Chapter 141: Bankai: Ichion Enpo
Four people facing off.
In the most literal sense possible: three against one.
No matter how you looked at it, nothing about this arrangement had anything to do with "even." This was what Matsushita Yusuke was currently facing.
Could he win?
Tosen's question from a moment ago was still circling, hadn't fully settled.
Honestly, not much confidence. But saying that out loud would do nobody any good.
So.
Give it everything.
No other option.
"Leaving this guy to the three of you is fine, right?"
Kensei looked left, toward where Tosen was standing. His own squad member, who had ambushed him without warning and caused what happened to him and Mashiro.
Squad 9's captain. The rage was past containing.
Rojuro and Love exchanged a glance, reached a quick conclusion.
Two against one. Also our advantage. No need to overthink this.
"No. Hold on."
Before Kensei had taken half a step, Matsushita Yusuke swung his blade, releasing a translucent slash arc that cut off his advance.
"I'd rather not repeat myself. Your opponent is me."
The rewards can't just walk away. If the headcount drops any further, what's the point of this whole run?
"Tch..."
Kensei's patience was visibly at its edge. His brow pulled hard. Veins stood out at his temple.
"You're in such a hurry to die, I'll knock you out first!"
Kensei roared, stepped forward.
"You two stay out of it. Give me one minute. I'll take him apart!!!"
That sounded thoroughly irresponsible.
But the other two quickly defaulted to agreement.
The reason was simple. An intel gap made for hesitation, and hesitation made for restraint. Since Yusuke had already openly betrayed Soul Society, the Zanpakuto abilities he had previously shown might contain elements intended to mislead.
Both of them knew Hirako well. Which meant both of them knew there existed in the world special Zanpakuto capable of distorting others' perception and creating sensory confusion.
Situation unclear. Moving in rashly could backfire.
So: watch carefully, analyze the current state. Once the picture was clearer, move fast and suppress Yusuke. Then link up with Hirako and bring down Aizen.
Simple strategic framework. Didn't need to be spoken out loud to be understood. These were Gotei 13 captains at the tactical ceiling.
As for Yusuke's end of things.
As long as Tosen stayed out of it, this one-against-three process would run as planned.
And more than that.
This "one-on-one" with Kensei right now actually worked in his favor.
A rare opportunity.
With everything unspoken but understood, the moment of ignition arrived.
"Ban-kai!"
BOOM!!!
The reiatsu that had been straining at its limits collapsed like a dam, falling outward in an instant, the pressure it released enough to make the air flinch.
The reiatsu mass surging skyward pierced the night in a single moment, forming a pillar of light that could not be ignored.
As the final technique of a Shinigami, this act was the literal ultimate measure.
CLANG!
Fierce winds coiled around his body.
From somewhere in the metallic clash and impact of the release, Kensei's figure emerged. The storm had condensed around him, pressing close like a second skin. His face was twisted, expression savage.
"Tekken Tachikaze!"
His original Zanpakuto was gone. In its place: a large knuckle blade gripped in each hand, curved silver edges tapering to outward points. Segmented bands of armoring wrapped up the length of both arms, extending behind him and arching over, connecting in a solid ridge across his back. In a certain sense, the shape read more like an exoskeleton than standard combat equipment.
Watching Kensei call out the Bankai name with full force and fury, Matsushita Yusuke took it in, and the expression that crossed his face was something close to wistful.
In canon, this man had ended up as a unit of measurement. But you had to admit.
The release looked genuinely cool.
This was it. Bankai was just something you had to yell at the top of your lungs. That was the whole experience.
So how should he answer it?
Matsushita Yusuke made his decision in a fraction of a second.
"I've wanted to do this for a long time. But thinking about it now... I'm not sure I've ever actually had a real opportunity to yell it this loud."
Deep breath. Turn sideways. Head up.
He drew his Zanpakuto, holding it in a reverse grip, and watched everything across the distance with a steady, calm expression.
"Then. My turn."
Compared to Kensei's surging battle intent, Yusuke's response was flat to the point of silence, as quiet and unhurried as water with nowhere to rush.
Completely different state of mind. Completely different release.
The effect it had, the quality of the moment it produced, was naturally also in a completely different direction.
With Yusuke at the center, visible reiatsu transformed into something like flowing water and spread outward in an instant.
Rojuro and Love, already taut with focus, both stepped back simultaneously, putting distance between themselves and the spreading field.
A spread-type Zanpakuto... might be able to construct something like a barrier framework?
Kido-type... no, what we have so far isn't enough to form a specific read.
Need more observation.
Then, without warning, Rojuro's voice cut through.
"The injured! Hey, Love! Where are Hiyori and Lisa?!"
The two vice-captains lying on the ground. Mashiro had been moved earlier by Kensei, but these two who had gone down afterward had slipped through the cracks of everyone's attention.
Unavoidable. All focus had been on Yusuke. But these two had already lost the ability to move. If nothing was done, they would easily end up swept into the battle range.
Kensei might hold back slightly. But Yusuke might use them as leverage.
Love turned to look.
He found that the two who had been unable to move had both been relocated by Tosen.
The blind man turned toward Yusuke and gave an OK with his hand.
Yusuke, understanding without needing to be told, let out a short quiet laugh. Reiatsu surged around him. Azure bands of light crept outward and covered his entire form in an instant.
Not wanting to be disturbed by outside parties. That went for Matsushita Yusuke as well.
In that single moment, it felt as though he was standing at the bottom of a sea of reiatsu.
"Ban-kai."
Kido-type Zanpakuto, release.
"Ichion Enpo."