Chapter 266 266 The Man of The Shiba Clan!
"Kuchiki Byakuya... so it's him..." Ganju said with a grim expression.
"You... you know Captain Kuchiki too, Ganju-san?" Hanataro asked, trembling all over.
"Of course! The Kuchiki Clan is one of the Four Great Noble Houses, holding the title of Shoichii. Kuchiki Byakuya is hailed as the most capable head of the family in history. Among the Captains of the Gotei 13, he's very famous!"
"This is bad! Of all times to run into him!" Ganju's face was extremely unpleasant.
"We're finished! How could the two of us possibly be a match for Captain Kuchiki?" Hanataro said in despair.
"No... no... maybe... maybe we should beg for his mercy, ask him to spare our lives?" Ganju suddenly suggested.
"What are you saying, Ganju-san?!" Hanataro shouted angrily.
"What we should do now is take Rukia-san and escape quickly!" Hanataro said.
"Are you brainless? Escape where? The only exit is that bridge! Do you want to defeat Kuchiki Byakuya on the bridge and then leave calmly?" Ganju roared.
"And you want me to die for my brother's killer? That's absolutely impossible!!" Ganju pointed at Rukia and yelled.
"Th-then... alright. I can't blame you. Ganju-san, you have no obligation to rescue Rukia-san. I was wrong to try and force you."
"H-however, when you escape, please try to take Rukia-san with you. I'll stay behind and hold off Captain Kuchiki!" Despite trembling uncontrollably under Byakuya's Reiatsu, Hanataro resolutely stepped forward.
Upon hearing Hanataro's words, both Ganju and Rukia couldn't help but surprised, looking at him in surprise.
Neither Ganju nor Rukia expected the usually timid Hanataro to say such things.
"Hey! Are you crazy? Snap out of it! How could you possibly be a match for that Kuchiki Byakuya?" Ganju tried to dissuade him.
Hanataro shook his head. "I... I understand how you feel, Ganju-san. If it were me, I wouldn't die for my enemy either..."
"I'm not talking about that! Kuchiki Byakuya's Reiatsu is so immense. How could we possibly fight him?!" Ganju roared.
"I know that!!"
"But I came here to rescue Rukia-san!"
"How can I leave without doing anything?" With that, Hanataro bowed to Ganju. "Thank you for taking care of me all this time!"
"Well then, I'm going!" Hanataro offered a bitter smile, then turned and walked towards Byakuya on the bridge, carrying a sense of tragic determination, as if marching to his doom.
"No! Don't go, Hanataro!" Rukia wanted to stop Hanataro, but Ganju grabbed her.
"Wh-what are you doing?! Let go!" Rukia struggled.
Ganju ignored Rukia, staring at Hanataro's back. "You idiot, you didn't even bring your Zanpakuto. What can you do? Look how you're shaking, you must be terrified inside! You're so useless, yet you still try to play the hero!"
Then, Ganju pushed Rukia aside and shouted as he ran out.
"Woooooooah!!" Ganju kept yelling, pumping himself up.
"Wh-what's that noise?" Hanataro, having just reached the bridge, heard the sudden shouts from behind.
Turning around, he saw Ganju catching up to him.
Ganju walked up to Hanataro, his expression serious. "Step back. Leave Kuchiki Byakuya to me!"
"Ga-Ganju-san?"
"Urghhh!!" Without waiting for Hanataro to speak, Ganju passed him and walked towards Byakuya in the distance.
'Sorry, big brother...'
'I'll avenge you later.'
'If you want to blame someone, blame our sister. She taught me I can't abandon a companion and run for my life,' Ganju thought to himself as he walked.
Then, stopping about ten meters away from Byakuya, Ganju halted.
"I'm here! Young master, let me be your opponent!" Ganju pointed at Byakuya provocatively.
However, Byakuya looked at the provoking Ganju as if looking at an insect, showing no sign of anger, only disappointment. "I thought perhaps a skilled individual had suppressed their Reiatsu and slipped in..."
"But it's just a small fry? How disappointing."
"Let me end this boring farce." Hearing Byakuya's words, Ganju's heart sank.
'This is terrible. Just standing face-to-face like this makes me tremble uncontrollably. His reiatsu is too strong!'
'Since the difference in strength is so vast, any tricks are useless.'
'Then I can only gamble!' Thinking this, Ganju drew the large sword at his waist, let out a shout, and charged at Byakuya.
Upon reaching Byakuya, Ganju suddenly extended his left hand, which had been behind his back all along. In it, he held several objects resembling shuriken.
"You fell for it! Take my ultimate technique… Blood-Tear Ball—!"
Whoosh!
Byakuya's figure flashed, instantly appearing behind Ganju.
Squelch!
Blood spurted from Ganju's shoulder, and the shuriken in his hand scattered on the ground.
With a thud, Ganju couldn't help but kneel on the ground.
"Get lost. I'll let you go this time. Don't be an eyesore here. My sword isn't meant for slaying small fry like you." With that, Byakuya ignored Ganju and walked towards Rukia not far away.
"Urghhhh!!"
"You stop right there!!" Ganju yelled.
Byakuya paused, frowning. "Didn't you hear me? I told you to disappear."
"Save your breath, young master! I don't care if you're a noble or not! A man of the Shiba Clan won't be intimidated by you like this!!" Ganju struggled to his feet and roared.