Fate in Bleach: Unlimited Blade Works!
Chapter 330: The Most Outstanding Disciple

Chapter 330: The Most Outstanding Disciple

Decades of practicing Data Kendo had allowed Rukia to achieve a mastery of her abilities.

Data Kendo, in essence, was a swordsmanship style that digitized both oneself and the opponent, allowing the user to exploit the opponent’s weaknesses with their strengths.

In recent years, because Rukia rarely fought, her ability to digitize her opponents hadn’t improved much.

However, when it came to digitizing herself, she had reached the peak of what she could achieve.

173 seconds was her current limit for using Sode no Shirayuki’s Shikai at full power.

If she exceeded that limit, her body would be damaged by the intense cold of Absolute Zero.

Her battle with Ailin had already lasted twenty-seven seconds.

No, twenty-eight seconds now!

"Based on the current situation, Teacher Ailin’s speed has been reduced by thirty percent due to my Absolute Zero domain. And because his speed has decreased, the power of his attacks has also been weakened. They’re ten percent weaker than his previous Wind Scar...

But even so, I won’t last much longer. The data I’m gathering about Teacher Ailin will be inaccurate! Moreover, this isn’t even Teacher Ailin’s true strength!"

Rukia was certain of this.

She knew her own limits.

In her view, Ailin’s strength was at least comparable to Head-Captain Yamamoto’s.

"I want to know how far I am from Teacher Ailin, not play around with him like this!"

Throughout the thirty-second battle, Rukia hadn’t sensed any real battle intent from Ailin.

It was clear that, despite his harsh words, her current strength couldn’t make Ailin get serious.

This fight felt more like a training session, just like when Ailin was instructing her.

But this wasn’t why she had challenged him!

Rukia’s expression turned serious. Her spiritual pressure surged.

"Bankai – Hakka no Togame!"

BOOM!

As she shouted, ice-blue spiritual pressure shot skyward.

Even Ailin’s Innate Domain was affected.

A chill, even colder than Absolute Zero, condensed into a massive ring of ice above Rukia’s head. Within that ring, everything was instantly frozen.

A wave of ice erupted from beneath Rukia’s feet, spreading outwards.

...

Seeing Rukia’s current state, the captains were stunned once more.

According to the Seireitei’s records, any Zanpakutō that altered its wielder’s appearance upon release possessed formidable power.

Ichigo Kurosaki’s Zangetsu was like that.

And now, Rukia’s Sode no Shirayuki was the same!

Rukia’s body was now completely white. Her Shihakushō had transformed into an elegant gown, resembling that of a Yuki-onna. A white ribbon of cold air trailed behind her.

Even her hair had turned a crystalline white.

She looked like a goddess of ice, having stepped out of a painting.

"Such a powerful chill!"

The captains no longer looked at Rukia with the indulgence of a senior looking at a junior. Their gazes were those of equals, acknowledging her as a fellow expert.

It could be said that Rukia had earned their approval.

Every one of them, besides Yamamoto, if they were to suddenly face Rukia’s Bankai, they weren’t sure if they could survive.

Even Ailin, under the onslaught of Rukia’s frigid reiatsu, was frozen solid.

"Huu..."

Rukia exhaled, her breath transforming into a cloud of frost.

It was the first time she had used her Bankai since mastering it.

"The reiatsu consumption is immense. And controlling the cold is ten times more difficult than in Shikai!"

"The duration I can perfectly maintain Sode no Shirayuki’s Bankai—"

"Is only seventeen seconds!"

After activating Bankai, Rukia quickly calculated her limit based on her data.

She looked up at Ailin, now frozen in ice.

This was her strongest power.

Teacher, let me see how far I am from you!

It wasn’t that Rukia wasn’t attacking. It was that she was constantly attacking.

Sode no Shirayuki was a Zanpakutō that could lower its wielder’s body temperature to the extreme.

Its power manifested through the wielder’s body temperature. By coming into contact with the outside world, it released its cold, freezing everything.

After activating Bankai, simply by standing there, Rukia was constantly attacking the space around her with a temperature equal to her body temperature.

"Crack... Crack..."

"BOOM!"

Ailin’s spiritual pressure erupted.

White reiatsu spread outwards like a tidal wave.

Rukia’s Bankai, like snow melting under the sun, rapidly dissipated before Ailin’s overwhelming power.

Ailin looked at Rukia, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

As expected, under his guidance, Rukia had mastered Bankai ahead of time.

Moreover, even though it was her first time using Bankai, her current strength was far greater than the Rukia in Ailin’s memories.

"It’s a truly exceptional Bankai, Rukia. In my opinion, Sode no Shirayuki is comparable to Ryūjin Jakka.

However, Rukia, the gap between you and Head-Captain Yamamoto is the difference between Sode no Shirayuki and Ryūjin Jakka."

Ailin walked towards Rukia, his overwhelming reiatsu dispersing the cold before him.

Rukia’s pupils constricted.

She had always known that Ailin was strong, incredibly strong!

But she had never imagined that he was this strong! Simply by releasing his spiritual pressure, he could negate her Bankai!

As Ailin’s disciple, Rukia knew that no matter how powerful an ability, it would be weakened or even nullified by a stronger spiritual pressure.

Her current spiritual pressure was captain-level.

Even if seated officers attacked her, their Zanpakutō abilities would be partially negated by her reiatsu.

But now, Ailin had simply walked towards her, releasing his spiritual pressure, and she had instinctively deactivated her Bankai...

Was this the difference between them?

How despairing...

Seeing Rukia’s dejected expression, Ailin reached out and ruffled her hair.

"Rukia, don’t look so sad. You just defeated me while we were using the same amount of spiritual pressure! If I hadn’t released my true reiatsu, I wouldn’t have been able to escape your cold. Rukia, you’ve surpassed my expectations. You’re the most outstanding among all my disciples."

"Really, Teacher?"

Rukia looked up at Ailin hesitantly, seeking confirmation. "Am I truly the disciple you’re most satisfied with?"

"Of course!

"Would I lie to you?

"If you don’t believe me..."

Ailin chuckled, then turned to the captains. "Head-Captain Yamamoto, Captain Unohana, Captain Kyoraku, Captain Ukitake, tell me, who is the most outstanding among my disciples?"

Hearing Ailin’s question, Yamamoto snorted.

"I won’t comment on Gin Ichimaru. But based on Rukia’s current strength, she is indeed superior to Captain Kuchiki and Captain Hitsugaya."

Yamamoto’s words were clear.

But neither Byakuya nor Hitsugaya objected.

After witnessing Rukia’s Bankai, they knew that they couldn’t survive it.

Even Byakuya’s Senbonzakura, which could form layers of protection around him, wouldn’t be enough. After all, Rukia’s Bankai’s greatest strength wasn’t "ice," but "cold"!

Byakuya glanced at Hitsugaya. He was certain that, if they fought, his Senbonzakura could rival Hyōrinmaru’s ice.

However, facing Rukia’s all-encompassing cold, even if he formed an impenetrable barrier with Senbonzakura, the cold would still seep through, freezing him.

Hitsugaya’s expression was also grave.

Hyōrinmaru was the strongest ice-type Zanpakutō.

He could use it to control the moisture within a certain radius.

He could condense moisture into ice, and he could also transform ice back into moisture.

Facing Rukia’s Bankai, he could perhaps vaporize the ice to reduce the effects of her cold.

However, if he was frozen before he could react, Rukia wouldn’t give him the time.

Therefore, Hitsugaya didn’t object to Yamamoto’s assessment.

Of course, he knew that his performance was inferior to Rukia’s not because Hyōrinmaru was weaker than Sode no Shirayuki, but because his mastery of Hyōrinmaru was inferior to hers.

However, after fighting against Hyōrinmaru here, Hitsugaya’s understanding of his Zanpakutō had deepened.

He was confident that, with more time, he would surpass everyone’s expectations.

"Indeed, Rukia. In my opinion, you’ve surpassed both Captain Kuchiki and Captain Hitsugaya. You’re the most outstanding among Ailin’s disciples."

After Yamamoto, Unohana also shared her opinion.

Of course, while she was speaking to Rukia, her gaze was fixed on Ailin.

Ailin’s current spiritual pressure was comparable to Yamamoto’s.

However, Unohana didn’t believe that this was his full strength.

After all, she had witnessed Ailin’s battle against Zaraki after Zaraki’s potential was fully awakened.

Back then, Zaraki had even released his Shikai, but he still couldn’t gain the slightest advantage over Ailin.

Unohana knew that Zaraki, after releasing his Zanpakutō, was no weaker than Ailin.

But even so, he had been completely suppressed by Ailin.

Was Captain Ailin still hiding his true strength?

How terrifying!

Perhaps...

A thought suddenly crossed Unohana’s mind.

But she quickly dismissed it.

She remembered a close friend.

The one who taught her Kidō—Tenjirō Kirinji!

Without the Ōken, no one could reach that level!

Even Yamamoto, at his strongest, could only reach that realm in his Bankai state.

And creating an Ōken, if not done properly, would destabilize the three worlds.

In recent years, Unohana hadn’t sensed anything amiss with the three worlds.

Therefore, she believed that Ailin couldn’t have reached that level.

However, despite dismissing the thought, it still lingered in her heart.

Was it truly impossible for someone to reach that realm without the Ōken?

The other captains didn’t know what Unohana was thinking. Shunsui Kyoraku and Jūshirō Ukitake also acknowledged that Rukia had surpassed Byakuya Kuchiki and Toshiro Hitsugaya, claiming her to be Ailin’s most outstanding disciple.

"Head-Captain Yamamoto, Captain Unohana, Captain Kyoraku, Captain Ukitake, you’re exaggerating."

Despite receiving praise from the strongest captains, Rukia was overwhelmed. She waved her hands.

"Be confident, Rukia. While you’re still inexperienced with your Bankai, I believe that, with time, you can reach Head-Captain Yamamoto’s level. You can learn from him. Focus your training on controlling your Bankai’s cold. Once you’ve mastered it, condensing that powerful chill within your Zanpakutō, you’ll be qualified to challenge Head-Captain Yamamoto."

Hearing Ailin’s words, Yamamoto and Unohana’s expressions turned subtle.

Among the captains present, only Unohana had truly witnessed Yamamoto’s overwhelming power during their battle against the Quincy Empire a thousand years ago.

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