Imprisoned

Boom!

Whether it was Tengumaru, Engetsu, or Ailin's Flame Tetsusaiga, all were fire-type Zanpakuto.

After the Reiatsu Burst, the Flame - Wind Scar unleashed by Ailin's Flame Tetsusaiga had power approaching that of the captains after using Bankai.

Fire Blow Small Hammer and Getsuga Tensho were the ultimate techniques of Tengumaru and Engetsu after their Bankai, respectively.

The collision of three Captain-level Bankai ultimate techniques directly dyed nearly half the sky above the Seireitei red.

The shockwaves from the explosions and the scattered reiatsu sent flying any Soul Reapers who tried to approach.

Those who could withstand the shockwaves and charge toward the center of the battle were mostly captains wearing white Captain's Haori.

"Bang..."

A figure burst out of the flames and emerged from the explosion, his body covered in burns from the fiery blast.

Hibiki Hoshino!

"Damn it!"

The fear in Hibiki Hoshino's eyes had yet to fade before it turned into boundless killing intent.

Sure enough, this Vice-Captain called Ailin had to die!

However, recalling Ailin's terrifying slash just now, Hibiki Hoshino felt dissatisfied with his Zanpakuto, Muramasa, for the first time.

Why was Muramasa an illusion-type Zanpakuto?

Why couldn't Muramasa unleash a slash with such power?

Why, when facing such a powerful attack, could Muramasa not even fully shield him from the damage?

Hibiki Hoshino attributed the root cause of it all to his Zanpakuto, Muramasa, blaming its weak abilities.

Yet he had forgotten that if he had not become obsessed with Muramasa's power and had instead diligently trained in the four arts of the Soul Reapers, he could have met Ailin's earlier attack head-on with powerful Zanjutsu and slashes, used Shunpo to evade its range, or defended with powerful defensive Kidō...

Hibiki Hoshino, who placed all his own inadequacy upon his Zanpakuto, did not know that the compatibility between him and his Zanpakuto had begun to decline without him realizing it...

Under Ailin's previous strike, Muramasa, which was not suited for frontal combat to begin with, had suffered heavy damage.

But that did not prevent Hibiki Hoshino from continuing to use Muramasa's abilities.

In order to quickly shatter Ailin's Flame - Wind Scar, Tengumaru and Engetsu had both already entered Bankai.

Muramasa was not a Zanpakuto meant for frontal combat, but Tengumaru and Engetsu were precisely the kind of Zanpakuto that could confront any enemy head-on.

At once, Hibiki Hoshino wanted to control Tengumaru and Engetsu in their Bankai forms and launch an attack on Ailin.

Under the attacks of two Captain-level Zanpakuto, Ailin could be killed within ten breaths at most!

But—

"That's enough!"

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three figures clad in white haori appeared on the battlefield.

Among them, the Captain of the Second Division stood between Ailin and the two Zanpakuto.

Ginrei Kuchiki, Captain of the Sixth Division, also released his Inner World and appeared beside Hibiki Hoshino.

Shunsui Kyōraku, Captain of the Eighth Division, stood at the very center of the battlefield.

He was the one who had called for them to stop.

Ailin and Hibiki Hoshino's battle ultimately did not continue.

Furthermore, both Hibiki Hoshino and Ailin were personally delivered by Shunsui Kyōraku into the custody of Kensei Muguruma, Captain of the Ninth Division, on the charge of "disturbing the peace of the Seireitei."

Well, both the Second Division and the Sixth Division had their own holding cells.

However, Ailin was the Vice-Captain of the Second Division, while Hibiki Hoshino was the Third Seat of the First Division and a guest invited by Ginrei Kuchiki. No matter which division they were imprisoned in, Shihoin Yoruichi and Ginrei Kuchiki both worried that the other party might pull something.

After all, as Heads of the families among the Five Noble Clans of the Seireitei, they both knew exactly what their ancestors had done to earn the honor of being called the "Five Noble Clans."

Don't say that nobles are good people.

Because the Shiba Clan had refused to go along with the other three families, it had been secretly targeted by them. In the more than thousand years since the Seireitei's founding, the Shiba Clan had retained only the name of a great noble clan, with none of the substance.

Had this generation of the Shiba Clan not produced Isshin Shiba, the clan would likely still be living in obscurity in the Rukon District.

Fortunately, the arrival of Kensei Muguruma, Captain of the Ninth Division, solved this problem for Ginrei Kuchiki and Shihoin Yoruichi.

Kensei Muguruma was a commoner Soul Reaper who had entered the True Zero Spirit Arts Academy from the Rukon District to study and grow stronger, and he had no ties to the nobles.

Moreover, as the Prison Division, the Ninth Division was originally responsible for detaining and guarding prisoners. Entrusting Ailin and Hibiki Hoshino to the Ninth Division put both sides at ease.

Following behind Kensei Muguruma, Ailin and Hibiki Hoshino were locked in two adjacent cells of the Ninth Division one after another.

"Hmph, you got lucky this time. Captain Kyōraku saved you!"

"Next time, you won't be so lucky."

Hibiki Hoshino's cold snort came from next door, but Ailin ignored him.

Although many things had happened today, and he had even been labeled "lecherous" and "despicable," Ailin had gained quite a lot.

First, he now knew where his current strength stood.

At the Vice-Captain level, aside from Chōjirō Sasakibe, he should be among the very best.

Second, by a fortunate coincidence, he had successfully copied the Zanpakuto of seven Captain-level powerhouses today: Ginrei Kuchiki, Captain of the Sixth Division; Aikawa Love, Captain of the Seventh Division; Shunsui Kyōraku, Captain of the Eighth Division; Kensei Muguruma, Captain of the Ninth Division; Isshin Shiba, Captain of the Tenth Division; and Hibiki Hoshino, whom he had fought.

Therefore, Ailin simply ignored Hibiki Hoshino's provocation from the prison cell next door.

Indeed, if the other captains had not arrived this time, facing the Bankai Zanpakuto of two captains as well as a genuine Captain-level powerhouse at once, Ailin might really have been finished.

But at the same time, this would be the last time he was so powerless.

Closing his eyes and sinking his consciousness into his Inner World, Ailin quickly forged these Zanpakuto based on the information he had copied in his mind.

Each time he forged another Captain-level Zanpakuto, Ailin's reiatsu rose by another level.

Thus, as the cause, course, and outcome of Ailin and Hibiki Hoshino's battle began to spread throughout the Seireitei, no one knew that Ailin's spiritual pressure level had truly entered the Captain level.

At the same time, based on the abilities of Kensei Muguruma's Zanpakuto, Danjikaze, he successfully copied Tetsusaiga's ultimate technique, Explosive Wave, allowing Tetsusaiga to truly become a Captain-level weapon.

Standing at the very peak of Sword Hill, the very center of his Inner World, Ailin looked upon the ever-growing number of weapons on Sword Hill and the Zanpakuto within the realm that were gradually transforming toward a forest of blades and swords. For a moment, his heart swelled with heroic ambition.

These were his greatest foundation in this world.

Slowly walking toward that strange purple Demon Blade, Ailin reached out and grasped its hilt.

Demon Blade—Muramasa!