The Battle's End

Boom!

With a deafening roar, the red beam smashed through the first gate with unstoppable force, then struck the second without losing momentum. Amid a tremendous crash, the second gate shattered as well. Then came the third gate; after holding out for a moment, it too broke apart.

Boom!

The red beam struck where Shadow stood, erupting in an explosion as clouds of dust engulfed the area.

"Shadow!"

Yoruichi Shihōin cried out in anguish, her mind going blank in an instant.

"You still have time to worry about someone else?" The ferocious Adjuchas opened its mouth, dark crimson Reishi rapidly gathering into a sphere.

"Cero!!!"

"Yoruichi, dodge!"

Kūkaku Shiba roared as she rushed forward, but she was far too late.

Seemingly jolted awake by Kūkaku Shiba's voice, Yoruichi Shihōin looked up and saw the Cero hurtling toward her. But there was no time to dodge!

So this was really it... Yoruichi Shihōin closed her eyes calmly. It was strange—this scene was so much like that time more than ten years ago. But why? Back then, her heart had been filled with unwillingness, yet this time, she was unexpectedly calm. Shadow...

Boom!

There was no pain she had imagined—nothing at all. Slowly opening her amber eyes, she saw that familiar figure in black. Yet the figure that had always stood so straight, as though nothing could ever crush him, now looked unbearably fragile.

"Shadow!"

"Hey, Lady Yoruichi, how could you lose focus in the middle of a fight? Cough, cough..."

As Shadow spoke, sweetness flooded his throat. Blood immediately sprayed from his mouth, splattering onto the ground in crimson blossoms.

"Shadow, how are you?"

Coming back to her senses, Yoruichi Shihōin hurried forward and caught the swaying Shadow. Only then did she notice that his right arm was already a bloody mess, his chest heaving violently as blood continued to flow.

"I'm fine. I can still hold on, Lady Yoruichi!"

Shadow wiped the blood from his lips and steadied his disordered breathing. The right hand gripping his sword, which had been trembling violently, gradually stilled. Seeing Yoruichi Shihōin so worried she was nearly crying, he felt touched for reasons he could not explain.

Shadow sighed inwardly. Gran Rey Cero was indeed powerful; compared to an ordinary Cero, they were worlds apart. But after being blocked by the Triple Gate Break, its remaining power could no longer pose much of a threat to him.

Yet Shadow had never expected Yoruichi Shihōin to falter at that moment. With no time to think, he repeatedly activated the Body Flicker Technique and barely managed to place himself in front of her. The time left only allowed him to form a few quick hand seals, delaying it for a single second. Fortunately, Shadow raised his sword before him, but even so, his injuries were far from light. The entire right side of his body had suffered severe damage.

"You deserve to die!"

Killing intent that could not be concealed seeped through Shadow's cold voice. Gritting his teeth, he knew his body was nearly unable to endure any longer. He had to end this battle quickly, or take Yoruichi Shihōin away from here. No matter what, he would not allow her to suffer even the slightest injury. Even if she blamed him afterward, it did not matter.

He only wanted her to be safe. That was all.

"Your opponent is me. Don't get it wrong!"

Kexikara appeared in front of the Adjuchas, raising his Zanpakutō as he taunted Shadow.

"If you want to die, I'll grant your wish!"

Shadow gave a savage smile, his eyes filled with blood-red fury and the killing intent in his heart heavier than ever before.

The tip of his Zanpakutō pointed directly at Kexikara. Without looking away, Shadow calmly uttered a few words. "Spatial Swordsmanship! Earth-Rending Killing Strike!"

The sword was thrust fiercely into the ground, then vanished.

"What?!"

Startled by Shadow's movement, Kexikara instinctively felt a trace of fear. His retreating body abruptly froze, his pupils dilating in an instant. His mouth opened, yet no sound came out. Then he collapsed limply to the ground.

"Lord Kexikara!"

The Adjuchas were utterly stunned, unable to understand what had happened. How had he suddenly fallen for no reason? But they understood in the next moment. At the instant Kexikara hit the ground, a pitch-black Zanpakutō emerged from the earth beneath where he had stood, as though drawn by something, and returned to Shadow's hand.

"Cough, cough..."

After coughing twice, Shadow's body suddenly swayed. He desperately tried to suppress the blood rising to his lips, but it still slowly seeped from the corners of his mouth.

"Shadow!!!"

"I-I'm... fine... cough, cough..."

The blood finally spilled out. Shadow leaned on his Zanpakutō to support his body, which could no longer remain standing.

Earth-Rending Killing Strike was a move he had created himself, a combination of Swordsmanship and spacetime Ninjutsu. Using the ground as a medium, it allowed the sword to transcend the restraints of space. However, it could only succeed within ten meters of the user.

Moreover, it consumed an enormous amount of Reiatsu and mental energy, while both its side effects and the conditions required to use it were exceptionally difficult to meet.

Once a spacetime technique exceeded the range its user could control, there was only one outcome: the caster's death.

It was like the Cross-Earth Shift Shadow had used before. It required vast amounts of Reiatsu, mental energy, and exceptional control. The distance of the shift depended on how much Reiatsu was input. One small mistake, and the result was death.

The side effects of Earth-Rending Killing Strike were as follows. First, it could only be used on soil. Second, it likewise required enormous Reiatsu, mental energy, and extremely precise control. Third, and most importantly, it absolutely could not exceed a range of ten meters. Otherwise, the most likely outcome was that the caster would be pulled into a spatial rift, never to return.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Three figures clad in pure white captain's haori suddenly appeared. They were Shihōin Shanqing, Shunsui Kyōraku, and Kirio Hikifune, who had arrived ahead of the others. Behind them came Lisa Yadomaru, Kisuke Urahara, and Hiyori Sarugaki.

"Damn it!" Realizing the situation had turned against them, the Adjuchas prepared to launch one final desperate attack. "Bala!"

Boom!

His weakened body could no longer react at all. The small Bala exploded right in front of him, and his vision began to blur. Had he fallen? Shadow did not know.

Since Shanqing is here, Lady Yoruichi should be safe now, right? I'm sorry, Lady Yoruichi. I just want to rest for a while. Just a little while.

In his daze, he seemed to hear Yoruichi Shihōin calling out to him.

"Bankai!!!"

But he was too tired. Truly, unbearably tired.