Before his words had even faded, his figure suddenly lunged forward, a blinding white light erupting from his hand.
" Hakufuku! "
It induced a state of unconsciousness.
This was one of Ichimaru Gin's standard techniques, a combination of a Hadō and a Bakudō, which plunged the consciousness of an opponent caught within the murky light into a momentary slumber.
The white light blazed towards Uchiha Itachi, engulfing him in an instant.
At the same time, Ichimaru Gin spoke the release command for his Zanpakutō, Shinsō, his voice low as he intoned, " Shoot to kill, Shinsō! "
The moment the words left his lips, the Zanpakutō in his hand suddenly blazed with light, then extended at an incredible speed, piercing through the figure shrouded in the murky light in the blink of an eye.
However, in the next second, Uchiha Itachi's figure exploded with a loud bang, dissolving into countless black crow shadows that soared into the air, quickly vanishing completely.
" Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu! "
Countless flaming shuriken shot in from all directions, like a sky-filling rain of fire, their power astonishing as they relentlessly rained down on Ichimaru Gin.
Ichimaru Gin's reaction was swift; he dodged nimbly, but a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
Having fought Uchiha Itachi for this long, he could sense that his opponent's fighting style was completely different from any he had ever encountered before.
Whether it was those flame attacks or the strange mental assaults, he had never seen anything like them in all his time in the Soul Society.
The reason Aizen had arranged for Ichimaru Gin to intercept Lin Xuan and the others at the Seireimon was precisely to probe their background.
But this time, Ichimaru Gin couldn't discern Lin Xuan's origins at all.
At the very least, in all his years in the Soul Society, he had never witnessed such a fighting style!
" Boom! "
A deafening crash suddenly rang out, as if a great mountain had collapsed. Two figures collided fiercely in mid-air.
The surrounding Shinigami and Rukongai residents who had come to watch were startled, but they couldn't clearly see the true nature of the battle.
Some of the captain-level Shinigami watching the fight through the broadcast, however, could see it clearly.
Uchiha Itachi's speed was incredible. It was the collision between him and Ichimaru Gin that had produced that piercing sound just now.
" Incredible, that masked man actually blocked Captain Ichimaru's attack! "
" Unbelievable! His strength is this great?
" " Who is this person, and why is he here?
"
At this moment, Ichimaru Gin was also greatly surprised by Uchiha Itachi's combat ability.
Moreover, he had taken full notice of those crimson pupils swirling in the other's eyes.
" What a strange pair of eyes! "
Ichimaru Gin said, his voice carrying a chilling tone as he narrowed his eyes, staring at Uchiha Itachi. " Just who are you?
"
" Uchiha Itachi," Uchiha Itachi replied calmly.
" Very well. I'll remember your name.
You are a worthy opponent," Ichimaru Gin said, his expression turning serious.
But in the next instant, his figure flashed, and he instantly closed the distance to Uchiha Itachi.
" Perfect timing! "
Uchiha Itachi said with a faint smile, the three tomoe in his eyes spinning rapidly as he unleashed a genjutsu.
" Bam! "
Ichimaru Gin's body shuddered violently, nearly collapsing to the ground.
However, his reaction was also incredibly fast. He stabbed his own body with his sword, using the pain to quickly regain his balance.
At the same time, Ichimaru Gin didn't hesitate any longer. The Zanpakutō, Shinsō, in his hand blazed with power once more.
" Bankai: Kamishini no Yari! "
In that instant, Ichimaru Gin's Zanpakutō released its Bankai, and everything around him was instantly slashed apart.
Simultaneously, the blade in his hand shot forward with immense force and cutting power, piercing straight towards Uchiha Itachi's chest in the blink of an eye.
His blade had turned a dull grey, and within the blade, a potent poison capable of dissolving souls had formed. When the blade was extended and then retracted, it would leave the poison residue inside the opponent's body.
Another person might not have been able to see Ichimaru Gin's attack, but Uchiha Itachi, with his Sharingan activated, successfully tracked its trajectory.
" Armament Susano'o! "
Uchiha Itachi swiftly summoned his Susano'o, and a layer of Busoshoku Haki coated it. The originally crimson Susano'o transformed entirely into a dark purple-black.
" Clang! "
The Zanpakutō struck the Susano'o, producing a sharp, piercing metallic clash and sending sparks flying.
Under the immense force of the impact, Uchiha Itachi was sent sliding backward for hundreds of meters. The street beneath him was already shattered, and now two deep grooves were carved into the ground.
Finally, the Zanpakutō broke through Uchiha Itachi's Armament-coated Susano'o and pierced directly through his chest.
But then, Uchiha Itachi's figure dissolved into countless crows once more, having used a substitution jutsu again, narrowly escaping the lethal blow.
In the next moment, three massive, interconnected magatama, resembling a giant shuriken, descended from the sky, radiating scorching flames as they hurtled towards Ichimaru Gin.
Seeing this, Ichimaru Gin's expression grew even more grim. His Zanpakutō instantly extended and retracted at extreme speed, the Kamishini no Yari piercing outwards to collide violently with the three magatama in the air.
" BOOM!!! "
A terrifying explosion shook the very foundations of the world. Even within the Seireitei, a tremor could be felt through the ground, plunging the entire Seireitei into even greater chaos.
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T/N:
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