After a moment of silence, Yhwach spoke.
"So then, Segawa Shigure?"
"What is your reason and confidence for this counterattack...?"
Yhwach leisurely stepped forward, smiling faintly as he walked toward Shigure opposite.
Walking while continuing to smile:
"I'm curious."
"Earlier in Seireitei, I didn't steal your Bankai. But your Bankai was equally ineffective against me."
"Then, why did you want to bring them here... walking into a trap?"
Hearing this, Shigure's expression remained calm. Simply holding his blade, he said flatly:
"Since you're curious, then before battle begins, I'll explain one last time."
"First, your words had two errors from the start."
"First—this is our active counterattack, not walking into a trap."
"Your subordinates will all be annihilated by the Gotei Captains. This is beyond doubt."
"And second... you say my Bankai is ineffective against you?"
"Seems your misunderstanding runs deep."
"Actually back then, I could already have killed you."
"However, that might have caused me to lose control of my power, directly collapsing Seireitei."
"That was a result I didn't want to see. So I waited until now."
"Don't tell me you truly believed... back then I'd already used my full strength?"
Shigure spoke calmly, expression showing neither joy nor sorrow.
Hearing the end, Yhwach's eyes flickered slightly, but only instantly before immediately concealing it, then transforming back to a faint smile.
Stopping two meters from Shigure, he said:
"I must admit, your Bankai may indeed be the strongest Bankai I've ever seen."
"But... you say you can use it to kill me...?"
Yhwach chuckled again, then slightly opened his palm.
Blue-white Reishi immediately rapidly gathered, then formed a broad greatsword.
Yhwach slowly raised the sword, blade tip pointing directly at Shigure, smiling:
"Then let's try."
"In the future I've seen, after killing you here, those beings above the Soul King Palace will descend..."
"And then, I can kill them."
"Finally... directly take the Soul King Palace!"
Yhwach spoke smiling, eyes seemingly already seeing that scene.
This was his greatest reliance for remaining calm in crisis.
Even after being suppressed by Segawa Shigure's Bankai before, he still believed he could defeat him and smoothly reach that future's depicted scene.
But just then, hearing these words, Shigure suddenly curved his lips, chuckling.
That expression—completely different from his previous indifference.
Seeing this, though Yhwach felt puzzled, his expression remained unchanged:
"What's amusing, Segawa Shigure?"
In his view, those future scenes had already foretold his victory. Fundamentally no need for panic.
But hearing this, Shigure's smile grew even wider, then he said:
"This is somewhat beyond my expectations..."
"It seems... from then until now, you've truly... always been firmly believing in the future you've 'seen'..."
"?!"
Hearing this, Yhwach's pupils suddenly constricted, smile freezing.
The instant he heard these words, a strange feeling suddenly arose in his heart!
Though he didn't know why, he clearly felt something wasn't quite right...
Just then, Shigure chuckled:
"Let me explain a bit..."
"Do you truly believe that when you fought the Head Captain, only Haschwalth and I arrived at the battlefield?"
"In other words, on that battlefield then, were there truly... only us four?"
Finishing, Shigure's lips curved deeply.
Hearing this, Yhwach's expression suddenly changed.
"No... impossible..."
"Could it be..."
Seeing this, Shigure's smile grew more intense, then he said:
"Correct. I think you've guessed it. Whether then or now..."
"Another person has always existed."
"?!"
The instant his words fell, Yhwach's heart suddenly lurched!
Because just then, he suddenly sensed behind him a massive unfamiliar Reiatsu descending!
That Reiatsu—like an overturning ocean—so immense it was suffocating!
Yhwach's pupils immediately constricted sharply. He rapidly turned to look back. However, seeing clearly that instant, his expression immediately froze.
From Yhwach's mouth, these words emerged in a daze.
Because the person standing behind him was unmistakably... Sosuke Aizen.
Now, he wore white robes, purple light swirling around his body.
Upon his upright shoulders, faint white wind currents and explosive golden lightning—like shackles—floated and coiled.
His long hair gently floated behind him.
Now, he wore a mysterious smile, looking this way.
Seeing Yhwach's expression, his face showed a smile like Shigure's:
"First meeting, Progenitor of the Quincy."
"However, from this situation, you seem to already know me."
"Truly honored."
"Then, I wonder if you like... the future I've woven?"
"?!"
Aizen clasped his hands behind his back, smiling elegantly and gently.
However, hearing this, Yhwach's heart suddenly shook violently, body completely freezing.
Until now, he'd always unhesitatingly believed in the future scenes he'd seen.
However, this moment, he finally began understanding what Segawa Shigure had just said...
Back then, on that battlefield, there weren't just the four of them...
Sosuke Aizen was also present.
And precisely then, Aizen had secretly used his evolved Kyoka Suigetsu's power, directly hypnotizing Yhwach!
Meaning...
Kyoka Suigetsu's power not only could affect reality's five senses, but could directly interfere with The Almighty!
So after returning from Seireitei, what he'd seen from the start was that false future Aizen had created!
Thinking this, Yhwach's expression immediately darkened.
He'd already heard from Haschwalth about Aizen cooperating with Segawa Shigure to seal him.
But Yhwach fundamentally never imagined that until this moment, Aizen was still helping Segawa Shigure.
Even helping him influence his own judgment of the future.
Yhwach slightly raised his eyes, saying gravely:
"...You would actually choose to cooperate with him?"
"Cooperate with such a Shinigami who once defeated you...?"
Hearing this, Aizen chuckled:
"Seems your shortsightedness matches your subordinates'."
"Must everything only have 'opposition' and 'cooperation' as two choices?"
"I merely purely dislike you self-righteous Quincy."
"The enemy's enemy, though not necessarily a friend."
"But I'm quite happy to lend a hand."
Speaking here, Aizen's figure actually began showing waves of illusory fluctuation.
As if his entire person was becoming transparent, beginning to sway.
Seeing this, Yhwach's eyes immediately flashed.
This moment, Shigure looked toward Aizen, speaking:
"Time's about up."
Hearing this, Aizen chuckled, shaking his head:
"You're still the same..."
"Then, the illusion ends here."
Speaking, Aizen looked toward Yhwach, chuckling:
"My 'outside the wall' activity time seems about to end."
"Then..."
"Farewell, Progenitor of the Quincy."
"You can begin seeing your true future now."
Speaking here, Aizen's figure instantly rapidly became transparent. Only that mysterious smile still remained.
Finally—completely vanished.
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