NOVEL WEB Chapter 80: Chapter 80
"Same to you, your Zanpakutō is pretty powerful too!" Ichigo and Amagai Shūsuke exchanged compliments.
Just then, Rukia interrupted,
"Ichigo, we don't have time. Hurry up and finish him off. The Kasumiōji family might be moving the Bakkōtō right now!"
Hearing the name Bakkōtō, Amagai suddenly shouted,
"Bakkōtō? You mean the Kakyōtō?"
Ichigo, who had been charging at Amagai, stopped in his tracks.
"You know about that weapon?" he asked.
Amagai sheathed his Zanpakutō and turned to the nearby 3rd Division members.
"Return to the division. I need to speak to Kurosaki Ichigo."
"Yes, Captain!"
Frankly, the 3rd Division members had no desire to fight Ichigo, so once they heard the order, they left without hesitation.
Even as they left, Ichigo and the others remained cautious, their eyes fixed on Amagai.
Noticing their suspicion, Amagai spoke up,
"In truth, I've been investigating the Bakkōtō myself. Some time ago, my lieutenant, Kira Izuru, discovered that our 3rd Seat, Kibune Makoto, had ties with the Kasumiōji family."
"Not only that—he overheard Kibune talking about the Bakkōtō. I didn't want Kira to spook him, so I ordered him to secretly follow Kibune and try to uncover evidence of his collusion with the Kasumiōji family."
"And the night Kibune entered the Kasumiōji estate… was the same night you three crashed that unwanted wedding!"
Ichigo, Rukia, and Senna looked at Amagai, not saying a word.
After a moment, Ichigo glanced at the others and finally asked,
"So what are you saying, Captain Amagai?"
"I want to join you. Honestly, I need to know what my 3rd Seat and the Kasumiōji family are hiding!"
"Alright, but… won't you be wanted by the Gotei 13?" Senna asked.
"We can't worry about that now. Once the truth is revealed, I believe Head Captain Yamamoto will understand," Amagai said confidently.
"Then let's head to the Kasumiōji estate. We'll look for Lurichiyo and gather evidence of the Kasumiōji family's collusion with Kibune!" Ichigo declared.
The four of them immediately rushed toward the estate.
Meanwhile, upon hearing that Amagai had joined Ichigo's group, Yamamoto Genryūsai was absolutely livid.
"Disgraceful! This is a disgrace to the Gotei 13! A captain, joining forces with fugitives during a mission to capture them!" he roared.
"I declare that the Seireitei is now in wartime status! All captains, deploy immediately and arrest Kurosaki Ichigo and Amagai Shūsuke!" he ordered coldly.
"Wait, Sensei! I have something to say!" Ukitake Jūshirō stepped forward.
"What is it, Ukitake? Are you here to defend those traitors?" Yamamoto barked.
(Honestly, when I first read this arc, I really thought Old Man Yama was the villain. I was so young… didn't expect the twist at all.)
"No, Sensei. What I mean is—everything happening now seems to be connected to the Kasumiōji family. Shouldn't we investigate them first before pursuing Ichigo and the others?" Ukitake suggested.
"Ukitake, did I not make myself clear? Do not investigate the Kasumiōji family. Just arrest Kurosaki Ichigo and Amagai Shūsuke!" Yamamoto barked.
However, the captains present all wore complicated expressions. Some were indifferent, some clearly sided with Ichigo.
Divisions 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, and 13 were all leaning toward Ichigo.
Hitsugaya of the 10th Division was uncertain and wanted to observe longer.
Mayuri of the 12th Division didn't care at all—he found doing experiments much more interesting than capturing fugitives.
Only Komamura of the 7th Division seemed genuinely ready to follow Yamamoto's orders.
If Yamamoto knew what was happening beneath him, he might shout,
"What's happening to the Gotei 13?! Why does everything fall apart when Kurosaki Ichigo is involved?! Is he some kind of succubus!?"
It was blatant insubordination.
Unohana was the first to excuse herself.
"We're the 4th Division, a medical squad. Capturing people isn't our specialty. Best to leave it to the more combat-oriented divisions."
Without another word, she turned and left. She had no intention of helping to catch Ichigo.
Kenpachi was next.
"Awesome! I've been itching to fight Kurosaki Ichigo again! You said he's at the Kasumiōji estate? I'm heading there now to throw down with him!"
Yamamoto's blood pressure spiked.
"Are you going to arrest him or demolish their estate!?"
Byakuya stated coldly that as the elder of the Kuchiki family, and Rukia's brother, he bore responsibility for her actions.
He would bring them back to the family—so he could harshly scold them!
Soi-Fon insisted that, as the head of the Executive Militia, she should handle the situation.
She had long disliked Ichigo and would personally drag him back to the 2nd Division for… "discipline."
Meanwhile, Kira Izuru, who had been monitoring Kibune, made a shocking discovery.
Following him to a 3rd Division training arena, Kira saw a girl—Kasumiōji Lurichiyo—imprisoned there!
He had never seen her before, but knew any girl Kibune locked up must be very important.
Standing on the rooftop, Kira prepared to smash through and rescue her.
But just then, assassins from the Kasumiōji family appeared.
Each one of them was armed with a Bakkōtō!
They were sacrificing their lives to buy time—to let the others move Lurichiyo to a new location!
"Damn it! These death soldiers are too troublesome!" Kira muttered, looking at the bodies piling up.
They all fought to the death. Not a single one surrendered.
Just as Kira prepared to give chase, a spinning disc-like blade flew toward him!
Kira quickly raised his Zanpakutō to block it.
"Well now, impressive! You blocked my Reppū so easily, Vice-Captain," Kibune stepped out, adjusting his glasses.
He extended his hand and caught the returning Reppū blade.
"I knew it was you, Kibune!" Kira growled.
"I've already reported your actions to the captain. Surrender now—if you confess everything, maybe you'll be spared!"
"Hah! You told the captain? And what's he going to do about it?" Kibune replied arrogantly.
Seeing his stubbornness, Kira gripped his Zanpakutō tighter.
Meanwhile, back with Ichigo, they received an urgent message.
(Side note: Hell Butterflies have barely been used in the entire manga. If it weren't for the Hell Arc bringing them back, I'd have forgotten they exist.)
(Also, the Hell Arc might be the true final arc of BLEACH. We might even see the original 13 captains again—and who knows, maybe Yamamoto will be the final boss! Hopefully we get to see that in our lifetime. Kubo's still young, after all.)
"Mr. Kurosaki," said Amagai, "Kira sent me a message. He found Lurichiyo, but was blocked by Kasumiōji death soldiers. She's being transferred back to the estate!"
"Alright. We're heading there now!"
Ichigo vanished in a flash step. Rukia and Senna followed. Amagai sighed and gave chase.
—3rd Division Training Arena—
"Raise your head, Wabisuke!" Kira released his Zanpakutō.
The strangely curved sword reappeared in his hands.
But Kibune didn't understand Wabisuke's ability. He continued clashing Reppū against it.
Kira, sly as ever, deliberately clashed a few more times before flicking Reppū back at Kibune.
As usual, Kibune reached out to catch it… and nearly broke his wrist.
Thud!
Reppū smashed into the ground, destroying part of the floor and embedding itself deeply.
Kibune was stunned. He had never expected such a dirty trick!
"Talk. What's your goal? What is the Kasumiōji family really doing?" Kira demanded.
But Kibune just laughed.
"Ha! What a devious Zanpakutō!"
Suddenly, green spiritual pressure erupted from Kibune.
It surged so violently that Wabisuke's ability was completely nullified.
In BLEACH, reiatsu truly is king.
Even someone like Yhwach—broken as he was—couldn't handle Ichigo's absurdly high stats in the end.
"Go, Reppū!"
This time, the blade was many times faster and stronger.
Kira tried to block, but he was overpowered and sent flying!
Crashing into a building, Kira didn't reappear immediately. He had hidden in the shadows.
Kibune strutted in arrogantly.
"What's wrong? Hiding like a coward, Vice-Captain?"
From somewhere unseen, Kira's voice echoed,
"Is that really your power? Or are you being controlled by the Bakkōtō?"
The echoing made it hard for Kibune to pinpoint him.
"You idiot! I'm right here!" Kira taunted.
Overconfident and reckless from the Bakkōtō's influence, Kibune hurled Reppū again.
Kira dodged using shunpo. The blade smashed into the wall.
Kira used the dust cloud to close the distance and chanted,
"Hadō #31: Shakkahō!" (Red Fire Cannon)
The surprise attack blasted Kibune into a wall, sending his glasses flying.
Kira seized the opportunity—
Before Kibune could recover Reppū, Kira swung Wabisuke directly at his head!
But to his shock, Kibune revealed a second Bakkōtō hidden in his left hand!
In that moment of desperation, Kibune no longer cared about the consequences of merging with the weapon.
His left arm erupted with spiritual pressure and repelled Kira.
Kira flipped in midair and landed safely, watching in disbelief.
Kibune's left arm was now completely fused with the Bakkōtō, veins glowing green.
With a flick of his right hand, Reppū returned to him once more.
"Kill him, Reppū!!"
Now fully unhinged, Kibune hurled the blade at Kira again—this time, so fast Kira couldn't dodge.
He could only block it with Wabisuke, barely hanging on.
BOOM!
The impact collapsed the entire building!
However, this also exhausted Kibune's reiatsu. The Bakkōtō on his left arm began devouring him.
Kira, despite his battered state, wasn't seriously hurt. He stepped calmly back into the arena.
(End of Chapter)
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