The light from the transfer completely dissipated.
Tsunayashiro Jin staggered a step, steadying himself from the spatial displacement. Once he stabilized, he felt the chaotic spiritual particles around him and saw the crescent moon hanging in the sky.
"This is... Hueco Mundo?!"
His voice was distorted by extreme rage.
As far as the eye could see, there was only endless white sand... and the two people he most wanted to tear apart at this moment, standing not far away, watching him leisurely as if observing a clown on stage.
The fantasy he had imagined—rallying countless supporters, breaking through the Gotei 13, and crushing Yamamoto underfoot—was now utterly shattered.
No! There was still a way to salvage this!
If he could immediately kill these two damn troublemakers before him, and return to the Soul Society before the Seireitei finished purging his followers, he could rely on the absolute power of Enrakyōten and Ikomikidomoe to fulfill his ambition once more.
"KENSEI KENZURU!!!" Tsunayashiro Jin's roar echoed through the vast expanse of Hueco Mundo. Enrakyōten in his hand reflected a cold light. "You dare to destroy the work of my entire life! I will use your blood to wash away this disgrace!"
"Such a standard villain tantrum speech."
Kensei picked at his ear, feeling Tsunayashiro Jin was being a sore loser. Why did he just scream and shout at the first setback? Didn't he know it only lowered his coolness factor and guaranteed failure?
Beside him, Aizen slowly drew Kyōka Suigetsu. The gaze behind his glasses was calm and unperturbed, as if watching a farce whose ending was already known.
In the distance, the Onmitsukidō agents who had already infiltrated the Tsunayashiro main estate began clearing out the low-level combatants who had also been transferred.
The two's contemptuous attitude completely ignited Tsunayashiro Jin's last shred of reason.
He now had only one thought: kill these two, then return to the Soul Society and continue his plan.
"This old man will make you know how foolish it is to provoke those who truly wield power!"
Tsunayashiro Jin roared wildly, pouring his Captain-level spiritual pressure—tempered over time—unreservedly into the Zanpakutō in his hand.
He raised Enrakyōten high, chanting the release command for this special Zanpakutō, his greatest confidence:
"Drink deep the four seas, coil at world's end. / All phenomena submit, rewritten and cut. Enrakyōten!"
The blade shimmered with brilliance, and Tsunayashiro Jin's spiritual pressure fluctuations spread like a tidal wave. As the Zanpakutō passed down through generations of the Tsunayashiro Clan, it could copy and stack the powers of all Shikai it had witnessed.
To ensure his plan went smoothly, even a single trial had convinced Tsunayashiro Jin that with this blade, he could match that Millennium-Strongest Shinigami, Yamamoto.
Unfortunately, using this terrifying power came at a significant cost: it whittled away the user's soul, making it a demon blade that devoured lifespan.
But now, Tsunayashiro Jin could no longer afford to care. As long as he could quickly kill Kensei Kenzuru and Aizen Sōsuke, it would all be worth it.
"All creation of the universe, turn to ashes — Ryūjin Jakka!"
Tsunayashiro Jin immediately used the strongest offensive Shikai ability he had witnessed. Intense flames abruptly erupted from Enrakyōten's blade, enveloping Kensei and Aizen like a giant hand.
If Yamamoto himself had used Ryūjin Jakka's "Enclosing Fire Prison," the flames would have reached a staggering six thousand degrees.
Unfortunately, Tsunayashiro Jin was no Yamamoto. Although the flames he released were hot enough to warp the nearby air, a counterfeit was still a counterfeit.
"Not bad, quite warm." Kensei, surrounded by the flames, extended a hand close to the fire as if an old man warming himself in winter. "Shame. This move is only good for roasting sweet potatoes."
Hearing Kensei's mockery, Tsunayashiro Jin was furious.
That useless Yamamoto! So his moves are just flashy, not nearly as formidable as legend says.
He could only swing Enrakyōten once more. A strange fragrance wafted from the blade, permeating the surroundings.
"Collapse, Sakanade!"
The eerie ability of Fifth Division Captain Shinji Hirako, which could reverse everyone's perception of direction within its range. Even the direction of damage received was reversed.
"Hey, Sōsuke, don't take the chance to slash me a couple of times."
Kensei shrugged. Sakanade's ability also had no effect on him. For some reason, abilities targeting the five senses seemed useless against him. Kyōka Suigetsu had been the same back then.
Not sure about Rōjūrō's... oh, right, his Bankai's influence stopped once one became a "D" Sternritter.
"Rest assured." Aizen's glasses reflected the light, a faint, all-knowing smile on his lips. "A simple trick, that's all."
If it was just interfering with the perception of direction, then one only needed to adjust their brain's calculation of the surrounding environment.
Watching Kensei remain completely unaffected, Aizen also found it odd. He could clearly immunize himself against such illusion abilities, so why was his resistance to things like knockout drugs so poor?
"Flower Sky, Wild Bones — Shadow Stalker!"
Tsunayashiro Jin's figure emerged from the shadow behind Kensei, the cold light of Enrakyōten flashing as he stabbed straight for Kensei's back!
In his view, combined with the sensory disorientation from Sakanade and this elusive attack from "Shadow Stalker," taking Kensei's wretched life was a done deal.
Then, what Tsunayashiro Jin stabbed was only an afterimage that slowly dissipated.
"Over here."
Kensei's voice came from Tsunayashiro Jin's side. How could such a petty trick hit someone with Hiraishin abilities?
"Dammit!" Tsunayashiro Jin's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. He turned the blade, and the light on Enrakyōten flashed again. "Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu!"
When the clan warehouse had been burgled before, Tsunayashiro Jin had used some special means to see the Zanpakutō ability the thief used—Complete Hypnosis.
After using Kyōka Suigetsu, in Tsunayashiro Jin's perception, the previously arrogant Kensei suddenly froze, his eyes turning vacant, as if he had fallen into the illusion Tsunayashiro Jin had woven. He even began attacking empty air.
"Hahaha, you brat! This is the fate of those who defy me!"
Tsunayashiro Jin was ecstatic. Spiritual pressure gathered on the edge of Enrakyōten's blade as his figure shot like lightning towards the defenseless Kensei, the tip of his sword aimed straight for the throat.
The blade pierced flesh, splattering blood that stained the Zanpakutō.
Watching the Kensei who looked utterly incredulous, slowly collapsing, Tsunayashiro Jin could no longer suppress the joy in his heart.
"Hahaha, that old thief Yamamoto! Who'd have thought your disciple would be such trash!" Tsunayashiro Jin turned towards Aizen, who had been standing still all along, looking at him with pity. "Though I don't know who you are, since you stand with Kensei Kenzuru, don't blame this old man for being ruthless."
In his view, the stronger Kensei had been effortlessly dealt with. This unknown passerby, also under Kyōka Suigetsu's influence, was even less of a concern.
"Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu."
A composed, low voice sounded. The figure of Aizen before Tsunayashiro Jin dissipated like smoke. He abruptly looked down at Kensei's corpse at his feet, which had now transformed into a clansman wearing Tsunayashiro attire.
Tsunayashiro Jin stood frozen in place, sword in hand. He slowly turned his head and saw Kensei and Aizen standing unscathed in the spot where the battle had begun. The "Enclosing Fire Prison" released at the start had only surrounded empty ground.
Kensei even waved at Tsunayashiro Jin, his face full of teasing mirth.
Aizen simply looked at Tsunayashiro Jin, his eyes filled with indifference.
"Impossible! Kyōka Suigetsu can completely hypnotize people, how could..." Tsunayashiro Jin felt ice-cold all over. A terrifying thought occupied his mind. "Kyōka Suigetsu is your Zanpakutō's ability?!"
"Not entirely foolish."
Kensei pushed aside Aizen, who was preparing to deliver a cool line, and addressed the now-deranged Tsunayashiro Jin. "Tsunayashiro Jin, do you have enough Zanpakutō in stock?"
"Clearly, my power is stronger! Enrakyōten's power is supreme!"
Tsunayashiro Jin had lost all reason, frantically using Enrakyōten to mimic other Zanpakutō abilities: Ryūjin Jakka, Sōgyo no Kotowari, even Unohana's Minazuki.
But the more he used, the weaker the power his already average spiritual pressure could unleash became.
Kensei and Aizen could only watch as the light on Enrakyōten in Tsunayashiro Jin's hand flickered wildly, like a fireworks display.
"It seems your understanding of the word 'power' is fundamentally different from ours."
Aizen raised a finger, black spiritual pressure gathering at its tip.
"Naturally, expecting a frog at the bottom of a dry well to comprehend the vastness of the sky is undoubtedly a fool's dream."
"So-called power... should be like this."
A mask combining beauty and terror appeared on Aizen's face. The black spiritual pressure concentrated at his fingertip dispersed.
"Hadō #90 — Kurohitsugi (Black Coffin)."
A black cube instantly formed, swallowing the raving Tsunayashiro Jin like a coffin, followed by the sound of dense slicing and cries of pain from within.
The black coffin dispersed. Tsunayashiro Jin, covered in blood, knelt on one knee on the ground, coughing up mouthfuls of blood.
It seemed he had, at the last moment, used Enrakyōten to copy some defensive-type Zanpakutō, allowing him to withstand this attack.
"Sōsuke, seems you're not all that great either."
Kensei nudged Aizen with his elbow, teasing.
"His last gasp."
Having said that, spiritual pressure gathered again at Aizen's fingertips. Clearly, he was preparing another Black Coffin.
"Cough... this old man hasn't lost yet!"
Tsunayashiro Jin gasped for breath, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Kensei. He had previously watched the battle recordings of Kuchiki Kōga and Kensei, so he naturally knew what Kensei's Zanpakutō ability was.
Given the current situation, if he wanted to escape, he could only copy Kūkon's spatial ability.
Tsunayashiro Jin poured all his remaining spiritual pressure into the blade. The successive uses of Enrakyōten had already consumed a significant portion of his soul, but as long as he could escape, there was a chance to rise again.
"Kūkon!"
However, the Enrakyōten in Tsunayashiro Jin's hand showed no reaction whatsoever. Instead, he sensed his own soul dissipating at an alarming rate. The hand holding the sword began turning transparent, transforming into particles of spiritual energy drifting into the air.
"Whoa, a fraudulent claim!"
Seeing Tsunayashiro Jin begin to disintegrate, Kensei looked at Kūkon at his waist with surprise. His Zanpakutō trembled lightly a few times, seemingly demonstrating its own formidable power.
Under the gaze of the two, Tsunayashiro Jin's body completely disintegrated, vanishing within Hueco Mundo.
"It seems Hueco Mundo has gained another guardian spirit."
Carefully picking up Enrakyōten from the ground, Kensei felt not a shred of pity for Tsunayashiro Jin's "extra-style" exit. He even felt somewhat amused.
"It seems the Onmitsukidō have finished cleaning up over there." Aizen put the hood that had blown back on his head again, glancing towards the direction of the Tsunayashiro main estate. "Shall we go see his secret weapon?"
"Let's go."
Without another word, Kensei and Aizen flashed into the underground laboratory of the Tsunayashiro estate. Many of the originally advanced instruments were now damaged. The two looked towards the now-empty cultivation tank in the center, their expressions darkening slightly.
"Looks like we'll have extra work soon."
Kensei sighed. He had originally hoped to solve this trouble all at once, but it had vanished without a trace.
"Appropriately, we will shift our focus to Hueco Mundo afterwards."
Aizen swept his gaze around the laboratory, noticing the obvious traces left in some areas. A glint of interest flashed in his eyes.
"No need for concern. As long as we join forces, before us, there are no enemies."
***
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