw a punch without even thinking.
How many assassination attempts must one experience to develop such reaction speed?
For a moment, the assassins exchanged glances, all considering whether they should retreat.
But at that moment, a strange "beeping" sound simultaneously echoed from within their bodies.
The assassins looked down in confusion, examining themselves.
Satoru instinctively glanced over as well.
The next second, his expression changed.
Under Yoruichi's astonished gaze, he kicked the table aside, grabbed Yoruichi's hand, and without a word, rushed toward the restaurant window.
BOOM!!!!!
A dazzling explosion erupted, centered on the Kyōgokuya, billowing upward in rolling flames.
Just as Satoru leaped through the window, he was struck by the terrifying force from behind, sent flying uncontrollably through the air.
At the last moment, he twisted mid-air, shielding Yoruichi in front of him and landing on his back.
THUD!!!
The violent impact made his vision go black, nearly knocking him unconscious.
Staring at the Kyōgokuya—now completely engulfed in fiery clouds—Satoru couldn't help but feel utterly exasperated.
Those assassins actually had ultra-high-powered bombs implanted inside their bodies.
If not for his Soul Field ability, which allowed him to see through flesh and bone directly, he might have fallen for it just now.
Bombs of that magnitude were considered forbidden creations even in the 12th Division, prohibited for standard issue among members.
How did the Tsunayashiro Clan obtain such technology?
After a brief moment of puzzlement, a figure suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi...
Had that guy been recruited by the Tsunayashiro too?
Considering this possibility, Satoru couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.
Even when facing two Captain-level opponents simultaneously before, he hadn't felt this much psychological pressure.
If possible, he absolutely did not want to confront a freak like Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
If the enemy truly fought dirty and deployed Mayuri Kurotsuchi, then he'd have to activate his own forbidden weapon—Kisuke Urahara!
Yoruichi quickly scrambled to her feet.
"Hey! Satoru! Are you okay?!"
She was somewhat panicked.
In that explosion, Satoru had essentially taken the full force directly on his back.
And during the landing, to protect her, he hadn't been able to cushion the impact at all.
Even an iron man couldn't withstand a beating like that.
But to her surprise, Satoru brushed the dust off his clothes and stood right up.
"This is nothing, still a long way from being in trouble."
Yoruichi moved behind him.
Seeing Satoru's back, she couldn't help but blink.
Although his Shinigami Uniform was shredded to pieces, Satoru's back showed almost no injuries.
This defensive power... was really a bit monstrous.
Sensing Yoruichi's astonishment, Satoru couldn't help but feel smug.
He was about to boast when he suddenly stared in shock at a spot not far away.
Over there, Shunsui's Reiatsu had abruptly plummeted!