Seeing that Brook was completely unaffected by Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's terrifying spiritual pressure, the nine Arrancar finally relaxed.
Otherwise, if they had encountered the Captain-Commander of the Shinigami on their own, their first thought would have been to turn around and flee.
This old man, hailed as the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society, was no empty name.
They truly could not withstand even two strikes from Ryūjin Jakka.
"I have dedicated my life to preserving the stability of the Three Realms. Why should I explain myself to you, the Lord of Hueco Mundo?"
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's aura grew even more terrifying.
He knew very well that only with sufficient power could he suppress Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, the Human World, and even Hell according to his will.
Power, when held by the righteous, could be used to maintain the stable development of the Three Realms.
But if that power fell into the hands of those consumed by ambition, the Three Realms would soon collapse, and the world itself would be destroyed.
"So, you want to fight me here?"
Brook chuckled softly.
"Then what do you think will happen to all the humans in this city?"
"Sacrifice is inevitable, but I will do my utmost to keep the casualties low."
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni still could not sense Brook's true strength, which made his expression even graver.
He hoped the opponent merely possessed some device that concealed his aura.
He did not want to believe that Brook's strength had already reached a level even he could not perceive.
After all, items capable of concealing strength and spiritual pressure existed in Soul Society. Kisuke Urahara had once successfully developed something similar.
"Then I'll find you a proper burial ground."
Brook spoke casually to the Shinigami Captain-Commander, then poured a surge of power into the little girl Nelliel.
The little girl immediately recovered her strength.
She entered the Resurrección form of her Zanpakutō, Antelope Knight, transforming into a beautiful, mature woman as her complete memories returned.
Nelliel also discovered that she now seemed to possess a second stage of Antelope Knight.
"You really can make others Hollowfy. Now change Shunsui back!"
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni pulled Kyōraku Shunsui aside and spoke to Brook with a solemn expression, his eyes still burning with suppressed rage.
"Kūgo Ginjō, Shūkurō Tsukishima, do you want the power of Hollowfication?"
Brook ignored Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni and smiled at the powerless Xcution members, especially the two ambitious leaders.
"All you need to do is offer me your loyalty and fight the Shinigami captains."
As for the others, they might truly want to return to normal life after losing their Fullbring abilities.
But people who craved power would never willingly give up their strength.
"I am willing to pledge my loyalty!"
Kūgo Ginjō, who had already sunk into despair, immediately shouted.
He did not want to become an ordinary mortal who could be slaughtered by anyone.
Even if he had to become an Arrancar, he would become one of the strongest Arrancar Hollows.
"Ryūjin Jakka, Jōkaku Enjō!"
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni was furious after being ignored by Brook.
These humans actually wanted to become Arrancar and serve Hueco Mundo.
That was unforgivable.
His Zanpakutō released a spinning wall of blazing flames, forming a tornado of fire that surrounded Ginjō Kūgo and the other humans.
This terrifying technique would not disappear until the enemies inside were reduced to ash.
The members of Xcution stared in despair at the scorching flames around them.
Only after losing their power did they understand how helpless the weak truly were.
Even Riruka Dokugamine, Aura Michibane, and Jackie, who had already decided to return to ordinary life, began to crave power again.
"Old man, attacking weak humans doesn't exactly help your image of justice."
[A World in the Dead of Winter.]
Brook casually waved his hand, freezing Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's scorching flames into a massive tornado-shaped ice flower.
The sight stunned countless Shinigami, including the captains and the Visoreds.
The strongest fire-type Zanpakutō's technique, personally unleashed by the Captain-Commander, had actually been frozen.
What kind of power was this?
Kisuke Urahara felt his scalp go numb.
From this one move alone, he could already infer that the Lord of Hueco Mundo was definitely stronger than the Captain-Commander.
At that moment, he rushed toward the Sixth Division captain, Byakuya Kuchiki.
Only the captain of one of the four great noble families had a chance to contact the Zero Division.
"Kuchiki Byakuya, return to Soul Society immediately and request the Zero Division's intervention. Even the Captain-Commander may not be able to defeat this Lord of Hueco Mundo!"
Kisuke Urahara shouted anxiously.
He had completely forgotten that he was still a wanted criminal in Soul Society.
Yoruichi Shihōin beside him was also from one of the four great noble families, but she too was a wanted criminal and had no chance of meeting the Zero Division.
Hearing Kisuke Urahara's words, the other captains looked at the wanted criminal with dangerous expressions.
They did not believe Captain-Commander Yamamoto could lose to a mere Lord of Hueco Mundo.
"Byakuya, listen to Urahara Kisuke. This is my last request."
Kyōraku Shunsui, who had already faded into the background, appeared before them at some point and spoke in a humble, sorrowful tone.
If he had not been Hollowfied by Brook, his words would have carried considerable weight among the captains.
But now, everything had changed.
Even so, his teacher Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni was about to face a great danger, and Shunsui had already sensed something was wrong.
He had to act.
After hearing Kyōraku Shunsui's words, and seeing the other captains nod in agreement, Kuchiki Byakuya immediately returned to Soul Society.
He planned to bring his grandfather, Kuchiki Ginrei, the former head of the family, to request an audience with the Zero Division.
At the same time, Brook casually Hollowfied Kūgo Ginjō and Shūkurō Tsukishima, giving them combat power comparable to Shinigami captains.
Now, with the strengthened Nelliel joining his side, Brook, the Espada, and the Six Sinners of Hell had enough manpower to face the Shinigami captains and the Visoreds.
"Old man, let's have a one-on-one fight."
Brook directly pulled Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni into his own microcosm, causing him to vanish from the real world.
Kyōraku Shunsui and Kisuke Urahara both paled as ominous expressions appeared on their faces.
"Haha, Lord Brook and that old monster are finally gone. Now it's our turn to fight!"
The Segunda Espada, Barragan, laughed wildly.
After the two terrifying pressures disappeared, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
That meant every Shinigami present was at least within fighting range.
No one here could crush them in an instant.
"War has begun!"
The Hell Sinner Shuren shouted and led the Hell Sinners in a charge.
The Arrancar also rushed forward.
Meanwhile, Kokutō continued his battle with Zaraki Kenpachi. Not even the overwhelming auras of Brook and Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni could interrupt their fierce clash.
After Kuchiki Byakuya left, only nine Shinigami captains remained.
Or perhaps only eight.
After all, Kyōraku Shunsui had already become Hollowfied.
However, even though he had become a Visored, Kyōraku Shunsui's heart still belonged to Soul Society.
He would still raise his blade against the Arrancar.
------------
Within Brook's microcosm, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni had already released his Bankai, Zanka no Tachi.
A terrifying spiritual pressure poured from his body, and the heat radiating from him made this small universe feel dry and scorched, as if all moisture were being burned away.
Rukia Kuchiki, who had been captured earlier, had been thrown by Brook to another location inside the microcosm. From there, she could still witness the fierce battle between Brook and Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.
"Even the Captain-Commander can't defeat this demon?"
Horror appeared on Rukia's face.
The legend of the Captain-Commander had always circulated throughout Soul Society. This was the first time she had ever seen him enter such a battle state.
"Zanka no Tachi, East: Kyokujitsujin!"
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni concentrated all the heat of Ryūjin Jakka's flames onto the edge of his Bankai, Zanka no Tachi.
The terrifying temperature did not create roaring flames or violent explosions. The blade looked almost like a rusty iron sword.
Yet wherever it passed, everything was erased by that unbearable heat.
Even Brook had no intention of taking that blade head-on.
"Not bad temperature. Let me cool you down."
Brook shifted Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni into the ice space within his Ame no Minaka. Then he activated [A World in the Dead of Winter] once more.
With two layers of freezing power stacked together, the terrifying heat radiating from the Captain-Commander was finally suppressed.
[Soul King's Power: Time Stop.]
Brook froze time and kicked the muscular old man, who had suddenly launched another attack, only for Yamamoto's scorching blade to graze past him.
[All-Killing Ash Bones.]
Brook swiftly fired a gray bone spear toward Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's heart.
"Ah!"
The old man roared toward the sky and finally broke free from Brook's time stop, desperately avoiding the fatal strike.
Even so, his left arm was still pierced by Brook's attack. The moment it fell to the ground, it turned into stone.
"Zanka no Tachi, West: Zanjitsu Gokui!"
After witnessing Brook's terrifying techniques, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni immediately transformed his spiritual pressure into a blazing inferno of fifteen million degrees Celsius, covering both his body and blade as though he were wrapped in the sun itself.
With this, none of Brook's attacks could easily approach him.
If Brook rashly closed the distance, he might be vaporized into ash in an instant by that terrifying temperature.
"You really are a tycoon after absorbing so many spirit particles. No concept of waste at all."
Brook mocked him without mercy.
"You definitely deserve a large share of the credit for Rukongai's poverty."
Even then, Brook felt a little pained watching Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni burn through his spiritual power so recklessly.
After all, once he devoured this muscular old man, all that soul power should have belonged to Brook.
"I will eliminate you!"
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's body temperature rose again.
The ancient ice of this frozen world began to melt, turning into streams of water beneath his feet.
"Zanka no Tachi, South: Kaka Jūmanokushi Daisōjin!"
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni suddenly drove Zanka no Tachi into the frozen ground.
The terrifying heat of Ryūjin Jakka awakened the ashes of those who had died by his blade in the past. Those ashes transformed into a charred legion of skeletons that rose from the ground, endlessly charging toward his enemy.
"A legion made from ashes, not souls?"
Brook looked at the army of blackened skeletons.
The scene was more terrifying than hell itself.
This muscular old man seemed more suited to hell than Soul Society.
"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony."
[The Five Divine Aspects.]
Brook immediately summoned his divine forms. He intended to deal with Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni as quickly as possible. Otherwise, this old man would burn away all his spiritual energy and spirit particles.
If that happened, what would Brook devour to evolve?
"This is…"
When Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni saw the image of the Soul King among those divine forms, he froze for a moment, just like the Otsutsuki elders and the guardians of Hell had before him.
"Old Man Yamamoto, return Soul Society's spiritual power."
Brook shouted loudly, like a vengeful incarnation of the Soul King.
"Are you an incarnation of the Soul King?"
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's voice trembled slightly.
As the ruler of Seireitei, he naturally knew of the Soul King and the dark history of Soul Society.
However, he had never been certain what the correct path for the Three Realms truly was.
He had once tried to sweep across the Three Realms through killing. He had also created the Gotei 13 to protect the world.
But neither path seemed to have led to a better future.
The Soul King, the nobles, Rukongai, Hueco Mundo, and Hell all made him feel powerless.
As he grew older, he gradually became conservative and stubborn.
On one hand, he maintained the corrupt rule of the nobles. On the other, he turned a blind eye to Yhwach. A thousand years ago, he had failed to kill the man who claimed to be the son of the Soul King.
Perhaps, deep down, he had once hoped to see more possibilities from the Quincy.
In truth, he also disapproved of the five noble families sealing and dismembering the Soul King.
But for the sake of stability, he did not know what else to do.
Now, seeing the Soul King's figure on Brook, he felt as if he were looking at the shadow of the Soul King's revenge.
The Quincy rebellion led by Yhwach, the son of the Soul King, had already become one disaster.
Now there was also an invasion from Hueco Mundo, possibly led by an incarnation of the Soul King.
Was this retribution for the five noble families dismembering the Soul King?
"No! The Three Realms cannot fall into chaos! The Soul King becoming the wedge of the Three Realms is already irreversible!"
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni roared.
"Whether you are the son of the Soul King or an incarnation of the Soul King, I will not allow you to destroy the current Three Realms!"
His skeleton army was slowly being destroyed by Brook's Five Divine Aspects.
"Zanka no Tachi, North: Tenchi Kaijin!"
The somewhat crazed Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni unleashed all his spiritual power and released his strongest attack.
From an extreme distance, he launched a terrifying slash toward Brook's main body at blinding speed. Everything touched by that flying flame slash was instantly reduced to ash.
"What a waste of my energy."
Brook instantly became intangible and left his original position.
The terrifying high-temperature slash swept past, splitting even this frozen space open with Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's desperate attack.
Seeing his Ame no Minaka space damaged, Brook appeared behind the panting old man with an icy expression.
Pfft!
One hand ignored Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's tattered robe of solar flames and pierced through his heart.
Yamamoto used the last of his strength to swing backward, but a small sun radiating terrifying heat blocked his flaming blade.
"Old man, you wasted too much of my energy. If I can't evolve to the Six-Tomoe level, then I'll use all the Shinigami captains to make up the shortfall."
Brook spoke ruthlessly.
Then he suddenly tore out Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's heart and knocked Zanka no Tachi to the ground.
A terrifying devouring energy immediately enveloped that dense, solid soul.
The Hogyoku inside Brook automatically triggered another round of evolution.
His two three-tomoe white Rinnegan spun wildly.
.....
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