Beating Aizen to a Pulp

Aizen slammed hard into the ground, blasting out a massive crater without making a sound. Kyōraku Shunsui and the others stared in shock at the unbelievable scene before them.

Such a powerful being, one none of them had been able to resist, had been casually sent flying. Could he have died just like that?

He lay on the ground without moving, and Kyōraku Shunsui even thought he had been defeated for good, that he would never open his eyes again.

But Yamamoto found it hardest to believe. He had personally experienced Aizen's abilities. In Soul Society, Aizen's power could practically be called invincible. If not for the armor that could protect him, he probably would not have been able to stand here intact.

Among the Soul Reapers, Aizen had reached a whole new height. All his abilities, including his speed and strength, had risen to an even more terrifying level. Even though Yamamoto did not want to admit it, he knew that without Bankai, he would not have been able to touch even a single hair on Aizen's head.

"It seems my fear of you back then was not unfounded. You really have become unimaginably powerful. I'm truly curious—what kind of training did you undergo to become this strong?" A helpless smile curled across Aizen's lips.

Even though he was incredibly powerful now, he had not gained that power through his own training. It was because of the Hogyoku. For its sake, he had even neglected a great deal of training.

He had spent so much effort obtaining the Hogyoku to become this powerful, so why was the other man also so strong? It was simply unbelievable. How had he done it?

He would never have guessed that Matsuba also possessed a Hogyoku—and one far more powerful than his own.