"These treasures belong to me now."
Ren Kuro smiled as he said it.
"…What?!"
The guards aboard the ship were stunned.
Rob the Heavenly Tribute meant for the Celestial Dragons?
Was this man insane?!
Their faces darkened at once. Swords were drawn, rifles raised, and muzzles locked onto Ren Kuro, Gin Ichimaru, and Byakuya Kuchiki. The captain of the guard stepped forward and pointed toward the flag hanging from the mast.
"Take a good look at that banner," he said coldly. "Everything on this ship belongs to the Celestial Dragons. By acting against it, you are already offending the World Government!"
"So what?"
Ren Kuro only smiled. He wasn't moved in the slightest.
"If you steal from the Celestial Dragons, the Admirals will come after you. Or do you really think you can escape a Marine Admiral's pursuit?" the guard captain said, putting extra force into every word.
To him, Admirals were the embodiment of justice itself.
Other than monsters like Whitebeard and the handful of emperors who ruled the seas, who wouldn't fear a Marine Admiral?
"Oh my… Marine Admirals?"
Gin Ichimaru narrowed his eyes, and something chilling flickered beneath his smile.
"You mean those people whose arms I cut off not long ago?"
"…Wait, did I hear that right?" The guard captain froze, then turned toward the others behind him. "Did he just say he cut off a Marine Admiral's arm?"
"I think that's what he said."
"Yeah, I heard it too."
"Is he joking?"
The guards looked at one another, and after a brief silence, burst into mocking laughter.
They sneered openly, not taking a single word seriously.
A Marine Admiral losing an arm?
How could something that absurd possibly happen?
"Gin Ichimaru, looks like they're ignoring you." Ren Kuro's lips curved upward slightly. Apparently these guards still hadn't recognized who they were.
"Oh dear. Seems my fame still isn't enough."
As Gin spoke, he had already quietly drawn his Zanpakutō.
"Let me handle this."
Byakuya Kuchiki, who had remained silent all this time, finally spoke.
"To look down on a captain of the Gotei Thirteen… that only proves they have never witnessed true power."
His eyes sharpened.
Reiatsu surged from his body.
Gripping his Zanpakutō in both hands, he spoke with cold authority.
"Scatter… Senbonzakura."
The moment the release command fell, the blade of Senbonzakura burst into blinding light.
But unlike an ordinary pale-blue glow, this radiance was a soft, elegant pink.
The light enveloped the sword.
Then the blade began to distort, fragment, and dissolve—
until it transformed into countless tiny blades drifting around Byakuya like cherry blossoms.
The sword itself disappeared completely.
In its place remained a storm of delicate petals.
At the same time, a vast surge of Reiatsu erupted outward, as though those endless blossoms were about to swallow the entire sky.
Cherry blossoms drifted through the air in a mesmerizing dance.
It was beautiful enough to leave anyone breathless.
"What is this…?"
The guards stared up in shock, the brilliance nearly forcing them to shut their eyes.
"Open fire! All of you!" the guard captain shouted without hesitation.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The ship's full firepower erupted.
Hundreds of bullets tore toward Byakuya.
"You still think struggling matters? It won't."
Ren Kuro didn't move an inch.
He had no concern at all.
The beautiful blossoms surrounding Byakuya were, in truth, made of countless microscopic blades. Anyone caught inside would be carved apart as though subjected to ten thousand cuts.
"In slaughter, they bloom—like flowers in the dawn." Byakuya calmly raised a hand and caught one of the drifting petals in his palm. His voice was cold and distant. "That is the power of Senbonzakura's Shikai. As you can see, each blossom is a blade."
His gaze remained indifferent.
"When facing Gin Ichimaru's Shinsō, you might at least have a brief moment to prepare yourselves. But when surrounded by an uncountable number of blades…"
"…you have no chance at all."
The moment the words fell—
the storm of blossoms swallowed every bullet whole.
Shh-shh-shh—
Where the petals passed, the air warped and split, and the sharp hiss of slicing steel rang endlessly through the air.
"It's over."
Byakuya raised his hand.
Then his fingers clenched.
In that instant, the blossoms exploded into motion.
They scattered in every direction, each petal carrying enough force to pierce through flesh and bone alike.
There were no screams.
No resistance.
When the sea of blossoms finally cleared, only corpses remained on the guard ship.
Every last guard had fallen in a pool of blood, their faces frozen in despair and disbelief.
"Oh my, it's over already? Captain Kuchiki, you really don't hold back."
Gin Ichimaru smiled as he teased him.
"There was no need to waste more time."
Byakuya's reply was as cold as ever.
When dealing with large groups, Senbonzakura could indeed display its greatest strength.
"Well then." Ren Kuro stepped forward and onto the ship in a single motion. "Everything on this vessel belongs to us now."
He paused.
"Still…"
"If we openly seize the Heavenly Tribute, the Celestial Dragons are bound to go mad over it, aren't they?"
He walked to the entrance of the cargo hold and looked inside.
Mountains of treasure were piled high within, glittering under the light.
A playful smile curved at his lips.
"With three captains standing together…"
"…even a Marine Admiral would have a hard time leaving alive."
One Day Later
Marineford — Fleet Admiral's Office
"What a headache…"
Sengoku pressed a hand to his forehead and let out a long, weary sigh.
"The Heavenly Tribute was actually stolen…"
When the news first reached Marine Headquarters, he hadn't even wanted to believe it.
After all, offending the Celestial Dragons was the same as directly opposing the World Government.
Very few people would dare take a risk that insane.
Buru-buru… Buru-buru…
Just then, the secure Den Den Mushi on his desk began screaming like mad.
Already prepared for what was coming, Sengoku let out another sigh and picked up the receiver.
"Sengoku," came Kong's voice from the other side. "You understand the consequences if this matter is mishandled, don't you?"
The caller being Kong was exactly what Sengoku had expected.
Something this big had happened. The fact that Kong had even left him a little time to prepare was already generous.
"Yes," Sengoku replied immediately. "I'll handle it properly."
He had served under Kong for too many years to need any further explanation.
"Good. The Five Elders—and the heads of the Celestial Dragon families—are all watching how this is handled. Take care not to fail."
Kong knew Sengoku didn't need useless lectures right now. After the warning, he ended the call.
Sengoku slowly put the Den Den Mushi back down.
Then, in a burst of fury, he clenched both fists so tightly that the veins on his arms bulged.
"Pass the order."
"Tell Akainu to come see me at once!"
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