Chapter 41: A Powerhouse from Nine Hundred Years Ago - Bleach: This Captain Is an Uchiha

There wasn't actually that much in the Shin'ō Academy textbooks.

But from writing to proofreading, every step was overseen by experienced kendo connoisseurs. They discarded the dross and retained the essence, following a quality-over-quantity approach.

Even if the teaching materials were leaked, without secret instruction, using them would only achieve the form, not the spirit.

Those who dropped out midway or failed to graduate smoothly had no reason to become Ryoka. Working as guards for noble families would easily provide them with a life free from worries about food and clothing.

"This brat has a problem..."

Uchiha Yato snorted coldly. The tomoe in his eyes split into three, and his movements accelerated once more.

The young Ryoka lowered himself and rolled, but he still failed to evade Yato's attack. Left with no choice, he turned and raised his blade to block the slash.

"Urgh!"

The Ryoka groaned. Both he and his sword were pinned down, and under the immense pressure, his entire body sank into the ground.

His bones creaked. He could hear his wrists crying out in pain, while blood poured from the webbing between his thumb and forefinger. The Ryoka knew full well that at any moment, his weapon could be knocked away and he could be cut in two!

Even so, he gritted his teeth and held on, trying to find an opening.

But Yato would not give him any chance. With a cold scoff, he raised his knee and stomped down viciously!

Boom...

As Fifth-Class Reiatsu erupted, he stomped a deep crater into the ground. Dust surged up like a storm, blasting the nearby Zaraki District residents into the distance.

The young Ryoka who took the blow head-on was in an even more miserable state.

The flesh of his lower body had been mangled, his bones shattered by the impact. Overwhelmed by agonizing pain, he passed out and collapsed limply onto the ground.

After all, it was a stolen Soul-Cutter Sword. Unable to use Shikai, he was far below the combat level of an ordinary Seated Officer.

"Bakudō #4: Crawling Rope."

Uchiha Yato spoke indifferently. Ropes formed from beams of light appeared and bound the young Ryoka's hands.

He slung the unconscious, heavily injured man over his shoulder and prepared to leave, intending to meet up with Kaien Shiba.

However, after taking only two steps, Uchiha Yato stopped.

A powerful stranger had entered the range of his Reiatsu perception.

Ahead, amid the dust that had yet to disperse, a middle-aged man slowly walked forward.

His features were fairly proper, and paired with his graying temples, he had the air of a weathered wanderer.

Unfortunately, a terrifying scar extended from his right temple to his jaw, running across his entire face. The raised scar twisted outward like a centipede.

Just from that scar alone, Yato could imagine the kind of perilous battles the man had endured.

"This Soul Reaper," the middle-aged man said, unexpectedly polite, "could you return my companion to me?"

Uchiha Yato tilted his head and sneered. His meaning was obvious.

"Ryoka, you came to the wrong place."

Yato knew the man was very likely the leader of the invaders, so he remained still, intending to stall for time while waiting for Kaien Shiba's reinforcements.

"This is the Soul Society, territory under the Seireitei's jurisdiction. Invaders have only one path: death."

The middle-aged man suddenly chuckled.

"Then, Soul Reaper, what is my codename?"

"...What?"

"A codename. Given Captain-Commander Yamamoto's temperament, he must have named the Ryoka. What are we called?"

"...Villains."

"I like that name." The Ryoka leader rolled his neck, his tone turning serious. "Won't you consider my suggestion?"

Yato licked his lips, and the patterns in his eyes transformed into six-pointed Mangekyo.

"Very well." The middle-aged man sighed and gave his name. "Mochizuki Hanzō."

"Third Seat of the 12th Division, Uchiha Yato." The boy tossed the Ryoka from his shoulder aside. As Reiatsu boiled around him, Scarlet Eye slowly slid from its sheath.

"Huh? You're only the Third Seat? Looking at your Reiatsu, I thought you would be a lieutenant... Hm?!!!"

The middle-aged man's voice abruptly cut off.

The air tore apart. At such absurd speed, his face stretched into a line, becoming sharp and bizarre.

When Yato's Mangekyo caught sight of the man again, he was already standing within arm's reach of the boy.

Those hands that had experienced countless battles lightly rested upon Yato's Soul-Cutter Sword.

He had actually rushed before Yato at an unimaginable speed and gripped the blade with one hand!

However, Mochizuki Hanzō made no move to attack. As though crushed by immense sorrow, he stared at Yato's Soul-Cutter Sword in despair.

"Captain Saitō... so you truly have already..."

"Scarlet Eye!" Uchiha Yato's voice turned icy as he quietly spoke the name of his Soul-Cutter Sword.

For any Soul Reaper, having an enemy seize their Soul-Cutter Sword was an outright provocation and insult. Uchiha Yato had lived in the Seireitei for nearly three years and had been influenced by that culture.

More importantly, the enemy's speed far exceeded his expectations. Amid his shock and alarm, Yato knew that he had to use all his strength.

A massive Susanoo abruptly enveloped Uchiha Yato.

Driven by Fifth-Class Reiatsu, the Susanoo grew flesh and skin, and savage armor formed over its body, like an enraged deity.

Mochizuki Hanzō was blasted away by the Susanoo. Yet even after crashing through a house, his gaze remained fixed on the Soul-Cutter Sword in Yato's hand.

Even the strongest Soul Reaper would suffer a sudden drop in combat power when their thoughts wavered.

Yato's Mangekyo spun at high speed. The Susanoo roared toward the heavens, then lowered its head slightly and raised both arms.

A longbow burning with purple flames appeared in the Susanoo's hands.

It raised the bow and drew the string, pulling it into a perfect full moon.

A black arrow more than ten meters long was nocked upon the bowstring.

This was the Amaterasu Arrow. Under Kagutsuchi's stimulation, it had already been condensed to the utmost limit.

"Die!"

Yato shouted in a low voice. The Susanoo released the string, and the Amaterasu Arrow thundered as it shot forward.

The distance of nearly a hundred meters was crossed in an instant.

Even with the dynamic vision of the Mangekyo, Uchiha Yato could only make out a blurred black line.

The next moment, a black pillar of fire shot into the sky!

The searing heat, combined with the Susanoo's overwhelming strength, tore apart the earth. The attack resembled a natural disaster.

A light drizzle began to fall. The ground's intense heat evaporated the moisture into the sky, forming rain that washed away the dust that had been stirred up.

Yato panted heavily as his Mangekyo regressed into Three Tomoe.

The situation just now had been far too terrifying. He had not held back, and that Amaterasu Arrow had consumed fully half his Reiatsu.

But the result was far from satisfactory.

"...So, Mochizuki Hanzō, what kind of monster are you, and where did you come from?"

Yato sighed softly.

Watching the Ryoka leader slowly climb out from the ruins, Yato understood why Captain-Commander Yamamoto had issued the order allowing captain-class Soul Reapers to release their Soul-Cutter Swords.

With enemies this powerful, they truly had to proceed cautiously.

Yet Mochizuki Hanzō, emerging from the ruins, did not rush to counterattack. Instead, he wiped the blood from his forehead, and his tone returned to calmness.

"Every generation of Soul Reapers has only one Kenpachi."

"Every generation of Soul-Cutter Swords also has only one Multi-Stage Release type."

"When I saw your sword just now... it's called Scarlet Eye, right? I realized that rumor was true. Captain Saitō truly is dead."

Mochizuki Hanzō's voice carried bitter sorrow.

"Captain, it seems I no longer need to go to Muken to save you... Ha."

Uchiha Yato slowly closed his eyes, using the opportunity to regulate his breathing and recover his body.

Of course, the boy knew who the "Captain Saitō" mentioned by the Ryoka leader was.

She had been the previous Soul Reaper to possess a Multi-Stage Release-type Soul-Cutter Sword before Yato had emerged onto the scene.

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A Powerhouse from Nine Hundred Years Ago