Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Unohana's figure continuously darted over the treetops, rushing into the distance.
Earlier, after eating a late-night snack and enjoying the moon with Toshiro, they were about to return to rest when Toshiro suddenly sensed Hyorinmaru's Reiatsu. He told Unohana and directly chased after it.
Unohana worried that Toshiro going alone would be dangerous, but before she could speak, Toshiro's figure flickered and vanished, going after Hyorinmaru.
Worried, Unohana immediately followed, but her speed wasn't as fast as Toshiro's, so she fell behind.
'Hmm? Is that Sode no Shirayuki?'
Unohana suddenly noticed a figure below.
'If Sode no Shirayuki is here, then Hyorinmaru should be nearby. And if Hyorinmaru is nearby, then Toshiro should be too.'
Unohana thought to herself.
Then Unohana noticed that the area for several spiritual miles around was a vast expanse of white. Everything was frozen, transformed into a world of ice.
'It seems Toshiro is not far ahead!'
Thinking this, Unohana paid no attention to Sode no Shirayuki below and again sped forward.
"That's Captain Unohana Retsu of the 4th Division... Another person from the Gotei 13 has come..."
Sode no Shirayuki watched Unohana fly past and murmured to herself.
"I wonder how the fight between Hyorinmaru-sama and Hitsugaya-sama is going..."
Earlier, Toshiro had also flown past above Sode no Shirayuki. Not long after, she sensed the collision of their Reiatsus. Their battle was very fierce, and Sode no Shirayuki had specifically retreated further.
But just now, Sode no Shirayuki suddenly noticed that the clash of Reiatsus between Toshiro and Hyorinmaru seemed to have stopped. Based on her speculation, their fight should be over.
However, Sode no Shirayuki didn't know who had won, because for some reason, both Toshiro's and Hyorinmaru's Reiatsu Fluctuations had suddenly disappeared.
Then Sode no Shirayuki waited for a while, but neither Hyorinmaru nor Toshiro came by.
Logically, no matter who won, one of them should have come. If Hyorinmaru won, she should come to tell Sode no Shirayuki to leave with her.
If Toshiro won, he should also pass by here, because Sode no Shirayuki's location was on the only path from this area back to the Gotei 13. That's why both Toshiro and Unohana happened to see her when they passed.
"Both Hyorinmaru-sama's and Hitsugaya-sama's Reiatsus have disappeared. Who won between them? Could they have mutually destroyed each other? No, no, the victor must surely be Hyorinmaru-sama."
Regarding the battle between Toshiro and Hyorinmaru, Sode no Shirayuki clearly leaned towards Hyorinmaru winning.
For no other reason than that Hyorinmaru, as a Zanpakuto, could better exert her own power. Her strength was even slightly greater than Toshiro's at his peak.
And Toshiro, having lost his Zanpakuto's power, was greatly weakened. Although his overall strength was still powerful, even stronger than many Captains, he couldn't compare to his peak state. So losing to Hyorinmaru was highly likely.
"What should I do now? Should I go over and take a look?"
She glanced at the battlefield, several spiritual miles away, where Toshiro and Hyorinmaru had fought.
"But if I go over and, by any chance, Hyorinmaru-sama and Hitsugaya-sama have stopped fighting and are just talking, interrupting them abruptly would definitely incur Hyorinmaru-sama's reprimand, right?"
"And Captain Unohana Retsu of the 4th Division just went over. If it turns out Hyorinmaru-sama lost, with my strength, whether facing Hitsugaya-sama or Unohana Retsu, I wouldn't be a match..."
"Should I take this opportunity to escape right now? Neither Hyorinmaru-sama nor Hitsugaya-sama is here at the moment. If I escape now..."
Sode no Shirayuki was only forced to stay by Hyorinmaru's side as a 'maid' due to her authority. In her heart, she still leaned more towards the Zanpakuto Faction led by Muramasa.
However, after some thought, Sode no Shirayuki ultimately abandoned the idea of escaping.
Yamamoto and Ryujin Jakka were sealed. Toshiro had lost his Zanpakuto's power and was greatly weakened. Without a doubt, Hyorinmaru was now the 'number one expert' in the Soul Society.
Moreover, Hyorinmaru was the Strongest Ice-type Zanpakuto, naturally countering Sode no Shirayuki. If she chose to escape now and encountered Hyorinmaru later, she would absolutely have no good outcome.
"Never mind. I'll just do nothing and wait here obediently..."
Whoosh!
Unohana's figure flickered and appeared on the battlefield between Toshiro and Hyorinmaru.
"Hmm?"
Unohana scanned the battlefield but found no trace of Toshiro or Hyorinmaru.
"Judging by the remaining traces, this should be the battlefield between Toshiro and Hyorinmaru. But why are neither of them here? Have they already left?"
Unohana wondered.
"Eh?"
Unohana suddenly looked in surprise at a huge stone tablet inscribed with the character for 'Swastika'.
"This stone tablet seems to be formed by the Finale - Fully Prohibited Great Seal of Bakudo #99..."
Unohana exclaimed in surprise.
Even Unohana herself hadn't mastered Bakudo #99. As far as she knew, the only Shinigami who definitely mastered both Hado #99 and Bakudo #99 was Yamamoto. But he should be sealed.
So, among the remaining people in the Soul Society, the one most likely to have mastered them was Toshiro. Judging by the traces on the scene, the combatants were undoubtedly Toshiro and Hyorinmaru.
And Hyorinmaru clearly didn't know Kido. Even if she did, it was unlikely she could use level 99 Kido.
"Toshiro's Kido is this powerful? It seems he is Yamamoto's equal in all aspects."
Unohana praised.
"But where is Toshiro now?"
Thump!
The huge stone tablet inscribed with 'Swastika' suddenly shook.
"There's someone under the tablet!"
Unohana quickly walked over to the huge stone tablet and tried to move it.
"Ha!"
Unohana shouted, using all her strength and Reiatsu to shift it.
Bang!
With Unohana going all out, the huge stone tablet was pushed aside with a crash.
But this was only because the tablet had lost the support of Toshiro's power and was greatly weakened. Otherwise, even if Unohana went all out, it would be very difficult to move it. After all, it was Bakudo #99.
However, the scene revealed after moving the tablet shocked Unohana.
"Wha... what!"
Under the tablet, Hyorinmaru knelt there, her hands on the ground, firmly protecting Toshiro beneath her.
Moreover, Hyorinmaru seemed to have directly borne the impact of the huge stone tablet. Her back was stained red with blood, and her arms and legs were bent unnaturally, clearly indicating severe fractures.
Sensing the huge tablet pressing on her had been moved, Hyorinmaru turned her head to look at the suddenly appearing Unohana.
Seeing Hyorinmaru's face, Unohana was even more shocked. Hyorinmaru was bleeding from seven orifices, her appearance showing signs of a severe impact. She looked nothing like the former Ice Queen.
"Uno... Unohana Retsu? You came just in time... Quickly... quickly save Toshiro..."