Chapter Forty-Three: The End of the First Time

Should I take him down right now?

Yhwach fell into silence.

This was a dilemma.

Indeed, with all twelve captains of the Silver Cross Knights gathered here, plus himself, he could certainly keep Shigekuni Yamamoto and Chōjirō Sasakibe trapped in this place.

But the cost would be immeasurable.

Currently, Yamamoto was only using his initial release, yet he already dominated the field with overwhelming force. And even Sasakibe’s Bankai beside him exerted pressure that even Yhwach himself could feel.

If Yamamoto were to unleash his Bankai as well...

Other than himself, probably no one on his side would survive...

Meanwhile, the Thirteen Court Guard Squads still had nine captains remaining, as well as Yasuda Honseiichi, who gave up the position of Head Captain to Yamamoto a century ago.

To destroy the Soul Society, the Silver Cross Knights were indispensable as fighting force.

To eliminate Yamamoto would mean dragging the Silver Cross Knights down with him.

“Retreat.”

Without hesitation, he issued the command to withdraw.

“Huh?”

Saidritz and the other members of the Silver Cross Knights all turned to look at their leader.

“Your Majesty! Why would—”

“Do you doubt my orders, Saidritz?”

Yhwach shot a cold glance at Saidritz, who had voiced his objection.

“Guh...”

Saidritz swallowed his words.

The words from their leader chilled him to the bone and filled him with fear. If he uttered even one more syllable, he might be killed by the boss right then and there.

This thought arose from the depths of Saidritz’s heart.

“Shff…”

Yhwach turned around. Behind him, an exit had opened without anyone noticing. He stepped in, preparing to leave.

“Ready to run, are you?”

Yamamoto raised his head and spoke toward Yhwach’s back, his tone dripping with disdain.

“What did you say, old man...”

A Quincy with short golden hair immediately gritted his teeth in anger.

“Hmph…”

Yhwach didn’t turn around.

He didn’t even react to such petty provocation, only allowing a slight curl of his lips.

“You and I are the same, Shigekuni Yamamoto.”

“That’s why I’m letting you go this time… so you won’t get what you want.”

“One thing more before I leave.”

Yhwach’s figure was fully enveloped by the black portal, which slowly began to close.

“We cannot shoulder everything, because we are not people with such characters.”

At last, Yhwach turned his head, casting one final glance at Yamamoto, whose entire body was enveloped in flames.

“Farewell…”

The portal closed, and his presence vanished.

Finally... the curtain closed!

.......................................................

“That’s the situation.”

A few days later, a captain’s meeting was once again convened in the First Division’s captain’s room.

Chōjirō began by briefing the other captains about the state of the living world. The news was grim, and the atmosphere was heavy.

“Well, next…”

“How much longer do I have to wait outside, huh?!”

Just as Yamamoto was about to announce something, the abrupt opening of the door and a voice utterly lacking in manners interrupted him.

“I’m getting impatient, you know!”

A man with an exaggerated pompadour, the front of his hair shaped in a bizarre hook, a straw-like thing clenched between his teeth, draped in a white captain’s haori—but beneath it, instead of a shihakushō, only a bellyband wrapped around his waist, and nothing else.

Altogether, he looked like a dangerous delinquent.

“Kiri... Lord Kirinji?”

Anba Ichigen stared at the man entering, uttering the name in surprise.

“Hmmm~~~?”

The man called Kirinji glanced at Anba, then shouted, “Isn’t that Anba? You look pretty healthy these days!”

“Please keep your voice down, Kirinji-san… You’re killing the mood.”

Chōjirō looked helplessly at Kirinji behind him. It was hard to imagine such a fellow would one day join the Zero Division.

“Gah? Who needs such an atmosphere anyway, huh?”

Kirinji retorted loudly.

Come to think of it, how does he manage to keep that thing in his mouth while shouting so loudly?

Chōjirō mused idly.

“Who… is this strange guy?”

Jingū Kiyuemon asked in a slightly exasperated tone.

“The new captain of the Eighth Division—Tenshirō Kirinji.”

Yamamoto announced the newcomer’s identity.

“!!”

“Kirinji… Is he the same Tenshirō Kirinji, the ‘Healing Hot Springs’ guy?”

Onimura Kidōmaru spoke in mild astonishment.

“Hey, hey! My abilities aren’t just about hot springs, you know! Want to try me, kid?”

“Bang!”

“Ouch! That hurts!!”

Chōjirō unceremoniously struck Kirinji’s pompadour with his sword’s scabbard.

“Stick to the point, Kirinji-san.”

“Grr… Seriously, huh…”

Kirinji rubbed his head, then irritably chewed the stalk between his teeth. “It’s just because there’s no one else right now, so I’m captain… That’s all.”

“That’s not what we’re talking about.”

“Ouch! That hurts!!”

Chōjirō hit Kirinji’s pompadour again with his scabbard.

“Alright! Stop hitting me, okay?”

Seeing Chōjirō’s relentless attacks, Kirinji quickly protested.

“Takukō and Shirakawa may be badly injured, but that’s not a problem for me, you know!”

Kirinji bit down on the straw, his face showing obvious impatience. “But that’s not the main issue.”

“If their injuries aren’t fatal, I can heal them, maybe even make them healthier than before, but…”

“They can no longer serve as captains.”

“!!!!”

This was undoubtedly a crushing blow to everyone present.

“Wha… Didn’t you say you could fully restore them?” asked Amanomiya Jirō.

“I said ‘body.’ Were you even listening, huh?”

Kirinji raised his head, giving Amanomiya a disdainful glance. “The problem lies with their Zanpakutō.”

“You all know, right? If a Zanpakutō breaks, it’ll repair itself after some time.”

“But their situation is different.”

Kirinji’s expression suddenly turned serious, and a tremendous, indescribable pressure filled the room.

“In their battle with the Quincy, it wasn’t ‘the Zanpakutō broke, causing the Bankai to end.’ It was ‘the Bankai was destroyed, causing the Zanpakutō to break.’ In other words…”

Kirinji lowered his head, gazing at the ten captains before him. “They will never again be able to use a complete Bankai.”

“In fact, it’s almost as if they’ve lost their Bankai altogether.”

The room did not liven up at Kirinji’s final words. Instead, the previous remarks had plunged the atmosphere even deeper into gloom.

Two captains lost their Bankai in a single battle—what kind of power did these enemies possess?

“Continue treating their wounds, Kirinji.”

After a long silence, Yamamoto spoke.

“As for crushing the enemy… leave that to me.”