Mayuri gasped heavily, staring fixedly at the horrifying creature before him.
Seven heads.
Thirty-nine arms.
Twenty-eight legs.
And countless eyes and mouths writhing across its body.
"So this is your limit?"
Aaroniero let out a shrill, grating laugh. "Keke… How pitiful. A useless, insignificant Shinigami."
"The poisons you rely on mean nothing to us."
"This battle… ends here."
Among the Espada, Aaroniero was a unique existence—the only Gillian-class Arrancar.
His ability to devour Hollows and Shinigami alike allowed him to assimilate their abilities endlessly.
An ever-growing collection of powers.
Against such an opponent, most of Mayuri's tricks had become useless.
One could only say that fate had dealt him the worst possible matchup.
Mayuri raised what remained of his arm and pulled a green vial from his chest.
Injecting it directly into his bloodstream, torn flesh began to regenerate at visible speed.
But just as the wounds began to close—
He suddenly vomited thick black fluid and collapsed to the ground.
"Ha… ha… haa…"
He gasped weakly, then let out a strange laugh.
"What a terrifying opponent."
Despite his battered state, his grin remained as twisted as ever.
"But if I had the chance to choose again… I'd still choose you."
He staggered to his feet, his body seemingly restored—Ignoring the black liquid continuously dripping from his mouth.
"Aaroniero… your existence has shown me a path from imperfection toward perfection."
"And yet, in seeking perfection, you inevitably create new flaws."
"Hahahaha… You are the finest experimental subject I've ever seen!"
Aaroniero felt a strange unease rise in his chest.
Enraged, he roared,
"Damn you! We are perfect beings!"
"Die!"
Mayuri's lips curled into a grotesque smile as he bowed his head.
"Release."
"Golden Ashisogi Jizō."
His spiritual pressure erupted violently.
The monstrous Zanpakutō emerged—
A centipede-like creature with a grotesque infant's face, flesh writhing and venomous mist pouring from its maw.
Aaroniero's twin faces twisted in alarm.
"You bastard… you should've died earlier!"
"Devour!"
Both of their reiatsu exploded at once, colliding midair and kicking up a massive dust storm.
When the haze cleared—
Two terrifying titans hovered in the air.
One was Ashisogi Jizō, its segmented body spraying violet poison across the battlefield.
The other was a monstrous amalgamation of countless Hollow and Shinigami traits—
Aaroniero's true form.
Eyes covered his body.
Limbs overlapped unnaturally.
Dozens of mouths opened in anticipation.
"What a delightful Zanpakutō!" Aaroniero laughed. "Our collection grows again!"
He inhaled deeply—swallowing the poisonous mist without hesitation.
"How delicious… Your toxins are meaningless to me!"
"Foolish Shinigami!"
Yet—
Suddenly—
Aaroniero's body convulsed.
Blood exploded from his pores, splattering the air.
The crimson liquid darkened… turning violet.
Only then did he realize—
"I'm… poisoned?"
Mayuri grinned, golden teeth glinting.
"Even Captain Shimo wouldn't dare inhale my toxins recklessly."
"You, however… lack that level of caution."
Both monsters staggered, their bodies corroding from within.
The battlefield turned terrifying beyond description.
At that moment—
Shimo arrived.
He stared at the scene, eyes twitching slightly.
"…Why is Mayuri always like this?"
This wasn't a battle.
This was a competition of who could bleed more.
Mayuri raised his blade weakly.
"Kill him."
Ashisogi Jizō surged forward once more.
The two abominations collided again in a storm of gore.
Shimo stepped back instinctively, layering spiritual pressure around himself.
He wanted absolutely none of that touching him.
"…I really don't understand this man."
Then—
Mayuri suddenly collapsed.
"…Captain…?"
Shimo grimaced.
"Please tell me you're not dead."
Without warning, Mayuri stabbed a syringe into his own temple.
His body liquefied instantly—melting into a pool of green fluid that slithered away at high speed.
Shimo stared.
"…So that's what you were waiting for."
At that moment—
A massive shadow loomed overhead.
Aaroniero stared down at him with countless eyes.
"Where did that Shinigami go?"
"We haven't finished devouring him yet!"
Shimo exhaled slowly.
"So that's how it is."
Mayuri had been buying time—waiting for backup.
And now, that backup had arrived.
"Very well."
Shimo raised his blade.
"If I'm going to clean this up… I might as well do it properly."
Aaroniero roared, countless arms crashing downward, infused with poison, flame, and corrosive reiatsu.
Shimo's eyes sharpened.
"Hadō #88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō!"
A roaring bolt of lightning tore through the sky.
Aaroniero's arm was obliterated instantly.
Screaming, he tried to retreat—
But Shimo was already moving.
"Your power is too scattered," he said calmly.
"Too unfocused."
"Strength without control… leads only to collapse."
He raised his blade.
"Void-Slashing Sword."
Space fractured.
Black rifts tore across Aaroniero's massive body.
A single moment later—
His form split apart, shredded by spatial rupture.
His scream echoed once.
Then vanished.
His soul disintegrated completely.
The eighth Espada had fallen.
Shimo exhaled.
"Over."
The battlefield fell silent. Literally silent.
---
Elsewhere…
Within Las Noches—
Aizen observed quietly.
"…So it ends here."
Gin smiled faintly. "So you're done watching?"
Aizen stood.
"The Arrancar have served their purpose."
"They bought time."
He turned toward the exit.
"Now…"
"Let's begin the real change."
---------------------------------///
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