Chapter 359: Katen Kyōkotsu: Karamatsu Shinjū (2)
"Though truthfully... to die together? I haven’t lived enough!"
Despite being relentlessly bombarded by the continuous barrage of Gran Rey Cero, and even taking a direct hit from Mazuru himself, Kyouraku Shunsui—captain of the Eighth Division—remained standing, albeit barely. His expression was pale, almost ghostlike, his body riddled with injuries and caked in blood. Yet, even in this state, his eyes held unwavering clarity.
He looked at Mazuru, who now staggered under the burden of shared trauma, and exhaled slowly.
"Although this ability allows me to reflect my injuries onto you." Shunsui muttered, "The tragedy is—it’s hard to actually die from it."
A weak chuckle escaped his throat. "The first stage... it’s only to let you feel the pain I’ve endured."
As his words faded, he raised both of his bloodied blades again.
"Nidanme — Zanki no Shitone (Second Act — The Pillow of Shame)!"
His voice echoed like a verdict handed down by the gods.
The space around them distorted slightly, the darkened hue of the Bankai realm deepening to a pitch-black gloom. A pressure unlike before descended—one that carried not just weight, but guilt.
"Because of you." Shunsui intoned, his voice almost grim, "I was grievously wounded. Seeing me like this... you felt remorse. That remorse manifested as a terminal illness... and so, you became bedridden."
It was a bizarre, almost ridiculous narrative—yet within this enchanted Bankai realm, the story became law.
Mazuru’s body suddenly seized up. His knees buckled as if crushed beneath invisible force. With a violent thud, he collapsed onto the bloodstained ground. Dark, necrotic-looking blotches erupted across his body like a spreading curse. Blood spurted from the diseased marks, forming rivulets that stained the pale sands of Hueco Mundo.