Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Execution

Chapter 38: The Execution

P.S. I skipped the boring parts. There was hardly anything funny, so I decided not to write them. Finishing Bleach as quickly as possible is the proper course.

The day of the execution arrived soon enough. It was to take place at the Hill of Twin Execution, using a soul-cutting sword known as the Twin Execution. It was said to possess power equal to a million soul-cutting swords combined, and upon release it transformed into a flaming phoenix. Though reputed to be worth a million blades, in Shuster’s eyes it was nothing more than an empty legend. He could personally guarantee that even if the Twin Execution pierced him several thousand times, he would remain unharmed—provided, of course, that he had enough demonic power.

Thus, the so-called “million blades” was merely an exaggeration, intended to make people fear the weapon before they committed their crimes.

Quite a few things had happened recently. Just as in the original story, events such as Captain Aizen’s death and Hinamori Momo’s furious attack had unfolded one after another.

Now, all the captains and vice-captains had gathered at the Hill of Twin Execution, waiting for the execution to begin. Even Commander Yamamoto was present.

Oh! Kenpachi Zaraki was missing. Had that fool gotten lost?

About ten minutes later, several men wearing white hats and carrying long white staffs approached. Walking among them was Shuster.

He wore a white execution robe, and his hands and feet were bound by circular restraints made of spirit-sealing stone. His face was expressionless as he quietly followed the members of the Demon Arts Corps. Without spiritual pressure, he could not summon his soul-cutting sword, and Lolita would not appear.

“So that’s the Twin Execution! I’ve been looking forward to this!”

Shuster gazed at the bizarre weapon, formed from a spear and a cross-shaped execution frame, with a trace of anticipation. Then he noticed Soifon’s worried expression and the absence of Renji Abarai. A faint smile curved his lips.

Shuster had arrived, and the execution began at once.

“Begin the execution!” one of the members of the Demon Arts Corps shouted.

Several of them stepped forward to remove the seals from the Twin Execution. At the same time, the men in white robes fastened Shuster’s body in place with white floating stones, then slowly lifted him into the air.

“Kuchiki Shuster, do you have any last words?” asked the chief of the Demon Arts Corps.

“Me?” Shuster smiled at the question. “I’m not going to die yet. Begin!”

The chief was speechless. He merely waved his hand.

On the other side, the unsealed Twin Execution transformed into a flaming phoenix and rose slowly into the sky. From a distance, it aimed its sharp beak at Shuster’s chest. Its wings beat violently, and its body suddenly accelerated. Its enormous form became a streak of crimson fire that tore across the sky and lunged viciously at Shuster.

Boom!

At that instant, a black figure suddenly appeared and blocked the attack directly in front of Shuster.

Soifon breathed a sigh of relief.

Everyone present froze in astonishment, but a smile appeared on Shuster’s face.

“You really came, brat! And you’ve even mastered your final release. Not bad progress!”

Shuster looked at Ichigo, who held a black sword, and felt the immense spiritual pressure radiating from him.

Clang!

Ichigo firmly intercepted the Twin Execution’s charge.

“Heh heh. If I really wanted to escape, no one here could stop me,” Shuster said with a faint smile as he looked at Ichigo standing within the flames.

“Are you talking nonsense, Shuster?” Ichigo asked as he stared at him.

“Heh heh. You deal with my big brother first. I’ll go down on my own.”

As he spoke, Shuster exerted a little force with both hands. The white floating stones shattered like pieces of tofu, and he landed steadily on the ground. Under everyone’s stunned gaze, he crushed all the spirit-sealing stones around his limbs.

“Ah, to be honest, these things are really uncomfortable. Don’t you agree, Big Brother?”

He rolled his wrists and addressed Byakuya Kuchiki, who was walking toward him with his sword in hand.

Byakuya said nothing. He merely glanced at Shuster before continuing toward Ichigo.

“Hey, Twin Execution! Weren’t you going to kill me? Come on!”

Ignoring Ichigo and Byakuya, who were preparing to fight nearby, Shuster called out to the flaming phoenix in the sky.

The Twin Execution let out a long cry and dove downward, its beak aimed directly at Shuster’s chest.

With all the captains watching in stunned silence, Shuster reached out and seized the phoenix by the beak. Then he tightened his grip with both hands.

Crack, crack, crack—snap!

Everyone present stared in shock.

“Really, you shouldn’t have used such a worthless piece of junk to kill me.”

Shuster lifted his head. Ignoring the shattered Twin Execution, he looked toward the captains, who were still frozen in disbelief.

“A monster... Is he a monster?” Captain Toshiro of the Fourth Division stammered.

“Look at his eyes!” Soifon cried out. She had first rejoiced at Shuster’s survival, but the moment she saw his eyes, her expression changed completely.

“What... what are those?” the others exclaimed.

Shuster’s eyes glowed with a crimson light. What kind of eyes were they? A single glance made one feel as though they had fallen into hell, as if countless ghostly hands were slowly dragging them toward an abyss.

“As for that,” Shuster said calmly, brushing aside the silver hair covering his eyes, “I merely obtained the thing Aizen had always wanted.”

“Aizen? Wasn’t he dead?” Soifon shouted.

“Let’s not discuss that yet. It seems there’s a problem over there.”

Shuster offered no explanation. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Ichigo and Byakuya.

“Over there?”

The captains and vice-captains turned toward the battlefield.

Boom!

Countless cherry blossoms surrounded Ichigo and slammed him violently into the ground.

“The essence of the Thousand-Blade Sakura lies in its omnidirectional, flawless assault, composed of nearly hundreds of millions of blades,” Byakuya said calmly as he looked at the injured Ichigo. “Your sword’s ability is indeed powerful, but you have only one blade.”

“Heh. That kid is pretty interesting. He actually wants to defeat a final release with an initial release. Does he think he’s me?”

Shuster looked at the soul-cutting sword that had transformed into Moonfang.

“Hm? Soifon, what’s with that look?”

Shuster noticed the strange expression on her face and turned toward her.

“Final... final release? You’re not joking, are you? How could that brat have learned the final release in less than a year?”

Soifon had voiced what everyone else was thinking. They had all somehow hypnotized themselves into forgetting Shuster’s final remark.

“Heh heh. Just keep watching,” Shuster said confidently.

Boom!

A pillar of spiritual power shot into the heavens before everyone’s eyes. At its center stood Ichigo Kurosaki.

“Well, what a prodigy. He mastered the final release in about half a year. Truly astonishing. Heh heh.”

Shuster’s expression showed no sign of astonishment whatsoever.

The surrounding captains, along with several people who had just arrived, were rendered speechless.

“How is this possible? There are only a handful of soul reapers who have mastered the final release. This man has only been a soul reaper for such a short time, and yet he actually...”

Byakuya raged inwardly.

“Big Brother! Do your best! Otherwise, you might die!”

Shuster shouted from the sidelines.

Toshiro and the newly arrived Yachiru learned what had happened and became just as speechless as everyone else.

The roar subsided. The pillar of spiritual power dispersed, revealing Ichigo standing before them in a black robe, a pure-black sword in his hand.

“Tch! You dare call something that small a final release? You who trample upon the dignity of all of us... Now, I shall make you pay the price for insulting our dignity!”

As Byakuya spoke, countless cherry blossoms surged toward Ichigo.

Silence.

Then more silence.

“What... what is that?”

Ichigo’s sword was pressed against Byakuya’s throat.

Everyone’s minds went blank. Not one of them had seen how it happened.

“It’s starting again! Heh heh. Let me show you just how powerful the people I trained really are!”

With amusement in his eyes, Shuster’s clothing instantly changed from the white execution robe he had worn at the beginning. He spread the wings of a fallen angel and flew into the sky, looking down upon the two combatants.

“That’s... Vice-Captain Kuchiki?”

Everyone looked up at Shuster. They had never seen a soul reaper fly before.

Could it be...

“Has he been hiding his true strength all along?!”

The terrifying thought appeared in the minds of everyone present.

“That’s right. Heh heh.”

Shuster watched the battle below with relish, summoned Lolita, then glanced at the people nearby.

“He’s a monster. He’s even more monstrous than that brat.”

Soifon stared at Shuster and Lolita flying through the sky.

The others were speechless, but they all nodded vigorously.

Below, Ichigo and Byakuya’s battle had already reached its climax. Yet the Thousand-Blade Sakura, which relied primarily on speed, could not keep up with Ichigo at all. Shuster and Lolita saw everything clearly.

To the spectators, however, all they could see were countless images of Ichigo surrounding and attacking Byakuya.

Blood sprayed through the air.

“I see. Your final-release ability gathers the entire combat power of your release into your own body,” Byakuya said, gripping Ichigo’s sword tightly in his right hand. His expression was somewhat twisted. “In that case, I’ll destroy it!”

“Oh dear, Big Brother’s angry! Heh heh. Go for it, Ichigo!”

Shuster and Lolita shouted together from above.

“This is the true form of the Thousand-Blade Sakura. It abandons all defense and offers everything to destroy the enemy...”

Thousands of blades formed four rows around Ichigo and Byakuya. Byakuya spoke calmly.

“You should feel honored. You are only the second person to witness my soul-cutting sword in this form. Now... let us begin.”

...

A few minutes into the clash, Ichigo’s entire body trembled as he watched Byakuya raise the Thousand-Blade Sakura and bring it down upon him.

Move! Move!

His heart screamed at him.

“It’s over... Kurosaki Ichigo!”

The blade descended.

Crack!

Ichigo raised his hand and crushed the attacking Thousand-Blade Sakura. Then he lifted his face, half-covered by a bone mask.

“What?!”

Byakuya’s eyes widened as he stared at Ichigo.

A slash faster than anything released by the final release struck Byakuya’s body.

Kurosaki Ichigo had become a Hollow.

P.S. Three more chapters until the end.