You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

"and many more!"

Suddenly, Saito interrupted their conversation, his eyes fixed intently on a street corner. He first placed his hand on his Zanpakuto, but then relaxed it.

At that moment, everyone looked over and saw a familiar and reassuring figure appear across the street—

"Captain Unohana!"

"Lie, what are you doing here?"

—This person was none other than Unohana Retsu, still wearing the same white coat-like haori as before, but without anyone by his side, arriving alone.

"There's something wrong with the Transcendental Gate. I got the coordinates from the Kido Clan... Captain Aizen, let's hurry back to Seireitei!"

"Unohana said with a serious expression, and walked straight toward Iori."

"The Quincy attacked the Shiba clan before, and now they've appeared inside the Seireitei, causing chaos everywhere. Even the Captain-Commander is..."

"What happened to Mr. Yamamoto?"

Iori's expression showed concern and impatience. She couldn't help but take a step forward, but Unohana, who was standing nearby, coughed twice and bowed slightly as if she wanted to say something.

Zheng!

The clear sound of the sword vibrated everyone's eardrums, and the sound of air being cut came belatedly.

Everyone was at a loss when Saito suddenly appeared in front of Iori, almost touching him and protecting him from behind. A slender Zanpakuto ruthlessly swung down at Unohana Retsu, the powerful sword leaving a deep trench in the ground that stretched more than ten meters away.

The Fourth Division Captain, without moving his feet, was at the end of the ravine, demonstrating his incredibly solid Shunpo (Instant Step) skills.

"……what happened?"

Kiryu and Aojun witnessed this scene with solemn expressions, but instead of criticizing Saito, they looked at Unohana with puzzlement.

"Captain Unohana?"

"Ara ara~ What are you doing?"

Retsu Unohana glanced at the sword marks at her feet, then looked up with a smile: "Even if we're old friends, isn't this a bit too enthusiastic of you to welcome us?"

"Who are you trying to kill me with?"

In stark contrast to Unohana, Saito, who was immortal, had a voice like that of a demon, and his cold gaze almost stole the warmth from the surroundings. It was as if he had returned to a thousand years ago and transformed into a demon once again.

Even though they had known each other for a long time, or were each other's only close friends, she did not hesitate to draw her sword.

"If you don't know your limits, I'll chop you up!"

"Ha ha……"

Unohana opened her eyes with a smile, and only then did the officers and soldiers realize that the Fourth Division Captain's right hand had been placed on the Zanpakuto at his waist.

Considering Saito's reaction earlier... everyone instinctively became more alert and gripped their knives.

"So decisive for a man? Aren't we best friends?"

Saito remained silent, staring at Unohana with an unwavering, chilling gaze, seemingly unmoved by any words.

For her, the weight of lovers and friends can be calculated and compared, but she will not hesitate when faced with a choice, because a quick victory is the swordsman's motto!

There's no need to dwell on it; she'll only walk the path she's chosen.

"There's really nothing I can do..."

Retsu Unohana slowly drew her Zanpakuto, and with just a slight change in her expression, she transformed from the kind and amiable older sister into a chilling, sneering demon.

"Then we'll just have to kill them all."

The fun is over. Now I'll show you what a real battle is like—

[All interpretations of swastika are complete]! "

A phantom of a pink skull flashed across Unohana's body, then she raised her long sword, gripped the blade with her left hand, and pulled it down forcefully, drawing blood.

hum!

Blood! Fresh blood! Endless fresh blood!

As if the blood pool of hell had been drained, a torrent of blood flowed from its feet, isolating everything around it from the outside world. The Grim Reapers were swallowed up into the blood pool hell, forming an indescribable chaotic world.

"Don't worry, I will kill you 'gently'~"

"I see—" The captains' eyes hardened, and they no longer hesitated. Saito even stated directly on the spot:

"This guy isn't Unohana!"

The real Retsu Unohana would never use Bankai lightly—this is something everyone knows.

So even though Saito recognized this blood pool and it was exactly the same as Unohana in his memory, he still judged that the other party was an imposter!

However, what method was used to be able to copy even Bankai...?

"Retsu's Bankai is not suitable for multiple opponents; it would just be feeding her. Ordinary members should not interfere!"

Saito, naturally aware of Unohana's abilities, immediately decided: "Captains, protect the ordinary members and do not let them be attracted to the blood pool... Iori and I will deal with this guy!"

"Haha~ You really dare to say that, even though you're clearly my defeated opponent~"

Unohana smiled gleefully, and Saito returned the smile. The next moment, they almost simultaneously activated Shunpo... no, not a special technique, but simply a desperate dash, only the speed was too fast to see the process clearly.

Clang! Clang!

Two cold, sharp blades flashed in the crimson light, and the clanging of swords and halberds rang out once more!

Unable to capture their figures, the most basic slashing techniques and Shunpo that are the most basic for ordinary Shinigami are exceptionally different when used by them.

Although there were no advanced techniques involved, every bit of force, every angle, and every inch of distance was perfectly controlled, as if it had been precisely measured. Even with the most critical eye, no flaws could be found.

Amidst the clanging of steel, Unohana's attacks were repeatedly interrupted, but she never faltered before switching to another tactic, either continuing her attack or stalling Saito's counterattack.

At this moment, Unohana Retsu was completely unlike the gentle and generous older sister she used to be. Her long, flowing hair, fluttering sleeves, and nimble toes could all be turned into deadly weapons. Even her gaze was terrifying, as if it were spitting out blades.

Fighting against it is not about fighting a samurai wielding a Zanpakuto, but about fighting against the very concept of "slaughter" that has transformed into countless blades!

Wielding a deadly blade with the ease of a master calligrapher, he transforms carnage into art, giving the impression of turning decay into magic.

Such swordsmanship is neither flashy nor elegant, but it is more entertaining than any performance.

Saito was unmoved by this, and simply kept swinging his sword!

"You've chosen the wrong opponent... You, your eyes?"

"This is probably the first time I've seen someone like me."

In a head-on clash, the two, their blades clashing, looked at each other and discovered that Unohana's eyes were flashing with spiritual arcs of light that resembled lightning!

"But I'm going to correct your mistake—I'm not an imposter."

On the contrary, I am the one who best embodies the image of 'Unohana Yachiru'—as long as I kill you all, I will be the real one!

Chapter 489 The only man who has ever reached the level of Kenpachi.

Although Saito said that, the Grim Reapers are not a group that values ​​chivalry. Now that the Seireitei is in trouble, all they want is to return to their aid quickly. Whether it's outnumbering or not is completely irrelevant.

However, just as Kiryuki Hiryuu made a move, intending to join the battle and help Saito quickly subdue his opponent, a thin, silky blood-red blade flew past her. Suddenly, a chill flashed by, and half of her sleeve slowly fell down... Miraculously, her arm was completely unharmed!

"As expected, it's an area-of-effect..."

Kiryuki froze. "Does that mean having more people doesn't help?"

All the swastikas and solutions are gone!

This is Retsu Unohana's domain, a blade that kills without a trace, and a fountain of youth that can revive the dead and heal the wounded... The two sides of the same coin, the demon and the goddess, perfectly match Retsu Unohana's outward appearance and essence.

Within this pool of blood, no movement can escape its perception, and every drop of blood can be transformed into a blade, ready to launch an attack at any moment.

In other words, Unohana's attack range here is unlimited! And the opponent has nowhere to escape but to face her head-on!

Aside from being stronger than Unohana herself, she could kill him head-on in a fight... It doesn't matter how many people come in.

Am I confident I can avoid Unohana's slash?

After a moment's thought, Kiryu abandoned the idea of ​​acting rashly.

At this moment, Kuchiki Sojun felt something was wrong with this unfamiliar Bankai. He looked down and saw that the world in his field of vision had turned into a dark red world. The smell of blood filled his nostrils and made him feel extremely uncomfortable. Under his feet was a pool of blood with slight ripples. He didn't know if it was just a thin layer covering the ground or if it had really turned this place into a blood pool hell.

In this situation, he instinctively looked at Iori, seeking support and help, but—

"Captain Aizen? Why are you just watching?"

Pink-haired girl and Aojun looked at Iori in confusion. This one was clearly the most capable of resolving the situation... but the smiling man showed no intention of taking action, leaving the two of them anxiously waiting.

It turned out to be a spirit corpse—Iori suddenly realized.

The concepts of "artificial soul" and "artificial body" are technologies developed to make it easier for the Grim Reaper to move around in the mortal world; there's no need to elaborate further.

While the term "spirit remains" sounds similar, it is actually something completely different.

To give an example:

The "righteous soul" is an AI chip that can replace the soul to control the physical body;

A "Gikai" is a doll that can serve as a physical body for the Grim Reaper to reside in;

【Linghai】is a clone created using the spiritual information of the Grim Reaper, possessing independent thought!

If the first two are merely auxiliary uses, then the latter is a complete humanoid weapon. Theoretically, the [Spirit Remains] can completely replace Death himself in battle, and can even exert combat power similar to the original body.

However, such powerful technology is a taboo in the Soul Society... This happened before the establishment of the Technology Development Bureau, and even many captains were unaware of it.

Speaking of which, that developer was a senior to Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Kiryu Hikifune, as he was the first researcher on the topic of "modifying souls" and produced a great deal of results.

However, because he was not good at fighting, and the Gotei 13 at the time did not understand the principle that "science and technology are the primary productive forces", he was ostracized by many people and was eventually assigned to the 12th Division.

As a result, he became extreme in personality. In order to make up for the lack of combat power, he developed the [Spirit Remains] using soul modification technology. His talent can be described as amazing.

However, the [spirit remains] have independent consciousness. Although they can be communicated with and given commands, their thoughts cannot be completely controlled. They are also easily influenced by the actions of the original body, causing emotional instability. Simply put, they are prone to going berserk and losing control.

At the time, this person was quite bold. In order to conduct experiments, he collected the spiritual information of the captains and vice-captains without their consent, which almost created half of the Gotei 13!

Ultimately, due to the loss of control of the [spirit remains], a very strange war of suppression unfolded in the Seireitei... Fortunately, there was no clone corresponding to Yamamoto.

After that, the [Spirit Remains] technology was permanently banned, and "modifying souls" became a highly dangerous subject. Apart from the official team of the Twelfth Division, people like Aizen Yuuki, Urahara Kisuke, and Kurotsuchi Mayuri were actually conducting illegal research!

The developer of [Spirit Remains] was naturally arrested as well. However, for some reason, the 46th Chamber didn't kill him, but they also didn't feel comfortable throwing him into the [Morcelain Nest], so his treatment was even better than Mayuri Kurotsuchi's—

They were frozen as living dead.

Because relevant information was strictly controlled, not many of the new generation of Grim Reapers know about this past event even after hundreds of years.

According to the original plot, these Death God spirits should have appeared near the end of the anime.

But now that he's appeared, it means that the living dead has regained his freedom, right?

Quincy and an army of spirit corpses... If we don't consider Iori's existence, the Seireitei really wouldn't be able to stop them!

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Two cold, sharp blades flashed in the blood-red light, and the clanging of swords and halberds rang out continuously!

Ordinary team members couldn't even catch a glimpse of the two figures, and even Cang Chun and the others had a hard time seeing them, and couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

As the first Kenpachi, Retsu Unohana's swordsmanship is so superb that it needs no further explanation. It's not just a matter of "skill"; the killing intent she releases alone can make a vice-captain-level Shinigami lose the will to fight, to the point of having the urge to "commit suicide," just like a small animal being targeted by a ferocious beast.

But Saito's immortality is no less impressive!

She was already quite strong, and after being enhanced by Iori, she broke the boundary between Shinigami and Hollows. As a semi-transcendent being, her raw strength already surpassed that of the original Kenpachi.

However, compared to the long lifespan of the Grim Reaper, the time since her breakthrough is still too short. She has not yet fought a life-or-death battle with a worthy opponent, nor has she truly realized and mastered the power she currently possesses.

This led to a stalemate in the battle.

"In my memory, you weren't this fast!"

Unohana Yachiru smiled, her coldness and killing intent intertwined. Her signature braids had been undone, and her long black hair, spread out like raven wings, resembled a blooming mandala in the pool of blood.

Clang!

Haven't you heard of the Three Kingdoms story of 'identifying three people'?

Saito gave a provocative smile while clashing swords.

"?"