Chapter 69: Thousand Blades VS Thousand Cherry Blossoms

Swish!

Before Byakuya Kuchiki could recover his senses, even more fragments from Senkei rushed towards him.

Byakuya Kuchiki brandished the hilt of Senbonzakura, transforming large amounts of spiritual pressure into innumerable slender sakura-colored blades to meet Senkei's incoming fragments.

Boom!

Layers upon layers of sakura blade storms were shattered by Senkei's fragments. But under Byakuya Kuchiki's control, these countless blades continued converging as one to collide with Senkei's fragments.

However, while Byakuya Kuchiki focused his attention on Senkei's fragments, Ailin's figure had already approached him.

When Byakuya Kuchiki noticed Ailin, he had already raised the hilt of Senkei high up and brought it slashing down towards Byakuya Kuchiki.

Swish!

In the instant Ailin slashed down, the thousand fragments of Senkei rapidly tore through the enclosure formed by Byakuya's Senbonzakura blades, reassembling into the complete sword form as they sliced across Byakuya's body...

Shick!

Flicking the blood off Senkei, Ailin turned his head back, the corners of his lips curving slightly upwards. "Byakuya, this is your first weakness now. When your Zanpakutō's blade has all transformed into blades, your Senbonzakura loses the most basic melee attack and defense capabilities of a 'sword'. While you're manipulating Senbonzakura to attack, your own body is practically in an undefended state."

"Is that so? Then I must really thank Uncle Ailin for the reminder." Although there was an additional sword wound on his body, Byakuya Kuchiki didn't even frown.

He had gone through such injuries countless times over the past two months. Anyway, as long as he still had fighting strength left, Uncle wouldn't heal him. And Byakuya didn't feel like he needed healing when he still had the ability to fight.

Healing?

That was a privilege the victor could enjoy only after the battle ended. The loser would naturally have their soul enter the cycle of reincarnation to enjoy eternal slumber.

As for why Uncle didn't directly remind him and instead attacked him first before telling him, Byakuya Kuchiki understood as well. After all, what Uncle Ailin adhered to was "Teaching without pain has little gain, pain leaves a lasting impression."

Next, Byakuya Kuchiki began manipulating those Senbonzakura blades that flew out to re-coalesce them around the hilt, forming a new blade.

Only, the sword form condensed from the countless minute blades wasn't stable. Accompanying Byakuya Kuchiki's brandishes, there were still blades scattering everywhere.

Ailin didn't continue attacking either, allowing Byakuya Kuchiki to condense Senbonzakura's fragments into a sword form. This was a step Byakuya Kuchiki had to complete during his training.

The Senbonzakura Ailin created contained the combat experience from that Byakuya over two hundred years later stored deep within Ailin's memories.

After Bankai, Byakuya had a move that could gather a massive amount of blades around the sword form to strengthen his slashing power —Shūkei: Hakuteiken.

But due to Byakuya's lacking control in condensing Senbonzakura's billion over blades into a sword form after Bankai, he could not gather all the blades released from his Bankai onto the sword in his hand. He could only gather the remaining blades behind him to form wings that increased his charging speed.

If Byakuya practiced this move from now, then the might of his Bankai's Shūkei: Hakuteiken which had no wings could possibly rise by several times in the future.

...

"I've kept you waiting, Uncle Ailin."

After who knew how long, Byakuya Kuchiki finally completed the means of stably condensing Senbonzakura's blades into a sword form and once again invited Ailin to battle.

"Oh? Not bad."

Ailin looked at the Zanpakutō in Byakuya Kuchiki's hands. The blade was still emanating a cherry blossom glow.

"Then come!"

After speaking, Ailin flash stepped right in front of Byakuya, brandishing Senkei to slash at Byakuya.

Clang!

Sparks flew as the clashing sounds of Senkei and Senbonzakura resounded within the arena. Each collision would send some sakura-colored blades flying amidst the sparks.

This was because Byakuya Kuchiki's control over condensing Senbonzakura's blades into a sword form still wasn't adept enough. Each clash would shatter off a portion of Senbonzakura's blades.

However, gathering tens of thousands of blades into a sword form evidently boosted Byakuya Kuchiki's slashing power tremendously during each swing.

At least initially in Shikai, Byakuya could only be suppressed by Ailin whose strength was restricted. After re-condensing Senbonzakura's released blades into a sword form, he could now block Ailin's restricted attacks.

As their battle progressed, Byakuya's control over condensing the blades into a sword form continuously strengthened. Towards the end, Senbonzakura's blades would no longer be shattered by Senkei during collisions.

Clang!

Senkei and Senbonzakura clashed once more. Senbonzakura's cherry blossom blades pressed against the cyan Senkei covered in blue vein-like patterns.

Ailin wielded his sword one-handed, upper body perfectly upright. Byakuya dual-wielded his sword with both hands, upper body leaning forwards.

"Very good, Byakuya. Condensing Senbonzakura's tens of thousands of Shikai blades back into a sword form boosts your slashing power, indicating your control over Senbonzakura's abilities has reached a certain level. But don't forget that Senbonzakura's greatest might still lies in the innumerable quantity of blades!

The move you just used has you as the main offense supplemented by Senbonzakura's abilities. Have you ever considered that if you became the supplement to Senbonzakura's abilities as the main offense, what would that battle look like?"

Ailin grinned before shockingly, the vein patterns connecting the fragments on Senkei's blade suddenly fractured at the intersection with Senbonzakura's blades, making it seem as though Senbonzakura had cut through Senkei.

However, this Senkei that was sliced into two sections swiftly recovered into a complete form after passing through Senbonzakura's blades. It continued slashing down at Byakuya.

Shick...

***

"Hey, not bad Byakuya, much smarter now."

After recovering again under the Void Bandages' effects, Byakuya Kuchiki went looking for Ailin to continue training for the second phase. Only this time, Byakuya had evidently learned a new move.

"Scatter - Senbonzakura!"

Accompanying Byakuya's release incantation, his Zanpakutō transformed into innumerable slender sakura-colored blades swirling about.

Under Byakuya's manipulation, half of the tens of thousands of minute blades returned to the hilt, condensing back into his Zanpakutō's sword form. The remaining half of Senbonzakura's blades surged towards Ailin as mist under Byakuya's direction from his left hand.

Swish!

Facing him, Ailin didn't engage Byakuya in close combat this time. Instead, he split the Senkei in his hand into a thousand fragments of differing sizes that bombarded Byakuya like torrential rains under his control.

The earlier close combat was mainly to let Byakuya know of Senbonzakura's weaknesses after initial release as well as to have Byakuya complete the means of re-condensing the released Senbonzakura.

Now was the time Ailin taught Byakuya the correct way to utilize Senbonzakura.