The Tigers of Wrath Are Wiser Than the Horses of Instruction

The tigers of wrath are wiser than the horses of instruction.

--William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1790-1793)

The core area of Twelfth Division, the research institute that was once so huge that it could cut the sky in two when viewed from the ground, has been completely destroyed.

Only a slightly sunken, circular, open space remained, with Muramasa and the white-haired man standing side by side in the center.

He slowly sheathed the sword, the blade rubbing against the Reishi at the hilt of the sheath producing an extremely faint hiss, "Toying with? That's an excessive accusation. I was merely showing mercy."

"What did you say!?" Ukitake stood beside Kyōraku. After the Fourth Division took over Unohana's treatment, he checked on the other members of the Fourth Division who had been rescued, and their condition was appalling. "How can you show such mercy like that!"

"Of course, this was showing mercy." Jiku'a slightly turned his head, his indifferent gaze sweeping over Ukitake before landing on the area behind him where emergency treatment was still being administered. "If I hadn't withdrawn my ability in time, do you think their wounds could have been stitched up so easily?"

Isane, who was joining the limbs of Unohana, heard these words.

She gripped the suture needle tightly. "Easy?"

"He actually said this kind of injury can be easily stitched up? What does that guy think medical care is?!"

The captain's limbs were all severed. If the bleeding hadn't been stopped in time, he would have died from excessive blood loss!

The same goes for Nemu. If it weren't for her special physical condition and Lieutenant Ise's timely Kaidō to stop the wound, she wouldn't have survived until now, even though she was cut in half at the waist.

The fact that no one has died in the few minutes since the protective shield shattered is because the medical station is nearby, allowing my Fourth Division members to provide timely rescue.

"And yet he still says it was because he showed mercy?"

She really wanted to just stand up and yell at the guy in the Blue Coat.

The wound he claimed could be "easily stitched up" was actually closed only after all the members of the Fourth Division had exerted their utmost efforts.

But she couldn't do it; she was still dealing with Unohana's physical union, and any tiny mistake here could cause problems for Unohana.

Isane forcibly suppressed the surging anger within her, causing her body to tremble uncontrollably. "Calm down, calm down, Isane Kotetsu! The captain's life, Captain Unohana's life, is in my hands! Calm down!"

Just then, a large hand landed on her shoulder.

"Kotetsu- kun."

"Captain Kyōraku." Isane turned around and saw Kyōraku looking at her gently. His large, warm, and strong hand gradually calmed Isane's burning anger.

"Leave that guy to me. Focus your attention on saving Captain Unohana. As long as you perform normally, Captain Unohana will definitely be saved."

Isane nodded and returned to her medical duties.

Kyōraku stood up and handed the still slightly wriggling gelatinous substance in his hand to a member of the Fourth Division beside him. "Analyze it and see what Captain Kurotsuchi's current condition is, and whether there's any possibility of recovery."

The team member carefully took the gel-like substance and gently placed it into a life support container.

Kyōraku took off his pink haori jacket and casually handed it to Nanao Ise behind him. "Little Nanao, please keep this for me."

Nanao accepted the haori with both hands, her eyes behind her glasses still slightly red. "Captain Kyōraku..."

Kyōraku reached out and wiped away her tears with his thumb, then patted her head. "I'll be back soon."

He turned around, his gaze returning to the two people in the center of the arena, his usually languid eyes now exceptionally clear.

Ukitake also took off his Captain's Haori and walked side by side with Kyōraku toward the two people opposite him.

"They've arrived."

Muramasa was about to draw his sword when he saw two figures approaching when he was stopped by the person beside him.

"You don't need to intervene." The white-haired man's gaze remained fixed on Kyōraku and Ukitake. "You've used up too much Reiatsu today; you're almost at your limit, aren't you? It's better to retreat."

Muramasa silent and made no other move.

"Don't worry." The white-haired man noticed his hesitation and added, "I have no interest in being a liar. Since I promised you, I will definitely help you. You just need to go back and prepare."

"... Alright then." Muramasa a step back. "Then I'll retreat for now."

"You think you can just leave like that?" Kyōraku interrupted their conversation, his twin swords held horizontally in front of him. "Looks like you don't take us seriously at all, huh, Ukitake?"

"Muramasa, and—" Ukitake's gaze fell on the white-haired man, "You must be Jiku'a."

"Oh? You recognize me?" Jiku'a raised an eyebrow.

"Besides you, I can't think of anyone else who could instantly create such a large-scale spatial slicing." Ukitake and Kyōraku stood on either side of Jiku'a in front of him. "Before the battle, I must remind you, whatever you heard from Muramasa, it's all ill-intentioned. Don't let him use you."

"Do I look like someone who's so easily Brainwashing?" Jiku'a retorted, raising an eyebrow as if he felt offended.

Muramasa did not join the verbal battle. Jiku'a was right; he had indeed used up too much Reiatsu today, and the Hollow within him was becoming restless. So he decisively disappeared using Shunpo.

"Don't even think about it!" Ukitake his feet and his figure was as fast as the wind, chasing after the direction where Muramasa disappeared.

"You are."

As soon as Ukitake started moving, five dark blue lights silently emerged from the void.

Five Summoned Swords, their tips pointing inwards, arranged in a pentagram formation, surrounded Ukitake, hovering in mid-air and slowly rotating, like five eagles locking onto their prey.

It was as if if he took just one more step forward, these swords would pierce right through his body.

Ukitake was trapped in place, frozen in his stepping posture, too afraid to move.

Before Jiku'a could finish speaking, Kyōraku had already cut in from the side, slashing out with both swords at the same time. The silver blades drew two arcs in the night sky, aiming straight for Jiku'a's ribs.

Jiku'a drew his sword.

With just a slight flick of the wrist, the blade was drawn and held horizontally at his side.

The moment Kyōraku's twin swords collided with Jiku'a's blade, an indescribable tremor from the very ground erupted from the point of contact.

A sharp pain shot through Kyōraku's hand as he gripped the hilt of the sword. He was jolted back several steps, his body arching backward, almost falling to the ground.

Ukitake caught the moment Jiku'a turned his attention to Kyōraku.

His left hand reached behind him, and a transparent barrier of light silently unfolded. "Bakudo #81: Dankū!"

A pale blue flame condensed in his right palm and shot out directly forward. "Hadō #33: Sōkatsui!"

The two Kidō were unleashed almost simultaneously.

The Sōkatsui struck down the Summoned Swords that was attacking head-on. The sword trembled violently and fell to the ground.

The Summoned Swords behind him was Dankū, its tip striking the light barrier and emitting a piercing metallic screech.

After escaping his predicament, Ukitake was about to take another step. "Muramasa hasn't gone far yet; it's not too late to give chase."

But just as he was about to exert force with his feet, a Summoned Swords that had been knocked down by the Sōkatsui suddenly flashed with blue light, Jiku'a's figure appeared directly in front of him as if he had crossed space.

Those indifferent eyes were only an arm's length away from Ukitake, and time seemed to be stretched into an extremely thin thread at that moment.

Jiku'a had already donned the Phantom Beowulf weapon on his hands.

A pale blue light pattern covered his fist, spreading like a living thing along the back of his hand to his forearm. With a flash of blue light on the phantom weapon, Jiku'a threw a punch.

Ukitake's pupils constricted sharply. Almost entirely relying on his centuries of accumulated experience and primal anticipation of danger, he mobilized his Reiatsu the instant his punch was about to land. "Bakudo #81: Dankū!"

The transparent Kidō wall unfolded before him, almost touching his chest.

"Boom--!"

A deafening explosion rang out, and the transparent light barrier shattered like thin ice under the bombardment of the Phantom Beowulf Gauntlets, turning into fragments of Reishi particles that scattered in all directions.

The aftershock of the punch continued forward, slamming directly into Ukitake's arms, which were crossed in front of his chest.

He was blasted away, his body bouncing several times on the ground before finally coming to a stop.

"Ukitake!" Kyōraku's pupils shrank sharply, and he flashed to the ground behind Ukitake, using his own body as Ukitake buffer. Even so, the two of them were forced to retreat several meters.

Ukitake leaned against Kyōraku, his chest heaving violently, his forehead soaked with sweat, and the sleeves of his Shihakusho rolled up to his elbows, revealing fine bloodstains all over his exposed arms.

Jiku'a Shunpo in front of the two, his sword already sheathed at some point. Looking at Ukitake, who had stood up again, he said approvingly, "It seems Captain Ukitake isn't as frail and sickly as the rumors say."

"Thank you for the compliment." Ukitake smiled at Jiku'a without revealing his true feelings. "I've been having good luck lately; my health has been excellent."

But Ukitake's mind was in turmoil. "If it weren't for Lord Mimihagi's power of stillness, I would probably be incapacitated by now."

"Ukitake, how are you?" Kyōraku asked worriedly, "That was quite a blow."

Ukitake opened his mouth, wanting to say he was alright, but before he could utter a word, a mouthful of blood welled up inside him, choking him and splattering crimson blood onto the gravel at his feet.

"Ukitake..." Kyōraku's voice changed, a hint of surprise appearing beneath his usual composure, "You... did you just use that?"

"I used a little bit, it's nothing." Ukitake wiped the corner of his mouth and straightened his back, which had been bent over from coughing up blood. His posture was still upright, but the slight trembling of his knees and arms revealed his weakness of not being able to fight for a long time.

"But it doesn't seem that sturdy." Jiku'a's gaze swept over Ukitake's face, which was pale from the turmoil of his blood. "The two of you can't take me down. Considering you're comrades with Hu, I won't make things difficult for you; I can let you go."

"That won't do." Kyōraku had already stood up and straightened his body.

Kyōraku, carrying his sword, slowly walked towards Jiku'a. The night wind filled his open Shihakusho, casting his tall figure behind him like a sword slowly being drawn from its sheath.

"One captain's fate is unknown, and another captain's limbs have been severed and he is currently undergoing emergency treatment," Kyōraku said, his face gradually darkening.

Ukitake drew his Zanpakuto and followed in his footsteps. "The Twelfth Division Lieutenant has been cut in half at the waist, and a core member of the Department of Research and Development is seriously injured."

"The main building of the Re -Department of Research and Development is damaged." Kyōraku pointed his sword at Jiku'a, striking a pose.

Ukitake also raised his sword. The gentle, scholarly air that had once graced his pale face had vanished, replaced by a resolute determination to save face for the Gotei 13.

Do you think we'll just let you leave like this?

Their voices almost completely overlapped, and two Captain-level Reiatsu exploded simultaneously, converging into a towering storm that instantly dispersed the surrounding dust. Moonlight poured down without obstruction, illuminating their Zanpakuto with dazzling brilliance.

"Flowers drift in the wind, catkins flutter, and the flower goddess weeps."

Kyōraku separated his hands, and a soft light emanated from the blades of his two Zanpakuto. The blades extended inch by inch, and the tassels on the hilts moved automatically without any wind.

"The waves are my shield."

Ukitake gripped the sword with both hands and thrust it forward. A very fine crack appeared on the blade, splitting it in two along the crack into two slender and elegant fishbone-like swords. Five plaques strung on the chain between the hilts collided with a very soft and delicate sound, which was particularly clear and melodious in the eerie night.

"The heavenly winds are in disarray, and the heavenly demons sneer."

Kyōraku's twin swords were fully extended; they were two extremely beautiful curved swords, with blades as black as ink, but the edges were dazzlingly white, and the hilts were as red as blood, with tassels fluttering wildly in the wind stirred up by Reiatsu.

"Thunder is my blade."

With the twin swords in hand, Ukitake splits them to the left and right, completely unleashing the Sōgyo no Kotowari. The hilts of the two identical, neatly crafted, and exquisitely designed swords, resembling shark fins, are connected by a chain with five talisman plaques hanging from it, emitting a slight tremor with the fluctuations of Reiatsu.

"Katen Kyōkotsu! / Sōgyo no Kotowari!"

Two Reiatsu merged, intertwining with the sword's aura to form an invisible domain. Kyōraku stomped on the ground, Ukitake straightened his back. These two powerful captains, both Captain-Commander Yamamoto and honed over a thousand years, simultaneously unleashed their Zanpakuto and joined forces once again to fight their enemy.

Jiku'a watched this scene, a slight ripple finally appeared in his cold eyes.

"The scene of the two unique pairs of swords in the Gotei 13 simultaneously Shikai their Shikai was truly a sight to behold."

He slowly raised his hand, the hilt of the knife turning half a circle in his palm. With a push of his thumb, the blade emerged halfway from the scabbard, a faint blue light shining through the gap.

He slowly drew the knife, the blade rubbing against the scabbard, creating a thin, bright, ethereal blue arc that emitted a faint, delicate hum in the night, like the distant song of a whale, an echo from the depths of the sea, "But that's all."

With the blade pointed at the two, Jiku'a spoke, his words seemingly a challenge yet revealing an air of arrogance:

"Bring it on."