Chapter 367: BSUS - 370: Ryūmon Hōzukimaru

When it came to sheer ferocity, Yoruichi’s suffocating barrage during her initial encounter with Yammy was far stronger than Kaien’s. As a result, aside from eating a few mouthfuls of dirt, the actual injuries the opponent sustained were probably less severe than Yoruichi’s swollen fists.

An Espada-level Arrancar was not an opponent that could be casually dismissed; Kaien always kept Yoruichi’s words in mind.

As if validating some sort of truth, a sudden, deafening roar erupted from below. Yammy raised his arms high, bellowing like a wounded beast, every movement exuding an aura of extreme danger.

Yammy was enraged. On the other side, Luppi’s expression hardened. He finally understood why this group of little ants had been sent to deal with them—not just because of their flawless teamwork, but more importantly, because they could infuriate Yammy!

"Don’t fall for it, Yammy!"

Before he could even finish speaking, Yammy began punching wildly into the air from the ground like a madman. Clusters of spherical Reiatsu shot from his fists like artillery shells, reaching Kaien and the others in the blink of an eye.

Kaien dodged and blocked simultaneously. Being on his guard, he was forced to retreat continuously, but he didn’t crumble at the first strike or suffer an instant defeat.

In truth, this was also because Yammy wasn’t targeting him exclusively. The opponent’s attacks were undeniably fierce and dense, but they were scattered across him, Rukia, Matsumoto, and the rest. Furthermore, Rukia and Matsumoto had already slipped down to the ground on either side, further alleviating the pressure on Kaien.

At the same time, it subtly eased the pressure on Ikkaku and Yumichika.

Gritting his teeth, Luppi flicked his sleeve to deflect another Bala that threatened to catch him in the crossfire. Compared to a Menos’s signature Cero, a Bala was twenty times faster. Although its power was nowhere near that of a Cero, even a glancing blow would be highly unpleasant.

This was entirely a despicable tactic by those Shinigami. Yammy had come here brimming with confidence to exact his revenge, yet now he hadn’t even seen his enemies. Not to mention, the two Reiatsu signatures lying in wait in the distance were undoubtedly the ones who had humiliated Yammy last time. The feeling of being treated as a laughingstock was hard to swallow.

Urahara was indeed not far away, ready to intervene at a moment’s notice. However, the person beside him wasn’t Yoruichi, whom Yammy was so obsessed with, but Renji, who up until now had never been particularly good at coordinating with others.

"During our last encounter, that Arrancar named Yammy shifted his target from Ichigo to Yoruichi in a very short span of time, and ultimately to me. He is an enemy who is extremely susceptible to his emotions, there is no doubt about that."

"So, the enemy’s behavior can actually be manipulated?" Renji asked tentatively.

Urahara nodded. "But this requires exquisite coordination and clear tactical thinking. Otherwise, you will instead be dragged along by the enemy’s emotions and actions, falling right into their rhythm."

Immediately after, he smiled and asked Renji, "How is it? Being schemed against and scheming against others are completely different feelings, aren’t they, Mr. Abarai?"

"Not bad, there really is an inexplicable sense of accomplishment, heh," Renji nodded, though his words didn’t quite match his true feelings.

Urahara seemed to see through his anxiety and teased, "You need to have a bit more faith in your comrades—no, you should have a bit more faith in Rukia, Mr. Abarai."

"I-I do trust her!"

"Is that so?" Urahara pointed at Renji’s restless fingers resting on his hilt. "Could this be some new Zanpakutō polishing technique I haven’t heard of?"

"Well, uh, that is..."

Urahara chuckled, his expression suddenly turning serious. "Relax, Mr. Abarai. Since I’m here, I won’t let any of you come to harm. I might not look it, but I can be quite reliable sometimes."

Indeed, Urahara was a very reliable man. This wasn’t just because he was the former Captain of the 12th Division, but also because, at this very moment, the Zanpakutō gripped in his right hand hadn’t shifted a single millimeter.

Renji did feel considerably more at ease. With Mr. Urahara’s preparations, Miss Yoruichi’s ambush, and Mr. Chōzuka arriving shortly, even if eight Espada showed up, they absolutely wouldn’t gain the upper hand.

However, he didn’t know that Urahara’s preparations weren’t just for the invading Arrancar, but also aimed at him, Kaien, and the others. Yammy was being pinned down by them, but weren’t they also being pinned down by Yammy?

Renji couldn’t have imagined that Hiroe and Urahara would still be scheming against them at a time like this, just as Luppi couldn’t have imagined that the Shinigami he cursed as insidious were, to some extent, actually helping them.

Right now, his thoughts were simple: things couldn’t go on like this! Lord Aizen’s objective was clear, and he had stated that they didn’t have much time to linger.

He had to make Yammy calm down as quickly as possible!

Forcing Yumichika and Ikkaku back with a single strike, Luppi sneered. The slender katana twirled in his hand, the tip pointing downward in a stance that didn’t look like he was about to attack.

"Logically speaking, an Espada-level Resurrección isn’t something insects like you should ever get to see. You should be grateful from the bottom of your hearts!"

As Luppi spoke, the vertical blade suddenly flared with blinding light. "Strangle them, Trepadora!"

A bizarre sound echoed through the air, like the rapid growth of thickets or the crack of a long whip tearing through the wind. Faced with this impending, unknown threat, Yumichika instinctively backed away to assess the situation.

Ikkaku’s already provoked fighting spirit was finally pushed to its absolute peak when Luppi mentioned an Espada-level Resurrección. Hōzukimaru, already in its spear form, spun rapidly in his hands. A fierce whirlwind dragged the clouds down from the sky, completely enveloping Ikkaku.

"Bankai, Ryūmon Hōzukimaru!"

A silver blade gleaming with a cold light tore through the raging gales. The drifting clouds dispersed to reveal a glossy black blade; from a glimpse, it appeared to be a guandao.

Ikkaku raised his right hand and tossed it forward, sending out a crescent-shaped monk’s spade blade. Its rear end was connected to a long chain, which linked to a thick, massive blade resembling a giant cleaver resting on his shoulder, and further connected by chain to the guandao in his left hand, altogether forming a bizarre weapon.

This was Madarame Ikkaku’s Bankai—Ryūmon Hōzukimaru. Following the lineage of his Shikai, it was a direct-attack type Zanpakutō. Upon achieving Bankai, it emanated an even greater aura of slaughter; every twist and turn seemed capable of entangling life itself and tearing it to shreds!

The flying spade head looked exceptionally sharp, yet as it sliced through the air, it produced a faint roaring sound, as if the layers of wind weren’t being cut, but rather smashed apart.

It was different on Luppi’s side. The fierce winds continued to rage, growing even more intense. Through the chaotic, swirling barrier of clouds, a giant hand seemed to be slowly opening.

Suddenly, a white shadow shot straight out, hurtling directly toward the crescent spade Ikkaku had thrown!

It appeared to be a white snake, though its slightly bulging head didn’t seem to have any fangs. Without dodging or evading, it crashed head-on into the black-and-white, asura-like weapon, instantly sparking a shower of sparks.

One Shinigami and one Arrancar, one Bankai and one Resurrección—their first clash seemed to be an even match.

But, was that really the case?