The Strongest Noble Phantasm (Please Read!)

Amidst the chanting of Gilgamesh, golden ripples suddenly emerged upon the earth beneath the feet of Isshin Shiba.

Driven by a primal instinct warning him of danger, Isshin Shiba did not hesitate, immediately utilizing Flash Step to flee the area.

At that very moment, massive chains shimmering with golden radiance erupted from the ripples in the earth, stretching from the ground to the heavens.

Watching the scene before him, the pupils of Isshin Shiba trembled incessantly.

Reflected within his eyes, the space between heaven and earth seemed to be bound together by those colossal, golden-glowing chains.

In the presence of these massive chains, Isshin Shiba felt as insignificant as an ant.

His mind began to reel, the words Gilgamesh had spoken echoing repeatedly in his thoughts.

Divinity...

The true power of Enkidu...

That chant, so similar to the release command of a Zanpakuto...

Isshin Shiba could not help but mutter in a trembling voice.

"What on earth is going on!?"

"Could these chains connecting heaven and earth be this guy's Bankai?"

"But didn't he say he didn't possess a Zanpakuto?"

"Furthermore, if this were a Bankai, why can I not sense a shred of Reiatsu?"

It was not just Isshin Shiba; Kaien Shiba and Yoruichi Shihouin, who were locked in a fierce battle in the distance, were also drawn by the commotion of the Noble Phantasm's release.

Upon seeing those massive, golden-radiant chains spanning the sky and earth, both Kaien Shiba and Yoruichi Shihouin were struck with shock.

Because they were at a distance, they could see the full scope of the spectacle, which only deepened their astonishment.

The shock was so profound that it caused them to momentarily forget they were still in the midst of a battle.

After a brief silence, Kaien Shiba and Yoruichi Shihouin simultaneously rushed toward the released Enkidu.

Kaien Shiba was worried about Isshin Shiba.

As his nephew, Kaien Shiba understood Isshin Shiba quite well, and he knew for certain that these massive chains were not an ability of Isshin Shiba's Zanpakuto.

Yoruichi Shihouin was worried about Gilgamesh.

She did not know Isshin Shiba well, nor had she ever seen Gilgamesh manifest Enkidu.

However, she had just sensed Isshin Shiba's unmasked Reiatsu.

Seeing these chains connecting heaven and earth, Yoruichi Shihouin assumed it was a Bankai unleashed by Isshin Shiba.

Therefore, Yoruichi Shihouin was concerned that Gilgamesh might be in danger.

Just as Yoruichi Shihouin and Kaien Shiba were frantically rushing toward the scene, the chains connecting heaven and earth suddenly converged, forming a single chain that spanned the firmament, roaming as freely as a mythical golden dragon.

The warning of danger Isshin Shiba's body felt reached an unprecedented height at this moment.

Run!

Run!

Run!

The word 'run' surfaced in his mind, growing larger and larger until it occupied his entire consciousness.

Isshin Shiba's body followed his survival instinct, fleeing rapidly through continuous bursts of Flash Step.

This action seemed to enrage the Golden Dragon of the Heavens roaming the firmament, which dove down toward Isshin Shiba like a meteor.

Wherever it passed, the atmosphere was torn asunder, space roared, and boundless shockwaves rolled out, whipping up a violent gale.

The scene was like a natural disaster, as if the Golden Dragon of the Heavens were venting its fury.

Watching from afar, Kaien Shiba and Yoruichi Shihouin felt a sense of dread before they had even drawn near.

This was even more true for Isshin Shiba, who was facing the Golden Dragon of the Heavens head-on.

Yet, Isshin Shiba was worthy of being a captain-level powerhouse; even at this moment, his composure did not shatter.

He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay calm, while pouring his Reiatsu into his Zanpakuto, Engetsu, without reservation.

His current state was insufficient to sustain his Bankai.

Isshin Shiba knew that the only thing he could do now was to seek life within death, casting everything aside to unleash the strongest Getsuga Tensho of his life.

With eyes wide and glaring, Isshin Shiba raised Engetsu high and roared, "Getsuga... Tensho!!!"

As Isshin Shiba swung Engetsu down, a blade of incredibly scorching, flaming Reiatsu surged into the void, striking straight toward the Roaming Dragon of the Heavens like a funeral pyre of fire.

Heaven and earth seemed to fall silent at that moment.

In the eyes of Kaien Shiba and Yoruichi Shihouin, they only saw the extreme wind pressure formed by the terrifying collision, creating a swirling ring of wind mixed with drifting flames that expanded outward.

At the center of the impact, a sky full of sand and stone had been kicked up, obscuring the situation within; only the Enkidu exposed outside the debris could be seen.

Then, the delayed sound finally arrived.

BOOM!

The terrifying shockwaves of the battle forced Kaien Shiba and Yoruichi Shihouin to halt their Flash Step, leaving them suspended in mid-air with their hearts pounding in their chests.

As the dust settled, the Enkidu gradually dissipated, returning to the Gate of Babylon along with the Golden Throne beneath Gilgamesh.

Following that, the Gate of the Gods closed.

Kaien Shiba and Yoruichi Shihouin rushed over at this moment.

Yoruichi Shihouin reached Gilgamesh's side first, and only after carefully checking him and finding him completely unscathed did she finally heave a sigh of relief.

Only then did Yoruichi Shihouin have the presence of mind to observe the surrounding situation.

Yoruichi Shihouin discovered that the terrain had been completely transformed by the recent clash; the earth was shattered, trees had toppled, and everywhere she looked, there were craters of varying sizes and depths.

Kaien Shiba and Isshin Shiba were standing within one of the largest craters.

At this moment, Isshin Shiba was slumped on the ground, his face filled with the relief of someone who had narrowly escaped death, his breath coming in heavy gasps.

Isshin Shiba knew that the reason he had survived was not because his strongest Getsuga Tensho had blocked the Enkidu, but because Gilgamesh had no intention of taking his life.

Although the Enkidu had appeared to strike directly at him, it had been angled away, smashing heavily into the ground beside him after shattering his Getsuga Tensho.

Looking at the bottomless, lake-like crater beside Isshin Shiba, Kaien Shiba felt cold sweat seeping from his skin.

Even without facing it head-on, just by looking at the chasm the Enkidu had carved into the earth, Kaien Shiba felt a sense of suffocation, heaviness, and... fear!

That's right, Kaien Shiba, who possessed the strength of a captain, felt genuine fear at this moment toward the Charisma of the Beautiful Boy who appeared to be only twelve years old.

Isshin Shiba finally regained his composure, leaning on his Zanpakuto—which had reverted from its Shikai—to force himself to stand, remarking, "What a terrifying fellow."

"I am now willing to believe he is Gilgamesh."

"If he weren't, I truly wouldn't know how to explain those artifacts devoid of spiritual pressure or those incomprehensible methods."

As he spoke, Isshin Shiba looked at Kaien Shiba, who was still frowning and struggling to accept the facts, and said with a solemn expression, "Kaien, be careful later. You must not antagonize him, at least not for now."

"Because he has the strength to leave both of us here permanently."

Kaien Shiba was stunned, seemingly not expecting Isshin Shiba to say such a thing.

Before Kaien Shiba could ask, Isshin Shiba continued, "Do you know? Those golden ripples he summons are actually connected to his treasury."

"According to his own words, his treasury contains the original texts of all human mythology."

"The Enkidu that reached from the heavens to the earth just now was merely one of those mythological originals."

"And I can sense that the Enkidu is not the strongest mythological original he possesses..."

Before Isshin Shiba could finish his sentence, Gilgamesh's voice rang out in appreciation: "As expected of a captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, your intuition is truly sharp."

"Indeed, the Enkidu is not this King's strongest Noble Phantasm."

"It does no harm to tell you: this King's strongest Noble Phantasm is named... Ea!"