Chapter 267 267 Give Me Some Respect
"..."
"You are... a member of the Shiba Clan..."
"Then my earlier behavior was truly discourteous..."
"Since you are a member of the Shiba Clan... I cannot let you leave alive!" Byakuya stated gravely.
With Byakuya's pride, he disdained killing a lowly, insignificant underling. However, after learning Ganju's identity, it was different.
Although the Shiba Clan had declined, they were still one of the former Five Great Noble Houses. Byakuya, who always valued noble honor, couldn't help but view Ganju in a higher light because of the Shiba name, deeming him worthy of dying by his hand.
Then, Byakuya drew his Zanpakuto, pointing the tip upward, holding it vertically before him.
"What is he doing? He's so far away..." Watching Byakuya's action, Ganju couldn't help but feel puzzled.
"No! Nii-sama!!" From afar, upon seeing this, Rukia instantly understood what Byakuya intended to do.
But Byakuya paid no heed to Ganju's confusion or Rukia's cries.
"Scatter, Sen..."
Whoosh!
A figure suddenly appeared behind Byakuya, directly reaching out and grasping the blade of Byakuya's Zanpakuto.
Crackle...!
A bone-chilling cold emanated from the hand holding Byakuya's blade. Then, the Zanpakuto, which was about to split into countless tiny blades, was instantly frozen, covered in a thick layer of ice crystals.
Seeing the thick layer of ice on his Zanpakuto, Byakuya couldn't help but narrow his eyes.
"Yare yare, is it necessary to release your Zanpakuto against someone so weak, Byakuya?" the newcomer said.
"Ha..."
Seeing the blue ice crystals on his Zanpakuto, Byakuya didn't need to look back to know who had arrived.
In the entire Soul Society, only one person could instantly freeze a Captain's Zanpakuto, preventing its release… the Vice-Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 and Captain of the 10th Division, Hitsugaya Toshiro.
Then, Byakuya used his Reiatsu to shatter the ice on his Zanpakuto, looking displeased at Toshiro. "What is the meaning of this, Toshiro?"
"Forgive where forgiveness is due, Byakuya," Toshiro advised.
"Ca... Captain Toshiro!" Seeing Toshiro suddenly appear here, Rukia exclaimed in surprise.
"Yo! Rukia. Haven't seen you in a few days. You look a bit thinner. Are you okay?" Toshiro waved a greeting to Rukia not far away.
"Hey! Toshiro, why are you stopping me from killing him?" Watching Toshiro casually greet Rukia, Byakuya frowned.
"Byakuya... if you want to stop them from rescuing Rukia, just arrest them, right? Why insist on killing? As a peace-loving Shinigami, I must say, life is priceless. Killing casually is not good..." Watching Toshiro preach his principles, Byakuya remained unmoved, only staring expressionlessly at him.
"...Alright. The real reason is... he's from the Shiba Clan," Toshiro said helplessly.
"The previous Captain of our 10th Division was the head of the Shiba Clan's branch family. Captain Shiba and I were close friends. Although Captain Shiba has been missing for many years, I must show some consideration for the Shiba Clan. Otherwise, if Captain Shiba returns one day and finds out his nephew died... how would I explain it to him?"
"So... Byakuya, give me some respect and spare him," Toshiro said.
"Hmph!" Byakuya snorted coldly but sheathed his Zanpakuto, showing no further intention to act.
"Yo! Toshiro, Byakuya, hello there!" At that moment, Ukitake also arrived suddenly.
"Jushiro, weren't you recuperating? Why come here?" Toshiro asked.
"I heard Aizen was suddenly killed, and you and Genryusai-sensei jointly issued the Level One State of Emergency. How could I rest peacefully and do nothing at a time like this? So I planned to go to the 1st Division to see the situation. On the way, I suddenly sensed Byakuya's Reiatsu, so I hurried over to see what was happening," Ukitake explained to Toshiro.
Then Ukitake looked at Byakuya. "Speaking of which... Byakuya, I saw from a distance earlier. You were about to release your Zanpakuto, weren't you? How can that be? Have you forgotten? Releasing a Zanpakuto in the Senzaikyu is a Level One prohibited action. Even though you're dealing with intruders..."
"This is under the Special Wartime Order, which already permits Zanpakuto release," Byakuya explained before Ukitake could finish.
"Special Wartime Order? Is the Ryoka Invasion truly that serious?" Ukitake asked, surprised.
"Could it be Aizen's death is also because..."
However, at that moment, an immense Reiatsu suddenly emanated.
Feeling this suddenly appearing powerful Reiatsu, everyone except Toshiro, who had expected it, couldn't help but be shaken.
"This... this Reiatsu... what is it?!"
"It's Captain-level! But it's unfamiliar! Who is it? Where did it come from?" Ukitake said, startled and uncertain.
Hanataro exclaimed joyfully, "This... this Reiatsu feeling..."
Rukia said incredulously, "Could it be..."
'Should I say 'as expected of the protagonist'? He hasn't even learned Bankai yet, but his Reiatsu has already reached Captain-level,' Toshiro thought to himself, impressed.
Although the person hadn't appeared yet, Toshiro knew… Kurosaki Ichigo had arrived!
Whoosh!
A figure suddenly flew up from below the bridge.
Everyone looked up to see the newcomer wearing a device with a single wing on his right hand, hovering in mid-air. Then, the person flipped in the air and landed beside Rukia.
Seeing the newcomer, Rukia, with a complex expression, was about to speak, but the person directly passed by her and walked over to Hanataro.
"Yo! You alright, Hanataro?" Ichigo said.
"I'm really sorry for telling you to go ahead earlier. I didn't expect you to get so scared. And... where's Ganju?"
"Oh... right... Rukia... I came to save you." Ichigo glanced at Rukia awkwardly, then said as if casually.
Judging by Ichigo's demeanor, one might think he came to save Hanataro and was 'incidentally' rescuing Rukia.
Rukia looked at Ichigo with a complex expression… surprise, worry...
"Hey! What's with that look? I came all this way to save you. You could at least act a bit happier," Ichigo complained loudly.
"You idiot!"
Tears welled up in Rukia's eyes. "I told you not to come... if you... if you came after me, I'd never forgive you!"
"Look at all these injuries... idiot!" Seeing Rukia about to cry, Ichigo felt somewhat flustered.
"Geez, if you want to scold me... you can do it later however you want..."
Ichigo turned to face Byakuya, who stood with Toshiro and Ukitake. "Right now... I have to... defeat him first!"