Sōkyoku Hill. Wild winds raged.
Under the moonlight, all the storms seemed to glow with a sharp, pale white light.
And this light illuminated the pupils of everyone surrounded within.
Howling sounds echoed throughout the night sky.
Whether Soul Reapers or Zanpakutō, everyone was caught in the storm.
Just then, that elusive spiritual pressure began quietly emerging.
This aura was extremely strange. When first sensed, everyone felt it was within reach.
But the next moment, it became distant—as if positioned at the crescent moon's edge!
Though the Soul Reapers besides Shigure found this aura somewhat unfamiliar, all the manifested Zanpakutō froze in this moment.
They couldn't possibly forget this aura.
This was Candle Dragon!
Not long ago, in the cave where they'd hidden, Candle Dragon had attacked without restraint.
They couldn't forget this aura!
Moreover, if what Candle Dragon said before was true, then now...
Everyone at the storm's center already had Candle Dragon's blade at their throats!
She controlled the wind. Which meant she controlled this entire space!
Realizing this, all the manifested Zanpakutō's expressions grew even graver.
Before, though Candle Dragon said her target was Segawa Shigure and she wouldn't interfere with Muramasa's plans...
She was now suddenly appearing in this extremely conspicuous manner.
Her purpose had become confusing again.
So the manifested Zanpakutō didn't dare be careless. They all gripped their blades tightly and began gathering spiritual pressure.
Though this couldn't defend against Candle Dragon's unpredictable attacks, it was the only method to calm themselves.
Only their blades could keep them composed.
Meanwhile, the Soul Reapers opposite, originally quite unfamiliar with this aura, felt somewhat puzzled.
But seeing the grave expressions on the Zanpakutō's faces, they suddenly froze.
Then, in an instant, from beneath the crescent moon, a tremendous pressure descended!
BOOM!!
Sōkyoku Hill's ground, in this instant, was forcibly compressed and shattered once more!
Below the storm, sand and dust scattered.
And those at the storm's center felt suffocating!
This oppression prevented even basic smooth breathing!
This moment, whether Soul Reapers or Zanpakutō, their eyes simultaneously filled with shock.
The Soul Reapers felt surprised because even now, they still didn't know whose spiritual pressure this was.
Though they had suspicions, they didn't dare confirm.
And the manifested Zanpakutō, though already knowing it was Candle Dragon's aura—this spiritual pressure's oppression far exceeded before!
"Is this merely spiritual pressure?"
"Or wind pressure?"
No one knew.
But without exception, their breathing became extraordinarily slow and difficult!
All this continued for nearly ten breaths before suddenly stopping.
Because just then, beneath the crescent moon, a white figure suddenly appeared.
Without any aura shift, without any sound, she appeared there so quietly.
But the instant she appeared, she drew every gaze.
This moment, even the bright moonlight seemed to pale before her.
A girl wearing loose white haori, tied with a pale yellow sash at her waist, wind-thunder-cloud patterns drawn on the hem.
Her silk-like light blue hair radiated beautiful iridescence under the moonlight, hanging long to her waist, the ends touching her hips.
And on those strands, dense spiritual pressure now gently surged.
Undoubtedly, this was the aura everyone below had sensed earlier.
Now she stood in the sky, gently lowering her head, eyes slightly narrowed as she looked down.
On her fair and beautiful face hung a gentle smile, like the brilliant light surrounding her, seemingly refreshing to behold.
Yet all the Soul Reapers froze in this moment!
Even Shigure's eyes briefly startled.
This moment, everything in the world seemed to dim and disappear.
Even the roaring storm completely quieted.
And all the Soul Reapers just stared upward blankly.
Now they no longer needed to identify her through spiritual pressure.
Because the girl's enormous, dazzling wind-thunder wings spread behind her already proved her identity beyond doubt!
And that suffocating spiritual pressure and wind pressure just now came from her Zanpakutō's power!
Realizing this, all the Soul Reapers completely froze.
Though the surrounding spiritual pressure and storm vanished, the oppression the girl's appearance brought them now far exceeded before!
Just seeing those wings, they instinctively recalled the situation from two days ago.
When facing Aizen merged with the Hōgyoku, the final Bankai Shigure displayed was exactly this magnificent form!
Whether the oppression or these wings' appearance—identical in every detail!
Now, no one needed to explain. Her identity was obvious.
She was...
The manifested Candle Dragon!!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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