The oldest fire-type Zanpakuto, Ryujin Jakka.
It was said to possess the strongest offensive power in the Soul Society, and the power of its Bankai was even enough to destroy the Soul Society itself.
Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, Head Captain Yamamoto rarely used it personally.
But now, wisps of green smoke were rising from his Zanpakuto.
"Aizen, I cannot simply dismiss your earlier nonsense as a momentary lapse of sanity."
Genryusai Yamamoto did not immediately release Ryujin Jakka, but the mere overflow of his Spiritual Pressure was enough to make it difficult to breathe.
"Lay down your weapon, and I can seek a pardon for you from Central 46, asking for leniency."
This was not Yamamoto exaggerating his influence.
Before the establishment of the Gotei 13, the Soul Society was once in a state of chaos.
Rather than fighting Hollows, the Soul Society of that era saw far more battles between Soul Reapers.
That was the dark era known as the [One King and Five Dukes].
Yamamoto and his bloody executioners ended that era in the most violent manner, rebuilding the order of the Soul Society upon the ruins.
Central 46 was born around the same time, established through a consensus between the Soul King Palace, Genryusai Yamamoto, and the Five Noble Families.
In the current Seireitei, the reason Central 46 and the nobles could sit high above and even flaunt their power before Yamamoto was due to his tacit approval.
He chose to lock his power in a cage, willingly accepting this restraint to prevent a return to those chaotic times.
Thus, this promise was Head Captain Yamamoto's final act of goodwill.
He hoped that this consistently gentle and refined Captain had simply read too many books, and perhaps a five-hundred-year cooldown in Muken would set him straight.
Unfortunately, Aizen did not appreciate the gesture. He merely smiled, took off his glasses, and crushed them to pieces.
"Head Captain, thank you for your kindness," Aizen said as he took a slow step forward. "But as I said, this world has been wrong from the very beginning... So even if you give me a chance, I cannot accept it."
"As for my goal... there is no harm in speaking of it now."
He swept his hair back, his gaze passing over Genryusai Yamamoto to land on Rukia Kuchiki upon the execution stand.
"Everything you all have been busy with these past few days was orchestrated solely by me."
The moment these words were spoken, an uproar swept through the crowd.
Aside from Gin Ichimaru, everyone present was shocked by Aizen's words today.
"Captain Aizen... what are you saying?" Even Izuru Kira, standing behind Gin Ichimaru, could not help but ask.
Ignoring the crowd's reaction, Aizen continued calmly, "Originally, I planned to use the destructive power of the Sokyoku to evaporate Rukia Kuchiki's soul."
"Thereby, in that instant, extracting the object hidden deep within her soul—the [Hogyoku]."
He paused, a helpless, self-deprecating look appearing on his face as he sighed softly. "But there is no longer a need for such a troublesome method."
"I planned for decades, even risking the assassination of Central 46 to orchestrate this grand farce of an execution... I never expected it was merely because I was limited by a lack of knowledge."
Aizen pulled a strange scroll from his robes. It was the research data regarding The King's Seal that Nichika had stolen from Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
"If I had obtained this data regarding The King's Seal and what Kisuke Urahara left behind a little earlier, perhaps I wouldn't have needed to go in such a massive circle."
He casually tossed the scroll onto the ground, letting it be blown away by the dry, hot wind.
"I have already found a method to extract the Hogyoku perfectly intact without needing the Sokyoku. What a pity, wasting so much time."
"This Hogyoku you keep mentioning," Genryusai Yamamoto said, his brow furrowing deeper. "What is it?"
"In theory, it is the key to breaking the boundary between Soul Reaper and Hollow, leading to a higher dimension," Aizen explained patiently. "You will witness it shortly, Head Captain."
"I understand..."
A fierce glint appeared in Genryusai Yamamoto's eyes. It was hard to imagine this usually composed and majestic old man revealing such a gaze.
It was the gaze of a [Sword Demon].
"No matter what you desire, no matter what reasons you hold."
"Sosuke Aizen, who murdered Central 46 and toyed with the hearts of men, I hereby pass judgment upon you."
"Death."
"All things in the universe, turn to ashes, Ryujin Jakka!"
BOOM!!!
A terrifying storm of flames erupted into the sky!
The entirety of Sokyoku Hill was instantly transformed into a sea of fire. The billowing heat waves forced the surrounding Executive Militia and Vice Captains to retreat again and again.
It was the hellfire of karma, the end that could reduce all things in the world to dust.
However, facing these flames capable of destroying everything, Aizen showed no signs of panic.
He slowly reached into his wide sleeves and took out a palm-sized box.
Then, he gently tossed the box into the air.
"Please accept this small gift, a treasure I happened to obtain in another world."
The dark gold box traced an arc through the air, hovering perfectly above Genryusai Yamamoto's head.
"Prison Realm, open."
Following Aizen's low murmur, the Prison Realm turned crimson and instantly split apart!
The pieces hovered beside Genryusai Yamamoto, covered in equally crimson eyeballs. Countless fleshy tentacles shot out from them, tightly binding his body.
Buzz!
The moment the tentacles touched his skin, he felt a bizarre fluctuation surge into his body through them, as if trying to completely freeze his Reiryoku.
"Playing petty tricks!"
Yamamoto roared in anger, violently swinging Ryujin Jakka. A massive flaming slash cleaved directly toward the Prison Realm's tentacles!
The struck Prison Realm let out a sharp, explosive shriek, but it continued to split and produce more tentacles, attempting to bind him.
"Head Captain, your power is truly awe-inspiring," Aizen sighed softly. "Trying to bind you is indeed quite a challenging task."
The moment Yamamoto swung his blade, Aizen also drew his Zanpakuto.
But he did not launch an attack. Instead, he pointed the tip of the blade downward and gently let go.
Amidst this purgatory-like scene, he actually began to chant softly:
"Like an illusion, like a flame, like the moon in the water..."
As Aizen chanted, the surrounding space began to subtly distort.
The voice sounded like sleep talking, yet also like whispers from the deep sea.
The originally raging flames actually became somewhat blurred amidst his voice, as if turning into flowing oil paintings.
"Like the void, like an echo, like the air..."
The next flaming slash Genryusai Yamamoto swung out bizarrely passed right through the Prison Realm just as it was about to touch it, as if he had slashed at empty air.
Meanwhile, the box hovered there completely intact, emitting an ominous red glow.
'An illusion?'
Yamamoto's pupils shrank slightly.
"Like a dream, like a shadow, like an image in a mirror..."
Aizen's voice continued to echo, carrying an intoxicating poetic quality, pulling the space around him and Genryusai Yamamoto into a bizarre and dazzling world.
"...Like a flower."
"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."
Amidst this poetic incantation, Genryusai Yamamoto felt his senses being rapidly stripped away.
The flames he saw were no longer flames, but blooming flowers.
The sound of the wind he heard was no longer the wind, but the joyous songs of countless spirits.
The solid earth beneath his feet turned into a bottomless lake, reflecting a false sky.
Genryusai Yamamoto's figure actually froze in place at this moment.
"It is a success."
The smile on Aizen's lips deepened.