Chapter 79
"Kōga Kuchiki!?"
As Kōga Kuchiki's most iconic ability, Hyōga Seiran is currently the only ice-type Devil Hadō among advanced Kidō.
According to the family's intelligence, no one but him could learn it; the difficulty of its cultivation was so high that even Kuchiki Sōjun had not mastered it.
In fact, when Heizo heard the words "Hyōga Seiran," Heizō had already given up resisting. If he hadn't lost his fighting spirit because of it, he could have at least launched a counterattack before he died... He knew how big the gap was between himself and Captain-level.
But this is not Heizō's fault.
The reputation of Kōga Kuchiki had already spread among the various nobles.
This rising Captain-level genius was simply beyond the reach of him, a death squad member who walked in the shadows.
What Heizō found utterly unbelievable was that Kōga Kuchiki, who had clearly participated in the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force, had somehow appeared in the Seireitei without anyone noticing, and had even conveniently ruined their plans.
All these criticisms are pointing to one thing:
The Kuchiki Clan is making a big move!
And then, recalling the patriarch's confident tone...
"You old scoundrel Fushimi, you've ruined me—"
"Smack!"
Red and white fragments were scattered all over the ground.
Haruto had no intention of getting anything out of the assassin; he simply flipped the hilt of his sword and smashed Heizō, which was already frozen solid inside.
"..."
"Byakurai"
A streak of blue lightning flashed across the ground, and two poorly made Zanpakuto rolled off the ice sculpture.
"Unexpectedly, I've acquired an extra piece of spoils."
Muneban's body had already been shattered into pieces by the aftershocks of Hyōga Seiran.
"Swift Lightning, Rushing Thunder Refracting Returning Blade"
"Maniwa Shiki · Shichika Hachiretsu"
Besides the Refracting Returning Blade down in the Mikazuki Clan, which can absorb and release lightning, Heizō also left behind his Zanpakuto after his death.
This was something Haruto hadn't expected.
"That's enough."
Haruto picked up the two short swords from the ground.
"Munechika."
He turned around and spoke to the only intact room in the Mikazuki Clan.
There...
Covered in bandages and barely able to stand Munechika leaning against the door, Haruto looked at Haruto with a complicated expression.
Have you figured it out?
Haruto waved his hand.
Hidden patterns emerged from the void and quickly disappeared, while the same patterns briefly appeared Munechika's ear.
This is a specialized usage of "Bakudo #77: Tenteikūra".
The original version was complex and lengthy to execute, and its powerful effect was rarely needed in daily life. So Haruto, imitating the way he modified Kakushitsuijaku, transformed it into a simplified Kidō for quick communication.
Certainly.
After all, the Tenteikūra is a high-level Bakudō with a number of 75 or higher, so it's definitely not a treasure you can find at a street stall.
Haruto's learning method came from the secret teachings of the Kotetsu Clan.
He rarely acted as a middleman, exchanging the Tenteikūra he obtained from Isane's mother for the Zanka no Tachi from Old Master Ise: although the latter said he could teach it freely, Haruto still wanted to ask both sides' opinions beforehand, both out of courtesy and reason.
That's all.
In addition to the recently mastered Nanao -Zanka no Tachi, Nanao has acquired a new advanced Kidō in her Kidō book. The girl's Kidō talent is no less than Haruto's. Although she can't do the same three-hit combo as Haruto, she can already unleash Zanka no Tachi without weapons, relying solely on her physical body. You should know that Haruto's physical abilities are far superior to Nanao's, and he still hasn't mastered the technique.
Same.
The Kotetsu Clan, who are not particularly skilled in Hadō, also possessed the first high-level Hadō with a number of 75 or higher: Isane's mother did not need this level of Hadō protection, so it was probably prepared for her daughter; whether as a supplement to her direct combat ability or to help her daughter further develop her relationships with her friends, this was a very ingenious step.
"..."
Munechika to Haruto's question.
His mind was replaying the events that had just transpired at home... When Haruto suddenly appeared by his bedside, Munechika initially thought Haruto intended to kill him to silence him.
Who would have thought?
His classmate, whom he clashed with the most at the Shin'ō Academy, unexpectedly became his savior.
Munechika's mother died when he was born, and he was the only one left in the family line besides his father.
Muneban never married, and even though he was already the enemy who killed his father, he died in the aftermath of Hyōga Seiran's death.
As for the Munehata family, the most prosperous in the clan—whether it was his aunt who usually took good care of him, or his younger siblings who he often played with when he was a child, they had all been killed by the men in black.
The assassins who attacked Haruto already had their short blades stained with blood before they even made their move.
Nowadays.
The once-thriving Mikazuki Clan was now reduced to a solitary figure.
"..."
After standing frozen in place for an unknown amount of time, Munechika finally collapsed to the ground, his body going limp.
I've figured it out.
These four short words, however, represent the complete transformation from trembling to calm.
"To flee, or to die?"
Haruto gave his old classmate the power of choice: the mastermind behind the scenes would not let go of Munechika, the best test subject. Although this ambush wiped out the entire enemy, as long as they knew Munechika was not dead, they would definitely continue to attack.
"... die."
"I thought you would choose a less Mikazuki -like approach."
Munechika usually hated his father's way of doing things, and Haruto thought that this guy would confront the enemy who wiped out his clan head-on.
"Haruto, you overestimate me."
This was the first time Munechika had addressed Haruto by his name so calmly since they first met.
"Only after facing death did I realize that I was far less courageous than I had imagined, and that my self-perceived bravery was nothing more than wielding a knife against the weaker."
At this point, Munechika's voice lowered considerably.
There is great terror between life and death.
But living alone in this world is sometimes more terrifying than death—not everyone can be so carefree as to see losing everything as the beginning of freedom.
"Facing my father..."
"I simply don't have the courage to object."
Even in moments like these, Haruto couldn't resist a bit of banter... perhaps to slightly dispel his fear of death:
"Your understanding is indeed quite profound."
"Zheng."
Haruto drew his Zanpakuto.
"Any last words?"
"... Never mind."
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I'll dirty your hands."
Haruto knew what Munechika wanted to say, and Munechika knew he didn't need to say it.
The hatred stemming from the massacre of their entire family couldn't be easily forgotten, but the fact that Haruto appeared at their home and took the initiative to attack tonight's attackers indicated that the two sides were irreconcilably at odds.
This was the first time Munechika had ever felt that Haruto was so strong, it was truly amazing.
"It's no trouble at all."
Haruto smiled and shook his head.
"A small matter--"
The cold, silver blade sliced down silently.
"--pile."
Before the terror of death could be felt, life had already vanished along with that barely audible word.
Thump.
The round object fell to the ground, and the bloodstains were completely frozen by the surrounding cold, leaving not a trace on the only pure land of the Mikazuki Clan.
"..."
The Mikazuki Munechika.
Only in his final moments did he finally break free from the fate of his family and nobility—what Haruto saw in his eyes was not the image of himself approaching with a knife, but rather the Haruto looked down upon...
Juzu Izumi.
Perhaps, once the news of the Mikazuki Clan's massacre spreads, the girl who can only smile with genuine sincerity when she's with Munechika will change in some way.
Perhaps, perhaps Munechika would think this way: he had long been aware of the troubles facing the Mikazuki Clan, and that's why he used the "breakup" as a way to extricate the girl who might be involved before the most dangerous moment arrived.
It sounds childish--
But they are indeed still quite young.
"Hadō #33"
With her palm facing downwards, Haruto softly recited an unnecessary hymn, her calm and solemn voice sounding like a farewell.
"Sōkatsui"
This was the first move Munechika used in the Live-Blade Match.
"Call!"
Blue flames ignited amidst the frost-covered ground.
Munechika's appearance quickly melted away along with his body: skin, muscles, bones, until he turned into fine ashes.
Clang.
The Zanpakuto that fell to the ground shattered the last wisp of ashes.
The last trace that Munechika left in the world was his newly mastered skill of "Shiren".
"Despair."
Haruto bent down and picked up the third trophy.
"Tsk."
Haruto hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but purse his lips.
"This thing is so unlucky, just holding it makes me uneasy. I don't know how those guys dared to release it so easily."
"... Juzu has no hope of Shikai in this lifetime."
Haruto said something completely abruptly.
"Sigh~"
Where can you find someone as good as me?
Haruto sighed deeply, then used Shunpo to leave the enormous ice coffin.
"Whoosh!"