Within the half-surging Kurohitsugi, Yoriichi's face remained expressionless.
He had indeed felt the rage emanating from Aizen.
The reason for this rage was not merely that his words had broken through Aizen's defenses.
It was also because the Hōgyoku had caused Aizen's ambition to swell immensely.
Perhaps, in Aizen's view, as long as he could eliminate Yoriichi, then within the Seireitei, no one else would be able to become his opponent.
Whoosh… The sealing of Kurohitsugi was silent, only showing obvious ripples in space.
The moment Kurohitsugi completed its seal, Yoriichi's gaze subtly flickered to one side.
Yamamoto Genryusai was there, his face consumed by furious anger.
At the same time, the appearance of Nigotsugu Saizo made Yoriichi realize that the Menos Grande in West Rukongai had already been dismantled.
After knowing these situations, Yoriichi nodded slightly in his heart.
Immediately after.
Boom.
Kurohitsugi was completely sealed, and Yoriichi tightened his grip on his Zanpakuto.
In an instant, the surroundings were swallowed by endless darkness, as if falling into the deepest abyss.
At the same time, countless shadowy blades, like a surging black tide or a torrential downpour, whistled and shot towards Yoriichi Tsugikuni from all directions.
The sharp sound of air being torn echoed in this confined dark space, sending shivers down one's spine.
A strong sense of crisis, like surging waves, instantly engulfed Yoriichi Tsugikuni's heart.
However, his expression remained unchanged, still as steady and calm as ever.
He merely murmured in an unhurried tone: "Bankai."
"Judgment."
Though his voice was soft, it seemed to carry a power that could pierce through the darkness.
At this very moment.
The dense, surging shadowy blades from all directions shattered like fragile bubbles encountering scorching sunlight.
It was as if an invisible wall had risen around Yoriichi, preventing any shadowy blade from approaching within three inches of his body.
Spiritual pressure began to surge wildly and continuously expand within this enclosed space.
It was like the boiling magma inside an about-to-erupt volcano, or like a sky-ripping current soaring into the heavens.
The entire Kurohitsugi space trembled slightly from this powerful spiritual pressure, as if it could be torn apart by this force at any moment!
In the blink of an eye.
With a loud boom!
Under this powerful impact, Kurohitsugi seemed to turn into a fragile eggshell, instantly cracking into countless shocking fissures.
The sunlight from outside penetrated through these cracks, instantly illuminating this dim, lightless space.
Mixed with the sound of shattering.
Yoriichi clearly saw Aizen's smile stiffen directly opposite him, his pupils suddenly contracting in shock and anger, his teeth clenched.
"This is impossible!"
He thought.
However.
The next second.
Crack.
Kurohitsugi completely shattered, and black fragments filled the sky, scattering and swirling like snowflakes.
They eventually dissipated into the air, leaving no trace of their existence.
Step.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni slowly walked out from within Kurohitsugi.
Small, flickering black flames appeared on his left shoulder, and with each step he took, the flames spread further downwards.
In an instant, they covered half of his body.
On the other side, the glowing white, gold-tinged bones also transformed into an indestructible armor, swiftly enveloping and protecting his body.
A domain then spread over the surrounding space.
Wisps of a deep, hellish aura permeated and diffused.
These sights were reflected in Aizen's eyes without reservation; he watched all of this, his unwillingness and anger intensifying.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni's spiritual pressure once again surpassed his own.
To prevent the situation from worsening, Aizen took action without hesitation.
Bang! The ground suddenly exploded, sending debris and dust flying.
He instantly transformed into a dazzling ray of light, disappearing from his original spot.
As he vanished, he reappeared in front of Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
He unleashed a palm strike, carrying immense force, towards Yoriichi's head, attempting to utterly kill Yoriichi with this single move!
—This was a special technique of the Hōgyoku's fourth form, allowing him to transform his body into light and move at light speed.
Although the speed of his attacks would still be limited by his nerve reflex speed, Aizen firmly believed that.
At light speed, even an attack launched by an ordinary person would be difficult for Yoriichi Tsugikuni to react to.
Let alone himself, who had fused with the Hōgyoku and reached the realm of a transcendent being!
Aizen's expression was slightly distorted:
"Die!"
This palm strike arrived in an instant; from its launch to its imminent impact, only a hundredth of a millisecond passed.
Such speed was already beyond the reaction capabilities of humans or Shinigami.
Even Yamamoto Genryusai would only be able to regretfully endure this move, let alone Yoriichi Tsugikuni, who now had no weapon in his hand.
Even if he could react, he would not be able to block it.
This was simply a godsend opportunity!
Events were unfolding just as Aizen had imagined.
However.
The actual situation still had some discrepancies.
Boom!
The flames on Yoriichi Tsugikuni's body blazed fiercely.
Just as Aizen's attack was about to arrive, the flames seemed to transform into a giant hand, striking swiftly!
Bang!
The attack was forcefully deflected, and an invisible slash, following the direction of the hand, cut a hundred-meter-long gully into the ground.
Aizen's mind, struck by the flaming hand, instantly entered a brief state of paralysis.
When he recovered, he transformed into light and vanished from in front of Yoriichi, putting some distance between them.
Aizen's face visibly darkened.
Although less than a second had passed from launching the attack to completing the retreat, he had already experienced two major ups and downs.
That armor, like flames, could actually change form?
Damn it…
…
The battles between Shinigami were not merely limited to contests of spiritual pressure.
To some extent, they were also competitions of style and aura, or what is called a "coolness" battle.
While the Hōgyoku granted Aizen immense power, it also caused him to gradually lose himself, and his personality progressively moved towards an extreme direction.
This change in personality caused Aizen's original composed demeanor to completely vanish.
Take his light-speed movement, for example; at first glance, it indeed seemed quite formidable…
But in reality, if Aizen's own reaction speed could not reach light speed.
Then the upper limit of this skill's effect would always remain at a fixed level.
When Yoriichi was a human, he could clearly perceive the movement trajectories of eighteen hundred body fragments in an instant.
Not to mention his current situation after his strength had greatly increased…
Whoosh.
Aizen, unwilling, unleashed his sword pressure; the fourth stage of his sword pressure already possessed the power to instantly kill ten or more captains.
Furthermore, its density had been further compressed, allowing its power to bypass defensive barriers formed by spiritual pressure intensity.
And Yoriichi Tsugikuni still had no weapon in his hand; Aizen did not believe that the flimsy armor could continue to block these attacks.
One must know.
He had previously used Five Dragons' Extinction to shatter Yoriichi's defenses once.
However, the past was the past, and now was now.
Although the power of Kido and sword pressure would increase proportionally with the rise in spiritual pressure.
But since Yoriichi had gained the authority of Hell, his Bankai, which was originally born from Hell's power, had further increased in strength.
Yoriichi slowly extended his right hand forward.
At the same time, a slender sword burning with dark flames appeared out of thin air in his hand.
He swiftly swung it towards the surging sword pressure!
Boom!
A crescent-shaped black sword energy, imbued with endless sharpness and dominance, shot out from the blade like an arrow released from a bowstring!
When this black sword energy collided with the sword pressure unleashed by Aizen.
The latter shattered instantly, without any power to resist.
Aizen was about to dodge.
However, it was as if his movements had been predicted.
He had just shifted his position and hadn't even had time to adjust his mindset.
A piercing pain suddenly struck his shoulder without warning.
Blackness flashed in his eyes, causing his pupils to suddenly contract.
Even without looking down, based on the intensity of this excruciating pain, he clearly understood that he was injured.
And this injury was by no means simple.
Creak…
He clenched his teeth.
…
…
The situation was clear: within Yoriichi Tsugikuni's domain, the possibility of him defeating Yoriichi was almost zero.
That terrifying blow had nearly split his body directly in half along the shoulder.
The wound was gruesome; before blood could gush out in large quantities, the Hōgyoku instantly healed and repaired it.
Even the black flames, clinging to him like a persistent gangrene, vanished in an instant, driven by some desire.
Aizen did not hesitate; his form transformed into a ray of light, appearing at the edge of the domain.
He extended his palm, then unleashed spiritual pressure several times his own.
Accompanied by this powerful force, the domain began to disintegrate and collapse inch by inch.
Yoriichi calmly watched everything unfolding before him, his heart completely undisturbed.
"Meaningless."
Although his Bankai had shattered, Yoriichi's spiritual pressure had not dropped as a result, as his power originated from the depths of Hell.
Unless Aizen could shatter Hell itself, whatever means he employed would be futile.
Step.
With a faint footstep, the scorching karma flames returned to Yoriichi's hand.
That familiar sensation was undoubtedly like adding wings to a tiger for Yoriichi's combat.
Immediately after, Yoriichi's figure appeared behind Aizen, and with a swing of his long blade, he directly slashed forward.
Aizen had no time to make any effective defensive moves.
His brain seemed to enter a brief state of stagnation at that moment, only able to rely on his body's instincts to very awkwardly shift his body slightly.
But even so, the shoulder that had already healed was cut open again.
The blade sank into flesh, and blood gushed out.
Even though Aizen had previously enhanced his physical abilities in all aspects using the Hōgyoku, his strong defense seemed to be rendered useless in the face of this sharp blade.
The long blade, with an unstoppable momentum, directly cut deep into Aizen's heart, mercilessly slicing Aizen's heart into two halves!
The excruciating pain made Aizen's face turn pale; he immediately spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Damn it!"
…
…
If the heart is cut open, can one still survive?
The answer is clearly no.
Even in the storyline, no Shinigami has been seen to survive with their heart pierced and cut open.
Take Matsumoto Rangiku, for example; her injuries were arguably the most severe among the Shinigami.
During the battle in Karakura Town, she had half her body blown away, and although she ultimately survived, her injury did not affect her heart.
It can be clearly stated that for a normal Shinigami, the heart and head are the only two fatal weaknesses.
However, this refers only to normal circumstances and normal Shinigami individuals.
Aizen was not like that.
Though his heart being cut open affected his mobility, it was not a fatal wound.
He merely spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his aura slightly diminished, and then, under the influence of the Hōgyoku, his shattered organ healed once more.
Aizen had originally thought Yoriichi Tsugikuni's attack would cease there and was about to turn to counterattack.
However, he had not expected that the power contained within that single strike was far from exhausted.
Before the aftershocks could subside, a surging and powerful force continued to pierce through.
The incredibly sharp blade swiftly sliced across Aizen's body with lightning speed, actually cutting him diagonally into two halves!
At that moment, Aizen had just completed his turn and had not yet had time to react.
He then saw a large amount of fresh blood gushing out from his waist like a broken dam, instantly staining his clothes crimson.
His spine was severed.
Although the Hōgyoku was repairing it, the repair process still required time.
Therefore, before the repair was complete,
Aizen fell into a paralyzed state.
His intended counterattack seemed to have been paused, instantly freezing, and he temporarily lost control of his lower body.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni continued to swing his blade.
In the blink of an eye,
Swish!
Dense blade light flashed crisscrossing, and although Aizen tried his best to block, the close-range slashes rendered his attempts futile.
In an instant, large amounts of warm blood spurted out like a fountain.
Shattered limbs and broken arms mixed with it, splashing outwards, and a bloody scent instantly permeated the air.
And the most fatal final strike, moreover, transformed into lightning with an unstoppable momentum, directly severing Aizen's neck!
Whoosh!
The solid defense formed by the Hōgyoku was like a mere illusion, as if what was cut was not bone but empty air, carrying a heart-palpitating destructive force.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni clearly saw the lingering trace of unwillingness on Aizen's face.
Immediately after, Aizen's head was thrown high into the air.
It arced through the air, then landed with a "thud" and rolled a few times on the ground before finally coming to a stop.
"!!"
With the world spinning in his eyes, Aizen simply couldn't believe what was happening before him.
He, as a dignified Transcendent, was actually beheaded so defenselessly?!
"Yoriichi Tsugikuni, you..."
His words were filled with unwillingness.
But before he could finish speaking,
The heavy impact upon landing, like a merciless bolt of lightning, abruptly cut off his unspoken words in his throat.
Aizen was furious, the anger in his heart like a burning flame, almost consuming his sanity.
However, his consciousness did not dissipate.
Because upon reaching the fourth stage of the Hōgyoku, the evolution stage, the Hōgyoku's power had already integrated into his entire body.
Unless the Hōgyoku was completely shattered, he could not die.
Of course, the premise of immortality was that his head had to remain intact...
Thus, Yoriichi Tsugikuni witnessed such a scene.
As soon as Aizen's head landed, white, flesh-like matter appeared at his neck.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni wanted to swing his sword again to sever it.
But as soon as the blade was swung, Aizen's head transformed into a light, appearing at the speed of light on his severed neck.
The flesh-like substance rapidly connected the wound, and in an instant, it was restored to its original state, as if the injury had never existed.
And at the same time, his previously severed spine had also fully recovered.
Aizen's inner anger and agitation further stimulated the Hōgyoku, and his entire being began to evolve towards a higher level.
He desired immortality.
He wanted to be able to revive even after his brain was destroyed, even after every single cell in his entire body was pulverized!
This wish was somewhat unconventional.
It caused the single crack that had originally been on the Hōgyoku to now spread to cover half of it.
"Yoriichi Tsugikuni, unforgivable!"
Aizen roared, and with the emergence of the fifth stage, his last shred of sanity gradually vanished.
Just like in the plot, he instantly transformed into a white monster.
A true monster.
Three Hollow holes appeared on his chest, and behind him, large wings like those of a Kochou appeared, with six skulls on their wing ridges.
Evil, bizarre.
His face was covered by a black mask, with a slit like an eye on his forehead, emitting an eerie glow.
His right hand had already transformed into a black Zanpakuto, slender and exuding ferocity.
His left hand had become a beast-like claw, seemingly capable of tearing through anything.
The surging spiritual pressure emanating from his entire body spread outwards like raging waves, making even Yamamoto Genryusai, who was not far away, feel difficulty breathing.
Creak—!
As the domain shattered, Yamamoto Genryusai was able to glimpse Aizen's current appearance, and his expression became extremely solemn.
The hand holding Ryujin Jakka was almost crushing the blade.
"Sōsuke Aizen!"
His aged face was filled with killing intent.
He could already foresee what kind of impact Aizen would have if he were to attack other places in this form.
Anyone below First-Class Spiritual Power would die upon contact!
"Unbelievable."
Beside him, Nigotsugu Saizo, though also feeling the heavy atmosphere, still expressed his heartfelt emotion with an unhurried attitude.
Yamamoto Genryusai heard these words and glared fiercely at Nigotsugu Saizo.
But Nigotsugu Saizo ignored Yamamoto Genryusai and merely said:
"Don't worry, Yamamoto, just keep watching."
"There's no point in you getting anxious anyway."
"Given the current state of the two of them, even if you activated your Bankai and intervened, you would be instantly killed."
"These two are no longer mere Shinigami."
"One is the embodiment of Hell, the other the embodiment of the Hōgyoku..."
In fact, even in the original plot, when Kurosaki ichigo fought Aizen, Kurosaki ichigo was not an ordinary human.
He simultaneously possessed the four powers of Hollow, Quincy, Shinigami, and human, even though he had not yet mastered X-cution at that time.
He could be considered a small Soul King.
The Hōgyoku facing a small Soul King.
The outcome was still predetermined.
It was just that because the Hōgyoku was too complete, Kurosaki ichigo had no choice but to use the Mugetsu form.
One could only say that this was fate.
If he hadn't lost his Shinigami powers, he wouldn't have been able to awaken X-cution and then become the true "Soul King"...
Yamamoto Genryusai gradually slowed his breathing, trying his best to restrain himself and not act impulsively.
Soon, within his line of sight, the two had already clashed.
In an instant,
Boom!
An invisible storm crashed outwards like a tsunami, its powerful impact seemingly capable of overturning the entire world!
Just the surging airwaves alone caused the remaining sealed stones in the vicinity to rapidly crack.
Every impact possessed the full power of Ikotsu.
Just then, Yamamoto Genryusai caught sight of Kuchiki Sōjun not far away.
He suppressed his breathing and immediately vanished from his spot.
Only after he had taken Kuchiki Sōjun away from that dangerous area did he barely manage to prevent Kuchiki Sōjun from dying under these impacts.
...
...
Although Aizen had lost consciousness, his combat instincts still remained.
Due to the comprehensive improvement of his physical abilities, he successfully kept pace with Yoriichi Tsugikuni's rhythm.
Coupled with his light-speed movement ability,
When the two of them launched their attacks, even Yamamoto Genryusai found it difficult to clearly distinguish the specific situation.
What Yamamoto Genryusai could see
Was merely a scene where the two would sometimes disappear, then suddenly reappear, and then vanish again.
If it weren't for the surging airwaves generated by their collisions, which prevented him from even opening his eyes,
He might even have thought that the two were merely probing each other with their footwork...
It was truly too fierce.
Even at his peak, Yamamoto Genryusai could not achieve such a combat situation.
Perhaps only those in Squad Zero could compare to the strength of these two...
Yamamoto Genryusai slightly narrowed his eyes, and the way he held Kuchiki Sōjun subtly revealed a hint of melancholy.
However, at the same time, there was also a slight sense of relief in his heart.
He lowered his voice and asked in a deep tone:
"Nigotsugu, how much do you truly know about this disciple of mine?"
"The embodiment of Hell... What exactly did you encounter in Hell previously?"
"Why were you able to come out and use Bankai?"
"Also, your strength..."
If he hadn't misjudged before, Nigotsugu Saizo's spiritual pressure after activating Bankai was subtly even higher than his own...
This was very unusual.
Even if the other captains had made progress, none were as obvious as Nigotsugu Saizo.
Moreover, Nigotsugu Saizo had died of old age, and his inherent talent had already been exhausted...
Without a doubt, Yoriichi Tsugikuni must have given him some assistance.
Nigotsugu Saizo chuckled:
"Yamamoto, I never thought that even now, you would care about such matters..."
"I had originally planned to have a match with you after the affairs here were concluded."
"Now it seems there's no need for that."
"That's right, the current me has surpassed you from a thousand years ago and you from a thousand years later... Your disciple is truly extraordinary."
"If he were a few years older, even those in Squad Zero would be defeated by him one by one."
"Even that monk is no exception."
"Yamamoto, you've fallen behind the times."
Nigotsugu Saizo's words caused Yamamoto Genryusai to frown tightly.
Fallen behind the times?
He knew his student was incredibly talented, but what did that sentence mean?
Recalling how he, even with the strength of the strongest Shinigami in a thousand years, couldn't get close to their battle, he vaguely understood something...
On one side is Hell, on the other is the Hōgyoku...
Both of these are developments of the era.
Those who go against the times... will eventually be eliminated.
However, Yamamoto Genryusai couldn't make up his mind.
After all, utilizing the power of Hell to strengthen oneself required experiencing death first.
And utilizing the Hōgyoku...
Would lead to Hollowfication...
He couldn't accept any of these for now.
He would still wait and see how things developed.