Surtur's body instantly vanished, then stopped in mid-air.
Because an old man appeared before her.
"What are you doing, Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13?"
"That should be my question, shouldn't it?"
Yamamoto said in a deep voice,
"What are you going to do?"
Surtur frowned, silent.
She was, of course, going to retrieve the corpses.
But Yamamoto Genryūsai blocked her path.
"I will only take the Hollow corpses."
"What if I don't allow it?" Yamamoto's voice was severe.
If she took both Shinigami and Hollow corpses, wouldn't that only strengthen the Quincy's combat power?
Surtur's frown deepened.
"Don't forget, we are still in a cooperative relationship right now."
"If that's the case, then please fight the Arrancar," Yamamoto retorted.
Although Surtur was not afraid of Yamamoto, she didn't want to fight him at this time.
The next moment, both looked toward a certain area.
…
"Starrk… that idiot."
Baraggan slowly rose from his throne.
"He actually lost just like that?"
"Damn it! Can such an Arrancar be called No. 0?!"
Baraggan had always resented Starrk's numerical superiority. Now, seeing Starrk defeated, even he, who'd always sat on his skeleton throne, couldn't sit still.
The Shinigami watching Baraggan also grew tense.
Soi Fon appeared in front of him.
They, the Shinigami, knew some of Baraggan's abilities—his speed, his power of decay—all from Kyōraku Shunsui's previous fight with him.
It was this knowledge that kept Soi Fon on guard. No other Captain could escape Baraggan's decay.
And it was because of Shunsui's fight with Baraggan that he was so enraged by Starrk's defeat.
Are you kidding me?
Have I always been suppressed by this kind of trash?
And that guy, he didn't even use his full power when he faced me back then?!
Damn it!
"I… am tired of sitting."
Baraggan swept his crimson gaze across the battlefield.
"Let this boring war end!"
He looked at Soi Fon, then vanished.
Soi Fon's pupils widened. She was confident in her speed, but—
What just happened? Baraggan's body vanished?
No… this is bad!
She tried to dodge, but Baraggan appeared behind her in an instant.
He merely touched her arm.
The next moment—
Her arm began to decay and age; the flesh melted away, revealing stark white bone!
How is that possible?!
Soi Fon was shocked. Her speed was among the top in the Gotei 13, yet she couldn't even resist Baraggan's speed?
Did that mean the other Captains would fare even worse?
The pain of corrosion hit her nerves, and she cried out in agony.
She managed to dodge, but Baraggan let her go.
"Boring.
Boring!"
Baraggan looked at the fleeing Soi Fon.
"Do Shinigami only have this much ability?!
Or do you think you can deal with me with this kind of trash? Truly…
Unforgivable!"
He stared at the distant Soi Fon, eyes flashing with killing intent, and vanished again.
Once more—
He appeared in front of Soi Fon!
Soi Fon, fleeing and having already cut off her left arm, felt near despair as Baraggan appeared before her again.
How could he be so fast?!
She could accept that Baraggan was faster, but not to this extent!
Far beyond her!
"This is impossible!" Soi Fon roared, thrusting Suzumebachi at Baraggan.
"Hmph."
Baraggan snorted. He didn't need to move—as long as Soi Fon stepped forward, she'd be entangled by his death aura and reduced to bones.
But suddenly, he smelled something familiar. The next moment—
A black shadow flashed out from his body, appearing before Soi Fon, grabbing her, and fleeing!
Baraggan watched, brow furrowed.
"She actually escaped…?"
Soi Fon was surprised. At first, she struggled, but recognizing the familiar face and spiritual pressure, she gasped,
"Lady Yoruichi?!"
It was Yoruichi!
Though she'd been absorbed into Baraggan's Death Maze, she'd managed to escape, thanks to a special medicine from Kisuke Urahara. Its unique scent helped her find the exit.
When she entered the maze, she was in Las Noches. When she exited, she was in Karakura Town!
And she immediately saw Soi Fon about to die.
"Don't get close to him; this guy is not easy to deal with," Yoruichi warned.
Soi Fon nodded.
"Yes, Lady Yoruichi!"
The grievances between them had already been resolved.
"Two people?"
Baraggan looked at them, unmoved.
"No matter how many people there are, the result will still be the same."
"Is that really true?" Yoruichi replied. "Looking at it this way, it's really tragic. Have so many people already fallen?"
"Next, it will be you."
Baraggan had never considered Yoruichi or Soi Fon a threat. In truth, he barely considered anyone a threat.
…
Elsewhere—
"You're already done for, Miss Matsumoto."
Kira spoke, facing Rangiku, who was panting heavily.
Originally, Rangiku's Zanpakuto should have countered Kira's: Wabisuke's ability is to double the weight of whatever it strikes, but Rangiku's sword could turn to dust—almost weightless.
That's why Rangiku challenged Kira.
Yet, despite her advantage, she was the one struggling.
"You… Did you also gain the power of a Hollow?"
"…Not a Hollow."
Kira was silent for a moment.
"Alright, I'll tell you. This is the power of a Quincy."
?!
"Your Zanpakuto can turn into dust, but that dust is far less sharp than a blade. It simply cannot break through my 'Blut.'"
Rangiku didn't know what 'Blut' was, but guessed it was some defensive technique.
No wonder her attacks had no effect. She'd thought it was Hollow steel skin, but it was actually Quincy power?
"Did Aizen also dabble in Quincy power?" Rangiku gritted her teeth. "That bastard…"
Kira remained unmoved.
"Sorry, Miss Matsumoto. This is war.
I'm going to… kill you."
He swung his sword. Rangiku, exhausted, couldn't dodge.
But at that critical moment—a sword blocked Kira's path.
"You're actually serious, bastard?"
Renji had arrived.
"Looks like… you're no longer the Kira Izuru I once knew."
"Abarai…" Kira looked at Renji, momentarily lost.
They'd once been classmates, even in the same group with Hinamori. Now, Kira and Hinamori stood against Renji.
Should he say… life was unpredictable?
"Kira, I'll give you one more chance! Don't stand with Aizen anymore!
And Hinamori, what's wrong with you two? How could you help Aizen do such a thing?!
Have you forgotten your parents, Kira? You're a noble Shinigami! Won't this make them sad, after they sacrificed themselves for Seireitei?!"
"What do you know?" Kira said coldly. "I'm doing this precisely for Seireitei! Only we are truly for the Soul Society!"
"Oh? So you're going to kill the Soul King?"
"Because that is a wrong existence, the original sin of this world! He must be killed! Only by killing him will this world become pure!"
"You… are indeed beyond saving."
"You're too arrogant, Abarai!" Kira gripped his Zanpakuto. "Alright, since you think so, let's see who is righteous."
Renji was puzzled, seeing no intent to attack from Kira.
"I forgot to mention—we both learned Bankai from Captain Yoshio, right?"
"…So what? Are you going to use Captain Yoshio to persuade me?"
"I just want to tell you that you're not the only one who learned true Bankai from Captain Yoshio."
"…I know. You're a genius, so of course you learned Bankai too. But… you never said what your Bankai's ability is."
"It's alright. Now… you'll know."
Kira glanced at Renji, then at Rangiku.
"Facing the two of you, perhaps… it's just right.
Bankai: Keishō Kinjō Ō Wabisuke."
In an instant, something was released from Kira's body.
What… is this?
Renji tensed, gripping his Zanpakuto. Then his eyes widened in shock.
Before he could react, Kira's body twisted and deformed, as if under immense weight.
His back bent, his head pressed down, like a hunchbacked man with his head in a guillotine.
It was ugly. Renji and Rangiku both felt a crushing pressure, forcing them into the same posture—backs bent, necks stretched, like chickens waiting to be slaughtered.
A flood of images surged through their minds:
People slaughtered, dissected, massacred… Over and over, they were neither the killers nor the killed, but witnesses.
They should not be in danger, nor feel pain.
But… a sorrow and despair surged from the depths of their souls, so heavy it suffocated them.
In Renji's eyes, the news of Rukia's execution appeared again!
Renji's pupils dilated. He felt as if he'd returned to that moment months ago, when Rukia was about to be executed and he was powerless.
He hated his own weakness—detested his own helplessness!
He forgot what happened afterwards, lost in the scene of Rukia being killed—by Sōkyoku, by Yoshio, by Aizen, by…
Himself?
Scene after scene, real or imagined, appeared in his mind, the despair, anger, and sorrow growing thicker.
"Ah…"
Renji was pressed further down, his waist straining, head nearly to the ground.
Crack!
The ground where his head was pressed cracked, and Renji groaned in agony.
Rangiku, beside him, was no better. Despair and sorrow filled her heart—Yoshio and Gin, the two most important people to her, both betraying her. The pain was perhaps even greater than Rukia's.
All this sorrow, which should have stayed in her heart, transformed into tangible pressure—gravity pressing down, crushing them.
…
"…Oh."
In the distance, Askin noticed the situation.
"It seems… those two Shinigami are done for."
He glanced at Ichimaru Gin, trying to see his reaction.
But Ichimaru Gin seemed to enjoy the sight.
"How pathetic… Kira is quite capable."
"…You're really terrifying." Askin felt a chill. It was as if he was being stared at by a poisonous snake.
"If you're talking about terrifying, aren't you the same?" Ichimaru Gin said, "You wanted a truce with me, but you've been analyzing my spiritual pressure all this time, haven't you?"
Askin said nothing, but Gin waved his hand, unconcerned.
"Doesn't matter. My battle with you won't affect anything."
"What?" Askin asked.
"Whether it's Shinigami or Quincy, your struggles are futile.
Even if you defeat all the Espada without losing a single soldier, for us… for Captain Aizen, it doesn't matter.
The gap between the two sides is that big. Gotei 13? Quincy? Kurosaki Ichigo's side… too naive. Even if you unite…
…you still won't be able to reach Captain Aizen's realm.
If you really want to say…"
Ichimaru Gin's eyes narrowed.
"Only one person can kill Captain Aizen…"