Remnant of the Old Era

Mochizuki Hanzō's kick was exceptionally seasoned.

Not only was it incredibly fast, with all its force concentrated at the tip of his foot, it also struck precisely where Zaraki's abdomen had been pierced, worsening an already severe injury.

Zaraki crashed like a falling meteor, smashing through more than a dozen buildings before finally coming to a stop.

Boom!

The instant Zaraki hit the ground, Uchiha Yato charged straight at Mochizuki Hanzō.

Susanoo, like a purple warrior god, raised its enormous fist and brutally slammed it toward the Ryoka. Amaterasu's black flames blazed across its armor, scorching even the air into distortion.

Mochizuki Hanzō had no choice but to abandon his pursuit. He planted his spear at his side and forcibly blocked Susanoo's fist.

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"So heavy!"

The Ryoka's pupils contracted slightly as the tremendous force hammered him underground.

Knowing he could not remain beneath the earth for long, he immediately used his spear to shatter the rock and leap back to the surface.

However, before he could steady himself, Mochizuki saw a vicious, blood-streaked grin.

"Yato, Kaien! You two bastards! I told you, he's my opponent—aaaah!"

Zaraki's battle intent had nearly taken tangible form. At the critical moment of his grievous injury, the seal he had subconsciously imposed upon himself quietly began to loosen.

"This guy is still getting stronger!"

Mochizuki Hanzō sharply sensed it. Gripping his spear with both hands, he faced Zaraki without dodging and thrust straight for his head!

It was a life-for-life tactic, but Mochizuki Hanzō knew that victory would surely be his.

With Seven-Headed Dragon's ability to divide souls and Reiatsu, he could act through duplicates. Though this body was his true body and could not be lost, as long as more souls and Reiatsu returned to him, he could heal most of his injuries.

In the war nine hundred years ago, he had killed quite a few powerful Quincies with this trait of Seven-Headed Dragon.

Yet what he had not expected was for the strike to miss.

Because his opponent was not as tall as Zaraki, but several inches shorter.

That difference in height made Mochizuki Hanzō's spear pass slightly too high, sweeping over his opponent's head.

The Ryoka looked on in disbelief, only to discover that the enemy before him was not that frenzied beast, but a young man of the Shiba Clan with a "Cracked Fallen-Heaven Whirlpool" tattoo carved into his shoulder!

"Where are you looking?" A roar came from his flank as Zaraki's Soul-Cutter Sword descended, hacking heavily into Mochizuki Hanzō's chest.

Blood sprayed, and bones shattered.

Mochizuki Hanzō let out a furious roar, but his Soul-Cutter Sword, transformed into a black spear, was desperately pinned down by Kaien Shiba's trident and could not be swung for the moment.

At that very moment, Susanoo's second attack struck Mochizuki Hanzō.

This time, Mochizuki Hanzō could not block with his spear. He could only raise his left hand and receive the purple warrior god's fist head-on.

—His skin touched the black flames clinging to Susanoo!

In that split second, he noticed the peculiar Reiatsu within Yato's eyes.

"Looks like he used an illusion... No, I have to find a way to destroy his eyes!"

As Mochizuki Hanzō's thoughts raced, he was smashed underground once more.

Just as he tried to repeat the same move and break through the rock, unbearable agony surged from his left hand.

Amaterasu's flames were like maggots clinging to bone, tearing into his skin and flesh.

In the blink of an eye, his left hand had been burned black.

"This fire... can't be put out?"

Mochizuki Hanzō was horrified, but before he could devise a response, three powerful Reiatsu signatures came crashing down upon him.

Uchiha Yato, Kaien Shiba, and the blood-soaked Zaraki appeared directly above him almost simultaneously, striking with all their strength!

"Damn it..."

Mochizuki Hanzō gritted his teeth, a savage glint flashing through his eyes.

The decisiveness forged through a thousand years of slaughter was revealed without reservation at that moment.

The situation was completely reversed after he used that Kidō.

In an instant, Uchiha Yato felt as though he had fallen onto the surface of the sun. Unmatched heat and impact tore at his body.

Even Susanoo, mighty as a warrior god, vaporized beneath that terrifying heat!

At the brink of life and death, Yato's six-pointed-star eyes reflected an enormous crimson flame blade.

"Hadō 96: One-Sword Cremation!"

Only then did Mochizuki Hanzō's voice reach his ears.

This was the sacrificial Hadō of number ninety-six, cast using charred limbs as its medium. It had been classified by the Seireitei as an absolute forbidden technique!

Sacrificing a limb in exchange for a deadly counterattack—such ruthlessness could only belong to someone who had experienced true bloodshed.

Yato, Kaien, and Zaraki were blasted away by that overwhelming force, landing amid ruins a hundred meters away in three different directions.

"Pfft!"

Uchiha Yato spat out a mouthful of scorching blood. He felt as if his body were burning, as though his internal organs had been twisted by steel rebar. There was not a single part of him that did not hurt.

He gasped violently several times, braced himself against the ground with his blade, and forced himself to stand.

The medical knowledge he had learned at Shin'ō Academy told him that his body had suffered grave damage. His organs and bones could collapse at any moment; he could no longer fight.

In truth, merely standing while holding his sword had consumed every last bit of his remaining strength.

Without Susanoo's protection, he would certainly be either dead or crippled by now.

"You... did very well."

Mochizuki Hanzō staggered out from underground. His own condition was hardly promising: the wound Zaraki had left him was deep enough to expose his organs, his left arm had completely carbonized, and most of his Zanjutsu had been rendered useless.

Yet no matter what, he was undoubtedly the victor of this battle.

"What was the name of that strange technique you used just now?"

"...Susanoo."

"A good name." Mochizuki Hanzō gave a bitter smile, grabbed his left shoulder, and forcibly tore off his carbonized arm.

"To react even against One-Sword Cremation and use Susanoo to shield your companions for a moment—not bad at all. Uchiha Yato, was it?" He paused, then said calmly:

"With those eyes of yours, I cannot carry on with peace of mind, so... forgive me."

Yato closed his eyes. When he opened them again, not the slightest trace of emotion remained.

"Then please, enlighten me."

"Mochizuki Hanzō, under Captain Saitō Immortal."

"Uchiha Yato, Third Seat of the 12th Division."

"Then, Yato, please die... Hm?" Just as the Ryoka was about to move, he suddenly recalled something and froze in place.

"Which division did you say you belonged to, kid?"

"...The 12th."

"So your captain is..."

"Kirio Hikifune."

Mochizuki Hanzō's expression froze, as if a peach pit had lodged in his throat.

He looked at the youth with a complicated expression for a long while. In the end, he let out a long sigh, stroked his severed shoulder, and turned away.

"She was once a vice-captain above me, and many years ago, I received a tremendous favor from her... If I laid a hand on you, then even if I fell into Hell after death, I would have no face to answer to her."

"Since that is the case, stay where you are. Do not make any movements, Soul Reaper."

Things had unfolded far beyond Yato's expectations, but since his life was no longer in danger, his tense body relaxed.

It was just that... Mochizuki Hanzō, your Soul-Cutter Sword seemed to be crying out in grief.

He looked at the Ryoka's back and remained silent for a long time.

"Mochizuki Hanzō." Yato suddenly spoke softly, his voice so faint it was almost a sigh.

"Are you really not going to seek out Captain-Commander Yamamoto?"

The Ryoka's body trembled faintly, his back seeming somewhat hunched.

"Kid, I am a remnant of the old era."

"The Seireitei of the new era has no sheath that can contain me."

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