Fate in Bleach: Unlimited Blade Works! Chapter 175: Baishin

As Ailin stepped out of the captain's eting room, Zaraki's boisterous laughter reached his ears.

"Hahahahahaha!"

"Little sword, this way, this way!"

From the vice-captains' waiting room, Zaraki burst through the wall, his laughter echoing as he charged towards the source of the reiatsu clash.

However, Yachiru Kusajishi, perched on his shoulder, continuously pointed him in different directions, gradually leading him astray.

"It seems we can't rely on Zaraki this ti," Ailin thought, shaking his head as he watched Zaraki and Yachiru disappear into the distance. He decided against calling them back.

Zaraki should cherish the ti he had with Yachiru.

His reiatsu had already reached the level of a hundred-year captain. Perhaps, after a few dozen more battles, Zaraki's suppressed spiritual pressure would be fully restored.

Then, upon hearing the na of his Zanpakutō, he would release its power, and Yachiru would return to his inner world.

Ailin silently calculated the ti.

Yhwach had spent nine hundred years regaining his heartbeat, ninety years regaining his sanity, and nine years recovering his strength...

Currently, Yhwach was in the stage of regaining his sanity.

There was still ti...

Swoosh!

Without further concern for Zaraki and Yachiru, Ailin used Shunpo to head towards the Eleventh Division. He sensed that Kiganjō was struggling against the newly erged opponent.

This didn't surprise Ailin in the slightest.

Although Kiganjō had achieved Bankai, his Zanpakutō's abilities were lacking.

In Ailin's eyes, Kiganjō was on par with Ikkaku Madara. Both held an awkward position within the Gotei 13.

They had achieved Bankai, but their reiatsu paled in comparison to the other captains. While releasing their Zanpakutō elevated their spiritual pressure to a similar level, their abilities placed them at the bottom of the captain-level hierarchy.

Ikkaku, in particular, suffered from insufficient reiatsu. Even in his Bankai state, his Zanpakutō remained dormant, requiring the stimulus of battle to awaken its true power.

And even then, it only possessed the strength for a single, devastating blow.

If Ikkaku's reiatsu were greater, his Bankai, Ryūmon Hōzukimaru, would be fully awakened, allowing him to unleash its full power with every strike, elevating his strength significantly.

As Ailin pondered this, another surge of powerful reiatsu erupted from the Eleventh Division.

Boom!

"Oh? This reiatsu... it's Ikkaku? He has achieved Bankai as well?"

Sensing the additional captain-level spiritual pressure, Ailin's eyes glead with interest as he hastened his pace towards the Eleventh Division.

...

With Zaraki and Ailin attending the captain's eting, the Eleventh Division was currently under the command of the Third Seat, Kiganjō, who led the division's mbers in their training.

For the Shinigami of the Eleventh Division, training ant one thing – combat, combat, and more combat!

The Shinigami stationed at the Eleventh Division's barracks were divided into two groups. One led by Kiganjō, the other by the Fifth Seat, Ikkaku Madara. The two groups engaged in fierce battles within the training grounds.

Boom!

Kiganjō and Ikkaku's Zanpakutō clashed, sparks flying as their imnse power generated shockwaves that pushed back the surrounding Shinigami.

Ikkaku had been a mber of the Eleventh Division for over twenty years, and he and Kiganjō had clashed countless tis, their fighting styles intimately familiar to each other.

Therefore, after a few exchanges of swordsmanship, both Kiganjō and Ikkaku released their Zanpakutō.

"Extend – Hōzukimaru!"

"Shatter him – Tetsu Ryūsei!"

Ikkaku's Zanpakutō and sheath rged into a long spear, while Kiganjō's Zanpakutō transford into a massive teor hamr.

Kiganjō held one end of the chain, while the other, adorned with thorns and spikes, swung through the air with a nacing whoosh as he manipulated the chain.

Clang!

Kiganjō hurled the teor hamr towards Ikkaku, its imnse weight and montum carrying a devastating force.

"Bring it on!"

Despite the disadvantage in weapon size, Ikkaku remained fearless, swinging his spear to et the oncoming teor hamr.

Boom!

Spear and teor hamr collided, and Ikkaku's Hōzukimaru bent into an arc as the sheer force sent him skidding backward, his feet carving deep furrows into the ground.

"Hahaha, again!"

Before he could regain his balance, Ikkaku's reiatsu erupted beneath his feet, halting his retreat. He then charged towards Kiganjō once more.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Ikkaku's figure flickered around Kiganjō, the massive teor hamr creating craters in the training grounds. The other Shinigami, witnessing the intensity of the battle, quickly distanced themselves from the epicenter, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire.

Boom!

A deafening roar echoed from behind a Shinigami who was observing the battle from the sidelines. He turned, his face contorting in horror.

"Enemy attack!"

Swoosh!

As the Shinigami raised the alarm, a white blade flew from the distance, piercing his body.

"Ugh..."

"Enemy attack! Prepare for battle!"

Despite his injuries, the Shinigami's warning reached the ears of the Eleventh Division mbers engaged in combat.

"Yūdai..."

Those who recognized the fallen Shinigami called out his na, and more Eleventh Division mbers rushed to his side, forming a protective barrier around him.

"Who are you? How dare you attack the Eleventh Division?"

"Hahaha, who am I? Has the Eleventh Division forgotten about after all these years?"

The Eleventh Division's gate crumbled as a hulking figure with ssy, light blue hair stepped into the compound. The man possessed a sturdy build, his beard resembled a collection of upright blades.

"Where is Sōya Azashiro, the Kenpachi? I've co to challenge him!"

"What? Challenge Captain Sōya Azashiro, the Kenpachi?"

The older mbers of the Eleventh Division paled upon hearing the man's words. Ailin had only held the title of Kenpachi for a little over a century. Those who had served in the Eleventh Division for more than one hundred and fifty years knew that the man referred to as "Sōya Azashiro, the Kenpachi" was the previous generation's Kenpachi.

Kiganjō, Ikkaku, and others, alerted by the commotion, had ended their training and gathered at the entrance of the Eleventh Division.

Upon seeing the man before them, Kiganjō's face turned pale with fear.

"You... you're Baishin?"

" Baishin? Who's that, Third Seat Kiganjō?"

Ikkaku, sensing Kiganjō's fear, asked with a serious expression. Perhaps only Ikkaku truly understood the extent of Kiganjō's strength within the Eleventh Division.

Aside from Ailin and Zaraki, Kiganjō was the strongest mber of the division, having achieved Bankai.

Yet, even this formidable Shinigami was trembling with fear?

"Baishin was the Vice-Captain of the Eleventh Division over two hundred years ago, a powerful Shinigami who had achieved Bankai," Kiganjō explained, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Back when I was just a regular mber of the Eleventh Division, Vice-Captain Baishin challenged Captain Sōya Azashiro for the title of Kenpachi. Although he lost, he survived the battle with Captain Sōya Azashiro.

After recovering from his injuries, Vice-Captain Baishin left the Eleventh Division, and no one knew where he went. I never expected him to return. And he specifically ca to challenge Captain Sōya Azashiro."

Even with his Bankai, Kiganjō didn't believe he was as strong as Baishin was two hundred years ago.

And now, Baishin had returned to challenge Captain Sōya Azashiro, indicating that he had grown even stronger.

"Oh? The one with the teor hamr, I rember you," Baishin said, his gaze falling upon Kiganjō as he spoke with Ikkaku.

"Greetings, Vice-Captain Baishin. It's been over two hundred years. You still look as healthy as ever," Kiganjō straightened his posture and greeted Baishin instinctively, his fear evident.

"Hmph, where is Captain Sōya Azashiro? I've co to challenge him!" Baishin demanded, his eyes scanning the gathered Shinigami, searching for Sōya Azashiro.

"According to the rules of the Eleventh Division, the Captain cannot refuse a challenge. I'm already looking forward to beating him to a pulp."

"Vice-Captain Baishin, Captain Sōya Azashiro was imprisoned over a century ago for committing a grave sin against the Seireitei," Kiganjō inford him. "The current Captain of the Eleventh Division is Captain Ailin."

"What? Sōya Azashiro was imprisoned?"

Boom!

Baishin's reiatsu surged upon hearing the news, pressing down upon the Eleventh Division mbers.

"Damn it! I haven't defeated him and claid the title of 'Kenpachi' yet. How could he be imprisoned?"

Baishin completely disregarded Kiganjō's ntion of Ailin as the current captain. In his eyes, only Sōya Azashiro and Captain-Commander Yamamoto were worthy opponents.

The current captain, who hadn't even challenged his predecessor, was a "fake Kenpachi" in Baishin's eyes, not deserving of his ti.

"Where is Sōya Azashiro imprisoned? I order you to lead all mbers of the Eleventh Division to rescue him!"

"I apologize, Vice-Captain Baishin," Kiganjō refused, despite his fear of Baishin. He couldn't participate in an act that would endanger the lives of his fellow division mbers.

A prison break...

Even if they succeeded in freeing Captain Sōya Azashiro, there was no guarantee he wouldn't turn himself in again.

And what would beco of the Eleventh Division mbers then?

Would they surrender and be exiled to Hueco Mundo as part of the Hollow extermination squad?

Or would they resist, only to be killed by the shockwaves of Captain-Commander Yamamoto's attacks?

Therefore, Kiganjō rejected Baishin's demand.

"I am the Third Seat of the Eleventh Division. Our duty is to protect the Seireitei and engage in combat against our enemies. Our opponents are the Hollows that invade Soul Society, not our fellow Shinigami.

If you choose to leave, I will pretend this never happened. But if you intend to use the Eleventh Division as pawns in your prison break, I cannot comply with your request, Vice-Captain Baishin."

"Oh? I've only been away from the Eleventh Division for a little over two hundred years, and now even a stray cat dares to defy my will? Then allow to show you the consequences of defying !"

With that, Baishin transford into a blur, charging into the ranks of the Eleventh Division and launching a brutal assault.

"Ah!"

"Aaaaargh..."

Boom!

Baishin's strength was overwhelming. The ordinary mbers of the Eleventh Division stood no chance against him.

He grabbed a Shinigami by the ankle, swinging him like a windmill and slamming him into several others, leaving them injured on the ground.

He then tossed the unconscious Shinigami aside and grabbed two more by their necks, smashing their heads together with a sickening thud.

Bam!

"Ugh..."

The two Shinigami instantly lost consciousness, blood spraying from their mouths.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Baishin used the bodies of the unconscious Shinigami as weapons, flinging them at two more Shinigami who charged towards him. The force of the impact shattered the wall behind them, sending them crashing into the building.

"Everyone, retreat! You are no match for Vice-Captain Baishin!" Kiganjō shouted, witnessing the devastation caused by Baishin.

"Hahaha, Third Seat Kiganjō, the Eleventh Division has no tradition of fleeing from battle!" Ikkaku roared, leaping into the air and swinging his spear down upon Baishin.

Baishin didn't even bother to dodge, raising his right arm to et the attack.

Clang!

Hōzukimaru's blade struck Baishin's arm, sparks flying as it failed to penetrate his skin.

"Impossible!" Ikkaku cried out in disbelief.

In his years with the Eleventh Division, Ikkaku had participated in thousands of battles, but aside from Captain Zaraki, he had never encountered anyone who could withstand a direct blow from his Hōzukimaru with their bare skin.

And unlike Captain Zaraki, whose imnse reiatsu increased his body's density to a level that surpassed Ikkaku's attacks, Baishin had simply... blocked the attack with his arm?