Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero.

"They...are gone?" Madarame Ikkaku panted, wiping the sweat from his face, somewhat taken aback.

"It seems that Muramasa believes that with the power of Ryujin Jakka here, it is enough to trap or even eliminate us, and there is no need to waste these 'pieces' anymore."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi sneered, his eyes beneath the mask fixed on the direction where the Zanpakuto had disappeared.

"Or rather, he needs to focus his efforts on other things, such as... breaking the seal of Kuchiki Kyouga. The power of these Zanpakuto might be more useful over there."

This speculation sent a chill down everyone's spines once again.

Muramasa, carrying Byakuya Kuchiki and his materialized Zanpakuto, headed to the human world with his sights set on Kyoga Kuchiki. If he succeeded, the consequences would be unimaginable.

But they were trapped here, unable to move an inch.

Just as anxiety and a sense of powerlessness were rising again—

"Rumble rumble rumble..."

The ground beneath their feet, the parched and melted earth caused by the high temperature, suddenly trembled slightly but steadily.

The next moment, a figure wearing a white captain's haori walked up from beneath the cracked ground.

His once imposing beard was now somewhat disheveled, clearly indicating that he had suffered a tremendous impact in the instant the barrier shattered and Ryujin Jakka went out of control.

But his mountain-like, steady, and imposing presence proclaimed his identity—

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13!

"Commander-in-Chief!"

"Teacher Yuan Liuzhai!"

"Old Man Shan!"

Exclamations of surprise rang out simultaneously, tinged with a complex mix of relief and a sense of calm. Seeing the captain appear unharmed, everyone felt a little more at ease.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto slowly walked to the front of the group, his gaze never leaving the Ryujin Jakka, which was formed from his Zanpakuto, which had been with him for a thousand years and was filled with an aura of destruction, outside the barrier.

After a long while, he slowly spoke, not to explain to the people behind him, but more like talking to himself, addressing his out-of-control "old friend":

"Ryujin Jakka..."

"For thousands of years, no matter how powerful the enemy or how desperate the situation, you have always stood by my side and never left me."

Chapter 151 The Truth of Betrayal

"In battle, you are the karmic fire that burns away all evil, the sharpest spear that protects the Seireitei."

“In your spare time…” His tone suddenly became somewhat strange, carrying a calmness that seemed out of place in his current dire situation, “You will also help me a lot.”

Everyone: "...?"

Captain-Commander Yamamoto seemed lost in thought, and continued in that calm tone:

"In winter, the indoor temperature is cold. Simply lighting a fire in the fireplace will warm you up considerably, saving you a lot of firewood and charcoal."

"The sweet potatoes roasted with your flames are always crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with just the right heat. They taste much better than those heated by the Ghost Path."

"Sometimes when I'm working late into the night and want a cup of hot tea, I'll call you out and have you boil some cold water..."

"..."

A deathly silence enveloped the interior of the wall of flames.

Kyoraku Shunsui's lips twitched slightly, and his face under the straw hat looked somewhat stiff.

Jushiro Ukitake suppressed his cough and looked at him strangely.

Shiba Isshin opened his mouth, looked at the burning "Shanyue" in his hand, and then at the world-destroying fire giant outside the wall of flames. His expression was quite interesting.

Even Gin Ichimaru, who had always been expressionless, seemed to widen his narrowed eyes by an extremely subtle arc.

Liuchuan also seems to be "analyzing" this information.

Roasting sweet potatoes? Boiling water? Keeping warm?

Using the "strongest fire-type" Zanpakuto... to do this?

Considering that Muramasa's ability was to amplify the "dissatisfaction" of Zanpakuto, and Ryujin Jakka's violent and out-of-control behavior, full of the desire to "break free"...

In an instant, a realization dawned on everyone's mind.

No wonder... the mighty "strongest fire-type," one of the witnesses and creators of Soul Society's thousand-year history, was so easily "swayed" by Muramasa and caused such a commotion...

So, after all this time, the root of the problem is here!

Even a Zanpakuto has its dignity! Fighting powerful enemies is its duty, its honor! But you've used it as a errand boy for thousands of years?!

Who wouldn't have a little "temperament" in this situation? Normally, they wouldn't dare to lash out because they're intimidated by you being the master.

As a result, Muramasa amplified the "dissatisfaction"... Well, the resentment that had been accumulating for thousands of years was instantly ignited, and they rose up in rebellion!

This reason... although it's outrageous, upon closer inspection, it's actually kind of "reasonable"!

Captain-Commander Yamamoto seemed oblivious to the fascinating expressions and inner monologues of those behind him. He continued gazing at the fire giant, his voice filled with deep regret and self-reproach, as he sighed:

"It was my oversight that I relied on your strength without truly understanding your feelings and used you for trivial matters."

However, the fire giant outside the wall of flames only responded with an even more ferocious roar!

Clearly, the ignited discontent and yearning for freedom had long overshadowed the millennia-long friendship and this belated apology.

As Captain-Commander Yamamoto watched the merciless attack, the last glimmer of hope in his eyes dimmed.

He knew that words could no longer rouse the out-of-control Ryujin Jakka.

Upon realizing that Ryujin Jakka was completely out of control, a near-common sense thought flashed through the minds of many of the captains present, almost reflexively—

Attribute advantage/disadvantage.

Ryujin Jakka, the strongest of the fire element, incinerates everything. Theoretically, the most effective way to counter the ultimate "fire" is the ultimate "ice" or "water".

The strongest known ice-type Zanpakuto in Soul Society is—

"Hyōrinmaru!"

Everyone's gaze instinctively turned to the short, silver-haired boy in the crowd—

The third seat of the 10th Division, Toshiro Hitsugaya.

Hitsugaya Toshiro felt the gazes gathering around him, but his face remained expressionless as he gripped the Hyōrinmaru at his waist.

He could feel that his Zanpakuto at his waist was making a sound full of fighting spirit under the pressure of Ryujin Jakka's violent flames, and the blade was emitting a trace of coldness, automatically resisting the high temperature from the outside world.

Hyōrinmaru's spiritual pressure is stable and pure, unlike many other Zanpakutō, which showed signs of being influenced by Muramasa's abilities or betraying him.

"Hitsugaya's Hyōrinmaru... seems to be alright?" Ukitake Jushirō said with a hint of surprise.

Hyōrinmaru's ability to remain stable amidst such a large-scale Zanpakutō rebellion is truly remarkable.

"Hmph, as expected." Mayuri Kurotsuchi chuckled softly, his eyes sweeping over Toshiro Hitsugaya.

"Based on my speculation, Hitsugaya Toshiro's Zanpakuto, Hyōrinmaru, was deeply involved in the 'Royal Seal' out-of-control incident."

The power level of the King's Seal is extremely high, and the resulting disruption of souls and rules is much stronger than that of Muramasa.

Hyōrinmaru's sword spirit was once corrupted and out of control by the power of the royal seal during that incident.

Having undergone that level of 'contamination,' the stability of its soul structure and its resistance to 'interference from external will' have probably been raised to a considerable degree.

It's not surprising that Muramasa's abilities have limited effect on Hyōrinmaru, or might even be completely ineffective.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi's explanation, though delivered in an unsettling tone, sounded reasonable.

Many of the captains present had heard of the power of the King's Seal. It makes sense that Hyōrinmaru developed "resistance" after undergoing that kind of test.

With elemental advantage and the Zanpakuto in a stable state... it seems that Toshiro Hitsugaya and his Hyōrinmaru are the best candidates to break the "fire-burning city" and fight against the out-of-control Ryūjin Jakka at this moment?

This thought arose in everyone's minds, bringing a faint glimmer of hope.

However, this glimmer of hope only lasted a moment before being quickly overshadowed by the more realistic gloom.

Everyone's gaze lingered on Hitsugaya Toshiro's still slender figure and his young, even childlike, face, and the hope in their eyes was gradually replaced by a helpless shake of their heads.

too young.

This is a fact that no one can ignore.

Hitsugaya Toshiro is a genius, and his potential is beyond doubt. Hyōrinmaru is indeed the "strongest ice-type" with unlimited potential.

But... potential is not the same as immediate combat effectiveness, and even geniuses need time to grow.

How long has it been since he graduated from the Shinigami Academy?

Can his accumulated spiritual pressure, combat experience, and exploration of the deep power of his Zanpakuto, especially... the level of completion of his Bankai, compare with those veteran captains?

Not to mention, what they are facing now is Ryujin Jakka, which is known as the "strongest fire type" and whose master, Captain-Commander Yamamoto, admits is difficult to control!

Even though Hitsugaya Toshiro's Hyōrinmaru has a type advantage, is the "ice" power it can currently unleash really enough to freeze Ryūjin Jakka's powerful "flame"?

I'm afraid... it's just a drop in the ocean.

Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro exchanged a glance, both seeing the same judgment in each other's eyes.

They admired this young, genius Grim Reaper, but were also keenly aware of the current gap in strength between the two sides.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto stared silently at Toshiro Hitsugaya, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

He understood the terror of Ryujin Jakka better than anyone else, and he also understood the true composition of a captain's strength.

He saw the determination and eagerness in Toshiro Hitsugaya's eyes, and he also saw Hyōrinmaru's indomitable fighting spirit. But...

“Third Seat Toshiro…” Captain-Commander Yamamoto began slowly, his voice steady.

"I have seen your determination and fighting spirit, but the power of Ryujin Jakka is no small matter."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the unspoken meaning was already clear.

Toshiro Hitsugaya stood there quietly, looking at his hand holding the sword.

He knows his limits better than anyone else.

He possesses the "strongest ice-type" Zanpakuto, Hyōrinmaru, has mastered Shikai, and has even made a preliminary attempt at Bankai.

However, his Bankai is far from complete, and his power is far from reaching the true peak of Hyōrinmaru.

His total spiritual pressure did not reach the level of a captain, and his combat experience was even more lacking.