Chapter 116: The Battle Resumes
After Tessaiga gained the "Meido Zangetsuha" ability that Sesshomaru had comprehended from Tenseiga, Inuyasha could not control the full power of the Netherworld and had to disperse it, only able to release the Netherworld's power in scattered strikes. This became Inuyasha's strongest ability.
If Tenseiga still contained the power of the Netherworld, Ailin was absolutely certain that no matter how many Meido Remnant Moon Slashes Inuyasha unleashed, they would all be devoured by Sesshomaru's Meido Circular Moon Slash.
After all, even the Demon God had said that among the powers of the Netherworld, only the "perfect circle" was the strongest.
In Ailin's view, Inuyasha's "Meido Remnant Moon Slash" had only reached the level when Sesshomaru had just comprehended the Netherworld's power. However, due to Tessaiga's might, Inuyasha could unleash numerous and dense "Meido Remnant Moon Slashes" at once.
Meanwhile, the Netherworld power in Sesshomaru's hand was incomplete, only able to unleash one Netherworld at a time.
Even the Demon God had said that using Tenseiga's incomplete Netherworld power would never allow the Netherworld's power to become perfect. No matter how large the Netherworld Sesshomaru unleashed, it would be devoured by his own perfect Meido Circular Moon Slash.
But even so, Sesshomaru had forcibly mastered the complete Netherworld power through his formidable innate talents, unleashing a "Meido Circular Moon Slash" even stronger than the Demon God's, devouring him.
After completing the analysis of the "King's Seal" and upgrading Tessaiga, a thought arose in Ailin's mind. He directly created a Zanpakuto infused with the King's Seal's complete spatial power before leaving his inherent barrier world.
***
"Captain Muguruma, have you fully recovered?"
"Ah, thanks to Captain Ailin's superb healing, I've made a complete recovery."
Now, it had been three days since the King's Seal was stolen. Although Ailin and the others had sent word to the Seireitei that the King's Seal had been taken, the Seireitei's attitude towards this was quite puzzling.
Logically speaking, since the King's Seal was an important artifact governed by the "Royal Family", they should have swiftly moved to retrieve it after it was seized by the enemy.
But the Gotei 13 had only ordered them to continue pursuing the culprits, without sending any support.
The nobility's Central 46 Chambers had also not punished them for failing to protect the King's Seal.
Thinking about this, Ailin suddenly felt that the "King's Seal" might have been bait cast out by the nobles. Their goal was perhaps to lure out enemies seeking to overturn the Soul Society.
After all, according to historical records in the Soul Society, whether nobility or Shinigami, all were sworn to serve the "Soul King".
The so-called "Royal Family" referred to those permitted by the Soul King to govern the Soul Society.
To seize control of the Soul Society, one had to enter the "Palace of the Soul King" and receive the Soul King's permission to become the new "Royal Family". Or directly overthrow the Soul King himself and become the new Soul King. But no matter which path, entering the Palace of the Soul King was necessary.
The "King's Seal" was a spatial artifact of the Royal Family. Unleashing the King's Seal's power would allow one to use its immense spatial might to enter the Palace of the Soul King and have an audience with him.
No wonder when Tōshirō Hitsugaya was escorting the King's Seal's transfer and it was taken by Sōjirō Kusaka, the Seireitei only sent a few vice-captains to apprehend Hitsugaya when he went alone to pursue Sōjirō.
They must have looked down immensely on Tōshirō Hitsugaya. Though admittedly, the young Hitsugaya at the time was the youngest captain and not particularly powerful.
But even so, a captain-class was still a captain. To expect just a few vice-captains could apprehend Hitsugaya showed astonishing arrogance. After all, this was the genius Shinigami who forced even the vice-captain Izuru Kira to retreat over ten ri away during his battle against Gin Ichimaru to avoid being affected.
From this perspective, whether the Central 46 Chambers or the Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto of the Gotei 13, they did not seem to place much importance on the King's Seal.
Though it was supposedly a "secret" transfer of the King's Seal happening only once a century, with the ceremonial escort proceeding this slowly, it was practically an invitation for someone to "come and take it".
Perhaps at this time, the nobles and Gotei 13 were simply tracking the reiatsu of those who stole the King's Seal, intending to smoke out whoever was behind this.
Ignoring the nobles' underlying motives, this entire "King's Seal" theft incident was orchestrated by Ailin himself. Could they really trace it back to him from Roger and the others? Since he had already analyzed the "King's Seal's" spatial power and forged a Zanpakuto containing that power, Ailin felt it was time to end this "escorting the King's Seal" script.
Thus, after Kensei Muguruma had fully recovered, Ailin proposed to him the idea of pursuing those who stole the King's Seal to take it back.
As expected, Kensei requested to join the pursuit, just as Ailin had anticipated.
"This..."
Ailin pretended to hesitate, but was actually extremely satisfied inwardly. If there were no witnesses present, who could verify that he had defeated all the enemies?
"Very well then."
"Here's what we'll do, Captain Muguruma. Last time, because I was unfamiliar with those enemies' abilities, we suffered some losses."
"This time, I'll use my Bankai to pin down the other four, while the one who injured Vice-Captain Mashiro and stole the King's Seal will be left for you to deal with, Captain Muguruma."
"Understood, I won't let the one who hurt Mashiro get away!" Kensei had no objections to Ailin's arrangement.
According to Ailin's intelligence, there were five total enemies who had come to attack the escort squad and steal the King's Seal.
Two were highly skilled swordsmasters almost on par with Ailin himself.
Another could control eight Adjuchas-class Hollows, a number even Kensei could not handle alone.
The fourth was the youth who had defeated Kensei.
These four opponents were clearly far beyond Kensei's ability to defeat, without Ailin even needing to state it.
The only one remaining was the armored general-like man who could control countless skeletal Hollows, the same one who had attacked the 9th Division Shinigami earlier. He might be an opponent Kensei could potentially overcome. Of course, whether he truly could win was something only an actual battle would reveal.
"Then let's go. Vice-Captain Mashiro will remain here to await reinforcements from the Seireitei."
"Yeah."
***
Exiting the cave, Ailin drew a circle on the ground with his hand and chanted softly,
" Bakudō No. 58 Kakushitsuijaku!"
White light shone from the ground, and soon Ailin detected Roger's and the others' reiatsu signatures.
"Found them, let's move!"
Tracking Roger and the others' trail was incredibly easy. Because Roger, Shanks and the rest had not actually gone far at all.
In fact, sensing Ailin and Kensei's approach, they had deliberately stopped and waited. It was almost as if they had intended it that way.
"Aiya, they can't even act properly..."
Though inwardly exasperated, Ailin knew that among the five, only the master of "Yozora", Kirigaya Kazuto, had any semblance of a brain.
The others - Pirate King Gol D. Roger and Pirate Emperor Shanks - were both idiots, while Setsuna Takemaru only cared for vengeance. Kurome was merely an assassin following orders.
To expect them to properly act out the script of stealing the King's Seal was futile - they would inevitably end up fighting Ailin for real instead.
With the strongest fighters Roger and Shanks being so uncooperative, even if Kirito tried to get everyone to pretend, it would be extremely difficult.
In fact, Ailin was now somewhat worried that when they met up shortly, these fellows might let something slip and expose themselves to Kensei.
If that happened, would Ailin have to silence Kensei?
"Hahaha, you've finally come, Ailin Kenpachi!" Seeing Ailin, Roger laughed joyfully.
"Oh? You knew I was coming?"
"Of course!" Roger took out a golden seal from his robe - this is the King's Seal.
After completing his analysis, Ailin had one of his manifested Zanpakuto deliver the King's Seal back to Roger and the others, so no one would know that in these past few days, Ailin had already obtained and analyzed the King's Seal.
"This thing is useless to us. We took it only because we wanted to see you."
"Wanted to see me? Why?"
"Why, you ask?"
"Of course it's because you're the 'Strongest Shinigami', Ailin Kenpachi!"
Shanks then stepped forward from behind Roger. "Isn't the title of 'Strongest Shinigami' something every Shinigami desires?"
"Only, the title of ' Kenpachi' is only truly yours after challenging and defeating the previous ' Kenpachi."
"Though you did not attain the title through orthodox means, we acknowledge your strength as worthy of being the Kenpachi."
"Since we acknowledge you as the Kenpachi, we must defeat you to become the new Kenpachi!"
"Let us do battle, Ailin Kenpachi!"
"With this artifact as the stakes - if you win, you can step over our corpses and take it. But if you lose, then sorry, but we'll be taking the title of ' Kenpachi ' for ourselves!"
"From then on in the Gotei 13, there will no longer be a ' Kenpachi'!"
Seeing the expressions and hearing the words of Shanks and Roger, Ailin glanced at Kirito who gave a slight nod.
Clearly, this was the pretext Kirito had concocted for this operation.
It matched Roger's and Shanks' personalities and behavior style perfectly. Moreover, this way Ailin did not need to worry about Kensei discovering anything and having to kill him.
"If that's the case, then let's begin. I'll show you why I am the Kenpachi, and you are not!"
With those words, Ailin drew his Zanpakuto and unleashed a strike towards the group.
Boom!
The hundred-meter slash carved a deep trench into the ground, carrying immense force towards Roger and the others.
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