Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō-Chapter 217: Merit

Dark clouds loomed over the outskirts of the Tsunayashiro Clan's estate. Thunder rumbled, lightning split the sky, and rain poured relentlessly over the towering penthouse—just slightly lower than the clan's main assembly hall.

Masatsuki Aozaki stood alone in the storm, allowing the rain to drench him completely.

His fingers tapped rhythmically against the hilt of Banshō Senran, the sound blending seamlessly with the downpour.

The penthouse spanned fifty floors, reaching approximately 250 meters in height.

Standing at the rooftop's edge and looking down, everything seemed so insignificant, as if he were gazing down upon the world from above.

No one disturbed him.

A perfect vantage point.

Far below, the elders of the Tsunayashiro branch cowered within the towering structure, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

The branch family's final line of defense stood guard around them, ever vigilant.

With a subtle release of Reishi beneath his feet, Masatsuki Aozaki tilted forward and let himself fall freely.

In a state of complete weightlessness, he swiftly drew his Zanpakutō from his waist. As he swung, the blade shimmered, cutting through the air like water, swift as a raging wind.

Banshō Senran sliced through the storm, emitting a piercing, shrill whistle.

Meanwhile, at the top floor of the penthouse, the family guards and samurai had long been on high alert. Every entrance—stairwells, doors, and passageways—was tightly sealed, leaving no openings.

The Tsunayashiro Clan had raised its guards and death squads from a young age, molding them into one of the most formidable forces among noble households. The eighty to ninety warriors stationed here were no ordinary fighters.

Nearly all of the branch family's elite were gathered in this stronghold—except for the man under house arrest.

Under normal circumstances, even if an intruder possessed the strength of a Lieutenant, breaking through this defense would not be an easy feat.

After all, as long as one understood the peculiar abilities of those strange Menos, they weren't entirely impossible to counter.

Moreover, the enemy's numbers were relatively small compared to the family's warriors, and in terms of actual combat ability, they weren't particularly outstanding for their level.

The guards couldn't comprehend why the elders were so terrified.

Their last battle had been against an elite Captain-class adversary—back then, they had truly been powerless.

But this invasion? The Hollow forces this time weren't nearly as threatening. There was no reason to be this afraid.

What they didn't realize was that the elders weren't fearing the enemy.

They were afraid of getting cut by the double-edged sword.

"Hey! Someone just jumped off the building!"

A guard suddenly pointed toward the window, shouting in alarm.

Before his words had even finished, a cold sweat ran down the backs of everyone present.

This wasn't the World of the Living—Shinigami couldn't fly in Soul Society.

They were already on the top floor, with no higher exits above them.

So how had that person leaped from over 200 meters in the air?

Most of them stood frozen, staring in shock as the figure lingered midair, as if time itself had stopped.

Then, a powerful gust of wind howled through the window, carrying the sharp whistle of air being torn apart and the restless hum of Reishi.

The crowd was stunned.

Was it a Shinigami wielding a Wind-type Zanpakutō? Or a Quincy manipulating Reishi to walk on air?

Just then, a massive slash of Reiatsu tore through the solid walls, sending shattered wood flying in all directions.

The dark figure glided into the room as lightly as a bird. A young man, cloaked in black, hovered in midair like a ghost, gripping a Zanpakutō as white as freshly fallen snow.

His arrival was like a storm, filling the entire room with an unbearable pressure.

As the winds pushed against him, he descended smoothly, landing with effortless grace.

But that poised image shattered in an instant.

With no effort at all, he grabbed a nearby guard and flung him out of the building like a piece of trash.

The man barely had time to scream before vanishing into the stormy night.

This was Masatsuki Aozaki's target.

When the Tsunayashiro Clan had schemed against him, it was the old foxes hiding in this very place who had orchestrated everything.

As for the other Tsunayashiro members, he could leave them to the Metastacias.

But these old men—the masterminds—he had to deal with personally.

It might be troublesome, but if he didn't settle this with his own hands, he wouldn't be satisfied.

Revenge was necessary. That was simply the nature of this vengeful, narrow-minded man.

There was still plenty of time. All he had to do was sweep through this floor and cut down those old bastards.

No matter how well they hid, they couldn't escape his spiritual perception.

And there wasn't a single person here who could withstand even one of his strikes.

...

The guards stared in shock as the black-clad intruder raised his long blade—a weapon they weren't even sure was a Zanpakutō. Without hesitation, they drew their own and surrounded him.

The two leaders stepped forward in unison, their swords gleaming coldly as they slashed down at Masatsuki Aozaki's head with lethal precision.

By Gotei 13 standards, these two warriors were undeniably at the level of Seated Officers—more than capable of cutting down a dozen ordinary squad members with ease.

But this time, their opponent wasn't an ordinary squad member.

He was Masatsuki Aozaki, Captain of the 11th Division.

In an instant, he vanished.

When he reappeared, he was already behind them.

The two guards barely had time to register their shock before they attempted to turn—

Too late.

With a single slash, their heads tumbled to the ground, blood pooling beneath them.

"Monster!!"

A scream, from somewhere in the crowd.

And then, silence.

The once-noisy room became deathly still. Every single person swallowed hard, their faces drained of color.

Then, a deafening roar shattered the silence, echoing through the corridor.

"He's an intruder! Everyone, attack—kill him!!"

But before anyone could move, a cold voice cut through the chaos.

"Don't rush."

Masatsuki Aozaki's words carried an eerie weight, reverberating down the hall.

His Zanpakutō, which had been gleaming in his grip moments ago, now pointed downward.

The guards, distracted by his voice, instinctively turned to glance around—

And then, they froze.

Terror crawled up their spines.

Somehow, at some point, their own comrades had begun to change.

Their skin had taken on a sickly green hue. A haunting orange-red ring circled their eyes.

They looked exactly like the Hollows outside—twisted, grotesque monsters.

Then, more movement—

Four Shinigami squads surged into the hallway, thirty-two men in total.

They were reinforcements, oblivious to what had just happened.

With their weapons drawn and eyes gleaming with murderous intent, they saw only an intruder before them—

An enemy to be cut down for glory.

After all, killing a Hollow in battle could earn them promotions.

Killing an invader?

That was a guaranteed path to power.

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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