Spiritual pressure cascaded down like a collapsing sky, and a terrifyingly high temperature lingered around the elderly body.
It poured down like molten lava.
He made no verbal threats, and even his eyes lacked the liveliness of a normal person.
But just by him standing there, Aizen could feel an unprecedented pressure rushing toward his face.
The Yamamoto in his line of sight was not tall in stature, but he gave off a feeling of reaching above the heavens, as if he had trampled this entire world beneath his feet.
"Phew—" A scorching breath was exhaled, and the surrounding temperature instantly spiked.
It was only at this moment that Aizen gained a much clearer understanding of Yamamoto's formidable strength.
In the past, it was always Naraku Sora who provoked this old man, relying on an elder's affection for a junior to repeatedly dance on the edge of death.
Back then, one could frequently see fiery clouds instantly dyeing the sky red, massive pillars of fire shooting straight into the heavens, or explosive waves of dust scattering outward...
The air temperature in the Seireitei randomly soaring had seemingly become the norm.
This also led many Soul Reapers to develop an unwarranted misconception: that Yamamoto was old and no longer in his prime.
If he could truly fight like he did at his peak, a certain rebellious disciple would never have been able to provoke him time and time again.
However, the only reason they harbored this thought was because they didn't understand Naraku Sora well enough.
Only Aizen knew just how terrifying that guy's true strength was.
Sweeping through self-Arrancarized Vasto Lordes, clashing head-on with the Zero Division that stood above the Gotei 13, and single-handedly holding back the disasters that erupted during the Hell rebellion.
Even now, many still believed that the reason Naraku Sora could break Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's Bankai was due to the unique nature of his Zanpakutō's ability.
But Aizen was well aware that Naraku Sora had no special abilities; his destructive power was simply that overwhelming.
In his own words: his stats were high enough, and he hit hard.
Yet, even a guy like that was frequently beaten black and blue by Yamamoto, left covered in scorch marks.
At the very least, ever since Naraku Sora reached the realm of First-Class Spiritual Power, Aizen had never seen him look so battered after fighting anyone else.
Only Yamamoto.
Aizen focused all his attention on the distant figure. While his right hand rested on his Zanpakutō, his left hand prepared to cast Kidō.
However, the Reishi in the air merely fluctuated for a second before instantly drawing a scorching gaze.
Yamamoto Shigekuni's eyes snapped completely open, and a boiling golden-red light explosively ignited within them.
The next second, the earth beneath his feet instantly cracked and collapsed, forming a crater dozens of meters in diameter as charred blackness spread straight outward.
The terrifying figure crossed the distance between them, appearing right in front of Aizen.
Not a shred of desire to speak could be seen in those eyes; there was only endless brutality reserved for an enemy.
Aizen reached a conclusion with just a single glance.
Inaba Kagerōza had been worried about being unable to control a Yamamoto Shigekuni with complete memories, so when creating this specific Reigai, he deliberately deleted and altered some parameters.
This resulted in the Reigai Yamamoto before him being completely unable to break free from Inaba Kagerōza's control on his own, unlike Aizen's own clone.
Aizen wasn't even sure if Kyōka Suigetsu would be effective against the Reigai Yamamoto in this state.
"This is a bit troublesome..."
Before his whisper could even fade, a Zanpakutō brimming with an ancient aura appeared out of thin air in his field of vision. The moment it swung, with a resounding boom, a pillar of fire reaching the heavens erupted right in front of him.
A terrifying Reiatsu, scorching and pure to the extreme, poured out at this moment.
In an instant, it shot straight into the clouds, completely clearing the overcast sky and dyeing the heavens a deep red, resembling an endless sea of fire suspended overhead.
A single blade struck out.
Blades clashed, sending countless sparks flying to dot the surroundings.
Like a war horn signaling the start of battle, the roaring sound of clashing metal echoed all around.
Scorching flames swept over like a tidal wave, and a terrifying force instantly erupted, spreading outward from the point of impact.
Seemingly sensing the abnormal strength of the Soul Reaper before him.
Upon realizing that a single strike couldn't finish him off, the flames clung to the blade like a living creature.
At this very moment, its might increased drastically.
In a flash, the sparks erupting in the ruins were like a torrential downpour. The intense sounds of clashing metal merged into a continuous roar, making one's heart tremble.
The terrifying shockwave expanded with the two at its center, instantly creating a massive crater a thousand meters in diameter. Dense fissures spread outward, reaching all the way to the edge of sight.
After a brief exchange of blades, Aizen took advantage of Ryūjin Jakka's downward slash to propel himself backward. He simultaneously used Flash Step to retreat, avoiding another similar close-quarters clash.
Once or twice was fine, but if they clashed too many times, even he wouldn't be able to hold up.
It was just as he had guessed. Inaba Kagerōza hadn't just tampered with the clone's memories; he had even altered its way of thinking.
In terms of raw strength, there should also be a certain degree of reduction.
Otherwise, in his current state, there was a high probability he wouldn't have lasted this long.
The Reigai Yamamoto turned his head, his crimson eyes leaving two trails of light in the air. Paired with his emotionless face, it gave off a scalp-numbing sensation.
Immediately after, the distance between the two rapidly closed.
"Hadō #90—"
"Black Coffin."
Aizen's gaze was calm, and his indifferent voice followed.
Torrents of black energy rose from the ground, unfolding along the Reigai Yamamoto's inevitable path. They transformed into an indestructible barrier, blocking off all four directions.
The long coffin sealed shut.
"Seeping crest of turbidity. Arrogant vessel of lunacy..."
A Black Coffin cast without an incantation could instantly kill Komamura Sajin, but it absolutely couldn't restrain Yamamoto in this state. Aizen was well aware of this, so when the abyssal Black Coffin towered over the earth, he immediately followed up with the incantation.
But the next moment, a look of surprise flashed through Aizen's eyes.
A blade engulfed in raging flames tore open his Black Coffin, and a demon-like figure stepped out from within, casting a cold glare at him.
That split-second of distraction allowed Yamamoto to appear right in front of him. His bones and sinews shifted, the muscles on his body rippling like flowing water as a scorching power erupted.
Just as Ryūjin Jakka was about to fall, a cluster of twisted black and red lightning arcs flashed before Aizen's eyes.
The next moment.
A wave of destruction roared beneath the heavens, blurring the outlines of the ruins. Pure Reiatsu burned wildly, causing the surrounding temperature to skyrocket sharply, as if there were no limit.
The scorching, explosive flames, mixed with the space-distorting black and red lightning, transformed into an all-destroying force that erupted forward.
The ruthlessness of the strike seemed to carry a hint of personal emotion.
"My son, do not panic, your adoptive father is here!"
As he spoke, a lean and muscular body unexpectedly burst into view. Enduring the slash of Ryūjin Jakka, he slammed a full-force punch without reservation right onto the shiny, bald head.
The dilapidated ruins collapsed with a boom, and the terrifying impact completely swallowed Yamamoto.
Without even a second of stalemate, the elderly figure wrapped in terrifying Reiatsu flew backward at a speed difficult for the naked eye to track. He crossed the battlefield, crashing through dozens of buildings and kicking up a dust wave a hundred meters high.
Seeing this scene, Aizen couldn't help but twitch the corner of his eye.
Wasn't this guy's rate of improvement a bit too heaven-defying?
"Sōsuke, you really can't do without me."
Having taken Yamamoto's blade head-on, Naraku Sora's arm was bent at an irregular angle, but he still smugly ran his mouth:
"How does it feel to almost get soloed by your teacher's clone?"
"Are you touched being saved by your good brother at the brink of death?"
Even though Aizen didn't appear to have any serious injuries and merely looked a bit disheveled, Sora still shamelessly bragged about saving his life.
But truth be told, the fact that Aizen could hold his own in a head-on fight against Yamamoto's Reigai clone until he arrived to save the day proved he was truly worthy of the title of genius.
Even with cheats, it was hard to widen the gap with this guy.
Aizen: "..."
'This guy's smug face is truly repulsive. Can I cut him down?'
'I should have just tested the upper limits of Kyōka Suigetsu earlier.'
He took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to hack a certain someone to death, and calmly changed the subject:
"The Head Captain's Reigai is different from the others. He is missing some crucial memories, so don't try to persuade him to defect."
"The only way to deal with him is to kill him."
"Secondly, his strength has been reduced to a certain extent; he shouldn't be as strong as the original."
"Lastly, take this seriously. I will record the relevant parameters and details from the sidelines. If we can gather enough data, we can try letting Head Captain Yamamoto undergo Hollowfication."
"Of course, the specific negotiations will be up to you..."
Hearing this, Naraku Sora's eyes lit up.
Putting everything else aside, if Yamamoto could master Hollowfication, they wouldn't have to worry about his Bankai being stolen by Yhwach.
Moreover, his strength would receive a certain boost, and he might even be able to use it to break through the limits of a Soul Reaper.
Most importantly, the old man's biggest weakness was his lack of recovery. If he could comprehend High-Speed Regeneration, his survivability would instantly skyrocket by several tiers.
He didn't want to be the young man burying the old bald man.
Just as Naraku Sora was fantasizing, the Reigai Yamamoto slowly walked out of the collapsed ruins. His sharp gaze instantly locked onto the person who had dealt him the most severe damage.
His upper garment was severely torn, revealing a body that looked frail but was actually knotted with muscle and covered in scars. New wounds were added to old ones, and blood continuously seeped out, looking incredibly terrifying.
His face was the most severely injured. Even though that punch had been blocked by a Reiatsu shield, his blood-stained face looked extremely ferocious.
Seemingly realizing how troublesome his enemy was, his aura continued to climb.
The terrifying commotion attracted the attention of the Soul Reapers, but the vast majority of elite squad members and even seated officers couldn't withstand the Reiatsu permeating the battlefield.
They could only hide behind cover and watch from afar.
"Is... is that Head Captain Yamamoto?!"
"The Head Captain is actually injured. The one standing opposite him is..."
"It's Lord Naraku!"
"Whoa, a battle between the new and old Head Captains? Lord Naraku is finally no longer hiding his wild ambitions..."
Above the ruins that covered the entire squad barracks, two tall and straight figures stood facing each other from a distance. Whether in aura or posture, they were exactly the same.