Aizen vs. Liu Hao (Five)

The seven-colored light, like a divine gift, poured down from the sky, enveloping the entire battlefield. The light was gentle yet firm, as if it possessed a life of its own, penetrating every inch of space and every barrier.

The Four Beast Gate Block —the massive barrier personally set up by Liu Hao to tightly protect the Gotei 13 and the Visoreds —began to slowly dissipate under the illumination of the seven-colored light.

The four majestic stone gates, the four-colored bolts, and the invisible barrier that isolated everyone from the outside world all melted and dissipated little by little, like ice and snow meeting the spring sun. In the end, they turned into countless tiny points of light and merged into the sky full of colorful light.

After being protected for so long, the group finally reappeared on the ruins ravaged by war.

They stood there, raised their heads, and looked at the two opposing figures in the distance—one sitting on the Imperial Throne, surrounded by seven-colored light; the other floating in mid-air, with six wings spread behind him, surrounded by deep purple Reiatsu.

A complex and inscrutable expression appeared on everyone's face.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya, the young Captain of the Tenth Division, had an undisguised fighting spirit flashing in his icy blue eyes. He gripped the Hyōrinmaru tightly in his hand, his voice low and firm. "Should we go help?!"

His voice carried the passion and impulsiveness unique to young people, as if he were ready to rush forward at any moment and fight that terrifying enemy.

However, a hand gently rested on his shoulder.

Shunsui Kyōraku, the usually carefree Captain of the Eighth Division, had now abandoned his usual languidness. He adjusted the brim of his hat, his eyes, hidden in the shadows, fixed on the figure seated on the Imperial Throne in the distance.

He spoke, his voice unusually serious. "I'm afraid... there's no room for us to intervene."

Tōshirō Hitsugaya frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Shunsui Kyōraku's next words, "Look."

Shunsui Kyōraku slightly raised his chin, gesturing for Hitsugaya to look into the distance. "That level of battle is beyond our capabilities. If we go up, we'll only become a burden to Liu Hao."

Tōshirō Hitsugaya fell silent. He knew, of course, that Shunsui Kyōraku was telling the truth, but the sense of powerlessness stirred up a complex and indescribable emotion within him.

Shinji Hirako stood to the side, his perpetually cynical eyes now gleaming with complex emotions. He looked at Liu Hao in the distance, a faint, self-deprecating smile playing on his lips, "This guy... besides his sharp tongue, he actually possesses such strength!!"

His voice carried a hint of barely concealed... emotion.

Upon hearing Shinji Hirako's words, the members of the Visored all involuntarily curled their lips in disapproval.

Kensei Muguruma snorted coldly, a complex light flashing in his sharp eyes. He recalled the various ways Liu Hao had "taken care" of him in the past, those seemingly sarcastic but actually caring words, and now, thinking back on them, a warm current welled up in his heart.

With his arms crossed, Bai's usually cold face showed a rare... hint of emotion.

Just as everyone was lost in their own thoughts—

Shunsui Kyōraku suddenly realized something. He turned sharply to look at Jūshirō Ukitake beside him, a look of shock flashing in his eyes. "Ukitake, what's wrong?!"

Jūshirō Ukitake stood there, his once pale face now flushed, but an expression of disbelief crossed his face. He raised his hands, looking at them, feeling the indescribable changes taking place inside his body.

His voice trembled slightly, filled with disbelief and barely suppressed excitement. "I feel... I'm cured!!"

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a tidal wave in everyone's hearts!

Shunsui Kyōraku's eyes widened, and his ever-present straw hat nearly fell off. Almost instinctively, he asked, "Are you sure?!"

Jūshirō Ukitake took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and carefully felt the changes inside his body. His brows furrowed and relaxed at times, and his expression became increasingly complex and incredulous.

After a long while, he opened his eyes. Those eyes, which always carried a hint of sickly weariness, now shone with an unprecedented light. "I just feel... something is growing inside my body."

He paused, his voice growing deeper. "It's as if something I lost long ago has returned."

He turned his head, his gaze piercing through layers of ruins and the sky filled with colorful light, landing on the figure sitting upright on the Imperial Throne in the distance.

His eyes shone with an indescribable mix of gratitude and admiration. "Liu Hao once said that he could cure my illness. It's just that at the time, his abilities were insufficient."

He paused, his voice growing deeper. "And now... perhaps this is the time he spoke of, when his abilities will arrive."

Upon hearing this, everyone turned their heads in unison and looked again at the figure confronting Aizen in the distance.

The figure sat regally on the Imperial Throne, surrounded by seven-colored light, with a dazzling golden light flowing above his Imperial Crown. He sat there quietly, yet he seemed to be the center of the entire world, the sole ruler of heaven and earth.

An indescribable emotion welled up in everyone's heart.

In that emotion, there was awe, gratitude, admiration, and a faint... shame.

They remembered Liu Hao's usual demeanor—that carefree, sarcastic guy who seemed indifferent to everything. He never flaunted his abilities or boasted about his achievements; he simply did what he believed he should do in silence.

Now, he has finally revealed his true strength, showing them the true... Emperor that had been hidden within him all along.

In the distant sky, Liu Hao sat on his Imperial Throne, his eyes, shimmering with seven-colored light, silently watching Aizen below. His face was expressionless, displaying only a detached calm, as if he were looking at an ant.

Aizen hovered in mid-air, the six enormous butterfly wings behind him fluttering gently, and eerie purple flames burning in the eye sockets of the skulls on the wing spines. His face remained the same pitch-black, abyss-like appearance, and the old face hanging at his sides looked eerie and terrifying in the moonlight.

But at this moment, his eyes gleamed with an undisguised... apprehension.

Liu Hao looked at him, and his Emperor voice rang out again. "Aizen... now, do you have anything else to say?"

Aizen hovered in mid-air, the six enormous purple butterfly wings behind him fluttering gently, and eerie flames burning in the eye sockets of the skulls on the wing spines.

His dark eyes were fixed on Liu Hao, who sat upright on the Imperial Throne, his gaze flickering with complex and unfathomable emotions—fear, vigilance, and a hint of barely concealed curiosity.

He finally spoke, his voice still calm, yet carrying a hint of probing. "Is this your Bankai?!"

He paused, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips, "Emperor seated high in the air?!"

The moment he finished speaking, the six skulls on the three pairs of wings behind him simultaneously opened their hideous maws!

Within its mouth, purple light frantically converged and compressed! The light grew brighter and more intense, instantly condensing into six enormous purple spheres, each over a meter in diameter!

Radiant Break —six!

With a sudden, powerful flick of the six skulls, the six enormous purple orbs of light hurtled towards Liu Hao like a devastating meteor shower!

Wherever the ball of light passed, the air was completely ionized, and space itself seemed to be torn apart with countless fine cracks! These cracks intertwined to form an impenetrable net of death, sealing off all possible escape routes for Liu Hao from all directions!

Faced with this six-fold attack that was enough to destroy everything, Liu Hao's face remained expressionless.

He simply sat upright on the Imperial Throne, his eyes, shimmering with seven-colored light, silently watching the six orbs of light that were getting closer and closer.

Then he spoke.

The voice, carrying an indescribable, Emperor majesty, echoed throughout the battlefield, "Imperial Decree, Space Transfer."

The moment the words left his mouth, something strange happened.

The six Radiant Break that hurtled towards Liu Hao suddenly vanished just before they were about to strike him.

It wasn't an explosion, nor was it dissipation; it was a true and complete disappearance! They seemed to have crashed into some invisible, water-like entity, instantly disappearing into it, leaving only six faint, ripple-like spatial fluctuations!

The ripples spread slowly through the air, like six pebbles being thrown into a calm lake.

Aizen's pupils contracted violently at that moment!

His expression suddenly froze!

Almost instinctively, he turned around abruptly!

Behind him, the previously empty space was now rippling with the same energy!

Six ripples appeared simultaneously, expanded at the same time, and then--

Six enormous purple orbs of light burst forth from the ripples!

It was the six Radiant Break he had just fired!

They hurtled toward Aizen with an even faster and more unpredictable speed!

Aizen's pupils shrank to the size of pinpoints!

He didn't even have time to react, or to dodge—

Boom!

Six earth-shattering explosions rang out almost simultaneously!

The six Radiant Break slammed into Aizen! The purple light instantly engulfed his figure, and the violent shockwave spread wildly in all directions, tearing the surrounding air to shreds!

A giant mushroom cloud rose into the sky, illuminating the entire night sky!

The aftershocks of the explosion lasted for several seconds before gradually subsiding.

Smoke and dust filled the air, obscuring everything.

Amidst the smoke and dust, a figure staggered out slowly.

Sōsuke Aizen.

His current appearance was unbelievably disheveled. His white robe was torn to shreds, revealing his body covered in black armor underneath.

The six purple butterfly wings on his back were now mostly damaged. Some were blown off in half, some had their wing membranes torn off, and some were even left with only a bare wing ridge!

The skulls on the wing spines were also severely damaged; some were half blown apart, some had flames flickering in their eye sockets, and some had even disappeared completely!

Aizen staggered out of the smoke and dust, his dark eyes flashing with undisguised horror and rage! He raised his head and looked at the figure still sitting on the Imperial Throne in the distance, his breathing becoming rapid and disordered!

However, the moment he stepped out of the smoke and dust—

The damaged wings on his back began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye!

The wing membranes regrowed, the wing ridges reconnected, and the shattered skulls reformed themselves in the purple light!

In the blink of an eye, the six wings on his back had been restored to their original state!

Liu Hao sat upright on the Imperial Throne, a faint glint of light flashing in his seven-colored eyes. He spoke, his voice still majestic, yet carrying a subtle calmness, as if stating a fact. "High-Speed Regeneration?"

Upon hearing this, Aizen's lips curled into a faint smile. That smile carried an indescribable meaning, as if saying, "You underestimate me": "High-Speed Regeneration?"

He paused, then his smile deepened, "My abilities... how could they possibly be such low-level abilities?"

The moment he finished speaking, his Reiatsu began to surge wildly once again!

The purple light surged forth from his body, enveloping him entirely! His aura was growing stronger at a visible rate, seemingly without end!

Liu Hao looked at him, his expression unchanged. He simply sat quietly on the Imperial Throne, a faint light flickering in his seven-colored eyes.

He spoke, his voice authoritative and icy. "It seems... I must completely strip you of your regenerative abilities before you High-Speed Regeneration."

Upon hearing this, Aizen's smile deepened. He remained silent, continuing to raise his Reiatsu in preparation for the upcoming battle.

However, Liu Hao's next words made his smile freeze slightly.

Liu Hao spoke, his voice like Emperor issuing a decree. "Imperial Guards."

The moment the words left his mouth, the space on the other side of the Imperial Throne suddenly distorted!

A figure slowly emerged from the distorted space!

It was a figure clad in jet-black armor. The armor was entirely black, yet it reflected a faint iridescent sheen in the sunlight. Each armor plate was exquisitely crafted, like a work of art, engraved with countless ancient patterns that were difficult to discern.

A black Tang Dao hung from his waist, its scabbard inlaid with seven gems of different colors, emitting a faint glow.

His face was obscured by the shadow of his helmet, revealing only a pair of eyes that shone like stars. In those eyes, there was no emotion, only absolute and pure loyalty.

He knelt on one knee beside the Imperial Throne, head bowed, his voice low and respectful. "Yes."

The voice carried an indescribable, absolute obedience, like a soldier's devotion to their commander.

Liu Hao lowered his head, looking at him, his voice still authoritative. "Defeat him."

The Imperial Guard raised his head, his star-like eyes meeting Liu Hao's for a moment. Then, he lowered his head again, his voice firm and steady. "Yes."

As soon as he finished speaking, he slowly stood up.

He turned around to face Aizen in the distance. In those star-like eyes, a faint yet chilling fighting spirit burned.

He started walking towards Aizen.

One step, two steps, three steps.

Every step he took was as steady as a mountain. Every step he took carried an indescribable sense of pressure.

He walked slowly and steadily, as if he were not heading towards a life-or-death battle, but rather performing some kind of solemn ceremony.

As he walked, his hand slowly rested on the hilt of the Tang Dao at his waist.

The blade was slowly, bit by bit, pulled from its dark scabbard.

The blade reflected a cold, clear light under the moonlight, with a faint, iridescent halo flowing across its surface. As the blade was slowly drawn, a chilling killing intent began to emanate from him.

The killing intent, almost tangible, condensed around him, forming a faint, dark mist.

Aizen looked at him, his dark eyes flashing with complex emotions—warning, curiosity, and a hint of barely concealed... apprehension.

He could sense that this "Imperial Guard" before him had some indescribable connection with Liu Hao himself. He was not an ordinary follower, nor an ordinary guard, but a part of Liu Hao's Bankai, an extension of Liu Hao's will.

He is very strong.

It might even be terrifyingly strong.

The Imperial Guards continued walking, getting closer and closer to Aizen.

Ten zhang (approximately 33 meters).

Five zhang (approximately 10 meters).

Three zhang (approximately 10 meters).

One zhang (approximately 3.3 meters).

He stopped and faced Aizen, who was only a few feet away.

He raised his head, his star-like eyes meeting Aizen's dark eyes.

Then he spoke, his voice low and calm, yet carrying an undeniable firmness. "By order of the Emperor... I will defeat you."

The moment he finished speaking, the Tang Dao at his waist was fully drawn!

A flash of light!

The blade was incredibly fast, faster than the limits of vision! Like a black lightning bolt, it slashed straight towards Aizen's throat!