Chapter 645: Night One's Decision
Chapter 645: Night One's Decision
"Ahahaha, ahahahahaha... You won't win that easily! I've been preparing for this day for fifty years!"
Idae Tanaka, who had slashed the Seal Prison Barrier, let out a maniacal laugh.
Captain Kenpachi Zaraki's figure flashed as he descended from the sky, landing before Idae Tanaka. With a swift stroke of his sword, he cleaved Idae Tanaka's body in half once more.
But just then...
Countless black chains suddenly shot out from the Gate of Hell, piercing through Idae Tanaka's shattered body and entangling his remains, dragging them back toward the gate.
"Empowered by the forces of Hell itself... I am one with Hell. As long as Hell exists, I shall not perish! You cannot hope to seal the shattered Gate of Hell!" Idae Tanaka's broken body was pulled back into the Gate of Hell, and the chains forcibly pieced his remains together. He glared menacingly at the captains gathered outside the gate.
Zzzzz!
The power of Hell surged into his body, causing his shattered form to rapidly heal, like molten lava flowing and solidifying, restoring even his lower half.
This turn of events caused concern to crease the faces of the captains.
BOOM!
Idae Tanaka burst out of the Gate of Hell once more, this time swinging his sword to shred the countless chains riddled with cracks into pieces.
Following closely behind him was a colossal monster—a Hell Guard, identical to the one they had faced before, exuding the same malevolent spiritual pressure from Hell.
"This is bad..."
Captain Shunsui Kyoraku's expression turned grim.
Gin Ichimaru narrowed his eyes. "Things are taking a turn for the worse. If we let the denizens of Hell loose, our forces may not be sufficient... But now that the Seal Prison Barrier is destroyed, with the Captain-Commander injured and Idae on the loose, no one can reseal the Gate of Hell."
He paused momentarily, then let out a small sound of realization.
Turning to look behind him, he saw Captain-Commander Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, wounded and bloodied, standing firm with his flame-engulfed sword, supported by the elderly Captain Sajin Komamura.
"There is no need for hesitation," Captain-Commander Yamamoto declared. "In the name of the Gotei 13, we fight. This is all that matters now."
His voice, though not loud, carried a weight that steadied the resolve of those around him.
Hearing Captain-Commander Yamamoto's words, the captains exchanged glances, and Captain Zaraki grinned broadly. "Enough talk... Let's fight!"
Swoosh!
With that, he charged at Idae Tanaka once more.
The other captains followed suit, engaging the Hell Guards that poured out of the Gate of Hell, while Captain-Commander Yamamoto, despite his injuries, stood firm, his flame-clad sword releasing unstable flames that surged toward the gate in an attempt to reseal it.
"Stubborn to the last," Idae Tanaka sneered. "Empowered by Hell, I am immortal. As long as the connection between Hell and me remains intact, you cannot defeat me. Captain-Commander, your flames may seal the gate, but they cannot sever the link between dimensions!"
Captain Zaraki replied with a lopsided grin, "So being connected to Hell makes you immortal? But surely there's no such thing as absolute immortality. If you're merely connected to Hell, what would happen if Hell itself were destroyed?"
"Fool," Idae Tanaka said dismissively. "Even if you had the power to destroy Hell... which you don't, Hell is a part of this world. If it were destroyed, the entire world would collapse. And when the wrath of the Hollow King descends upon you, who among you could bear that responsibility?"
Clang! Clang!
As their words ended, the two combatants clashed once more.
This time, however, whenever Idae Tanaka sustained injuries from Captain Zaraki's attacks, the power of Hell would flow into him, rapidly healing his wounds.
Below...
"Huff... huff..."
Yoruichi Shihoin landed on the ground, a bead of sweat trickling down her forehead. She paused to catch her breath, glancing at the shattered remains of the Seal Prison Barrier and then up at the sky.
If an endless stream of Hell Guards emerged from the Gate of Hell, then even with the captains' formidable combat prowess, they would eventually be overwhelmed by the onslaught of the infinitely resurrecting Hell Guards and sinners. In that case, it would only be a matter of time before they were completely defeated.
"..."
Yoruichi Shihoin's gaze shifted towards the shattered Seal Prison Barrier behind them.
After a brief hesitation, she took a deep breath, and a resolute look appeared in her eyes. She suddenly raised her hand, extending her index finger to make a bloody gash on her neck.
Blood flowed out and transformed into strands of blood-colored spiritual pressure.
Buzz!!!
Yoruichi brought her hands together in front of her, forming another seal. The blood-colored text intertwined and spread, surging out from her body towards the shattered Seal Prison Barrier.
The Seal Prison Barrier, which had been split in half, was instantly enveloped by the blood-colored spiritual pressure. Instead of repairing and mending, it further tore apart.
The massive black pillar shattered into countless fragments, which then rushed towards Yoruichi, reassembling around her body.
In an instant.
Yoruichi Shihoin and the enormous black pillar became one, with only half of her body exposed at the top. The blood-colored spiritual pressure merged with the entire black pillar.
"Initiate!"
Yoruichi took a deep breath and then let out a loud shout.
This was a secret technique of the Heavenly Armed Array, passed down from generation to generation within the Shihoin family. Its function was to use one's life force to compensate for the damage to the Heavenly Armed Array and restore its power!
To make a shattered artifact function again was not without cost; the price was that the user of this secret technique would permanently lose their life force!
This was the ultimate measure.
In that fleeting moment, she had thought that if Leanna appeared, she could stop the crisis here. If Feng Ye showed up, he could also stop it, and even if the zero squad came down, they could do the same. In any of these situations, she wouldn't have had to resort to this ultimate means.
But after that brief hesitation, she still chose to use it because she was the head of the Shihoin family and the captain of the 2nd Division of the Gotei 13.
She bore the responsibility of protecting the Gotei, not Leanna, not the zero squad, and certainly not Feng Ye, the Hollow King!
Buzz!!!
The black-red light once again pierced the sky, and chains extended from Yoruichi's body, reaching towards the Gate of Hell and sealing it once more.
"How is this possible?!"
A hint of shock appeared on Idae Tanaka's face.
Hadn't he already destroyed the artifact that sealed the Gate of Hell?!
Idae Tanaka looked in Yoruichi's direction and gritted his teeth. "Is she... using her life force to reactivate the artifact? Damn it... but you won't succeed!"
Swish!!
He suddenly swung his sword, knocking Zaraki aside, and then rushed towards Yoruichi.
He attempted to destroy the Seal Prison Barrier once more.
But.
This time was different from before, as almost all the nearby captains were watching him. Although his movements were fast, giving the younger captains like Byakuya Kuchiki no time to react, Soifon was the first to respond, blocking his path.
Soifon's sword struck out, stopping Idae Tanaka's advance, and at the same time, she swung her left arm, severing his left arm. Blood rained down from the sky.
(End of Chapter)
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