At Yamamoto's command, the ropes sealing the massive spear unraveled, revealing the execution weapon's true form.
Reiatsu began spiraling toward it, gathering in torrents.
The spear rose into the sky, then slowly turned—its tip pointing directly at Rukia.
By now, enough Reiatsu had accumulated.
The weapon began to release.
A colossal bird formed from pure spiritual pressure appeared in the air—the blade of the spear becoming its head.
The giant bird circled the Sōkyoku once, as if reveling in its long-awaited freedom.
Its name was Kikōō—the execution entity sealed within the spear, only released when Soul Society carried out a Sōkyoku execution.
It hovered before Rukia, wings beating steadily, awaiting the final command.
Feeling its overwhelming Reiatsu, Rukia's palms began to sweat.
Would Ichigo and the others make it in time?
And even if they did—could they truly withstand a force said to rival a million Zanpakutō?
She hesitated.
This was her final chance.
Should she trust Ichigo…
Or rely on herself?
Among the observing captains, most stood in silent attention toward the massive Kikōō.
But three were anything but calm.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi scribbled rapidly in a notebook, grinning.
Opportunities to observe the Sōkyoku up close were rare—he intended to record every detail.
His hand moved without him even looking.
An eye embedded in his wrist watched for him—another modification of his own body.
Zaraki Kenpachi rolled his shoulders, eyes gleaming.
He itched to take a swing at the creature.
If not for Ikkaku and Yumichika repeatedly warning him not to interfere, he would've already charged in.
And then—
Kuchiki Byakuya.
His hand had quietly moved to his Zanpakutō.
Despite Tsunayoshi's assurance that Rukia would be safe, he couldn't suppress his unease.
What if the Ryoka didn't make it?
What if they failed to stop the Kikōō?
His promise to Hisana clashed violently with the laws of Soul Society.
At this moment, Byakuya was perhaps the most conflicted person on the hill.
Seeing the execution weapon fully released, Sasakibe sought Yamamoto's confirmation.
With approval granted, he shouted:
"Commence execution!"
At that command, Rukia slowly closed her eyes.
She chose—
To face her fate herself.
But just as Byakuya was about to draw his sword—
Kyōraku lightly tapped his shoulder.
Byakuya looked up—
And froze.
At some point, a figure had appeared beside Rukia on the execution platform.
An orange-haired young man, resting a massive blade on his shoulder.
His cloak fluttered wildly under the pressure of Kikōō's Reiatsu.
"Long time no see, Rukia!"
Rukia turned—
And saw him.
Ichigo.
Her emotions surged instantly, tears streaming down her face.
"You're late… you idiot!"
"Not late. I'm getting you out of here now."
A flash of steel—
The restraints binding Rukia were severed in a single strike.
With Zangetsu resting on his shoulder, Ichigo casually scooped Rukia up at his side.
The wind tore open his cloak, revealing his Shihakushō beneath.
(It was a classic scene—too iconic to omit.)
"Run, you idiot!" Rukia shouted anxiously.
If she had any strength left, she would've kicked him herself.
Saving her was one thing—
But posing in front of that monster?
Did he think he looked cool?!
Ichigo's sudden appearance briefly halted the execution.
Then—
Bang!
Yamamoto's staff struck the ground.
Sasakibe snapped back to his senses and immediately directed Kikōō toward Ichigo and Rukia.
Ichigo, however, only grinned.
After his recent power growth, his mindset was no different from Kenpachi's—
He wanted to test this so-called "power of a million Zanpakutō."
He raised Zangetsu high and roared:
"Getsuga Tenshō!!"
A massive golden crescent clashed directly with Kikōō—
And in the next instant—
Ichigo's eyes widened in shock.
The colossal bird—
Was split clean in two.
Its overwhelming momentum collapsed instantly.
Its form shattered, unable to maintain itself—
Reverting into the spear—
Now broken into dozens of fragments.
Even the tip had split into pieces.
The execution weapon had been utterly destroyed.Ichigo stood there, stunned.
Before coming here, Urahara and Yoruichi had emphasized how terrifying the Sōkyoku was.
So he had held nothing back.
That strike had been the strongest attack he could unleash in Shikai.
He had even prepared to use Hollowfication or Bankai if necessary.
But—
It couldn't even withstand one blow.
"…Am I really this strong?"
Sasakibe was equally stunned.
Where had this monster come from—
Destroying Soul Society's ultimate execution weapon in a single strike?
At the moment of impact, he had clearly felt—
He couldn't resist it.
And now, the result spoke for itself.
First Tsunayoshi—
Now this boy.
Was he… really that weak?
No matter what—
The Sōkyoku had been destroyed under his watch.
If Yamamoto himself had wielded it—
This boy would have been eliminated.
Bang!
Yamamoto struck the ground again.
"Sasakibe—capture the Ryoka and Kuchiki Rukia. Bind them to the execution frame."
"I will carry out the execution personally."
Sasakibe understood immediately.
This was his chance to atone.
"Yes, Head Captain!"
Rukia panicked.
"Ichigo, run!"
"Run? Didn't you hear him? They're still planning to use this thing!"
Ichigo smirked.
"Then I'll just destroy it too."
He flipped Zangetsu in one hand.
Golden Reiatsu surged wildly into the blade.
Then—
He stabbed it into the execution platform.
Cracks spread instantly across its surface.
In seconds, they covered the entire structure.
Ichigo grinned at the charging Sasakibe—
And twisted the blade.
BOOM!
The platform exploded.
The execution structure—standing for countless years—
Was obliterated.
This was the second time Sasakibe had been left speechless.
His mission had failed again.
And now the platform itself was gone.
His composure shattered.
Drawing his Zanpakutō, he shouted:
"Pierce him—Gonryōmaru!"
The slender rapier shot forward—
But Ichigo blocked it.
Still, the force drove him from the sky down to the ground.
The moment his feet touched earth—
Zangetsu flared again.
A quick slash—
Another Getsuga forced Sasakibe back over ten meters.
Ichigo hadn't been overpowered—
He had simply followed the momentum to land.
In the air, he couldn't properly protect Rukia.
On the ground—
He could fight freely.
That last Getsuga had only been a feint.
Now—
Zangetsu flew from his hand.
Sasakibe was caught off guard.
To a Shinigami, throwing away one's Zanpakutō was unthinkable.
He hurriedly raised Gonryōmaru to block—
But against Zangetsu's sheer weight, it bent under the impact.
Just before the blade struck him—
It was suddenly pulled back.
A bandage wrapped around its hilt.
Ichigo yanked it back—
Then hurled it again.
Controlling both direction and distance, he used Zangetsu's mid-range attacks to completely suppress Sasakibe.
No matter how he advanced—
He was forced back.
Sasakibe gritted his teeth.
He couldn't even get close.
Had he really grown weak over the years?
Rumors had long claimed he was a non-combatant lieutenant.
He had ignored them—
Because he possessed a captain-level power.
Bankai.
And yet—
Against Tsunayoshi.
Against Ichigo—
He had gained nothing.
No.
It wasn't him.
It was them.
Steeling himself, Sasakibe knocked Zangetsu aside and raised Gonryōmaru before him.
"Bankai—"
"Enough."
A single word stopped him.
It was a voice he knew better than any other—
The one he respected most.
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.
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