Blade of the Sword

"Yoruichi, what's wrong?!"

Kūkaku Shiba raised her hand and fired a Shakkahō, destroying the Hollow. Then she turned to the suddenly silent Yoruichi Shihōin beside her.

"I hate war!"

Yoruichi Shihōin's golden eyes were filled with sorrow as she watched Bleach after Bleach fall, then rush forward again, only never to rise again. She watched those who, with only their last breath remaining, still insisted on killing the Hollow before them. Blood had practically covered the battlefield.

"Ah!" Kūkaku Shiba froze for a moment, then smiled in understanding. "I hate war too! So many people die every time, but it can't be avoided!"

"Is that so?" After a moment of silence, Yoruichi Shihōin raised the short blade in her hand and sniffed. "Shadow, come out. I know you're there!"

"Lady Yoruichi!" Shadow appeared instantly and dropped to one knee.

"You've worked hard too. You've killed quite a few Hollows, haven't you?" Yoruichi Shihōin said.

"I'm sorry, Lady Yoruichi!"

"You have nothing to apologize for!" Yoruichi Shihōin placed her hand on Shadow's head and said softly, "Shadow, you don't need to protect me anymore!"

"Lady Yoruichi!" Shadow's black pupils suddenly contracted as he looked up in shock.

"I am Yoruichi Shihōin, yes, but I'm also a Bleach! While everyone else is fighting for their lives, I still haven't given it my all. Under your protection, I've only been fighting those weaker Hollows!"

Yoruichi Shihōin bent down and looked into Shadow's eyes. "They're ordinary Bleach, but I'm Captain-class!"

"Shadow, I know you worry about me! I know you don't want me to get hurt, but..." Yoruichi Shihōin smiled. "I want to fight with all my strength too! I can't keep living under your protection. Even if I'm injured, even if I die, that is my responsibility as a Bleach, as the heir of the Shihōin family!"

"L-Lady Yoruichi!"

Reflected in Shadow's dark eyes were those golden irises. The determination and longing for battle in them shook his heart.

After a moment of silence, Shadow spoke in a somewhat hoarse voice. "I understand, Lady Yoruichi!"

Yoruichi Shihōin curled her lips into a smile, raised her head to look at the battlefield, and tightened her grip on her blade. "Shadow, go fight! Use all your strength and end this war quickly. I want to go home!"

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi!"

After letting out a long breath, Shadow's lips curved into a cold smile beneath his raised collar. He lifted his hand and destroyed two Hollows, then looked at the countless Hollows before him. His ink-black eyes were filled with boundless killing intent.

His right hand formed a claw, five fingers spread wide. With a sharp crackle, visible blue lightning burst around his outstretched palm, blooming with dazzling brilliance as continuous snapping sounds rang out.

Lightning! Unrestrained lightning! Thunderlight surged, currents coiling like venomous snakes and gradually covering his entire arm. Electric light flashed, and thunder roared harshly.

"I didn't want to interfere in this war, but this is Lady Yoruichi's order."

Shadow's expression was icy. Murderous intent filled his black eyes as he slowly raised his right hand, brimming with lightning. The next second, bolts of lightning streaked across the once-dark sky.

Amid everyone's shocked and terrified gazes, Shadow raised his right hand, spread his five fingers toward the dense mass of Hollows, and gave a low shout.

"Thunder Dragon... Gale Break!"

A dazzling bolt of lightning burst from his palm. It resembled a blue dragon, breaking through the shackles of the air amid thunder and lightning, scorching everything around it, tearing through rippling layers of air before crashing directly into the Hollow horde with what sounded like an enraged roar.

Lightning surged madly like a tsunami, currents spilling everywhere. The sound of crackle! rang without end, like a chorus of a thousand birds.

The unstoppable thunder dragon flashed with countless bolts, its radiance illuminating the sky.

BOOM!!!

The violent impact made the earth tremble. Deafening thunder exploded beside their ears, leaving them ringing.

The instant the smoke dispersed, every Bleach drew a sharp breath. Of the originally countless Hollows, nearly half had been wiped out.

"..."

The entire battlefield fell silent. The Bleach stood dumbfounded. Hollows that had seemed so powerful to them were utterly vulnerable before Shadow. Just one move—only one move!

Ignoring everyone's reactions, Shadow frowned in dissatisfaction and shook his hand. In his view, the power of Thunder Dragon: Gale Break should have been far greater than that. Had he underestimated their strength?

"Damn it! Damn it!"

The Adjuchas went berserk. From the eyes exposed beneath their masks, it was not hard to see just how ugly their expressions were.

"Cero!"

"Bala!"

"..."

All kinds of attacks came one after another. Shadow gave a cold snort and activated the Body Flicker Technique. His figure became so fast that afterimages swayed everywhere, dazzling the eye.

"Damn it! Stop running! I'll kill you!"

The Adjuchas roared.

"Hmph!" Shadow snorted disdainfully, his eyes full of contempt and indifference.

"You damned brat!"

Seven Adjuchas, fourteen crimson eyes, stared fixedly at Shadow.

His hand rested on the hilt behind his back, and his aura abruptly changed. Solemn killing intent, icy coldness, and immense bloodlust nearly took tangible form. His black eyes held a trace of madness beneath their indifference, while a bloodthirsty curve rose on his lips.

His blade slowly slid free. The entirely black Zanpakutō was still like the night itself, like a beast's sharpest fang, capable of tearing apart any prey.

"Lady Yoruichi ordered me to end this war as quickly as possible. So I'm coming. Watch out, Hollows!"

Before his words had even faded, his figure vanished. When he reappeared, he was already amidst the remaining Hollow horde. His Zanpakutō drew an arc through the air, and two Gillian vanished before they could even resist.

The seven Adjuchas flew into a rage, each launching their proudest attacks at Shadow. Yet none could touch him. He was too fast—like a black bolt of lightning, constantly darting through the battlefield. Every swing of his hand brought the disappearance of another Hollow.

"Cero!"

"Swordsmanship! Lightning Slash!"

Dazzling light instantly erupted from the pitch-black Zanpakutō. Silver arcs covered Shadow's body as the violently crackling blade, surrounded by tangible electric arcs, slashed fiercely into the Cero.

As expected, the blade split the Cero in two down the middle. Yet like a savage beast breaking free of its restraints, it continued forward without slowing and cleaved the bird-shaped Adjuchas that had fired the Cero into two halves.

With a turn of the blade, the silver-white arcs swelled again. He spun and slashed hard to the left, instantly destroying three Gillian.

Like a beast choosing prey to devour, he slaughtered them! Yes, this was a slaughter! Whether Gillian or Adjuchas, they were now as easy to kill as chickens, as simple to crush as ants.

"So strong!"

"Kill them! Kill those pieces of trash!"

"..."

The Expeditionary Force Bleach who witnessed the scene shouted excitedly as if injected with stimulants. The Bleach from the advance unit had also heard Shadow's name, and they cried out in amazement.

"So this is his Swordsmanship?" Shinji Hirako smiled. "The Soul Society's finest Swordsmanship truly lives up to its reputation!"

"Yeah!" Juji Nanma, who was receiving treatment from Yamada Seinosuke, coughed. "Looks like we're not needed anymore. He can handle it all by himself!"

Hearing Juji Nanma's words, Shinji Hirako merely curled his lips and said nothing. Yet the unease in his heart remained, growing stronger with every passing moment.

"Swordsmanship! Combo Strike!!!"

With a roar like a raging gale, his blade struck forward. The final Gillian was destroyed, leaving only five Adjuchas.

"I'll finish you all in one move!"

Shadow dragged his right arm back, used his left leg as a pivot, and flipped into the air. His right hand gripped the blade while his left hand swept across it.

"Swordsmanship Secret Art! Heaven Slash!"

Violent Reiatsu burst from his body, gathering the surrounding Reishi. Brilliant light erupted from the blade, and beneath its edge, boundless killing intent descended in a crushing strike.

"Cero!"

The five Adjuchas seemed to sense the danger. They roared together and combined their strongest power.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!

After the successive explosions, everything fell quiet. From the dust filling the sky, Shadow emerged step by step with his Zanpakutō in hand. He slowly sheathed it behind his back, his sharply defined face still cold and expressionless.