Whoosh—!
As Yamamoto Genryūsai released his Zanpakutō, Ryūjin Jakka, several meters of blazing flames suddenly erupted around his body. A scorching heat wave spread in all directions, and the temperature throughout Seireitei began to rise rapidly.
"This is bad…"
Kyōraku Shunsui held down his straw hat as it was buffeted by waves of heat and hurriedly shouted to Ukitake Jūshirō:
"Old Man Yama's gone berserk! Jūshirō, get the vice-captains in the Second Side-Chamber out of here, fast!"
"Understood!" Ukitake replied. His silhouette blurred as he used Shunpo to vanish from the Meeting Hall.
"Is this the Captain-Commander's true power…?"
Hitsugaya Tōshirō, captain of the Fifth Division, felt the layers of scorching heat waves before him and sensed that his own power seemed to be slowly draining under this overwhelming pressure.
"We can't let the Captain-Commander fight here!"
Soi Fon, captain of the Second Division, raised a hand to shield herself from the heat and shouted to the other captains:
"With the current barrier of Seireitei, it can't withstand this level of spiritual pressure! Everyone—think of a way to stop the Captain-Commander!"
"…"
Kuchiki Byakuya remained unmoved, allowing the blazing waves to whip his flowing hair as his star-like eyes coldly stared at Nnoitra Gilga, who had already entered his Resurrección state.
"Captain Soi Fon."
Unohana Retsu placed her hands inside her sleeves and said with a gentle smile:
"The Captain-Commander is probably in the middle of his anger right now. I'm afraid he won't listen to anyone's persuasion.
Instead of wasting time trying to stop him, we should think about how to keep Seireitei's barrier stable while he fights."
"That makes sense."
Komamura Sajin, captain of the Seventh Division, nodded his large canine head and turned to Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
"Mayuri, do you have a way to stabilize the barrier?"
"No."
Mayuri replied expressionlessly.
"Even if I did, I'd be too lazy to do it."
"Why?"
"Idiot."
Mayuri rolled his eyes and explained:
"With the Captain-Commander's strength, this battle will be over very quickly.
Instead of wasting time creating barriers, it's better to stay here and observe how that Arrancar fights.
You don't actually think Aizen Sōsuke only created a single one of these things, do you?"
"I see…"
Komamura looked again at Yamamoto, who was engulfed in towering flames, and muttered: "That guy Fūjin Taichi… really loves causing trouble."
BOOM!
Yamamoto slowly raised Ryūjin Jakka, his dark eyes filled with disdain. "Make your move."
Hiss!
With asymmetric crescent-shaped horns on his head, Nnoitra held large mantis-blade scythes in each of his four arms and said:
"As the Arrancar with the hardest Hierro in the history of the Espada, flames of your level can't hurt me at all!"
In the original Bleach storyline, Nnoitra once defeated Yasutora Sado after Sado awakened his power. His Hierro was also the toughest among all Espada, which is why he often bragged that a Shinigami's Zanpakutō couldn't injure him.
"Tch. Arrogant."
Yamamoto swung his flaming blade forward at an angle.
Instantly, a stream of fire surged out like a flaming dragon, rushing straight toward Nnoitra.
"Taimatsu!" (Torch)
CLANG—!
With a deafening metallic sound like iron striking iron, the four mantis-like blades in Nnoitra's hands blocked the roaring fire dragon.
However, the blades themselves were heated until they glowed red, as if they had just been pulled out of a furnace.
"Tch! Not bad for a geezer!"
Feeling the intense heat from his weapons, Nnoitra thought to himself:
But if you think attacks like this can defeat me, you're a hundred years too early!
"Hmph!"
Yamamoto snorted coldly through his nose, calmly watching as the flaming dragon suddenly split into two, transforming into two blazing firebirds that once again lunged at Nnoitra.
"!!!"
All the captains present immediately recognized the familiar scene.
Back then at Sōkyoku Hill, Fūjin Taichi had also been beaten badly by Yamamoto using this very technique.
But against an Arrancar capable of high-speed regeneration, would Yamamoto's Taimatsu still crush the opponent?
The answer, of course, was yes.
SHHH—!
Nnoitra's entire body was charred black by the raging flames, yet he let out a strange laugh while raising his mantis blades and rapidly closing the distance with Yamamoto.
CLASH!
Yamamoto calmly lifted his Zanpakutō and blocked Nnoitra's strike.
But in that instant, the spiritual pressure of both fighters exploded outward, surging across the battlefield.
BOOM!
The buildings outside the meeting hall began collapsing under the impact of the overwhelming spiritual pressure, rumbling like thunder.
High in the sky, scorching flames and chilling Hollow fire intertwined wildly, producing sharp sizzling sounds.
Some say a Shinigami's battle is a battle of spiritual pressure.
Which means the one with stronger spiritual pressure can inflict immeasurable damage upon the weaker.
Thus, in that clash just now, Yamamoto Genryūsai, with over a thousand years of combat experience, used his overwhelming spiritual pressure to blow away Nnoitra's black aura.
However—
Although stronger spiritual pressure is advantageous, it doesn't mean someone with weaker pressure has no chance and can only wait to die.
"Phew…"
Looking at the unbelievable scene before him, Nnoitra exhaled and asked coldly:
"Is that all your strength?"
"Hmph!"
Without hesitation, Yamamoto used Shunpo, instantly appearing behind Nnoitra and swinging his Zanpakutō toward his waist.
BANG!
Nnoitra barely blocked the attack with his mantis blade. A dull explosion sounded as the ground beneath him shattered outward from the impact.
This old man is actually capable of suppressing me in my Resurrección state to this extent!
Nnoitra looked shocked.
But before he could react, he suddenly realized Yamamoto's next attack was already approaching his face!
"It's over!" Yamamoto, still mid-air, brought Ryūjin Jakka down toward Nnoitra's head.
CRACK!
Although Nnoitra barely dodged the fatal strike, one of the crescent horns on his head was sliced off.
"Damn you! Unforgivable!!"
Completely enraged, two additional arms sprouted from Nnoitra's sides.
He now looked like a six-legged spider, each arm holding a double-bladed scythe.
"…"
Yamamoto didn't care about Nnoitra's transformation at all.
Holding Ryūjin Jakka, he launched another frontal attack.
"Know your place!"
Nnoitra raised all six mantis blades beside his ears, bending his body like a drawn bow before suddenly charging toward Yamamoto.
"Taimatsu!"
At the moment the two were about to collide, Yamamoto struck first.
As he drew his sword, a tornado-like wall of fire erupted, sweeping up endless flames and spiraling into the sky, swallowing Nnoitra whole.
"Did he finish him?" Soi Fon asked with folded arms.
"Probably not yet…"
Unohana Retsu stared at the towering inferno, a strange light flashing in her eyes.
"What kind of monster did Aizen create…?"
Sajin Komamura said in shock. "He's still alive even after the Captain-Commander's attack!"
"Idiot," Mayuri muttered under his breath, thinking: That's just because you're too weak.
BOOM!
Nnoitra burst out of the blazing flames with a scream and fired a yellow Cero from his tongue. "Die!"
"Ignorant fool."
Just as the Cero was about to fully form, Yamamoto Genryūsai suddenly spread his fingers and grabbed Nnoitra's face—along with the forming blast.
"It ends here.
"Onibi!" (Demon Fire)
BOOM!!!
A flame condensed from overwhelming spiritual pressure instantly pierced through half of Nnoitra's head—
Leaving only a half-destroyed body spurting blood.\
...
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