Facing the sudden Black Coffin, Aiyan seemed to have no time to dodge or react.

He only managed to turn his head and glance toward the caster of the Kidō just before the purple-black light curtain finished rising on all sides, completing the entrapment.

At the same time.

Far away.

Tsukabishi Tomioka also turned his gaze to Aiyan.

Their eyes collided in the air.

Then, the Black Coffin fully formed and locked in place.

Their gaze was severed. Aiyan was blocked from view.

"It succeeded!"

Seeing this, the tightly strung nerves in Tsukabishi Tomioka's heart finally relaxed a little.

But he didn't notice that, at the moment of that final glance from Aiyan, his eyes had lit up with scarlet light.

Or rather—he noticed it, but didn't care.

In his opinion, as long as the Black Coffin was completed, even for just a moment, it would be enough to seriously injure Aiyan.

After all, this was the Black Coffin—Hadō #90—which could instantly incapacitate a Gotei captain even if only a third of the incantation was recited.

Boom boom boom—

At the same time, cube-shaped orange barriers appeared in front of Black Coffin, covering Ōtoribashi Rōjūrō, Love Aikawa, and the others who had been cut down.

The moment Black Coffin formed, those barriers were already enclosing them. With a flicker, Yadōmaru Lisa, Sarugaki Hiyori, and the others vanished and reappeared behind Tsukabishi Tomioka.

"Whew!"

Having completed this, Hachigen finally exhaled in relief.

To hide someone's presence in front of the strongest genius in a thousand years was no simple feat.

If not for Tsukabishi Tomioka's Black Coffin providing a moment's seal and distraction, he would have had no chance to execute such a maneuver.

Even though the spatial Kidō he controlled didn't last long—in fact, it could only persist for a fleeting moment—given Aiyan's speed, faster than the blink of light, that fleeting moment would have been enough for him to destroy the Kidō, or even decapitate Yadōmaru Lisa and the others.

"As expected of the Great Kidō Chief. Hadō #90 cast without chanting."

"This power..."

"Must be at least one-fifth of full incantation."

Muguruma Kensei, who had been blasted away by a laser beam earlier, now rose from the ground. Staring at the massive Black Coffin looming over the execution grounds, he finally relaxed and looked over with admiration.

Hadō #90. Even with full chanting, not every Gotei captain could unleash it—let alone chantless.

Across the entire Gotei 13, there were fewer than five Shinigami capable of abandoning the chant and still casting Hadō above #90 with even a fraction of its power.

"Nothing to be proud of."

"I'm the Great Kidō Chief. Kidō should be strong."

"Besides, in all of Soul Society, no one can reach the same level as me."

Tsukabishi Tomioka spoke with a complicated tone.

There was suspicion. Disbelief. But also... subtle admiration.

In the past, when it came to Kidō among captain-level Shinigami, he was always confident.

But now?

He knew all too well: the Kidō achievements he once boasted of—weren't so untouchable after all.

In the entire Seireitei, there was one man who had only taken one Kidō class in an entire month—and yet could rival his accumulation of over two hundred years.

"Who?"

Muguruma Kensei was about to ask, but noticed Tsukabishi Tomioka staring dead ahead at the Black Coffin, and instantly understood.

"Aiyan?"

He had some understanding of Aiyan's Kidō skill.

But what he'd heard more of... was his swordsmanship.

It was simply too legendary.

Before even finishing one class at the Shinō Academy, he'd nailed Hirako Shinji, a century-old captain, to the wall of the sword hall.

"Sentan Hakuja."

Tomioka gripped his sleeves tightly, suppressing his scattered thoughts, and instructed Hachigen.

Earlier, under the suppression of Ryūjin Jakka, long-distance teleportation was unusable.

But now, it is no longer restricted.

Aiyan was sealed in Black Coffin.

Yamamoto Genryūsai was busy subduing his two rebellious disciples.

For one or two seconds, that was all he needed. If he could stall Byakuya Kuchiki, Zaraki Kenpachi, and the unfathomable Unohana Yachiru—Hachigen could use Kidō Thousand-Coiling White Snake to send Hikifune Kirio and Shutara Senjumaru to safety.

"Understood!"

Hachigen clasped his hands together and raised one arm high. A narrow strip of white cloth unfurled like a serpent, wrapping around the group. Just as it was about to twist and fly—

A flash of golden light streaked across his field of view.

Then came burning pain in his abdomen.

"Aghh—!"

He gasped.

Lowering his head, he saw a gaping hole in his gut, blood pouring out in torrents. Violent Reiatsu exploded, erupting from behind them.

Caught off guard, all of them were blown back at once.

"What—?!"

Tsukabishi Tomioka stabilized his body midair and turned toward Aiyan—just in time to witness the massive Black Coffin dissolve into black dust.

And then—

There he was.

Aiyan stood unharmed inside the dispersing shadows.

Right hand raised. One finger extended. Pointing straight at Hachigen and the others.

"Impossible!"

Tsukabishi Tomioka's eyes widened in disbelief.

As the Great Kidō Chief of Soul Society, he knew what this meant.

But it was precisely because he understood that he couldn't believe it.

"How could mere anti-spiritual pressure send the Great Kidō Chief into panic? How shameful!"

Aiyan chuckled lightly.

His tone was mild—almost bored. As if this had all been too easy.

"You're lying...!"

"There's no way this is possible!"

"That was Black Coffin! Hadō #90! No one can neutralize that just by clashing with Reiatsu!"

Tsukabishi Tomioka shook his head hard.

Even though he had seen it with his own eyes, he still refused to believe someone in Soul Society could do this.

At this moment, he desperately wanted to believe Aiyan had used some kind of obscure Kidō technique to counteract it.

"Too bad."

"In truth, that's exactly what I did."

"Great Kidō, your Kidō is meaningless... before me."

Aiyan laughed, watching the once-proud Tomioka spiral into denial.

"Aiyan!"

"Don't underestimate the Shinigami who bears the name 'Great Kidō!'"

"When it comes to Kidō... I will not lose to you!"

Tsukabishi Tomioka's fury ignited.

He might admit that he was weaker in swordsmanship—but Kidō? This was his domain. He would never allow himself to be humiliated in it.

"Is that so?"

"Then come."

"I'll give you time to chant."

Aiyan raised a hand in welcome.

He even gestured, signaling that he would wait for the full chant.

"As you wish."

Facing the overwhelming pressure of an opponent he could not read, Tsukabishi Tomioka did not dare skip the chant.

He began—full incantation.

"Limit of the thousands hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness. Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky. The road that basks in light, the wind that ignited the embers, time that gathers when both are together, there is no need to be hesitant, obey my orders. Light bullets, eight bodies, nine items, book of heaven, diseased treasure, great wheel, grey fortress tower. Aim far away, scatter brightly and cleanly when fired."

...

As the chant finished, pink light flared around the entire execution ground.

Reiatsu pillars bloomed from all directions, centered on Tomioka himself, bursting like sacred lotus petals and dyeing the sky rose-colored.

"Aiyan!"

"Before you speak so arrogantly... take this!"

"And then dare say the Great Kidō Chief's strength is meaningless!"

"Hadō #91: Senju Kōten Taihō!"

...

If you enjoyed this book, don't forget to vote with a Power Stone and take a few seconds to leave a review

Join my P@treon for advance chapters and special content!

[email protected]/Ren_Saga