He had never witnessed such a frantic spectacle—Cero rained down like a torrential storm, unleashed recklessly as if they were mere basic attacks.
At a rough glance, there were at least a thousand Cero, their blue light intertwining, resembling a terrifying celestial bombardment of meteors crashing down, chilling one to the bone.
This scene before him caused Baraggan to widen his eyes in shock, his pupils filled with disbelief.
But he was, after all, the King of Hueco Mundo, and he quickly regained his composure.
He raised his massive axe high with both hands, and black reishi flowed slowly from the axe blade like viscous ink.
He gripped the axe handle tightly, his entire body tensed, and then swung it forward with immense force.
Immediately, an earth-shattering roar echoed between heaven and earth.
The torrent of black reishi violently collided with the torrent of blue Cero, the instantaneous burst of sound seemed capable of shattering eardrums,
Even the surrounding air couldn't bear the pressure, beginning to shatter inch by inch, emitting a grating, cracking sound.
The power named aging, like a hungry beast, frantically eroded the Infinite Cero.
Initially, this power of aging could barely suppress the Cero.
However, the Infinite Cero was called infinite because it could absorb surrounding reishi at any time for replenishment.
Massive amounts of reishi gathered quickly around Starrk, as if swallowed by a whale.
Starrk quietly watched as the Cero torrent dimmed slightly before instantly returning to its original state, engulfing Baraggan like a tsunami.
He frowned slightly and couldn't help but sigh.
If his opponent wasn't Baraggan, he truly wouldn't want to use this power, especially within Hueco Mundo.
Here, reishi is infinite and dense; even the strongest Hollow would find it difficult to resist the Infinite Cero.
Once used, the opponent would either be injured or killed, which was the outcome he least desired.
Unfortunately, his opponent happened to be Baraggan.
Lilynette's excited voice rang out:
"That's it! Starrk, finish him off in one go!"
Starrk heard this, slowly put away one of his guns, and said in a low voice, "I can't finish him. He's very strong."
"You saw what just happened; his reishi can devour and eliminate mine."
"Although the Infinite Cero can suppress him, he can completely protect himself with reishi to avoid fatal injuries…"
"Therefore…"
His gaze turned to Yoriichi Tsugikuni beside him, with a hint of solemnity in his eyes,
"This must be Baraggan's true ability that Harribel spoke of."
"He's a bit troublesome. Be careful. Since he can devour my reishi, he can probably devour other things too."
For Starrk, the Infinite Cero was just a casual test.
If he were to go all out, he believed he could win.
But he didn't want to do that because it was too tiring.
He had joined the Shinigami faction, but that didn't mean his whole heart was with the Shinigami.
The battle should be left to more professional individuals.
If Baraggan was truly unbeatable and it led to casualties among his friends, it wouldn't be too late to act then.
With these thoughts, Starrk's will to fight gradually faded.
He watched Yoriichi Tsugikuni nod, seemingly having noted his words, and then exhaled a long breath, preparing to observe.
Lilynette was a bit displeased; she felt that only one attack was far too little.
Her unyielding nature made her want to break free from Starrk's grasp and fire herself.
But Starrk held her firmly, saying in a serious tone:
"Don't cause trouble, Lilynette. As Hollows helping Shinigami attack our own kind, we've already broken the rules."
"If we don't want to be enemies of the world and unable to find a single companion in the future, it's best to just watch quietly now."
"I believe in him."
As he spoke, Yoriichi Tsugikuni suddenly vanished from his spot.
Starrk followed the movement, and the Cero torrent gradually dispersed as it lost its power source.
Baraggan's solemn voice emerged from within:
"A bit interesting. I must admit, I underestimated you."
With a loud crash, Baraggan's swinging axe blade scattered all the remaining Cero.
Visibly, his clothes showed some damage, and on his arm, a few strips of cloth fluttered in the wind, but overall, he was unharmed.
Evidently, he hadn't fully withstood the impact of the Infinite Cero and was affected by the residual shockwaves.
Thousands of Cero, even he, the King of Hueco Mundo, couldn't fully withstand them, yet the Menos Grande opposite him could effortlessly use them…
Baraggan snorted coldly:
"When did an anomaly like you appear in Hueco Mundo?"
He didn't ask Starrk why he was allied with the Shinigami, because even he himself had submitted to the Shinigami, and asking would only make him look foolish.
The Cero in front of him had just been shattered, and Baraggan was pondering this when a figure swiftly followed and suddenly appeared before his eyes.
Boom!
A scorching sword pressure instantly surged forth, transforming into a fierce crescent moon that flew forward with an unstoppable momentum!
The close-range strike left Baraggan no time to parry; he could only barely raise his axe, attempting to block this sword pressure.
Crack!
A crisp, shattering sound suddenly erupted in the air.
Dense, spiderweb-like cracks spread inch by inch up the axe body.
The ground was plowed into a long furrow, and sand flew everywhere.
Baraggan retreated a few steps, his hands gripping the axe blade trembling slightly, and his old, deep voice echoed around him, with a hint of disdain:
"Hmph… This is getting more and more interesting, you ants."
"You actually shattered this old man's Zanpakuto…"
"However, do you think that alone can limit this old man's ability?"
A Zanpakuto was merely a medium for releasing reishi; even without it, he could freely use the power of aging. Using an axe was just a matter of convenience.
Baraggan truly hadn't expected the Shinigami before him to possess such immense power; merely by releasing reishi, he nearly sent the King of Hueco Mundo flying.
But it didn't matter.
No matter how strong one's physical abilities, in the face of aging, they would be as weak and powerless as an infant.
He snorted coldly, and a vast black reishi immediately burst forth from his body, like black flames, enveloping Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Although in human form, the effectiveness and quantity of the aging power would be weakened, Baraggan felt that even a weakened aging power was something no Shinigami could withstand.
That Menos Grande didn't want to fight, which suited his intentions perfectly.
While the Infinite Cero wouldn't kill him, he found it quite troublesome.
If the two of them teamed up, he might have to transform into his Menos Grande form to barely resist.
How could a king be forced to reveal his trump card?
Baraggan coldly watched everything before him, having long held a high position and being an Arrancar, he disregarded everything.
He watched Yoriichi Tsugikuni take to the air, expecting him to retreat, but unexpectedly…
Yoriichi Tsugikuni's voice suddenly sounded in his ear: "The power of erosion, huh…"
Baraggan hadn't quite heard clearly when his expression instantly changed—When!?
He barely managed to look to his side, his peripheral vision reflecting the image of the "Yoriichi Tsugikuni" being chased by black reishi dissolving into afterimages…
Even the dullest person could discern some hint from this scene.
He had been tricked!
A clone-like ability…
Damn it!
Even he, the King of Hueco Mundo, couldn't distinguish it.
Baraggan gritted his teeth, his thoughts flashing like sparks.
He immediately controlled the black reishi, pouring it towards his side.
In his opinion, this attack should have a substantial effect, as Yoriichi Tsugikuni was at close range and absolutely could not resist the power of aging.
However, in his pupils, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's shattered figure was reflected once again.
"Crash!"
A sharp, blade-like pain suddenly jolted Baraggan awake.
A hideous wound abruptly appeared on his body, and red blood splattered out like a fountain.
Despite having reishi protection, he was ultimately injured.
This sword strike had directly pierced his body.
Fortunately, his true form was a skeleton, without organs, so the injury was not severe.
Yet, even so, he still felt a strong sense of humiliation.
He, the dignified King of Hueco Mundo, actually…
"Unforgivable!"
Boom!
"Rot, Gran Caída!"
Baraggan was enraged, his towering hatred seemingly wanting to burn everything around him to ashes.
With the release of his Zanpakuto, his human form vanished, replaced by a skeleton king in a black robe, floating in the air like a Shinigami.
A golden crown sat squarely on his head, and his shattered great axe was completely repaired and transformed into a different shape.
Golden chains controlled the great axe, as if capable of reaping all life.
He glared angrily at Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
To be injured for the first time in his life by a Shinigami was truly unacceptable to him.
One must know that even Aizen had never done such a thing.
This was a disgrace!
"Face the wrath of the king, you ants!"
Flames burned fiercely in Baraggan's eyes.
As this angry roar fell, the flames surged even higher.
Black reishi spread out like a violent tide.
The sand beneath his feet instantly decayed, vanishing with the wind.
Wherever that decaying power passed, everything turned to nothingness, as if casually erased by a painter's brush.
The release of his form allowed him to use the power of aging without restraint.
Because of this, Baraggan was full of confidence, believing that no one could touch him, and no one could harm him.
At this moment, he was invincible.
Yoriichi looked straight ahead, quietly observing Baraggan's every move, and gently shook his head.
After the brief contact just now, he had already roughly understood Baraggan's ability.
It was not devouring, but erosion.
If it were the former, it would indeed be somewhat tricky, because Yoriichi was unsure whether the power devoured by Baraggan would feedback to him.
But if it was the latter, dealing with him became extremely simple.
As long as the speed was fast enough, no erosive power could catch up to him.
This was also why Baraggan found it difficult to react after Yoriichi continuously used Solar Eclipse.
It had to make contact to be effective, and contacting an illusion would only waste reishi for nothing.
"Whoosh!"
Black reishi swept over like a surging gale.
Everything in its path vanished, revealing the dark Forest of Menos below.
Seeing this, Yoriichi instantly left his original position.
The moment he left, Yoriichi keenly noticed that those black reishi only floated around Baraggan.
Combined with the ability of erosion…
A guess subtly formed in Yoriichi's mind.
He then cast Kido: "Hado Number 58: Tenran."
A strong gust of wind blew fiercely towards Baraggan.
The black reishi was blown away slightly.
Some reishi, affected by the wind, approached Baraggan, but were detected by Baraggan himself the next second.
He snorted coldly and slightly pulled back.
Baraggan thought this was merely Yoriichi Tsugikuni's dying struggle before his demise.
However, in Yoriichi's eyes, this was precisely Baraggan's weakness.
Yoriichi did not use Bankai, because it was meaningless.
Shikai was the same; the reishi shot out would be eroded by Baraggan's impeccable defense.
At this moment, Baraggan finally displayed the true power of the King of Hueco Mundo.
But at the same time, his biggest flaw was also fully exposed.
This erosive power did not distinguish between friend and foe.
Yoriichi had already made his decision.
At this moment, Baraggan's majestic voice suddenly rang out.
"Ant, I admire your courage."
"As a reward for you injuring me, I will mercifully tell you."
"In front of my ability, no substance can escape the fate of decay and demise."
"Whether it's your Kido or your Zanpakuto, they will be as insignificant as dust that can be easily wiped away."
"Surrender obediently; to force me to use my full power, as a Shinigami, you should be proud."
Baraggan's tone was full of arrogance.
The reason he couldn't defeat Aizen before was because of Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu.
He simply couldn't distinguish between what was real and what was fake.
An attack launched at Aizen might turn into an attack on himself.
Once eroded by aging, no matter how powerful he was, he would collapse and die under his own power.
That was why he was willing to submit.
But the Yoriichi Tsugikuni in front of him did not possess such an ability; he was only fast.
And speed was useless in the face of aging.
Unable to approach him, unable to harm him.
No matter how fast, he was just a lamb to the slaughter.
Baraggan was extremely confident; he believed the situation was entirely under his control.
At this moment, he was unparalleled!
Baraggan stretched out his hands and then let out an arrogant laugh.
This was the power he, the King of Hueco Mundo, should possess.
However, as he laughed, a sudden movement interrupted his laughter.
"Rumble!"
Endless strong winds surged forth from Yoriichi's body.
They transformed into a turbulent azure torrent, sweeping away all the surrounding sand and the black reishi tide.
The whistling wind echoed in his ears, and his haori shattered with a crash.
At this moment, Yoriichi floated slightly, as if supported by the light air.
Against the backdrop of the azure reishi, he resembled a descending deity.
Although the Shunko Wind God Mode was still in its nascent form, it was sufficient to deal with the power of aging.
The danger was gone, and Yoriichi's pupils reflected Baraggan's stiff expression.
The arrogant, condescending laughter echoed in his mind.
A cold voice then resounded all around.
"What are you laughing at?"
"What's so funny?"
...
Baraggan's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.
He could not believe the scene before him, which was utterly different from what he had expected.
His infallible power of "aging" had been forcefully blocked.
No, this was not just a simple block, but a complete and utter erasure.
The strong wind howled, and the endless wind power seemed to form an indestructible transparent barrier.
The wind was like surging waves, one after another, emitting terrifying explosive sounds.
No matter how powerful his reishi was, it could not penetrate this wind wall to approach Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
After all, wind does not age; this invisible power was precisely the only natural enemy of the power of "aging."
Baraggan's arrogant laughter abruptly ceased, and his face instantly darkened like the sky before a storm.
He stared intently at Yoriichi Tsugikuni, listening to Yoriichi's question.
As a king, he should have been high above, looking down on everything, but now, he couldn't even give an answer.
His eyes were so dark they seemed to drip water, and the dark flames in his eye sockets dimmed slightly, seemingly swaying gently with his emotional fluctuations.
Baraggan's voice was low and suppressed, as if squeezed through clenched teeth: "Very good! Ant!"
"You have successfully angered me."
"Don't think that just because you found my weakness, you can defeat me!"
As he spoke, the giant axe swayed, and the chains clanked, like the sound of death.
Baraggan raised his giant axe, his posture filled with murderous intent:
"Wind is indeed my bane, but can your wind withstand my Axe of Ruin?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Baraggan instantly vanished from his spot.
Since ranged attacks like Death Breath were ineffective, then he would use pure physical attacks!
In his opinion, any substance would scatter and collapse under the swing of the Axe of Ruin!
Yoriichi Tsugikuni quietly gazed at everything before him.
The wind-type Kido coiling around his entire body made his expression even more severe.
His eyes reflected the image of Baraggan suddenly swinging his axe.
He gently extended his hand...
Rumble!
A surging hurricane instantly swept over everything in front of him!
The azure reishi was like a tsunami, making it difficult for Baraggan to move!
Even though the power of aging wrapped around both sides of the Axe of Ruin could annihilate wind-type reishi, the invisible strong wind could not be affected by it.
The black reishi was entirely blown away, and Baraggan's full-power swing had no special effect, which caused the flames in his eyes to instantly expand.
He cursed in a low voice: "Damn it!"
He felt more and more that the Shinigami was difficult to deal with.
Because he had always lived in Hueco Mundo before, he had never seen wind-type Kido.
Now, encountering it for the first time and making direct contact, he finally understood how greatly this ability countered him.
It was almost one hundred percent!
The Axe of Ruin, one of his trump cards, was actually ineffective; if those Hollows saw this, he, as the King of Hueco Mundo, would surely become a laughing stock.
Baraggan's mood was extremely gloomy, like dark clouds covering his heart; he tried to retreat, simply because the power of "aging" had lost its intended effect.
Before finding a way to counter wind-type Kido, any action would be futile.
But Yoriichi Tsugikuni did not give him that chance.
Yoriichi clenched his right hand, his muscles contracting, and the swirling strong wind condensed like a drill on his fist.
The surrounding air was torn apart and crushed, emitting a piercing, thundering roar!
[Shunko...]
He charged forward fiercely!
Instantly.
Boom! Crackle!
The sound of intricate bones shattering suddenly erupted, as shocking as a mountain collapsing and the earth splitting.
Half of Baraggan's body instantly vanished, as if completely returning to nothingness, like dust swept away by a strong wind, dissipating between heaven and earth.
[Ikotsu!]
Rumble!
The giant axe shattered along with him, and black fragments fell to the ground, turning into specks of dust, silently, without a single sound.
This powerful force caused the flames in Baraggan's eyes to suddenly contract and then expand, just like a human's eyes widening in shock, his face filled with disbelief.
If he had a human body at this moment, he would probably have vomited a large amount of blood by now.
After all, losing half of one's body was no small matter.
Even so, as a special Menos Grande, without a flesh and blood body, the shattering of his bones was still a severe blow to him.