Masatsuki Aozaki stood motionless, as if waiting for Amagai to make the first move.
Shūsuke Amagai sneered, his face full of disdain.
"You're not even drawing your sword? Standing before me empty-handed—are you an idiot?"
His tone dripped with mockery, as if Masatsuki was nothing more than a pathetic insect.
"Or do you really think this will help you resist the Bakkōtō's power?"
"But a Shinigami without a Zanpakutō is no different from an ant."
There was a haughty arrogance in his voice, as if he found Masatsuki's supposed ignorance amusing.
"And let me enlighten you—it's not just that the Bakkōtō prevents Zanpakutō from being released. It also suppresses a Shinigami's Reiryoku."
"As a Shinigami, you have no chance of winning!"
His laughter echoed, filled with wild arrogance, as if he had already won.
As if he had completely forgotten the fact that Mashiro Kuna had just kicked him across the battlefield.
In his mind, it was impossible for every Shinigami to possess monstrous strength without relying on their Zanpakutō.
In the original timeline, he had even believed that sealing Ryūjin Jakka alone would be enough to defeat Yamamoto.
Seeing that Masatsuki still hadn't moved, Amagai smirked condescendingly.
"So, you really don't dare to use your Zanpakutō in front of me anymore?"
"How foolish. Did you come all this way just to die? Then let me grant your wish."
With a triumphant look, Amagai raised his left hand.
At this moment, his tuning fork-shaped Bakkōtō was no longer just a weapon.
It coiled around his arm like a black dragon, its mouth forming a jagged blade glowing with an eerie green light.
A strange energy pulsed through the air.
The blade's power spread outward, surging toward Masatsuki and the Zanpakutō at his waist.
This was the unique ability of the Bakkōtō—
It emitted sound waves that negated a Shinigami's Reiryoku, preventing the release of a Zanpakutō.
Yet, despite all his confidence, Amagai couldn't shake an uneasy feeling.
Masatsuki Aozaki's reputation was too great. He had to be absolutely certain—he had to completely erase any chance of Masatsuki using his Zanpakutō.
…But then, without warning, a sudden sense of dread gripped him.
A chill ran down his spine.
His instincts screamed at him—danger.
Without thinking, he reflexively raised his Zanpakutō, positioning its massive shell-like handguard in front of his chest as a shield.
A heartbeat later—
An unfathomable force slammed into him through the guard.
Amagai's eyes widened in shock.
Across from him, Masatsuki Aozaki calmly extended his right hand.
His slender index finger reached forward, exuding an overwhelming power.
With just that one simple gesture, Amagai felt an unprecedented fear take hold of him.
He struggled to resist.
But he couldn't.
There was no stopping it.
Boom!
With a mere flick of Reiatsu from Masatsuki's fingertip, Amagai was sent flying like a cannonball.
Bang!
A deafening crash rang out as he smashed into a wall with incredible force.
The structure couldn't withstand the impact and collapsed instantly.
A cloud of dust billowed into the air, and Amagai's figure vanished beneath the rubble.
His fate? Unknown.
Masatsuki Aozaki smirked.
"This is what you meant by 'granting my wish'? Doesn't seem like nearly enough."
There was nothing but scorn in his expression.
Casually, he waved his hands, as if the devastating attack he had just delivered was of no consequence.
Release his Zanpakutō?
What a joke.
If he actually needed to release his Zanpakutō just to deal with Amagai, then what was the point of fusing with the Hōgyoku in the first place?
Zanpakutō? Completely unnecessary.
Not to mention, he didn't even have a real Zanpakutō anymore.
Using its abilities was nothing more than a thought away.
And this Bakkōtō—was it supposed to stop him?
How?
I don't even have a sword. What exactly are you sealing?
A real card master doesn't even play the game, kid. Get it?
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion roared in the distance.
A hand reached out from the rubble.
Moments later, Shūsuke Amagai slowly crawled out.
He stared at his Zanpakutō, his grip tightening as he noticed the deep cracks along its blade. A cold shiver ran down his spine.
How… is this possible?
That hand—one that looked no different from an ordinary person's—had shattered his Bankai with nothing more than a flick of a finger.
Had it not been for the shell handguard absorbing most of the impact, he would already be dead.
What kind of monster is this Masatsuki Aozaki?
Why is a creature like him even a Shinigami?!
This level of raw strength… was it something a Shinigami could even possess?
...
"Time's up."
The voice from ahead was eerily calm.
Amagai's pupils shrank in alarm.
Without hesitation, he kicked off the ground, rolling to the side in a desperate attempt to evade.
The moment he moved, a crushing force descended where he had just been standing. Even though he had narrowly escaped, the sheer pressure of the attack still followed him like a phantom, manifesting into a razor-sharp shockwave.
The force slammed into his side, carving through his flesh and bursting into a mist of blood.
It was unbelievable.
Masatsuki Aozaki had just unleashed sword pressure—with nothing but a hand chop.
Even more terrifying…
The residual force alone was on par with a captain-level Zanpakutō strike.
"Damn it… just what are you?!"
Amagai planted his Zanpakutō into the ground to support himself, panting heavily. Sweat poured down his face like rain.
He glared at Masatsuki, his expression contorted.
Frustration? Maybe a little.
But what burned even stronger was hatred.
Hatred toward the Kasumiōji Clan.
Hatred toward Gyōkaku Kumoi.
Hatred toward Yamamoto.
And most of all, hatred toward the man standing in his way—Masatsuki Aozaki.
Masatsuki was too strong. Too strong to defeat.
But Amagai refused to let go of his vengeance.
For centuries, he had carried the grudge of his father's murder.
He had to kill Yamamoto.
He had to avenge his father.
He couldn't fall here.
...
"Gōen Ryūga!"
Amagai roared and slammed Raika Gōen Kaku into the ground.
A flood of searing-hot flames erupted from the earth—
Massive pillars of fire shot into the sky like writhing serpents, their scorching heat twisting the very air.
BOOM!
The inferno surged forward, all of it converging toward Masatsuki Aozaki.
"Die, Masatsuki Aozaki!"
With a furious snarl, Amagai watched as the raging flames swallowed Masatsuki whole.
...
"Whoa now, that's some serious firepower!"
A few feet away, Shunsui Kyōraku raised a hand, conjuring a Bakudō #81. Dankū to block the oncoming heat. Clicking his tongue, he let out an exaggerated sigh of admiration.
"I won… Is this the power granted to me by Father's spirit?"
Amagai exhaled, lowering his gaze.
Then, his expression darkened into one of contempt as he glanced toward Kyōraku.
"Just as I thought. The Gotei 13 is nothing but a nest of hypocrites."
"Your own junior disciple just died right in front of you—yet you don't even look remotely sad."
"As expected from that old man's student. Cold and heartless."
Amagai sneered.
But before he could continue, Kyōraku let out a light chuckle, cutting him off.
"You don't seriously think my little junior is that fragile, do you?"
"That fire of yours—couldn't even break through Dankū. And you thought it could kill my junior?"
His usual laid-back demeanor faded, and a sharp, icy glint flickered in his eyes.
That chilling gaze seemed to pierce right through Amagai's soul, sending a shiver down his spine.
"If you still have the strength, you'd better start running."
"Because if you don't—you'll die."
A sudden dread gripped Amagai's heart.
His gaze snapped toward the flames—
And his blood ran cold.
The white haori was still intact.
Not even a single burn mark.
Masatsuki Aozaki's unscathed figure emerged from the inferno, staring at Amagai with chilling indifference.
Then—his body dissolved into countless shimmering light particles.
And in an instant—
He vanished.
…
The very next moment—
Masatsuki Aozaki was already standing right in front of him.
"So fast!"
Panic surged through Amagai's mind.
He swung his blade in desperation, unleashing dozens of flaming pillars that merged into a scorching net, engulfing Masatsuki from all directions.
"Gōen Ryūga: Homura!"
His strongest technique—
The most powerful move he had ever mastered.