Bankai!

"Have all the Gotei 13 members in the surrounding area disperse!"

"The battle ahead is no longer something they can stand by and watch."

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's voice was hoarse, and his eyes, filled with murderous intent, now carried a trace of gravity.

Clearly, as the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni had already foreseen what was about to happen.

"As the captains of the Gotei 13, you bear the responsibility of 'protecting' the members of your respective divisions! Now, take your division members back to their barracks! As for this place, this old man alone will be enough!"

Though Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni truly was not accustomed to the word "protect," considering his current position and responsibilities, he still ordered the Gotei 13 captains behind him to bring all their division members back to their barracks.

"Yes, Captain-Commander!"

As soon as Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni finished speaking, the captains of the Gotei 13 standing behind him immediately nodded in acknowledgment.

The captains of the First Generation Gotei 13 were strong, but not one of them dared question Captain-Commander Yamamoto's decision, because Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni was the strongest of them all!

They had complete faith in Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni. They believed that leaving this place to Yamamoto alone would be enough, even if Unohana Yachiru and Araki were both monstrously troublesome opponents even for captains of the Gotei 13.

"Um, Captain-Commander Yamamoto..."

"Little Saito, let's go! Come on!"

"Damn Shihoin Sennichi, I told you not to call me Little Saito! I have something to ask Captain-Commander Yamamoto!"

"Do you think Captain-Commander Yamamoto has time to answer your questions right now? Listen to me. You should follow Captain-Commander Yamamoto's orders for now! Otherwise, you definitely won't have it easy afterward~"

"Sigh..."

Even Saito Furofushi, who had wanted to say something to Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, was persuaded by Shihoin Sennichi to merely cast a distant glance at Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's back...

Then, after somewhat reluctantly looking once more at Araki's back as he fought to his heart's content against that wicked woman, Unohana Yachiru, she let out a helpless sigh and turned away.

Thus, under Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's orders, the captains of the Gotei 13 dispersed to their respective divisions!

For a time, only Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, and Chōjirō Sasakibe, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's vice-captain, remained atop the vast rooftop. They stood silently, watching Araki and Unohana Yachiru in the ruins below as powerful Spiritual Pressure erupted from them.

One kilometer away from where Araki and Unohana Yachiru were fighting...

Several members of the 5th Division stood there, hesitating and fidgeting. They did not possess the strength of their captain and could not observe Unohana Yachiru and Araki's battle from up close.

"What are we supposed to do now? Our captain is nowhere to be found, and we can't contact him at all! And we're far too weak to interfere in the battle between those two monsters..."

At that moment, the division members spoke among themselves, their voices filled with helplessness over the situation before them.

"Hey! You lot, stop chatting and come back to the barracks with me~"

Just as they hesitated, Obana Danjirō, captain of the 5th Division, appeared behind them at some unknown point and loudly called for them to follow him back to the barracks.

"Captain! You're here?!"

"Captain, where did you go just now?"

"Captain, as members of the Gotei 13 charged with protecting the Seireitei, can we really just ignore the battle over there?"

The instant 5th Division captain Obana Danjirō arrived beside his own division members, one voice after another nearly burst through his skull.

"Stop, stop, stop..."

"You lot, quit talking for a moment and listen to me first!"

Obana Danjirō immediately stopped those chatty division members.

"Uh..."

Seeing their captain speak, the division members immediately shut their mouths.

"The Captain-Commander has ordered us captains to take you division members back to your respective divisions..."

"As for those two who are having the time of their lives over there, I advise you not to meddle too much~ Just leave this place to the Captain-Commander!"

As Obana Danjirō spoke, he stroked his clean-shaven chin.

"Huh?! The Captain-Commander came too?"

The division members were instantly startled upon hearing Obana Danjirō's words. They had never expected the battle between Unohana Yachiru and Araki to alarm even Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.

"Isn't Captain-Commander Yamamoto standing right up ahead watching?!"

Obana Danjirō pointed behind him at the figure standing atop the roof like a statue.

"Since Captain-Commander Yamamoto is here, this farce will probably be over soon, right?"

The 5th Division members looked at the person gleaming beneath the distant sunlight and immediately felt their hearts settle.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni was like the backbone and guardian deity of the Gotei 13! As long as Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni remained in the Gotei 13, the division members under his command would not fall into disorder...

"Captain, since Captain-Commander Yamamoto is here, do we have a chance today to see the Captain-Commander, known as the strongest Soul Reaper in the Seireitei, make a move?! If we could witness Captain-Commander Yamamoto in action, it would be worth it even if we died here!"

When the 5th Division members heard from their captain, Obana Danjirō, that Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni—the man worshipped by every member of the Gotei 13—had actually arrived at the scene, their emotions immediately surged!

At that moment, every one of the 5th Division members felt that they could die without regret if they saw the person they worshipped make a move. If they could witness him in action, even dying here would be worth it!

"No! Even if you stay here, you probably won't get the chance to see Captain-Commander Yamamoto make a move..."

"The two monsters fighting over there are about to get serious. When that happens, you likely won't be able to withstand the aftershocks of their clash~"

Obana Danjirō helplessly shook his head at the division members while stepping in front of them and using his Spiritual Pressure to form a barrier.

"What?!"

"Are you saying Captain Unohana and the other one haven't gotten serious yet, even after fighting to this extent?"

The 5th Division members were all frozen in place. They could not understand what their captain meant.

Meanwhile...

Araki and Unohana Yachiru, who had been faintly facing off against each other, watched as the captains of the First Generation Gotei 13 returned to their respective divisions and gradually led their division members away. At last, they raised their Zanpakuto. From this moment onward, they had no more reservations within the Seireitei.

Thus, the two of them spoke almost simultaneously.

"Bankai!!"

The instant Araki and Unohana Yachiru uttered those words, the entire Seireitei was engulfed by an incomparably immense, frigid Spiritual Pressure!

At that moment, every Soul Reaper in the Seireitei felt a chill run through their hearts, as though a rushing current formed from cold killing intent was charging toward them...

Those Soul Reaper division members who had been drawn in by Araki and Unohana's battle and had not yet managed to retreat were pressed so hard by that frigid Spiritual Pressure that they could barely breathe, as if an enormous hammer had smashed viciously down upon their heads.

"—Yakushi Rurikō Sekai!"

"—Minazuki!"

As Araki and Unohana Yachiru called out the names of their Bankai, seven-colored Ruriko light and an endless Sea of Blood erupted from nothingness around them, confronting one another head-on as they spread without end in every direction!

More to come~