Chapter 77 - A different level

Sorry that I wasn't able to upload last week, we got some missiles and mortar shells shot at us and that developed into something that didn't exactly allow me time to write... I hope you enjoy the chapters

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"Rukia...?" The man said with a hint of surprise entering his monotone voice. 'I feel a headache coming,' Ryu sighed as he could sense that some drama was about to occur.

"Commander!" Rukia greeted Nadare.

Rukia was a slim and petite young woman with a height of around 145 cm (4'9").

Rukia had short, black hair that was styled in a spiky bob cut. Her hair was straight and shiny, framing her face in a way that highlights her sharp, delicate features. Her skin was pale, giving her an ethereal-like look.

Rukia had large, violet-colored eyes that were framed by long, thick eyelashes. Her nose was small and pointed, while her lips were thin and delicate.

Rukia wore the same Shinobi uniform that all the Protectors wore, and she had her hand on her sheathed Zanpakuto, ready to fight immediately if needed

Rukia's Zanpakuto was a stunning sight to behold. The blade looked as if it was made from pure, polished steel, with a sharp edge that could cut through anything in sight. The sword's hilt was adorned with intricate, ornate designs, featuring delicate curves and complex details that caught the light in mesmerizing ways.

The blade was straight and slender, with a subtle curve near the tip to aid in slicing and stabbing. The length of the blade was approximately a meter (3 feet) long.

The hilt of the Zanpakuto was wrapped in white silk, with elaborate details woven into the fabric. The pommel was made of polished silver, with an ornate design that complemented the elegance of the blade. The guard was simple yet elegant, made of polished white gold and adorned with a delicate snowflake motif.

The most striking feature of the Katana, however, was its snow-white color. Like a blank canvas, the pure white of the blade gave off an ethereal aura that matched Rukia's, making it seem almost too beautiful to use.

The blade was perfectly balanced, with a weight that felt both substantial and effortless at the same time. In the hands of a skilled swordswoman like Rukia, it was a fearsome weapon capable of taking down even the most formidable opponents.

The sheath or Rukia's Zanpakuto was an exquisite work of art that matched the blade in its looks, designed to protect and showcase the beauty of the blade.

The sheath was made of Yggdrasil wood, which has been polished to a smooth and glossy finish. The wood was dyed in a soft white shade to complement the sword's elegant appearance. The sheath's shape matched the outline of the sword's blade, with a slightly tapered form towards the tip.

The surface of the sheath was adorned with intricate engravings of a snowflake motif, highlighting the weapon's graceful theme. The engravings were carved deep enough to provide a tactile texture, but not too deep to weaken the sheath's structure.

The sheath's fittings were made out of polished silver, and were decorated with additional snowflake designs, which complemented the sword's hilt and guard.

The sheath's opening had a thin strip of blue silk lining on the inside, which provided a soft, protective surface for the blade. Additionally, the sheath was secured with a matching white silk cord, which would wrap around the hilt of the sword.

"What's the situation?" Nadare inquired once again. "As I stated in the report, these Shinigami say that due to the high-survival rate in the 60th and onward districts, the balance of souls has been tilted. They want to massacre innocent souls here to fuel the cycle of reincarnation. Nothing changed ever since I informed you," Rukia reported.

"I see," Nadare said as he turned to the man standing in front of Rukia. "I hope you know we cannot allow you to murder souls under our protection," Nadare stated with a firm tone.

"Unfortunately, that is not for you to decide. However, I am willing to go to another district if you hand over that girl," the man said as he pointed at Rukia.

"...Excuse you?" Rukia said in shock. "Those are my terms," the man said as he calmly rested his hand on his Zanpakuto. "And why should we do that? Who are you to even make such a demand?" Nadare said with an angry tone.

"My name is Byakuya Kuchiki, captain of the 6th division. Will you accept my terms?" The now-identified Byakuya said as a wave of anxiousness spread over the troops of the Protectors. What was a captain? Someone who was recognized as one of the most powerful Shinigami in the Gotei 13.

But although Nadare and the rest didn't know how powerful these captains were, they had trust in Ryu's words that they would win if a fight broke out.

"We refuse. Rukia is not some object that you can take as you like. And if you try to kill another soul here, we will have no choice but to retaliate," Nadare said without hesitation. "I see. Very well," Byakuya replied as he lunged forward to attack Rukia. Of course, he didn't mean to harm her, only launch her out of the fight. But to his surprise, his sword strike was blocked. And thus the fight between the two began.

Rukia quickly counterattacked with a stab toward Byakuya's torso. However, just as Rukia's blade was about to strike, Byakuya sidestepped and countered with a swift strike of his own. Rukia managed to parry the attack, but she was pushed back by the force of the blow.

Rukia retaliated with a series of quick strikes, her sword dancing through the air in a flurry of slashes. Byakuya blocked each strike with a stoic face, his sword moving with a smooth and effortless motion.

With a sudden burst of speed, Rukia lunged forward, her sword aimed at Byakuya's chest. Byakuya calmly deflected the attack and countered with a swift slash aimed at Rukia's leg. Rukia managed to jump back just in time, narrowly avoiding the blow.

The fight continued in this manner, with Rukia and Byakuya exchanging blows in a deadly dance of swords. Rukia's movements were fluid and unpredictable, while Byakuya's were controlled and precise. Despite their different styles, both of them appeared to be evenly matched, and neither seemed to gain the upper hand.

After several minutes of intense fighting, Rukia managed to land a glancing blow on Byakuya's shoulder. Byakuya grunted in pain but remained focused. He retaliated with a swift and powerful strike aimed at Rukia's chest. Rukia barely managed to block the attack, but the force of the blow sent her stumbling backward.

As Rukia regained her balance, Byakuya charged forward, his sword aimed at her right arm. Rukia quickly sidestepped and countered with a swift strike of her own, aimed at Byakuya's neck. Byakuya managed to block the attack, but not completely as a barely visible cut appeared on his neck.

With a sudden burst of energy, Rukia unleashed a powerful combo of strikes, aimed at Byakuya's midsection. Byakuya managed to block each strike, but the force of the blows was starting to take its toll. Especially on his Zanpakuto.

The difference between quality when comparing Rukia's and Byakuya's Zanpakuto was simply too wide. As the fight went on, Byakuya's Zanpakuto began to chip away as it simply couldn't handle the clashes with a weapon of that magnitude.

Sensing that she had an opening, Rukia lunged forward, her sword aimed at Byakuya's heart. Byakuya avoided the attack and countered with a swift strike aimed at Rukia's neck. Rukia managed to block the attack, but the blunt end of her blocking sword clashed with her head from the force of the impact, making her slip in a daze.

As Rukia regained her balance, Byakuya charged forward once again, his sword flashing in the sunlight. Rukia stood her ground, her sword held firmly in her hand, and braced herself for the final clash.

In a blur of movement, the two swords clashed together, sending sparks flying in all directions. The force of the impact sent both fighters staggering backward, but they quickly regained their footing.

Byakuya realized that he couldn't continue to clash with Rukia any longer. His Zanpakuto was on the verge of breaking as it were. While he avoided killing Rukia, the latter didn't harbor the same intent, so if his weapon were to break it would spell disaster.

Byakuya pointed his Zanpakuto and uttered "Scatter, Senbonzakura."

Byakuya's blade slowly turned into countless blades in the shape of cherry blossoms that swirled toward Rukia, trying to engulf her. He felt it wasn't honorable to use his Shikai against someone who wasn't capable of it, but Rukia left him no choice. If anything, it was a testament to her skill.

But before the cherry blossoms could get near her Rukia spun her Zanpakuto as she activated her own Shikai, turning her blade into a snow-white color. "Dance, Yukionna no Tsurugi!"

With a simple wave of her Zanpakuto, Rukia engulfed Byakuya's cherry blossoms in ice.

"..." Although no one could tell because of his normally stoic expression, Byakuya's face froze in shock. He thought he was going to take care of just some group of hooligans. But first, he finds the sister of his dead wife, and then she has Shikai? How the hell does she have Shikai? Scratch that, how the hell does she have a Zanpakuto?

Yes, her sword is well-made. Incredibly and worryingly well-made. But he was sure that was the extent of it. If it is a Zanpakuto then that would mean... Byakuya's mind was operating on overdrive as he tried to make sense of the situation.

Byakuya tried to recall the cherry petals that were frozen, but he couldn't. Even if Rukia was a genius that trained constantly, how could her Shikai completely trap his own? It didn't make any sense! Her ice was stronger than Hitsugaya's!

"How did you get a Zanpakuto?" Byakuya asked cautiously as he tried to free his cherry petals from the ice by gradually cutting the ice. "It was forged for me. You Shinigami aren't the only ones with Zanpakutos," Rukia said with a smirk.

"Then you're the squad leader because you can use Shikai? While I admit that it's impressive, it's not enough to take me on," Byakuya warned.

"A squad leader because of Shikai? What do you mean? The bare minimum of joining the Protectors' patrols is achieving Bankai. Are the Soul Society's standards that low?" Rukia raised an eyebrow as Byakuya's eyes opened wide and the Shinigami behind him just about lost consciousness.

"If you're going to lie, make it believable. You expect me to believe that all the people here have Bankai? Even among the most talented Shinigami, only a few achieve it, that's why it is the requirement to become a captain," Byakuya said after regaining his composure.

"Wait, seriously?" Rukia said in a surprised manner, and then a devilish smirk appeared on her face as she faced Nadare. "Commander, can I do it?" While it took a second for Nadare to understand what Rukia was asking, he smiled brightly after realizing her meaning. "Do you even need to ask?" Nadare chuckled as Rukia excitedly yelled out "BANKAI!"

A giant pillar of white light engulfed Rukia as she activated her Bankai to the shock and horror of Byakuya.

Rukia's body was enveloped in a radiant, ethereal glow, and her clothing transformed into a majestic, flowing gown that shimmerd like ice crystals.

The material of the gown was a delicate fabric, almost translucent in appearance, with a soft texture that resembled frozen fractals. The fabric was adorned with convoluted, shimmering embroidery, adding depth and complexity to the overall design.

The gown was predominantly white in color, with hints of blue and silver weaved throughout. As Rukia moved, the fabric rippled and flowed like a gentle snowstorm, creating a stunning visual effect.

The sleeves of the gown were long and billowy, reaching down past her hands, with delicate cuffs adorned with snowflake-like designs. The neckline of the gown was high, framing her face with intricate beading and embroidery that reflects the light in a dazzling display.

And Rukia herself was just as majestic.

Her hair grew longer, flowing down her back like a waterfall of ice. The color of her hair became paler, almost white, and it gleamed in the light like a blanket of freshly fallen snow.

Her eyes became brighter and more radiant, glowing with a fierce intensity that reflects the power within her. They took on a bluish-silver hue, reminiscent of the icy landscape that surrounds her.

Her skin became paler, almost translucent, giving her a mysterious appearance. It had a slight blue tint to it, reminiscent of the icy cold of winter. Her facial features became more refined, with a sense of regality and grace that benefited her increased power.

"Do you still think I'm lying?" Rukia smirked triumphantly as she asked the stunned Byakuya