Immediately after, a brilliant bloom of Reiatsu lit up the battlefield.
The sand dune that once stood tall was obliterated in an instant, reduced to dust as a rain of sand and debris scattered through the air.
Masatsuki Aozaki shook his head vigorously, flinging off the dust clinging to his hair. He took a deep breath, feeling the scorching heat lingering in the air.
In that moment, a rush of excitement surged in his chest. He couldn't help but think to himself,
"This is a whole different world compared to before... Now this is a fight worth getting into!"
There was a reason why Kenpachi Zaraki had always chosen to suppress his power in battle—it brought a certain thrill.
Masatsuki recalled his first sparring session with Retsu Unohana and let out a soft chuckle. She had felt the same back then.
His hands, gripping the hilt tightly, trembled slightly. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he narrowed his eyes and raised his palm. A ball of flame rapidly condensed in his hand.
With a low shout, the flame burst forth like an arrow unleashed from a bow.
"Hadō No. 31: Shakkahō!"
There was no way to dodge it. Harribel instantly sensed the immense Reiryoku packed into that fireball, and her heart skipped a beat in alarm.
To think he'd actually cast something as low-level as Hadō No. 31... Was Masatsuki-sama underestimating her?
"You'll pay for that after this!"
In her beast form, Harribel's physical transformation wasn't the only change—her mind seemed to be overtaken by raw instinct.
As the Empress of Hueco Mundo, saying something so brazen to His Majesty was shockingly out of character.
Before the descending fireball could hit the ground, a golden arc of sword energy cleaved it in two, detonating it midair.
The surging flames rained down like droplets over the vast sea of sand.
Even from afar, the Arrancars could feel the searing heat stinging their skin.
Under the moonlight, a blurred figure darted quickly between the grains of sand. But just as swiftly, a sharp beam of light shot toward him.
He turned his wrist without hesitation and launched another Shakkahō.
Swish.
Nelliel's long turquoise hair whipped through the air under the force of the blast. She managed to destroy the fireball, but the explosion's impact slammed into her fragile frame, sending her tumbling deep into the blinding white sands.
The speed and force were simply staggering.
Masatsuki Aozaki narrowed his eyes, silently watching everything unfold before him...
Until a lone knight burst forth from the swirling haze of sand.
He said nothing, but a large tear had been ripped through his robe.
If he hadn't dodged just in time, the girls would've probably accused him of cheating by relying on his strong body.
As a true martial artist, one could finely control aspects like Reiryoku, strength, and speed through sheer will. However, physical durability wasn't something that could be easily suppressed at will.
At that moment, time seemed to slow. The distance between the two sides had already closed to less than a kilometer.
Nelliel quickly raised her lance, while Harribel swung her massive sword with skill and force.
Without hesitation, Masatsuki Aozaki channeled his Reiatsu into the blade in his hand, enhancing the power of the weapon he had temporarily forged.
Getsuga Tenshō, infused along the edge!
There was no need for thought. His instincts guided his sword techniques as he unleashed a sharp, flowing slash.
The great katana arced upward in a diagonal sweep, clashing against a hardened helm and sending dazzling sparks flying.
Harribel's armor was clearly not just for decoration.
So it really was all concentrated essence—after her Hōgyoku Resurrección, she appeared to be wearing less, but her defense had clearly increased.
Even though the coverage was minimal, its defensive strength was astonishing.
Harribel hadn't truly turned into a brainless beast. She smoothly stepped back half a pace, narrowly dodging the vicious sweep.
Before her heel even hit the ground, she shifted forward again, slamming her greatsword down with heavy force.
Boom!!
A thunderous impact split the ground, carving a deep trench that seemed to reveal glimpses of the Forest of Menos beneath the sands.
But Masatsuki had already sidestepped and evaded. This was the beauty of studying swordsmanship: by watching the movements of your opponent's hands and feet, you could predict their next move in advance.
He didn't even need to think—his body reacted on instinct alone.
Grains of sand burst into the air as Masatsuki steadied himself—then, suddenly, he felt the air behind him tear open. Without hesitation, he vanished on the spot.
Shinsoku is way faster than Sonído!
That thought flashed through Nelliel's mind.
As a knight sworn to serve His Majesty the Emperor, she was naturally familiar with Shinsoku, the unique footwork created by His Majesty himself. So she wasn't surprised.
She gave a slight twist of her wrist, and the lance in her hand swept upward with precision.
Clang!!
A sharp, clear impact rang out.
Her lance collided with the diagonal slash, catching the great katana dead-on.
The knight tilted her head slightly, glanced to the side, and gave the Emperor behind her a smug smile.
"I already saw through it, Masatsuki. You're still—"
But before she could finish, her words caught in her throat.
The Emperor behind her had already clenched his left hand into a tight fist.
In that electrifying moment, it felt as if the world itself were about to collapse.
An overwhelming pressure surged forth like a tidal wave.
It was pure Reiryoku, bursting to life from his shoulder and elbow in the form of lightning and flame.
Then, with a mighty swing, a fist came crashing down with the force of a thunderclap—like a blazing meteor ripping through the heavens.
Ikkotsu: Raika Entei!
In that instant, spirit, energy, and will merged into one. Speed, force, and precision were unleashed in perfect harmony.
With a muffled thud, a vivid bloom of blood burst in the air.
The knight let out a pained cry as the lightning-and-flame-wreathed fist slammed into the space between her back and waist like a crashing meteor.
Blood gushed from her mouth. She wasn't dead—but she could no longer fight.
Just then, a sharp flash of cold light shot toward Masatsuki.
He reacted instantly, twisting aside and raising his blade to block.
But to everyone's surprise, he let go of the katana and grabbed the attacker's throat with his bare hand.
That speed—how?
Harribel hadn't even had time to react.
In the next second, ignoring the large hand wrapped around her neck, she twisted her wrist sharply and slashed sideways with her sword.
Swish!!
A flash of cold light swept past the Emperor of Hueco Mundo, but Harribel's slender sword-wielding hand instantly lost its strength.
Masatsuki neutralized the attack with just a slight tightening of his grip.
The tall queen felt the crushing pressure on her neck suddenly release. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed weakly to the ground.
Her emerald eyes reflected Masatsuki's smiling face.
He gently lifted her chin with an apologetic smile, then turned his head toward Nelliel, who had just sat up.
"Sorry—I went a little overboard."