Fate in Bleach: Unlimited Blade Works!

Chapter 480 480: Smart and Not Smart

The blade, engraved with three golden "999"s, solidified in Ailin's hand.

As the light faded, Ailin held the newly forged "Jackpot Blade."

Then, Ailin swung the "Jackpot Blade" in his hand down towards Shishigawara.

Shink!

Blood splattered. To Shishigawara's astonished gaze, Ailin released his grip, allowing Shishigawara to fall backward.

Bang!

Perhaps the bed could only support the weight of one person. As Shishigawara collapsed onto it, the bed instantly gave way.

A bed board flipped up from the edge, snapping several taut electrical wires.

Crackle crackle..."

Boom!

Ailin turned. Behind him, lightning and fire intertwined in an explosion.

"Not bad."

Ailin was very satisfied with the ability of the Zanpakutō in his hand. Whether used for direct or indirect attacks, it granted a significant luck boost, akin to "making words become reality."

The actual effectiveness of this "luck" depended on the user.

In Shishigawara's hands, his attack on Ailin had merely caused the billboard overhead to fall.

Evidently, that was the greatest harm Shishigawara's manifested luck could inflict upon Ailin.

But for Ailin, merely having sentenced Shishigawara and Shukuro Tsukishima to death in his mind was enough. The subsequent falling wires, the ensuing fire, and the collapsing building were sufficient to kill the heavily injured Tsukishima and Shishigawara.

Dispelling the Zanpakutō in his hand, Ailin's figure flickered, reappearing beside Byakuya Kuchiki and the others.

Byakuya, Toshiro, and Rukia showed no reaction to Ailin's return.

That previous Fullbringer couldn't even get close to them; he posed no threat whatsoever to Teacher Ailin.

If Teacher Ailin had somehow faltered against that Fullbringer, they would have suspected they were under Sōsuke Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu, mistaking someone else for their teacher.

Right now, all three focused their attention on the battle between Ichigo Kurosaki and Kugo Ginjo.

Their right hands rested on the hilts of their Zanpakutō. This was the moment Kugo Ginjo was explaining the Seireitei's stance on Substitute Shinigami to Ichigo Kurosaki.

If Ichigo harbored any ill intentions towards the Soul Society, the Seireitei, or the Gotei Thirteen, they would draw their blades and eliminate both Ichigo Kurosaki and Kugo Ginjo, potential threats to the Seireitei.

...

"Ichigo, when you were practicing Fullbring, you often heard voices from your Substitute Shinigami Badge, didn't you?"

Kugo Ginjo parried Ichigo Kurosaki's attacks while attempting to sway Ichigo's will with words.

"What exactly is this Substitute Shinigami Badge the Seireitei issued to us... You already had the answer in your heart back then, didn't you?"

"The Shinigami of the Seireitei deceived us, claiming it was proof of our status as Substitute Shinigami, allowing us to transform directly into Shinigami form when encountering Hollows. But what's the reality?"

"It's the Seireitei's tool for monitoring and controlling us. But perhaps those Shinigami never expected that the very thing they used to monitor us would, upon encountering Fullbring spiritual pressure, allow us to monitor them."

"Hehe, Ichigo, why do you think I defected? If I hadn't used Fullbring to secretly listen in on those Shinigami's attitudes towards Substitute Shinigami, perhaps I'd still be your good senior right now."

"Ichigo, do you know what I heard through the Substitute Shinigami Badge back then? Those Shinigami said Substitute Shinigami are the most unstable elements in this world and should be eliminated!"

"The Substitute Shinigami Badge can monitor our surroundings, pinpoint our location... Once their monitoring detects any sign of us acting outside the Seireitei's control, the Seireitei will dispatch powerful individuals to eliminate us."

"That's why I decided to defect from the Seireitei back then. After killing a few Shinigami, in less than half a day, the captain sent by the Seireitei to kill me arrived outside my residence in the World of the Living. In that battle, my physical body in the World of the Living was destroyed, forcing me to remain in Shinigami form, unable to return to human life ever again."

"Only a few Fullbringers could see me. Do you know how I've lived these past few decades? This is all the fault of those Shinigami!"

"Ichigo, come to my side! Otherwise, my today will be your tomorrow!"

However, what Kugo Ginjo couldn't accept was that despite his lengthy speech, Ichigo Kurosaki's expression remained unchanged. It was as if everything Ginjo said had absolutely nothing to do with him!

"Are you finished?"

"Hm?"

Kugo Ginjo was taken aback.

"I said, are you finished?"

Boom!

With a single slash, Ichigo sent Kugo Ginjo flying back, then pointed his long sword at Ginjo.

"Ginjo, everything you said, I already know. But..."

At this point, immense spiritual pressure erupted from Ichigo Kurosaki, black and red flames of energy swirling around him.

"I'm just a seventeen-year-old boy, not some genius. And Captain Ukitake, who gave me the Substitute Shinigami Badge, is a senior hundreds of years old. He knows far more than I've known in my entire life. If Captain Ukitake wanted to deceive me, he certainly would have chosen a more covert method that I wouldn't detect, not tell me the badge's function in a way that I might..."

"No, that I definitely would discover. I'm different from you. Being monitored by the Substitute Shinigami Badge isn't unacceptable to me. I personally have no desire to overturn this world, nor do I think I possess the power to destroy it right now... Within the Seireitei, there are quite a few captains stronger than me. Especially Teacher Ailin. If the Seireitei wanted to eliminate me, Teacher Ailin could do it."

"Heh heh..."

Hearing Ichigo Kurosaki's words, Kugo Ginjo sneered.

"Teacher Ailin... It seems the Seireitei's methods haven't changed much over the years. Captain Ailin was my teacher back then too. But, Ichigo, did you know? The one sent by the Seireitei to eliminate me was also Teacher Ailin!"

With that, Kugo Ginjo let out a roar. Green spiritual pressure coiled around his Zanpakutō, and he slashed towards Ichigo Kurosaki—

"Getsuga—Tenshō!"

This Getsuga Tenshō from Kugo Ginjo was infused with Hollow spiritual pressure, its power a notch higher than the previous one fired using Shinigami energy.

"Getsuga—Jūjishō!"

Boom!

Green spiritual pressure clashed with black and red spiritual pressure, exploding in the air into a star cross, igniting a fiery blast a hundred meters wide.

Green and black-red lights burst from the explosion, transforming into two streaks of light colliding in mid-air.

Sparks flew across the sky as Ichigo Kurosaki, wielding dual blades, clashed with Kugo Ginjo.

"Is that so? Ginjo, it seems you really were blinded by the Substitute Shinigami Badge issue."

Fighting Kugo Ginjo, Ichigo Kurosaki stated grimly, "Teacher Ailin's strength is far beyond what we can compare. I don't know how strong you were decades ago, Ginjo, but no matter how strong, you couldn't have been stronger than you are now."

"Even as you are now, if Teacher Ailin wanted to eliminate you, I don't think you could escape. Besides, during Teacher Ailin's operation to eliminate you, did anyone among you actually die?"

Kugo Ginjo faltered.

Yes, back when Teacher Ailin came to kill them, although the battle seemed fierce, none of their group had actually died, though they had all sustained considerable injuries.

The only one truly injured might have been Kugo Ginjo himself.

But that wasn't directly Ailin's doing; it was the battle's aftermath that destroyed his body, forcing Ginjo to survive as a Shinigami.

If they had been careful to protect Kugo Ginjo's body during the fight, they might have escaped the Seireitei's pursuit completely unharmed.

As Kugo Ginjo hesitated, Ichigo Kurosaki didn't press the attack, quietly waiting for him to regain his focus.

Although Ichigo Kurosaki didn't know the details of Teacher Ailin's pursuit of Kugo Ginjo and the others back then, based on his understanding of Teacher Ailin, he knew that if Ailin had truly wanted to eliminate Ginjo, Ginjo wouldn't still be alive.

Since Kugo Ginjo was still alive, his companions were likely unharmed as well.

Judging by Ginjo's reaction now, his assumption was indeed correct.

"Heh heh..."

After a bitter laugh, Kugo Ginjo's expression turned serious. "Indeed, Ichigo. Although you say you're not very smart yourself. But in my opinion, you're much smarter than me."

At the very least, Kugo Ginjo wouldn't have considered the points Ichigo raised.

"But, there's no going back now... I suppose Teacher Ailin is very disappointed in me too!"

Sensing Shukuro Tsukishima's spiritual pressure vanish, Kugo Ginjo knew that this time, Teacher Ailin wouldn't hold back against him.

Regardless of the outcome of his battle with Ichigo Kurosaki, he would inevitably face Teacher Ailin's attack.

Since that was the case, let Ichigo send him off!

Thinking this, the transparent, dragonfly-like wings on Kugo Ginjo's back fluttered as he charged towards Ichigo Kurosaki.

Through the clash of their Zanpakutō, Ichigo Kurosaki sensed Kugo Ginjo's resolve.

After forcing Kugo Ginjo back, Ichigo Kurosaki brought the two Zanpakutō in his hands together.

"Bankai— Tensa Zangetsu!"

Rampant spiritual pressure erupted from Ichigo Kurosaki. Black and red energy frictioned against the surrounding space, generating streaks of lightning that coiled around Ichigo's body.

He looked like a god of thunder wielding punishment.

Before Bankai, Ichigo Kurosaki's spiritual pressure had already reached the limit of a Shinigami, on par with Kugo Ginjo in his Bankai + Hollowfication + Fullbring mode.

After activating Bankai, Ichigo Kurosaki's spiritual pressure broke through the Shinigami limit, entering a higher dimension.

This was no longer the realm of Shinigami.

Raising the massive, door-panel-like Zanpakutō in his hand, Ichigo Kurosaki slashed down towards Kugo Ginjo—

...

On the rooftop of the building, Byakuya Kuchiki, Toshiro Hitsugaya, and Rukia Kuchiki released their hands from the hilts of their Zanpakutō, sighing inwardly with relief.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto's mission for them was clear: if they detected even the slightest dissatisfaction from Ichigo Kurosaki towards the Seireitei, or any intention of betraying them and siding with Kugo Ginjo, they were to eliminate Ichigo, Ginjo, and the others completely.

Judging by the power Ichigo Kurosaki displayed, when he wasn't in Bankai, they might stand a chance if they used their own Bankai.

But once Ichigo Kurosaki activated his Bankai, they certainly wouldn't be his match.

However, with Teacher Ailin present, they weren't worried about failing the mission.

Now that Ichigo Kurosaki had made his choice, there was naturally no need for them to fight him.

However, having witnessed the battle between Ichigo Kurosaki and Kugo Ginjo, Byakuya Kuchiki, Toshiro Hitsugaya, and Rukia Kuchiki all felt their current strength was still somewhat lacking.

It seemed they would need to retreat into seclusion upon returning to the Seireitei to raise their power another level.

Teacher Ailin had said he had taught them everything he could.

If they were defeated or killed in the battle against Yhwach and the Quincy two years from now, they would bring great shame upon Teacher Ailin.

They could die, but they couldn't allow Teacher Ailin to lose face.

Ailin was completely unaware that his three disciples, inspired by the power Ichigo Kurosaki demonstrated, were now determined to grow even stronger for the final battle against the Quincy.

If he knew, perhaps he would be quite pleased.

Whether it was Byakuya Kuchiki, Toshiro Hitsugaya, Rukia Kuchiki, Gin Ichimaru, or Ichigo Kurosaki, Ailin had enabled them to possess powers they wouldn't have gained until the Thousand-Year Blood War arc or even later.

Under these circumstances, Ailin was curious to see how Yhwach would attempt to invade the Soul Society.

Although, under Yhwach's "Almighty" ability, the strengths of these individuals were no secret.

But Yhwach trying to defeat Byakuya, Toshiro, and Rukia by stealing their Bankai was surely impossible.

Under Ailin's guidance, the three of them were extremely proficient in using their Zanpakutō abilities.

Even without Bankai, they could exert power comparable to other captains using Bankai.

Ailin didn't believe those Quincy, after stealing a Shinigami's Bankai, could truly unleash its full power.

Driscoll Berci was a prime example.

He stole Vice-Captain Sasakibe's Zanpakutō, the strongest lightning-type Zanpakutō, Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū, the Bankai "Golden Lightning Palace."