The moment Yamamoto's words fell—
All the flames within the barrier seemed to find their master.
A vortex of fire formed within the sea of flames, spiraling inward with Yamamoto at its center. Every strand of fire twisted and converged toward him.
Then—
Silence.
The entire barrier fell quiet.
Aside from the scorched remains of Sōkyoku Hill, there was no trace that flames had ever existed.
Yamamoto's Reiatsu pulsed slightly—
Like a violent gust of wind, it blew away all the smoke.
His figure slowly emerged.
His body was riddled with piercing wounds—clearly the result of Koyuki's attacks. Each tiny puncture had been cauterized black by intense heat.
Other than that—
Only a tattered Shihakushō remained.
No excess adornment.
Just one thing stood out—
The sword in his hand.
A rusted, worn blade.
Its surface seemed fragile, as if it might crumble at a touch.
Yet within the rust—
Faint embers flickered.
Thin wisps of smoke drifted from it, like a failed product fresh from the forge.
And aside from that—
There was no Reiatsu emanating from Yamamoto at all.
Compared to the overwhelming inferno of before—
This form made it seem as though he had lost his flames entirely.
"What… is this power, Yamamoto-sensei…?"
Ukitake, seated at the front, stared in shock.
He couldn't feel even the slightest trace of pressure.
"Bankai… beyond Bankai…"
Urahara murmured.
"As expected of the Captain-Commander."
"This…" Byakuya hesitated.
This fragile-looking blade—
Was this truly a Bankai?
But the wielder was Yamamoto Genryūsai—
And that alone made him doubt his own judgment.
"He's compressed all the flames into the blade."
Unohana Retsu spoke calmly.
"In this state—even a casual swing carries the power of his previous full-strength attacks."
Her insight immediately grasped the principle.
"As expected of Captain-Commander Yamamoto! I am in awe!"
Komamura's eyes gleamed—already imagining whether his own Bankai could be condensed into his blade.
"That explains it… no wonder he's always so confident."
Kyōraku sighed.
"With power like this… he alone could overturn the entire Seireitei."
Hitsugaya, however, showed no surprise.
He believed—
He would reach that level someday.
When he first trained his Bankai, he had briefly touched a state—
For a single instant—
He felt invincible.
As though he could freeze heaven and earth.
But his body couldn't sustain it.
Thus came the many limitations of Daiguren Hyōrinmaru.
If he could maintain that state—
He believed he could exchange a few moves with Yamamoto.
Beyond that—
He wasn't sure.
Likely—
His ice would simply be burned away.
Hitsugaya glanced at Kenpachi beside him.
Strange—
After Zanka no Tachi appeared—
Kenpachi had calmed down.
What he didn't know was—
The moment that charred blade appeared—
Kenpachi's instincts had already screamed.
You will die.
Not eventually—
Instantly.
Kenpachi sought battle—
But only meaningful battle.
If he could trade a blow and die—
He would gladly fight.
But if he couldn't even swing his blade—
There was no point.
Now—
All he could think about—
Was how to grow stronger.
"Tsunayoshi… he's alright, right?"
Love Aikawa looked worriedly toward where Tsunayoshi had been blown away.
"Relax. That brat's never lost control of a fight before," Hirako said.
Since they met him—
No one had ever seen his full limits.
"Don't forget—he still has the Sun Attribute."
Kensei snorted.
"The first time we met, I thought I'd killed him."
"He'll be fine," Isshin added.
"He wouldn't challenge Yamamoto without at least some confidence."
As for Tsunayoshi—
He was embedded in the barrier wall.
Cracks spread behind him like a shattered mirror.
After recovering from the impact—
He pulled himself free.
Looking at his tonfa—
Only the grip remained.
The rest had been reduced to dust.
That "light tap"—
Had contained overwhelming power.
At that moment—
The Blade of Infernal Flames had already transitioned into Zanka no Tachi.
The force alone—
Reminded him of one ability:
Zanka no Tachi: East—Kyokujitsujin (Rising Sun Blade).
Simply put—
Every strike was a hidden ultimate attack.
Because all flames were compressed into the blade—
Each swing equaled the full power of his previous Bankai.
Fortunately—
It hadn't been fully formed yet.
Otherwise—
He wouldn't have lost just a weapon.
Half his body might've been gone.
Step by step—
Tsunayoshi returned to the center.
Yamamoto did not pursue.
He waited.
"Sawada Tsunayoshi… this is enough."
"I acknowledge your strength."
Yamamoto spoke calmly, like a transcendent master.
And he had the right.
In the Seireitei—
Perhaps only Unohana could withstand a single strike from him now.
He had intentionally held back earlier—
Using an incomplete form.
Because he wasn't certain—
Whether Tsunayoshi could survive the real thing.
"Come on… I haven't seen the rest yet."
Tsunayoshi tossed aside the broken tonfa, smiling.
"Boy. I was not using my full strength. That was an incomplete East—Rising Sun Blade."
The meaning was clear—
Don't push it.
If he used the complete version—
The fight would already be over.
"East… so there's West, South, and North too, right?"
As he spoke—
Tsunayoshi released both his Bankai and Resurrección.
"We've come this far… how could I not see it through?"
"You're overestimating yourself."
Yamamoto's tone turned stern.
For the first time—
He felt a trace of displeasure.
Tsunayoshi's strength had been measured.
He was not a match for Zanka no Tachi.
Continuing—
Was recklessness.
But Tsunayoshi ignored him.
"Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni."
"You compressed your Bankai to the extreme—and created something new."
"But have you ever pursued…"
"Power beyond Bankai?"
"Beyond… Bankai…"
Yamamoto murmured.
His eyes sharpened.
"…You mean—"
"Then let's find out."
"Power beyond Bankai!"
Tsunayoshi crossed a white blade and a black blade before his chest.
At their intersection—
Hung his Fullbring ring.
White light.
Green light.
Black radiance.
The three merged—
Spiraling around him.
"Beyond Bankai!"
The energies fused—
Transforming into deep violet flames that engulfed his entire body.
At the same time—
A surge of Reiatsu erupted—
Equal to Yamamoto's Bankai.
Shinigami.
Hollow.
Fullbring.
All combined—
This—
Was his true strongest power.
The entire barrier shook violently.
Urahara's face changed instantly.
"Everyone—reinforce the barrier!"
The Kidō Corps poured in their Reiatsu.
Even Yamamoto's expression grew serious.
As someone who had lived for over a thousand years—
He knew certain truths.
The Royal Guard—
Possessed power so great—
It could not be used freely.
Because it could destabilize the world itself.
Yamamoto was the same.
He restrained his power—
To protect Soul Society.
If unleashed fully—
He too could shake the world.
And now—
Tsunayoshi's power—
Was doing exactly that.
Not in scale—
But in nature.
The flames subsided.
The barrier stabilized.
Tsunayoshi emerged.
He wore a white inner layer beneath a short black coat.
Black-and-white handcuffs hung at his waist.
His pants bore Thorn Dragon patterns.
His boots resembled those of a raptor.
His long, light-purple hair flowed past his waist—
Shifting—
Revealing the character for Discipline on his back.
But the most striking—
Were his weapons.
A pair of violet tonfa—
Wrapped by twin dragons.
At their tips—
A small hedgehog emblem.
Once known as Serpent Spitting Pearl—
Now evolved—
Into something greater.
Cloud Dragon Offering Pearl Tonfa.
Just like Yamamoto—
Tsunayoshi had compressed and unified his power—
Into a single form.
A state born from the fusion of three systems—
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