Bab 237: The Attack

Soi Fon and Ailin exchanged a glance, their expressions hardening. After Kyōraku gave his subordinates a few instructions, the three captains sped off towards West Rukongai's 13th District.

…

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Crimson fireballs rained down from the sky, engulfing the Shiba Clan's estate in a fiery inferno. Kaien Shiba, clutching his wife, Miyako, emerged from the burning wreckage, his voice filled with panic.

"Kukaku! Ganju! Rukia!"

He had never imagined that a simple visit home, during a rare break with his wife and colleagues, would turn into a nightmare. The intensity of the attack, the sheer ferocity of the assault, left no doubt in his mind: Their enemies intended to annihilate the entire Shiba family.

"Kaien, I'm alright!"

Rukia Kuchiki's voice called out from the guest quarters. Moments later, she burst through the roof, leaping into the air and using Shunpo to land beside Kaien.

"Kaien, what's happening?"

"I don't know. We're under attack."

Kaien glanced at his wife, her eyes vacant, her expression haunted. His heart ached.

Seeing no sign of his younger siblings, Kukaku and Ganju, he hardened his resolve, handing Miyako to Rukia.

"Rukia, take care of Miyako. I need to get Kukaku and Ganju out of there."

"Kaien?!"

Rukia, holding Miyako in her arms, tried to speak, but Kaien was already rushing back into the burning building.

"Roar, Nejibana!"

As he chanted the command, his Zanpakutō transformed into a three-pronged spear.

Boom!

Kaien's spiritual pressure swirled around him as he spun the spear, summoning a torrent of water that cascaded over the burning house, extinguishing the flames.

"Kukaku! Ganju!"

He didn't release his Shikai. Instead, clutching Nejibana tightly, he charged into his siblings' bedroom.

"Third Seat, are you alright?"

Rukia, watching Kaien disappear into the wreckage, turned to Miyako, her voice laced with concern. Miyako was a mess, her face streaked with tears.

"I'm sorry, Kaien. I'm so sorry…"

"Third Seat, what are you talking about? What happened?"

"Sob… sob…"

Miyako, consumed by guilt, simply wept, offering no explanation.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

As Rukia tried to comfort Miyako, shadowy figures materialized around them, their palms glowing with crimson energy.

"Shakkahō!"

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Rukia, clutching Miyako tightly, used Shunpo to dodge the barrage of fireballs that exploded behind them.

"Damn it!"

She had never imagined that a simple trip to Rukongai would turn into such a chaotic ordeal. While it was clear that their enemies were targeting the Shiba family, she was caught in the crossfire.

Their relentless assault suggested they intended to silence all witnesses.

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!"

Holding Miyako with one arm, Rukia drew her Zanpakutō, instantly releasing its Shikai. She slashed a white energy wave towards the attackers, then leaped into the air.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Five assailants, seeing Rukia airborne, sped towards her.

A faint smile touched Rukia's lips. "First Dance - Some no mai, Tsukishiro!"

A large, white circle materialized on the ground, its circumference tracing the path of Rukia's previous energy wave.

Moments later, a blinding white light erupted.

When the light faded, a massive ice pillar, ten meters thick, pierced the sky, reaching towards the heavens. Within the ice, the five attackers were frozen solid, their expressions contorted in a mixture of surprise and fear.

"Fools. Sode no Shirayuki can freeze anything it touches. You stepped into the area I had already slashed. How foolish can you be?"

"Hadō #31 - Shakkahō!"

The remaining attackers, witnessing the fate of their comrades, seemed to recognize Rukia's threat. Two figures, cloaked in black, aimed their palms at her, launching crimson fireballs.

"Second Dance - Hakuren!"

Frigid air erupted from Sode no Shirayuki's blade, freezing everything in its path. Not only were the fireballs frozen mid-flight, but the two assassins who had launched them were also encased in ice.

Crash!

Rukia dispelled her Shikai. The two ice structures, "Tsukishiro" and "Hakuren," shattered, sending shards of ice raining down. The frozen fireballs and assassins, trapped within, were pulverized.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

With two more attackers dead, the remaining assailants realized they had encountered a formidable opponent. Six figures emerged from the shadows, their blades drawn, surrounding Rukia and Miyako.

The others continued their assault on the Shiba estate, unleashing fire-based Kidō spells, reducing everything to ash.

Two massive figures, battered and bleeding, fought desperately against four or five attackers. They were the Shiba Clan's retainers, the brothers Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko.

They were nearing their limit.

The remaining attackers stormed the Shiba Clan's ancestral shrine, intent on finishing off Kaien and his siblings.

Boom!

A final, deafening explosion erupted, sending flames soaring into the night sky. The Shiba Clan's estate, consumed by the inferno, was reduced to smoldering ruins.

…

"Such chaotic spiritual pressure… There's a battle up ahead!"

"And… Rukia's reiatsu?!"

Ailin, Soi Fon, and Kyōraku, rushing towards the 13th District, noticed a pillar of fire rising from the distance, accompanied by a surge of tangled spiritual pressure. It was a battleground.

To Ailin's surprise, he sensed Rukia's reiatsu within the chaotic mix.

"That's strange. Isn't Rukia stationed at the 13th Division? When did she come to Rukongai?"

Despite his curiosity, Ailin was more concerned about Rukia's safety. The spiritual pressures clashing up ahead were all at the level of seated officers and above. He turned to Soi Fon and Kyōraku.

"Soi Fon, Kyōraku, I've sensed Rukia's reiatsu in that battle. I'm going to head there first."

"Hold on, Captain Ailin! Are you looking down on us?" Soi Fon frowned, taking offense at Ailin's words. "While I may not be your match in terms of strength, I'm confident that my speed is second only to Lady Yoruichi!"

"Indeed, Captain Soi Fon is right," Kyōraku added, adjusting his straw hat, his expression turning serious. "When it comes to Shunpo, the 2nd Division reigns supreme. Captain Ailin, don't hold back. Show us what you've got. I may not be as fast as Captain Soi Fon, but I can keep up."

Ailin blushed, realizing his words had been insensitive. He had unintentionally implied that he was far faster than them, that their presence would only hinder his progress.

"My apologies. Let's head there together."

"Hmph!"

Soi Fon glared at Ailin, a grunt escaping her lips. Then…

Boom!

Her spiritual pressure erupted, forming two bolts of lightning that crackled behind her.

"Shunkō!"

With a flicker of light, Soi Fon vanished, leaving only a trail of afterimages.

"It seems Captain Soi Fon is taking this seriously. If I fall behind, those youngsters will never let me live it down," Kyōraku chuckled, unleashing his reiatsu. It formed a white streak that shot towards the battlefield.

Ailin sighed, watching them disappear. He had indeed spoken carelessly. To prove that they wouldn't be a burden, Soi Fon had activated her Shunkō, and Kyōraku had unleashed his reiatsu, pushing their speeds to the limit.

"Well, it's not a bad thing. The sooner they recognize the gap, the harder they'll train. "Perhaps this way, during the Thousand-Year Blood War, the Seireitei won't be pushed to the brink of collapse…"

With that, Ailin vanished, leaving only a faint ripple in the air.

Swoosh!

For the first time, he was using his full speed. In a few blinks, he overtook Kyōraku, then Soi Fon. They could barely register his passing, catching only a glimpse of his form before even their spiritual senses lost track of him.

"This…"

Soi Fon and Kyōraku exchanged a startled glance, their expressions filled with awe.

"His speed… It's beyond the range of my perception. Just how strong is Captain Ailin?"

Kyōraku was less surprised. He had already placed Ailin on par with Head-Captain Yamamoto. While this was the first time he had witnessed Ailin's full speed, it wasn't entirely unexpected.