Chapter 118 - The Return of the Spear of the Meteor—Gungnir!
The Shinigami of the Seireitei all knew about Hitsugaya's Zanpakutō, Hyōrinmaru, which could control the sky. However, few were aware that Chojiro's Zanpakutō, Gonryōmaru, also had the power to manipulate the elements, specifically the weather.
Unlike Hyōrinmaru, which could affect the skies even in its Shikai state, Gonryōmaru required Bankai to harness this control over the sky.
Now, under the decree of Gilgamesh, Gonryōmaru was forced into Bankai.
The overwhelming spiritual pressure surged over Chojiro's head, creating a darkened sky swirling with clouds. Within the stormy mass, golden arcs of electricity gathered, forming eleven distinct bolts that descended like a regal canopy, magnificent but treacherous.
Staring in disbelief at his own Bankai, Chojiro muttered, "Gonryōmaru, why have you activated your Bankai without my command?"
A voice only Chojiro could hear resonated: "Forgive me, but the King's command cannot be defied."
Chojiro didn't understand what his Zanpakutō meant by the King's command, but he forced himself to remain calm. Although he couldn't comprehend the circumstances, Kōkō Gonryō Rikugō was still his Bankai. If it was his Bankai, then he believed he could control it.
Without hesitation, Chojiro raised Gonryōmaru, intending to channel the power of the eleven golden bolts into his Zanpakutō. It was the same attack he once used to leave a scar on Yamamoto's face. Now, he aimed to unleash it on Gilgamesh, the invader.
Yet, no matter how hard Chojiro tried, the eleven bolts of lightning refused to obey his command. They remained suspended in the air, unmoving.
A look of confusion crossed Chojiro's face.
At that moment, Gilgamesh's authoritative voice echoed:
"Unleash the judgment of the heavens!"
Before Chojiro could react, the lightning bolts descended from the sky, striking both him and Mayuri, whom he had been protecting.
The searing pain of the lightning coursed through their bodies. Mayuri screamed in agony while Chojiro gritted his teeth, struggling to endure the unbearable heat and pain as smoke rose from his charred skin. With sheer willpower, Chojiro grabbed Mayuri and attempted to escape the lightning prison, using Shunpo to flee.
If the Kōkō Gonryō Rikugō had been his own, it would have been an impenetrable fortress of lightning. However, now under Gilgamesh's control, it had turned into a deadly trap. Chojiro knew that if he didn't escape quickly, both he and Mayuri would be lost.
Despite pushing through the relentless barrage, Chojiro's body suffered severe injuries. Although he shielded Mayuri as best he could, the relentless lightning had infiltrated every defense, leaving Mayuri worse off than Chojiro—he had fallen unconscious.
The only person left standing was the future Renji, sweat trickling down his face as he looked at Gilgamesh in pure terror.
Renji had already communicated with his Zanpakutō, Zabimaru, realizing that a portion of his memory had been erased. In that lost time, he had evidently mastered Bankai, though he couldn't recall when.
But that wasn't what scared him the most.
The most terrifying thing was that Gilgamesh could control his Zanpakutō, preventing him from reclaiming it. Watching Chojiro, now gravely injured, Renji could only imagine what his fate might be.
However, Gilgamesh ignored Renji entirely.
As Gilgamesh walked forward, his spiritual pressure had begun to recover. He raised his golden staff, Kennō Ōken Tenka, and began chanting,
"Bankai... Kennō Ōken Tenka!"
The moment he invoked Bankai, the golden staff transformed into an even more radiant form, resembling a king's scepter. With a simple flick of the scepter toward the reishi crystals imprisoning the past versions of Renji and Rukia, Gilgamesh declared:
"Reishi, return to your source."
Before the eyes of a stunned Renji, the reishi crystals that had baffled the captains began to dissolve, reverting back to their original state and dissipating into the air. Slowly, the past versions of Renji and Rukia regained consciousness.
Upon seeing Gilgamesh, both Renji and Rukia's faces lit up with joy:
"My King, you're unharmed! Thank goodness!"
Gilgamesh smiled faintly, "Let's go. There's a place I need to take you."
Without hesitation, the two nodded. They trusted Gilgamesh completely.
"Of course, Your Majesty."
A massive golden ripple appeared behind Gilgamesh, from which the Vimana, his golden flying vessel, emerged.
The future Renji was utterly speechless, his mouth agape as he whispered,
"What... what is that?"
Though Renji's voice was quiet, in the dead silence of the office, it was loud enough for his past self and Rukia to hear. They turned and looked at the future Renji in confusion.
Rukia stared at him and then blurted out,
"Renji, do you have a twin brother?"
The past Renji, equally bewildered, replied,
"I don't know... I've lived alone in District 78 for as long as I can remember."
Gilgamesh, sitting on his throne aboard the Vimana, interrupted,
"He is you, but from the future."
Stepping aboard his throne, Gilgamesh added,
"Come now, I'll explain everything on the way."
With curiosity and confusion swirling in their minds, the past Renji and Rukia boarded the Vimana.
The future Renji, now understanding that the man before him was indeed his past self, called out, "Wait! I—"
But before he could finish, the Vimana took off, transforming into a golden streak of light that vanished into the horizon, leaving behind a perplexed Renji.
As he stared into the sky, his mind raced with questions:
Who is that golden-haired, red-eyed boy?
Why is my past self here?
Why does my past self call him king?
Why don't I have any memories of this person?
---
Elsewhere, the intense spiritual pressure of Yamamoto filled the air, drawing the future Renji back to the present.
Upon his arrival, Yamamoto immediately noticed the injured Chojiro and Mayuri. After confirming they were both alive, he turned to Renji and asked, "What happened here?"
Even though Yamamoto hadn't intentionally exerted his spiritual pressure, his mere presence was enough to overwhelm Renji. Cold sweat dripped from Renji's forehead as he stammered and explained what had transpired.
Unohana, Ukitake, and Urahara soon arrived at the scene as well. Unohana immediately began treating the severely wounded Chojiro and Mayuri.
After listening to Renji's account, Yamamoto casually replied,
"I understand."
Renji stood frozen, astonished by Yamamoto's calm response. He had expected outrage, especially given the severity of the situation. Gilgamesh had critically injured both Chojiro and Mayuri, yet Yamamoto showed no sign of anger.
Not only Yamamoto but also Unohana, Ukitake, and Urahara seemed untroubled, their expressions serene.
Wait... Urahara? Isn't he supposed to be an exile? Renji thought to himself. Why is he here?
None of this makes sense... Renji's thoughts raced.
---
Meanwhile, aboard the Vimana, Gilgamesh briefly explained the situation to the past Renji and Rukia. As they processed the fact that they had been transported to a parallel future, both were left in stunned disbelief.
"King... where are we going now?" Rukia finally asked.
Gilgamesh looked ahead at a distant floating structure, the Royal Palace, and replied:
"We're going to the Spirit King's Palace."
Hearing this, Renji and Rukia's hearts raced. Though Gilgamesh had told them about the Royal Palace before, they had never set foot there. Now, the prospect of entering such a sacred place made them nervous.
Within moments, the Vimana had pierced through the Seireitei's seventy-two barriers, reaching the Spirit King's Palace.
The Zero Division, already assembled, awaited their arrival.
As they gazed upon the golden ship breaking through the clouds, its brilliance gleaming in the sunlight, the Zero Division members were momentarily mesmerized. Even they, elite as they were, couldn't help but lose focus for an instant as they stared at the regal figure of Gilgamesh seated upon his throne.
Suddenly, Senjumaru's eyes widened in surprise,
"That craftsmanship... is it my handiwork?"
Her fellow members looked at her in confusion.
"That golden ship has been coated with my own technique, using materials crafted from our blood and hair. It carries the power of the Ōken, which allowed him to break through the seventy-two barriers," Senjumaru explained.
"But I've never coated that golden vessel before... How is this possible?"
The other members turned their eyes to Gilgamesh, realizing only he could provide the answer.
Even without releasing their spiritual pressure, the mere gaze of the Zero Division weighed heavily on past Renji and Rukia, causing them to collapse to the ground in fear. Such was the power of the Zero Division, a group whose strength surpassed that of the entire Gotei 13.
Yamamoto was the strongest of the Gotei 13, yet his spiritual pressure had only reached the limits of a Shinigami. The spiritual pressure of the Zero Division, however, had transcended that limit.
Even Gilgamesh, for all his strength, felt the weight of their combined presence.
But he was no stranger to this kind of power. He had faced it countless times in his own world.
Ichibei Hyōsube, the leader of the Zero Division, narrowed his eyes and smiled warmly,
"Young man, would you care to explain?"
Though his words were polite, his tone left no room for refusal.
Gilgamesh smirked and replied,
"If you can withstand a single strike from me, I'll explain everything."
Ichibei was caught off guard by the response, his smile widening even more,
"If that's what you wish, then so be it."
The other members of the Zero Division exchanged glances. They could tell Ichibei was enraged beneath his calm demeanor. They couldn't help but feel pity for Gilgamesh.
Of all people, he had chosen to challenge the leader of the Zero Division, Ichibei Hyōsube. If he had picked any of the others, they might have shown restraint. But Ichibei? He would show no mercy.
Gilgamesh stood from his throne, as a golden ripple formed beside him. From within it emerged a magnificent spear of platinum and gold, radiating divine energy.
Sitting on Gilgamesh's shoulder, Yoruichi, who had transformed into her black cat form, couldn't help but gasp, "Gungnir!?"
She was reminded of the time Gilgamesh had fired it as a show of power in Hueco Mundo.
Both Renji and Rukia turned to look at the spear in awe, sensing the overwhelming energy emanating from it. Though they didn't know its significance, they could feel the oppressive spiritual pressure that had weighed them down lift as the spear appeared.
Gilgamesh grasped the Spear of Gungnir, turning toward Ichibei with a faint smile.
"Let's see if the leader of the Zero Division can withstand the might of the Spear of the Meteor."
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