Chapter 58: The Zero Division: This Old Man Makes Even the Righteous Lose Their Hair |
"I don't understand the specific details or the reasons behind this, but the bottom line is... do you intend to arrest me?"
Nelliel, standing next to Lilith, spoke calmly as she felt the surging Reiatsu of the Gotei 13 captains.
She raised her right hand, pointing the tip of her bone spear at the captains across from her. "I cannot allow you to disturb Lord Yeruashi."
In the short time since arriving at the Seireitei, Nelliel hadn't had a chance to familiarize herself with the local laws and customs. She only knew that this place was run by a Shinigami organization called the Gotei 13, which had thirteen divisions, the strongest captain being Genryusai Yamamoto.
The Reiatsu of each Gotei 13 captain was notably stronger than that of an average Adjuchas.
Although Nelliel didn't understand why the Gotei 13 had decided to launch this outrageous rebellion against Yeruashi, she had no intention of surrendering without a fight, even without a direct order. Furthermore, these bold Shinigami had dared to attempt to arrest Yeruashi... in such a situation, she certainly couldn't just sit idly by!
"I advise you to lay down your weapons quietly, former officer Lilith."
Kyoraku raised his Zanpakuto and spoke lazily, glancing at the calm and unruffled Lilith. "There's no point in engaging in a meaningless battle; after all, you can't possibly stand against all the captains of the Gotei 13."
Lilith replied calmly, slowly drawing her Zanpakuto from its scabbard. "Come at us, then, if you truly intend to arrest us."
No matter what happened, she would never allow outsiders to disturb her father needlessly!
Boom!
After those words, Lilith first raised her Zanpakuto before her and then, without hesitation, released her Bankai!
"Bankai, Songu Chishita!"
Previously, while in her soul form, she truly had nothing to counter the Gotei 13 captains led by Genryusai Yamamoto.
But...
Now her soul was fused with a body!
With Nelliel's support, it was entirely possible for Lilith to withstand the combined might of the Gotei 13!
"Declare, Gamuza!"
Nelliel gripped the shaft of her bone spear tightly and shouted, releasing her power right after Lilith.
Possessing the combined powers of a Hollow, a Shinigami, and a monster, Nelliel had achieved her Resurreccion—undoubtedly her strongest combat form!
Boom!!!
Upon releasing her Resurreccion, Nelliel's Reiatsu immediately transcended the captain class, reaching the level of Retsu Unohana's Reiatsu at the moment of her Bankai release.
Transcendent captain-class Reiatsu...
Both of them possessed Reiatsu beyond the standard captain level!
The surging, vast Reiatsu of Lilith and Nelliel flooded the sky, tearing through and suppressing the Reiatsu of the Gotei 13 captains like fierce, untamed dragons.
The surrounding Reishi began to shudder even more violently when two transcendent captain-class pressures suddenly joined the battle against Genryusai Yamamoto and his captains!
"How..."
Soi Fon whispered, stunned.
Since the Gotei 13 captains had not yet released their Zanpakuto, the raging Reiatsu from Nelliel and Lilith easily overwhelmed and swept aside their collective pressure!
Soi Fon stared at Lilith and Nelliel in shock and confusion.
She could understand where someone like Nelliel, who possessed both Hollow and Shinigami powers, got such immense strength, but Lilith...
Lilith's current Reiatsu was comparable to Yeruashi's when he released his Bankai to annihilate the Panther Clan!
Soi Fon could accept Yeruashi having such power, but seeing it in Lilith was simply mind-boggling.
If even Soi Fon, who was well-acquainted with Yeruashi and Lilith, was this shocked, one could only imagine the reaction of the other Gotei 13 captains.
Even Genryusai Yamamoto visibly tensed, unable to maintain his usual calm and stoic demeanor as Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13.
Two individuals with transcendent captain-class Reiatsu!
That made three such individuals in total, if Yeruashi was included!
In the current Gotei 13, none of the active captains—except for himself and Retsu Unohana—possessed Reiatsu of that caliber...
Simply put, if Yeruashi joined the enemy ranks, their combined combat power would rival the entire Gotei 13!
But what shocked Genryusai Yamamoto even more was the thought that Yeruashi, to whom Nelliel and Lilith were so unconditionally subservient, might possess even more formidable power!
It was highly probable that Yeruashi actually possessed a Reiatsu even more terrifying and monstrous than Nelliel's and Lilith's!
As the next thought flashed through Genryusai Yamamoto's mind, his body stiffened, and his Reiatsu became heavy and intense.
After concluding Yeruashi's potential strength based on his subordinates, the Captain-Commander began to wonder why Yeruashi was absent despite such a massive disturbance. He then suddenly connected it to the recent tremors felt throughout the Soul Society.
Could it be...
Was it Yeruashi who had attacked the Soul King Palace?!
Genryusai Yamamoto grit his teeth and tensed further the moment that realization struck him.
He wasn't the only one.
Almost all the Gotei 13 captains present shared the same suspicion.
They refused to believe it was a mere coincidence that Yeruashi, a man of transcendent power, had vanished from his residence exactly when an unprecedented incident occurred at the Soul King Palace.
Yeruashi was undoubtedly the cause of the recent disturbance in the Soul King Palace!
It was almost a certainty!
"Deal with them immediately!"
Genryusai Yamamoto commanded firmly, his wooden cane gradually dissipating to reveal a deceptively simple-looking blade.
He gripped the hilt of his Zanpakuto with his right hand, his voice heavy as his massive Reiatsu erupted like a localized inferno. "Reduce all creation to ash, Ryujin Jakka!"
Judging by the sheer volume and intensity of their Reiatsu, Lilith and Nelliel were clearly not opponents to be taken lightly, so Genryusai Yamamoto decided not to delay in releasing his Shikai!
The release of Ryujin Jakka was followed by a wave of searing heat that instantly incinerated the nearest buildings.
Whoosh!
Simultaneously, Soi Fon appeared in the courtyard beside the frightened Rukia and Hisana. In the blink of an eye, she retreated with them hundreds of meters away from the impending battlefield.
"The old man is as decisive and relentless as ever, but the current situation truly calls for drastic measures."
Kyoraku narrowed his eyes and whispered gravely, shielding his face from the wave of scorching heat with his right hand before unleashing a powerful surge of his own Reiatsu. "Flower wind rage and flower god roar, heavenly wind rage and heavenly demon laugh, Katen Kyokotsu!"
He released his Shikai!
Then Jushiro Ukitake raised his Zanpakuto, reciting his own Shikai release command.
Next, Ginrei Kuchiki, Sosuke Aizen, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Kaname Tosen, and Sajin Komamura released their Shikais one by one.
Although the captains had only released their Shikais and not their Bankais, it still led to a dramatic spike in the intensity of their combined Reiatsu.
"Captain of the Fourth Division, do you intend to continue standing idly by?"
Genryusai Yamamoto, wreathed in a turbulent torrent of searing flames, glanced out of the corner of his eye at Retsu Unohana, who had yet to release her Shikai.
At her commander's words, Retsu Unohana sighed helplessly and flicked her wrists, tossing aside her captain's haori as an enormous flood of raging Reiatsu poured from her body.
Thump!!!
The surrounding earth began to tremble and crack as the sharply intensified Reiatsu of the Gotei 13 captains clashed with that of Nelliel and Lilith.
Since the disparity in numbers was so great, some of the Gotei 13 captains were forced to take to the sky above Nelliel and Lilith.
Meanwhile, Nelliel and Lilith scanned the numerous captains surrounding them from every direction before resolutely raising their weapons.
Lilith and Nelliel versus the Gotei 13 captains!
Neither side had made a move yet, but the collision of their Reiatsu was already like a raging storm, a precursor to a terrifying tsunami that would sweep away everything in its path!
Nearly every Shinigami in the Seireitei at that moment looked toward the Second Division's location with bated breath, feeling as though heavy stones had been placed upon their shoulders.
...
Around the same time.
The Soul King Palace.
Ichibei Hyosube, who continued to wait for Yeruashi outside the Greater Soul King Palace, first looked awkward, and then his expression became extremely tense.
Soon, the head of the Zero Division raised a hand and rubbed his bald head, which was now covered in beads of cold sweat. "Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryusai..."
"Have you completely lost your mind in your old age?"
As the one who held power over True Names, the Monk Who Calls the Real Name not only knew the names of everything in the Soul Society but also commanded the darkness of the world, effectively making it his second set of eyes.
Therefore, the head of the Zero Division could secretly observe the situation in the Seireitei without ever leaving the Soul King Palace.
If Yeruashi found out that the Gotei 13 captains had attacked his daughter under Yamamoto's leadership... no, Yeruashi was probably already aware.
As Ichibei thought about the situation with a twitching lip, an irresistible and tyrannical pulse of Reiatsu flooded out from the Greater Soul King Palace.
Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryusai... why have you placed such an unbearable burden on the shoulders of the Zero Division?!
Inside the Greater Soul King Palace.
Yeruashi, floating serenely in the middle of the spacious hall, opened his eyes.
At that moment, he felt like a puppet master holding an immense number of fine threads, with the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo acting as the puppets under his control.
Yeruashi quickly realized that establishing precise control over such vast dimensions under these conditions was a rather difficult task.
But it would be much simpler if he first temporarily detached these threads from his body and then fastened them together, thereby removing his direct influence from the dimensions.
While Yeruashi was occupied with this, he could naturally perceive everything happening in every corner of the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo through these countless threads connected to him.
He was perfectly aware of what was happening in the Seireitei.
"..."
Yeruashi smiled and shook his head as he watched the impending battle.
The current Nelliel and Lilith were strong enough to put up a decent fight against the entire Gotei 13.
This battle wouldn't end anytime soon, even if Genryusai Yamamoto and Retsu Unohana decided to go all out, and the final result would be quite tragic for either side, regardless of the winner.
Yeruashi decided to speed up his actions slightly, as he had no interest whatsoever in the outcome of that confrontation.
"Time acceleration: hundredfold."
Yeruashi whispered softly as a golden light, shaped like an illusory clock, flared deep within his eyes.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a hundredfold difference emerged between the flow of time in the world and Yeruashi's personal time.
Yeruashi's limbs, as he floated in the center of the room, began to move with such speed they didn't even leave afterimages.
Whoosh!
After about a minute of external time had passed, Yeruashi stopped moving and deactivated his time acceleration ability.
The tips of the countless fine threads connecting Yeruashi's body to the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo were now concentrated at a single point.
His fingertips tightly held the ends of these invisible threads of Reishi, which were impossible to see with the naked eye.
Yeruashi looked around.
His gaze fell upon a small fragment of energy he had set aside while absorbing the Soul King's power.
Whoosh!
He carefully closed his fingers around the floating scrap of the Soul King's power, wrapping the countless fine threads around it before binding them securely.
When Yeruashi withdrew his hands, that small fragment of the Soul King's power hung motionless and taut in the air, like a long-suffering fish being pulled simultaneously by hundreds of fishermen's hooks.
He then infused that beleaguered bundle of energy with his evolutionary power and Six Paths Chakra, before driving it into the surrounding space like a nail intended to hold the many tensioned threads.
After completing the necessary operations, Yeruashi peered into the future to confirm the stability of the anchor he had created. Satisfied, he stepped out of the Greater Soul King Palace.
Ichibei, who had been waiting at the exit the entire time, immediately bowed to Yeruashi. However, the latter simply stepped forward indifferently and, a moment later, appeared on the outskirts of the Soul King Palace before vanishing into the layers of space.
"Hollow King..." Ichibei whispered tensely, watching Yeruashi disappear as beads of cold sweat rolled down his bald head.
He first sighed helplessly, rubbing his sweaty scalp, and then folded his hands to contact the other members of the Zero Division. "Kirio, Tenjiro, Senjumaru, and Oetsu... we are heading to the Seireitei immediately!"