According to his original intention, the Espada should be able to win this war for him.
As for Yamamoto, Aizen had his own method to deal with him. Ryūjin Jakka was incredibly powerful, and its direct attack capability might even surpass his own. Because of this, Aizen had made special preparations.
So far, everything remained under control. Therefore, he wasn't panicked at all as he sat in his position, observing. His calm brown eyes studied the battlefield, calculating each move with precision.
On the battlefield, the Arrancars faced off against the Shinigami. The leaders of both sides remained stationary while their subordinates sought out appropriate opponents—fish finding fish, shrimp finding shrimp.
The lieutenants confronted the Fracción. The Captain of the Tenth Division, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, faced Tercera Espada Harribel and was clearly at a disadvantage. Even with his elemental advantage, Tōshirō still couldn't overcome the difference in raw power. Ice crystals formed and shattered around him as he struggled against her overwhelming strength.
The Captain of the Second Division, Suì-Fēng, squared off against Segunda Espada Barragan.
The current Barragan was no longer the proud king of Hueco Mundo. Since being "taken in" by Aizen, Barragan's spirit and resolve had been broken, and his strength had diminished considerably. He typified someone who worked without true effort—saving his strength to eventually betray Aizen. In a body weighing 100 pounds, 90 pounds was pure rebellious intent.
Additionally, these Arrancar remained wary of the extraordinarily powerful Shiroha. This made them more cautious in battle. Because of this, Suì-Fēng could barely withstand Barragan's aging powers.
Captain of the 8th Division, Shunsui Kyōraku, confronted Primera Espada Starrk.
These two represented both ace fighters and lazy individuals who preferred watching over participating. After exchanging names, they began a typical "round-based" battle characteristic of Bleach.
You hit me with a sword, I hit you with a cero. If you didn't know better, you might think they were performing an exhibition match, each feeding the other techniques.
After several exchanges, Starrk realized he had met someone similar to himself.
Similar! So damn similar!
That relaxed expression, lazy tone, and unhurried attack rhythm—the Shinigami opposite him mirrored him perfectly. He was practically his spiritual twin!
Sensing his opponent's curiosity, Kyōraku smiled and said, "Why are you holding back? Do you have concerns? Don't worry, Old Man Yama won't intervene—you're not important enough for his attention." He adjusted his straw hat casually, as if they were having a friendly conversation rather than a battle.
Though his words seemed casual, Kyōraku remained inwardly cautious. Honestly, even facing Yamamoto's Shikai would frighten him. The fact that this Arrancar remained so relaxed during battle suggested exceptional ability.
Kyōraku's seemingly teasing tone actually served to probe his opponent's background.
Starrk hadn't expected that his opponent was actually a "fake slacker." While Starrk merely wanted to coast through the battle and gain experience with little real fighting intent, Kyōraku genuinely sought his life. This difference in mindset would determine their fates.
Facing Kyōraku's provocation, Starrk replied casually, "Your leader has a terrible temper—quite scary. But that's not my concern. By the way, who's stronger, your leader or Shiroha?" He scratched his head lazily, blue-gray eyes revealing a genuine curiosity.
Despite his own strength, Starrk had to admit that the Shinigami named Shiroha was overwhelmingly powerful. Though none of the Espada mentioned it openly, they all felt fortunate not to face that man on the battlefield. Shiroha's shocking attack in Hueco Mundo had shattered their arrogance and self-esteem.
"I don't know," Kyōraku replied lazily. "Maybe you should try fighting both and make your own comparison."
Earlier, the Department of Research and Development had detected several captain-level Reiatsu spikes in Hueco Mundo that matched Shiroha's signature. It seemed that before the war officially began, Shiroha had already delivered a "greeting" to the Espada.
This greeting had evidently been terrifying enough to make the Arrancar more restrained in battle. Such was the deterrent power of a true apex fighter. Even without Shiroha physically present, his influence remained palpable, as if he existed everywhere at once.
"If Shiroha were here, you'd definitely be much more relaxed," Starrk observed with curiosity. "What kind of person is he?"
His curiosity stemmed from personal experience. Because his Reiatsu had been too overwhelming, he couldn't find companions and endured loneliness for ages. That experience was unbearable to recall.
Unlike other Hollows, as a naturally-evolved Arrancar, Starrk didn't desire greater power—he wanted companions. He even wished his strength could diminish.
But Shiroha possessed power far exceeding his own. Starrk wondered if that person experienced the same loneliness he did.
"That guy isn't the same species as us," Kyōraku replied, a hint of awe in his voice despite his casual demeanor.
In truth, nobody resembled Shiroha. Kyōraku suspected he might be some kind of monster wearing a Shinigami's skin. Whatever he was, he certainly wasn't the same as them.
"Could it be that he's extremely diligent? Truly enviable," Starrk remarked, maintaining his disinterested appearance despite facing a powerful enemy.
"No, quite the opposite—that guy is even lazier than I am," Kyōraku continued. "But his talent is extraordinary, which makes all the difference."
While speaking, Kyōraku assessed his opponent carefully. Thus far, Starrk's Reiatsu hadn't fluctuated at all—suggesting he was holding back considerably. This was to be expected of the Primera Espada. Kyōraku needed to observe more carefully.
Starrk sighed, "He sounds like an amazing genius! I'm fortunate to avoid fighting such a person."
Although joining the Espada had solved his loneliness problem, Starrk still hadn't found a true sense of belonging among them. Because of this, he lacked motivation in battle. He fought merely because he had to.
Shiroha's talent and strength had genuinely shocked him, leaving him grateful that he didn't need to face such a formidable opponent.
"Genius?" Kyōraku shook his head. "'Genius' doesn't begin to describe Shiroha's talent. I know you've enhanced your abilities through the Hōgyoku. Your talents even surpass those of Vasto Lorde-class Hollows. But even so, you can't compare to Shiroha. His talent doesn't fall within the category of Shinigami, or Arrancar, or even mortals."
Kyōraku had been the first captain to recognize Shiroha's true strength. Simultaneously, he was the first to realize how abnormal Shiroha's talent truly was. In his mind, even Yamamoto didn't possess Shiroha's dominance and control.
He believed in Shiroha completely. He knew and trusted this old friend well.
Kyōraku remained optimistic about this war. The worst outcome would be that they all lost—but that wouldn't be the end of the world. Because Shiroha would ultimately settle everything.
It was truly wonderful to have an invincible person backing you up.