On the ground, a massive fissure stretched to the horizon, almost swallowing the entire street.
Explosive flames shot into the sky, and everything within reach turned to nothing.
Kūgo Ginjō stared unblinkingly at the flames ahead. This strike had unleashed more than his full strength, his most powerful attack ever.
He believed that even a captain-level Shinigami would be heavily injured from such a direct hit, if not worse.
However, as the dust settled, Tokikaze's unharmed figure appeared in his view. The only difference was that the hairpin holding his hair had disappeared.
The third step of the Shihōin stealth technique is Utsusemi.
When struck by the sword pressure, Tokikaze used Shunpo, sacrificing his hairpin to dodge the attack.
This was a technique he had developed during his leisure time.
Using the captain's haori as the sacrifice for Utsusemi always felt somewhat inappropriate.
After all, sewing a captain's haori took much time, making it impractical.
"How is this possible..."
Kūgo Ginjō seemed to have suffered a major blow. His previously high morale was instantly dampened, and he became dispirited.
"The gap between us can't be bridged by a sudden power boost."
Tokikaze brushed the dust off his haori, "This isn't a hot-blooded manga. There aren't that many miracles."
Taking advantage of the moment.
Kūgo Ginjō suddenly raised his head, flashing forward to Tokikaze, the Executioner's Cross slashing down with a force that tore through the air.
Boom!
Under the terrifying impact, the ground continuously exploded and sank, with countless fragments flying and deep fissures crisscrossing.
The original concrete ground was obliterated by the aftermath, replaced by a massive crater.
But despite causing such destruction, there was no joy on Kūgo Ginjō's face.
On the contrary, his expression was stiff and twisted.
As the dust cleared, a Zanpakutō shimmering with cold light was positioned in front, blocking the path of the Executioner's Cross.
The next moment.
A terrifying, overwhelming force surged from the Executioner's Cross, and before he could react, Kūgo Ginjō was sent flying.
He was like a football kicked with great force, soaring toward a distant building.
Boom!
The sound of collapse rang out again, and a multi-story building crumbled into ruins, burying Kūgo Ginjō.
Before Tokikaze could finish him off, Kūgo Ginjō emerged from the rubble, shouting angrily:
"Impossible! Even a Shinigami captain can't be this powerful!"
"When you come to the human world, your spiritual pressure is supposed to be limited!"
Kūgo Ginjō had obtained information from several Shinigami, knowing that Shinigami ranked lieutenant and above had their spiritual pressure limited to 20% when coming to the human world.
He prided himself on being the foremost Fullbringer, yet he couldn't defeat a captain with only a fifth of his spiritual pressure.
This was a severe blow to his pride.
After all, he had absorbed the spiritual pressure of dozens of Fullbringers and Shinigami.
Hearing this, Tokikaze's expression turned peculiar:
"The limiting seal only restricts lieutenants and captains. What does it have to do with the Kaname family?"
When Shinigami ranked lieutenant and above went to the human world, they had a limiting seal stamped on any part of their body with their squad's emblem, restricting their spiritual pressure by 80%.
Tokikaze had always understood this.
If the human world were too affected, the Soul Society would also respond accordingly.
After all, the Thirteen Court Guard Squads upheld guardians' name, so protecting the human world was their duty.
However, to Tokikaze, this practice seemed somewhat unreasonable.
The human world was fraught with dangers. Anywhere could open a Garganta, bringing out Gillians, Adjuchas, or even Vasto Lorde-level Hollows.
Such enemies might not be defeatable even at full power, with only a fifth of their spiritual pressure.
So, Tokikaze usually chose the Kaname family's Senkaimon when going to the human world.
Is he limiting his strength and putting himself in danger? No way.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto saw this and entrusted Tokikaze with this mission.
"Kaname family..."
Kūgo Ginjō hesitated. This unfamiliar term was beyond his understanding.
Through interrogating Shinigami, he had gathered much information about the Soul Society, but even ordinary squad members and seated officers knew little about the five noble families.
"Enough of this cat-and-mouse game."
Tokikaze raised his glowing Zanpakutō, signalling, "It's time for you to go."
With that, crackling lightning danced on the blade, exuding a strong sense of danger.
Kūgo Ginjō gritted his teeth, spiritual pressure surging again as he raised his giant two-handed sword, trying to resist.
However, a flash appeared from afar the next moment, and the blazing lightning struck down.
Splat—
The massive spiritual pressure barrier seemed like paper, instantly bursting into blood.
"You're kidding, right?"
Kūgo Ginjō's face twisted in extreme agony as blood flowed freely, "Just mere spiritual pressure...?"
"Die!!"
In his rage, the Executioner's Cross slashed forward.
At the same time, Tokikaze raised his Zanpakutō, blue-purple lightning erupting and coiling around the blade.
Raiden Burial!
The next moment.
Boom!
With the thunder's roar, the two blades collided mid-air, the loud explosion echoing throughout the abandoned warehouse area.
The Executioner's Cross shattered, its broad blade splitting cleanly, and the residual force hit Kūgo Ginjō's chest.
Blue-purple lightning consumed him in an instant, evaporating the blood the moment it splattered.
As his spiritual pressure vanished, Kūgo Ginjō's presence disappeared completely.
When the lightning receded, only a scorched patch remained on the ground, with no trace of a body.
"Seventh Seat Ishikawa, come clean this up."
Tokikaze sheathed his sword, calming the crackling arcs, his demeanour relaxed, clearly holding back.
Ishikawa Naoto, still shaken from the terrifying battle, only snapped out of it when he heard Tokikaze call his name. He hurriedly moved to the battlefield with Shunpo, carefully collecting the remaining traces.
At the edge of the abandoned warehouse.
A black cat in the shadows watched Tokikaze with golden vertical pupils, its feline face showing human-like contemplation...