User blog:Xilinoc/Ch. 664 - The Gift

Song to listen to while reading this chapter: "I Can't Go For That" by Hall & Oates

Coming to you a good hour and a half after the chapter release due to a combination of Mangastream's reader being slow as hell to get through because of all the crappy ads and there being a lot to update, it's the XiliblogTM!

So we start off with Askin explaining just what's going down with his Hasshain: apparently, he just needs a second of getting attacked in order to experience all 48 different types of Yoruichi's Thundercat Reiatsu, and then he can begin adapting and stuff. But more important is the why: Hasshain automatically adapts to the superficial changes in a "poison", so if someone's Reiatsu changes it doesn't mean anything because the core of it is still the same. Yeesh, talk about reactionary. After rhetorically asking Urahara if he's out of tricks yet because we all know Urahara never runs out, Askin erects a Gift Bereich (anyone else wondering if/when Kubo's gonna explain that Schatten Bereich thing from way back when?) and claims Urahara can't escape it. Clearly he doesn't know that he's dealing with the Harry Houdini of manga characters here.

Then we get some interesting characterization: Urahara notes that Askin doesn't appear to be acting completely out of loyalty to Stacheman, and after an...interesting comparison of himself to a Pomeranian in terms of loyalty (we all know TR-8R is the gold standard here, bud), Askin admits that he's interested in seeing what Swaggy Y.H. is gonna make after destroying Soul Society, the Human World, and Hueco Mundo, and thinks Urahara is too. This prompts Urahara to attack him while rightfully pointing out that Mayuri is more likely to think along Askin's lines, but only if he could create the new world himself because that's what it means to be a scientist. Poor Szayelaporro must be rolling over in Hell/his nonexistent grave. This actually makes Askin go full crazy-grin and launch a Gift Ring at Urahara, who gets it right in his eye, which then pops. Ouch. Askin straight-up admits that he has to use a technique that powerful because his normal The Deathdealing simply won't take down Urahara, but then comes the moment we've all been waiting for: Urahara activates his Bankai, Kannon Biraki Benihime Atarame. THE HYPE HAS BEGUN.

Yet another great chapter this week. Askin continues to be my and many other's fav Ritter for a good reason; he's got his own motives beyond serving Senor 'Tache, his abilities are way past cool, and he's still reasonable about his power level. Meanwhile, Urahara's finally gonna show us why he couldn't train Chad all those years ago. Can't wait for next week.

Thoughts on this chapter? Askin will never stop being Best Ritter I will never remember this Bankai's name THIS HYPE HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN FOR GENERATIONS Gift this, Gift that! Gifts are for GROMMETS!