Head of the Kuchiki Clan

"Byakuya Kuchiki…" Silas said, eyes, locked onto his.

"I'm not honoured that you've heard of me… Ichigo Kurosaki."

The two separated, bursting outside the Kuchiki manor and onto the flowered garden. They each had the same expression on their faces as Silas said, "And I'm not at all surprised you came."

How could he not know who was approaching? Everything about Byakuya, from how he fought to what his most-used techniques were, was known to Silas. After all, this was one of his favourite characters. And as for how his presence was made in the manor, he could only figure it leaked after his Bankai was retracted.

Byakuya scoffed, unimpressed. The two then stared at one another for what seemed like forever. It was obvious what they were thinking: to stop the other at all costs.

The air between them shimmered not with heat, but with the raw potential of unreleased spiritual energy. Byakuya Kuchiki, a pillar of Soul Society tradition, was poised in silent readiness. His expression was cold, composed, carved from aristocratic granite. Across from him was Silas, matching his power. The two were like hurricanes ready to unleash their might.

"I'm asking to understand, Kurosaki. Why are you after Rukia in this stubborn crusade?"

Byakuya's words were like frost in this chilling atmosphere. Then suddenly, Silas lunged forward, clashing against his Zanpakutō. He looked at him, spitting back, "Since when did you start caring for your adopted sister?"

Byakuya's response was a long, almost sorrowful sigh. He pushed Silas back without much effort. Then, with a motion seemingly too relaxed for the violence it foreshadowed, his Zanpakutō's Bankai released. "Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." Silas watched Byakuya's weapon dissolve in the ground. "Scatter."

Pillars upon pillars of blades erupted in the area, replaced by a storm of ethereal blades like cherry blossom petals. Millions, upon millions, each glowing with dangerous beauty, like starlight rendered sharp and tangible began surrounding him. These weren't flowers of spring, but a deadly blizzard, and he found himself in its epicenter. 

In a blinding flash, Silas quickly backed away, swinging his weapon to send a shockwave through the dilapidated area. He tried parrying desperately, his ungainly sword feeling heavier with each strike. Every blade Byakuya released carried the deceptive force of a true Soul Reaper's might.

Silas stumbled, one step, then two, his footing a calm yet frantic dance against the encroaching tide of pink blades. He was like a wildfire brandishing his weapon to counter act the assault. Byakuya observed him struggling with disinterest bordering on disdain. Unlike Ichigo, who was in his Bankai and could slice through all of Byakuya's separated blades, Silas was using a normal katana to do it.

His bladework was like a willow in a strong wind, bending but never breaking. And with a surge of speed, he elegantly forced Byakuya's attack back after a relentless series of deflections. Byakuya himself seemed more annoyed than threatened, ready to show off more of his noble skills.

Yet the moment Silas saw an opening, he lunged, only to clash with a fully formed weapon in Byakuya's hand. Their eyes met over the crossed swords, sharing a coldness deeper than ice could reflect on their blades. In Byakuya's gaze, Silas could see the indomitable weight of the Kuchiki's traditions, a force that dwarfed any personal sentiment. The captain wanted to end him without any mercy!

The storm of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi pulsed, pressing Silas like an inescapable avalanche. "As long as I'm here, you'll never get your hands on Rukia," Byakuya stated, his voice the calm beneath the chaos. "Bound by the thirteen court guard squads, I will ensure her safety. No one will touch her!"

A slight grunt was let out by Silas, drops of blood spattering against his weapon as a small blade sliced his skin. Yet his grip didn't waver. His entire body was engulfed and then crashed down to the ground, causing an eruption of petals to skyrocket to the clouds. By the time Byakuya's attack ended, he saw Silas still on his feet.

"Her safety, huh?" he gritted. "I admit... I wasn't prepared for this… But regardless of who you are, there isn't a single person in this world that can stop me."

With one swing of his weapon, a ripple of wind pressure hurled its way toward Byakuya. The Soul Reaper was forced to defend himself with his flurry of endless blossoms. It was the briefest of openings, a fault line in the perfect facade of Byakuya's control. But for Silas, it was enough.

With a wordless bellow, he appeared behind Byakuya, his raw spirit power slashing outwards in a vertical fashion. There was no precision or control, just an explosion of untamed energy that blanketed the Soul Reaper against the torrent, pushing him back like a strong wave.

In the stunned silence, Silas staggered but stayed upright, his sword quivering from the effort. Zangetsu's strength hadn't returned in the slightest. It was his own power able to push back a fully-fledged captain.

Byakuya, who had managed to recover, seemed more startled than injured. Pride flared across his features as he mused, "So, you continue this senseless act?" His fingers lightly traced the hilt of his sword. "You've lasted longer than most would, boy... Show me more of this arrogance you seem so determined to waste."

He flicked his wrist and the storm intensified tenfold. The air felt charged, like the moments before a lightning struck, alive with dangerous expectations. Cherry blossom blades then whipped into a swirling frenzy, blinding and merciless. Silas was almost drowned in the onslaught, his wild swings now completely overwhelmed. He could see nothing but the blinding pink of his destruction and felt nothing but the sting of a thousand tiny cuts.

Yet, beneath his desperation, a strange calm began to form. It wasn't resignation, but an almost meditative focus. In that storm, with Byakuya as its unseen conductor, he began to listen, to distinguish a pattern amidst the chaos. The blizzard around him held not just death, but form.

Raising his sword amidst the storm, he said, "Your Bankai… Is too weak." Silas then began slashing in all directions. With each swing, however frantic, he gained a sense of direction, a faint beat within the deafening roar.

Silas didn't just show it with his words; he showed it with his skills. As the maelstrom reached its peak, his spiritual energy lashed out, deflecting every petal burst for burst. A raw chaotic of blinding slashes ensured, harmonizing with whatever direction a petal sought to attack him in. Like a terrible beauty, he synchronized his attacks, resisting every single angle.

Then, it ended.

Byakuya was left in awe, blades floating in the air unable to be tamed. There was an ere silence between them until it was broken by someone's arrival.

"Rukia," Byakuya said with a shocked look. "What are you doing here? It's too dangerous. Go back now!"

Silas's eyes shined upon seeing the prize in his midst as he calmly said, "Stay right there…"

Byakuya, laced with shades of gray and regret, knew that Silas's main target was her. His sense of protection grew deeper, fueled by his promise to his deceased wife, Hisana Kuchiki.

"Ichigo!" Rukia screamed. As Silas changed targets, she remained still, having a deep desire to understand him more than anything—to help him if he was truly possessed. But the moment he jolted forward, she saw the piercing yellow gaze in his eyes. It froze her in place.

Silas extended his arms, ready to take her by the throat. And because Byakuya wasn't in the right position, he wasn't going to be able to stop him like last time!