Chapter 251

Wang Xun up.

He knew he would be discovered when he the Glutton the power of Auswählen, but he didn't expect Yhwach to directly offer to recruit him.

"I refuse."

Yhwach was not angry; he simply ran his fingers over the surface of the Quincy Medallion.

"You possess the power of Quincy, an ability I've spent hundreds of years searching for."

He took a step forward, and Reishi beneath his feet condensed into a semi-transparent staircase.

Yhwach opened his arms to Wang Xun.

"Come with me, come this way."

"Not as a subordinate, but as my successor, after me, everything the Quincy will be yours."

Yhwach's voice rang out, and the battlefield fell silent for a moment, everyone displaying different expressions.

"I am Soul Reaper, and I have no interest in your Quincy possessions."

Wang Xun's voice came through, Yhwach looked at the unyielding Wang Xun and chuckled.

"You still don't know the source of your power, but I'm still willing to give you another chance."

He raised his hand, and the Auswählen blue torrent gradually disappeared.

"But if in the end you still refuse to come to my side," Yhwach clenched his fists, "Then I will have no choice but to destroy you."

A torrent of Auswählen exploded in his palm.

Two figures re-formed from the light.

Gerard Valkyrie, Lille Barro.

The two knelt on one knee before Yhwach, their Reiatsu surging.

"His Majesty."

Kyōraku stood up from the pile of rubble, blood seeping from the wound on his shoulder.

He looked at the two figures, and his lips twitched slightly.

"What's going on? I was having so much trouble fighting just now, and I've already respawned?"

Yamamoto tightened his grip on Ryūjin Jakka.

His Bankai had just been taken away, and only the flames of his Shikai remained burning on the blade.

But he stood firm.

Yhwach glanced at the two people beside him and frowned slightly.

"As for Pernida, I've only been able to vaguely sense its soul since just now, but I haven't been able to recall it. What happened?"

9

Haschwalth stepped forward and said in a low voice.

"Pernida was absorbed by a Soul Reaper named Aizen using something called the Hōgyoku."

Yhwach's brow furrowed even deeper.

"Hōgyoku?"

Since it could devour the Soul King's left hand, its power should not be underestimated.

I never imagined that such a thing would still be hidden in the Soul Society.

"Aizen..."

Yhwach kept the name in his memory.

Fortunately, Pernida could still appear faintly within his perception, indicating that she had not completely disappeared, but the situation was not optimistic.

It seems I need to go find this guy named Aizen.

Upon hearing those two words, Yamamoto shifted his gaze from Yhwach to Haschwalth.

"What did you just say, Aizen... Sōsuke Aizen of the Fifth Division?"

Haschwalth sneered.

He stood beside Yhwach, looking down at Yamamoto.

"Shigekuni Yamamoto, I'm afraid you don't know yet, but the mastermind behind your Captain Hollowfication Incident was Sōsuke Aizen."

"The ability to Kyōka Suigetsu has completely fooled you all."

Yamamoto's pupils contracted slightly.

The flames of the Ryūjin Jakka doubled in size, and the intense heat cracked the stone slabs beneath their feet.

"Nonsense."

Wang Xun stood on the flank and could feel Yamamoto's Reiatsu trembling.

Yhwach observed Yamamoto's reaction and then glanced at the Quincy Medallion in his hand.

The Quincy Medallion contains the Bankai of the Zanka no Tachi.

Now Yamamoto only has his Shikai, and his strength has been greatly reduced, making him like a tiger without teeth.

Unfortunately, Yhwach's current form is not good enough either.

After all, he had just awakened, and his soul was still sluggish. Even though the power that Auswählen had withdrawn was still churning within him, it had not been fully digested.

Confronting Yamamoto head-on right now is not the best option.

"Unfortunately," Yhwach, putting the Quincy Medallion into his robes, "Even though I've taken your Bankai, now is not the time to kill you."

Yhwach raised his hand, Shadow Domain spread out from beneath his feet, engulfing him, Haschwalth, and the two resurrected individuals in darkness.

"Let these Soul Reaper roam a little longer. When we return, it will be the end of Soul Society."

Yamamoto slashed with his sword, the Ryūjin Jakka flames cutting through the air and exploding, leaving a scorched mark on the area where the Shadow Domain had closed.

But in the end, they didn't manage to cut anything.

After the Shadow Domain closed, Yhwach and the others completely disappeared into the shadows.

Wang Xun Shunpo, staring at the dissipating Reishi remnants on the ground.

"They are no longer in the Shadow Domain."

"Where would they go? Could it be..."

Wang Xun turned to look at Yamamoto.

Soul Society.

Yamamoto's voice sank to the bottom of the valley.

"All personnel, listen to my command! Except for the wounded who cannot move, everyone else, return to Soul Society immediately!"

He turned and rushed toward the entrance connecting the Shadow Domain and Soul Society.

Wang Xun followed closely behind, Kyōraku covered her wound and followed behind, and the captains who could still move followed one after another.

Seireitei.

Scattered bones lay on the stone path.

Fragments of Quincy uniforms hung on the broken walls, and smoke was still rising from many buildings.

As you pass through the entrance, the scent of Quincy Reishi still lingers in the passage.

The soldiers who remained behind were clearing the battlefield, and many were dragging the wounded back.

Chōjirō Sasakibe stood on the steps at the entrance of the First Division, half of the sleeve of his Shinigami uniform torn off, revealing the bandage wrapped around his forearm.

He stood up when he saw Yamamoto leading his team back.

"Sasakibe, report on the situation in Seireitei. Have you seen any other Quincy, or any trace of Yhwach?"

The Sasakibe responded in a deep voice.

"Captain-Commander, the Quincy suddenly attacked Seireitei, but then Auswählen appeared halfway through."

"After the Auswählen, almost all the enemy was rendered incapable of fighting, with only a few escaping. The remaining troops are clearing the battlefield, but... no trace of Yhwach has been found."

Yamamoto scanned the surrounding ruins.

"Thoroughly investigate Seireitei. Yhwach just came from the Shadow Domain; he can't have gone far."

The various squads received their orders and dispersed.

Yamamoto called out to Wang Xun, who was about to leave.

"The Quincy just mentioned Aizen, saying he's connected to the Captain Hollowfication Incident."

Yamamoto's voice was very low.

"You've been involved in this before. Go find Aizen and confirm the situation, but be extremely careful."

Wang Xun nodded.

Unexpectedly, the news about Aizen reached Yamamoto through the Quincy.

However, sending him to find Aizen was definitely the right choice.

Wang Xun vanished in Shunpo and quickly arrived at the Fifth Division.

Unfortunately, Aizen wasn't there.

Wang Xun then left Seireitei and headed towards the desolate mountains west of Rukongai.

Aizen knew the location of his secret base by heart. Aizen moved the laboratory to a different location and rearranged it.

The new entrance was hidden in a mountain hollow, the barrier was very well concealed. Wang Xun passed through the barrier and entered the interior of the mountain.

Aizen stood in front of the experimental table, his back to the door, with the Hōgyoku floating in front of him.

The luster of the Hōgyoku has changed, and its internal Reishi structure is still slowly reorganizing.

The digestion of Pernida's power is not yet complete, but some differences are already becoming apparent.

To Wang Xun's surprise, there were several people standing opposite Aizen.

Yhwach.

The two sides stood silently facing each other, a few steps apart.

Yhwach looked at Aizen, his gaze lingering on the Hōgyoku for a moment.

He could sense that something was sealed inside that prism.

The remnants of Pernida are still inside, not yet fully digested.

"I never imagined Pernida would end up in your hands."

"They took my things without even saying goodbye. Soul Reaper these days is so rude."

Aizen smiled slightly.

"You too, Yhwach infiltrating my laboratory from the shadows."

Yhwach's tone was calm.

"Aizen, what is your purpose in going to such lengths to create the Hōgyoku?"

Aizen calmly and deliberately put the Hōgyoku back into its sealing container.

"Soul King Palace."

Yhwach scoffed.

"Arrogant! A mere vice-captain of the Soul Reaper dares to dream of ascending to the Soul King Palace."

Aizen pushed up his glasses, the glare from the lenses obscuring his eyes.

"Isn't this your goal too? I feel like I have a better chance of achieving it before you do."

Yhwach stared at Aizen for several breaths.

Just then, footsteps sounded.

Both groups turned their heads at the same time and saw Wang Xun standing at the entrance of the laboratory.

The group sized each other up, and the atmosphere became tense for a moment.

"I didn't expect it to be so lively here, Lieutenant Aizen."

Wang Xun spoke first.

The next moment, Yhwach laughed first.

"What a coincidence, we meet again. What's up, you've finally decided to join us?"

Aizen raised an eyebrow, glancing at Yhwach and then at Wang Xun.

"Why would Quincy be interested in Soul Reaper?"

Yhwach turned to look at Aizen.

What does this have to do with you?

"Instead, if you hand over the Hōgyoku you possess, I might consider sparing your life and allowing you to join us as a researcher."

Aizen smiled slightly, but his expression darkened.

"I can't give you the Hōgyoku."

Yhwach snorted coldly, his Reiatsu suddenly erupting, his robes fluttering wildly in the shockwave.

If they won't give it to me, then I'll take it!

He raised his hand, and the Heilig Pfeil condensed in his palm. The blue arrow, wrapped in high-density Reishi, was fired in a triple burst at Aizen.

Aizen his hand.

"The Bakudo #81: Dankū."

A transparent defensive barrier unfolded in front of him.

Three Heilig Pfeil Arrows struck the Dankū, exploding into a shockwave that made the surrounding experimental tables vibrate loudly.

Yhwach's second wave of attacks has arrived.

Six more Heilig Pfeil were fired, this time in multiple bursts, blocking all of Aizen's evasive maneuvers.

Aizen didn't have a flash.

He stood still, his right index finger drawing an arc in the air.

The defensive barrier that Dankū bent, transforming from a flat plane into an arc-shaped shield that blocked all six arrows.

Aizen extended his left hand, fingers spread wide.

"Hadō #90, Black Coffin"

A black cube rose from beneath Yhwach's feet, encasing him entirely within it.

The shadow blades slashed wildly inside the cube, the sound of metal scraping against metal was deafening.

Three breaths later, the Black Coffin shattered, Yhwach stood there with several cuts on his robes and the bloodstains on his skin slowly healing.

He glanced down at the tear in his sleeve.

"The Incantation Abandonment Black Coffin... its power is not bad."

Aizen frowned slightly upon seeing this.

Unexpectedly, the Black Coffin caused so little damage to the person in front of it.

He had already formed a new Kidō Reiatsu on his right hand.

"Hadō #91, Senju Kōten Taihō".

Dozens of luminous projectiles shot out from around him, weaving a net of fire in the small laboratory.

Yhwach retreated continuously, as light bullets chased and pelted him.

He raised his hand to create a Reishi barrier, blocking several projectiles from the front. The light bullets from the side grazed his shoulder, scorching a small patch of his robe.

"That's interesting."

Yhwach clenched his fingers in the air, and in one breath, he drained all the Reishi from the entire laboratory.

Yhwach compressed the extracted Reishi into his palm, condensing them into a short spear.

The spearhead gleamed coldly, and the surrounding air was rippled by the high-density Reishi.

He threw a short spear, Aizen countered with both hands.

The Dankū was stacked in three layers. The first two layers were pierced through, and the third layer barely managed to hold the spear tip in place. However, the Reishi on the spear exploded, sending the Dankū Aizen flying together.

Aizen took a few steps back.

"The Bakudō #61, the Rikujōkōrō."

Six beams of light were embedded in Yhwach's waist, locking him in place for half a breath.

As Yhwach broke free of the shattered light fragments, Aizen had already teleported behind him.

"Hadō #88, Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō."

A massive beam of lightning shot out from his palm, striking Yhwach squarely in the back.

The impact sent him flying, smashing through the laboratory's stone wall and carving a trench several meters long into the surrounding mountainside.

Gravel rolled down, and dust filled the air.

Yhwach stood up from the rubble.

A large hole was burned through the back of the robe, revealing the unscarred skin underneath.

He brushed the stone dust off his shoulder and looked at Aizen.

"Your mastery of the Kidō arts is quite good."

"But unfortunately, that's all..."

Yhwach was about to make another move when he suddenly stopped.

His gaze shifted toward the laboratory entrance, sensing something approaching.

Shigekuni Yamamoto's Reiatsu is rapidly approaching.

"It's a pity, that's all for today."

Yhwach withdrew his Reiatsu, and the Shadow Domain spread out from beneath his feet.

"We'll meet again someday."

Darkness engulfed Yhwach and his party, and their Reiatsu vanished completely from the laboratory.

Moments later, Shigekuni Yamamoto arrived.

He stood outside the hole that had been smashed open, looking inside.

But in his eyes, there was only an ordinary cave, and Yhwach's Reiatsu had disappeared.

Yamamoto frowned, glanced at his surroundings which were concealed by the Kyōka Suigetsu and appeared perfectly normal, and then turned and left.

Yamamoto's Reiatsu gradually faded away.

Aizen stepped out of Kyōka Suigetsu illusion and stood beside Wang Xun.

He was standing not far from Yamamoto, but Yamamoto didn't see anything.

Aizen patted the dust off his sleeve.

He took out the Hōgyoku.

Blue light shone on his face, and the Reishi structure inside the Hōgyoku had become stable.

Pernida's power is being completely absorbed, and the new energy density far exceeds that of before.

Aizen looked at Wang Xun.

"Wang Xun, why are you here?"

Wang Xun looked at Aizen.

"Captain-Commander Yamamoto sent me to see you. The Quincy have told him about you, Lieutenant Aizen. You've been exposed."

"Is that so... but it's alright."

After thinking for a moment, Aizen smiled again.

"No one expected that I would be the ultimate beneficiary of this war."

"In that case, there's no need to remain hidden within the Soul Society any longer; we can begin a new phase."

"The Hōgyoku is about to be completed."