The entire field fell into deathly silence.
Just seconds ago, they had witnessed Gremmy's terror firsthand.
Freely distorting reality, turning 'imagination' into an apocalyptic disaster, effortlessly crushing Captain-level powerhouses like Kensei and Shinji.
Yet, before that legendary Shinigami Captain, Gremmy was effortlessly crushed.
The Sternritter's faces turned pale, their gazes towards Setsuna filled with undisguised terror.
Even Yhwach's eyes were extremely solemn.
Defeating Gremmy was nothing special. After all, each member of his Schutzstaffel was no weaker than Gremmy.
But being so powerful that he made Gremmy give up resistance in despair… only this man before him could do that.
"An unexpected variable," Yhwach's voice was icy. "It seems I need to personally intervene and incorporate you into my 'script'."
He raised his right hand, fingers spread, aiming at Setsuna.
"Heilig Pfeil: Thousandfold Symphony."
Tens of thousands of golden arrows of light, condensed from sacred Reiryoku, appeared abruptly around Setsuna.
Each arrow of light radiated a sharpness and destructive aura capable of piercing the defenses of a Captain-level Shinigami.
These arrows, from above, below, left, right, and all directions, in a dense array without blind spots, shot towards Setsuna like a golden rainstorm.
In response, Setsuna simply blew out a gentle breath.
That breath, upon leaving his body, rapidly evolved into an apocalyptic gale, instantly extinguishing all the arrows of light in the sky, and even nearly blowing Yhwach himself away.
'Are you kidding me?' Yhwach steadied himself, cold sweat already trickling down his forehead.
He had anticipated the possibility that the enemy might use powerful Kido or Zanpakuto abilities to block, but he never expected it to be done in such a casual manner.
"It seems I still underestimated you." Yhwach took a deep breath and spread his arms. "Sanctuary Praise!"
Centered on Yhwach himself, a colossal cylindrical light barrier, shining with sacred golden light, rose from the ground, shooting straight into the sky.
This was the Quincy's all-purpose defensive incantation, for both offense and defense. Once an enemy stepped within the light barrier's range, they would be automatically shot down by the endless sacred arrows inside.
Yhwach stood at the center of the light barrier, like a god in his divine kingdom, coldly looking down at Setsuna outside the barrier.
"So this is your turtle shell?" Setsuna laughed teasingly, extending his index finger and lightly tapping the seemingly impenetrable Sanctuary light barrier.
Pop.
Like poking a soap bubble.
The golden light barrier, radiating sacred majesty, let out a faint popping sound the instant Setsuna's fingertip touched it, like a balloon pierced by a needle.
Then, countless cracks, like a spiderweb, instantly spread across the entire light barrier.
Under Yhwach's dumbfounded gaze, the golden light barrier collapsed with a roar, shattering into countless golden Reishi fragments floating in the air.
This time, he truly couldn't understand.
'With this guy's level of strength, how had he been killed and exiled to Hell in the first place?'
'Could it be that he was just putting on an act?'
'Could it be because of Yamamoto Shigekuni's Zanpakuto?' Yhwach took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the stormy waves in his heart, his eyes becoming sharp as knives once more.
"If that's the case, then I will use the ability that once killed you to end you!"
He abruptly raised his left hand. The Sternritter medal on his wrist erupted with blinding light.
An aura of blazing, violent flames, as if intending to burn the entire world to ashes, surged out from within.
"Bankai: Zanka no Tachi!"
In Yhwach's hand, a blade of pure flame materialized, identical in appearance to Yamamoto's Bankai form of Ryujin Jakka.
This was precisely the power of Yamamoto's Bankai that he had stolen and stored using the [Medallion].
The moment Zanka no Tachi appeared, the surrounding temperature skyrocketed drastically. The air twisted, the ground cracked and blackened.
The destructive heat it radiated caused even the Shinigami watching from afar to feel their skin burn.
"That's Captain-Commander's Bankai!"
"Yhwach, you bastard!"
The Shinigami of the Gotei 13 were filled with rage and grief, but also some worry.
According to legend, Setsuna had been killed by Yamamoto's flames more than once, and was only able to contend with Yamamoto by constantly reviving with his Bankai's ability.
But before Yhwach, using Bankai was impossible.
"Yamamoto Shigekuni's ability is perfect for dealing with you, who once fell to this very technique!" Yhwach raised Zanka no Tachi high, killing intent surging in his eyes. "Zanka no Tachi, East: Kyokujitsujin!"
The ultimate slash, surpassing the temperature of the sun's core, capable of erasing anything it touches, was fiercely struck down towards Setsuna.
Where the blade of flame passed, space itself seemed to be burned, leaving black trails.
The sea of terrifying flames engulfed Setsuna. Yhwach held the medallion in his hand, ready to steal Setsuna's Bankai at any moment.
"Old man Yamamoto's ability, in your hands..." Setsuna's voice emerged calmly from the very center of that destructive flame, "...is like a pearl cast before swine, possessing only its form, not its essence."
"Let me show you how the power of flame should be used. Phoenix Wing Divine Strike!"
A phantom of a phoenix flew out from the sea of flames, letting out a long cry. It flowed upstream along Zanka no Tachi's blade, instantly devouring the flaming blade in Yhwach's hand, then slammed fiercely into Yhwach's chest.
"Gyaaaaaah!"
Yhwach let out an incredibly miserable scream.
His Blut Vene defense was like paper before the phoenix's flames.
The golden sacred flames burned wildly, eroding his body and soul.
He tried to use the [Almighty] to change the future, but it had no effect. He was still sent flying, crashing heavily into the distant ruins, splashing up clouds of dust and sparks.
All the Shinigami watched this scene dumbfounded. That king of the Quincies, who had seemed as powerful as a nightmare, had been effortlessly defeated just like Gremmy.
"No... impossible!" Yhwach struggled to his feet, his voice full of disbelief. "I used the Almighty to rewrite the future, so why is the result still like this?"
Setsuna slowly withdrew his right hand and said calmly, "That is because you are too weak."
Hearing Setsuna's words, the members of the Gotei 13 twitched their mouths.
If even the king of the Quincies, who killed Captain-Commander Yamamoto and possessed the broken ability Almighty, was considered weak, then what were they, who had been almost completely unable to fight back against the Sternritter, supposed to be?'
Ants among ants?
Setsuna continued, "An ordinary person, even if they know a meteor will fall the next day, what can they change?"
"No matter how powerful an ability is, it needs power as a foundation. Clearly, your power is insufficient to support the realization of that future."