Vajrayati, the exclusive Shihakushō, and Perfect Hollowification—three powers that an ordinary Soul Reaper could hardly hope to achieve—had converged, creating a wondrous spiritual reaction. From this union, an incomprehensible beauty of pure numerical stats was born. At the same time, the increase in growth potential played a vital role. While he lacked the nauseating conceptual abilities of the 'rule-based' types, a battle between Soul Reapers was, at its core, a battle of numbers.
'You have second-class spiritual power, and I have fourth-class. My number is larger, so the advantage is mine!'
His long blade swept out, its slender, flame-covered edge swinging toward Takeda Goki with primitive violence. A cleave!
With a thunderous roar, the supposedly indestructible crystal shield wall was crudely smashed to pieces by this plain, unadorned strike. It lacked even a hint of the aesthetic beauty one would expect from Zanjutsu. Instead, it was more like a tyrannical display of raw power before the world. Yet, it was this very move that caused Takeda Goki's face to turn pale, while the noble members behind him felt an inexplicable chill crawl up their spines.
In the distance, Aizen watched the scene, his face filled with shock. He had thought that after being swallowed head-on by Hadō #88, the boy would be heavily injured if not dead. He hadn't expected that only his Shihakushō would be severely damaged. As for the charred half of his body, it couldn't even be considered a wound.
From what Aizen knew, Naraku Sora possessed a terrifying innate recovery ability. Injuries that an ordinary Soul Reaper would consider severe would heal themselves in no time on his body. If supplemented with Kaidō treatment, the regeneration speed would only become more exaggerated. Even now, Aizen did not fully understand the boy's physical composition. But it was precisely these abnormal displays that piqued his intense curiosity. Once this matter was settled, perhaps he could ask the fellow for a vial of blood to study.
While Aizen calculated how to maximize Naraku Sora's utility, the battle in the courtyard had reached a fever pitch. The long blade, wreathed in blistering heat, shattered the incoming crystal spears. Countless crystalline shards scattered like dust, easily whipped up by the hurricane-like force that tore through the earth beneath their feet. A crack extended straight forward for nearly a hundred meters, reaching the edge of the courtyard and touching the Kidō barrier Aizen had erected.
Naraku Sora wantonly wielded this power he called "stats," exploring the upper limits of what his body could endure. As the unique existence described by Shutara Senjumaru, his Perfect Hollowification was an entirely different concept from the Hollowification that generations of researchers had tried to study.
A Soul Reaper has limits. Even if the legends say the power every Soul Reaper uses is only a fraction of their soul—and that breaking those shackles could unleash power that would terrify even themselves—an upper limit still exists. The quality of a Soul Reaper's soul dictates that ceiling.
But Naraku Sora was different. The moment he perfectly embraced the power of the Hollow, he ceased to be a traditional Soul Reaper. Combined with the product of his perfect fusion of Kidō and Zanjutsu, as well as the swordsmanship techniques he had drawn that didn't belong to this world at all, he could easily break through the limits of his own Reiatsu. With these stacked buffs, he could unleash destructive force far beyond his actual level.
The blade fell in a heavy cleave.
"Secret Art: Dragon Flash!"
Amidst the roar, Takeda Goki raised a single arm. The crystal blade he had generated out of thin air was instantly filled with cracks under the weight of the staggering force, becoming precarious. The boundless power was like a collapsing ocean, crushing everything in its path.
"Hadō #63: Raikōhō!"
Brilliant golden arcs of electricity bloomed wildly as the scorching thunder condensed into a pillar of light, charging straight into the terrifying sword pressure that threatened to sever everything in the next second. The two collided, instantly detonating the entire courtyard. The ground for hundreds of meters around collapsed and shattered, with countless crystal fragments mixed into the destruction, lending a strange radiance to the ruin.
"I have to admit..."
Takeda Goki glanced at Aizen, who was standing at the edge of the courtyard. At this moment, he no longer had the urgent desire for revenge. He knew very well that if he didn't kill the Naraku Sora standing in front of him, revenge would be out of the question.
"You are much stronger than I anticipated. Top-tier Lieutenant-level Reiatsu is actually the most insignificant part of your strength. Your attack, your defense—every aspect is powerful beyond logic. Even looking back through the history of the Soul Society, it would be hard to find anyone who can compare to you."
Takeda Goki's eyes grew brighter, shining like two crystals.
"However, never underestimate a Captain! That is also common sense in the Soul Society! Immaculate Lapis Lazuli!"
Boom!
The world constructed of crystals collapsed violently. Takeda Goki seemed to transform into a black hole, his powerful gravity drawing countless translucent shards onto his body in an instant. A vast torrent of Reiatsu erupted, and the resulting hurricane tore through the remaining buildings like rotting wood, turning the large courtyard completely into rubble.
Within the pulsating storm, Takeda Goki's form underwent a heaven-shaking transformation. His entire being appeared as if cast from crystal. The blazing Reiatsu turned into a pillar of light, venting its staggering pressure outward. After entering this state, Takeda Goki seemed to lose all emotion. His lapis-colored eyes stared indifferently at the figure ahead.
In the dead silence, a piercing light flashed across the ruins, followed by the screeching sound of a sharp collision within the swirling gale. The courtyard shook violently as the scorched earth was continuously overturned. At some point, the lapis-colored crystal had condensed into a slender blade held firmly in Takeda Goki's hand.
"It's over."
A trailing light flashed across the sky, and Takeda Goki's figure vanished. When he reappeared, he was already behind Naraku Sora. In the next instant, a sound like tearing silk rang out. The already tattered Shihakushō completely fell apart. The blade cut through the defense of the Hierro, and crimson blood sprayed out!
However, to Takeda Goki's surprise, despite such a severe wound, Naraku Sora did not fall. He stood like a stone monument upon the ravaged earth.
"You are nothing more than a flickering candle in the wind..."
He coldly raised his lapis blade, preparing to deliver the final blow and end the battle. But then, a pillar of deep, black Reiatsu erupted from the ground. An extreme, savage aura burst forth at that moment, accompanied by a deafening roar that annihilated every obstacle in sight.
The figure enveloped in black Reiatsu stepped out of the light pillar, a ferocious smile curling on his lips toward Takeda Goki. In the next heartbeat, a large hand abruptly appeared in Takeda Goki's field of vision. Without giving him a single chance to react, it slammed into him.
Terror-inducing power that defied all reason exploded. With a thunderous boom, the crystal figure was slammed ruthlessly into the ground. The earth suddenly gave way and shattered. The sound of a breaking crystal rang out from the body as cracks spread everywhere!
Takeda Goki's bewildered gaze looked through the gaps in the fingers, seeing the face that was inches away. The pitch-black pupils reflected an ultimate savagery. On his forehead, a bone-like ornament was particularly striking.
'What... what is that?'
Naraku Sora had no intention of answering. The hand covering Takeda's face lifted, fingers clenching into a fist as black Reiatsu crackled around it like lightning.
"Ikkotsu!"
Boom!
An unstoppable punch caved in Takeda Goki's chest. The earth trembled and collapsed violently. The original courtyard had vanished, replaced by a scorched deep pit. Looking at Takeda Goki, who lay broken like a piece of porcelain at his feet, a hint of exhaustion flashed deep in Naraku Sora's eyes. His lips curved slightly.
"It's over..."