"That's..."
Masatsuki Aozaki frowned as he watched the gray-brown mist spreading all around, his alertness rising.
He reached out, lightly stroking his chin as he muttered to himself,
"What is this?"
Standing beside him, Retsu Unohana wore a grave expression, her eyes locked on the increasingly thick fog. Her voice was low and serious.
"This is the Gagaku Kairō... It's that man's Bankai—Kenpachi Kuruyashiki's!"
Masatsuki Aozaki was well aware of what the Gagaku Kairō meant.
Not only was he a transmigrator, but he was also the Captain of the 11th Division.
He'd heard the story of the seventh-generation Kenpachi from his subordinates more than a few times.
The Gagaku Kairō was a force terrifying and despair-inducing enough to shake any sane person.
Kenpachi Kuruyashiki's Bankai could summon a massive jaw from the ground—vast enough to rival the size of several Karakura Towns.
That gaping maw was like a savage beast. Once it opened its blood-soaked mouth, it would devour everything.
Living or dead. Enemy or ally.
As long as something was caught within its reach, it would be mercilessly swallowed, shredded, and crushed.
Even more terrifying, this Bankai was wildly destructive and uncontrollable—so much so that even Kuruyashiki himself couldn't fully master it.
Once released, it indiscriminately devastated everything in its path, throwing the battlefield into utter chaos.
Because of this, the Central 46 had once issued a strict order forbidding Kenpachi Kuruyashiki from ever using his Bankai within Seireitei—no matter the circumstances.
And Kuruyashiki had always strictly abided by that command.
Even when he lost the duel to Azashiro Sōya for the title of Kenpachi.
Even when he fell in a life-and-death battle against a powerful foe.
Not once had he unleashed that forbidden Bankai.
But now, under the influence of Hell, he was completely under its will—unable to control his power at all.
...
Above ground, after Unohana's explanation, the first-generation captains who had stayed behind all wore heavy expressions.
Though the radius only spanned a few units of reiatsu, compared to Seireitei's over 600 in diameter, it seemed small.
But... it was already enough to engulf the entire battlefield!
They had all long since died, and another death meant little.
But if the members of the Gotei 13 still fighting on the battlefield were wiped out by this technique...
According to the laws, any soul slain by Hell's intent would fall directly into Hell, without requiring purification by a Zanpakutō or a Konsō ritual.
And just moments ago, Kenpachi Kuruyashiki had been clad in skeletal armor—clear proof that he carried the power of Hell.
If all the Shinigami present were dragged down into Hell, then the Three Worlds would have no future left.
"Is there a way to stop it? If us old-timers join forces, we should be able to destroy this monster!"
At some point, Chika Shihōin had returned. His golden armor was nearly in pieces, but his body had already healed completely.
Upon hearing this, Retsu Unohana shook her head, a flicker of helplessness in her eyes.
"It's no use. That thing has no physical form."
"Even though the Gagaku Kairō is a biological-type Zanpakutō, its Bankai power is closer to a law of nature."
She continued, her tone growing heavier.
"Once activated, it can't be stopped by conventional means. It continues until the devouring ends."
There was a deep sense of powerlessness in her words—one that made the situation feel utterly hopeless.
"The only option now is to find a way to escape its range."
Her tone turned firm. Time was running out, and she knew they had to act fast.
As she finished speaking, Unohana released her Reiatsu perception and began to carefully sense the surrounding presence and energy fluctuations, trying to locate others nearby.
With her speed, she might still be able to save a few from this deadly zone.
Yamamoto stood dazed, staring blankly at the world around him.
In that instant, he seemed to have aged by centuries, the wrinkles on his face deepening, looking more like a worn-out old man at death's door.
Just then, Masatsuki Aozaki walked up beside him and gently patted his shoulder.
"Old man, don't give up. You're one stubborn geezer—you're not the type to quit that easily."
Yamamoto looked up, a faint glimmer of light returning to his eyes.
He couldn't help but ask,
"You have a way!?"
Even though he knew the situation was dire, he still held onto a sliver of hope.
This young disciple had already closed the gates of Hell using a method unknown to him.
Maybe… he had another way to overcome this overwhelming crisis.
At that moment, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto knew he had nothing left to offer.
So he placed all his hope on this disciple who always seemed to pull off miracles.
Under Yamamoto's gaze, Masatsuki Aozaki's eyes began to change in a strange, almost mystical way—two extra pupils appeared in each eye.
"Old man, a Master shouldn't be looking at his student like that. Get it together."
Masatsuki wore a gentle smile as his body slowly lifted off the ground, defying the laws of Soul Society itself.
Like a divine presence descending to the world, he hovered above, looking down at the earth, while everyone below instinctively raised their heads to gaze at him in awe.
With a soft smile, he looked over the battlefield and slowly gripped a Zanpakutō that had appeared from nowhere.
"Kin!" (Prohibition)
With a quiet command, a blinding light suddenly burst from Masatsuki's body.
In the blink of an eye, it surged outwards, flooding the entire sky.
The heavens, once choked in the miasma spilling from the gates of Hell, now lit up as bright as day.
On the ground, the gaping maw of the abyss—a monstrous mouth—began to close.
That vast opening, once ready to devour the world, now drew back.
Above, an endless cascade of light poured down like a waterfall, illuminating the battlefield in its brilliance.
The divine light radiated overwhelming power and majesty, pressing down with irresistible force.
The gray-brown beast within the mist stiffened under the radiance, its movements slowing, then stopping altogether.
Yamamoto felt the sheer pressure of the light.
To his surprise, as the white light fell upon him, the flow of his Reiryoku froze.
He thought to himself,
"What's going on? Why is this light even affecting me? Is that kid trying to take me out while he has the chance?"
The thought crossed his mind without warning.
Yet he didn't notice—his taut nerves were slowly relaxing under the light's warmth.
As he continued to think, the brilliance surrounding Masatsuki began to fade.
And with that light's retreat, the monstrous mouth that had been expanding began to collapse.
Yamamoto's eyes widened, stunned by the sight before him.
He couldn't believe it. This young man had stopped the disaster single-handedly.
Mouth agape, he stood there, speechless in awe.
...
Meanwhile, within Seireitei, countless Shinigami stared in shock at what had just happened.
Just seconds ago, the slowly closing maw had nearly swallowed them whole.
In panic and fear, they had sprinted with everything they had, trying to escape its reach.
The bone-deep chill and dread would no doubt be burned into their memories for the rest of their lives.
But when they thought all hope was lost...
A divine light, like a miracle descending from the heavens, reached down like a massive, mighty hand and pulled them back from the brink of Hell.
Standing among the ruins, the Shinigami raised their heads and stared silently at the sky.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake