Chapter 382 - 381: Suzumushi Hyakushi – Grillar Grillo!
Because Tousen Kaname was blind, he could not see the changes in Masco’s appearance. But through his spiritual sense, he could clearly feel the difference. Masco’s reiatsu, which had been weakening under Enma Kōrogi, suddenly swelled with force, heavy and oppressive.
"The last resistance?" Kaname murmured calmly.
He was not surprised. Even an ant would struggle at the edge of death—how much more so a Sternritter? Masco was no ant. His strength, especially when empowered by James’ cheer, had been formidable.
But Kaname had also noticed something the moment he activated Bankai. When Masco was dragged into the barrier, his power dropped drastically, as though part of him had been cut away.
Tousen Kaname, former captain of the Gotei 13, knew this better than anyone. Blindness had forced him into sharper awareness. To rise from a sightless boy to captain of the Ninth Division had required more than talent—it demanded precision, calculation, and above all, a heart that could read beyond what eyes could see. Where others relied on vision, he relied on instinct, sound, pressure, and the subtlest vibrations of spirit.
Now, he understood what had happened.
"That man... could it be his strength is bound to the support of others? And because of my barrier, his source of power has been isolated?"
The realization steadied Kaname’s resolve. Even with Masco’s Vollständig opened, Kaname remained cautious, but the rhythm of the fight was already tipping in his favor.
Masco, however, did not know any of this.
His senses of sight, sound, smell, and even spiritual perception remained gone. Not even the Vollständig restored them. In the void of Enma Kōrogi, he was still blind to his opponent.
But he refused to despair.
"So what if I can’t see you? You’re still here! And if I can’t target you directly, then I’ll crush your world instead!"