"Hey, Shinigami! What is this Restriction Removal?"
Feeling Rangiku's Reiatsu suddenly multiply several times over, Nakeem couldn't help but ask, starting to panic.
Although Nakeem had been dominating the fight until now, Rangiku's current aura and Reiatsu inexplicably filled his heart with fear.
"Restriction Removal? Well, to avoid unnecessarily affecting the souls of the Living World, Captains and Lieutenants of the Gotei 13 have a Spirit Restriction Seal modeled after their respective division insignias implanted into a part of their body before coming here."
Rangiku explained to Nakeem while subconsciously touching her chest.
After all, the location of Rangiku's Spirit Restriction Seal, the 10th Division's emblem, the narcissus, happens to be right on her 'oppai'.
"One's Reiatsu is severely restricted, with a limit rate of 80%. That means after releasing the limit, our power becomes five times what it was before!"
"What?! Five times!!"
Nakeem was greatly shocked.
Whoosh!
As Nakeem was distracted by his shock, Rangiku's figure flickered, instantly appearing behind him, and slashed with her sword!
…
At another battlefield.
"Phew... Captain finally gave the order for [Restriction Removal]..."
Sojiro breathed a huge sigh of relief after receiving the order, then put down his communicator.
After ordering Rangiku's Restriction Removal, Toshiro used the advance team's public communication channel to order other members, allowing them to release their limits in critical situations.
As for why he didn't order the release from the beginning to swiftly defeat the enemies, there were reasons.
After Restriction Removal, a Shinigami's Reiatsu multiplies several times over, restoring their peak strength.
However, the humans and spatial structure of the Living World are too fragile. Shinigami in this state can easily affect the Living World's souls and space... some especially powerful transcendent Captain-class fighters can even shatter the Living World's space during battle.
Therefore, for the safety of the Living World and its inhabitants, even in a crisis, permission for Restriction Removal is only given after Soul Society takes measures like freezing space to prevent the battle's aftershocks from endangering humans.
Whether a situation is critical enough to warrant Restriction Removal is decided by Toshiro, who is in charge of the advance team.
If Toshiro deems it necessary, he immediately notifies Soul Society to prepare measures like freezing space.
Once Soul Society is ready, Toshiro formally orders the advance team to release their limits. In short, ordering Restriction Removal is a troublesome process, which is why Toshiro didn't order it from the start, allowing the advance team to crush their enemies swiftly.
"Hey, Ashido! Captain has ordered Restriction Removal! So don't drag this out any longer! Go all out and finish your opponent!!"
Sojiro shouted to Ashido, who was still fighting Edrad. Due to the Spirit Restriction Seal, Ashido couldn't use his full power and had been suppressed by Edrad since the fight began.
Although he hadn't intervened out of respect for Ashido's pride, Sojiro had been very worried about him. Now that Toshiro had ordered the release, even without Sojiro and the others helping, Ashido could defeat his opponent with his own strength. Sojiro could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
However, just as Sojiro was relaxing, Ashido's response caught him completely off guard.
"Restriction Removal? That won't be necessary. I will defeat him with my own strength!"
Ashido said to Sojiro in a rare moment between desperately blocking Edrad's attacks.
"What! You're still not releasing your limit?! Why?! ...Ah, I see."
Sojiro started to ask why Ashido wouldn't release the limit, but before he finished, he understood Ashido's thoughts.
Releasing the limit would indeed allow Ashido to easily defeat his opponent, but such a one-sided battle clearly wouldn't force out Ashido's potential, allowing him to break through under pressure.
Facing Rangiku's sudden attack from behind, Nakeem could only lean forward to protect his vital points.
Shrrrk—!
Although Nakeem reacted in time, Rangiku still carved a long gash across his back.
"Haah... haah..."
Nakeem breathed heavily, drenched in cold sweat from fear. So close, he had been so close to death!
"Damn it!"
Nakeem roared with bluster, swinging a fist larger than Rangiku's head towards her.
Thud!
Nakeem's iron fist was blocked effortlessly by Rangiku.
"Your movements are too slow! What was that movement technique you used earlier?"
Rangiku asked, looking completely at ease.
Whoosh!
Nakeem's figure flickered, instantly vanishing from Rangiku's sight.
"This movement technique is Sonído!"
Nakeem's voice came quietly from behind Rangiku. With that, Nakeem threw a heavy punch towards Rangiku's head!
Bam!
Nakeem's fist punched through 'Rangiku''s body with a roaring explosion. Yet Nakeem didn't look happy... instead, his expression changed drastically.
The 'Rangiku' whose body he'd just punched through dissipated with the wind, leaving no trace.
It's an afterimage! Nakeem had only hit an afterimage!
"'Sonído'? Our Shinigami call this move 'Shunpo'."
Rangiku stood back-to-back with Nakeem, her Zanpakuto somehow already stained red with blood.
Drip, drop...
Drops of blood fell from Rangiku's sword, making crisp sounds. This blood was Nakeem's!
Spurt—!
As if delayed, a massive, bone-deep wound suddenly bloomed on Nakeem's back, blood spraying out like a fountain. Then, grievously injured, Nakeem involuntarily fell towards the ground.
"Growl, Haineko!"
Sensing Nakeem wasn't quite dead yet, Rangiku unhesitatingly released her Zanpakuto to finish him off.
As her release command fell, the blade of her Zanpakuto turned into countless fine dust particles and sand, flying towards the falling Nakeem, enveloping and covering him.
"Die."
Rangiku gently waved her Zanpakuto, now just a hilt. The fine dust and sand particles enveloping Nakeem's body acted like countless blades, madly slicing his body apart.
Squelch—!!!
Blood spurted from Nakeem's body like a sieve. The bloody scene made Toshiro, watching from a distance, frown.
Thud!
When Nakeem's body hit the ground, it was barely recognizable as human, let alone alive.
"Really, can't you be more careful? That was so gory, I feel like throwing up the 'dinner' I just ate."
Toshiro complained to Rangiku from the side.
"Can't be helped. Those Arrancar have really hard Hierro. Normal slashes are too much effort. It's easier to just use my Shikai directly."
Rangiku said.