Renji's Resolve

The following day, the Central 46 issued another order to advance the execution date, stating that the execution would begin in 29 hours, which was tomorrow morning. The Central 46 declared that this was the last time the time would be changed, and tomorrow would be the final execution day.

Ichigo, upon hearing the news, remained unconcerned, simply stating, "Then why not just learn Bankai before tomorrow?"

There was another person practicing Bankai with Ichigo, and that was Renji. He had recently reached the point where his Zanpakuto could be transformed into a Zanpakuto. Somehow, they found this place, and the two of them began training Bankai together.

As night fell, Ye Yang arrived alone at the Senzaikyū. Since it was the last night, the guards were extra strict. But don't forget Ye Yang's identity; those guarding this place were all Punishment Force, meaning they were all his subordinates.

"Vice Captain, what brings you here so late at night?" Xing Punishment Force, who was in charge of guarding Rukia, asked upon Ye Yang's arrival.

Ye Yang replied, "Thank you all for your hard work tonight. I've come to see Rukia, even if it's just to say goodbye one last time. After all, she was once my student. You may come in."

"No need for that, Deputy Captain. Let's stay outside and keep watch. Please come in."

Ye Yang nodded and slowly walked inside. He saw Rukia lying blankly on the bed, staring at the sky outside the only window. All that could be seen here were the Sōkyoku, the instruments of torture that would be used to execute her. This place was meant to make her repent for her sins, hence it was called the Senzaikyū.

"Rukia..." Ye Yang called out, and she got up and looked at Ye Yang in surprise, "Teacher Ye Yang? What are you doing here?"

Ye Yang walked to her bedside. "I came to see you. Are you being executed tomorrow?"

A hint of sadness flashed in Rukia's eyes. "Yes..."

"Actually, Byakuya isn't indifferent to you, he just..." Ye Yang trailed off, then finally sighed softly, "Never mind, you'll know tomorrow."

Rukia somewhat bewildered. She was to be executed tomorrow. What could she possibly know? She gave a self-deprecating smile and remained silent.

Suddenly, Ye Yang patted her shoulder, Rukia immediately fainted. Ye Yang murmured, "Sleep, get some sleep to prepare for tomorrow's good show. Tomorrow is destined to be an extraordinary day."

Ye Yang took out something resembling a bottle from his pocket. With a flick of his finger, a fist-sized wooden spike appeared on the ground. Then, Ye Yang's right hand also turned into a wooden material.

Then Ye Yang slowly reached into Rukia's chest and took out a small blue bead surrounded by crystals. This was the Hōgyoku Urahara had hidden inside Rukia's body. He then placed another bead of the same shape inside.

Rukia's spirit slowly healed. As if nothing had happened, Ye Yang put away the Hōgyoku, a smile playing on his lips. "The Hōgyoku is in my hands. Aizen, what are you going to do about it?"

The next morning, an hour before the execution, the streets were deserted except for a figure running, muttering, "Almost there, almost there, I'll be able to save you. Wait for me Rukia, I won't let you be executed!"

The person running was Renji, who had made up his mind to go and Rukia. But as he walked through a corridor, he suddenly felt a familiar Spiritual Pressure. "This Spiritual Pressure is... Captain Kuchiki!" Renji turned around and looked up at Byakuya.

"Where are you going, Renji?" Byakuya looked down at Renji, his cold face revealing no emotion. Renji was silent at first, then clenched his fist and said firmly, "I'm going to save Rukia!"

Byakuya looked at him coldly. "No!"

"You absolutely won't let me go, no matter what?"

"I won't say the same thing twice." A hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes as he vanished from his spot in an instant. Renji silently thought, "Here they come."

Byakuya had already appeared behind him, and Renji blocked Byakuya's attack with his backhand, the two Zanpakuto together. Renji roared and forced Byakuya back.

Seeing Byakuya's slightly surprised expression, Renji said, "Senka is a special kind of Shunpo that incorporates rotation. It allows you to quickly move behind your opponent, thereby disrupting their Saketsu and Soul Sleep. I've seen it many times, and my mind can theoretically capture your movements. Now it seems my body can finally follow your movements too."

Renji confidently stepped forward. "Captain Kuchiki, your sword can no longer kill me!"

Byakuya, however, remained calm. "What are you so smug about? Do you think this level is superior to my sword?" He then held his Zanpakuto to his chest, "Scattered..."

A clang rang out as Renji's Zanpakuto struck Senbonzakura, who was still in its unreleased form, preventing Byakuya from Shikai.

"I've already told you, Captain Kuchiki, your sword can no longer kill me." Renji sheathed the Zabimaru. "This isn't because I've become a vice-captain. Long before I joined the Gotei 13, my goal to surpass was you, Captain Kuchiki."

A crack appeared in Byakuya's calm Renji: "To perform Shikai without using Shikai, could it be that you..."

"Let me surpass you, Captain Kuchiki! Bankai!" Renji speaking, and a storm of Spiritual Pressure surrounded him. Zabimaru transformed into a giant snake, coiled around Renji's head. "Baboon King! Snake Tail King!"

"When did you learn Bankai?" Byakuya asked.

Renji, controlling the Snake Tail King, launched a direct attack, saying, "Someone like you who never pays attention to where you're stepping would never know! I'll say it again, I'm going to save Rukia!"

Byakuya dodged while saying, "I've already said it, I won't repeat myself."

"Then I'll have no choice but to kill you before I move on!"

"Impossible. With your level, you couldn't even make me kneel on one knee."

The Snake Tail King bit Byakuya from above, "In terms of Spiritual Pressure, it certainly qualifies as Bankai, but that's enough. Scatter— Senbonzakura!"

The Snake Tail King was reduced to fragments by Senbonzakura's attack, but when the fragments fell to the ground, they reassembled themselves, and the Snake Tail King was completely unharmed.

Renji spoke up, "Senbonzakura tiny blades, invisible to the naked eye. When those blades fly, the light refracts, making them appear as if cherry blossoms are fluttering. However, this guy's joints are connected by my Spiritual Pressure, so the blades cannot cut through them. I will defeat you!"

Suddenly, the Snake Tail King appeared from the ground. Byakuya jumped up to dodge, and upon landing, he heard Renji say, "You've landed! Your knees! This battle is about to end."

Byakuya slowly rose to his feet. "Is that so? Then let my sword draw down this curtain."

"What did you say? It will be my sword that draws down the curtain!" Renji shouted, while manipulating the Snake Tail King to attack Byakuya again.

This time, however, Byakuya did not dodge. Instead, he stood still and chanted, "Hadō #33 - Sōkatsui!"

Renji hurriedly used the Snake Tail King to block, "Damn it, I didn't expect the power of a mid-level Hadō that forgoes chanting to be so great!" But Renji didn't care about that and immediately launched his next attack. However, this time the Snake Tail King went off-target. At this moment, Byakuya said, "I released the Kidō not to obscure your vision, but to disrupt your Bankai!"

"The drawback of Bankai is that the Spiritual Pressure ratio is much higher than usual because the blade tip is of an unusually large and unusual shape. To fully master it, one must undergo ten years of training. Renji, it's too early for you to fight with Bankai. Bakudō #61 - Rikujōkōrō!"

Six beams of light blocked Renji's movements. Byakuya drew his Zanpakuto, the tip pointing at the ground. "Have you forgotten that I can also Bankai?" As he spoke, Byakuya released the Zanpakuto, but instead of Zanpakuto off the ground, it mysteriously sank into it. "Bankai!" Byakuya said calmly.

Countless enormous blades rose from both sides of Byakuya stood in the middle and chanted, "Scattered— Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"

In an instant, Renji collapsed to the ground. He had been attacked by countless blades in that instant. Byakuya explained, "A thousand blades rose from beneath my feet, and then those thousand blades were shattered into countless blades, as if trying to know the exact number of blades. You can no longer defeat me."

"Let me tell you the difference between us. It's about our levels. After being cut by these blades, our bodies can no longer even maintain their human form." Byakuya turned and left.

Renji struggled to his feet again, declaring, "I can still fight!"

"Don't move! Doing so will only shorten your lifespan!"

Renji charged forward again but was easily repelled, his body riddled with blades made of Senbonzakura).

Byakuya pointed the blade at Renji: "You should know that the Bankai has disappeared, which means the user of Bankai is not far from death. You're about to breathe your last. I'll ask you one more time: even now, are you still going to tell jokes like 'saving Rukia '?"

Renji remained silent for a long time before a faint smile appeared on his lips. "Of course, I swore an oath to rescue her and protect her!"

"Did you swear an oath? To whom?"

Renji crushed the blade embedded in his arm and shouted, "Who else could it be? Of course, it's someone who swore an oath to their own soul!" This was the cry from his heart! This was a roar from his very soul!

Renji grabbed his Zanpakuto and rushed over, only to see a broken blade embedded in Byakuya's chest. Then even the broken blade shattered. "Damn it, it was still just a little short..." He fell to the ground in despair.

Byakuya watched silently Renji collapsed at his feet, then slowly removed the "Ginpakukazahana no Uzuginu" from Renji's body and covered him with it, murmuring, "Well done, your fangs really did reach me."...()