Chapter 78 - The captains arrive

Not even a second after Rukia released her Bankai, several giant beacons of Reiatsu were heading toward them at breakneck speeds.

Ryu examined the incoming captains from afar using a combination of Miru and Rikai to gain an understanding of the incoming force. Each of the incoming captains was incredibly powerful, though there were several that caught his eye.

First, a beautiful woman with long, flowing black hair and dark eyes. She had a graceful, elegant presence. She wore a white medical coat over her traditional black Shinigami uniform. Though she seemed gentle and harmless like a typical healer at first glance, as Ryu gained more information on her he was truly in awe at her skills with the sword. Her name was Retsu Unohana.

Another captain that caught his interest was a man with short, and slightly messy, brown hair and light brown eyes. He had a lean and muscular build, standing at an average height with mild facial features that made him blend in his environment. Despite his relatively ordinary appearance, he exuded an air of confidence and charisma. His name was Sosuke Aizen

Though after gaining more information on him Ryu saw that he was by far the most dangerous of the incoming enemies. He was a genius with the power of illusions and incredible spiritual power. While his illusions were too weak to affect Ryu due to his divinity, it was seriously dangerous for the Protectors. Luckily for them, the man was currently acting undercover so the chances of him making a move were slim to none. Still, Ryu needed to pay close attention to him.

There were also some other dangerous people, but these two were the ones that caught Ryu's attention. Aside from those two, there were six other captains arriving. Ryu didn't know if they underestimated the Protectors or if was it simply their arrogance, but it would make things easier for him so he didn't care. Finally, the captains arrived.

There was a rather large figure clad in armor from head to two. The armor was predominantly black in color, with gold and silver accents. It was adorned with intricate designs, such as a crescent moon and stars on his chest plate.

In addition to the armor, the figure wore a helmet that completely covered his head, leaving only his glowing eyes visible. His name was Sajin Komamura.

Next was a petite woman with short black hair that she styled in a bob cut. She had sharp, angular features and eyes that were narrowed in a scowl. She wore a tight-fitting black Shinigami outfit that consisted of a sleeveless turtleneck, a short skirt, and thigh-high boots. She also wore a white sash around her waist. Her name was Soifon

Third was a thin, wiry man with a sinister smile and cold, calculating eyes that seemed to constantly be observing everything around him. His face was painted entirely white with the inner portion of his face painted black with the exception of his nose. He wore a white lab coat over his Shinigami outfit. He also wore a set of purple and black-striped gloves that contain various poisons and chemicals. His name was Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

Fourth was a short, white-haired boy. He has bright turquoise eyes and a serious expression on his face. Aside from his spiky hair, he looked quite normal. In all honestly, Ryu found it odd. He checked him again with Rikai to make sure he wasn't screaming something like the other normal-looking one, Aizen. His name was Toshiro Hitsugaya

Fifth was a laid-back, easygoing man with long black hair that he modeled in a loose ponytail. He has a carefree smile and a lazy demeanor that hid his true strength, though it couldn't fool Ryu's eyes. But Ryu didn't judge him as a threat since he wouldn't act with his true strength unless pushed to the extreme. He sported a traditional Shinigami outfit. Over his outfit, he wore a pink and white-striped captain's coat. He also had a straw hat on his head to shield himself from the sun. His name was Shunsui Kyoraku

Last but not least was a muscular man with wild and extremely spiky black hair. He had a fierce, predatory grin and a menacing aura that seemed to radiate from him. He had a black eyepatch over his right eye and a sleeveless black shirt with matching pants. He has numerous scars all over his body, evidence of his many battles. His name was Kenpachi Zaraki

"Eight captains, huh? Aren't you underestimating us? I took one of you out alone, and there are more than ten of us, do you think this will be a fair fight?" Rukia said in an insulted tone.

"A stroke of luck. Let's see if you can do that again," Soifon said. "Fine, but I already had my fun. Do you guys want to have a turn?" Rukia said with a grin as she turned to her squad. Eight members quickly stepped forward, excited for the fight.

The atmosphere was tense as the two sides stood against each other, and the air crackled with an immense amount of spiritual pressure.

The ground beneath them trembled, and the very air around them seemed to warp and twist, as though it was struggling to contain the intense energy being emitted by both sides.

Finally, the two sides charged at each other.

Komamura stood tall and proud, his white wolf mask hiding his face as he faced off against his opponent, a tall man wielding a large, double-headed axe. The two circled each other warily, testing the waters with their Zanpakuto. The sound of clashing steel rang out as they clashed, each strike sending sparks flying. Sajin's opponent was strong, and his sword was deteriorating with each strike, so he was forced to use his Kido spells to defend himself.

Soifon, on the other hand, was quick and agile as she danced around her opponent, a woman wielding a spear. She dashed in and out, striking with lightning-fast blows before darting away. The woman tried to keep up, but Suì-Fēng was too quick for her. Though Soifon had the upper hand right now, she knew that she couldn't let her guard down.

Her opponent was dangerous, and her spear could strike from a distance. If she made even a single mistake, it could spell the end for her. The fact that her opponent could counter her fast strikes even while she was bouncing around with incredible speed was worrying enough for her.

Kurotsuchi stood back, analyzing his opponent, a man with a large sword that crackled with electricity. He smirked menacingly, knowing that his Kido spells and poisons would be able to outmatch the man's skill. He waited until his opponent made a move, then unleashed a barrage of Kido spells that left the man reeling. Mayuri didn't let up, his eyes gleaming as he watched his opponent struggle to keep up.

Hitsugaya faced off against a man wielding two swords, his movements fluid and graceful. Hitsugaya knew he was in for a tough fight, but he was confident in his abilities. He skillfully dodged each strike, his sword flashing as he struck back.

Shunsui faced off against a man with a long, curved sword. Shunsui was relaxed, his straw hat shading his eyes as he faced his opponent. The two danced around each other, their swords clashing with a resounding boom. Shunsui was enjoying himself, his laughter ringing out as he struck with fluid motions that caught his opponent off guard.

Kenpachi was in his element, facing off against a man wielding a massive hammer. He grinned ferociously, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he charged forward. The man swung his hammer with all his might, but Kenpachi dodged easily, his sword flashing as he struck back. The man was strong, but Kenpachi was stronger.

Meanwhile, Aizen was playing his part, hiding his true power. He pretended to have a difficult time with his opponent, a woman with a dagger that created several clones of herself. The two clashed, their weapons ringing out as the woman was pushed back. Aizen was calm, his eyes scanning the battlefield as he waited for his next move.

Unohana was mainly dodging the attacks of her opponent, a woman with a staff. She darted around the battlefield, healing the captains with various spells while avoiding her opponent with ease.

It was clear that while the group of Protectors certainly had the power, they still lacked experience as the captains were several hundred years older than them. Rukia was incredibly talented so she could stand her ground, but the others weren't like her. Slowly but surely, the captains gained the upper hand.

Seeing members of his organization in danger, Nadare couldn't stand still as he took action. "Stop!" He said while releasing his spiritual power.

A massive surge of spiritual power that was unlike anything they had ever experienced before washed over the captains. The sheer magnitude of it was enough to render them immobile.

The air around them began to twist and distort as if it were being sucked into some kind of vortex. The ground shook violently, and the very sky seemed to darken.

As they looked around, they saw that everything was being affected by the massive spiritual power that was crashing down upon them. The trees bent and swayed, their leaves rustling and falling to the ground in a frenzied dance. The very ground beneath their feet began to crack and split apart as it was unable to contain the immense power that was coursing through it.

"That's quite enough," A calm voice resounded as an old man walked through the intense spiritual pressure with no difficulty.