Sosuke Aizen had no intention of declining Suzuki Makoto's challenge. After all, both Suzuki Makoto and Black Jeanne were rare talents. If two combatants of Captain-level strength were to be scooped up by the Gotei 13 just like that, it would only increase the difficulty of realizing his plans in the future. Conversely, if he could make these two submit through combat at this current juncture, the shift in power balance would significantly increase his grasp over the entire Seireitei.
"You aren't allowed to interfere."
"If I won't, I won't."
Black Jeanne muttered as she walked away, but in reality, she was fully focused. If Suzuki Makoto showed even the slightest sign of decline, she would strike immediately.
Facing Sosuke Aizen, Suzuki Makoto did not slacken in the slightest, maintaining his sensory perception at full capacity. Facing a man who possessed the power of Kyōka Suigetsu, no matter how confident he had been beforehand, it remained merely theoretical until proven.
"Suzuki-kun, if we fight in the Rukongai, the commotion we cause will easily attract the attention of others. We are already very close to the Gotei 13's defense perimeter, and I do not wish to be exposed just yet—I wonder if we could change the location?"
"Go where?"
"Hueco Mundo."
Suzuki Makoto turned his head to look at Black Jeanne.
"You stay here."
"No!"
"Behave."
"No! No, no, no!"
"If you don't listen, I'll use a Command Seal."
The young girl bit her lip, a trace of grievance on her face, and nodded with extreme reluctance.
Only then did Suzuki Makoto turn back to look at Aizen.
"Alright, let's set off."
"Please do not resist, Suzuki-kun. We will be taking a special passage."
Two pillars of light enveloped the pair simultaneously.
"This is the Negación used by Menos Grande to summon their comrades back to Hueco Mundo. This allows us to enter Hueco Mundo directly without wasting time passing through a Garganta."
Aizen explained patiently. Suzuki Makoto, however, found it somewhat novel; he hadn't expected to get a taste of the 'Hueco Mundo Express' that Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen had ridden.
Inside Hueco Mundo, the eternal moon hung high in the sky, and as far as the eye could see, there was only endless desert.
However, at this moment, the surroundings were crowded with Gillians—it was precisely they who had summoned Aizen and Suzuki Makoto here. Meanwhile, a man holding an experiment logbook was scrutinizing Suzuki Makoto.
"Sorry to trouble you. Now, please clear some space for us."
"Yes, my Lord."
The disguised Kaname Tosen bowed, then proceeded to drive the Gillians away from the area, while he remained on the sidelines to observe the battle.
"Right here then, how is that?"
"Good."
"Then I shall not hold back, Suzuki-kun."
Aizen used his customary trick, deliberately drawing his sword slowly to attract Suzuki Makoto's line of sight.
"Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu."
Dozens of figures instantly filled the area around Suzuki Makoto. However, from Suzuki Makoto's perspective, this was a bit too flashy and impractical.
He did not hesitate in the slightest, slashing straight upwards directly above himself. He blocked the strike, causing Aizen to reveal a surprised expression.
"This truly exceeds my expectations, Suzuki-kun. To think that the power of Kyōka Suigetsu actually has no effect on you?"
"Your Reiatsu is too outstanding, Mr. Kyōka Suigetsu. Furthermore, illusions without substance are ultimately too ephemeral—though your swordsmanship has exceeded my expectations."
The collision of their blades did not stop for a moment. Although Aizen's Zanjutsu could not be called the pinnacle of perfection, it was extremely solid, forming a massive contrast with his use of illusionary powers.
"Illusions are used to deceive others. True power must still be learned step by step by oneself, otherwise, wouldn't one just be deceiving themselves?"
Aizen chuckled lightly. Borrowing the momentum from Suzuki Makoto's blade, he fluttered back and extended his right hand.
"Hadō #90: Kurohitsugi."
A black coffin instantly enveloped Suzuki Makoto. Sharp Reiatsu, like blades, sliced toward him from the inside. Subsequently, the man instantly burst forth with a massive amount of Reiatsu, forcibly breaking through the Kurohitsugi's attack.
"Hankidō... no, it was just a forced eruption of Reiatsu. But to actually be able to shatter a Hadō in the nineties directly? Although my Incantation Abandonment only carries one-third of the full incantation's power, to be able to dismantle it so violently... Suzuki-kun, your power is indeed terrifying."
"Only one-third? No wonder I felt the attack was a bit gentle."
Suzuki Makoto calmly extended his hand.
"Hadō #90: Kurohitsugi."
Aizen's pupils contracted abruptly.
A moment later, the black coffin vanished. As a master who had synthesized all of Kidō, the man naturally knew how to use small tricks like Hankidō.
However, the tattered cloak on his body seemed to tell a less-than-ordinary story.
Aizen subconsciously adjusted his glasses, but the black-rimmed frames slid directly off his face and fell to the ground.
He gazed at the broken glasses, then raised his head to look at Suzuki Makoto, who was still standing in the same spot.
"How do you know how to use Hadō #90?"
Kurohitsugi was not some common trash found on the street. It must be known that even the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy could only teach Hadō up to number seventy. The sequence of Hadō thereafter, due to their excessive power, could only be learned by Seated Officers. And the Hadō beyond number ninety could only be learned after joining the Kidō Corps.
Suzuki Makoto could possess a Zanpakuto, he could comprehend Shikai, and he could comprehend Bankai. But it was absolutely impossible for him to directly comprehend a Hadō in the nineties on his own without any teacher.
The alarm in Aizen's heart had risen infinitely high, because this was very likely a trap!
"I watched you use it once, so naturally, I learned it."
Suzuki Makoto spoke the honest truth.
"But the Kurohitsugi I cast via Incantation Abandonment only had one-third of the power, yet you were clearly at a disadvantage during the Hankidō exchange. You obviously also completed it via Incantation Abandonment, yet the power was comparable to a fully incanted Kurohitsugi—this cannot possibly be your first time using this level of Hadō."
"Perhaps I am a genius, who knows?"
A genius... is it?
The man fell silent for a moment, then revealed a trace of a smile.
He had witnessed so many geniuses. Over hundreds of years—those who became Captains, those who fell midway, those who were respected, and those who were feared.
However, not a single one of them was sufficient to maintain that title in front of him.
If you are a genius, then prove it to me like one!
Aizen hung high in the air, chanting without any reservations. He stared at Suzuki Makoto, his heart holding both longing and a faint worry.
He longed for Suzuki Makoto to be a genius, yet worried that Suzuki Makoto would disappoint him.
"Hadō #99—Goryūtenmetsu!"
Monstrous Reiatsu converged into the shape of dragons and lunged toward Suzuki Makoto, seeming as if they wanted to devour the man completely.
"The method you just used to offset the same type of Hadō was called Hankidō, was it not?"
Suzuki Makoto's expression remained as calm as water.
"Hadō #99—Goryūtenmetsu."
Countless dragon shadows instantly surged forth from beneath Suzuki Makoto's feet, crashing violently into the Hadō unleashed by Aizen!
____
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