Just as the Gift Ball Deluxe's poison detonated, Nanatsuki's shadow surged outward from his feet, instantly enveloping both himself and Shiba Isshin.
The expanded shadow space pierced through the purple sphere, extending beyond its boundaries with ease.
Nanatsuki carried Isshin calmly out of the poisoned zone.
His Shadow Space could bypass any barrier—even Askin's ultimate poison field couldn't block it.
Once outside, the Deathdealing toxins were no longer "lethal substances," and Isshin quickly recovered.
"Phew… Thought I was dead for sure!
That Deathdealing power is insane. If he'd gone all out from the start, I wouldn't have lasted long,"
Isshin admitted, still catching his breath.
"Go help out Shunsui."
Nanatsuki scanned the battlefield, then gave his orders.
Without the Shinken Hakkyōken, Kyōraku stood no chance against "Piercing All Things." At this rate, he wouldn't hold out much longer.
Even with Isshin joining, they probably couldn't win—but they might buy time.
Nanatsuki had another target in mind:
Gerard Valkyrie, bearer of Schrift 'M'—The Miracle.
The longer the fight dragged on, the stronger Gerard became—eventually becoming unstoppable.
—
Gerard's body had already grown several meters tall.
Lisa darted between buildings, narrowly dodging each of Gerard's stomping attacks.
"He's gotten even bigger…! This is getting worse!"
Her face was pale as she noted the increase in his size.
Even with Nanatsuki's intel on Gerard, defeating him was a whole different matter.
Even just stalling him was exhausting.
Gerard's ability allowed him to turn any negative outcome—being wounded, restricted, even death—into a positive one.
As long as he couldn't win, he just kept getting stronger.
Fortunately, Lisa wasn't alone.
Supporting her were:
Sasakibe Chōjirō (1st Division VC)
Ōmaeda Kishinosuke (2nd Division VC)
Ginginjirō (6th Division VC)
Together, four Vice-Captains were doing their best to hold him off.
"Watch out!"
Ōmaeda dodged a massive sword slash—only to find Gerard's giant foot looming above.
"Hadō #88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō!"
Sasakibe intervened—firing a massive beam at Gerard's abdomen to save Ōmaeda.
BOOM!
Ōmaeda took the chance to retreat, gasping for air.
"The Miracle never falls! I am the greatest, strongest, fastest Quincy!!"
Gerard rose again—his body now over ten meters tall.
Like a living mountain, he radiated terrifying pressure.
"We can't keep this up much longer! Think of something!"
Ōmaeda shouted.
They were struggling just to fend him off. One more power-up and people would start dying.
"If he transforms again, we're done. We need to force his core to appear!"
Gin Ginjirō called out.
Gerard did have a weakness—his core, a silver cross-shaped medallion embedded in his body.
Destroying it would cancel out the power of The Miracle.
"That was just a hypothesis from Captain Nanatsuki… but we don't have any better ideas!"
Lisa gritted her teeth, watching Gerard's sword demolish an entire palace.
They had no choice but to try.
"I'll make an opening!"
Ōmaeda leapt into the air.
He knew he didn't have the strength to damage Gerard's main body. His job was to create a chance for the others.
"Smash him, Okami Kiba!"
He swung his spiked mace down onto Gerard's knee.
The Reishi detonation from Okami Kiba's full power wasn't much weaker than a fully chanted Raikōhō.
BOOM—!!
Flames and shockwaves erupted from Gerard's knee.
Ōmaeda looked up, nervous.
"Did it work?"
But Gerard stood firm—not even flinching.
"Did you really think a spark like that could shake the mightiest Holy Warrior?"
Gerard sneered.
He swung his shield—ready to swat Ōmaeda like a fly.
"Bakudō #61: Rikujōkōrō!"
Lisa intervened, binding Gerard's arm with six glowing rods of light—
Which shattered instantly.
The shield continued its arc—
WHAM!
Ōmaeda was launched across the battlefield.
"Bakudō #37: Tsuriboshi!"
Ginginjirō cast a spell mid-air, creating a glowing net to catch Ōmaeda and cushion his fall.
"...He's unconscious!"
Checking his teammate's condition, Ginginjirō's face darkened.
They'd lost a fighter.
—
Meanwhile, Sasakibe had snuck around behind Gerard while the others distracted him.
Thunderclouds gathered above.
He raised his Zanpakutō—calling down a golden bolt of lightning.
"Bankai—Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū."
Gerard sensed the threat—but too late.
The sky's lightning focused into Sasakibe's blade—he struck with blinding speed.
CRACK!
A gaping hole appeared in Gerard's abdomen.
"Did it work?"
Lisa and Ginginjirō watched nervously.
"Hahahaha! The holy warrior cannot fall!"
Gerard's wound regenerated instantly, and his body grew even larger.
"Damn it… he missed the core!"
Lisa's and Ginginjirō's faces fell.
And they had no time to reflect—Gerard's sword came crashing down.
BOOM!
Sasakibe was smashed into the ground. His Reiatsu flickered weakly.
Lisa hurled her thunder-wrapped spear at Gerard.
Ginginjirō rushed in, grabbing Sasakibe and pulling back.
"Futile resistance!"
Gerard swung his shield again, batting Lisa's spear aside like a toy.