"So terrifying!!!"
"The Head Captain just drew his sword, and the pressure alone is this intense!"
"I can't even imagine what'll happen when Ryūjin Jakka is released… won't it set reality itself on fire?!"
At that instant, the entire world of the Shinigami trembled.
Countless weaker souls watching the video could barely stand the sheer pressure coming through the screen.
Even from afar, even through a barrier of light, Yamamoto's spiritual power was suffocating.
And then—
on-screen, the Captain-Commander's entire body was wrapped in blood-red reiatsu.
His once-white eyebrows and beard now blazed with living flame.
To every viewer, it looked less like a man… and more like a sun.
Even though that sun was old—
its brilliance and energy were still infinite.
This was the moment everyone understood why Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni
had always been called the "Strongest Shinigami."
"Hiss…"
"What a terrifying old man!"
"No wonder Lord Aizen hid in the shadows for centuries before daring to betray Soul Society!"
In Las Noches, Harribel's subordinates trembled.
Even standing behind her, they felt like their very skin would burn.
"Right?!"
"It's just a video—just an image on a screen—and it's already this intense!"
"How could anyone possibly defeat this old monster?!"
"To think his Zanpakutō ranks only fourth… it's unreal!"
Another Arrancar stammered, clutching her arms as if to ward off the phantom heat.
Every instinct screamed to flee—to run as far as possible from that fiery projection.
After all, in previous rankings, each weapon's power had built up gradually.
From Senbonzakura to Hyorinmaru, then Benihime—
the videos always started small and rose in intensity.
But this one?
It began at its peak.
The moment Ryūjin Jakka appeared, it crushed the audience under its presence.
Even a fool could tell the difference—
it wasn't that the tone had changed.
It was that the Head Captain's power was simply too far beyond reason.
His Ryūjin Jakka was beyond the realm of logic.
Back in the video, the battle between master and disciples continued.
BOOM!
Yamamoto's spiritual pressure flared outward like a volcanic eruption.
Sky and ground alike trembled under the weight of his power.
Everything within sight was forced downward—suppressed by the sheer force of his will.
The screen seemed to contain only one being now: the old man himself.
His Ryūjin Jakka filled the frame.
"This is…"
"Is he about to release it?!"
"Ryūjin Jakka's release phrase—unlike any other Zanpakutō!"
Kyōraku Shunsui's eyes widened in awe and resignation.
Even now, he couldn't understand why the Head Captain was this angry—
why he would go so far as to draw his weapon against his own students,
himself and Ukitake Jūshirō.
Across from him, Mayuri Kurotsuchi smirked coldly.
"Heh. Who would've thought…"
"So that's when you started being a fool, Shunsui. No wonder you end up as the second Head Captain."
He didn't even lower his voice—he wanted everyone to hear.
The other captains froze.
Yamamoto's expression darkened even further, eyes narrowing.
"Fool?"
Just that one word made the air vibrate.
The glance he cast toward Shunsui was like the edge of a blade—
and Shunsui nearly fainted on the spot.
He hadn't done anything wrong,
but in the face of that killing intent, even standing still was terrifying.
On-screen, the pressure reached its peak.
BOOM!!!
The reiatsu burst into a pillar of flame that shot to the heavens,
blowing away the Captain-Commander's haori.
Facing the camera, Yamamoto spread his arms wide,
revealing his battle-worn but muscular body.
And then—
the words that had not been spoken publicly for centuries resounded through the world:
"All things in creation… turn to ash—
Ryūjin Jakka!"
The flames surged upward, threatening to spill out of the screen itself.
"Here it comes…"
"The old man's first public release!"
"This is history—everyone watching this will remember it forever!"
In Las Noches, Gin Ichimaru forced himself upright beneath the crimson glow of the screen.
His half-lidded eyes opened fully, revealing icy blue pupils filled with dread.
Still weakened from his wounds, he felt as if he were facing the sun itself.
Even he, who had seen Aizen at his strongest,
could barely breathe.
"Damn…"
"The Head Captain's a monster."
"Just his release alone—this power is absurd."
Grimmjow gritted his teeth,
his blue hair seeming to redden under the screen's blazing light.
For the first time in his life, the proud panther felt like a cornered kitten.
That was the difference in their level.
Even Ryūjin Jakka's awakening crushed all will to fight.
And he wasn't the only one.
Nnoitra, Yammy, Harribel, Nel—all felt their bodies trembling.
The heat, the light, the fire—it overwhelmed everything.
Only Aizen, sitting on his throne, remained calm.
Everyone else in Hueco Mundo was reduced to silence and awe.
In that moment,
every Arrancar understood:
even if all of them fought together,
they could not match that blade of flame.
Meanwhile, in the icy palace of the Quincy Empire—
things were no better.
As the crimson light from the broadcast bathed the hall,
the Quincies' white uniforms turned scarlet,
as though their purity itself were being burned away.
None of them looked arrogant now.
Not one dared to speak disrespectfully of the Shinigami.
Even Haschwalth, Yhwach's calm right hand,
wore a look of silent awe.
"Ryūjin Jakka…"
"The strongest offensive Zanpakutō—truly lives up to its name."
He raised his head,
gazing coldly at the screen.
As long as Yhwach had not yet awakened to his full power,
even Haschwalth himself doubted they could stand against this old man.
With one sword alone,
Yamamoto could defend the entire Soul Society
against any invasion.
That realization settled in the hearts of every Quincy present.
Back on-screen, the old man spoke:
"Kyōraku Shunsui. Ukitake Jūshirō."
His voice rolled like thunder through fire.
Surrounded by flames, he looked more like a god than a man.
"Why are you still standing there?" he barked.
"Release your Zanpakutōs. I will not believe that you'd rather turn to ash without resistance."
He raised his burning sword.
Just the act of speaking made the screen distort from heat.
The flames of Ryūjin Jakka spread outward.
Everything within the battlefield withered and burned,
the earth itself blackening underfoot.
Some sharp-eyed viewers gasped—
within the inferno, both Shunsui and Ukitake were already half-engulfed.
The edges of their Shihakushō were starting to ignite—
and the true battle had only just begun.
(End of Chapter)
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