CHAPTER 466: CHAPTER 466: BLADE STILL SHEATHED, THUNDER STRIKES!

Perhaps to mask his own embarrassment, Reigai Kensei Muguruma crouched slightly, legs coiling as he built up momentum.

Then, in an instant, he launched himself toward Masatsuki Aozaki!

The bladed fists in his hands came crashing down, aiming straight for Masatsuki with overwhelming force.

He moved like an unstoppable avalanche—fierce, fast, and deadly.

"Stylish—he really is stylish..."

Masatsuki Aozaki raised a brow with a teasing expression.

His Reiatsu may have been lacking, and that meant his raw strength wasn’t anything impressive. Masatsuki could stand still and take the hit without even a scratch—but against ordinary Shinigami, this kind of force was more than enough.

If someone got hit by that punch, the explosive force would pour endlessly into their body, causing devastating internal damage and sending them flying.

Most Shinigami were built for offense, not defense. With comparable power levels, taking a hit like that usually meant the fight was already over.

Unfortunately for Kensei Muguruma, his opponent this time wasn’t a typical Shinigami.

With a furious roar, Kensei swung his fist, charging right up to Masatsuki Aozaki.

But at that exact moment—Masatsuki moved.

With an effortless motion, he raised his right hand and casually reached out, catching Kensei’s punch mid-air.

His fingers closed around the blade—barehanded.

The razor-sharp edge failed to leave even the smallest mark. Instead, the weapon quickly cracked under the pressure, fractures spreading like spiderwebs across its surface.

"What?!"

Kensei’s expression twisted in shock. He hadn’t expected Masatsuki Aozaki to stop his attack so easily.

"Too weak."

Masatsuki spoke flatly.

Then, without warning, he jerked his arm and flung Kensei through the air.

Kensei’s body spun uncontrollably, crashing through over a dozen walls before finally hitting the ground with a brutal thud.

He groaned and tried to push himself up, face full of disbelief.

"How... How could this be? I’m Kensei Muguruma..." he muttered.

"Are you even worthy of that name?"

Masatsuki’s eyes narrowed with disdain.

He began walking slowly toward Kensei. Each step felt heavier than the last—crushing, suffocating.

"You really thought that was enough to beat me?" Masatsuki said coldly. "You’ve got a long way to go."

Without waiting for a response, he vanished in a blur, appearing directly in front of Kensei—and drove a palm strike straight into his chest.

Kensei didn’t even have time to react. The force came crashing down before he could move.

"Gah—!"

Blood sprayed violently.

Kensei Muguruma’s body erupted as the blow tore through him, chunks of flesh and blood slamming into the wall before sliding down like a collapsed mass.

Masatsuki Aozaki stood over him, not a trace of sympathy in his eyes.

...

But the battle didn’t pause—not even for a second.

In the very next instant, four figures closed in like a raging storm.

Shunsui Kyōraku. Jūshirō Ukitake. Kenpachi Zaraki. Retsu Unohana.

All except Unohana had already released their Zanpakutō, standing ready in full battle posture.

Boom—!

A surge of Reiatsu collided with a deafening crash.

Blades met in a violent clash, metal ringing sharp and clear.

But then—something unexpected.

As everyone’s eyes locked on the point of contact between the blades... they realized Masatsuki Aozaki was no longer there.

The four captains froze, puzzled and uncertain.

Without thinking, their gazes followed a flicker of light—trailing to the space behind Reigai Retsu Unohana.

There, brilliant white particles of light gathered in the air, slowly converging into a familiar figure...

Masatsuki Aozaki.

"My Retsu would never be that weak. You’re still far from worthy."

Masatsuki Aozaki’s lips curled into a faint smile, a glint of provocation flickering in his eyes.

Reigai Retsu Unohana’s pupils trembled slightly at those words—clearly stirred by Masatsuki’s remark.

Masatsuki narrowed his eyes, raising one hand to lightly pat her on the shoulder.

In truth, this Reigai copy of Retsu Unohana was quite strong—roughly comparable to her level before undergoing Hollowfication. The same could be said for the Reigai Sōsuke Aizen that had been deployed to intercept Enrakyōten. It was proof enough that Kagerōza Inaba’s research into Shinigami ran deep—his understanding of both their spiritual forms and souls was thorough.

However, when it came to powers beyond the scope of Shinigami alone, Inaba clearly fell short. He couldn’t fully replicate them into a Reigai.

Before anyone could even process Masatsuki Aozaki’s strange, fluid movements, Reigai Unohana was reduced to pulp by what appeared to be a casual slap.

Despite the resemblance in appearance, this Reigai was nothing like the original.

The real Unohana, having fused with a mass-produced Hōgyoku, possessed a strength leagues beyond what this copy could ever reach.

Masatsuki knew that—even if the face was the same—she wasn’t her.

And that meant there was no reason to hold back.

"Hadō No. 4—Byakurai."

With a cold snort, Masatsuki raised his other hand mid-strike, pointing a single finger toward the remaining three.

Crack!

A blinding flash of silver lightning tore through the air, slicing forward like an aurora streaking across the sky.

The three Reigai tried to evade, tried to defend—but it was useless.

That lightning—

Too close.

Too fast.

Too overwhelming.

In the blink of an eye, it was upon them.

They didn’t even have time to react—only stare helplessly as it surged in.

Jūshirō Ukitake panicked, desperate to raise Sōgyo no Kotowari and absorb the incoming Kidō.

But reality was cruel—there simply wasn’t enough time.

The blade hadn’t even risen before the lightning struck.

Faced with such speed, their only option was to hastily channel their Reiatsu in defense.

A massive bolt of lightning, meters thick, crashed down over their upper bodies.

In an instant, their minds went blank, swallowed by darkness.

Their broken bodies collapsed to the ground, limp and lifeless.

As expected—nothing remained but dust.

...

Nozomi Kujō and Senna peeked their heads out from the window of the 1st Division Captain’s office, wide-eyed and watching through the reinforced spiritual barrier surrounding them.

They were dumbfounded.

As Shinigami, they both recognized Byakurai—a low-level Hadō.

But the power of that blast? They’d believe you if you said it was above Hadō #90.

They had to admit, like one particular Lieutenant once said: when it came to Shinigami, battles were battles of Reiatsu.

And this one had been even more one-sided than before—five captains eliminated in an instant, clean and decisive.

They stared at the man standing calmly in the center of the battlefield, composed even with enemies all around, and it felt surreal—like a dream.

They had spent so long living in fear.

Fear of the Ryōdoji Family.

Fear of Kagerōza Inaba.

Fear of the crushing responsibility to protect the Three Worlds.

Fear of what the future might hold.

But now—watching this man so effortlessly crush their enemies—they felt something they hadn’t felt in a long time.

Hope.

This man’s presence brought with it a sense of security they had never known.

Whether it was the Ryōdoji Family seizing the Shinenju, or Kagerōza Inaba and Nozomi Kujō merging into Ōko Yushima...

Both futures had been painted in despair.

No one—except those driven by revenge—could accept such endings.

But right now, they were no longer afraid.

With this man by their side, they believed he could stop both the Ryōdoji Family and Kagerōza Inaba.

That pitch-black future might never arrive.

As they watched him, they finally felt it: Confidence.