Finally escaping alive, Ichigo appeared before everyone!
He was one of three pitch-black, charcoal-like human figures!
Whether their hair was originally orange or white, it was now uniformly black!
At this moment, the last bit of frost on Hyorinmaru, which Hitsugaya was holding, melted into water droplets!
Seeing this, everyone understood!
"So, Hitsugaya used Hyorinmaru at the last moment to protect the three of them!"
"Great, well done, little Hitsugaya! Strong, strong, strong!"
"I declare, today I am also a fan of Hitsugaya!"
Everyone was elated.
Subsequently, Unohana arrived riding Minazuki, taking the two Captains Ichigo carried into Minazuki for treatment.
Looking at Ichigo-
Unohana initially wanted to say something more.
But suddenly, both of them looked back simultaneously!
As the final gap closed, the Scorching Hell began to rotate!
Then, all the flames, as if manipulated by invisible hands, rapidly contracted towards the center!
The Scorching Hell covering hundreds of thousands of cubic meters compressed into a small sphere enveloping Yamamoto and Aizen!
Through the not-so-dense fiery sphere, the figures of Captain-Commander Yamamoto and Aizen, staring at each other at the very center, could be seen by all!
It seemed everything was very calm!
But this was merely the final quiet before the storm!
After silently waiting a few seconds, the extremely compressed Scorching Hell exploded with a roar!
"Fall back!"
Seeing the onrushing flames, Unohana pulled Ichigo back!
Initially, she pulled Ichigo back, but soon it became Ichigo holding her, carrying Minazuki, and rapidly performing spatial shifting backward!
It seemed Ichigo was only avoiding the flames.
But only Ichigo, with his space-type Zanpakuto, knew that behind him was a massive spatial quake!
Yamamoto's self-destruct-like move triggered vibrations throughout the Living World's space!
Compared to this vibration, any spatial quakes from spiritual phenomena were child's play!
If they didn't leave, they would face the crushing force of the entire Living World's space!
In fact, Ichigo already felt the crushing force now!
Suddenly pushing Unohana behind him, Ichigo raised both hands forward, poured all his Reiatsu into them, and shouted with all his Kido skill:
"Hado #81, Danku!"
A transparent wall appeared, an absolute defense before Ichigo!
Realizing Ichigo's intent, Unohana immediately extended her hand, constructing an overlapping Danku!
Double absolute defense seemed to let the two relax without worry.
But in this world, nothing is absolute!
After the two stopped, the raging flames crashed into the double Danku!
In just an instant!
Crack-
The sound of shattering glass echoed!
Then, Ichigo and Unohana clearly saw dense cracks appearing on the double Danku!
Subsequently, the cracks burst, and powerful shockwaves, carrying fragments of Danku, slammed into the two!
Boom!
Just struck by the shockwave, the two were sent flying high like home-run baseballs!
Along the way-
Boom Boom Boom Boom…
At least five buildings were pierced by Ichigo's body, the same for Unohana!
Blown back, the two finally stopped after crashing into Karakura Town's barrier!
"Cough!"
Sliding down slowly via the barrier onto the ground, Unohana and Ichigo simultaneously spat out mouthfuls of blood!
Even Minazuki felt dizzy from the continuous impacts and loss of control!
"Ugh!" Minazuki regurgitated Sui-Feng and Hitsugaya!
Although inside Minazuki's stomach, Sui-Feng and Hitsugaya also suffered injuries.
Thus, without time to check the situation at the battlefield's center, Unohana immediately began emergency treatment on Hitsugaya and Sui-Feng!
However, temporarily unburdened Ichigo could look towards the center!
Looking at the central battlefield, Ichigo turned pale with shock!
Because the current scene showed a completely charred Yamamoto lying on the ground!
While the equally disheveled Aizen stood on his feet!
Aizen glared angrily at Yamamoto beneath him, raising Kyoka Suigetsu high, seemingly to execute him!
"No, old man Yamamoto!"
Everyone watching exclaimed simultaneously!
However, surprisingly, Aizen did not strike Yamamoto. Instead, he placed his sword alongside Yamamoto's face, stabbing it into the charred ground beside the old man's head!
This wasn't Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu but Yamamoto's Ryujin Jakka!
Lowering his gaze, Aizen looked at the severely injured Yamamoto, softly asking:
"At the very last moment, to let Kurosaki Ichigo escape, you relaxed the closure, leaving a gap, giving me time to evolve and not die."
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto, I thought you were cold and ruthless!"
"But now it seems, you have grown old!"
"How about it, do you regret it?" Aizen asked quietly.
"I can tell you plainly, if your blade had been just one second faster, I would already be dead!"
Hearing Aizen's words, Yamamoto remained silent.
But Aizen didn't urge him, quietly waiting instead.
After a moment, Yamamoto sighed. "Do I regret it? Of course I do have regrets!"
"Aizen, as the Soul Society's unprecedented in a thousand years great evil, I was prepared to sacrifice myself to send you off."
"But Hitsugaya Toshiro's potential clearly marks him as the next me! And that Kurosaki boy!"
"When it came down to it, I, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, ultimately couldn't bear it!"
"I regret, but if given another chance, I would most likely make the same decision!"
"However, Aizen, don't be complacent!"
"The torch will always be passed on. Though I didn't defeat you, those children will surely be able to defeat you!"
Hearing Yamamoto's words, Aizen gently closed his eyes, then opened them.
"Is that so? I understand, I comprehend, Captain-Commander Yamamoto!!"
"You truly are the Captain-Commander fit to lead the Soul Society for a millennium!"
"Then, stay here and watch how I ascend to the top!"
After speaking, Aizen raised his Kyoka Suigetsu and swung it down!