A fierce yellow bolt of lightning burst forth, its thunderous roar tearing through the night as it bore down on Gilgamesh.
The higher the number of a Way of Destruction, the greater its power.
The Sokatsui from before had been Way of Destruction No. 33, while the Raikohou he had just used was No. 63—and the strongest Way of Destruction Marechiyo Omaeda had mastered.
Marechiyo Omaeda was confident in his Raikohou. He didn't believe Vimana could block it, too.
Boom!
Amid an explosion, the fierce, surging lightning lit up the night sky through the rising smoke.
Under Marechiyo Omaeda's expectant gaze, the smoke and lightning gradually faded. What appeared next was once again that fleeting curtain of light.
His expression froze. Marechiyo Omaeda stared at the scene in disbelief, unable to accept what he was seeing.
Even Way of Destruction No. 63 couldn't break through Vimana's curtain of light. What in the world was that thing?
Could it really be a Zanpakuto?
But how could his spiritual pressure be so weak?
Was it some kind of tool that could suppress spiritual pressure?
At that moment, Marechiyo Omaeda's mind reeled. One question after another surfaced in his thoughts.
Under the light of the Star of Omniscience, Gilgamesh saw through Marechiyo Omaeda's thoughts and understood the state he was in.
Feeling that the time was right, Gilgamesh decided to add fuel to the fire.
Still lounging lazily upon the Throne of the King that belonged to him alone, Gilgamesh spoke slowly. "Marechiyo Omaeda, why have you stopped attacking?"
"Your Way of Destruction may be useless, but you still have your Zanpakuto. You can still use Shikai."
"Are you giving up?"
"If so, you've truly disappointed me."
"I never thought that the lieutenant of the Second Division of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads would be this weak..."
Marechiyo Omaeda's resolve had already been shaken. When he heard Gilgamesh's words, his blood surged and his spiritual pressure grew erratic. The veins in his forehead throbbed.
Before Gilgamesh could finish, Marechiyo Omaeda's plump face twisted. He roared, "You little brat! I was going to hold back and spare your life."
"But now, I'm not holding back anymore!"
"I'll show you the price of making a lieutenant angry!"
As he spoke, Marechiyo Omaeda drew his Zanpakuto.
Terrifying spiritual pressure burst from Marechiyo Omaeda. The space around them seemed to come under an immense weight, and even the air grew heavy.
"Crush him, Gegetsuburi!"
As Marechiyo Omaeda finished the Shikai command, the Zanpakuto in his hand changed. The blade became a massive morning star.
This was Marechiyo Omaeda's Zanpakuto, Gegetsuburi.
Gegetsuburi was a Zanpakuto that dealt purely physical damage. After releasing its Shikai, Marechiyo Omaeda hefted it and slammed it hard into Vimana.
Gegetsuburi was extremely powerful. It could smash through even a high-rise building's support pillars.
Gilgamesh's expression didn't change as he watched Gegetsuburi come at him.
In terms of destructive power alone, Raikohou was actually stronger than Gegetsuburi in its Shikai form.
But Raikohou was a spiritual-energy attack, while Gegetsuburi was a physical attack. The two couldn't really be compared directly.
Of course, to Gilgamesh, it made no difference whether it was Raikohou or Gegetsuburi.
He already knew Marechiyo Omaeda didn't have the strength to force his way through Vimana's defense system.
Unless he could use Bankai.
Apart from Bankai, Marechiyo Omaeda's only chance was to keep attacking and deplete Vimana's reserves.
Only after Vimana's reserves were entirely drained could he break through its defense system and get close to Gilgamesh.
Marechiyo Omaeda obviously had no idea.
With his mind in complete turmoil, he couldn't have noticed it anyway.
Thud!
As Marechiyo Omaeda watched Vimana's curtain of light rise once more and stop Gegetsuburi in its Shikai form, his expression froze completely. His pupils trembled violently.
At that moment, Marechiyo Omaeda finally faced the truth.
Whatever Gilgamesh's own strength might be, as long as Vimana was there, he was invincible. Marechiyo Omaeda had no way to defeat him.
After all, he was a lieutenant in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, a powerhouse second only to the captains.
Yet he couldn't defeat a little kid who looked about ten years old.
That fact made Marechiyo Omaeda question his whole life.
At the same time, he grew even more wary of Gilgamesh's origins and background.
In his view, only the Four Great Noble Clans in Seireitei had the resources to possess a divine weapon like Vimana.
And since Gilgamesh could command Vimana, his family must hold him in high regard. He might even be the clan's next head.
As for why someone of Gilgamesh's status had come to the remote, chaotic Inuzuri, Marechiyo Omaeda didn't know—and didn't need to know.
All he needed to know was Gilgamesh's background and origins.
For the Omaeda Clan, befriending one of Seireitei's Four Great Noble Clans could only bring benefits.
After all, most members of Central 46 Chambers, the Soul Society's highest judicial body, came from the Four Great Noble Clans.
Marechiyo Omaeda's thoughts raced, and he quickly figured out what mattered.
Then his expression turned amiable, and he said with a chuckle, "Sorry, I was out of line just now."
"I'll head back and have my family send over some professional builders. You can just tell them what you need when they arrive."
With that, Marechiyo Omaeda turned and left.
Gilgamesh's deep, wine-red eyes reflected Marechiyo Omaeda's retreating figure.
Gilgamesh had seen through all of Marechiyo Omaeda's thoughts.
And everything was going according to his plan.
Time passed.
Marechiyo Omaeda hurried back to his clan's estate. After reporting what had happened to his father, he returned to the Second Division barracks in Seireitei.
The moment he entered the barracks, Marechiyo Omaeda couldn't help shivering. A strange chill seemed to sweep over him.
At the same time, a cool voice came from behind him. "Omaeda, you're a little late. How did today's mission go?"
Marechiyo Omaeda looked at Soi Fon, who had appeared behind him without his noticing. His manner grew stiff, and he replied, "The mission is complete."
Soi Fon nodded slightly without saying anything more. She walked past Marechiyo Omaeda, intending to leave.
Just then, Marechiyo Omaeda seemed to think of something and couldn't help asking, "Captain, do you know of any divine weapons in the Soul Society that can carry people through the air?"
Soi Fon stopped and turned to look at Marechiyo Omaeda, her brows knitting slightly. "Why do you ask? Can't we Soul Reapers travel through the air with Flash Step?"
Marechiyo Omaeda smiled awkwardly. "I was just curious. I thought I'd ask."
Soi Fon turned and walked away, leaving him with one final remark. "The Shihoin House's sacred treasure, Tentaken, can carry people through the air."
Tentaken?
Marechiyo Omaeda froze. His mind conjured up the image of a bone shaped like a dragon's spine.
He remembered that infusing Tentaken with spiritual energy unfolded a single bony wing, allowing it to carry someone through the sky. It was a precious, one-of-a-kind tool in the Soul Society.
But after seeing Vimana, all Marechiyo Omaeda wanted to say was:
"Sorry, but what kind of junk is Tentaken?"
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