The Strong Make the Weak; the Weak Make the Strong

The strong makes the weak; the weak makes the strong.

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

The golden sword energy of Zanka no Tachi exploded in front of Jiku'a's chest.

In his desperate situation, Ukitake unleashed an attack that shone with all his might. Its golden light, like a full moon falling to the ground, burst forth with countless cold rays in the night, turning the entire ruins a ghastly white.

However, the golden, full-moon-like sword energy stopped just before it touched Jiku'a's chest.

The sword energy reached Jiku'a's chest, but could not advance any further. The Reiatsu erupting from Jiku'a's body was like an invisible wall, firmly blocking the golden light of the Zanka no Tachi.

The two forces clashed and tore at each other at extremely close range, emitting a sharp, teeth-grinding screech. The next moment, the golden sword energy was ripped apart from the center by an invisible hand.

From the exposed crevice, an even deeper and more intense blue Reiatsu was revealed.

"Bankai-- "

As the words fell, Kyōraku, who was clinging to him tightly, was blasted away by the Reiatsu. That Reiatsu was like an undercurrent in the deep sea, carrying an irresistible force that exploded in all directions. Kyōraku sent flying backward, tumbling several times in the air before finally crashing heavily into the ruins.

The pebbles around Jiku'a began to float and spin violently, quickly forming a blue storm.

"Heaven's Punishment Jiku'a - Heavenly Demon Armor!"

The low shout was like a heavy hammer, shattering the golden light completely. In its place, a blue-white pillar of light shot into the sky, dyeing half the night sky in a cold hue.

The air around the beam of light trembled violently, as if countless invisible blades were tearing the entire space apart simultaneously.

Ukitake was pushed backward and slid directly into a broken wall in the distance. The shock made his internal organs churn, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, dripping down his chin and spreading a small dark red patch on the rubble.

As the smoke and dust slowly dissipated, Jiku'a stood there, but he had completely changed his appearance.

The Blue Coat had disappeared, replaced by a set of dark blue biomechanical exoskeleton armor that was almost identical to the one worn by Yexing Hu when she Bankai.

"Bankai..." Ukitake's body was nearing its limit. He knelt by the broken wall, watching the outline of the blue figure in front of him gradually overlap with the boy in his memory.

On the Sōkyoku Hill, the young man covered in a dark blue exoskeleton armor was full of vigor, overwhelming Aizen. However, he was ultimately ambushed by Aizen's Hollow Poison and is now only one-tenth of his former strength.

Now that the Heaven's Punishment Jiku'a have reappeared, this time as enemies, Ukitake feels quite saddened.

"Is that the Heaven's Punishment Jiku'a? How can it possess such a powerful aura when standing opposite someone as an enemy...?"

Kyōraku also recalled the events of that day.

After Aizen was released from hypnosis, he gradually pieced together the events of his battle with Koko.

The main reason why he, Fon Shaoling, Komamura were able to keep the fight Yoruichi against Koki was that Koki didn't want to hurt them. If Koki had been ruthless back then, he didn't think the four of them would have survived unscathed.

Now, the one wielding this power has changed from Amber to the Zanpakuto Jiku'a.

He didn't think the other party would be as hesitant to harm them as Hu was.

Kyōraku subconsciously raised his hand, wanting to tug at the straw hat, but pulled at nothing, only then realizing that he had already handed the straw hat to Nanao.

He chuckled self-deprecatingly and said to Ukitake, "Ukitake, you should take the men and retreat first. Now that this guy has Bankai, it won't be easy to take him down without four or five captains."

"Kyōraku, do you really intend to hold him off alone?"

Ukitake leaned against the broken wall to stand up. His knees were trembling, and the blood at the corner of his mouth was still wet, but he still took a step forward, wanting to catch up with Kyōraku.

Kyōraku didn't turn around, but waved his hand behind him. "Sentaro, Kiyone, this is the acting Captain-Commander's order. Take your captain away!"

"Yes!"

Sentaro and Kiyone Shunpo to reach the side of Ukitake up on either side, and ran backward.

"Let me go, Sentaro, Kiyone! I'm your captain, I order you to put me down!" Ukitake struggled, trying to shake off the two, but his body was truly at its limit. His struggles became weaker and weaker, but his voice grew louder and louder.

The two men held onto the Ukitake tightly, refusing to let go, and rushed straight back.

Kyōraku walked up to Jiku'a and said, "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Jiku'a looked at him, the cold blue light beneath his helmet flashing slightly. "You can retreat with me; I absolutely will not pursue you."

"Is that so?" Kyōraku chuckled upon hearing this, stretching his wrists as he gripped the swords. The two Zanpakuto gleamed coldly in the moonlight. "Then I certainly can't retreat like this."

Jiku'a somewhat confused. "What do you mean?"

"The Zanpakuto materialized by Muramasa all express their dissatisfaction with their wielders in various ways." Kyōraku stared directly at Jiku'a: "Jiku'a, you're no exception, are you?"

Jiku'a did not refute, which can be taken as tacit agreement.

Looking at his acquiescent attitude, Kyōraku recalled a scene from a few days ago:

That was before the Zanpakuto rebellion broke out; Captain-Commander Yamamoto called him to his office alone.

"Shunsui," Captain-Commander Yamamoto said without looking up from behind his desk, writing on official documents, "What do you think of that kid, Yexing Hu?"

Kyōraku paused for a moment, then chuckled awkwardly, "Are you asking me the wrong question? After all, I only fought alongside him once, and most of the time I was relentlessly attacking him because of Aizen's hypnosis."

"Don't play dumb." Captain-Commander Yamamoto set down his pen on the inkstone, looked up at him, and his deep, well-like eyes scrutinized him. "I'm asking about Shunsui Kyōraku, the captain of the Eighth Division, who is in charge of all intelligence in Soul Society. From your perspective, what do you think of Yexing Hu?"

Kyōraku Old Man Yama, now serious, dropped his flippant expression and said solemnly, "In my opinion, Yexing Hu is a rather reckless fellow."

A hint of softening appeared in his eyes as he reviewed the intelligence he had gathered, carefully considering his words:

On the surface, he seems carefree and speaks without thinking, often acting on impulse.

Take the intrusion of the cargo convoy as an example. From the very beginning, this guy planned to lure Ichigo Kurosaki into the Seireitei. He did so without any regard for laws or regulations. As long as he thought it was right, he would do it.

But then again, although he was somewhat reckless, he knew better than anyone why he wanted to become stronger. It was simply to avoid making the important people around him sad—simple and pure.

Kyōraku paused, then added, "He was a good kid, understanding the meaning of 'protection' better than most Soul Reaper in this world. He just didn't cherish himself enough... If he hadn't died like that, his future would have been promising."

After listening, Captain-Commander Yamamoto remained silent for a moment. His eyes, weathered by a thousand years of experience, were calm, yet he acknowledged Kyōraku's composure. "I, too, had the chance to speak with this lad once, by some coincidence. Though a little clumsy, he is earnest in his dealings. His fierce battle on Sōkyoku Hill demonstrated his unwavering resolve. He is a promising talent who, with a little training, can shoulder great responsibilities in the future. It would be such a pity to let him die like this."

Kyōraku's eyes lit up. "Old Man Yama, you mean...?"

"We've only received this information; it's not certain yet." Captain-Commander Yamamoto picked up his pen again. "Soi Fon is too close to him. If we let her handle it, she might get back into trouble after finally getting out of this situation. So, keep an eye on this matter. If you have the chance, bring that kid back."

"Old Man Yama, you were right. Kid Hu isn't that easy to kill, but..."

Kyōraku looked at Jiku'a in front of him and sighed inwardly.

What bad timing...

"Given that kid's current state, he can't possibly handle his own Zanpakuto."

"Then there's no need for further words, let's continue." Kyōraku resumed his stance, and his Reiatsu began to circulate slowly around him once more.

Jiku'a looked at him, her tone tinged with undisguised annoyance. "Shunsui Kyōraku, this isn't the first time you've fought me, is it? Ukitake doesn't understand, but don't you? You think you can stop me all by yourself?"

"You're not like Amber," Kyōraku grinned. "How will you know if you don't try?"

"Are you saying I'm not as good at using me as Hu?" Jiku'a's voice turned colder, and the blue light beneath his helmet suddenly sharpened. "Fine, then I'll show you!"

Jiku'a vanished instantly using Shunpo.

"So fast!"

The thought had barely crossed Kyōraku's mind Jiku'a appeared before him.

Just one punch.

The right fist, carrying the phantom of Beowulf, unleashed a muffled sonic boom in the air, compressing the air in front of the fist into visible ripples, and slammed straight toward Kyōraku's chest.

Kyōraku parries with his sword.

"Clang--!"

The blade hissed as if it were about to break, and Kyōraku sent flying backward as if he had been struck by an ancient beast.

Before he could even regain his footing, Jiku'a had already appeared beside him. From the living scabbard on his left arm, Jiku'a himself was drawn, and the dark blue blade slashed horizontally.

"Have you forgotten the rules of the game? You haven't declared the colors yet...?"

Kyōraku had only spoken half a sentence when he realized that his side had been slashed by a blade. His clothes were cut open, and a shallow bloodstain appeared on his skin.

"As expected." The blue light in Jiku'a's peephole narrowed slightly. "The game's rules only weaken the damage from attacks. If an attack exceeds the weakening limit, it can still deal an effective blow."

Jiku'a's body twisted in mid-air, and four blade wings unfolded simultaneously, continuously throwing out Summoned Swords from them.

Kyōraku rolled frantically, weaving and dodging between the blades. The long, Reishi blades grazed his Shihakusho, leaving shallow streaks of blood on the fabric.

While Kyōraku was locked in combat with the Jiku'a, Sentarō and Kiyone had already Ukitake to the rear of the battlefield, and the members of the Fourth Division quickly surrounded him to treat Ukitake wounds.

"Let me go! Can't you see Kyōraku is fighting a terrible battle?!" Ukitake was still struggling, refusing treatment. His eyes were slightly red, and his usually gentle face was full of anxiety.

Kiyone squatted down in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Captain, please stop making a scene."

Ukitake looked at her and Sentaro: "Kiyone, Sentaro! This is a battle to protect the honor of the Gotei 13! Do you want to bring shame upon me and the Thirteenth Division?!"

"But!" Kiyone's eyes also reddened, her voice trembling with tears, "Isn't fighting to protect life what the captain taught us? Captain Kyōraku must have wanted to protect Captain Ukitake and our lives while upholding the dignity of the Gotei 13, which is why he made you retreat."

Sentaro also stepped forward. "Yes, Captain, please don't waste Captain Kyōraku's good intentions at this time! Please prioritize your life."

"This..."

On one side was Kyōraku, fighting alone; on the other was the army of Soul Reaper, who had lost their leader in the rear. Ukitake was tormented.

"The Captain-Commander Byakuya are missing, the Captain of the Ninth Divisions have betrayed us, Captain Unohana is seriously injured and unconscious, Captain Komamura is also seriously injured and has not yet recovered, Captain Kurotsuchi is in such a state that it is unknown whether he can be saved."

Soi Fon and Zaraki are both impulsive and easily angered, and Hitsugaya is still quite young.

I know that if Kyōraku and I die in battle, the Gotei 13 will collapse. I know, I know all of this, but...

Damn it! How could the Gotei 13 with talent, have fallen to this state?!

If forced to choose between his own dignity and his own life, Ukitake would not hesitate to choose to defend his dignity.

But the situation is now more complicated.

On one hand, it seems to be about the dignity of the Gotei 13, and on the other hand, it's about the lives of all the members. But in reality, it's about putting the life of Kyōraku, a friend of a thousand years, on the scales of the lives of all the members. It's also a choice concerning the dignity of the Gotei 13 and the survival of the Gotei 13.

Only Ukitake himself knew how intense the struggle between emotion and reason was in his heart.

Just as he was about to grit his teeth and order a retreat, a youthful, powerful, and energetic Reiatsu surged from afar.

"This Reiatsu is..."

Ukitake could even utter his name, the owner of the Reiatsu had already appeared before him.

"Mr. Ukitake, I've come to lend a hand."

The newcomer was dressed in a black and white trench coat, resembling a Shihakusho uniform, and wielded two Tensa Zangetsu. It was Ichigo Kurosaki.

On the battlefield

Kyōraku's body was covered in new wounds, his Shihakusho was soaked with sweat and blood, and his movements were no longer as effortless as before.

Even his sword swings began to distort, his breathing became heavier and heavier, and the taste of blood rising in his throat grew stronger and stronger.

In contrast Jiku'a's armor only had a few faint white marks, and these marks were fading at a visible rate.

"What's wrong? Is it over already?" Jiku'a gently rotated his right wrist, a hint of disdain gleaming from the helmet's peephole.

"This guy is weird." Kyōraku clutched his chest, his mind racing.

"His attacks, which could easily break through the protection of the Katen Kyōkotsu's rules, would probably have easily defeated me if he had used a normal color-based attack. So why didn't he do that?"

Just as Kyōraku was pondering his intentions, Jiku'a disappeared once again.

Kyōraku's pupils suddenly contracted.

Jiku'a's knee struck his lower abdomen.

"Cough--!"

Kyōraku hunched over, spitting out a mouthful of blood, but managed to grab Jiku'a's shoulder.

"You... you've been holding back since just now, haven't you?" Kyōraku's voice was broken, but he still managed a forced smile. "When Ukitake was being dragged away, you didn't stop him; the same goes for Hana-nee. Beheading is definitely easier than severing limbs; now I really believe you've been lenient."

He looked up at the blue, cold flames rising from the viewing slit. "Are you not interested in taking our lives? Or is there some benefit to you in keeping us alive? Can you tell me?"

Jiku'a was silent for a moment, then turned his head slightly and leaned close to Kyōraku's ear.

He said a few words.

Kyōraku's expression gradually changed, and finally he shoved Jiku'a away, creating distance between them, and looked at him with apprehension. "Are you crazy! You're absolutely insane!"

Jiku'a stood still, unconcerned. "As long as we can do what needs to be done, some sacrifices are necessary."

"Jiku'a, there was a Soul Reaper with similar thoughts before!" Kyōraku's voice was chilling. "He's already imprisoned in Muken. Do you want Amber to be locked up in Muken too?!"

"It doesn't matter," Jiku'a replied casually. "At worst, I'll just release him after I've done everything."

Do you really think Amber will be happy if you do this?

"Only the strong have the right to choose." Jiku'a's tone turned cold. "The weak can only accept. Since Hu is weak, then he only needs to accept."

What are you saying...?

Kyōraku had barely uttered a few words when a figure suddenly darted out and spoke them first.

"What nonsense are you spouting!"

A torrent of black and red, interwoven with crimson, cut in from the side, carrying destructive power as it hurtled straight toward Jiku'a.

"Getsuga Cross Blast--!"

Jiku'a instantly switched to Beowulf form, Phantom Beowulf weapon lit up on his body. He raised his left hand and pressed down on the cross slash.

"Boom--!"

The torrent of Reiatsu was crushed by that hand, turning into countless points of light that spread in all directions. A deep cross-shaped cut was made on Jiku'a's palm, and blood seeped out from the crack, dripping onto the broken stone slab.

"The weak are only allowed to accept it? What a joke!" Ichigo approached Kyōraku, his black and white Tensa Zangetsu crossed in front of him, his brown eyes burning with rage. "I never expected Amber's Zanpakuto to follow this survival-of-the-fittest theory."

Jiku'a slowly turned her head, looking in the direction from which the attack had come. "Ichigo Kurosaki?"

"Kurosaki!" Kyōraku quickly said, "Get everyone out of here! This guy's goal is—"

Jiku'a instantly Shunpo to Kyōraku's side and threw a punch at him.

"I can't let you say any more."

Before Ichigo could even react, Kyōraku beside him had transformed into Jiku'a.

Kyōraku was sent flying, Jiku'a followed Kyōraku out with Shunpo, punching Kyōraku hard into the ground.

Debris flew everywhere, dust filled the air, and Kyōraku lay in the deep pit, his consciousness completely cut off.

Jiku'a flicked the dust off his fist and said calmly, "Knocking someone out without killing them is really troublesome."

Ichigo looked at Kyōraku lying on the ground, his life hanging in the balance, and then heard Jiku'a's words. His Reiatsu on his twin swords surged instantly.

"Jiku'a, you bastard!"

With a leap, he charged towards Jiku'a like a bolt of lightning, a black and white streak.