Aizen's mastery of Kido was unparalleled. Coupled with his overwhelming Reiatsu, he effortlessly used Kido spells ranked ninety and above without the need for incantation.
Although he couldn't injure Yamamoto, Yamamoto also couldn't lay a hand on Aizen.
Yamamoto shattered Aizen's Hadō again, but instead of pressing the attack, he plunged his sword into the ground.
"O' ashes of the dead who have perished by my flame. Lend me a hand. For a short while I will grant you the joy of battle!"
"Zanka no Tachi, South: Kaka Jūmanokushi Daisōjin!"
Instantly, countless skeletons of those who had died by Yamamoto's hand crawled out from the earth.
"The heat of my blade awakens the deceased I have slain, and they shall be driven by me to pursue the enemy I designate."
As he spoke, the skeletons slowly approached Aizen, but an invisible wall seemed to surround Aizen, keeping them separated. The moment the skeletons made contact, they crumbled into dust.
Aizen chuckled softly. "These mere foot soldiers seem useless, don't they?"
Yamamoto coldly said, "Is that so? Take a closer look at them."
The moment the words left his mouth, Aizen noticed that all the skeletal soldiers had transformed into human forms—they were all Shinigami or Arrancar he had previously murdered.
Kaien, Nnoitra, Yammy...
Yamamoto asked, "What? Do you see those you harmed?"
Aizen indifferently said, "And what of it? Even if these ants were all resurrected, I could kill them again. Whether I eliminate one speck of dust or two, it makes no difference."
Hadō #99: Goryūtenmetsu!
Five gigantic black dragons flew toward the endless mass of corpses.
Boom!
Accompanied by the roar of the explosion, all the corpses were instantly reduced to ash.
Seeing Aizen destroy all the corpses without hesitation, Yamamoto lamented, "It seems you have lost even your humanity."
Aizen said, "It's simply that you don't understand my true nature."
"Isn't this your true nature?"
"Ruthless, cruel, arrogant, ambitious, manipulative..."
Yamamoto gave his assessment of Aizen, but even he had to admit that Aizen was a genius, appearing completely at ease even when facing his Bankai.
"However, all of this must now end."
Yamamoto could not drag this out any longer. Just as Aizen had said, he was indeed old, and his body was beginning to struggle under the strain of his Bankai. He had to end the fight quickly.
"Zanka no Tachi, North: Tenchi Kaijin!"
From a great distance, Yamamoto unleashed a slash at extreme speed. Everything touched by the strike was instantly incinerated into dust.
After a flash of intense white light, Aizen collapsed.
Cut in half at the waist!
Aizen's eyes were filled with disbelief, and blood gushed from his mouth.
Yamamoto looked at the dying Aizen, his gaze unwavering. "You didn't really think my Bankai was limited to close combat, did you?"
"What about the Hōgyoku? Can the injury not be healed?"
Gripping his Zanpakutō, Yamamoto slowly approached Aizen. He wouldn't feel secure until Aizen was completely dead.
"Too bad."
Suddenly, Yamamoto felt a sharp pain in his chest. A hand had somehow pierced the defense of Zanjutsu Gokui and run him through the chest.
"Wh-what?"
Yamamoto, whose eyes had been narrowed, suddenly widened them, filling his gaze with shock and horror.
Aizen said, "It seems the flames forged from your Reiatsu couldn't stop me after all."
Sensing the terrifying Reiatsu emanating from the arm, Yamamoto understood.
Aizen had channeled all his Reiatsu into his arm, thereby breaching the defense of Zanjutsu Gokui.
"Why? How... are you still using Kyōka Suigetsu?" Yamamoto dropped his sword and tightly gripped Aizen's arm.
Aizen sounded as if he had heard a joke.
"Did you believe that I couldn't use Kyōka Suigetsu just because I lost my Zanpakutō?"
"That's laughable. My Zanpakutō and the Hōgyoku have long since merged with me."
"I see... So that's it. I was careless."
"But don't celebrate too soon. Fall into hell with me."
"Hadō #96..."
Yamamoto roared, intending to use his entire body as a medium to unleash Ittō Kasō and take Aizen down with him.
Just then, Aizen's voice sounded from far ahead of Yamamoto, causing him to freeze.
"Yamamoto, look carefully again. Is that really me you're holding?"
The moment Aizen finished speaking, Yamamoto realized his hand was empty, and the "Aizen" behind him had vanished.
"That Reiatsu..."
Yamamoto distinctly felt Aizen's terrifying Reiatsu on his arm.
"The same trick won't work twice."
During the previous battle in Karakura Town, Yamamoto had used this exact method to capture Aizen's true body.
At this point, Yamamoto could no longer hold on. His Bankai had already placed an immense burden on his body, and now he was gravely wounded by Aizen. His vision went black, and he collapsed onto the ground.
—
Meanwhile, in Seireitei.
Sōkyoku Hill.
Shin, Ichigo, and several Captains and Lieutenants were still waiting for Yamamoto's return.
Just as the group was chatting—
Suddenly, a massive Garganta tore open in the sky.
Aizen emerged from it, holding the severely wounded Yamamoto in his hand.
"Captain-Commander!"
"Sensei!"
Seeing this sight, everyone rushed angrily toward Aizen in the sky.
"Shinigami, don't be so rash."
As he spoke, a suffocating Reiatsu erupted from Aizen, instantly enveloping the entire Seireitei.
Under the shock of this Reiatsu, low-ranking members and ordinary seated officers all fainted and collapsed, while the Lieutenants and high-ranking seated officers struggled to remain standing.
The Captains rushing toward Aizen felt their movements stall, and they began to fall uncontrollably.
Only Kisuke, Shunsui, and Unohana felt slightly better.
Under the might of Aizen's Reiatsu, everyone was once again confronted with his terror.
"Aizen, what have you done?" Shunsui's gaze was fixed on the dying Yamamoto.
Aizen said, "Your Captain-Commander broke into Hueco Mundo. And he seemed to believe that as long as I didn't seal his Zanpakutō, I couldn't defeat him."
"His Bankai is certainly powerful, but ultimately, it still falls within the realm of a Shinigami."
Aizen had actually defeated Yamamoto in a direct confrontation?
This terrified all the Shinigami present. Unlike the previous battle in Karakura Town, where Aizen had relied on trickery, this was a true defeat.
If even the strongest Shinigami in a thousand years had been utterly defeated by Aizen, who could possibly defeat him now?
Everyone involuntarily looked toward Shin, only to find that his expression was equally solemn.
"So, are you here to gloat?"
"No, I merely came to return your Captain-Commander."
After saying this, Aizen set Yamamoto down and immediately returned to Hueco Mundo.
Shunsui and Jūshirō rushed forward to catch Yamamoto.
"Captain Unohana, Nohara-san, please treat sensei immediately."