Chapter 25 – The Battle Against the Captain-Commander
The moment his eyes fell on the Shinigami forces stationed below—and more importantly, on the overwhelming spiritual pressure radiating from one particular man—Baraggan Louisenbairn turned without a word.
Without hesitation, the former King of Hueco Mundo spun around and vanished into the gaping Garganta behind him.
This wasn't his first time stepping foot into the Soul Society. Over his unimaginably long lifespan, there were very few Shinigami he had ever deemed worth remembering.
But that old man... was one of them.
The searing flames of Ryūjin Jakka, a sword that radiated a heat so intense it transcended death itself—it had once made even someone like Baraggan, who ruled over death, feel fear for his own end.
That's why, even after ruling Hueco Mundo for thousands of years, he rarely, if ever, entered Soul Society of his own volition.
And now, thanks to Tachibana Kyūjō's interference... everything had begun to change.
But more than that—the revelation that Soul Society held a force even beyond the Gotei 13 shocked him to his core.
Division Zero.
Their leader, Ichibē Hyōsube, was a being who had existed for over a million years. Even the original sovereign of Hueco Mundo, Ikomikidomoe, had once bowed before him.
Were it not for the fact that Division Zero almost never intervened, Baraggan would've never dared set foot in Soul Society again—even for a single step.
— — —
As Baraggan vanished in silence, the remaining three Vasto Lorde—Coyote Starrk, Tier Harribel, and Ulquiorra Cifer—were still unsure of what exactly had just happened.
But before they could even speak—
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni rose into the air with a single step, raising his blazing blade high above his head.
"Jōkaku Enjō."
A massive wave of flames erupted from his sword, surging straight toward the three Vasto Lorde from over a hundred meters above.
"Cero!" Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes, reacting instantly.
With a sharp flick of his finger, he fired a jet-black Cero to counter the oncoming flames.
But the moment the two attacks collided, the difference was clear.
The fire from Ryūjin Jakka devoured the Cero completely—vaporizing it without leaving a trace.
And the inferno didn't stop there.
It surged onward, crashing down toward the trio like a falling sun.
Starrk and Harribel exchanged a glance.
No words were needed.
In perfect sync, they launched their own Cero blasts, creating a smokescreen of light and sound.
Seizing the moment, the two pulled Ulquiorra back and leapt into the Garganta behind them.
"Ulquiorra Cifer," Starrk called out, his voice grave. "We're falling back. Something's off about these Shinigami... There's too many of them."
"That old man… he has to be the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13. We don't stand a chance."
"Looks like... it's time to awaken the King."
— — —
Outside the First Division Headquarters – Seireitei
Within the shadows just beyond the walls of the Division 1 barracks, three figures moved without a sound.
Aizen Sōsuke. Ichimaru Gin. Tōsen Kaname.
As they emerged from the darkness, their eyes met a massive crystalline palace made entirely of ice. It shimmered silently, hidden deep within Seireitei itself.
Even Gin couldn't hide his surprise. "Heh... Who would've guessed Seireitei was hiding something like this."
Then, a figure emerged to greet them—a young man with blonde hair and cold blue eyes, clad in the pristine white uniform of the Quincy. A cloak with a five-pointed star draped over his shoulders.
He stepped forward, speaking in a low and emotionless tone.
"Welcome to Wandenreich. Aizen Sōsuke. Tōsen Kaname. Ichimaru Gin. My name is Jugram Haschwalth, personal guardian to His Majesty."
"Come. The King is expecting you."
Aizen slowly removed his glasses and slicked back his hair in one smooth motion.
The aura around him shifted immediately—from a calm, composed gentleman... to an arrogant and terrifying sovereign.
"Wait here," Aizen told Gin and Tōsen before walking alone toward the crystal palace.
— — —
"So this... is the legendary Quincy King? Yhwach?" Aizen muttered with clear disdain, staring at the man seated atop a throne.
Yhwach opened his eyes, meeting Aizen's gaze. Then he chuckled.
"Heh... Nine hundred years ago, Yamamoto Genryūsai stopped my heartbeat, shattered my consciousness, and sealed away my powers. But he failed to kill me."
"I spent nine hundred years regaining my heartbeat. Ninety years to restore my mind. Originally, I intended to remain hidden until my strength not only returned... but surpassed even its former peak."
"But now—"
"Now, someone has appeared. Someone who shouldn't exist. He's shattered the future I've foreseen."
"He is our common enemy, Aizen. And I know you know who I'm referring to."
Aizen smiled thinly and nodded.
"Of course. If not for him... I might never have discovered you."
— — —
Yhwach fell silent for a moment, then spoke again.
"Let's make a deal, Aizen."
"I will show you the path to the power you've always sought—power far beyond even your wildest imagination."
— — —
At the Gates of the Central 46 Chambers – Seireitei
With a single command from Yamamoto—
Every member of the Gotei 13 surged into the Garganta, heading straight for Hueco Mundo.
Meanwhile, surrounding the vast palace of Las Noches, hundreds of Adjuchas-class Arrancar and the remaining Vasto Lorde had formed a blockade—led personally by Elsa.
Yet Elsa made no move to interfere with the palace itself.
She knew.
Kujō Tachibana was within, reaching a critical turning point.
It had been nearly a decade since he last absorbed such a dense concentration of spirit particles.
For a Hollow, ceasing Reishi absorption for so long could only mean one thing—
Evolution was complete.
Though Tachibana's power had already reached unfathomable levels, Elsa could feel it...
He was pushing even further—breaking into an even higher realm of power.
How could she possibly interrupt him?
Even if it cost her life, she would not let anyone disturb Kujō Tachibana.
— — —
"All things shall return to ash—Ryūjin Jakka."
With a single whisper from Yamamoto Genryūsai, the moment he stepped out of the Garganta, a wave of hellfire exploded outward.
Flames engulfed the battlefield.
Elsa's eyes sharpened, and she raised her hand.
"Fire!" she commanded.
In the blink of an eye, over a hundred Cero blasts were fired simultaneously toward the sea of fire.
— — —
Inside Las Noches
Amid the chaos outside... how could Kujō Tachibana not notice?
Fortunately, the process of spiritual refinement through Reishi absorption could be stopped at will.
Unlike the cultivation systems of martial arts worlds—where interruption might damage one's core or cause death—this one was safe.
The storm of Reishi subsided instantly.
Tachibana rose to his feet and slowly unsheathed the Zanpakutō at his waist.
He whispered softly:
"Bankai Level Three—Infinite World."
— — —
And in that instant—
All of Hueco Mundo changed.
— — —
It looked like a futuristic version of Earth—a modern world, but far more technologically advanced.
Just like the world Tachibana Kyūjō once came from.
All Shinigami and Hollow pulled into the Infinite World stood frozen in place.
Not because they didn't want to move—
But because they couldn't.
Inside this realm, Reishi no longer existed.
Not in the air.
Not even within their own bodies.
They couldn't sense it. Couldn't control it.
They were powerless.
Except for one man.
The only one still standing tall—face-to-face with Tachibana Kyūjō, atop a towering skyscraper—
Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.
— — —
"It's been a while, Captain-Commander," Tachibana Kyūjō greeted first, his voice calm and laid-back.
Yamamoto surveyed the surroundings with a grim expression. Then, with a burst of righteous fury, he roared:
"Hmph! I underestimated you for far too long! In such a short time, you've achieved a level of power... beyond comprehension!"
"Your spiritual pressure surpasses the limits of any Shinigami. And that Bankai of yours—its form is something even I've never seen before."
"In all my years, there has only been one man whose power could compare to yours… What a shame. Had you chosen a different path, you could've been a member of the Royal Guard. But now... I have no choice but to erase you!"
He began to lift his blade, but before the first movement could begin—
"Hold on a second."
Tachibana raised one hand.
"Old man Yamamoto… What if I told you… that you've been lied to? Would you even believe me?"
A pause.
"…Yeah, probably not. Figures. Fine, let me explain."
"Fifty years ago, I warned you, didn't I? I told you there were two enemies of Soul Society—lurking right beneath the nose of the Gotei 13. Do you remember that?"
"One of them... is Yhwach, King of the Quincy."
"And the other—"
The moment the second name was hinted, Yamamoto's pupils contracted sharply.
That name.
That man.
An existence he could never forget, no matter how many centuries passed.
Even now, the memory of that betrayal burned like fresh flame.
"Where is Yhwach now? And who's the other?" Yamamoto asked, his voice cold and sharp as steel.
"Yhwach is hiding within Wandenreich—the 'Invisible Empire' that lies in the shadows of Seireitei itself."
"And the other one… is the mastermind behind this entire mess."
"Your very own Fifth Division Captain—Aizen Sōsuke."
Tachibana didn't sugarcoat it. He laid it all out.
"A thousand years ago, during the war between the Quincy and the Shinigami, the Quincy suffered a devastating defeat. Many lost their homes. And just before Yhwach's 'death,' his most loyal followers escaped with his body... to the most neglected corners of Soul Society: Seireitei itself."
"There, hidden behind illusions and built from dense spiritual particles, they created their sanctuary—Wandenreich. The Quincy never truly disappeared. They've been here this entire time, watching your every move."
"And Aizen… he's a genius that only appears once in a thousand years. A master of Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō. But his most terrifying strength lies in his Zanpakutō: Kyōka Suigetsu."
"Anyone who lays eyes on his blade... becomes trapped in Complete Hypnosis, losing control over all five senses—unable to distinguish illusion from reality. Even you, Captain-Commander, are not immune to its effect. That's how he managed to impersonate me… and you never noticed."
"I believe he intends for us to destroy each other."
"So… do you still want to fight me?"
— — —
"Ha ha ha ha..."
Yamamoto suddenly laughed—loud, thunderous, and filled with pride.
"And what makes you think you're even worthy of mutual destruction with me?"
"Even if everything you've said is true—if Aizen's a traitor, and Yhwach's a mongrel back from the dead—then I will deal with them myself."
"But you… Tachibana Kyūjō...!"
"You abandoned Soul Society. You betrayed the Gotei 13. You crowned yourself King of Hueco Mundo and disrupted the balance of the Three Realms!"
"To me, you are the greater threat!"
"So enough talk. Draw your sword!"
"Let me see with my own eyes—how heavy the title of 'King of Hueco Mundo' truly is!"
— — —
Tachibana let out a short sigh.
He had seen this outcome in Infinity long ago, so he wasn't surprised. The old man was as stubborn as ever.
Were all elders this difficult?
...Well, technically, he might be even older than Yamamoto himself.
Shaking his head slightly, Tachibana Kyūjō finally unsheathed his Zanpakutō.
If it had to come to this—so be it.
He was ready.
— — —
Yamamoto launched forward with explosive speed, slicing through the air with a blade filled with fiery conviction.
But Tachibana calmly raised his own sword.
With a single stroke, he met Yamamoto's attack head-on.
A burst of force exploded outward.
The sheer clash of spiritual pressure warped the very fabric of space around them.
And with just one swing, Tachibana overpowered the Captain-Commander's strike—sending Yamamoto flying back across the battlefield.
Crimson splashed in the air.
Veins in Yamamoto's sword arm burst open under the recoil. Blood dripped from his fingers like rain.
— — —
"That's it?"
Tachibana tilted his head, unimpressed.
With all that fiery speech earlier, he had hoped for something a bit more… challenging.
He recalled the visions of the future from within Infinity. The image of him standing above all others.
Was Yamamoto... simply growing too old?
It wouldn't be surprising if the day came when he was defeated—by someone he once commanded.
— — —
Yamamoto crashed into the ground but stood up immediately.
With a growl, he ripped off the top half of his Shinigami robes and shouted:
"Bankai—Zanka no Tachi: Minami, Kaka Jūmanokushi Daisōjin!"
He stabbed Ryūjin Jakka into the ground with all his might.
Immediately, the intense heat of his blade awakened the ashes of those long slain by its fire.
From those ashes, burning skeletal soldiers began to rise—one after another—forming an army of the dead, ready to destroy anything Yamamoto deemed an enemy.
— — —
As the ground itself began to melt into magma, Tachibana simply shook his head.
He swiftly shifted the entire terrain within Infinity World, relocating all Shinigami and Arrancar forces far away from the battlefield.
"So who's the real villain here, huh?"
"Your own subordinates are still on this field… and you'd unleash something like that?"
"Besides... that kind of technique…"
"You really think it can stop me?"
— — —
Without warning—
Tachibana's Zanpakutō changed form.
It now looked exactly like Ryūjin Jakka.
An identical blade, forged in fire and power.
"Bankai—Zanka no Tachi: Nishi, Zanjitsu Gokui."
His spiritual pressure surged—intense heat exploding around him.
The golden glow of a burning sun cloaked his body, forming an armor of pure fire.
The temperature soared.
15 million degrees Celsius.
With a single slash—
The entire army of the dead—
was reduced to dust.
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