Amid Arthur's horrified gaze, the form of that Dragon began to change.
Its body, originally just a serpentine form barely held together by vengeful souls, now began to 'crystallize'.
Dark red patterns emerged on its jet-black surface. Those patterns pulsed like blood vessels, each pulse causing the surrounding space to tremble.
From its back, a pair of wings, formed from pure spirit particles and resembling those of a bat, unfolded with a whoosh.
Its near-materialized pressure swept through the entire ruin like a tsunami.
Yoruichi and Komamura both grunted, their bodies forcibly pushed back several meters by that pressure.
Seeing this, Arthur was even more horrified in his heart.
'That great dragon, after evolving, had actually become this powerful?'
He couldn't help but inwardly complain: 'If they all attacked together from the start, how could this problem have arisen?'
'Now it's done. That monster has become even stronger.'
But when he turned his head, he found Setsuna and Aizen's expressions remained calm.
"Aizen, do you want to go up and try?" Setsuna asked lightly.
Aizen smiled slightly. "Setsuna-nii jests. I'm just a clerical worker. Matters of combat are better left to you all."
Setsuna nodded slightly. "Yoruichi, Komamura, step back."
Yoruichi pouted, a flicker of reluctance in her eyes.
She could still fight. She wanted to try and see where this dragon's limits lay.
But in the end, she obeyed and retreated, landing beside Sajin Komamura, though she muttered, "I could have played a bit longer..."
Komamura, however, was more serious.
If it were his full form, he certainly wouldn't think this newly evolved Vasto Lorde-level Menos was a match for Setsuna. But the problem was that Setsuna had to suppress 80% of his Reiryoku.
Even if Setsuna was incredibly strong, after having eighty percent of his power restricted, facing a complete Vasto Lorde-level Menos, did he really have a chance of winning?
Setsuna took a step forward, released his Zanpakuto, and donned the Phoenix Bronze Cloth.
A layer of blazing white Nirvana Flame ignited on the Cloth's surface. Nourished by this Nirvana Flame, the life force within his Gigai began to bloom.
His muscles started to swell, veins bulging like writhing dragons beneath his skin. The surrounding air began to distort and boil.
Eight Gates Released Formation: Fully Open.
Following that, the flames abruptly shifted to a dark gold hue. Within those flames, countless tiny particles seemed to be violently colliding, annihilating, and regenerating. The pressure radiating from him caused the ground beneath his feet to crack.
Baryon Mode: Release.
Finally, the dark gold flames suddenly 'froze'… more accurately, they entered a realm transcending the very concept of 'speed'.
Ultra Instinct - Omen: Activate.
Three states, triple stacked.
And the Gigai that bore all this, even under the nourishment of the Nirvana Flame, now emitted a strained, agonized groan.
Fine cracks began appearing on the skin's surface, golden light seeping from the fissures; muscle fibers trembled wildly, as if they would snap in the next second.
Setsuna knew very well inside that this Gigai was far too weak. Even at the cost of its own destruction, it could only maintain this state for an instant.
But for him, an instant was enough.
"Primordial Chaos: Kamehameha!"
A beam of light, so pure, so condensed it seemed to materialize the very concept of 'destruction' itself, erupted from Setsuna's palms.
Wherever the beam passed, the wails of vengeful souls vanished instantly.
That Vasto Lorde-level 'great dragon' didn't even have a chance to struggle. The moment its body touched the light, it began to disintegrate and break apart, dissolving into fundamental spirit particle dust.
In its eyes, which reflected countless resentments, a flicker of relief flashed in the final instant.
Setsuna shook his head slightly. Because this Menos Grande had evolved through 'fusion' rather than 'devouring', its Reishi had too many impurities. It wasn't really suitable as ingredients. A bit of a pity.
While he was still regretting it, the other four were utterly stunned.
Komamura's pupils contracted to their limit. "One strike. He annihilated a Vasto Lorde-level Menos with just one strike!"
It must be remembered that even most Gotei 13's Captains were no match for a Vasto Lorde-level Menos.
What surprised him even more was Setsuna's control over his power.
The residual energy only reduced some surrounding buildings to dust. It hadn't damaged the earth itself.
Logically, an energy wave of that level should have turned this whole area into a bottomless abyss.
Yoruichi's eyes were also wide with shock, 'How strong was Setsuna before he died?'
She even began to suspect that he might have been stronger alive than he was now as a Shinigami.
Aizen pushed up his glasses. A thought suddenly arose in his mind: 'So a human's power can also reach this level. It seems my perspective was too narrow. Perhaps mastering the power of both Shinigami and Hollows in human form is the true path to surpassing the Soul King!'
Arthur was completely dazed. The investigator's short staff in his hand fell to the ground with a clatter, but he didn't even notice.
"Just one move. The monster our entire Reverse London, our entire Top of Horns, was helpless against... is just gone?"
In his heart, a deep reverence for the Eastern Soul Society spontaneously arose.
"No wonder 'God' is in the East." Arthur took a deep breath, bent down to pick up his staff, walked in front of Setsuna, and bowed deeply.
"Captain Chiaki... no, Lord Chiaki, thank you for resolving this catastrophe for us. I have now fully witnessed the strength of the Eastern Soul Society."
Arthur didn't hide the admiration and reverence in his eyes. "I hope to send an envoy to the Seireitei for study and exchange. I hope you will permit it."
Setsuna smiled slightly. "I can't decide on something like that. You'll have to apply to Captain-Commander Yamamoto."
Hearing this, Yoruichi's eyes lit up. "When I was in Reverse London before, I saw that you have witches who can turn into cats. Can you have your people teach me that magic?"
Arthur smiled. "Of course, no problem. It's just a small magic."
Upon hearing this, Setsuna's expression became quite odd, 'The means by which Yoruichi turned into a cat was actually Western magic?'
Komamura, however, said hopefully, "If the East and West can exchange and cooperate, that would be wonderful. Then I could propose researching a medicine to help dark creatures suppress their berserking."
Setsuna, however, shook his head slightly. "You'd better not propose that."
"Huh?" Komamura was puzzled.
Setsuna, however, thought of the Visored framed by Aizen in the original timeline. He said solemnly, "In a situation like yours, you would most likely be directly identified as a 'Hollow' by the Central 46, and then executed!"
Komamura found it hard to believe. He had never interacted with the Central 46, but in his impression, wasn't the Central 46 a place representing justice? How could they make such a foolish judgment?
Seeing that he seemed unconvinced, Setsuna didn't say more.
Teaching someone by telling them rarely works, while teaching them through experience only takes once.