The Monk's attack continued driving Tsunayoshi downward, smashing through layer after layer of barriers.
Tsunayoshi's body was repeatedly torn apart in the process, his consciousness already on the verge of fading.
Was it finally time to give up?
[Wake up, Tsunayoshi!]
A cold shout jolted Tsunayoshi back to his senses.
He forced his eyes open and discovered that his body was wrapped in a thick layer of white.
Byakuran's power!
[Byakuran, what are you doing?]
Tsunayoshi could feel that the layer covering his body was entirely composed of Hollow power.
It was precisely because of this protection that he felt slightly better.
But there was one obvious problem.
Byakuran's power was being consumed at an astonishing rate.
Byakuran alone could not withstand the Monk's attack for long.
[Byakuran, if this continues, you'll—]
[Don't worry. I have High-Speed Regeneration, and the Vongola kept a backup of me. I'll be fine!]
Byakuran interrupted Tsunayoshi.
Whether it was Byakuran, Tsunayoshi, the Tenth, or Enma Kozato, all of them knew what would happen if they tried to forcibly endure the Monk's attack.
Their Zanpakutō would break, and they would die.
Byakuran himself might even disappear completely.
And just as Byakuran had said, it was precisely because he possessed High-Speed Regeneration that he dared to step forward and withstand this attack.
If he and the Tenth emerged together and Tsunayoshi lost both his Shinigami and Hollow powers at once, Tsunayoshi would be completely crippled.
[Tsunayoshi, listen to me! I believe that you and the Vongola will definitely survive this crisis. I can see it. That future exists!]
After leaving behind those words, the white short blade behind Tsunayoshi transformed into a pair of white wings.
The wings wrapped around Tsunayoshi completely.
Byakuran was using everything he had to protect Tsunayoshi's life.
Inside Tsunayoshi's Inner World, there were no cries.
No reluctance.
No farewell.
The Tenth handed the tiny White Dragon Flying Needle to Enma Kozato, leaving him to place it deep within the Inner World and nurture it there.
That was simply how the adult world worked.
Since Byakuran had already chosen to sacrifice himself, the Tenth had to use every possible method to help Tsunayoshi turn the situation around during this brief window of opportunity.
The future Byakuran had spoken of...
The Tenth believed in it completely.
He had once been driven into a desperate corner step by step by Byakuran's abilities.
There had to be a way.
There had to be a method of breaking through this dead end!
Inside the wings, Tsunayoshi quietly wiped away the moisture from the corner of his eye.
He trusted Byakuran's choice.
With all his heart and soul, Tsunayoshi released his Hollow power.
His crimson Reiatsu dyed the white wings blood-red.
This was everything he could do.
Next...
He simply had to fold his arms across his chest and brace himself for the impact!
A series of violent collisions rang out.
Even the people in the Seireitei far below could feel the terrifying Reiatsu of the Monk.
They had lost.
At that instant, this thought appeared in the minds of every captain.
The Monk's Reiatsu had descended upon the Seireitei with such overwhelming force.
There could only be one explanation.
Tsunayoshi had lost.
Kyōraku could not help feeling relieved.
Fortunately, the evacuation had never stopped.
The Seireitei had preserved the last spark of hope.
By now, every Shinigami in the Seireitei had already passed through the Garganta.
With Gin Ichimaru, a half-native of Hueco Mundo, protecting them, they would not suffer any harm there.
Only the captains remained.
They had yet to take a single step because they were waiting for the final outcome of the battle.
At that moment, a voice simultaneously sounded within all of their minds.
"All captains, evacuate the Soul Society. This is an order! I will take over the battlefield from here!"
It was Yamamoto's voice.
Although the position of Captain-Commander had officially changed hands, the captains still instinctively responded to Yamamoto's command.
Just as they were about to step into the Garganta, Kyōraku's voice followed.
"Everyone, evacuate! That's my order!"
After receiving Yamamoto's Tenteikūra, Kyōraku was afraid that the others might refuse to obey Yamamoto's command, so he immediately sent out his own Tenteikūra as well.
Hearing Kyōraku's order, Yamamoto closed his eyes in satisfaction.
Good.
Shunsui Kyōraku truly had what it took to become Captain-Commander.
Now, evacuate.
As long as the flame remained alive, the Seireitei still had hope.
With the two successive orders, the captains had no reason to remain.
No matter how concerned they were about the outcome, they had no choice but to step into the Garganta before them.
"He's coming!"
Senjumaru's voice snapped Yamamoto back to reality.
Yamamoto looked up.
An utterly terrifying Reiatsu descended from the heavens.
It was too fast.
Even his eyes could not track it.
Whoosh!
That enormous golden palm slammed directly into the ground of the Seireitei.
BOOM!!!
The impact produced a deafening explosion.
Yamamoto stepped in front of Senjumaru in a single movement, shielding her from the shockwave.
Ryūjin Jakka swept through the air.
The force of the blade dispersed the dust completely, revealing the bottomless palm-shaped crater.
"Thank goodness. This little thing was sturdy enough. I nearly wasted such a precious resource."
High above them, the Monk slowly descended while making a sarcastic remark.
Although it was extremely faint, he could still sense Tsunayoshi's Reiatsu beneath the crater.
"Ichimondji, Monk!"
Along with Yamamoto's furious shout came a devastating slash.
Yet the strike that represented Yamamoto's entire lifetime of effort did not even have enough force to disturb the Monk's clothing.
"So it's you, Yamamoto Shigekuni."
The Monk's tone was calm, but cold.
"You chose the wrong card."
The way he looked at Yamamoto was as though he were looking at a dead object.
With just one glance, Yamamoto understood.
The Monk had no intention of sparing the Seireitei.
At the very least, every Shinigami belonging to the current Gotei 13 would be purged.
If that was the case, there was no need for further words.
"Bankai! Zanka no Tachi — Minami: Kaka Jūmanokushi Daisōjin!"
Yamamoto immediately unleashed his ultimate technique.
The Soul Society was already in ruins.
The Shinigami had already been evacuated.
Yamamoto had nothing left to hold back.
He could fight without restraint.
Yet this blade, capable of annihilating heaven and earth, was effortlessly caught between two of the Monk's fingers when it reached him.
It could not even injure him.
It could not even burn his fingers.
"You still do love playing with fire."
The Monk lightly squeezed his fingers.
The flames of Zanka no Tachi — Minami: Kaka Jūmanokushi Daisōjin quietly vanished between them.
This was the Monk after reconstructing his body with fragments of the Soul King.
He had crossed that boundary.
The difference in strength between them was now an impassable chasm.
"Tsunayoshi!"
Just as Yamamoto attacked the Monk, a black shadow plunged into the crater.
A moment later, it emerged carrying Tsunayoshi's barely conscious body.
It was Ichigo Kurosaki.
Several more figures immediately appeared beside Ichigo.
They were Tsunayoshi's friends from the Human World.
Every one of them wore an anxious expression.
Yet none of them screamed or panicked.
This precious moment had to be given to the Shun Shun Rikka.
Orihime's rejection power enveloped Tsunayoshi.
The effect was minimal.
The Monk immediately sneered.
"A mere fragment of the Soul King, insignificant as dust, wishes to rival the body of the Soul King?"
He looked at Orihime.
"You cannot do it, little girl."
The Monk's mocking words immediately ignited the fury of Ichigo and the others.
They all released their strongest powers and pointed angrily toward him.
"Ichigo Kurosaki! Why are you people here?!"
Before the Monk could laugh, Yamamoto roared at Ichigo and the others.
"Those who do not belong to the Soul Society, why have you not evacuated?!"
"Captain-Commander, your evacuation order was directed at the Gotei 13."
Tatsuki's voice was firm and uncompromising.
"We aren't people of your Soul Society. What right do you have to order us to evacuate?"
Water surged violently around her body.
The instant she saw Tsunayoshi, she had nearly wanted to charge forward and fight the Monk to the death.
Tatsuki did not try to persuade a single one of her companions to leave.
Because she knew.
Every person standing here would choose to stand in front of Tsunayoshi.
Even if the end of that road was death.
"You people..."
"Ryūki-chan, seriously. If you're going to have an event like this in the future, you have to invite me."
Ginjo and Tsukishima walked over.
"I almost missed a gathering."
As for the other members of Xcution, they were not strong enough to help.
Isshin had taken them away.
Isshin himself had originally wanted to remain behind, but Ginjo had persuaded him to leave.
The Kurosaki family still had two daughters.
If one son stayed behind to risk his life, that was enough.
In the Rukongai, a massive cannon rotated.
Its barrel was aimed at the arrogant figure in the heavens.
Standing beneath the cannon was a graceful woman.
"My, my... How are the Shiba family's debt to you ever going to be repaid~?"
Another three figures appeared in a flash.
The instant Yamamoto saw them, he was about to unleash another furious tirade.
But the newcomer beat him to it.
"By the authority of the Kuchiki family, Byakuya Kuchiki refuses to obey the Captain-Commander's order."
As he spoke, Byakuya threw down his captain's haori.
At this moment, he was not the captain of Squad Six.
He was Byakuya Kuchiki of the Kuchiki family.
"Old man, I've always done whatever I wanted."
The man carrying a battered Zanpakutō grinned.
"Orders? I don't understand what you're talking about!"
It was Kenpachi Zaraki.
A pink-haired little girl sat atop his back, enthusiastically greeting everyone.
"Hey, Yachiru, think we can cut him?"
Kenpachi asked.
Yachiru froze for a moment.
Then she smiled brightly.
"If Ken-chan wants to do it, then he'll definitely be able to!"
"Isane has mastered every form of Kaidō."
Unohana Retsu spoke as she advanced.
"After a thousand years, allow me this final act of selfishness, Yamamoto Shigekuni."
Every footprint Unohana left behind stained the ground with blood.
Her hair hung loose around her face as she channeled the power of Minazuki toward Tsunayoshi.
With the combined powers of Orihime Inoue and Unohana Retsu, Tsunayoshi's condition seemed to improve considerably.
His tightly closed eyes slowly opened.
"Baldy! I told you we wouldn't be the only ones to come running!"
Despite having relatively little strength, the speaker's tone was unbelievably arrogant.
The instant she appeared, she drew everyone's attention.
Hiyori Sarugaki stood there with a Hollow Mask covering her head.
"Sorry, former Captain-Commander. The Visored have arrived!"
Shinji Hirako led the entire Visored contingent onto the battlefield.
Without exception, every former captain among them had removed their captain's haori.
"Stop this nonsense!"
Yamamoto was furious.
"The Gotei 13 needs every available fighter right now!"
"We can't exactly help it, Captain-Commander Yamamoto."
Shinji spread his hands.
"What would we be doing right now if not for Tsunayoshi? We'd still be hiding in the Human World like rats, wouldn't we?"
He shrugged as though it did not matter.
Shinji knew perfectly well that they had come here to die.
That was why he had not objected when Hiyori insisted on coming along.
They were nothing more than ants before the Monk.
Adding one or two more made little difference.
As long as Hiyori and the others could leave this world without regrets, that was enough.
"Oh?"
The Monk's eyes widened.
"You people don't seriously believe that numbers have any meaning before me, do you?"
His Reiatsu suddenly descended like a mountain.
Everyone present was instantly crushed beneath it.
Their bodies bent under the pressure, unable even to straighten their backs.
If this continued, the Monk would not even need to attack.
His Reiatsu alone would be enough to crush them to death in an instant.
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