Spoilers and weirder spirits after the cut.
To no one's surprise, attempting to drown Barro didn't work. So the only thing left was the last scene, a slash across his throat that made his body explode.
We are also introduced to the spirit of Kyouraku's zanpakutou (or the bankai version of it, whichever), Ohana. She's what could be expected from a sword or pair of swords as odd as Kyouraku's zanpakutou.
The last scene of Kyouraku's bankai would have been a fitting ending for the chapter and the fight against Barro.
Of course, it doesn't happen like that, and I think something was lost as a result.
Barro shoots through Kyouraku's chest, surprising both he and Ohana. He then declares (in that stupid way that Kubo's "villains" always seem to) that he won't be killed by a shinigami's bankai.
The elite Stern Ritter now looks to be composed entirely of light as well. Surely that would make attacking him more difficult. I'm confident that Kyouraku will figure something out and that this is a momentary digression designed to further lengthen the manga.
After all, we already passed chapter 600 a while ago. On toward 700, I guess.
Or maybe even 800. Who knows at this point?
