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Even after their initial failure, the Stealth Force and Soi Fon lunged at me once again. To be honest, their coordinated attacks were certainly impressive. I could feel the weight of years spent training as a single unit, honing the rhythm required to slaughter a target. Unfortunately, even that perfect harmony wasn't enough to actually touch me.
Slice!
The result was another death at the edge of my blade. No matter how excellent their teamwork or how strong their esprit de corps, their individual power was simply too low. Furthermore, while they were agile enough to confuse an opponent or aim for the blind spot through stealth, they were forced to halt their momentum the moment they committed to an actual strike. That brief pause made them target practice. Consequently, every member of the Stealth Force was dead—save for Captain Soi Fon.
"Now, only Captain Soi Fon remains."
"You bastard! Shunko!"
Crackle! Boom!
It was a technique that wrapped the practitioner’s back and shoulders in highly concentrated, pressurized Kidō before detonating it, channeling that explosive power into their own limbs for combat. The reason the Stealth Force Commander’s uniform lacked shoulders and a back was precisely because this technique would simply shred them anyway. Seeing it in person, rather than in a manga, I realized immediately that it was more magnificent than I had imagined. The only disappointment was that her version wasn't 100% complete.
Flash!
Her speed was on a different level than before—a movement so fast even my eyes struggled to track it. But it was a shame. Even with such speed, even if she managed to slip out of my field of vision, she still had to come to a complete stop the second she delivered an attack.
Grab!
As long as I could read the timing of her entry, I could neutralize that speed and block her effortlessly. Looking at the sheer gap in our Reiatsu, this was essentially a fight between a child and an adult. Comparing my spiritual pressure to Soi Fon’s, mine felt at least twice as large.
For Soul Reapers and Hollows alike, the most crucial element is the clash of spiritual pressures. In the end, having superior Reiatsu covers all other deficiencies. That is exactly why Kenpachi Zaraki, a man born with overwhelming Reiatsu, became a Captain despite his lack of traditional refinement.
"A pity, but it’s time for you to exit the stage."
I yanked her captured fist toward me while driving my other hand straight for Soi Fon’s heart. In this position, the only way for her to escape my strike would be to sever her own arm and retreat. However... just as my hand was about to puncture her chest, an interference manifested.
Sh-sh-sh-sh-shhh!
A cloud of pink cherry blossom petals swept in, obscuring my vision and attacking. Among the Gotei 13 Captains, who else would use pink cherry blossoms but him?
"Well now, if it isn't the Captain of Squad 6, Captain Kuchiki."
"Watch your tongue, Arrancar."
Swoosh.
Sh-sh-sh-sh-shhh!
Byakuya Kuchiki, Captain of Squad 6, made his appearance. I released my hold on Soi Fon to avoid the encroaching blades of his Shikai, Senbonzakura. As I backed off, I didn't forget to give Soi Fon a mocking smile. If she was only at this level, letting her live until the final battle wouldn't be much of a hindrance. The only thing remotely threatening about her was her Bankai.
"The Captains are starting to gather. I suppose it’s time to wrap this up. Gran Rey Cero Oscuras!"
I fired the Gran Rey Cero Oscuras directly toward Byakuya. Of course, a man like him wasn't stupid enough to just stand there and tank such a massive technique. I knew that, and I used it for a specific reason.
BOOM!
As expected, Byakuya evaded, but my actual target was the Squad 4 barracks situated behind him. From the very beginning, my goals were to draw the Soul Reapers' attention and demolish the Squad 12 and Squad 4 headquarters. Might as well fulfill my objectives properly, right? Besides, nearly twenty minutes had already passed. All that was left was a ten-minute self-introduction before I made my exit.
"With this, the goal is achiev—"
Slash!
The moment the smoke from the Gran Rey Cero Oscuras cleared, an attack lunged from my rear. This strike caught me off guard, and I only barely managed to dodge by a hair's breadth. I recognized the attacker immediately.
"Whew. Well, if it isn't the Captain of Squad 8, Captain Kyoraku."
"Hmm? You know me, friend?"
The man who responded so casually, unlike the previous two, was indeed Shunsui Kyoraku. He stood there with his Shikai, Katen Kyokotsu, in hand. Between his straw hat and the flowery kimono draped over his shoulders, he didn't look like he was trying his hardest, yet I couldn't spot a single opening in his stance.
"That makes three of you...!"
Crash!
In the middle of my sentence, a sudden shockwave of force sent me scrambling to reposition. Looking at the person capable of launching such a reckless, raw attack, there could only be one suspect.
"Hahahaha! You! Are you strong?!"
"How dare you! How dare you! How DARE you touch my laboratory!"
"I don't know who you are, but you destroyed my barracks. I'll have to discipline you."
It was Kenpachi Zaraki, Captain of Squad 11. Behind him appeared Sajin Komamura, the Captain of Squad 7 who had finally removed the bucket-like helm from his head, and Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the Captain of Squad 12 who was approaching with a look of sheer, livid fury. Then there was Retsu Unohana of Squad 4, radiating a terrifyingly calm aura despite her expressionless face, and Jushiro Ukitake of Squad 13, who looked on with an expression of shock. Nearly every Captain was now assembled.
"Now that all the Captains that need to be here are gathered..."
I felt a chill run down my spine.
"It seems I truly have grown old, to let a Hollow run rampant within these walls so fearlessly."
The figure emerged, unleashing a spiritual pressure that felt as if it were physically binding my limbs—a weight on an entirely different dimension from the other Captains. It was the Captain of Squad 1 and the Captain Commander of the Gotei 13. He was the strongest in Soul Society and its living history, a man who had held his seat for a thousand years because no one stronger than him had ever appeared: Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto. With his arrival, every Captain currently within the Seireitei was present in one place.
"My, I'm honored that you all gathered just for me."
"........"
I meant it sincerely, but their expressions and the sheer pressure in the air were anything but lighthearted. If I didn't introduce myself quickly and make a break for it, their glares alone would probably tear my body to shreds.
"First, allow me to introduce myself. I am the Primera Espada, Lucifer La El. Greetings, Soul Reaper Lords."
"Is there anything else you wish to say?"
Surprisingly, the one who gave a tolerant reply was the Captain Commander himself. It was so unexpected that I had to double-check.
"Oh? You're actually going to listen, Captain Commander?"
"Indeed. I consider it basic courtesy to allow you your last words before the end."
His tone suggested my death was already a foregone conclusion, but I wasn't about to argue the point. Besides, I was completely surrounded. If I slipped up even a little, my head would be rolling on the floor in an instant.
"Then I'll say what needs to be said. Primarily, I am here to declare war between the Soul Reapers and us Arrancars. Look forward to the struggle ahead."
Whirrrrrrr!
"This!"
"Could it be?!"
Whoooosh!
As I finished my declaration, a Garganta split open in the sky above, and a host of Menos Grande—Gillians—revealed themselves. Even with a crowd of Captain-class Soul Reapers present, no one could breach the absolute sanctuary of the Negación. Once that pillar of light descended, I was safe.
Smirk.
"For the record, I have quite a cowardly personality. I don't think I can stay here any longer."
The thirty minutes I planned for had already passed. I had pre-deployed the Menos Grande to ensure an escape route was ready at any moment. Everything had unfolded exactly according to my calculations, without a single margin of error.
"Well then, farewell everyone."
I even gave them a friendly wave as I floated into the void. Upon reaching the interior of the Garganta, I saw Is waiting there to greet me.
"I'm back, Is."
"Welcome back. How did it feel, meeting the Captains in person, Ruel?"
"Well, it wasn't bad. Though the Captain Commander was definitely as terrifying as rumored."
That spiritual pressure was genuinely frightening. The claim that he hadn't met an equal in a thousand years wasn't mere hyperbole. Still, there were ways to deal with him. Wonderweiss, Yeriel, and myself—handling the Captain Commander wasn't impossible. The real question was whether the others could win their own battles against the rest of the Captains.
"Well, let's keep an eye on how things develop."
I had personally gauged the strength of the Captains. If the upcoming invasion of the World of the Living succeeded, the odds of victory would lean even further in our favor. Everything had begun to move toward our ultimate triumph.
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This chapter ended up being a bit long, but the gist is that the protagonist ran wild in the Seireitei, said his piece in front of all the gathered Captains, and then immediately bailed. No matter how powerful the protagonist is, he can't realistically fight his way out of the center of enemy territory and win.
His power over Death doesn't work well against opponents with similar levels of Reiatsu; it's almost 100% ineffective against the Captain Commander. As for the rest of the Captains, I'm not entirely sure, but I expect it wouldn't work on about half of them.
In the case of Soi Fon, I wrote the scene assuming it would work on her. My reasoning is based on how Soi Fon's Nigeki Kessatsu failed to work on Aizen due to the massive gap in Reiatsu. Aizen himself stated his Reiatsu was twice that of the other Captains. I took a hint from the Hogyoku temporarily becoming complete when exposed to Reiatsu equivalent to two Captain-class individuals. Therefore, we can assume Soi Fon's Reiatsu is significantly lower than the protagonist's, as he can also temporarily complete the Hogyoku.
My personal estimation is that it wouldn't work on Yamamoto, Shunsui, Jushiro, Retsu, Zaraki, or Byakuya. However, I think it would work on Mayuri, Soi Fon, and Komamura. Byakuya is honestly right in the middle; it's ambiguous. Gin and Tosen are also susceptible to the power of Death, so I see it working on about half the roster. This is all just my personal assessment, though. Since Gin has so few proper fight scenes, I’m putting him in that middle ground alongside Byakuya.
Also, the protagonist's personality is quite unpredictable. Please don't be surprised if his way of speaking shifts frequently.
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