Chapter 30: Song of the Beginning — Mugen Rinne |
The Reiatsu that blanketed heaven and earth at the moment of the Bankai's release instantly surged beyond the limits of a standard Gotei 13 Captain!
The level of Reiatsu among the Captains of the Gotei 13 could vary significantly.
For instance.
If Soi Fon's Reiatsu was measured at 10 units, then the Reiatsu of other Gotei 13 Captains would fluctuate within a range of 30 to 50 units.
Thirty, forty, and fifty units.
These marks corresponded to the Reiatsu of a weak, average, and strong Captain, respectively. From these numbers, it might seem that the gap between them was not that large, but in reality, many Captains remained at the 30-unit mark for their entire lives.
Hitsugaya Toshiro's Reiatsu upon releasing his Bankai was only about 30 units.
In contrast, the Reiatsu of Shunsui Kyoraku and Kisuke Urahara after a century of development, as well as Yoruichi Shihoin when utilizing her Shunko, could reach 50 units. Such a gap in Reiatsu was not enough to completely crush an ordinary Captain, but it provided a significant advantage in battle.
Standing above them all was the senior Captain class, with Reiatsu ranging from 60 to 90 units. For example, Retsu Unohana's Reiatsu was approximately 70 units, while Yamamoto Genryusai's could exceed 80 units!
Yamamoto Genryusai's Reiatsu after releasing his Bankai was so immense that he could simply stand still, and yet no ordinary Captain would be able to inflict a meaningful wound upon him!
There was another striking and indicative difference between the standard Captain class and the senior Captain class—even the Reiatsu of a strong Captain like Yoruichi Shihoin affected the Reishi within a relatively limited range, whereas the Reiatsu of someone like Retsu Unohana or Yamamoto Genryusai after releasing their Bankai could be felt to some degree in any corner of the Soul Society!
Yamamoto Genryusai and Retsu Unohana, located at the headquarters of the First and Fourth Divisions respectively, both turned their heads in the same direction the instant Yeruashi unleashed his Bankai.
"Who is that?!"
The Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 exclaimed in shock.
The possessor of this colossal Reiatsu, which transcended the Captain level, was qualified to stand face-to-face with him!
"There can be no mistake."
The Lieutenant of the First Division, Chojiro Sasakibe, slowly opened his mouth and whispered in disbelief, "This Reiatsu belongs to Lieutenant Hatake!!"
On the day Yeruashi had shocked the entire Seireitei by releasing his Bankai upon his very first contact with an Asauchi at the Shin'o Academy, the First Division Lieutenant had committed that Reiatsu to memory forever.
Though this burst of Reiatsu was far more powerful, it matched the signature of the Bankai release from that day perfectly!
"Has he truly managed to reach such a staggering level in only half a year?"
Yamamoto Genryusai whispered softly, slowly closing his eyes as he drifted into deep thought.
In truth, over the past few millennia, there had been quite a few souls possessing such a level of Reiatsu. For example, nearly half of the first and strongest generation of Gotei 13 Captains possessed such power—a level far beyond the reach of the current generation.
It was precisely because of this that they had been able to crush, without exaggeration, the mighty Quincy Empire and its Kaiser, Yhwach.
But whether it was Retsu Unohana or Kirio Hikifune, who had recently been promoted to the Zero Division, none of them were his equal!
In terms of both power and seniority, Yamamoto Genryusai was surpassed only by the Commander of the Zero Division, Ichibei Hyosube, and the creator of the Asauchi, Oetsu Nimaiya!
In other words, since the time Yamamoto Genryusai himself first appeared thousands of years ago, no Shinigami had been born in the Soul Society capable of surpassing him!
And yet.
Yeruashi's existence significantly shook the Captain-Commander's confidence in that judgment.
Not only had Yeruashi mastered Bankai upon his first contact with an Asauchi, but his Reiatsu had surged past the Captain class in a mere six months!
Such rapid progress could not be explained away by unprecedented talent alone.
During these six months, the Captain-Commander had thoroughly investigated Yeruashi's origins several times over.
He had known for a long time that Yeruashi first appeared in the 78th District of the southern Rukongai!
Combined with today's burst of Reiatsu, he could be absolutely certain that the opponent who had forced Retsu Unohana to release her Bankai more than five years ago was none other than Yeruashi!
"He is strong..."
Yamamoto Genryusai murmured quietly.
Unohana had certainly recognized Yeruashi as soon as he appeared in the Seireitei, but for some reason, she had intentionally hidden the truth.
There was no point in questioning Unohana about it now; regardless of her answer, it would change nothing.
Now, there was only one thing he could not understand.
According to Unohana's report, Yeruashi was a monster. This was further confirmed by the fact that there had been no powerful burst of Reiatsu in response to her Bankai release that day.
In that case...
How had Yeruashi not only become a soul but also mastered Bankai with such exaggerated ease?
Now, no one in the Gotei 13 would believe that Yeruashi was actually a monster, even if the Captain-Commander himself declared it. This young man possessed every trait of a soul and a Shinigami, without a single trace of a monster about him.
'...A monster,'
Yamamoto Genryusai whispered in his mind.
He held no particular prejudice against other races.
For instance, he had not only accepted Sajin Komamura into the Gotei 13 but had also done nothing to hinder his advancement through the ranks.
The same applied to a monster.
If a monster who was a qualified Shinigami wished to become a Captain of the Gotei 13, he would not stand in their way.
Soon, Yamamoto Genryusai completely regained his composure and opened his eyes.
He would take no action against Yeruashi as long as the boy was truly prepared to stand guard over the Soul Society and the Seireitei.
Even becoming a Captain would not be an issue.
This was his confidence as the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 and the strongest Shinigami of the last several thousand years!
In the past, he hadn't blinked when he invited Retsu Unohana—who had a reputation as the most dangerous and bloodthirsty criminal in the Rukongai—to join the Gotei 13, so Yeruashi's entry caused him little concern... he would personally pass judgment and carry out the sentence if the boy dared to violate the laws of the Soul Society!
*
Somewhere on the streets of the Rukongai.
Aizen adjusted his glasses and spoke thoughtfully as he looked at the Hollowfied Captain of the Ninth Division, "Hmm, it seems a soul possessing Captain-class Reiatsu can maintain a humanoid form after Hollowfication."
"It appears you have finally achieved success,"
Ichimaru Gin, standing slightly behind Aizen, said calmly.
Aizen shook his head. "No... while I have indeed managed to blur the boundary between Hollows and Shinigami, this cannot be considered a final success. The subject is unable to maintain consciousness, and the increase in power is not significant enough."
"Truly..."
Ichimaru Gin remarked casually, watching the rampaging Kensei Muguruma. "However, the Gotei 13 should react immediately to the sudden disappearance of a Captain's Reiatsu."
Aizen let out a faint smirk and spoke as he put away Kyoka Suigetsu, "I am currently lacking test subjects... what?"
He suddenly cut himself off and whipped his head around, mirrored by Ichimaru Gin standing just behind him.
"This Reiatsu..."
Ichimaru Gin's perennially squinted eyes snapped open, revealing sky-blue irises.
There was no mistake!
This was the Reiatsu of Lieutenant Hatake!
According to Aizen's plan, Yoruichi and Yeruashi were supposed to head into the wastes outside the Rukongai to deal with the Panther Clan. The release of a Bankai in such a remote area during such a mission was entirely expected.
But this Reiatsu...
It had surged far beyond the level of a Captain!!
Soon, Aizen tilted his head slightly and smiled, half of his face shrouded in shadow. "He really is quite extraordinary."
"In all likelihood... it was he who forced Captain Unohana to release her Bankai several years ago."
He raised his right hand and gently adjusted his glasses, looking toward the outskirts of the Rukongai. "If I am correct, he has achieved a perfect transformation from a monster into a human soul. This can be considered a complete and ideal erasing of the boundaries between monster and Shinigami, topped with the mastery of Bankai... what are you truly hiding, Lieutenant Hatake?"
Aizen would have been much more interested in Yeruashi's ability to completely erase the boundary between monster and Shinigami had it not been for the recent breakthroughs in his own research.
Now, his focus was entirely on advancing his studies toward erasing the boundary between Hollows and Shinigami.
*
On a crimson plateau located in the wasteland beyond the Rukongai.
This Bankai release was vastly different from the first one at the Shin'o Academy, as this time it was accompanied by a burst of Reiatsu that transcended the Captain level.
His vast Reiatsu formed a gargantuan pillar that stretched high into the sky, while the massive clock emitted a brilliant golden radiance that illuminated the entire horizon like a rising sun!
"This Reiatsu..."
Great Org looked at Yeruashi's figure with tension and wariness, instinctively sensing an immense threat!
The Panther King did not yet know exactly how strong this man was or what abilities he possessed, but he felt clearly that he could no longer afford to simply watch from the sidelines.
He first glanced at the member of the Panther Clan who possessed the Rinnegan, and then, with a ferocious bestial roar, he lunged toward Yeruashi.
At the same time, the Rinnegan-wielder looked at Yeruashi and activated the ability he had previously used to restrict Yoruichi's movements.
"Limbo: Border Jail!"
Accompanied by the Panther Clan member's cry, four invisible shadows formed around him and rushed straight for Yeruashi.
By the time Great Org reached Yeruashi, the latter had already been seized by the limbs and restrained by the four invisible shadows of the Rinnegan-wielder.
The Panther King's massive clawed paw, wreathed in a dense concentration of deep crimson Reiatsu, hurtled toward Yeruashi's figure!
This attack was even more powerful than the one that had inflicted a fatal wound upon Yoruichi!!
Great Org's goal was perfectly clear and straightforward.
He intended to kill Yeruashi before the Shinigami could use his Bankai's ability!
The Panther King instinctively felt that the special ability of this Shinigami's Bankai could be very troublesome, so he decided to use the same method that had mortally wounded the Shinigami Captain to kill this dangerous foe in a single strike!
"Die!!"
Great Org let out a savage roar.
It didn't matter how dangerous this Shinigami's Bankai was if he never got the chance to use it!
Everything would be over as soon as he delivered a fatal blow!
"..."
A pale Yoruichi cast a worried glance at Yeruashi. She could feel that his movements were restricted by that strange ability, and Great Org's attack had become even more ferocious and powerful.
Earlier, Yoruichi had tried to warn Yeruashi about this dangerous ability, but she had been unable to utter a single word as life had almost entirely drained from her body.
Soi Fon also realized that Yeruashi was in mortal danger, but she could not speak, let alone intervene in the battle under the crushing weight of the gargantuan, raging Reiatsu emitting from Yeruashi and Org.
At this moment, Yeruashi was Soi Fon's only support, the one keeping the flickering flame of hope alive in her heart.
"Shunkan Mugen, Song of the Beginning — Mugen Rinne."
Silence.
At the moment the massive clawed paw, wreathed in concentrated Reiatsu, made contact with Yeruashi's figure, Great Org's bestial form simply vanished, along with the invisible shadows that had restricted Yeruashi's movement.
Great Org had not gone missing; rather, he had returned to his position before the attack began, as if time had first leaped forward and then, for some unknown reason, decided to snap back.
"What in the world?!"
Great Org narrowed his eyes and looked around in bewilderment, trying to grasp the essence of what had just occurred.
Just now.
It felt as if he had experienced an extremely vivid and real dream in which he attacked the Shinigami with the support of his Rinnegan-wielding kinsman. In that dream, his attack had even hit its mark, but in the next instant, everything had reset, as if the event had been a too-real illusion, while he himself remained standing perfectly still.
'Did I... instinctively simulate the upcoming assault?'
In battles of this caliber, it was normal to simulate upcoming events in detail, and in rare moments of extreme concentration and enlightenment, this could reach an incredible level comparable to predicting the immediate future.
Great Org exhaled and glanced at the Rinnegan-wielder, then charged at Yeruashi again with a loud bestial roar.
The Panther Clan member with the Rinnegan was in a state of shock, but he immediately composed himself and turned toward Yeruashi as soon as he felt the King's gaze.
"Limbo: Border Jail!"
Whoosh!
Four invisible shadows restricted Yeruashi's movements once more, and Great Org attacked again with his massive clawed paw, wreathed in raging Reiatsu, seeking to tear Yeruashi to shreds.
"Die!!"
Great Org let out a ferocious roar.
But.
It happened again.
The moment the Panther King's swift attack reached its target, his field of vision suddenly shifted again.
He was back at his starting position, exactly where he stood before the attack began.
Earlier, Great Org had dismissed the occurrence as a moment of clarity while calculating the upcoming strike, but such a thing could not happen twice in a row!
"What... what have you done to me?!"
Great Org let out a savage roar, glaring at Yeruashi with his large, animalistic eyes.
Yeruashi, who remained standing calmly with his golden Zanpakuto in his right hand, said nonchalantly, "It is nothing special. I have simply placed you in a... time loop."
"After 11:23:45 comes 11:23:46, and after 11:23:46 comes 11:23:47, but here, after 11:23:47 comes not 11:23:48, but 11:23:45 again."
Yeruashi spoke calmly, stroking the golden blade of his Zanpakuto. "Time is like a wheel that continuously rolls forward, but here it has become a windmill spinning in place."
"It is quite fascinating, isn't it?"
This was the special ability of his Bankai.
A time loop, a cycle of Samsara... the tomb of time!