The Final End (3)

The World of the Living, a battlefield.

The fighting continues.

"Cero!"

With the same eerie trembling sound, the wounded Kaien Shiba and Lisa Yadomaru launched their attack, followed closely by Kūkaku Shiba.

"Raikōhō!"

It only forgoes the chanting of over sixty Hadō, but its power is more than doubled, or even more. This is the ability of Kūkaku Shiba's Zanpakutō Mimic Eye, which adds Kido. This is similar to Yoruichi Shihōin's ability to purely add speed. In other words, compared to Kaien Shiba, Kūkaku Shiba is the one who truly inherited the Kido abilities of the Shiba Family.

"Don't we all know it's useless!"

A cold and disdainful voice came from Sōsuke Aizen. He fired two powerful Cero Hadō comparable to a level 90 or higher, but he didn't even bother to dodge, nor was there any need to.

"If I were a Bleach, I might find this troublesome!" Sōsuke Aizen raised his sword; "But I've now surpassed Bleach and Hollows, those lowly species. With your...

"You can't possibly defeat me!!!"

Sōsuke Aizen's low voice carried a deep mockery. Without making any significant movements, as if he were merely waving his hand casually, the attack exploded in front of him in an instant.

"Aaaaaaah!!!"

Amidst the billowing smoke, the fierce shouts of Hiyori Sarugaki and Kensei Muguruma echoed. As if the voices had barely appeared, two figures materialized before Sōsuke Aizen's eyes, unleashing a sharp wind blade and a broad Zanpakutō.

"So that's how it is. All those previous attacks were just feints!"

Seemingly surprised, Sōsuke Aizen didn't take it to heart, easily blocking the attacks from Kensei Muguruma and Hiyori Sarugaki with his Zanpakutō.

"Cero!!!"

The two opened their mouths, and countless Reishi rapidly gathered, then were released even faster. The attack was so close that Sōsuke Aizen had no way to avoid it—no, it should be said that he couldn't possibly dodge it.

"Boom!"

A deafening roar.

The murky smoke suddenly erupted with the sound of thunder and lightning, and a thick, bright bolt of lightning almost pierced through the sky.

Yoruichi Shihōin

Kensei Muguruma and Hiyori Sarugaki immediately withdrew, even though the situation unfolded exactly as they had anticipated. It was a feint, a deceptive attack, and Yoruichi Shihōin attack. Although it struck Sōsuke Aizen, neither of them believed that such an attack would be enough to kill him.

The purple figure returned to Kensei Muguruma and Hiyori Sarugaki's side, breathing heavily.

"Yoruichi..."

Before the words were even finished, a white figure suddenly appeared beside Kensei Muguruma and Hiyori Sarugaki. Before the two could react, red splattered before their eyes, and their bodies were involuntarily sent flying backward.

"Kensei, Hiyori!"

"Yoruichi Shihōin!"

The still cold and resolute voice rang in her ears, Yoruichi Shihōin dilated. Her instincts from years of combat made her subconsciously step back, her long sword slashing down in front of her, only a millimeter away from her nose, or even less.

"Ah! That's a very good response!"

The white figure stopped in front of him. Sōsuke Aizen's voice was cold and sharp. His body had been cut in many places, but there were no wounds.

Yoruichi Shihōin gritted her teeth. Was their combined attack really completely ineffective?

"No, you really did hurt me!" Yoruichi Shihōin Sōsuke Aizen was thinking. "That's the difference between you and me..."

"So annoying, Aizen!!!"

An angry voice suddenly rang out, and Kaien Shiba, Kūkaku Shiba, Lisa Yadomaru Shunpo behind Sōsuke Aizen in a flash, launching attacks one after another.

"Bang! Bang!"

He turned around and swung his sword, but the three people were sent flying at an even greater speed, their blood staining the sky red.

"Kukaku, Kaien, Lisa!"

Yoruichi Shihōin's eyes were wide open in anger, his wheat-colored face contorted in a frightening grimace.

"You can't save them!"

Sōsuke Aizen's voice remained cold and filled with arrogant disdain. "Yoruichi Shihōin, how many lives have you already used up! I'm curious, how many more lives do you have left to lose!"

"I'll keep going until I kill you!"

Yoruichi Shihōin roared angrily, her golden eyes wide open, but Sōsuke Aizen saw a glimmer of reason in that anger.

"That's how it should be!" Sōsuke Aizen slightly raised the corners of his mouth. "Flash God Yoruichi, the one who can make that proud man willingly bow his head, don't disappoint me!"

"Certainly······"

Taking a deep breath, Yoruichi Shihōin up, his golden eyes slightly narrowed, his expression solemn and calm.

"Shunkō!"

A powerful, almost tangible wave of Reiatsu surged around Yoruichi Shihōin's body, and in an instant, countless bolts of Reiatsu lightning surrounded her, making her appear like the strongest war god, with unparalleled power.

"Raijin Battle Form!!!"

With a low growl, Yoruichi Shihōin uttered those words, and instantly, her power surged exponentially—two times, three times, five times, seven times, and then ten times...

"Whoosh!"

A barely audible whooshing sound followed as the abruptly extended blade pierced Sōsuke Aizen's heart, like a thunderclap. A booming sound was heard only after a while. In reality, by the time Yoruichi Shihōin and Sōsuke Aizen heard the whooshing sound, this was already the scene before their eyes.

"Ichimaru!"

Kaien Shiba flashed to the side of Yoruichi Shihōin, who was also clearly surprised. The two looked at each other, their golden and dark smoky eyes fixed on the man who had suddenly appeared, Gin Ichimaru.

"Silver!"

Sōsuke Aizen also looked at Gin Ichimaru.

"The only way to avoid the Kyōka Suigetsu is to touch the blade before the Complete Hypnosis takes effect!" Gin Ichimaru's smile was still so wide it was impossible to see his eyes. "I've spent countless years gathering this information. Although things have taken some unexpected turns, it's still acceptable..."

The Zanpakutō quickly transformed back into a short sword.

"Puff!"

Blood gushed out, Sōsuke Aizen clutched his chest tightly; "That's not what I'm asking you!"

"Ah! So Captain Aizen is asking me how I approached you!" Gin Ichimaru scratched his head; "Actually, it's nothing much. Captain Aizen knows perfectly well enough! The four of us inherited our masters' powers respectively. Kenpachi's is the brave and fearless Fang Path, Kuchiki's is the versatile Swordsmanship, Ganju's ability seems to be the Lightning Armor, and what I inherited is assassination! Methods of concealment like this are nothing special!"

"Is that so!" Sōsuke Aizen's face twitched slightly; "Even I didn't realize you were hiding it so well!"

"There's no other way!" Gin Ichimaru's eyes opened slightly, his voice laced with a hint of seriousness amidst his laughter; "Didn't I tell you? I'm an assassin! Captain Aizen!"

"Unfortunately, Silver, do you really think you can kill me with your current level...?"

"I never thought that way!"

Gin Ichimaru interrupted Sōsuke Aizen, gently raising his short Zanpakutō and saying, "See that? There's a gap here..."

Pointing to the tiny notch in the middle of his Zanpakutō, Gin Ichimaru Sōsuke Aizen's pierced heart.

"I left this part inside Captain Aizen's body..."

"What!"

Even Sōsuke Aizen, who always seemed confident of victory, couldn't help but freeze in shock.

"Ichimaru!"

Yoruichi Shihōin and Kaien Shiba were also quite surprised.

"I told you about my Bankai ability before, didn't I!" Gin Ichimaru shook his head and said, "Sorry, I lied back then. It can't actually extend as far as I said, and the speed at which it extends isn't as fast as I said, but..."

Gin Ichimaru looked at Sōsuke Aizen.

"It will turn to dust in the instant it extends and retracts, and then, from inside the blade, it will release a deadly poison capable of dissolving cells..."

Sōsuke Aizen frowned.

"It seems you understand!" Gin Ichimaru's usual smile vanished; "After piercing your heart, when I sheathed the sword, I deliberately left a piece of it, reduced to dust, inside Captain Aizen Aizen's heart!"

"Silver······"

"If you still have something to say, I advise you to hurry up. But no matter what you say, you'll still die when it's your time to die!"

Gin Ichimaru walked step by step toward Sōsuke Aizen, placing one hand on his chest.

"Yin, you bastard..."

Sōsuke Aizen's expression turned grim.

"To die with a gaping hole in your chest, that must be exactly what you desire!"

Despite his smiling face, Gin Ichimaru uttered a voice as cold as a snake.

Bankai! Kamishini no Yari!!!

"Whoosh!!!"

"Aaaaaaah!!!"

Corresponding to the piercing sound of the air being stretched and contracted was Sōsuke Aizen's shrill howl.

A large hole was torn open in his chest; there were no internal organs, no blood, nothing at all. Where the heart should have been was a marble-sized object with a name: Hōgyoku.

"Silver······"

The word "night" was all that he uttered before Sōsuke Aizen collapsed heavily to the ground.

"The Hōgyoku!"

Gin Ichimaru let out a slight sigh of relief. Even he was sweating profusely, and he gripped the Hōgyoku tightly in his hand.

It's over. Once I get this, it's all over...

That's what Gin Ichimaru was thinking.

"Oh dear! A junior managed to do it!" Kaien Shiba breathed a sigh of relief; "But oh well, at least it's over!"

"Ah!"

"What's wrong, Yoruichi!" Kaien Shiba asked suspiciously. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing!"

Yoruichi Shihōin shook her head. Sōsuke Aizen had clearly fallen, but why did she still feel something was off? But since they had obtained the Hōgyoku, it shouldn't matter, right? She was probably overthinking it.

It's over. That's what everyone thinks, that's what everyone believes.

"Aaaaaaah!!!"

Suddenly, Sōsuke Aizen, who had been lying on the ground, let out an increasingly shrill and unwilling roar. In an instant, before Gin Ichimaru, Yoruichi Shihōin, and Kaien Shiba could react, he stood up again, and his form changed once more.

"I won, Gin!" Sōsuke Aizen's voice was low and almost hoarse; "The Hōgyoku you stole, whether it's inside me or not, belongs to me!"

"Wh... what!"

A sudden heat surged through his hand, which was tightly gripping the Hōgyoku. Gin Ichimaru opened his hand in horror, and the Hōgyoku was gone.

"Ichimaru, get out of the way!"

Yoruichi Shihōin shouted sharply.

But it was too late.

With a single slash, blood splattered Sōsuke Aizen easily grabbed Gin Ichimaru's hand and pierced his chest with a single blow.

The Hōgyoku returned to Sōsuke Aizen's heart.

"That's right, I found the answer to the Hōgyoku before Kisuke Urahara, but I failed!"

"To complete the Hōgyoku, I forcibly stole the souls of hundreds of Bleach and hundreds of Rukongai residents with Bleach aptitude and poured them into Hōgyoku Hōgyoku, but it still wasn't enough. However, judging from the experimental results, Kisuke Urahara's Hōgyoku is actually not perfect either. In that case, I will take his Hōgyoku Hōgyoku merge it Hōgyoku mine..."

Sōsuke Aizen said in a cold voice, "In this way, evolution is often accompanied by fear, especially the fear that if it continues to develop, one will be reduced to ashes. I thank you, Gin!"

"Because of you, I have finally..." Sōsuke Aizen said, "I have finally truly become an existence that transcends both Bleach and Hollows..."

"Silver!!!"

Rangiku Matsumoto's face turned deathly pale.

"Captain Ichimaru!"

Izuru Kira was trembling all over.

"Ichimaru!!!"

Yoruichi Shihōin and Kaien Shiba also looked frighteningly pale, and the two of them rushed over at the same time.

"Snort!"

With a slight smile playing on his lips, Sōsuke Aizen didn't even glance at Gin Ichimaru, who had just been pierced by a sword, and casually tossed him aside. What he faced now was the fierce attack from Yoruichi Shihōin and Kaien Shiba.

"Silver!"

Rangiku Matsumoto immediately caught Gin Ichimaru, completely disregarding her own serious injuries. Izuru Kira hurriedly helped with the treatment, but his mediocre skills were clearly a mess. It was only when the seventh seat of the Fourth Division, Hanatarō Yamada, and the Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu, arrived to help that the bleeding was finally stopped.

Meanwhile, Yoruichi Shihōin and Kaien Shiba were being completely overwhelmed by Sōsuke Aizen. If it weren't for their special abilities, they would have been defeated long ago. Even so, it was only a matter of time before they were defeated.

"Looks like that's the only option!"

Yoruichi Shihōin gritted her teeth; she really didn't want to use that move! That unfinished, unsightly pose...

However, it seems now that it's absolutely necessary!

"Shunkō!"

"Raijū Battle Form! Black Cat..."

"Aaaaaaah!!!"

Like a wild beast's howl, accompanied by a soaring golden Reiatsu —violent, unyielding, and utterly savage.

Kenpachi Zaraki!

"·····"

A spreading pink Reiatsu, a towering one-horned samurai, whose body was entirely composed of Reiatsu, exuded a powerful sense of oppression, and a huge Zanpakutō gradually condensed, sharp and murderous.

Within the head of the one-horned warrior, a man stood in mid-air, slowly opening his eyes.

Byakuya Kuchiki!

"Roar roar roar!!!"

The thunder crackled and roared, its ear-piercing sound echoing through the heavens and earth. Armor made entirely of lightning shone brightly all around, swift, majestic, and relentless.

Ganju Shiba!

"Absolutely, absolutely..."

"How could I possibly lose to you?!"