Fate in Bleach: Unlimited Blade Works!

Sawatari. He was arguably the most troublesome of the remaining Bount. His Doll, Baura, a massive wooden whale capable of swimming through the earth as if it were water, was a formidable opponent. Underground, Baura was practically invincible.

"Well, well," Sawatari chuckled, perched atop Baura's back, looking down at the Shinigami hovering in the air. "It seems you're not as strong as I'd hoped."

Centuries ago, the Bount weren't even worthy of a second glance from a Shinigami. Their near extinction had been a consequence of their alliance with the Quincy, their shared villages becoming targets during the Quincy massacre. Back then, Sawatari had been nothing more than a lamb led to slaughter. But now, these once-intimidating Shinigami seemed almost… weak.

"Baura!" he commanded.

The giant whale surged upwards, its wooden form breaching the earth, rising towards the sky with surprising speed.

"Look out!" Momo Hinamori shouted.

But Baura was too fast. Its massive jaws snapped shut, swallowing two Shinigami whole. A powerful flick of its tail sent three more crashing through a wall, their bodies hitting the ground with sickening thuds.

Hinamori's eyes blazed with fury as flames erupted from her Zanpakutō, Tobiume. With a roar, she unleashed two fireballs, aiming at the wooden whale.

BOOM!

The explosions rocked the air, momentarily lifting Hinamori's spirits.

A direct hit!

But as the smoke cleared, a chilling sight met her eyes. The fireballs had scorched Baura's wooden hide, but the wounds were already knitting themselves back together, the damaged wood replaced by swirling reishi. In seconds, the whale was completely healed.

Despair washed over the Fifth Division Shinigami. With such regenerative abilities, they couldn't hope to defeat it, even if it stood still and allowed them to attack.

Sawatari roared with laughter. "Is that all you've got? If that's your best, I won't hold back any longer!"

"Well, well," a voice drawled from behind him. "I apologize if my squad's performance has disappointed you."

Sawatari froze, a jolt of fear running through him.

The Fifth Division Shinigami, however, erupted in cheers.

"Captain Ailin!"

Ailin, having returned from the World of the Living, landed gracefully, his captain's haori billowing around him. He waved at his squad. "Good work, everyone. But you can rest now. I'm here."

He turned his gaze towards Sawatari. "Mr. Sawatari, allow me to be your opponent. I hope my strength won't disappoint you."

Sawatari's eyes widened as he recognized Ailin's captain's haori. Despite the power boost he had received, he still held a deep-seated fear of the Gotei 13 captains. While his companions had engaged other captains, he had cautiously avoided them, focusing on weaker Shinigami, seeking revenge for past humiliations. He hadn't expected to encounter a captain now, after being so careful.

With a snarl, he mentally commanded Baura to dive back underground.

"Leaving so soon? That's not very polite."

"Chains of Heaven!"

Golden ripples shimmered in the air, and countless golden chains snaked out, wrapping around Baura and Sawatari, binding them tightly. Baura thrashed against the restraints, but the chains only tightened their grip.

Sawatari's face contorted in rage. "You coward! You attacked me from behind! If I had been underground, you wouldn't have been able to capture me so easily!"

"You attacked my squad from below," Ailin said, walking towards him. "Why is it acceptable for you to attack from the shadows, but not for me?"

Ignoring Sawatari's protests, Ailin remembered sensing two Shinigami reiatsu vanish earlier. He knew they had been swallowed by Baura. As the owner of spatial powers, what kind did the Shinigami had that could compare to the King's Seal?

A golden ripple opened beside him, revealing the hilt of a Zanpakutō.

"Unfold, Ōin!"

He grasped the blade.

The Zanpakutō glowed with a golden light.

Swooosh!

With a swift slash, Ailin tore open a black void in the air. Two more golden chains shot out from the ripples behind him, disappearing into the void. Moments later, they reemerged, dragging two unconscious Shinigami.

"Tohiko! Arisu!" Hinamori and the other Fifth Division members cried out in relief. They had feared their comrades were dead. Though injured, they were still alive.

Ailin said, "Hinamori, take them to the Fourth Division for treatment. I'll handle this."

"Yes, Captain Ailin."

Hinamori gathered her injured squad members and headed towards the Fourth Division.

Once they were gone, Ailin's Ōin dissolved into golden particles. Dozens of golden ripples shimmered behind him. Then, bolts of golden lightning erupted from the ripples, striking Sawatari and Baura.

A deafening roar echoed through the night, followed by Sawatari's scream, which was abruptly cut short.

A captain-level Bount, even with his abilities unrestricted, was nothing more than a slightly larger insect to Ailin.

The sudden disappearance of Sawatari's reiatsu alerted the other captains.

…

In a dilapidated building in Rukongai, Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake stood on either side of Ran'Tao, the bespectacled scientist in a white lab coat.

Shunsui raised an eyebrow as he sensed Ailin's reiatsu. "Well, well. It seems Yamamoto actually called him back."

"Indeed," Ukitake agreed. "With Captain Ailin here, the Bount don't stand a chance."

"Oh?" Ran'Tao asked, her interest piqued. "You seem quite confident in this… newcomer. Tell me, who is he?"

Though she had regained some of her power by absorbing souls and partially breaking the seals placed on her by the Soul Society, Ran'Tao's knowledge of the Gotei 13 was limited.

Ailin, having stepped down from his position as captain of the Eleventh Division and not yet officially assumed command of the Fifth, had been off her radar.

His sudden appearance, however, and the captains' reaction to it, suggested a serious miscalculation on her part. Miscalculations were something she loathed. A miscalculation a thousand years ago had cost her everything. Was she about to repeat her mistake?

Shunsui said with a shrug, "Since Captain Ailin is here, I suppose it doesn't matter if you know. He was the previous captain of the Eleventh Division, and he's the current captain of the Fifth. And I'm afraid to say, Ran'Tao, he's the only one in the Soul Society who can rival Captain-Commander Yamamoto."

He smiled. "I'm not sure what you're planning, but with Captain Ailin here, I doubt it will succeed."

Ran'Tao's mind reeled. Rival Captain-Commander Yamamoto? The man who had single-handedly established the Gotei 13, wresting control of the Seireitei from the nobles?

She couldn't believe there was anyone who could match him. Shunsui and Ukitake, as Yamamoto's disciples, wouldn't make such a comparison lightly.

A wave of panic washed over her. She tried to stand, but Shunsui and Ukitake gently placed their hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Ran'Tao," Shunsui said softly. "Until this is over, you'll have to stay here. It would make things… very difficult for us otherwise."

…

Boom! Boom!

In a hidden underground laboratory, Soi Fon, her Zanpakutō, Suzumebachi, poised to strike, dodged the attacks of a monstrous figure emerging from the shadows.

"Well, well," a voice taunted. "Aren't you supposed to be one of the strongest captains? Is this all the Gotei 13 has to offer?"

Behind Soi Fon, a woman in a cheongsam, a fan and a sword, each with a talking mouth, in her hands, followed closely. She hurled the weapons at Soi Fon, who narrowly avoided them with skillful Shunpo.

Yoshi. Ugaki.

Suddenly, all three of them froze, sensing a new captain-level reiatsu appear in the Seireitei. And another… disappear.

Yoshi said urgently, "Ugaki, we have to finish this before that newcomer arrives. Otherwise…"

She didn't need to finish the sentence. Two against one, they had a decent chance. But one on one… They had learned firsthand how formidable this captain was.

"Finish me off?" Soi Fon smirked. "I was wondering where you were hiding. You enjoyed yourselves earlier, didn't you? Now it's my turn."

"Shunko!"

Boom!

A whirlwind erupted within the laboratory.

Yoshi's eyes widened in terror as Soi Fon, her back adorned with wings of wind, vanished. She reappeared behind Yoshi, two black butterfly wings—the mark of her Nigeki Kessatsu—glowing on her back.

Yoshi screamed as the mark flared, the black light sinking into her flesh. Her scream was cut short as her body dissolved into particles.

"Two hits. One kill." Soi Fon turned her gaze towards the shadows. "Only you left now."

…

Boom!

In a secluded forest within the Seireitei, a giant blade slammed into the earth, creating a deep chasm.

Gō Koga and Mabashi stood nearby, their Doll, a spider-like creature formed from countless iron balls, hovering beside them.

Facing them was Tetsuzaemon Iba, the lieutenant of the Seventh Division. His Zanpakutō clutched tightly in his hand.

Sajin Komamura cursed under his breath. He was trapped.