" Ryūjin Jakka!"
The raging inferno, under the control of Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, instantly tore everything in front of him to shreds.
The surging heat even distorted the light, making it impossible to see Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's figure. At the same time, the temperature inside the barrier was rising rapidly. With Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai now enraged, the temperature inside the barrier had reached over 100 degrees Celsius. At this point, ordinary people could not even survive inside the barrier, let alone fight. They would be instantly roasted alive if they entered.
"Oh..."
"It's like fighting in lava..."
Fortunately, the people inside the barrier were not ordinary people; they were all captains of the Gotei 13, the top combat force in Soul Society. However, even so, just maintaining their breathing inside the barrier was consuming a large amount of their Spiritual Pressure.
"It's so hot..."
Sweat dripped continuously from Kaname Tōsen's forehead. His body was soaked with sweat, and his clothes became sticky and damp, making him look as if he had just taken a shower and had put on his clothes without drying himself off.
"I feel like my whole body is on fire..."
Gosuke shielded his body with Spiritual Pressure, preventing his spirit from directly colliding with the intense heatwave. Even so, he felt as if he were about to melt. Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, unleashing his full power, far exceeded his expectations. After finally obtaining power comparable to a squad leader, he thought he had reached the forefront of Soul Society's fighting force. Even if there were differences between squad leaders, the gap shouldn't be too large. But now it seemed that the difference in strength between squad leaders was even more exaggerated than the difference between Soul Reaper and a Yūgen...
"Look closely, everyone! This is the man who has suppressed the entire Soul Society with absolute power for a thousand years, Captain-Commander Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, and also... one of the two hurdles we will need to overcome in the future."
Sōsuke Aizen stood before the crowd, facing Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, who seemed to be a fire god walking among mortals. There was no fear in his eyes; instead, Aizen's eyes were filled with pleasure, as if he were excited that he could surpass such a powerful being before him.
"Do any of you have any last words...?"
Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, wielding the Ryūjin Jakka, was surrounded by an endless sea of fire, resembling a fiery monarch, arrogant and invincible. At this moment, in Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai's eyes, Sōsuke Aizen and the others were already dead...
"Last words?!"
"The game has only just begun..."
" Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, enjoy the last moments of peace in Soul Society!"
"When I complete my evolution, it will be the time for me to replace the Soul King and stand in the heavens!"
Sōsuke Aizen smiled faintly, extended his right hand Zanpakuto towards Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, and just like that, he discarded the sword in his hand right in front of Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai.
"Are these your last words?"
Stop daydreaming!
"Go to Hell and reflect on your actions!"
After hearing Sōsuke Aizen's words, Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai shook his head disdainfully. The next second, an endless sea of fire instantly engulfed Sōsuke Aizen and the others in front of him.
"Boom!"
A massive mushroom cloud, like a nuclear explosion, engulfed all of Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai's enemies, leaving only ashes and charred remains, and four charred bodies beyond any hope of death.
"Smack~"
The moment Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai finished off Sōsuke Aizen three, the barrier that had enveloped them shattered like glass, turning into countless glittering fragments that fell to the ground and then dissipated into the Soul Society with a gentle breeze.
"Resolved..."
When everything settled down, the one who remained standing was still Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, this kind, gentle, and frail old man.
"How terrifying..."
Looking at Shunsui Kyōraku Shigekuni, who had cleanly and swiftly defeated Sōsuke Aizen, Kyoraku Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with lingering fear. It was obvious that Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai had held back during their previous battle. All the lakes in the entire Soul Society were the result of Yama-jii's actions.
"Overall, we won..."
Kūkaku Shiba shrugged. After witnessing Yama-jii's all-out effort, she suddenly felt that everything had become dull and tasteless. Even her motivation to continue training had weakened. Perhaps, like Ganju Shiba, she would be content to spend her days tending to flowers and plants.
That's not necessarily true.
A single sentence from Sōgo Shihoin, who had been watching the show from the sidelines, brought everyone's relaxed mood back to a fever pitch.
"Oh?"
" Captain Shihoin, what do you mean by that?"
Shunsui Kyōraku pressed down hard on the somewhat tattered straw hat he was wearing on his head, which Little Nanao had found for him, and asked Sōgo Shihoin in a low voice.
"Speaking of which... has any of you seen Mayuri Kurotsuchi?"
When faced with Shunsui Kyōraku's question, Sōgo Shihoin said something that seemed to have no connection between the two.
" Mayuri Kurotsuchi?!"
You mean...?
Shunsui Kyōraku knew, of course, that Sōgo Shihoin would never utter a single useless word. His eyes darted around, and a bad premonition suddenly arose in his heart.
"Ugh~ It's so hot~ So hot~"
" The Little Fon has left; it's gone home. It's just too hot outside."
Before Shunsui Kyōraku could ask any more questions, Sōgo Shihoin used the excuse that it was too hot and pulled Shaoling Fon along with him toward the Second Division barracks.
"Hahaha..."
"Well..."
"It seems I'll have to handle the rest."
Shunsui Kyōraku looked at Sōgo Shihoin, who seemed unwilling to meddle, smiled bitterly, and then sighed helplessly. He knew that in the end, he would still have to clean up the mess.
"Captain, where do we go next?"
Little Nanao strode over to Shunsui Kyōraku and asked.
"Go to the Twelfth Division."
Shunsui Kyōraku answered in his languid voice.
" Twelfth Division?"
Little Nanao was taken aback by Shunsui Kyōraku's words, wondering what Shunsui Kyōraku wanted to do in the Twelfth Division. To be honest... she didn't like the captain of the Twelfth Division; he was a weirdo.
"Someone kindly provided us with information; it wouldn't be good if we didn't make good use of it."
Shunsui Kyōraku reached out and gently rubbed Little Nanao's little head, explaining as he did so.
"Um..."
After hearing Shunsui Kyōraku's explanation, Little Nanao nodded slowly and said nothing more.
Nanao Ise always believed in Shunsui Kyōraku because the person in front of her was her only remaining family in this world.
"..."
Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, who had been observing everyone silently, did not stop Shunsui Kyōraku and Sōgo Shihoin's actions. As long as he was certain that both of them were working for the Soul Society, he would fully support whatever they planned to do...
As for Sōgo Shihoin complaining about the heat outside and planning to stay home, what good would that do for Soul Society? Idiot! As long as Sōgo Shihoin doesn't cause any damage, that's the greatest contribution he can make to Soul Society. In fact, if Sōgo Shihoin wanted to, he could ascend to the Squad Zero and become its captain right now!
"It's over~ I'm going to go back and take a nice hot shower."
Ichigo Kurosaki deactivated his Bankai and collapsed to the ground. Everything he had experienced today far exceeded his imagination. Now, all he wanted was to take a good shower and get a good night's sleep.
"Young man, where are you planning to go?"
However, before Ichigo Kurosaki leave, the kind and amiable Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai came to his side.
"I..."
The moment Ichigo Kurosaki saw Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai's face, he froze in embarrassment. Having witnessed the old man's strength, Ichigo Kurosaki didn't dare to even breathe loudly in front of him.
" Lieutenant Abarai, Third Seat Kuchiki, and this young fellow Ryoka, come to my office."
Before Ichigo Kurosaki could speak, Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai continued, this time not only stopping Ichigo Kurosaki, but also stopping Renji Abarai, who was preparing to escape with Rukia Kuchiki in the chaos.
"Mountain... Mountain..."
Renji Abarai looked at Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai with a tearful expression. He was trembling all over and couldn't even utter a complete sentence in front of Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai.
Let's go~
The next second, Renji Abarai Chōjirō Sasakibe Ichigo Kurosaki Genshirō Okikiba, along with a First Division soldiers who had somehow appeared at the execution ground.
"I can't see it, I can't see it..."
Having learned of Captain-Commander Yamamoto's terrifying strength Kaien Shiba and Kūkaku Shiba turned their heads away, pretending not to see Ichigo Kurosaki being kidnapped. After all, their combined Bankai could only manage a 'draw' with Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai's Shikai; the battle was simply impossible, as they were on a completely different level from Yama-jii.
Are there any wounded?
As the Fourth Division Captain, Sister Hana began to call out, her eyes constantly searching for anyone who was supposed to be injured. However, after searching for a long time, she only found Sajin Komamura, the Captain of the Seventh Division, who had collapsed from exhaustion, and four charred corpses.
"Boring..."
" Yachiru has retreated..."
Kenpachi Zaraki watched the hastily concluded battle and yawned in boredom. He had almost fallen asleep from the sheer boredom of the fight. What a bunch of idiots! Why did they have to provoke that old man whose face screamed "invincible"? If they wanted a fight, they should have gone to him! He was itching for a fight!
"Hmm? You little rascal~ Do you want to fight me?"
Sōgo Shihoin was striding forward, suddenly sensed something, turned around to look at Kenpachi Zaraki, and asked.
"Forehead..."
Kenpachi Zaraki, Sōgo Shihoin Sougo Shihouin's smug grin, instantly took a step back. His hands were itchy, but his anus wasn't...
"Boring..."
Sōgo Shihoin sensed the fear in Kenpachi Zaraki's eyes, pursed his lips, turned around, and continued striding forward.
" Ken-chan, where do we go next?"
Yachiru Kusajishi leaped onto Kenpachi Zaraki's back and asked.
"Back to the squad..."
Kenpachi Zaraki pondered for a long time before uttering three words from his throat.
"Um!"
"Let's go back to the squad!"
Yachiru Kusajishi nodded slightly after hearing Kenpachi Zaraki's words.
"Cough cough..."
"I'm going back to the sanatorium too."
Jūshirō Ukitake watched the squad captains leave, coughed softly twice, and walked towards the direction of the Shin'ō Medical Institute.
In an instant, everyone at the execution ground dispersed...
The Gotei Twelfth Division barracks, the headquarters of the Soul Society's Research and Development Institute, is the place that controls all the core technologies of Soul Society.
Although this Gotei 13, it enjoys a high degree of autonomy. Its captain, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, is often too busy with various experiments to attend Captains' Meeting, frequently disappearing from the sight of his fellow captains for months at a time. Therefore, after the Aizen incident began, Mayuri Kurotsuchi's repeated refusal to attend Captains' Meeting didn't arouse suspicion; everyone assumed he was simply too busy with experiments to attend...
Just as the Research and Development Institute was operating normally, completely unaffected by the battle between Sōsuke Aizen and Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, the captain of the Eighth Division, Shunsui Kyōraku, wearing a straw hat, and his vice-captain Nanao Ise, barged in without permission.
" Captain Kyōraku... you can't go any further!"
"That's where the captain is in seclusion..."
" Captain Kyōraku!"
Shunsui Kyōraku seemed oblivious to the constant attempts by the members of the Twelfth Division to stop him, easily pushing aside the group of scientists who had virtually no ability to handle an encounter, and stood before the massive metal door where Mayuri Kurotsuchi in seclusion.
Is this the place?
" Little Nanao, move a little further back..."
Shunsui Kyōraku looked at the huge iron gate in front of him and reminded Nanao Ise beside him.
"Good."
Nanao Ise instantly understood what Shunsui Kyōraku Shunsui Kyōraku planning to do and immediately stepped back to make way for him.
"Call!"
" Bushōgoma!"
Shunsui Kyōraku drew his Zanpakuto from his waist, instantly completed his Shikai, and used his signature move.
"Boom!"
With a deafening roar, the massive metal gate before them was instantly cleaved in two by Shunsui Kyōraku's strike.
"Impossible..."
"My God! That door is high-tech; it can withstand a Hollow's Cero attack for over an hour!"
"He actually got cleaved in two in one hit?"
Am I seeing things?
The scientists stared in disbelief as Mayuri Kurotsuchi Shunsui Kyōraku shattered Mayuri Kurotsuchi's secluded retreat gate with a single blow.
"Um?"
Once the gate was cut open by Shunsui Kyōraku, everyone finally saw the full view of the room that Mayuri Kurotsuchi for seclusion. There was a man with dark blue hair, his hair disheveled, tied to an iron pillar. Beside the man lay a girl with delicate features, snow-white skin, and a hot figure, like a real-life Barbie doll.
At that moment, the girl lay silently on the ground, her fate unknown.
"Oh my... isn't that Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi?"
"You look so disheveled after just a few days!"
Shunsui Kyōraku looked at the blue-haired man who was tied to a pillar and unable to move, smiled gently, and asked.
"Now that you've found me, why don't you get me down from the pillar?"
The man with blue hair, whose real name was Mayuri Kurotsuchi, heard the voice, raised his head, and spoke coldly to Shunsui Kyōraku.
"Ha ha..."
Shunsui Kyōraku wasn't angered by Mayuri Kurotsuchi's cold words. He waved to the scientists beside him, signaling them to come forward and rescue their leader.
"Team leader!"
"Captain, what's wrong, Captain!"
"Director, what's wrong with you?"
A group of scientists rushed forward, using chainsaws and other tools to successfully rescue Mayuri Kurotsuchi from the pillar.
"So... now tell me what's really going on with you, Mayuri Kurotsuchi!"
Shunsui Kyōraku gently adjusted the straw hat on his head, walked up to Mayuri Kurotsuchi who was stretching his limbs, and asked.
"It's that Yushima Oko..."
"Ever since the Vanguard Operation Plan was rejected by the Central 46 Chambers, he's held a grudge, but I never expected that bastard would actually lay a hand on me!"
"I was careless at the time and caught off guard. He appointed a Seventh Seat under Yushima Oko, which is completely unscientific. He ambushed me, a squad leader, and afterwards tied me to a pillar!"
Mayuri Kurotsuchi was filled with resentment. He wished Yushima Oko and tear him to pieces, then use all his experimental materials on him in one go.
" Yushima Oko? The founder of Modified Soul?"
"So, Yushima Oko and Aizen have joined forces? Things seem troublesome..."
Upon hearing Mayuri Kurotsuchi's words, Shunsui Kyōraku's expression suddenly changed. He seemed to realize something and clicked his tongue in amazement.
In Hueco Mundo, a castle called Las Noches stands out somewhat out of place amidst the vast desert!
In the central reception room of the vast palace, several people dressed in white uniforms sat around a long table, staring blankly at the few empty seats at the very front of the table.
Why isn't Lord Aizen here yet?
"So frustrating, I feel like I need to fight!"
The person sitting near the middle was grumbling unhappily, looking like a fighting maniac.
" Nnoitra! If you say another word, you're out."
As soon as the combat maniac spoke, it aroused the dissatisfaction of a hot woman sitting near the front.
"Ha?"
Are you planning to fight me?
"You don't think I'm afraid of you, do Nel?"
The battle maniac named Nnoitra was clearly very dissatisfied with the hot woman, and he clamored to fight her.
"I apologize, everyone, I'm a little late."
Just as the atmosphere grew increasingly tense and a battle was about to erupt, a magnetic voice rang in everyone's ears.
At the same time, those seats that were originally empty were filled with people in that short moment.
Seated at the head of the table was Sōsuke Aizen! Below him, besides Gin Ichimaru, Kaname Tōsen, and Gosuke, was a young man with light green hair. This young man with light green hair was Yushima Oko, the former head of the Soul Society Vanguard Project and the founder of Modified Soul!
Sōsuke Aizen and the others who fought against the squad captains were simulated Reigai created by Yushima Oko using Modified Soul technology.
At this moment, this super genius who shocked the entire Soul Society was looking at the Menos Grande with eyes that looked at trash. In his eyes... these Menos Grande modified by Sōsuke Aizen were meaningless, and were not as safe, efficient and powerful as the Modified Soul he created!
However, out of respect for Sōsuke Aizen, Yushima Oko silently continued toying with what he was holding, without uttering a sound.
"I'm sorry, everyone, recovering the Hōgyoku was much more troublesome than I imagined, but thankfully I got it without any major incident."
"Now that everyone is here, let's begin our meeting!"
Sōsuke Aizen gave everyone an elegant, faint smile before getting straight to the topic of the meeting.
"After witnessing the battle between my Reigai and Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, I believe everyone now has a clear understanding of the power of the strongest Soul Reaper in a thousand years..."
"But what I want to say is, everyone, there's no need to be afraid. Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai won't affect our plans in any way. The important thing is... how do we stop our dear Sōgo Shihoin- kun from causing trouble just when we're about to succeed?"
With a faint smile on his Sōsuke Aizen, in an unusually relaxed tone, convened a war meeting for the assembled Soul Society defectors and the Menos Grande who had become Arrancar.
This chapter continues for another 5,000 words, serving as a bridge between the previous and subsequent chapters.
(End of this chapter)