Chapter 114: The Second Experience

“……”

Chōjirō’s seemingly soft and feeble fist met Yami’s fierce and brutal strike head-on.

The contrast between ferocity and fragility was stark, almost painfully so to witness.

“!!!”

Yet, the outcome defied everyone’s expectations. Chōjirō’s arms remained unscathed, while Yami’s massive body was sent flying backward.

Though it was said he was flung back, in truth, Yami was dragged by Chōjirō’s right arm, hurtling uncontrollably. Even that colossal frame could not withstand Chōjirō’s power.

“Boom!”

Naturally, being thrown through the air wasn’t harmless. Yami traced a parabolic arc before crashing heavily onto the ground.

“……”

Chōjirō stood silently, watching the spot where Yami landed without a sound.

Though a surprise attack was not impossible, it seemed that the concept of “ambush” was foreign to Yami’s mind.

“Bastard!!!”

As expected, Yami, slightly disheveled, swept away the dust blocking his view and roared, revealing his body from within the smoke.

“You bastard!! How dare a mere lieutenant lieutenant kill me… I’ll slaughter you!!!”

Suddenly, a massive red sphere condensed before Yami’s wide-open mouth, then shot straight toward Chōjirō.

“Foolish…”

Chōjirō narrowed his eyes slightly, displeased at Yami’s choice to use a flash attack from such a distance.

Having dodged projectiles twenty times faster than a flash in close combat with Yami, why resort to a flash attack from this far away?

“Roar!!!”

“!”

Startled by Yami’s sudden beastly roar, Chōjirō wondered if this creature intended to unleash his full power here.

“Bang!”

Yami clenched two projectiles in his hands and slammed them into the ground behind him, propelling himself forward rapidly toward Chōjirō.

Unable to match his speed, was Yami trying to close the distance this way?

“Roar!”

But Yami’s assault was not limited to this. His enormous body relentlessly sprinted forward, simultaneously firing projectiles at Chōjirō without slowing down. Chōjirō was once more astonished by Yami’s ability to maintain such firing frequency while charging at full speed—this foe’s strength was indeed formidable.

“Die!”

While Chōjirō dodged the incoming projectiles, Yami suddenly closed in, his mouth already charged with flash energy. Just as Chōjirō noticed his presence, Yami struck.

“Boom!”

The red flash engulfed Chōjirō’s figure, leaving no trace even in the air once it vanished.

“Hahaha! Reduced to ashes, right? This is what happens when you anger me—”

Before Yami could finish, the figure who should have been obliterated by the flash suddenly appeared behind him, a chilling voice that made the hairs on Yami’s massive body stand on end.

“Too much talking, fool.”

“Da…”

Before Yami could react, Chōjirō’s fists pressed against his right shoulder. Though warm to the touch, the fists sent a bone-chilling cold deep into Yami’s core.

“Boneless.”

“Bang!”

With a muffled explosion, Yami’s right arm—reconnected by Sār Apollō—detonated at the shoulder, separating from his body once again.

“Uwaaahhh!”

Enduring the agony of a second amputation, Yami clutched his injured shoulder and screamed in pain.

“If Sār Apollō can reattach your arm, then let him keep doing so. Tell him…”

Chōjirō’s cold eyes locked onto Yami, the murderous intent within them thickening the air, making it hard to breathe.

“The arm he reattached? I’ll take it all.”

……………………………………

“Seriously, how did Yami end up looking so pathetic?”

Ruby, fighting alongside Hitsugaya and three others, heard the exasperated scream and glanced impatiently toward Yami. Upon seeing Yami’s arm severed by that suddenly appearing Shinigami, his disdain deepened.

This newly arrived Shinigami didn’t seem particularly strong in spiritual pressure; for Yami to be defeated so thoroughly was truly embarrassing.

Well, such is the difference—after all, the Sixth and Tenth Divisions were four ranks apart.

“Forget it. I’ll take care of that guy later too. For now…”

Ruby lowered his gaze at the lightly injured Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Ikkaku, and Abarai nearby, a malicious grin spreading across his lips. He covered his protruding tongue with his sleeve and smirked sinisterly, “We’ll just stay here.”

“Tch…”

Hitsugaya was deeply annoyed by Ruby’s scornful words. Though he looked childish, his tongue was sharp, and his strength was no joke. Even with his spiritual seal lifted, he was still slightly struggling.

‘Without Bankai, it’s still a bit tough…’

“Ah, one against four is indeed boring~~~ In that case, better catch that Yami fellow quickly.”

Ignoring Hitsugaya and the others entirely, Ruby reached for his zanpakutō, which was embedded near his ribs. His eyes, filled with cold killing intent and undeniable mockery, fixed on the four Shinigami struggling before him.

“Strangle him…”

“!!!”

Having fought several Arrancars earlier, Hitsugaya knew Ruby was about to release his Bankai. But with the current situation already unfavorable, letting Ruby unleash his power would make any hope of turning the tide even slimmer.

“Don’t even think about it!”

Without hesitation, Hitsugaya charged at the still-unreleased Ruby, suddenly unfurling a pair of enormous ice dragon wings behind him.

“Bankai! Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!!”

Yet no matter how fast Hitsugaya was, Ruby drew his zanpakutō and softly spoke the name of his release.

“Nue.”

“Thud!”

A massive spiritual pressure enveloped Ruby. Suddenly, a pristine white tentacle shot out from the smoke, striking Hitsugaya’s protective ice wings with force, pushing him back several steps.

“Hahaha, quite the defense. I’m starting to see you differently. Your Bankai might just excite me.”

As the dust finally cleared, Ruby’s true form after release was revealed, along with eight snowy white tentacles extending from his back.

“I’m so excited, I feel like wiping you out with these eight tentacles. Don’t blame me, Captain.”