"Lord Aizen, Kenpachi Zaraki is far too strong. Azashiro alone is probably not enough to test his approximate power!"
Several monitoring Spirit Worm controlled by Tōsen were observing the battlefield from a distance, Kenpachi Zaraki's Reiatsu, which pierced through the Sekimon, caused the entire Seireitei to tremble.
Those Spirit Worm only dared to monitor Kenpachi Zaraki from a great distance; those that got close had long been crushed by his Reiatsu.
Upon receiving Tōsen's report, Aizen fell silent. He knew this wasn't Zaraki's strongest form yet; his eyepatch was still on, and the bell at the end of his spiky hair seemed to be a seal as well.
Aizen recalled his experiences in Hell... Before finding Azashiro Sōya, he had encountered powerful former Captain-level Togabito, and even the formidable First Generation Gotei 13.
Faced with the temptation of liberation from Hell, those guys could calmly accept the fact that they had already fallen into Hell and were unwilling to leave... or rather, they were unwilling to be toyed with by him, not even in exchange for freedom.
Aizen had tried coercive methods before, but those people preferred self-destruction and rebirth rather than being manipulated by him.
Aizen eventually understood: true strongmen, even when they fall into endless Hell, can still hold fast to their original selves.
As for the Azashiro, Aizen could roughly guess that he still harbored resentment towards Soul Society, which was why he was willing to come out.
As for those guys in Hell whose combat power exceeds that of Captain-level, Aizen wouldn't dare take them out... mainly because they're hard to control.
"If even the Azashiro cannot be forced to reveal his Shikai, then let's abandon the power of the Togabito! After all, if the power we've painstakingly created can't even meet our expectations, then there's no need to waste our energy."
After saying that, Aizen turned and left. Since he couldn't completely control the situation, he wouldn't waste any more time. This was Aizen's consistent style of doing things.
Aizen arrived at the central main hall, where Barrier was set up on a stone table, and a deep-colored gem was placed there.
The Hōgyoku is an entity that grants wishes. Togabito who gain relative freedom are able to merge with Hollows by silently chanting the word 'freedom' in their hearts, under the Hōgyoku's influence.
Aizen sat in a seat next to a stone table. Below the main hall was where the Togabito and hollows were fused, and the power of the Hōgyoku was acting on those Togabito had not yet been successfully catalyzed.
Suddenly, Aizen Hōgyoku tightly, and those uncatalyzed Togabito failed instantly.
"In that case, let's fuse with the Hōgyoku as soon as possible and then make further plans..."
At the Research and Development Institute, a beam of light shot into the sky, surprising the Captain were either on their way to the battlefield or already on it.
Fengqiao Loujuro: "The Reiatsu after Captain-level Bankai? Which team is it?"
The seasoned Kyōraku: "He's an enemy; he's facing Captain Kurotsuchi's Reiatsu."
After Kaien forced her opponent Shuren to retreat, she exclaimed, "The situation has escalated!"
Kenpachi Zaraki exclaimed in delight, "Are there any more powerful guys over there? Haha, this Reiatsu should be just enough for me to warm up!"
As Ginjo unleashed his Bankai, a message from Nemu Kurotsuchi reached the ears of the Soul Reaper: Substitute Soul Reaper Kūgo Ginjō and his companions had betrayed the Shinigami and were attempting to infiltrate the Research and Development Institute. Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi was currently engaged in battle with them.
This simple statement greatly surprised the high-ranking Soul Reaper. Why were the Substitute Soul Reaper in Soul Society? Why had they suddenly betrayed them? Was this incident related to them?
The doubt is only temporary; the most important thing is to defeat the opponent in front of you...
"Kenpachi Zaraki, where are you going?"
After merging with the Reigai, Azashiro's Reiatsu became perceptible, and he stopped Kenpachi Zaraki and his underlings.
When Zaraki saw the newcomer, his eyes lit up. "It's you! You're the guy who defeated Hirako in the World of the Living, as mentioned in the intelligence report. It seems you used to be Kenpachi too?"
With Zaraki's wave of his hand, Ikkaku Madarame, Yumichika Ayasegawa, and the others who had followed him quickly left.
"Indeed, I am the Eighth Kenpachi, Azashiro Sōya. I've come specifically to verify whether you are qualified to be Kenpachi." Azashiro raised his right hand, and an unseen shadow slashed Zaraki with a single stroke.
Clang!
With a clang of metal on metal, Azashiro exclaimed in surprise, "Impossible! That strike didn't even break the skin?"
What level was this strike? Judging from Azashiro's previous strength, it should have been a strike exceeding his full strength... Now, having been tempered in Hell and enhanced by the Reigai, Azashiro also exerted nearly half of his power in this strike from 'Urozakuro'.
Zaraki was also surprised. "Huh? You dare to call yourself Kenpachi with this little strength? What a disappointment. Just like that fat pig, nothing but trash from the old era."
"That fat pig" naturally refers to Kenpachi Kiganjō lost to Zaraki's blade. After cursing Azashiro, Zaraki clearly lost interest in him. With a bored expression, he swung his nicked Azashiro Zanpakuto at him.
Clang! Boom!
Another clang of metal rang out, Zaraki's sword was blocked a meter in front of Azashiro. Judging from the crater in the ground, it was clear that 'Urozakuro' was not an easy weapon to block.
"I only used less than half my strength in that last strike. Now try taking another one!" Anger flashed in Azashiro's phoenix eyes.
As he finished speaking, Zaraki was stabbed again in the chest. Unlike before, this time Zaraki injured, and dark red blood oozed from the shallow wound.
Zaraki paused for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Not bad! I thought you were a piece of trash like Kiganjō! Let's try again..."
Boom!
As Azashiro was still lamenting how shallow his wound was, Zaraki's notched blade came slashing down. His shadow, 'Urozakuro,' kept trying to block the attacks, but it seemed unable to defend itself.
As Azashiro muttered incantations, and just as 'Urozakuro' blocked Zaraki's blade once more, he suddenly leaped back, shouting, "Hadō #90 — Black Coffin!"
A massive black object appeared, but it solidified for less than three seconds before being shattered by a soaring blade of light, Zaraki by Zaraki's deafening laughter.
Note that this is only an attack performed with a knife wielded in one hand.
Azashiro raised his palm towards Zaraki: "This isn't over yet! Hadō #90 - Ittō Kasō!"
Zaraki broke out of the 'Black Coffin,' more than fifty blue Reigai Reishi Condensation suddenly appeared, surrounding Zaraki and erupting simultaneously, with red Reiatsu beams shooting straight at the Sekimon...
"Was this destructive power caused by Captain Zaraki's opponent?" Nanao Ise stopped and exclaimed in surprise.
"Judging from the center, more than one square kilometer of buildings have been destroyed." Lisa Yadōmaru also estimated a set of astonishing data.
"If the opponent is that guy, it's not surprising... Let's go, hurry to the Twelfth Division, I'll go first." Kyōraku urged the two, then sped off towards the Research and Development Institute.
On the Research and Development Institute's side, the battle between Ginjo and Mayuri Kurotsuchi was essentially over. After being poisoned, Ginjo quickly lost his fighting ability and it seemed he wouldn't survive.
Forced into action, Ryūsaki's four Chains tumbled and swirled, halting the advance of the 'Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo'. The poison was blocked by a shield created by Ryūsaki's Reishi...
"Haha, that's amazing! A human boy who's only ten years old can actually fight against me in Bankai. You're perfect as fodder."
Mayuri Kurotsuchi was not afraid but rather pleased. The Chains that could Paralysis Bankai, the Reishi shield that could isolate airborne toxins—this child was even more worthy of study than Kitahara Takumi.
"You used Kitahara as material?"
Ryūsaki was startled. He roughly guessed Kitahara's fate. Scientists' way of thinking is incomprehensible to ordinary people. If given time, he would definitely become comparable to Kisuke Urahara.
Influenced by the shared memories, Ryūsaki felt that Kisuke Urahara's fighting strength was not very strong, but considering only his invention of the Hōgyoku, he was still a very threatening figure.
"Don't worry, you'll be able to be with him soon."
After Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Mayuri Kurotsuchi began to focus on analyzing Ryūsaki's abilities. The analysis revealed that his Reiatsu was biased towards Quincy...
At this moment, Tsukishima on the other side demonstrated his role, using the 'Book of the End' to embed the past of 'Ginjo not being poisoned' into his present state of poisoning.
It's like a different kind of detoxification. Judging from his use of his abilities, he's not yet skilled enough to directly embed a new past like 'not being poisoned'.
Ginjo suddenly opened his eyes and saw that Ryūsaki was merely holding his own against Mayuri Kurotsuchi. He panicked. "There are other Captain-level here; we can't continue fighting like this."
"Bankai!"
Ginjo Bankai once more, hiding behind Ryūsaki to Cero before blasting the giant doll-like insect away.
Without Ginjo shouting for retreat, Ryūsaki turned and ran, heading towards the pre-designated Senkaimon... Ginjo had returned to the World of the Living through the Senkaimon before, and Tsukishima had read the route from the Soul Reaper. The three of them sped off.