User blog:Xilinoc/559. THE NIGHT RIGHT

Song to listen to while reading this chapter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_izvAbhExY&list=PLFB4B8FACC881FB7E&index=85

Well, this is by far the most packed chapter we've had in some time.

So first we finally cut back to the epic battle of Shunsui vs. Haschwalth, which...hasn't actually happened yet. Apparently, Yhwach speed-dialed Haschwalth and told him to return to the HQ, which is apparently named Silbern. Interesting. It was also nice to see more of Nanao's Kidō prowess, namely in creating a new spell while Haschwalth was absorbing the old one, and it's certainly intriguing how much power one attack from Haschwalth contained. Also, dat tea line.

Then we go to Ikkaku, Yumichika, and finally, FI-NUH-LLY, Hisagi, who got lost. Derp. Apparently the Wandenreich have managed to hide themselves from detection by throwing out random pockets of dense Reishi. Surprising effective. But then Mask the party pooper decides to come along and attack from above AGAIN. Sheesh.

Then we're back to the Wandenreich HQ, which is the most interesting part to me. Firstly, we've got BG9 acting like a normal human being with his words and diction - although this may be the result of some embellishing on the speedscanners' part. Then, we see what "The Iron" actually entails: it's essentially a super-duper version of Blut Vene, only much more visible and unique to Cang. And thirdly, we see that Haschwalth's previous comments about balance weren't just random: his powers have something do to with the balancing of fate, and I think everyone will bet their bottom and top dollars that his epithet is "The Balance" or "The Balancer"'. I do like how Kubo foreshadowed this with the talk of Shinigami being Balancers and stuff and Haschwalth cutting down the guy who said it. Well, that might not be foreshadowing, but still.

And then we go back to Mask in what might be the funniest part of any chapter I have read in a long time. He takes out Hisagi with an elbow drop, and then - and THEN - we found out that he has his own personal WRESTLING BELL RINGER

MY SIDES

I'm sorry, but that is just too perfect. Applause, Kubo, applause. I mean, I know that he just decimated three lieutenant-level combatants, but still. Also, Rukia and Renji appear before him at the end of the chapter, so that's kind of important, but still, THE PERSONAL RINGER

Anyhow, a great chapter overall. We got quite a bit of what we've been asking for: where Hisagi is, what "The Iron" means, what Haschwalth's powers are, etc.

THAT F*CKING BELL RINGER THOUGH