Gilgamesh's Zanpakuto? (Seeking Follow-ups!)

"Igalima..."

"Mountain-Slaying Sword..."

Yoruichi Shihouin murmured to herself, her mind beginning to race at high speed.

The famous Zanpakuto of the Soul Society flashed through her thoughts one by one.

Yet, Yoruichi Shihouin could not find any Zanpakuto named 'Igalima' or 'Mountain-Slaying Sword'.

Could the Mountain-Slaying Sword be a divine artifact similar to the Sokyoku?

The Sokyoku was an execution tool used by the Soul Society for criminals, consisting of a spear and a rack.

The spear, when released, took the form of a giant bird called 'Kikouo', said to possess the destructive power of a million Zanpakuto.

At the same time, the scattering golden light finally drew the attention of the villains.

Some of the thugs instinctively raised their heads to look at the sky.

At this sight, their pupils could not help but tremble violently, and they couldn't help but mutter, "What... what is that?"

Looking at that double-edged, boneless giant sword that blotted out the sky, even those who spent their days wallowing in slaughter and enjoying the pleasure of blood and death could not suppress their growing fear.

After a brief silence, someone shouted out.

"Run... run for your lives!"

This sound was like a detonated bomb, causing the villains present to flee frantically.

Even those with severed hands or feet forgot their pain in that moment, their faces filled with terror as they struggled to escape.

Finally, the Mountain-Slaying Sword landed.

BOOM!

Amidst a deafening roar, the earth cracked, rocks flew into the air, and dust billowed to obscure the view; all that could be heard were the shrill, miserable screams of the villains.

This massive disturbance attracted the attention of the people in the central district of Tobiume, who cast looks of shock, horror, and fear toward the scene.

They did not know what had happened, but they could see the Vimana floating in the firmament and that incomparably massive Mountain-Slaying Sword.

The Mountain-Slaying Sword was truly too enormous, its hilt standing just before the Vimana.

Renji Abarai and Rukia looked at the hilt, which was roughly level with their own height, their pupils trembling violently.

They could hardly imagine what kind of person could possibly wield such a giant sword.

Although Gilgamesh had summoned the Mountain-Slaying Sword, his stature was about the same as Renji Abarai's, and neither of them believed Gilgamesh could wield it.

It was at this moment that Gilgamesh slowly walked toward the hilt of the Mountain-Slaying Sword.

Under the astonished gazes of Yoruichi Shihouin, Renji Abarai, and Rukia, he grabbed the hilt of the Mountain-Slaying Sword with his right hand.

However, the hilt of the Mountain-Slaying Sword was so large that it looked as if Gilgamesh's right hand was merely resting upon it.

Judging by Gilgamesh's posture, it seemed he intended to lift the Mountain-Slaying Sword.

But how could that be possible? Even if Gilgamesh wrapped both his arms around it, he couldn't embrace the hilt, so how could he possibly lift the sword?

A golden ripple appeared once more.

This time, it appeared in front of Gilgamesh's left hand.

Gilgamesh reached his left hand into the ripple and withdrew a holy grail cast from gold.

The name of this holy grail was the Great Cup of Uruk, the archetype of the Holy Grail in the Type-Moon World.

However, unlike the Holy Grail known as the 'Omnipotent Wishing Machine', the Great Cup of Uruk was a pure crystallization of magical energy, containing an unimaginably vast amount of power.

In Sumerian mythology, Igalima was the second son of the patron god of the city-state of Lagash.

It is said that this Mountain-Slaying Sword was the divine construct transformed by Igalima, and one of the two weapons of Zababa, the war goddess and patron deity of the city-state of Kish.

Therefore, to use the true power of Igalima, one must have a vast supply of magical energy to support it.

This was the reason Gilgamesh had brought out the Great Cup of Uruk.

As Gilgamesh focused his intent, the vast magical energy contained within the Great Cup of Uruk flowed into his body like a tidal wave, and then, through Gilgamesh, surged into the Mountain-Slaying Sword.

Because the world of Bleach lacked magical energy, even Yoruichi Shihouin could not perceive it.

She was merely puzzled, wondering why Gilgamesh had taken out a golden holy grail.

But soon, her confusion was answered.

Under the shocked and incredulous gazes of everyone, the Mountain-Slaying Sword began to shrink gradually, eventually reducing to a double-edged, boneless greatsword over three meters long, held firmly in Gilgamesh's hand.

The Mountain-Slaying Sword... had actually been lifted by Gilgamesh.

But what did Gilgamesh intend to do now that he had taken up the sword?

A new question arose in everyone's minds.

Seeming to pierce through their thoughts and confusion, Gilgamesh did not offer an explanation, but instead held the Mountain-Slaying Sword horizontally in a draw-strike stance, chanting the incantation for the release of his Noble Phantasm.

"Cleaving and pioneering even a thousand mountains, the great and mighty boneless giant sword!"

"It does not cut merely with its blade, nor does it pioneer merely with its mass!"

"The horizon contained within this blade is the principle by which heaven and earth are absolutely sundered!"

A terrifying power surged from the Mountain-Slaying Sword, causing the very space to tremble.

Air currents surged wildly, forcing Renji Abarai and Rukia to retreat uncontrollably.

Yoruichi Shihouin's pupils had shrunk to pinpricks, and a profound sense of crisis welled up within her.

The villains in the central district of Tobiume were all struck by alarm bells at this very moment.

I will die...

If I take this blow, I will die...

This was the warning echoing incessantly in their minds.

Instinctively, they wanted to flee, to distance themselves from the danger.

Yet, under the weight of that invisible, terrifying pressure, they found themselves unable to move.

It was then that Gilgamesh struck down with the Mountain-Slaying Sword toward the forest separating the 78th and 79th districts, shouting, "The verdant horizon that cleaves a thousand mountains... Igalima!"

The next moment, a verdant horizon spanning the sky swept out from the trajectory of the Mountain-Slaying Sword toward the forest.

Heaven and earth seemed to lose their voice in that instant; everyone stood as if bewitched, their gazes locked firmly onto that emerald horizon.

Aboard the Vimana.

Due to their vantage point, Yoruichi Shihouin, Renji Abarai, and Rukia could see it clearly.

As that verdant horizon passed, the forest separating the 78th and 79th districts—trees, flowers, beasts, villains, cliffs, and boulders alike—was severed from its very roots.

From a distance, the forest looked like chives being cut in one stroke from the base; the process was incredibly smooth, without the slightest hesitation.

Just as the Noble Phantasm incantation Gilgamesh had chanted suggested, after the strike of the Mountain-Slaying Sword, the horizon, previously obscured by forests and mountains, now lay revealed before their eyes.

Renji Abarai and Rukia were already dumbstruck, their minds blank, their spirits utterly shaken.

Though Yoruichi Shihouin did not react as openly as Renji Abarai and Rukia, her heart was equally stirred.

In Yoruichi Shihouin's estimation, that single strike was fully comparable to the Bankai of a high-ranking captain.

Yet, she could not sense any spiritual pressure from Gilgamesh that would rival such a Bankai.

Though she did not understand how this was possible, Yoruichi Shihouin had already concluded that the Mountain-Slaying Sword must be Gilgamesh's Zanpakuto.

Beyond a Zanpakuto, those artificial artifacts could never possess such power.

At the same time, after witnessing Gilgamesh display such strength, the thought that had been in Yoruichi Shihouin's mind—that Gilgamesh could never succeed in founding a nation—began to waver.

Perhaps, he truly could establish a kingdom in Rukongai...