Revenge

"Cough... cough... cough..."

Kifune Kirikaze lay on the hospital bed, groaning softly, seemingly regaining some consciousness.

The frail, hunched old man's face was ashen, his entire right side severely injured, half his body drenched in blood.

His right leg and arm were reduced to mere stumps.

Fujimiya Makoto furrowed his brow slightly.

The other captains watched coldly.

Kirinji Tenjiro waved his Kannonbiraki, and the crimson hot spring water retracted from Kirikaze's body, turning into swirling mist in the air.

By the time he sheathed his sword, Kirikaze's wounds and blood on his right side had completely healed, and the massive wounds on his severed limbs had stopped bleeding.

"This is the best I can do for now."

Tenjiro wiped the moisture from his shoulders, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth: "If you have anything to say, now's the time."

"I'll have to take this troublesome old man back for deeper treatment soon."

"Hmm."

Yamamoto nodded slightly, his expression cold as he approached the bed and patted Kirikaze's face.

"Awake?"

"Ah, my poor old limbs…"

Kirikaze glared resentfully at Genryūsai, feigning sorrow on the bed.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya chuckled beside him: "Don't worry, your limbs are in the human world."

"Hitsugaya, do you want to feel what it's like to have your heart eaten by bugs?"

Kirikaze dared not offend Genryūsai, but he had no qualms about threatening Hitsugaya.

"Old man, don't think I won't slap you just because you're in bed." Hitsugaya's strength was uncertain, but his aura was formidable.

However, whether it was Hitsugaya or Kirikaze, they both fell silent at Genryūsai's cold rebuke.

The captains of the 13 Divisions weren't here to listen to their bickering.

Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's face darkened as he questioned: "I sent you to probe the strength of the Wandenreich, but how did you lose the entire expeditionary force in the human world, Kirikaze?"

In truth, his suspicion was understandable.

Before Kirikaze joined his ranks, he was a notorious bug master in the Soul Society, infamous for sacrificing humans to feed his Zanpakutō and increase its power.

Hearing the entire expeditionary force was annihilated, Yamamoto's first thought wasn't about the Wandenreich's strength but whether Kirikaze had misused his subordinates.

To these irrational killers, any trust was an insult to their pride.

However, this time, it truly wasn't his doing.

Sensing Yamamoto's suspicion, Kirikaze, lying on the bed, guessed his thoughts and forced a toothless smile:

"...Genryūsai, we may have encountered real trouble this time."

"Hmm?"

Yamamoto frowned instinctively.

Kirikaze exhaled slowly: "After arriving in the human world, I quickly found the leader of the Wandenreich."

"Or rather, he never intended to hide his identity."

"Do you know... what he claims to be?"

"What?" Yamamoto was annoyed by his slow pace but restrained himself.

However, Kirikaze's next words stunned him.

"His name is Yhwach."

"He claims to be... the son of the Soul King."

The moment these words were spoken, the room's atmosphere froze.

The next moment, Ayasegawa Yamajirō burst into laughter.

"Ha!"

"Son of the Soul King?"

"Then I must be the Soul King's father!"

"Does he think saying so makes it true?"

Not just him, everyone present, after the initial shock, wore expressions of disbelief.

These killers had no reverence for authority.

To them, the Soul King and Soul Emperor were meaningless.

Only strength could make them bow.

Though no one spoke up like Yamajirō, they all shared similar thoughts.

However, Kirikaze wasn't finished.

"I think it's not impossible."

"What? Are you scared by him, old man?" Hitsugaya scoffed, "How can you boost a mere human's pride at a time like this?!"

Kirikaze sighed softly: "Do you know how many moves it took for him to reduce me to this state?"

His wrinkled face twitched as he said:

"Three strikes."

"The first two were probes."

"By the third, I was already like this."

"..."

The room fell silent again.

As comrades, despite conflicts and occasional sparring, no one truly underestimated another's strength.

Kirikaze was once a renowned warrior in West Rukongai, his power firmly at the 2nd-seat level, with a unique Zanpakutō ability.

Ordinary opponents might defeat him.

But to utterly crush him like this required far more than ordinary strength.

Especially with such overwhelming dominance…

Even Hitsugaya, usually at odds with Kirikaze, fell silent.

If he fought with all his might, his strength was comparable to Kirikaze's.

If Kirikaze could only withstand two strikes…

Then he might…

It wasn't just him.

Every captain present had a rough estimate of their own strength.

After hearing Kirikaze's account, their expressions grew grave, and their hearts sank.

No one spoke.

Only Yamamoto and Fujimiya Makoto remained calm.

Noticing Makoto's composure, Yamamoto nodded in satisfaction and continued:

"Son of the Soul King?"

"If he's the Soul King's child, why attack the world his father created?"

"Did he give a reason?"

Kirikaze shook his head slightly: "He said... it's for 'revenge.'"

"But I don't understand what he means."

"Genryūsai, do you know something?"

At these words, Genryūsai's expression stiffened, as if recalling something.

"Revenge…?"

The moment he heard the word, Yamamoto's mind flashed with the image of the figure sealed within the Soul King's crystal palace.

He fell into thought.

If that was the case, the 13 Divisions alone might not be enough.

After his battle with Ōetsu Nimaiya, though unwilling to admit it, Yamamoto had reached his 'limit.'

The gap between his limit and Ōetsu, who wielded a fraction of the Soul King's power, was clear to Yamamoto.

"..."

"Let's adjourn."

"For now, leave this to the Soul King's palace."