"Alright, everyone, let's put aside other matters for now. Let's work together and focus on dealing with the enemy."
Rangiku said.
The baboon part of Zabimaru, however, looked hesitant. "But this Sword Beast can devour the Reiatsu of its enemies, and it works on Shinigami too. So it's better to leave it to us Zanpakuto. Besides, beings like the Sword Beast appeared because of us in the first place, so we should be the ones to..."
"Idiot!"
Renji suddenly shouted. "What are we to you! After everything that happened with Muramasa, don't you understand yet! Having only Shinigami or only Zanpakuto isn't enough. Only when Shinigami and Zanpakuto work together can we unleash our true power!!"
Upon hearing Renji's words, the Zanpakuto couldn't help but fall into thoughtful silence.
"Heh, it seems we were wrong this time, Renji."
Zabimaru, the pair who usually liked to contradict Renji, unexpectedly apologized to him.
Roooar—!!
Just then, Kirikaze, who had been bound by Kira's Kido, let out a loud roar, breaking the chains formed by the spell and freeing himself.
"Broke free so quickly?!"
Kira exclaimed in surprise.
Whoosh—
Kirikaze transformed into mist again, becoming a cloud of gray fog. But this time, his attack target wasn't the Zanpakuto, but the Shinigami present.
After all, compared to the Zanpakuto, who had little Reiatsu left and could barely maintain their materialization, the Shinigami, with their abundant Reiatsu, were naturally more attractive.
"Rukia-sama!"
Seeing the gray fog that was Kirikaze suddenly sweep towards Rukia, Sode no Shirayuki cried out in concern.
Swoosh
Rukia used Shunpo at full power, narrowly avoiding Kirikaze's attack.
"Rukia-sama, let me hel… what?!"
Just as Sode no Shirayuki was about to go to Rukia's aid, her body suddenly stiffened. She realized her entire form was beginning to become ethereal and transparent.
"Scatter..."
"Roar..."
As Sode no Shirayuki was unexpectedly unable to help Rukia in time, Senbonzakura and Zabimaru temporarily occupied Kirikaze.
"Sode no Shirayuki, are you alright?"
Rukia seized the opportunity to run to Sode no Shirayuki's side and asked.
"Rukia-sama, my Reiatsu... no, it's not just my Reiatsu. Everyone's Reiatsu is almost depleted."
Sode no Shirayuki looked at the other Zanpakuto and noticed that it wasn't just her own body becoming ethereal and transparent, but the others as well, especially Senbonzakura and the others who were currently fighting Kirikaze.
"Haah, haah, haah... Is this the end?"
After temporarily driving back Kirikaze, Senbonzakura leaned on his sword, gasping heavily.
"We can't hold on much longer either."
The bodies of Zabimaru were also becoming increasingly ethereal.
"Don't give up!"
Rukia suddenly said loudly. "We've already told you, you're not fighting alone. We're here with you!"
"Sode no Shirayuki, I will always be with you. So come, Sode no Shirayuki, let us fight side by side."
Rukia drew her Zanpakuto and held it horizontally in front of her, signaling to Sode no Shirayuki.
"Yes, Rukia-sama."
Sode no Shirayuki nodded. She stopped forcing herself to maintain her materialized form and transformed back into her blade, becoming glittering particles of light.
"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!"
"Next Dance, White Ripple!"
As soon as Sode no Shirayuki returned to the blade, Rukia immediately unleashed her Shikai and attacked.
Boom—!!
A powerful torrent of white freezing air slammed into Kirikaze like an avalanche.
"Crack..."
Kirikaze's body immediately began to freeze.
"Roooar!"
At the critical moment, Kirikaze directly unleashed the powerful Reiatsu he had accumulated by devouring many Zanpakuto.
Bang!
The ice that had just frozen Kirikaze's body was shattered instantly.
Although he hadn't yet reached Captain-class strength, Kirikaze's Reiatsu was at the peak of Lieutenant-class. Rukia alone was clearly no match for him.
Seeing this, the other Shinigami prepared to join the attack.
"Kazeshini!"
"Haineko!"
"Tobiume!"
"Wabisuke!"
At the Shinigami's call, the other Zanpakuto also began to return to their blades, just like Sode no Shirayuki.
"Reap, Kazeshini!"
"Lift Your Head, Wabisuke!"
"Growl, Haineko!"
"Blossom, Tobiume!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As Rangiku, Momo, Kira, and other Shinigami released their Zanpakuto, one spectacular attack after another, shining with various colors, rained down on Kirikaze.
Poor Kirikaze, though considerably stronger than the average Lieutenant-class, was still battered and bruised, left in a sorry state under the combined assault of so many Lieutenant-class opponents. He couldn't even use his mist form.
"Haha, leave the final blow to me!"
Renji laughed loudly.
"Bankai, Hihio Zabimaru!"
Boom!
Powerful Reiatsu erupted from Renji, and a strong whirlwind kicked up dust from the ground.
His Zanpakuto transformed into a giant earth-yellow serpent, composed of countless snake-bone joints, coiling around Renji.
"Ha!"
Renji shouted loudly, controlling the giant earth-yellow serpent to bite down on Kirikaze, who was seriously injured and trying to escape.
Whoosh—
In the howling wind, the giant earth-yellow serpent, under Renji's control, instantly lunged to the fleeing Kirikaze's side and opened its massive jaws to bite him.
"Roooar!"
Kirikaze braced himself against the serpent's upper jaw, trying to keep from being swallowed whole.
However, Renji's voice sounded again like a death knell.
"Baboon Bone Cannon!"
A crimson Reiatsu beam shot from the serpent's mouth.
Boom!
Kirikaze, caught directly in the path, had no way to dodge and was hit squarely.
When the dust from the explosion cleared, the poor Sword Beast, Kirikaze, had been blown to bits, leaving nothing behind.
"Well, well, that Sword Beast was really pitiful. A normal attack would have finished it off, but you even used Bankai, Renji."
Rangiku couldn't help but comment.
"Well, this way we can finish the battle faster."
Renji said.
"Sigh, everyone is really gone."
Nanao suddenly said with a sad expression.
Although she didn't have her own Zanpakuto, she unexpectedly had a very good relationship with her Captain's Zanpakuto, Katen Kyokotsu, especially Kyokotsu, who was like a sister or mother to her.
Now that Katen Kyokotsu had vanished, she might be even sadder than Kyoraku.
"Their materialization was all due to the influence of Muramasa's power. They were bound to return to normal eventually."
Kira said calmly.
"Loneliness and disappointment are unnecessary. They've simply returned to where they belong. If you want to see them, you can anytime, right?"
Rangiku smiled.
"Ah... I can feel it. Tobiume is right here. It's such a nostalgic feeling. Even if not in materialized form, they will always be with us."
Momo also stroked her Zanpakuto gently, her expression blissful.
"Well, things have finally come to a temporary end. Let's return to the Seireitei."
Rangiku said.
"Mm, Rangiku."
Momo nodded.
Then the group began their journey back to the Seireitei.