Mei took a steadying breath, feeling the raw power of her Shunkō: Hyōten (Frostbite) began to encase her in a frosty aura. With a swift Shunpo, she appeared in the midst of the enemy group, their eyes widening at her sudden proximity.
As the remaining attackers converged on their position, Mei's expression turned steely. She gave Hui a nod, and in an instant, Hui was already moving, preparing to lock down the area with a kidō barrier. With swift precision, Hui raised her hand, her voice clear as she intoned the spell:
"Bakudō #26: Kyokkō! (Curved Light)"
A shimmering field of light quickly expanded around them, creating an almost invisible barrier that isolated the battlefield. The barrier subtly distorted the air within, effectively cloaking them from external senses and ensuring the confrontation would remain contained.
Once enclosed, Mei's reiatsu surged, and she activated her technique, "Fubuki." The corridor transformed into a raging snowstorm, a controlled blizzard fueled by her reiryoku, the air thick with bitter cold and icy flakes. The enclosed space amplified the snowstorm's effects, and the barrier allowed Mei to expend less reiryoku, letting her wield the technique longer and with greater precision.
The attackers, momentarily stunned by the freezing winds and biting frost, moved to attack, but Mei anticipated them. With a calm precision, she initiated "Kōri no Mai" (Dance of Ice). Her form split into multiple illusionary copies, each one moving seamlessly with the storm. These icy clones scattered around the area, making it nearly impossible for the attackers to discern the real Mei from her illusionary counterparts. "Kōri no Mai" (Dance of Ice) unlike "Hyōga Kassō" (氷河滑走, Glacial Glide) didn't require any movement but rather just created mirages due to the reflections on the ice crystals.
Blinded by the snowstorm and dazed by the cold, the attackers found themselves striking at illusions, each blade passing harmlessly through icy air or shattering a clone that reformed moments later. Mei's true form continued to weave through them, unhindered, her reiryoku intensifying as she maintained both the snowstorm and her icy doppelgängers.
The reiki of her snowstorm invaded the attackers' bodies, creeping into their veins, chilling them from the inside out. Some fell to their knees, their limbs seizing up as frostbite took hold, their skin paling and eyes widening in horror as they felt themselves freezing alive. The relentless cold slowed their movements, and when an attacker succumbed to the icy reiki, Mei would glide by, shattering them with a swift strike. Ice shards filled the air with each blow, glittering like deadly confetti in the storm.
One by one, the number of attackers dwindled. Their bodies shattered like fragile sculptures, falling into pieces that littered the ground. Thirty-two had entered the fight, but when Mei finally felt her reiryoku deplete, only eight remained, each of them barely able to stand, their faces pale and eyes glazed from the brutal cold they'd endured.
The moment Mei's reiryoku ran dry, she staggered, her Shunkō aura flickering out. She caught herself, breathing heavily, her body nearly spent. But she had done her job—what was left of the enemy force was crippled, their resolve shattered.
Hui stepped forward, lowering the kidō barrier and stepping in front of Mei. "I'll take it from here," she said, her voice hard as steel.
The remaining eight attackers, trembling and weakened, could barely put up a fight as Hui closed in. Her movements were swift and calculated, and though she didn't summon a weapon, her strikes were merciless. Each blow was a calculated punishment, landing with the full force and deadly calculated precision of her hakuda training.
The eight attackers fell, one by one, their bodies collapsing in broken heaps. Blood stained the icy ground, and fractured bodies lay scattered throughout the passage. Hui's face remained stoic as she straightened, brushing off her hands.
The area now fell silent. Hui exchanged a nod with Mei. "Good work," she murmured, acknowledging Mei's effort with a look of respect.
Mei, though exhausted, gave a faint nod in return, her usually cold eyes reflecting a small glimmer of relief. She looked over to Yuichi, who had been observing the last of the battle. "That should leave eighteen left," she said, her voice quiet but steady.
But before any of them could catch their breath, a series of quiet footsteps echoed from the shadows. From all sides, the remaining eighteen attackers emerged, surrounding them in a tight, menacing circle. The attackers' faces were obscured by the purple hoods of their robes, but the malice in their eyes was unmistakable.
Yuichi's hand tightened on the hilt of his zanpakutō. He was drained, his reiryoku far from full, and Mei was barely holding herself upright after the intense effort of maintaining Fubuki. Hui, though still standing strong, had expended considerable energy dealing with the last group.
The leader of the remaining attackers, a tall figure with an aura of authority, stepped forward, his voice cold and mocking. "Impressive, really. You've taken out most of our forces. But now that you're exhausted, do you truly believe you can handle the rest of us?"
Yuichi glanced at Mei and Hui, his eyes narrowing. He could see the toll the battle had taken on them. Mei's hands trembled slightly, a telltale sign of her drained reiryoku, and Hui, though stoic, had a slight bruise forming along her jaw from a stray blow she'd taken earlier. They were formidable, but he knew they were close to their limits.
Yuichi took a step forward, forcing himself to stand tall despite his own exhaustion. "You really think we'll give up just because you've got us outnumbered?" he taunted, a smirk playing on his lips. "We've already taken out most of your friends. You're just the leftovers."
The leader's eyes narrowed, his expression hardening. "You'll regret those words."
In a flash, the remaining attackers closed in, weapons drawn, their movements synchronized with deadly precision. Yuichi, Mei, and Hui found themselves engaged in an all-out brawl, their skills and reflexes pushed to the absolute limit.
Yuichi met the first attacker head-on, his zanpakutō clashing against his opponent's blade with a sharp, metallic ring. Each strike sent jolts of pain through his already battered arms, but he gritted his teeth and pushed forward, refusing to give an inch. He maneuvered skillfully, weaving around blows and retaliating with swift, precise slashes.
Beside him, Mei moved like a shadow, her ice-cold gaze never wavering. Though her reiryoku was nearly depleted, she fought with an intense focus, using her blade with a lethal precision honed through years of training. She parried a strike, spun on her heel, and delivered a powerful blow that sent her opponent staggering back, blood splattering the floor.
Hui's movements were a blur as she struck with brutal efficiency, each blow delivered with calculated force. She focused on targeting weak points—throats, knees, joints—taking down attackers with swift, disabling strikes that left them crumpling to the ground.
Despite their combined efforts, the relentless onslaught of the eighteen attackers began to take its toll. Yuichi felt his limbs grow heavier with each passing second, his vision blurring as fatigue clawed at him. Mei's breathing was ragged, her once graceful movements growing strained as she struggled to keep up. Hui, though still holding her ground, had taken several hits, her movements slightly slower than before.
As the eighteen attackers emerged from the shadows, their expressions twisted with malice, Yuichi, Mei, and Hui readied themselves for what felt like a final stand. Their bodies were bruised, battered, and nearly drained of reiryoku, but they had no choice but to fight.
However, a sudden surge of powerful reiatsu filled the air, sharp and focused. Byakuya stepped forward, his gaze icy and unyielding as he drew his zanpakutō, Senbonzakura. Without hesitation, he spoke its release command, his voice calm but resonant.
"Scatter, Senbonzakura."
In an instant, Senbonzakura's blade shattered, splitting into a thousand slender, blade-like fragments. The countless fragments glinted in the faint light, reflecting like cherry blossom petals as they floated, ethereal yet deadly, around Byakuya. With a slight movement of his wrist, he directed the petals toward the attackers, his face remaining as composed as ever.
The attackers were momentarily stunned, staring in shock as the sea of "petals" swarmed them. Each fragment moved with precision, cutting through flesh and armor alike, leaving shallow but numerous wounds. The attackers recoiled, trying to shield themselves, but the blade fragments were relentless, slicing through their defenses with elegant efficiency. Cries of pain echoed through the corridor as eight of them fell, unable to withstand the assault.
But the attackers weren't finished yet. One of them pulled out a small, dark-colored sphere and hurled it directly at Byakuya. Instantly recognizing the threat, Byakuya recalled the blade fragments, commanding them to swirl around him like a shield. The fragments formed a protective barrier just as the bomb detonated, filling the air with a blinding flash and a shockwave that shook the corridor.
The blade fragments absorbed most of the blast, shielding Byakuya from serious harm. However, the attack forced him to hold his position, momentarily disabling his ability to use Senbonzakura offensively. Seeing this, the remaining attackers regrouped, sensing an opportunity to overwhelm them.
Before they could make a move, however, a new presence made itself known. In a blur of movement, Lady Yoruichi appeared, her golden eyes sharp and her posture relaxed but exuding raw power. Without a word, she vanished from sight, only to reappear directly in the midst of the attackers.
With precise, lightning-fast movements, Yoruichi struck, her fists and feet moving in a blur as she employed hakuda and shunpo with masterful skill. To Yuichi, Mei, and Byakuya, it appeared as if she had attacked all eight remaining enemies simultaneously. Each strike landed with crushing force, incapacitating her targets before they even had a chance to react.
The last of the attackers crumpled to the ground, unconscious or worse, and the corridor fell silent once more. Yoruichi straightened, dusting off her hands with a satisfied smirk. She glanced over at Byakuya, her expression carrying a rare note of approval.
"Looks like I came back just in time," she said, a small smirk playing on her lips as she looked them over, noting their battered forms.
"Nicely done, Byakuya," she said, her voice carrying a hint of pride. "You handled yourself well."
Byakuya merely nodded, his face as composed as ever, though there was a faint hint of satisfaction in his eyes. He re-sheathed Senbonzakura, releasing his zanpakutō from its scattered state, and stepped back with the same dignified calm he always carried.
Yoruichi turned to Yuichi, Mei, and Hui, her smirk softening into a smile. "And you three—looks like you did more than just survive. I'm impressed."
Yuichi, exhausted but relieved sank to his knees the adrenaline finally fading, managed a small, tired grin. " Lady Yoruichi… perfect timing, as always. We couldn't have done it without the young lord here."
Mei and Hui exchanged glances, their exhaustion evident but softened by the satisfaction of having survived the brutal battle. They had endured the worst, and with Yoruichi's arrival, the ordeal had finally come to an end.