"Have you made a decision?" Yamahiko nodded as he faced Yoruichi.
"I have," he said. "The plan is about to begin. I must master Bankai."
"Since you've made up your mind, let's get started," said Yoruichi as she took out the Tenshintai. "Insert your Zanpakuto into the Tenshintai."
[Tenshintai - img]
Yamahiko raised his Zanpakuto, about to comply, but a voice sounded in his ear. "Yamahiko, are you sure you want to use this method?"
Lisa Yadōmaru stood nearby, accompanied by other members of the Visored like Kuna Mashiro and Hachigen Ushōda.
After Yoruichi explained the risks of the Tenshintai to them, they hoped Yamahiko would reconsider.
Looking at them, Yamahiko said firmly, "I've already made up my mind."
With little time left, he had to act. Only by mastering Bankai could he hope to defeat Aizen.
Smiling, Lisa said, "In that case, we can only wish you success."
"Alright, let's begin."
Yamahiko took a deep breath and inserted his Zanpakuto into the Tenshintai.
"Boom!"
The Zanpakuto slowly disappeared, and in the next moment, the sky changed dramatically as arcs of electricity crackled, filling the entire space.
"Hachigen, prepare the barrier and keep the spiritual energy from leaking out," said Lisa.
"Understood," replied Hachigen Ushōda as he formed hand seals, enclosing the space.
[Hachigen performs seals with his hands to erect a Kido barrier. - IMG]
The next moment, arcs of electricity gathered, forming a figure made of lightning in front of Yamahiko. The entire body was blue and flickering with electricity.
This figure, entirely composed of lightning, was the materialization of Yamahiko Zanpakuto, representing the purest form of lightning.
[Kind of like this - Img]
"Is this my Zanpakutō's manifested spirit?" Yamahiko asked, his tone serious as he gazed at the figure.
"Indeed, it is I. You have brought me into the real world to gain my power by defeating me. However, as you are now, you are incapable of defeating me," the figure replied gently.
"Then I'll have to fight you to find out," Yamahiko said, squinting at his Zanpakutō spirit.
"Fight?" The blue figure let out a light chuckle. In the next moment, it appeared beside Yamahiko, its arm swinging lightly and aiming for his neck.
'So fast,' Yamahiko thought.
In an instant, the figure was beside him. Reacting swiftly, Yamahiko pushed off with the tip of his foot, swiftly moving backward to evade the impending strike.
However, just as the figure's hand was about to touch Yamahiko's neck, it stopped. He had moved just in time, but the blue figure's fingertips were now aimed at him.
Boom.
A massive column of lightning shot forth from the palm, engulfing Yamahiko in an instant.
'Instantaneous: Dragon Strike Heaven-Shaking Lightning Cannon.' [Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō]
[IMG]
Unlike Yamahiko, the blue figure didn't need to charge it; he simply aimed and released the thunder cannon.
However, the fired thunder cannon was blocked halfway through by a transparent barrier that appeared in front of it.
"Bakudō #81. Dankū."[IMG]
A transparent barrier appeared in front of the thunder cannon. Bakudō #81, Dankū, could defend against all Hado below number 89.
However, Dankū without incantation had limited power, whereas this thunder cannon's ability far exceeded that of the full incantation of Hadō #88.
"How could this be blocked?" The blue figure spoke contemptuously. As his words fell, Dankū shattered, and the thunder cannon pierced through Yamahiko.
[IMG]
"Yamahiko!"
Yadōmaru Lisa cried out in horror as she stood up, watching Yamahiko's body being pierced.
However, after the lightning faded, Yamahiko appeared on the other side, wearing a mask and standing there. The Yamahiko that had been pierced turned out to be an afterimage.
In the moment when Dankū blocked the attack, Yamahiko used hollowfication and Shunpo to dodge the thunder cannon.
Swish.
With a swift motion, Yamahiko's figure vanished, only to reappear in front of his opponent, launching a punch with his right fist.
"Too slow," remarked the blue figure as its palm materialized in front of Yamahiko's fist, stopping it in its tracks.
A thunderous boom followed as another thunder cannon was unleashed, engulfing Yamahiko's form once more.
Despite the attack, it failed to land a hit on Yamahiko. Aware of his opponent's ability to release a thunder cannon at any moment and from any position, Yamahiko evaded the impending palm strike.
Just as the thunder cannon was unleashed, Yamahiko seized the opportunity to move, appearing behind the blue figure. Arcs of electricity crackled around his arms as he struck the figure's back.
Boom.
A muffled sound echoed as the blue figure remained still, but the blue light on Yamahiko's arm vanished.
"All the lightning energy is under my control. Don't use such petty tricks anymore," said the blue figure as he turned and swung his arm.
Yamahiko swiftly dodged as a massive lightning strike slashed through the ground, leaving deep furrows.
In the distance, the lightning strike hit a barrier, and with a resounding boom, the barrier shattered layer by layer.
"Incredible," said Hachigen as he quickly formed seals to stabilize the barrier space.
After dodging, Yamahiko appeared in the distance, waving his right hand in the air, emitting flashes of black light.
"Hadō #90. Kurohitsugi."[IMG]
In the next moment, the blue figure was enveloped by a black cube filled with crosses. With a roar, black beams of light burst forth, piercing through the black cube.
However, the black light stagnated for a moment, and from the center of the cube, blue light emerged.
Boom.
The black cube burst, and the blue figure reappeared, surrounded by arcs of flickering electricity.
"It's useless. You are not my match," the blue figure said softly, fixing his gaze on Yamahiko.
"Kurohitsugi is ineffective!?"
The members of the Visored looked grim.
Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi smiled wryly. "I would need to use my Bankai to withstand Kurohitsugi, and I would still be injured. But that Zanpakutō spirit can withstand it with just his physical body."
While the intensity of Kurohitsugi varies, its power would severely injure anyone within its confines.
Yamahiko realized the gravity of the situation. Just as he was about to launch another attack, a crackling sound filled the air.
A hand suddenly appeared in front of Yamahiko, pressing against his face, and then he was slammed into the ground.
Boom.
The ground exploded, revealing cracks beneath the surface as the blue figure slowly rose. "You are not my match. Use your real power, or you will die," it declared.
Yamahiko rose from the ground, fixing his gaze on the figure. "It seems you don't want to kill me."
The blue figure nodded. "Of course not. You are my host; I won't kill you."
As these words were spoken, arcs of electricity flickered around the blue figure, and bolts of lightning spread in all directions from him as the center.
Everyone around felt a numbing sensation, as if they were facing a terrifying thunder god.
He said softly, "But if you continue like this, I will kill you because of your arrogance."
"Yamahiko, give up. You can't defeat him," Lisa couldn't help but shout.
Upon hearing this, Yamahiko slowly stepped back, shaking his head.
The next moment, gusts of wind suddenly burst from Yamahiko's back, swirling around him as his shoulders and back exploded, creating a powerful airflow that spread through the surrounding space.
The winds were swift and complete, representing a fusion of Shunpo and wind Kido. These forces combined were Mukyū Shunkō (Infinite Shunkō), Yamahiko's trump card against his Zanpakutō spirit.
[Mukyū Shunkō - Img]
"Come at me," Yamahiko said as he lunged forward.
(To be continued.)
~End of the chapter~
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