"How... is that possible?!"

The scene before Renji's eyes defied comprehension. Even under a limiter, a full-power burst should still carry the spiritual pressure of a lieutenant. But the guy in front of them...

"Stand down, Renji." Byakuya's expression grew dead serious. The power of the human before them defied all reason. "Prepare to request Gentei Kaijo."

"Yes, Captain!"

With that acknowledgment, Renji, whose Zanpakuto had been destroyed, had lost at least seventy percent of combat strength. Jumping into the fight now would only make him a burden.

"Stop fighting, Ichigo! Brother!" Rukia cried weakly. The thing she had dreaded most had happened anyway.

"Brother? This guy's your brother?" Ichigo blinked, then said, "Byakuya Kuchiki, right? I've heard of you. What are you taking Rukia back for?"

As he spoke, Ichigo casually tossed the fragments of Zabimaru onto the ground and fixed a serious stare on Byakuya. If the answer didn't satisfy him, he'd just draw his blades and get to work.

"What does that have to do with you, human?" Byakuya said flatly. "You are nothing but a human. Why involve yourself in matters between Soul Reapers?"

"Heh... So you're backing down now?" Uryu sneered. "Just a moment ago you were going on about humans attacking Soul Reapers and all that. Why so quiet now?"

"..."

"So this is a Soul Reaper captain, huh? Nothing more than someone who bullies women."

"You bastard!" Renji roared, unable to hold back. "Rukia colluded with a criminal of the Soul Society! She is to be brought back for investigation and judgment!"

"A criminal of the Soul Society? Who?"

"Kisuke Urahara!"

"..."

At the familiar name, Ichigo fell silent. He had long known that Urahara, who had trained him, was no ordinary person, and that there had to be a reason he'd ended up here. But he hadn't expected it to be something like this.

"It seems you also have some connection to Kisuke Urahara." Byakuya tightened his grip on his sword hilt. "Or rather, apart from that Quincy, the fact that you humans possess such power, is that his doing?"

"Well, who knows?" Ichigo grinned. "What, are you going to take us back for investigation and judgment too?"

"...The Soul Society has no regulations concerning humans."

"Oh, is that so? Well, of course. It's the world of Soul Reapers, after all. Doesn't have much to do with us humans." Ichigo rolled his neck and stretched his muscles. "Not done yet? That Gentei Kaijo thing."

"...Arrogant human." A chill entered Byakuya's eyes. "If you wish to die, I can grant that wish right now."

"Heh, " Ichigo drew his twin blades. "I'd like to see what a Soul Reaper captain is made of too... Don't worry, I'll hold back."

Twin blades, huh...

Byakuya knew full well that in the vast Soul Society, only two Soul Reapers currently wielded twin blades. Both were captains whose strength even surpassed his own!

BOOM,

An invisible spiritual pressure erupted violently. Rukia staggered and nearly collapsed to the ground. Yasutora Sado and Orihime's expressions shifted as well. Uryu and Ichigo, by contrast, looked thoroughly entertained, especially the latter, who was already itching to go.

"Bankai—"

Without the slightest carelessness, Byakuya unleashed the maximum spiritual pressure his current state allowed. Even under restriction, it was still textbook captain-class spiritual pressure!

Holding the bladeless hilt in a reverse grip, Byakuya murmured as he released it. The hilt fell straight down, yet it did not strike the ground. Instead, as if sinking into water, the hilt gradually vanished from sight.

"Senbonzakura Kageyo—?!"

His spiritual pressure reached its peak, and the instant the hilt fully disappeared, white bandages suddenly shot out and wound tightly around it. In the next moment, they yanked the hilt straight back out. With quick eyes and quicker hands, Byakuya seized it again.

"That's far enough—!"

The newcomer had light-purple hair tied in a long ponytail, a striking face, and sexy brown skin. She wore a black bodysuit that clung tightly to her figure, and in her hand were the white bandages that had interrupted Byakuya's technique.

"Yoruichi?" Ichigo blinked at the sight of her. "What are you doing here?"

"Yoruichi Shihoin... You vanished for over a hundred years. So you really have been with Kisuke Urahara all along." Byakuya said flatly. "And now, after all this time, what do you want?"

"What do I want?!" Yoruichi planted her hands on her hips, looking every bit like someone ready to tear into them. "The question is what you two think you're doing!"

"..."

"..."

"A Soul Reaper captain! Releasing your Zanpakuto in the World of the Living is one thing! But you actually want to use Bankai against a human?!" Yoruichi raged at the two idiots. "And you! Weren't you supposed to be the boss of Karakura Town?! Are you really planning to start a war with a Soul Reaper captain right here?! Huh?!"

"It's not like I couldn't..." Ichigo muttered under his breath. "A guy at this level, even if he were several times stronger, I could finish him off in a couple of moves."

"And after you finish him off?!" Yoruichi snapped. "Then the Soul Reapers just send more captains, and you just keep cutting them down, right?!"

"Ah... I mean, taking the fight to them would work too."

"Ichigo... there's something you need to understand." Yoruichi walked over to him and patted his shoulder. "This life isn't just about fighting and killing. It's about knowing how to handle people."

"...Huh?"

"Do you really want to keep fighting like this forever? A Soul Reaper captain shows up today, another one tomorrow. No matter how strong you are, you can't handle them all by yourself."

"Oh, right, " Ichigo looked like he'd just had an epiphany. "So what I need to do now is recruit an army and gather some underlings!"

"Right, like hell you do!" Furious, Yoruichi smacked him on the head. "It's about talking things through properly! Use your brain!"

"Ohh, okay, "

...Ichigo (this human) turning out like this is definitely this woman's doing...

Without exception, that exact thought surfaced in everyone's mind.

"What a farce!" Shaking his head, Byakuya sheathed his Zanpakuto. "Let's go, Renji. We'll complete our mission."

"But Captain..."

"Don't you understand yet?" Byakuya said flatly. "There's no point in dragging this out any further. Report the matter in full and await instructions."

"...Yes, Captain."

"Hey hey hey, don't act like this is settled! Rukia is..."

"Ichigo!"

A clear voice cut him off. Rukia looked at Ichigo with utter seriousness, her eyes holding no fear or regret, only calm acceptance.

"...I see. So this is your own choice." As if understanding something, Ichigo nodded. "I get it. I'll respect your decision."

"Thank you, Ichigo." Rukia smiled brightly, completely different from her daytime smile. This time, it was a real smile. "Thank you for taking care of me all this time."

BOOM!

"...But still..."

A quiet voice sounded, and a terrifying spiritual pressure flared for an instant before vanishing. Ichigo stared hard at Byakuya, his eyes brimming with overwhelming pressure.

"If anything really happens to Rukia..." Ichigo said, word by word. "I will come knocking on your door."

➤ Next: Once I Cross the Border, There Will Surely Be Great Scholars to Argue My Case...