"That's impossible!"
Soon after.
Perhaps it was because Aizen's resolve faltered imperceptibly at the critical moment, failing to be as unyielding as steel.
Or perhaps, even if the Hōgyoku had evolved to its so-called limit, it still appeared so powerless when facing Yoriichi Tsugikuni in his Bankai state.
The Hōgyoku's evolution quietly ceased.
The moment the evolution stopped,
Aizen's consciousness, which had been filled with madness and obsession, seemed to briefly break free from the chaotic abyss, regaining a moment of clarity.
Immediately after, recalling the day's events, Aizen was filled with immense unwillingness.
He had endured for so long, ascending to the position of a transcendent being; was this truly the outcome he was to face?
He simply could not accept it; a burning rage seemed to consume his soul.
He gritted his teeth.
"Fukureppa!"
Aizen roared, his soaring emotions like a surging tide, compelling him to unleash all his spiritual pressure.
In an instant, one of the skulls behind him erupted with an extremely powerful purple shockwave.
Boom!
The shockwave was like an unbridled cannonball, charging forward with an aura of destruction.
Wherever it passed, everything in its path was utterly destroyed by this overwhelming impact.
The hard ground was blasted into a deep, canyon-like gully, with shattered rocks flying and dust billowing!
Deafening sounds echoed constantly in his ears.
Of course, since the surroundings were entirely made of sealed stone,
even if the cannonball's impact was fierce, after tearing through four streets, it had no further power, being completely absorbed by the scattered rocks on the ground.
This was the reason Yoriichi Tsugikuni chose this location as the battlefield.
Seeing this situation,
"Ultimate Fukureppa!"
Aizen was unwilling to give up; he continued to launch an even more ferocious attack.
Taking advantage of the moment he got close to Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the six skulls behind him once again condensed spiritual pressure.
Six times the output, six times the power!
A chilling tide of energy spread out, attempting to erase Yoriichi Tsugikuni from this world, making him completely disappear amidst the smoke and dust!
Buzz!
The purple shockwave instantly condensed into a tangible ring of spiritual pressure, followed by a violent explosion.
The roaring light and heat gave Yoriichi Tsugikuni no time to react, like a bundle of C4 explosives detonated in human hands.
Aizen was certain that Yoriichi Tsugikuni, facing this attack, would be severely wounded, if not killed!
However,
as the saying goes, where there's smoke, there's no injury.
Boom!
Dust billowed, and the surroundings were blasted into a huge, deep crater, like those formed by a meteorite impact.
From within that crater, as the smoke slowly dispersed, Yoriichi Tsugikuni calmly walked out.
His expression was serene, as if he had just experienced a trivial breeze.
Visibly, there was not the slightest injury on his body; he remained completely unharmed.
Because,
"Judgment—Sin of Gluttony."
Yoriichi Tsugikuni raised his Zanpakuto.
Boom!
The power from Aizen's recently unleashed Ultimate Fukureppa was instantly released by him, and that power, like a surging torrent, rushed back towards Aizen.
Aizen was unable to dodge; he had not expected his own attack to be so easily absorbed by Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
The immense impact directly pulverized his fully evolved body, leaving not even his head.
Fortunately, his wish was to be immortal and indestructible; even a single cell could regenerate.
Therefore, when Aizen recovered, he no longer dared to rashly use his ultimate attacks.
His gaze towards Yoriichi Tsugikuni was filled with deep apprehension…
…
Time passed little by little; three minutes had elapsed since their encounter.
In those three minutes, Yoriichi Tsugikuni had roughly assessed Aizen's abilities and the threat he posed.
He knew that Aizen had no more trump cards, and even his spiritual pressure could no longer be increased.
Yoriichi glanced at Nigotsugu Saizo nearby during a clash.
With just one look, the latter instantly understood.
"Ah, these young people nowadays, they still have to rely on us old folks for everything," Nigotsugu Saizo sighed softly, holding his Zanpakuto.
As soon as he finished speaking, a speck of spiritual pressure was transmitted into the hellfire through the Hell Chain within his body.
This is a function of Hell; in the story, Kurosaki ichigo once received an anointing from Hell's Intent, gaining immense power.
Although Sinners and Hell's Intent are somewhat different,
after some manipulation by Yoriichi Tsugikuni, Nigotsugu Saizo became the guardian of the Fifth Level, possessing the same ability as Hell's Intent.
Because of this, their power is the power of Hell, and the power of Hell is the power of Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
This is why Nigotsugu Saizo asserted that Aizen could not win.
Behind Yoriichi Tsugikuni was an entire world.
A world he had gained through governance.
What did Aizen have?
…
Yoriichi Tsugikuni's spiritual pressure increased once again.
This change caused Aizen's eyes to narrow, and his gaze revealed an even stronger sense of disbelief.
Because normally, Bankai is the final resort.
Yoriichi had neither taken any spiritual pressure-enhancing drugs nor performed any other special actions, so why would his spiritual pressure increase again?
If spiritual pressure was so easily enhanced at the transcendent stage, then what had become of the Hōgyoku he developed?
What was the point of evolving into a monster for the sake of becoming stronger and immortal?
He suddenly felt a sense of emptiness.
The Hōgyoku, which he had originally cherished, now felt like something dispensable in his heart.
And at the same moment,
the Hōgyoku seemed to sense Aizen's current emotions and became somewhat agitated.
I painstakingly helped you evolve, even almost shattering myself, and now you despise me?
Fine.
Thus, the white substance enveloping Aizen rapidly receded.
The monster's physique changed, and its wings even retracted.
Aizen felt his power rapidly disappearing and began to panic.
At this moment, Yoriichi had already raised his sword, pointing it at himself.
Although he didn't know what he was going to do, Aizen felt an unprecedented sense of crisis.
The wish resurfaced in his mind.
Unfortunately, the moment Aizen doubted the Hōgyoku, his resolve was no longer firm, and his wish was no longer pure.
The Hōgyoku did not respond to him.
The next moment,
"Judge him, hellfire."
Aizen was precisely struck by a rapidly fired red glow, emanating a scorching and destructive aura.
Bankai is an extension of Shikai, so some Zanpakuto can also use Shikai techniques in their Bankai state.
Like Kurosaki ichigo's Getsuga Tensho.
Essentially, it is a highly destructive slash formed by highly compressed spiritual pressure, and Yoriichi's is no exception.
Hell's judgment, judging his sins.
Therefore,
Boom!
Accompanied by an earth-shattering roar, the Hell Gate burst open, and a strong, pungent smell of blood instantly permeated the air.
Two enormous, hideous skeletal figures were clearly visible, and the throbbing and chill that spread through Aizen's heart made him instinctively recoil.
Alarm bells rang frantically in his mind at that moment, and he struggled to break free from the chains on his body.
However, no matter how hard he tried, even with veins bulging on his forehead, it was all in vain.
Clang!
Only the grating sound of chains rubbing against each other echoed continuously.
If it had been before, with equal spiritual pressure, sending him to Hell with this move would have been troublesome.
But now, with one side gaining and the other losing, unless a miracle occurred, Aizen's defeat was certain.
Rumble!
In just two seconds, the Hell Gate fully opened, and this sudden turn of events filled Aizen with deep despair…
No, this was not despair; he merely hated the Hōgyoku for suddenly withdrawing its power.
It should have been an evenly matched situation!
"I refuse!"
Aizen almost gnashed his teeth, his restored rationality making him realize he was in mortal danger. He roared at Yoriichi Tsugikuni,
"What right do you have to judge me, Yoriichi Tsugikuni? Do you dare say that what I did before was wrong?!"
"There is no one in the heavens above, and you ignore them. Why must I also ignore them?"
"Is it just because my actions don't align with your wishes? Is it just because you cannot accept Hollowfication?"
"What a joke! Breaking through Shinigami limits with Hollowfication is the correct path!"
"Don't think I don't know, Kisuke Urahara is also developing the Hōgyoku; why do you turn a blind eye?!"
"Is it just because he is your friend?"
"Kisuke is not like you," Yoriichi Tsugikuni's tone was as calm as ever.
It was as if Aizen's anger and questioning did not affect him in the slightest; he was merely stating an objective fact.
"His Hōgyoku is based on Menos Grande souls, while your Hōgyoku is based on Shinigami souls."
"Since you began developing the Hōgyoku, you have harmed at least hundreds of Shinigami."
"What right do you have to claim this is the correct path?"
"Not to mention the innocent civilians."
Yoriichi shook his head slightly; he felt that the sins Aizen had committed, merely the harm inflicted on Shinigami, were already severe enough.
He sighed:
"Aizen, you have gone mad, for the sake of breaking through the so-called Shinigami limits…"
"Inflicting harm upon one's own kind is the most heinous, unforgivable crime. Go to Hell and repent."
Aizen remained unconvinced.
He watched as a katana slowly extended from within the Hell Gate.
The sharp blade glinted coldly in the dim light, yet he remained unable to break free from the tightly coiled chains on his body…
Aizen gnashed his teeth and said,
"That is utter nonsense, Yoriichi Tsugikuni!"
"To powerful beings like us, Shinigami or Menos Grande make no difference!"
"Would the elites high above consider beggars living in the mud their equals?! They are the dregs of the world!"
"No matter how Kisuke Urahara sugarcoats himself, he and I are both harming lives!"
"Just because I killed Shinigami, and he killed Menos Grande, you consider him a 'good person'?"
"Don't be ridiculous!"
"Perhaps he is indeed not a 'good person'," Yoriichi looked deeply at Aizen, interrupting him.
"But I know he is a Shinigami and has never harmed Shinigami."
"That alone is enough."
Aizen's words were too weak.
After becoming a Shinigami, whose hands were not stained with a few lives?
Even he himself was no exception.
But killing is one thing.
Yoriichi could say that to this day, he had never killed a single innocent person.
However, the innocent lives lost at Aizen's hands were countless; this was the biggest difference between him and Kisuke Urahara.
Pfft!
A clear sound of flesh being pierced instantly rang out, and Aizen's clothes were once again stained red.
He coughed up a mouthful of blood, his eyes filled with unwillingness, and he said bitterly,
"That's why I find you ridiculous. If you don't even have the resolve to sacrifice, then when can Shinigami break through their limits?"
"I despise you, Yoriichi Tsugikuni. This world has always been about the strong determining the rules, not the rules binding the strong."
"Trapped within this small Seireitei, do you truly believe this is the life you want?"
"How pathetic, a dignified transcendent being…"
…
…
At the same time Aizen was pierced by the Hell Gate,
East Rukongai.
Komamura Sajin had just dealt with those Picaro, and his sharp gaze inadvertently turned towards the distance.
Instantly, the towering Hell Gate, seemingly reaching into the sky, came into view.
Seeing this, he couldn't help but narrow his eyes, his gaze revealing a hint of solemnity and contemplation.
Although he couldn't sense any spiritual pressure fluctuations, for a Captain to use the Hell Gate, the battle there must be nearing its end.
Who is the opponent...? Most likely Sōsuke Aizen.
Just then, Komamura Sajin's personal Soul Pager suddenly stirred; it was a message from the Gotei 13.
The message stated that apart from Northern Rukongai, where Zaraki Kenpachi was bravely leading his troops in battle, and this place—East Rukongai—
the enemies in South Rukongai and West Rukongai had all been dealt with.
Among these enemies, not a single Shinigami found Sōsuke Aizen.
In other words...
Sōsuke Aizen must have appeared somewhere else...
Based on the direction, it could be determined...
Is it the Noble District?
Bang!
Komamura Sajin's thoughts had just begun to wander.
A Menos Grande, unable to contain his inner fury, clenched his veiny fist, charging forward with an overwhelming momentum that seemed capable of destroying everything!
This Menos Grande was Gantenbainne.
He looked at the tragic state of his companions around him, and his anger flared. Piccolo was so easily defeated?
Unbelievable!
One hundred or more Piccolos concentrating their spiritual pressure and attacking—their power was equivalent to the Bankai of veteran captains!
Yet Komamura Sajin only had a third-class spiritual power... How did he win so easily?
This cannot continue, because Sōsuke Aizen's command was for them to fight to the death until the very last moment, and under no circumstances were they to retreat.
However, ideals are grand, but reality is harsh.
Komamura Sajin heard the sound and slightly refocused.
In his pupils, Gantenbainne's fists were clearly reflected, rapidly enlarging at an extreme speed, and their power appeared incredibly astonishing.
Golden spiritual pressure beams began to converge in front of Gantenbainne's fists, then slowly gathered.
It was like an impending shockwave, even his roaring voice was deafening, his momentum magnificent!
Dragon Roar Fist!
Seeing this, Komamura Sajin snorted lightly, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and emotion:
"Your king has already been defeated, why are you still so deluded?"
"Why invade the Seireitei?"
"Sōsuke Aizen treats you as pawns; this is an act of injustice. Why continue to pledge loyalty to him?"
"This old man does not understand."
Saying that, he swung his sword without hesitation.
Boom!
In an instant, the black giant sword collided with the golden spiritual pressure beam, causing an explosion. Gantenbainne was instantly sent flying backward by an irresistible force.
He was like a kite with a broken string, crashing directly into a white wall.
The wall, as if long dilapidated, instantly collapsed, stirring up a sky full of dust.
Along with the spiritual pressure Gantenbainne Mosqueda had just gathered, it all dispersed without a trace under this violent impact, leaving no mark.
"Cough, cough."
The sharp pain in his chest made Gantenbainne Mosqueda realize that he had been defeated without any power to resist.
That sword seemed capable of reflecting his spiritual pressure, resulting in an effect where 1+1 > 2.
He squinted his eyes, enduring the severe chest pain, and coughed up a few mouthfuls of crimson blood, then struggled to get up from the mountain of rubble.
Though his voice was slightly weak from the pain, the firmness in his words remained undiminished:
"You Shinigami will never understand how difficult the life of a Menos Grande is."
"From the moment one becomes a Gillians, one is at the mercy of the Menos Grande above, and a moment of inattention can lead to the risk of death."
"Even after becoming an Adjuchas, one must constantly be wary of attacks from fellow Hollows; even a slight injury will halt evolution, leading to death..."
"It was Sōsuke Aizen who gave us new hope; it was he who freed us from the troubles of death and degeneration..."
"You ask why we should pledge loyalty to him?"
"My belief, Gantenbainne Mosqueda, is to repay everyone who has helped me."
"Even if you Shinigami see them as villains, it's no exception."
"As long as it can help Sōsuke Aizen, I will not hesitate to give my life!"
His voice gradually grew louder.
As he spoke, he straightened his body, which had been slightly hunched from the pain, and the fighting spirit in his eyes gradually returned.
Gantenbainne's words reached Komamura Sajin's ears, word for word, which surprised Komamura Sajin slightly.
After all, he had never been to Hueco Mundo, and his understanding of Menos Grande, like Yoriichi Tsugikuni before him, came from textbooks.
This was the first time he had seen such a loyal Menos Grande, whose ideals were almost a mirror image of his own...
However...
He was an enemy.
Komamura Sajin lowered his eyes slightly.
He slowly tightened his grip on his Zanpakuto, his complex emotions tangling within him like a knotted mess.
Finally, he sighed lightly:
"This old man was deluded. I retract my previous statement, you are very special."
"If you were not an enemy, this old man would be willing to drink with you."
"What a pity..."
"There's nothing to pity!" Gantenbainne suddenly raised his eyes, interrupting Komamura Sajin's words.
The fighting spirit in his eyes burned even brighter, and he clenched his fists again.
"Shinigami, the difference in our positions needs no further explanation."
"I firmly believe that Sōsuke Aizen will not be defeated!"
"Even if one of me falls, thousands upon thousands of me will rise!"
Komamura Sajin: "..."
No, one is enough. Any more, and he would find it difficult to strike.
Because slaying a loyal warrior was not what he desired.
Of course, Gantenbainne was right about one thing.
The difference in their positions was enough to explain the reason for their battle.
Therefore, he would not hold back; holding back would be an insult to his will.
Hoo...
Komamura Sajin exhaled deeply, as if to release all the complex emotions in his heart.
Then, he slowly raised his Zanpakuto.
Clang.
With a crisp sound of metal colliding, the giant armored samurai behind him also simultaneously raised its blade, pointing it at Gantenbainne.
Komamura Sajin lowered his gaze slightly and said in a deep voice:
"Continue, let this old man see your full power."
"For a warrior like you, perhaps only by thoroughly defeating you can you truly awaken."
"Come, Gantenbainne."
As Komamura Sajin's voice fell, Gantenbainne took a deep breath, invigorated his spirit, shattered the ground, and engaged him once more.
He spoke loudly, seemingly cheering himself on:
"Don't underestimate me, Shinigami! I will not be defeated, Sōsuke Aizen will not be defeated! Sōsuke Aizen's plan will surely be realized!"
...
...
On the other side, Sōsuke Aizen, whom Gantenbainne called almost invincible, was currently coughing up blood, looking extremely disheveled.
Being pierced through by the Hell Gate made him utterly unable to move, leaving him to endure the endless pain.
Even more critically, at the same time, he lost the boost of the Hōgyoku's power.
It was well known that the power the Hōgyoku had always granted him was like his second life, the key to his ability to freely unleash various powerful abilities.
Now, with the departure of this power, he had also lost his proud super-regeneration ability.
The Hōgyoku no longer recognized him as its master.
Sōsuke Aizen's aura became incredibly weak, like a flickering candle in the wind, but even so, he forced himself to stay conscious, struggling to resist Hell's pull.
It was just a pity that before Hell, the Shinigami's limits were, at most, like changing from a small ant to a slightly larger ant.
Knowing that everything was irreversible, Sōsuke Aizen tightly gripped the blade at his waist, still stained with his blood, and quickly raised his eyes, which were filled with indignation.
He roared hoarsely: "I am not reconciled, Yoriichi Tsugikuni!"
"My plan was clearly flawless, I clearly broke through the Shinigami's limits, I clearly achieved perfect evolution, possessing an immortal body..."
"Why did I have to meet you!"
"And why are you so unwilling to strive for progress? Why are you content to live in this small world!"
"I despise you, Yoriichi Tsugikuni!"
"The victor will never speak lightly of what the world is, but will emphasize what the world should be!"
"You should have reshaped all of this!"
"As a transcendent being..."
"How pathetic..."
The blood constantly flowing from Sōsuke Aizen's mouth was like his shattered dreams at this moment, flowing out ceaselessly.
No matter how hard he tried to conceal it, some crimson blood still slipped through his fingers, eventually flowing onto the blade at his waist.
His high-pitched voice gradually dwindled.
Evidently, he was deeply despairing of all this, all his pride and confidence shattered at this moment.
He could not understand Yoriichi Tsugikuni's actions, just as he could not understand why those Shinigami were so weak.
The strong should be like the Soul King! Standing high in the heavens, untouched by mortal dust, untouched by right or wrong! Looking down on the world like a god!
This was the correct path!
But surprisingly... Yoriichi Tsugikuni did the opposite, ultimately sending him, who believed he was on the right path, into Hell...
How pathetic...
Forget it...
Everything had lost its meaning.
The light in his eyes faded little by little; his eyes, once sparkling with ambition and wisdom, now became dim, as if they had lost their soul.
And Yoriichi Tsugikuni, seeing Sōsuke Aizen in such a state, remained silent.
No matter how Sōsuke Aizen articulated his reasons, no matter how he described his actions as bright, great, and righteous.
It did not change the fact that he was ambitious and attempted to replace the Soul King.
The Soul King cannot die, at least not now.
If the Soul King dies, the Three Realms will collapse, and countless living beings will suffer utter destruction.
Sōsuke Aizen's status was clearly insufficient to support this grand task.
The reason the Monk asked him to find the Soul King's organs, Yoriichi probably understood now, it should be to prepare for a rainy day...
Just then, as the hilt of the Tachi extending from within the Hell Gate rapidly retracted, Sōsuke Aizen's shattered body was violently flung into the air.
This sudden scene was witnessed by many Shinigami who had rushed to the vicinity.
However, due to the extreme distance, some Shinigami could not clearly see who that person was.
But there were also some Shinigami who, relying on their keen eyesight, still recognized his appearance.
They immediately widened their eyes, their voices filled with obvious surprise:
"It's Aizen, Sōsuke Aizen! That infamous disgrace of the Seireitei!"
"Disgrace, you say?" In the sky, faintly hearing the voices of the Shinigami below, Sōsuke Aizen smiled coldly, his weak voice full of disdain,
"Heh, a bunch of utterly foolish people."
In this world, he only recognized two people.
However...
Boom.
At this moment, Sōsuke Aizen no longer had the strength to turn around and look back, to discern which Shinigami had spoken those words.
With a deafening roar, Sōsuke Aizen's body was mercilessly sealed away into Hell.
A largely shattered, deep blue gem fell down with him.
Plop.
It bounced twice on the ground, then was steadily caught by Yoriichi...