"Reduce all creation to ash: Ryūjin Jakka!"
The Seireitei experienced the most intense earthquake in its history. The massive city shook violently as countless buildings collapsed, and both the earth and sky seemed to tear apart. Before the full power of the demonized Whitebeard, whether it was meticulously crafted architecture or the wonders of nature, everything began to crumble and shatter like the end of the world!
Amidst this apocalyptic scene, Yamamoto finally arrived! After releasing his Zanpakutō, his blade radiated terrifying flames as he struck at Whitebeard.
Boom!
Whitebeard countered with a horizontal slash. The air in front of him vibrated and tore as the shockwave dispersed the lunging flames. Even Ryūjin Jakka, the strongest and oldest fire-type Zanpakutō, found its heat futile against the overwhelming power of vibration.
Yamamoto was genuinely shocked. It had been at least a thousand years since he had faced such a formidable foe. The last enemy of this caliber was Yhwach, who had been incredibly powerful, nearly challenging the Gotei 13 single-handedly. Back then, victory was only secured through a sneak attack by Chōjirō Sasakibe.
Since that great war with the Quincy, the Seireitei had enjoyed a thousand years of peace—until these past few years, when monsters suddenly began to appear. While the initial five creatures and the later giant were powerful, they hadn't felt truly unmanageable to Yamamoto. He had only grown wary when Shunsui was defeated by the giant.
But now, the moment these two appeared, Yamamoto realized he had to step in. If he didn't, the Seireitei would undoubtedly be destroyed. In fact, even with him fighting, saving the city was not guaranteed.
"Captain-Commander!"
The other captains arrived one by one, gathering behind Yamamoto. They stared at the two beings emitting monster-level Reiatsu. Whitebeard now resembled a demon, while Liltotto on the other side was as terrifying as a dark deity. Cold sweat broke out on their faces. Where did these beings come from? Appearing out of nowhere with such strength, and so frequently lately—who were they?
"All of you... scatter!" Yamamoto said heavily. "Evacuate the residents, protect the nobles. Leave this to me!"
"Old man..." Ukitake started to speak, but Shunsui already realized what Yamamoto was about to do. He shook his head and said, "We shouldn't disturb the old man. There's another person waiting for us."
Whitebeard's destructive power was the most terrifying, but besides him, Liltotto—who had been launching massive fireballs since her arrival—was also extremely dangerous. Currently, there were very few people in the Gotei 13 capable of stopping them. Old man Yama was one; as for the rest... likely only Shunsui, Ukitake, and Unohana.
However, Unohana Retsu was the captain of the Fourth Division. As the medical team, their task was to save lives, not to kill. Thus, only Shunsui and Ukitake were available to move. As partners for hundreds of years, they understood each other with a single glance. Ukitake nodded amidst the chaos and followed Shunsui to intercept Liltotto.
Meanwhile, Whitebeard threw another punch at Yamamoto.
"Air Break!"
This punch combined Haki with the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, instantly shattering everything in front of Yamamoto. It felt as if space itself was exploding in layers—an attack that no human could reasonably withstand.
Boom!
Even Yamamoto was blasted back by the blow, his body sliding across the ground and carving a deep trench.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto!" The departing captains cried out in shock, ready to turn back and help.
But in the next moment, a staggering Reiatsu erupted from the ruins!
Boom!
A pillar of fire shot into the sky. In an instant, an indescribable heat filled the air. Everyone felt as if the moisture in their surroundings was being flash-evaporated.
"Bankai: Zanka no Tachi!"
Yamamoto had actually activated his Bankai. Because his Bankai was too powerful—capable of negatively affecting the Seireitei and even the entire Soul Society—he usually avoided using it. He only drew upon this power in moments of absolute survival. Now was such a time. If he didn't use it, Whitebeard would reduce the Seireitei to nothing. At this point, he couldn't afford to worry about the side effects.
Yamamoto became a living volcano, constantly erupting with scorching Reiatsu. The intense heat caused liquids throughout the Seireitei to evaporate. No one could witness such power without feeling dread.
But the demonic Whitebeard was no longer human; he was a devil. There was no fear of heat in his eyes, only a soaring desire for slaughter. In terms of raw power, he was a man capable of destroying the world.
Whitebeard gripped his blade with both hands and leaped, delivering a heavy downward strike. Yamamoto swung his blade to meet it. Though his sword radiated extreme heat, there were no visible flames. Whitebeard's pupils dilated, and he immediately used Haki emission! Even he sensed a trace of danger and opted for a long-range Haki clash.
Boom!
Much like Luffy attacking Kaidou's Flaming Drum Dragon with emitted Haki, the shockwaves from the collision caused Whitebeard's Murakumogiri to glow red. In this aerial clash, Yamamoto looked like a dwarf next to Whitebeard, and their blades were mismatched in size, yet the outcome was not determined by physical scale.
In the midst of the collision, a thunderous roar erupted. Destructive force exploded from the center of the two blades, sweeping outward. Continuous explosions rang out as the world itself seemed to wail under the pressure.
"...Those two are truly freaks."
Beltz sensed the massive power and looked back at the distant eruption of Reiatsu before turning his attention back to the First Division headquarters. He wasn't afraid; while he wasn't quite their match yet, he wasn't far off. His future was bright; as long as he followed his path, he would eventually surpass them. Moreover, he was currently seeking the Oken to further his strength.
Inside the First Division barracks, Beltz used psychological invisibility to openly search the premises. His current invisibility was beyond the detection of the remaining Shinigami. Even Chōjirō Sasakibe, while a capable captain-level fighter, could not discover him.
The location of the Oken was known only to Yamamoto, but he wouldn't keep it far away. Yamamoto's confidence bordered on arrogance; to him, the safest place in the world was by his side. Since the First Division barracks were built over the entrance to the Mugen prison, Beltz deduced the Oken must be hidden within the headquarters.
However, the barracks were vast, and he hadn't found it yet. The battle outside intensified, shaking the ground and toppling nearby structures.
Not here, either?
Beltz even checked under Yamamoto's seat but found nothing. Had Yamamoto hidden it elsewhere? No, that was unlikely. Given Yamamoto's nature, he would consider his immediate vicinity the only secure location. There had to be something Beltz was missing.
Because this was a sudden opportunity—Liltotto's power-up and Whitebeard's transformation happened unexpectedly—he hadn't had time to plan. He had to think fast.
Wait... Mugen!
The thought struck him. Even if the Oken wasn't in Mugen, there was a man there who likely knew its location. Besides Yamamoto, there was one other person in the Seireitei who would know: the former Captain of the Eleventh Division, the eighth Kenpachi, Azashiro Sōya.
Azashiro's ability was unique; he could fuse with Reishi. During his time in the Seireitei, he had effectively merged with the entire city. No secret was hidden from him—not even Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu could deceive his senses. If the Oken was in the Seireitei, Azashiro would know.
Beltz realized he should have thought of him sooner, but he hadn't expected to have a chance to contact Azashiro before the main plot began. Now that Yamamoto was lured away, it was the perfect time.
He had to enter Mugen. As a Quincy of the Wandenreich, Beltz knew the Seireitei's layout better than the Shinigami themselves. He knew exactly how to reach the prison. However, the gate was guarded by Sasakibe.
Beltz appeared before Chōjirō and struck him in the face. Sasakibe had no time to react and was knocked unconscious instantly. Beltz then punched the massive gate to the passage, shattering it. He sprinted inside.
"Wait! Someone!" Okikiba Genshirō, the third-Seated Officer, shouted. He hadn't noticed Beltz until Sasakibe's Reiatsu dropped and the gate was destroyed. "Intruder in the Mugen!"
Entering Mugen, Beltz was met with absolute darkness and a sense of infinite, lonely space. Mugen was a place for criminals who were nearly impossible to execute, trapping them in a void where time and light were meaningless.
Beltz's Reiatsu wasn't strong enough to lock onto targets across the Three Worlds like Aizen or Yhwach, so he needed to find the jailers. Guards dressed like the Punishment Force (Onmitsukidō) rushed toward him. They didn't speak; they simply moved in for the kill.
Beltz waved his hand, conjuring a violent gale. Wind blades tore through the guards, leaving them wounded on the floor. He used his subconscious ability to probe their memories. Soon, he located Azashiro Sōya's cell and moved toward it.
Azashiro had been imprisoned for over two hundred years. When Beltz arrived, he saw the man standing at the edge of his cell as if he had been waiting. It was clear he had sensed Beltz's arrival long ago.