Under the influence of intricate streams of spiritual pressure, Kidō wove them together into strands—those strands forming planes that carved out an independent space between heaven and earth.
Within that space, the temperature surged rapidly.
It was obvious—Yamamoto had returned with reinforcements.
This was a grand Kidō barrier formed by mobilizing the entire Seireitei's Kidō forces, created to grant him a battlefield where he could fight at full power. Even before he arrived, his Bankai had already begun igniting the execution grounds.
Aizen's expression shifted.
He had endured everything to reach the brink of escape, yet Yamamoto still lingered like a specter.
"Ulquiorra, quickly—open a Garganta!"
But no black rift appeared.
Ulquiorra replied calmly, without a ripple in his voice:
"I can't. I can't connect to Hueco Mundo."
No need to think—it was the barrier's doing. Even Aizen hadn't anticipated that the Kidō Corps had such an emergency countermeasure prepared.
"Sōsuke Aizen—prepare to die!!!"
The source of the rising heat arrived alongside roaring flames. Yamamoto wore a faintly satisfied smile.
While the current Kidō Corps might not rival Tessai Tsukabishi or Hachigen Ushōda individually, their legacy had not been lost.
In the brief time since being kicked away, Yamamoto had gathered all Kidō users maintaining Seireitei's defenses. As for Seireitei's safety—it would have to be upheld by the remaining Soul Reapers.
"Stop him!" Aizen ordered sharply.
Then he ignored everything else, focusing entirely on the barrier before him, murmuring incantations under his breath.
Inoue Hao looked utterly helpless.
Boss… do you hear yourself?
Who here could still fight?
Starrk and Lilynette were crippled by Tsuna.
Tōsen was on the brink of death after Kenpachi's strike.
Gin had already destroyed himself with his own power.
That left—
Himself and Ulquiorra, the Fourth Espada.
Against the strongest Shinigami in a thousand years?
Were they even remotely qualified?
Still, despite knowing it was hopeless, Hao followed orders and began gathering his strongest Cero.
At the very least—he would try.
"Understood!"
What shocked Hao was that Ulquiorra actually accepted the command without hesitation.
Didn't he feel Yamamoto's ocean-deep, terrifying Reiatsu?
Of course he did.
But if Aizen commanded it—
He would act. With everything he had.
Green spiritual pressure engulfed Ulquiorra completely. Then, after responding, he unleashed even more power—this time tinged with a deep, ink-like darkness.
When the energy dispersed, his form had changed entirely.
No longer clad in white robes—
His upper body was bare, pale and cold; black fur covered his limbs and lower body. A long tail lashed behind him. His helmet transformed into horned extensions, and from the hollow in his chest seeped something like blackened blood.
A demonic figure incarnate.
"Segunda Etapa."
In his hand appeared a spear radiating terrifying power—far surpassing his previous weapon.
Lanza del Relámpago.
Hao was stunned.
Someone could sandbag even harder than him?
Watching Ulquiorra fight Ichigo earlier, he had assumed that was his full strength—
Turns out he still had this hidden trump card.
If Ulquiorra had used this from the start, Ichigo wouldn't have had time to react, let alone stop him from rescuing anyone.
"Attack!"
Ulquiorra, displeased at Hao's distraction, hurled the lightning spear.
Hao snapped back to reality and fired his strongest Cero in tandem.
"Hmph!"
Yamamoto snorted coldly and swung his blazing blade.
In an instant, a forty-meter-long flaming greatsword cleaved forward—dwarfing Ulquiorra's spear like a toothpick.
Yet—
The collision shook even the barrier itself.
Ulquiorra's attack was far from weak.
Yamamoto grew anxious.
That brief delay had already destabilized the barrier. At this rate, how could he maintain it long enough to kill Aizen?
He had to focus on Aizen—
Just as he made that decision, an overwhelming surge of power erupted from Aizen's direction.
Hadō #99: Goryūtenmetsu!
This time, it was nothing like before.
Fully incanted, its power reached its peak—five colossal dragons coiled around the entire execution ground.
But instead of attacking Yamamoto—
Aizen raised his blade, letting the dragons wrap around it.
Reflected in the mirror-like sheen of Kyōka Suigetsu, the dragons spiraled inward—
Absorbed into the blade.
Yamamoto sensed danger and immediately unleashed Inferno City—
But Aizen had already completed everything.
His gaze locked onto the barrier.
Life or death—
Would be decided by this strike.
"Five-Headed Dragon Flash!"
The slash fell.
A roar echoed across all of Soul Society.
Even Inferno City could not stop this ultimate fusion of swordsmanship and Kidō.
The barrier—
Shattered.
Flames surged outward, spilling uncontrollably. The five dragons tore through the sky, scattering the clouds above Soul Society entirely.
Yamamoto opened his eyes.
Without the barrier, killing Aizen would mean sacrificing all of Soul Society.
That was meaningless.
Now that he had found a way to deal with Aizen, there was no need to gamble everything.
Next time—
He would create a stronger barrier.
And that—
Would be Aizen's end.
A confident smile returned to Aizen's face.
He knew Yamamoto would not act—for now.
He casually brushed back his hair, restoring his composed, slicked-back look.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto, next time we meet, I will—"
"Hmph! Next time, I will kill you!" Yamamoto cut him off harshly.
Aizen merely chuckled.
Behind him, the Garganta opened.
Hao immediately slipped inside, dragging several half-dead bodies along.
He wasn't taking any chances—if Aizen and Yamamoto clashed again, he'd be caught in it.
Even blocking that flaming blade earlier had nearly scared him to death. Thankfully, Ulquiorra had been there.
Ulquiorra, however, remained by Aizen's side, ready to act at any moment.
Only when Aizen signaled did he step into the Garganta.
It was time to leave.
As Aizen turned, he cast two final glances—
One at Yamamoto.
The other—
At Tsuna.
Then—
A soft crackle of flames.
A projectile flew toward him.
A bomb.
Was Tsuna attacking him?
A bit overconfident, wasn't he?
Should he call Ulquiorra back?
More help wouldn't hurt.
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Aizen instinctively raised his blade.
But—
The bomb detonated on its own before reaching him.
From the smoke, something oval-shaped dropped.
Aizen lowered his sword and caught it.
Warm.
Hot.
A roasted sweet potato.
He recognized it.
Tsuna had roasted it earlier on the execution grounds—
Using Ryūjin Jakka's flames.
Looking up, he saw Tsuna wave casually.
"First time meeting you—didn't have a gift. Roasted with Ryūjin Jakka~"
The sweet potato had been freshly made, sealed inside a weapon bomb after Tsuna activated his Storm Attribute Bankai.
Truthfully—
Tsuna had no grudge against Aizen.
Aizen's conflict was with Soul Society.
As long as he didn't target the Human World—
Tsuna wouldn't mind being on friendly terms.
Looking at the sweet potato—
Aizen smiled.
A genuine smile.
The first time had been with Tōsen—
When he didn't need to pretend.
This time—
He understood Tsuna bore him no hostility.
"Thank you."
Aizen inclined his head.
He had nothing to offer in return—aside from his Zanpakutō and the Hōgyoku, he had left everything else behind in Soul Society to avoid suspicion.
So he simply thanked him—
And stepped into the Garganta.
It seems… the creation of the Ōken will require another method…
The Human World… I'll leave it alone for now…
The Garganta slowly closed.
Aizen's rebellion—
Came to a temporary end.
Yamamoto watched Tsuna wave goodbye, irritation flickering across his face.
But there was nothing he could do.
At its core—
Without Kyōka Suigetsu—
He wouldn't have even allowed the Human World's intruders to interfere.
The traitor of Soul Society—
Would be dealt with by the Gotei Thirteen themselves.
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