Kuchiki Kōga watched the master and disciple, now turned against each other, with a look of intense anxiety. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat, leaving him hesitating in silence.
In his eyes, neither side was wrong. Yamamoto was merely upholding the order of the Soul Society, following the secret orders of the Central 46 without fault. Had he not experienced everything personally, Kōga might have even suspected himself of being the culprit behind this catastrophe.
As for Naraku Sora, his actions were truly moving.
The Central 46 had issued a secret execution order, and Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, the Head Captain himself, had stepped in to enforce it. The mere pressure of his released Reiatsu was enough to crush an ordinary Soul Reaper. In such a desperate life-or-death moment, this dear friend had not only refused to abandon him but had charged forward to save him, placing himself directly in front of Yamamoto's terrifying pressure.
Such loyalty transcended anything in this world.
The Reiatsu of both combatants seemed to have no limit, climbing higher and higher as the distorted air let out explosive, thunderous roars.
Crack!
The moment a fissure split the earth from their mutual pressure, two figures shrouded in heatwaves blurred simultaneously. They left behind afterimages that slowly shattered as they vanished from their original positions.
The rhythmic clashing of steel became a stirring symphony, pushing the battle into a white-hot stage from the very first second.
A Zanpakutō radiating intense heat swung downward, clashing against a long blade burning with Reiatsu. The terrifying impact erupted outward, causing the ground to groan under the unbearable weight as it splintered into a dense web of cracks and began to cave in.
The blades ground against each other, throwing off countless brilliant sparks.
Through the scorching heat, the old man and the youth locked eyes. One was calm and composed, the other ferocious and grim—a stark, vivid contrast.
Then, they released their techniques at point-blank range.
"Secret Technique: Dragon Flash!"
It was as if a crescent moon had risen. An ultimate torrent of violent Reiatsu surged out instantly, accompanied by a deafening boom that swallowed Yamamoto whole.
However, something unexpected happened.
A killing move that had always been invincible failed against Yamamoto. The sheer sword pressure, which clearly cut through the very air, was consumed by a sudden pillar of fire. It was as if it had struck a wall of solid steel; not even a faint white mark was left behind.
One had to admit that Yamamoto truly lived up to his title as the strongest Soul Reaper. Compared to the opponents Naraku Sora had faced in head-on battles before, this old man was on an entirely different level.
Daily training sessions could never truly showcase his real might. Only when he gripped the Zanpakutō known as Ryūjin Jakka did the Head Captain of the Gotei 13 reveal his most terrifying edge—a brilliance so intense that even looking at it could scorch one's retinas.
'But the more it's like this, the more challenging it becomes, right?'
Sora grinned, the Reiatsu on his body burning even more fiercely. The vigorous light of the flames looked as if it might burn a hole through the heavens. He pushed his Shikai to its absolute limit.
Circuit-like flickers of light rose upon his palms, stacking layer upon layer. Azure explosive flames manifested out of thin air, intertwining with the blood-red Reiatsu flames on his body. They transformed into a terrifying pillar of fire that shot straight into the sky.
The momentum that had been completely suppressed just a moment ago finally clawed back some ground.
"Ghost Sword Ultimate: Twin Lotus Blue Fire Crash!"
The azure explosive flames suddenly contracted, condensing onto the blade before he swung it down violently! In an instant, a jagged gash appeared across the pillar of fire composed of pure Reiatsu. Immediately after, a heart-wrenching explosion erupted from within. The earth crumbled, and amidst the roaring sound, dust billowed into the air.
While discussing with Aizen how to increase the power of his Dragon Flash, Sora had never given up on his Ghost Sword style. These hybrid techniques, based on the fusion of Kidō and Zanjutsu, would increase in destructive power whenever either of the two foundations improved.
But in actual combat, variables were infinite. To make a Kidō technique achieve its proper potential, one needed to master the timing, the release technique, and the angle. It wasn't as simple as standing still like a turret and chanting. If the timing was perfect, even a basic Red Fire Cannon could produce unexpected results.
"Twin Lotus Blue Fire Crash?"
Amidst the roaring, Yamamoto's Reiatsu vibrated. He held Ryūjin Jakka before him, slicing the incoming flash of sword pressure into fragments. Countless spirit energy particles scattered like raindrops.
"A decent idea, but you've forgotten that you've used similar moves before me in the past."
"With your talent, perhaps you would surpass me in another few decades. But if you want to rebel now, you're being far too impatient."
"If you surrender immediately, I might forgive your insolence. I'll sentence you to swing your sword a million times under the waterfall, and we shall consider the matter settled."
"However, if you insist on continuing down this dark path, then don't blame me for being merciless."
As he spoke, the Reiatsu on Yamamoto's body grew even more radiant, like a blade of fire capable of cleaving heaven and earth. A heavy, suffocating aura continued to spread.
"Sora!"
Kōga wanted to persuade Sora to give up, but before he could finish, the figure beside him had already charged out. He left a scorched trail across the wilderness, looking as if the earth itself had been whipped.
"Kōga, Lord Naraku's mind is made up. Instead of trying to persuade him, it is better for the two of you to join forces and try to escape from Head Captain Yamamoto."
Though Muramasa didn't know what the master and disciple were planning, he could tell from their subtle expressions that they were up to something big. The best response right now was to cooperate and see this performance through to the end.
"Fine! I'm going in!"
Kōga was a straightforward man, but when it came to fighting, he was remarkably similar to Sora.
By the time Sora reappeared in front of Yamamoto, Kōga had already acted.
"Adamantine Blast!"
Kōga used Flash Step to flicker behind Yamamoto, violently swinging his blade. Blazing flames erupted from the steel, adding more heat to the parched earth. A massive golden-red fireball headed straight for Yamamoto's back.
The old man stood his ground. While swinging his Zanpakutō forward, he pointed his left hand behind him.
"Way of Binding #81: Dankū."
The blazing fire-blade fell like a heavy hammer, ruthlessly striking the incoming Sora. At the moment the steel clashed, the sky full of explosive flames instantly spread out like a sea of fire, covering hundreds of meters of ground in a heartbeat.
The searing brilliance flared, and visible ripples shimmered through the air. A storm surged and expanded, wantonly tearing through the earth. Hideous fissures stacked and trembled, letting out thunderous booms!
Simultaneously, Kōga's attack arrived. The Adamantine Blast, infused with almost all of his Reiatsu, slammed into the conjured invisible wall of Dankū. A tooth-grinding screech of friction erupted, sending countless sparks flying.
Even though it was only a fraction of Yamamoto's power, it was still enough to easily block Kōga's full-strength strike.
Seeing that the Adamantine Blast couldn't break the defense, Kōga immediately shifted his attack. He gripped his sword with one hand and pressed the other against the blade. Instantly, his Reiatsu exploded.
"Fangs of Light!"
A circular green halo appeared at the tip of his blade. Dozens of light beams radiating a sharp, piercing aura shot out from within, all of them landing on the invisible barrier. Dankū let out a cracking sound as numerous fissures spread across it.
"Ice Fang Storm!"
The temperature in the area centered around Kōga plummeted. Wisps of white vapor swirled around his blade, forming a sharp contrast with the rising pillars of fire nearby. As the blade swung down, an uncountable amount of ice and snow erupted from the tip, surging toward Yamamoto like a great flood.
Everywhere the torrent passed, the scorched ground froze, covered in a thick layer of ice.
Yamamoto, pinned down by Sora, couldn't dodge in time. He was engulfed by the extreme cold, slowing his movements for a second. Even the pillar of fire composed of pure Reiatsu was briefly suppressed.
Even if Muramasa's ability couldn't affect Yamamoto, Kōga was still a Captain-level combatant based on his basic combat skills and impressive stats alone. He was the rising star of the Soul Society, one of the most talented Soul Reapers in centuries!
As the distraction landed, Muramasa timed his follow-up perfectly. He forcibly released a hypnotic technique targeting the essence of a Zanpakutō's power, momentarily interfering with Yamamoto's sense of distance and time.
But simultaneously, a pressure like a reverse-flowing tide hit him. Shaking Yamamoto's perception was far more difficult than shaking the perceptions of a hundred rebellious Soul Reapers on a battlefield.
It was like an ant trying to shake a massive oak.
At this moment, Yamamoto was like the ultimate boss in a raid. They had to chain their control abilities perfectly just to slow down his overwhelming might for a moment, creating the best possible opening for the main damage dealer.
'Shadow Bind!'
Kōga stood firmly, his eyes resolute. The shadow beneath his feet split into dozens of strands that snaked forward like a swarm of serpents. They crossed the sea of fire and landed directly on Yamamoto's shadow.
Immobilized!
The battlefield went silent for a moment as the pillars of fire subsided. But soon, the volcano erupted again. It was as if magma was surging, wantonly eroding the earth.
Yamamoto forcibly crushed the binding, but at that same moment, the most lethal blow arrived before him. Sora used Flash Step to charge forward, his steel-like body entering the sea of flames. He slammed his fists together like a hammer, falling into a stance Yamamoto knew all too well.
"Double Bone!"
In that instant, the explosion was deafening. The flames that could incinerate anything were instantly cleared away. The sound of steel clashing against flesh rang out from Yamamoto's scar-covered torso, and the old man's expression suddenly froze.
BOOM!!
Blood-red Reiatsu, condensed to its peak, shot into the sky. Amidst the brilliant light, Yamamoto was sent flying backward like a fighter jet breaking the sound barrier. Waves of pressure rippled across the battlefield. From east to west, white shockwaves exploded in circles, trailing long plumes of dust. A deep trench, dozens of meters long, was carved into the scorched earth before Yamamoto finally crashed through a stone peak, kicking up a massive cloud of black dust.
"Huff... huff..."
Yamamoto walked slowly out from the rubble. His chest heaved up and down, and his breathing was slightly ragged. However, before he could steady his footing, Sora suddenly flickered in front of him. He raised his hand, releasing a perfectly mastered Way of Destruction #63: Thunder Roar Cannon.
The brilliant golden lightning submerged the old man once again, followed closely by azure explosive flames.
One Way of Destruction after another fell in a continuous barrage, perfectly illustrating the concept of "saturation fire." It wasn't often he got the chance to pay back all the beatings he took during their usual training; if he didn't collect a little interest now, wouldn't he be wasting such a golden opportunity?
As for what would happen after this, Sora had already put it out of his mind. Being able to give Old Man Yama a good thrashing today made the whole trip worth it!
Sora happily continued his output while winking at the distant Kōga. When he saw Sora's exaggerated facial expressions, Kōga was stunned for a moment. It wasn't until Muramasa manifested beside him that he finally snapped out of it.
"Kōga, let's leave while we can."
Kōga wanted to say more, but Muramasa's next sentence made him shut his mouth.
"Don't let Lord Naraku's painstaking efforts go to waste."
After a moment of hesitation, Kōga nodded toward Sora, who was still bombarded the mountain peak. Then, with a determined gaze, he began to sprint toward the Rukongai. The man and his blade spirit vanished into the small woods at the edge of the horizon.
Sensing that Kōga's Reiatsu had disappeared, an exasperated voice rang out from the swirling dust. A pillar of fire shot into the sky, clearing everything away.
"You brat, have you had enough?!"
Yamamoto shattered an incoming Red Fire Cannon with a look of annoyance.
"I was just worried it wouldn't look real," Sora said. Seeing the old man emerge from the rubble, he quickly extinguished the Thunder Roar Cannon he had been preparing and trotted over eagerly to massage the old man's shoulders. "Teacher, your divine might is unparalleled. A few little scratches are nothing to you."
Yamamoto gave him a sour look and asked in a heavy voice, "How did you figure it out?"
Sora grinned. "Everyone knows Kōga is an incredible talent who dominates the battlefield without equal. But if you ask me, the truly invincible one is the Head Captain of the Gotei 13."
"If you really wanted to carry out an execution, Kōga wouldn't have even made it out of the barracks."
Hearing this, the expression on Yamamoto's face softened considerably. "You said before that you could prove Kuchiki Kōga is innocent. Where is the evidence?"
Sora shook his head. "I don't have it yet."
"But Teacher, do you really believe Kōga is behind the Zanpakutō rebellion?"
Yamamoto narrowed his eyes. "I find it hard to believe myself. However, the rule that no two identical Zanpakutō exist in the Soul Society is an irrefutable law. All signs point to Kuchiki Kōga being the culprit."
Sora said seriously, "What if I told you there is a Zanpakutō in this world that can copy the abilities of others?"
Yamamoto was stunned.
While the Seireitei was plunged into chaos and the Captains were busy suppressing the fighting, one person had arrived directly beneath Sōkyoku Hill.
Gosuke smashed through the mountain wall and entered a pitch-black cavern. He followed a winding path through the darkness, moving forward until he stopped before a wall covered in Kidō incantations.
He looked up at the towering wall. The complex spells were dizzying to look at. Forget breaking them; even identifying them all would be an extremely difficult task. Fortunately, he had come prepared.
"According to the Master's instructions, I only need to stab this Priest's Sword into the wall to connect with the Kikōō above and undo the seal."
Gosuke thrust the blunt longsword, which was covered in strange runes, into the wall. Instantly, countless Kidō incantations lit up briefly before emitting faint cracking sounds.
The indestructible seal collapsed bit by bit, revealing a figure bound by numerous chains. The figure had long, turquoise hair. On the upper right side of his face sat the remains of a mask that looked like a fish fin.
As the seal was undone, a heavy, viscous Reiatsu slowly filled the cavern. A suffocating sense of pressure shrouded the entire cave. In the next moment, a pair of yellow eyes, like those of a wild beast, snapped open in the darkness!
The pressure hit like an overwhelming wave.
Gosuke frowned. "I went through a lot of trouble to let you out. Is this how you treat your savior?"
A disdainful sneer echoed in the dark.
"Savior?"
The prisoner lifted his head. The chains on his body let out a groaning, shattering sound as metal shards fell continuously.
"For a Soul Reaper to take the initiative to release a great evil that nearly destroyed the Soul Society... such a rebellious act clearly means you want something from me. Spare me the nonsense about gratitude."
"The first thing I'm going to do once I'm out is take my revenge on the one who sealed me."
Gosuke looked calmly at the now-free figure and replied flatly, "If you show your face in the Soul Society now, you'll be killed instantly. There won't be even a shred of suspense."
"Arturo Plateado, times have changed."