"So over the top…"
"The explosion was so big it even blew out the video feed!"
"This must be the first time that's ever happened since the ranking series began!"
In the real world, the audience stared at the now pitch-black screen, the signal completely lost.
Their shock soon turned into lingering dread.
The immersion had been too strong—
many were left gasping, feeling as though they had just escaped a real disaster.
Moments ago, that colossal flame slash had surged straight toward the screen.
Some had even screamed or cried on the spot,
even though they knew logically that it was just a projection behind a transparent barrier.
But Ryūjin Jakka's power transcended logic.
Its sheer force could make one's mind and spirit falter with fear.
That was normal—
even most seasoned fighters watching felt the same terror.
That brief scene had completely redefined for the world
what it meant to wield the strongest offensive Zanpakutō.
There was no doubt anymore—
the title belonged to Ryūjin Jakka.
Inside Squad 1,
the captains of the Gotei 13 were hardly any calmer than the audience.
Even though they'd known the Head Captain for centuries,
none of them had ever witnessed him release such force.
Hitsugaya let out a long breath, his forehead drenched in sweat.
Komamura gripped his Zanpakutō tight—he had barely managed to hold his ground earlier,
using his weapon to shield himself from the blazing pressure.
And that was with the protective barrier of the broadcast screen between them.
"Ha…"
"Head Captain, you really let loose this time… all because of the ranking,"
Mayuri Kurotsuchi chuckled beneath his white-blue mask.
"But I'll admit—those clips certainly justify Ryūjin Jakka's reputation."
His words broke the heavy silence.
Kyōraku Shunsui quickly followed up, ever the smooth talker.
"Captain Kurotsuchi's right. I'd say after that,
even Aizen and the Arrancar won't dare make a move for a while."
And he wasn't wrong.
Even if Soul Society didn't yet know what was happening in Hueco Mundo,
the effect of the broadcast was clear.
As long as these rankings continued to play out,
no one—
not even Aizen—would dare challenge the old man lightly.
Unless, of course, Aizen merged with the Hōgyoku and ascended beyond mortality.
Otherwise, there was no courage left in him to act.
This, Kyōraku thought, was Ryūjin Jakka's true meaning—
a blade that burned fear into the world itself.
"Hmm…"
"To be fair," Yamamoto said slowly, eyes half closed,
"I have no complaint about the footage shown."
He turned toward Shunsui and Ukitake, his tone contemplative.
"But with our bond as master and students, I doubt we would truly cross blades like that."
"It seems the battle shown in the 'Ryoka Invasion' must have been a misunderstanding."
Despite his instinctive distrust of outsiders entering Soul Society,
the old man had begun to see the bigger picture.
Each new video revealed more pieces of the puzzle,
and the culprit behind it all became clear—
Aizen.
The one who wove illusions and schemes in the shadows.
"So that human boy—Kurosaki Ichigo—
could he be someone the Gotei 13 might accept someday?"
Ukitake smiled kindly as he asked.
As the captain responsible for the Thirteenth Division's purification missions,
he often interacted with substitute Shinigami in the human world.
The thought came naturally to him—
why not recruit this remarkable human into their ranks?
"Kurosaki Ichigo, hmm…"
Yamamoto fell silent, recalling the vision of that black-clad youth in the final battle at Karakura Town,
standing alone, fighting Gin Ichimaru one-on-one.
"It seems…"
"That boy's potential is extraordinary. He'll become captain-class in strength—
perhaps even more."
"He'll fight alongside us one day. He's a worthy ally to cultivate."
With those few words,
the Head Captain did something rare—he let go of his old prejudice.
He no longer rejected humans outright.
He acknowledged Kurosaki Ichigo.
He hadn't even met the boy in person yet—
and already, through the video,
he recognized the immense potential in both Ichigo and his Zanpakutō.
Perhaps, he thought,
this human might not surpass him,
but he would certainly earn a place among the future's strongest.
The conversation ended when the image shifted again.
The screen flickered—
then displayed familiar blue skies, white clouds, and rows of buildings.
Karakura Town—once again the battlefield.
That place had appeared in nearly every ranking.
And the moment the Head Captain's figure appeared there,
the audience gasped.
"Wait—he was there too?!"
"Then why didn't he stop Aizen?!"
"Don't tell me… the Head Captain lost to him?!"
"Impossible! How could Aizen, in his Shinigami form, defeat him?!"
As they pieced together the earlier clips,
a terrifying possibility emerged.
The previous ranking had already shown Aizen and Gin leaving victorious—
crossing dimensions to escape.
Did that mean Yamamoto had been defeated?
Had the unshakable symbol of Soul Society fallen before them?
The thought alone shattered his invincible image for many.
But that tension didn't last long.
The next clip reignited everyone's awe.
On the screen, the Head Captain stepped forward,
his cane in one hand, walking calmly through the air.
Opposite him stood three figures.
Aizen Sōsuke. Gin Ichimaru. Tōsen Kaname.
The traitorous trio.
"They're all here!"
"Those three—damn them!"
"Former captains of the Gotei 13, and now leaders of Hueco Mundo!"
"They've disgraced the very name of the Shinigami!"
Fury rippled through the barracks.
Memories of the betrayal still burned fresh—the way Aizen's illusions had fooled them all.
In Hueco Mundo, meanwhile—
"Heh…"
"So, Captain Aizen, seems the old man's targeting us now."
Gin Ichimaru's wounds had mostly stabilized.
Though still far from healed, his wry grin returned.
"Looks that way," Aizen replied coolly, eyes fixed on the image.
"He intends to seal us off—to stop me from reaching the Espada."
Just a glance was enough for the three traitors to grasp the situation.
Even Aizen conceded it was a sound strategy.
If they were locked down, unable to intervene,
it explained why the Espada had fallen one after another.
It all made sense now.
And then—
"All things in creation,
turn to ash—
Ryūjin Jakka!"
The familiar chant echoed once again.
Wood splintered. The staff vanished.
And Yamamoto's sword erupted into flame.
This time, the firestorm engulfed the entire sky.
A sea of flames consumed everything within sight,
the world dyed red in seconds.
The silhouettes of Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen vanished within that inferno.
To the viewers, it was as if the Head Captain had erased them from existence.
"Jōkaku Enjō—Fire-Scorched Citadel!"
"Let me pass judgment myself."
"The three of you—don't even think of escaping. Watch as your Arrancar burn!"
His expression burned with fury,
his voice sharp as fire itself.
In full view of the world,
Yamamoto unleashed Ryūjin Jakka's next form—
a blazing technique so powerful it defied description.
When he said "seal," the heavens obeyed.
When he said "burn," the world ignited.
Even Aizen Sōsuke—
a man who had once claimed divinity—
was momentarily silent before the inferno.
(End of Chapter)
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