This sudden change caught Byakuya Kuchiki off guard. He stared wide-eyed in disbelief, trying to find an opportunity to counterattack.
However, it was already too late.
Ichigo Kurosaki's fist slammed into his chest like a sledgehammer. The overwhelming force erupted in an instant, shaking even the surrounding air.
Byakuya Kuchiki felt an irresistible impact strike him. His entire body was sent flying backward, and he crashed heavily onto the ground.
"No matter how many there are, what use are they if they can't hit? What meaning do they have?"
Ichigo Kurosaki sighed.
"It's not over yet, Ichigo Kurosaki!"
Those words were not only Byakuya's declaration for battle, but also an acknowledgment and wariness deep within his heart toward Ichigo Kurosaki's potential.
With a low, powerful chant—"Kōkei Senbonzakura Kageyoshi"—the entire battlefield seemed to be enveloped by an invisible force.
Within the world enveloped by "Kōkei Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," even the air seemed to have frozen, while time itself appeared to slow its pace.
Hundreds of millions of blades, each containing the Kuchiki Clan's unique Spiritual Pressure and exquisite craftsmanship, wove and spun through the air before finally gathering into a dazzling cherry blossom palace. Its splendor was enough to make all things in the world pale in comparison.
This was not merely the art of battle, but a display of the ultimate pursuit of beauty and power.
Byakuya Kuchiki parted his thin lips slightly. That brief yet forceful command, like an ancient incantation, instantly activated every blade floating in the air.
With a sweep of his arm, those blades seemed to come alive. Moving in near-dancelike formation, they shot in perfect unison toward Ichigo Kurosaki at the center, each one containing terrifying power capable of tearing apart space.
The piercing shrieks produced by the blades rubbing against the air gathered into a