"Bankai! Zanka no Tachi!"
The old voice resonated deeply from Ace's mouth.
"Hoo! Bah!!!"
The tachi held in his remaining right hand now appeared as a charred sword, covered in countless scorch marks, giving it a dilapidated appearance. Despite its state, Yhwach, the self-proclaimed "all-knowing and all-powerful," felt his pupils contract violently.
"It's been a thousand years, Yhwach. It's time to end this."
The ancient voice echoed as terrifying flames flickered at Ace's feet.
"Boom!"
In an instant, Ace, holding the residual fire sword, appeared before Yhwach. The burnt sword in his hand descended suddenly.
Yhwach evaded at an incredible angle, the tip of the charred blade brushing the earth gently like a breeze. In the next second:
"Whoo!!! Bang!"
With a soft, almost inaudible sound, a section of the earth vanished, as if it had never existed.
"Zanka no Tachi - East - Rising Sun Blade!"
The old voice intoned. The Zanka no Tachi - East - Rising Sun Blade concentrated all its terrifying flame temperature at the blade's tip, erasing everything it touched without burning or explosive flames. It simply wiped away all traces of existence.
"It's truly dangerous. One must not be hit by it," Yhwach's usually dull eyes flashed with caution.
After a thousand years, the residual fire sword had become even more perilous.
"Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!"
Holding the residual fire sword, Ace swung the tip, charged with its terrifying flame temperature, repeatedly.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Everything within reach vanished, erased completely by the charred tip of the blade.
"Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!"
"Missed again. No matter how dangerous it is, so what?" Yhwach dodged all the attacks of the residual fire sword with incredible speed and movements.
Then, gazing at the old figure who had ceased his assault in the distance, Yhwach spoke calmly, "Omniscience and omnipotence are not just about absolute power. Thinking you can hit me, who is omniscient and omnipotent, with the residual fire sword is too simplistic, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni."
The old figure ignored Yhwach's words, his focus entirely on the task at hand. Holding the residual fire sword, he slowly raised the burnt blade in front of him.
The next second:
"Hoo! Boom!!!"
Violent flames erupted from the old figure, releasing a terrifying sea of fire that filled every corner of the space like divine punishment. The earth, buildings, and sky—all were engulfed in flames, transforming the environment into a blazing inferno. The atmosphere didn't distort; instead, the medium that could cause such distortion was instantly erased by the intense heat.
"!!!"
Yhwach's face twisted in discomfort as he raised his right hand to shield himself from the scorching heat. He stood at the center of this fiery hell.
"Since there is east, we must look to the west."
An old voice echoed.
"Hoo! Boom!"
The flames grew more intense, enveloping the old figure and his charred sword entirely, like a garment woven from the sun's blazing core.
"Remnant Fire Taishou—West—Scorching Sun Prison Clothes!"
The old voice declared.
"!!!"
Yhwach's pupils reflected the horrifying, ultimate flames, shocking even his omniscient and omnipotent self.
"After Bankai, my body and blade are like the sun," the old voice continued calmly. His Reiatsu had transformed into 15 million-degree flames, covering his body and blade like a blazing sun. In this state, anyone who approached him would be reduced to ashes instantly. This was the Residual Fire Sword—West—Scorching Sun Prison Clothes.
"Bang! Gollum!"
The old figure took a step forward, and the ground beneath him turned into molten magma.
"Come on, let's call it a day, Yhwach. If you don't end it soon, the old age and Soul Society will burn to the ground with you!"
"Boom!"
The raging flames roared, and amidst this fiery sea, the figure clad in sun-like garments stood like a god of fire. The temperature was so extreme that even the Soul Society couldn't withstand it; all the water would evaporate, and everything would be incinerated under the sword's heat.
"Take this!"
The old voice rang out as the figure, now a living sun, lunged towards Yhwach.
"Drink!!!"
Yhwach suddenly extended his right hand, summoning a surge of blue light that formed a barrier.
"Holy Sing—Praise to the Holy Land!"
Countless blue lights coalesced in the atmosphere, creating a massive defensive barrier that blocked the terrifying flames.
"This is the Quincy's ultimate defensive barrier. It integrates offense and defense. Step inside, and you will be torn apart by the light of God!" Yhwach shouted, his eyes fixed on the blazing figure.
"Snort."
The old figure glanced at Yhwach, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Bah! Bah!"
"Invalid move!"
The old figure descended swiftly, thrusting the residual fire sword, blazing like the sun, into the earth.
"Dead souls, the ashes of the dead scattered in my flames can aid me."
"Hoo! Boom!"
Terrifying flames erupted from the blade, penetrating deep into the ground.
"For now, let's relish the corporeal pleasure."
The old figure raised his head slightly, his eyes suddenly sharp.
"Boom! Crack!"
The earth shattered instantly, plunging the world into a strange black and red hue, as if entering Hades itself.
"Remnant Fire Taishou—South!"
The old voice resonated like that of a Shinigami ruling over everything.
"Bang! Phew! Phew!"
Countless charred bodies crawled out from the infernal land, turning the entire world into a kingdom of flaming dead souls.
"Fire Ten Trillion Death Burial Array!"
Accompanied by a terrifying, grinding sound, the charred skeletons twisted their bodies, gnawing away at Yhwach's Sanctuary Praise.
By inserting the blade of Zanka no Tachi into the ground, the Zanpakutō's high temperature awakened the ashes of those who had perished under its might, transforming them into an army of relentless, charred skeletons.
This was the Remnant Fire Sword—South—Fire Ten Trillion Death Burial Array!
"It's not that you can't take away my Bankai, Yhwach; you can't take it at all," the old voice declared, watching the blue barrier being devoured by countless flaming undead. "Even a thousand years ago, Yamamoto never revealed his true strength. Omniscient and omnipotent? How can you seize what you don't fully understand? It's a simple truth."
The old figure raised his head, his gaze fixed on Yhwach, now buried under a mass of flaming undead.
"It's over, the thousand-year bloody battle against the Quincies."
"Boom!"
The terrifying flames of the residual fire sword, capable of incinerating the Soul Society, converged on the blade.
"Remnant Fire Taishou—North!"
"Hoo! Boom!"
With a powerful swing, the residual fire sword unleashed the flames, enough to reduce the Soul Society to ashes.
"The sky and the earth are ashes!"
"Boom!!!"
Countless undead souls engulfed Yhwach in flames, burning him instantly. The earth, rocks, buildings—everything that came into contact with the fiery light was obliterated.
As Yhwach's pupils contracted in shock, his body was severed at the waist by the searing flames.
"Boom!"
His bisected body fell helplessly to the ground.
The old figure stood firm, gripping the residual fire sword, eyes stern.
Releasing the sword, he watched the flames burn out everything in their path.
This was the Remnant Fire Sword—North—the World is Completely Ashes!
This was the Bankai of Ryūjin Jakka, wielded by Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, the strongest Shinigami in Seireitei's history and the most powerful Zanpakutō of the fire element.
In an instant, the scene before Ace shattered, returning him to the Sabaody Archipelago, the place of his fateful battle.
"Your understanding is heaven-defying. Through personal visualization, you have mastered the exclusive skill: Great Flame Ring Residual Fire Style!"
"The Great Flame Ring - Residual Fire Style: Achieved through unparalleled understanding and personal visualization of the residual fire sword. The flames of the Mera-mera Fruit surpass the limits of natural fire, transforming into residual fire that rivals the sun!"
"Your understanding is heaven-defying. Through personal visualization and comprehension, you can execute the exclusive techniques of the Great Flame Ring - Residual Fire Style! Residual Fire Style - East-Rising Sun! Residual Fire Style - West-Scorching Sun Prison Clothes! Residual Fire Style - South-Fire Fire Ten Trillions Death Burial Formation! Residual Fire Style - North - The world reduced to ashes!"
"Remnant Fire Style - East-Rising Sun: Concentrating all the Mera-mera Fruit flames into the right fist without burning or exploding. The intense heat breaks through natural fire limits, leaving no trace of what it touches! Note: The temperature depends on the fire's intensity from the Mera-mera Fruit."
"Remnant Fire Style - West-Scorching Sun Prison Clothes: Transforming Mera-mera Fruit flames into a blazing sun garment that envelops the body. The searing heat of the Burning Sun Hell surpasses natural fire limits. With mastery, proximity to these clothes means instant incineration! Note: Temperature varies with the Mera-mera Fruit's fire output."
"Remnant Fire Style - South-Fire Fire Ten Trillions Death Burial Formation: Embedding Mera-mera Fruit fire into the earth, awakening the ashes of the slain. The legion of charred skeletons, exclusive to you, endlessly annihilates your targets!"
"Remnant Fire Style - North - The sky and earth become ashes: Instantly gathering all Mera-mera Fruit flames into a blazing light, surpassing natural fire limits. Mastery turns all touched by this flame's light into ashes! Note: Temperature varies with the Mera-mera Fruit's fire output."
Divine lines of text etched into Ace's mind.
Ace lifted his head abruptly, eyes blazing with intense fire.
"A bountiful harvest! By facing my fated adversary, Akainu, with the Lava-Lava Fruit, I've unlocked the Great Flame Ring - Residual Fire Style through the residual fire sword's visualization!"
"This is my apex form today!"
This power directly breaks the logic of the world!
The flames of the Mera-mera Fruit erupted in an instant, engulfing everything in their path—the sea and sky ablaze with an overwhelming sea of fire.
"Releasing your flames so recklessly is just wasting energy. Even your flames will be extinguished by my magma," Akainu taunted from within the center of the inferno, a sneer playing on his lips.
In Akainu's view, Ace's approach was futile. Like his own Meteor Volcano technique, which could overwhelm entire fodder armies in battle, confronting equals required focusing Devil Fruit powers, Haki, martial arts—all concentrated into precise strikes.
"Using Conqueror's Haki would've been more smart, Portgas D. Ace. You disappoint me," Akainu mocked, disdain evident in his voice.
For Ace, standing amidst the roaring flames, his eyes blazing with the intensity of infernos, the moment had arrived.
"Great Flame Ring!!!"
"Hoo! Boom!"
"!!!"
In a breathtaking display, the vast sea of fire that had dominated the sky, land, and sea moments before began retracting towards Ace, against all logic and expectation, drawing the flames back into himself.
For a fleeting moment, the entire space was devoid of fire, every ounce of it absorbed into Ace's being.
Dark red fissures adorned Ace's body like intricate tattoos, where the blazing sun seemed to surge within, a breathtaking yet terrifying sight that pierced to the core of Akainu's soul.
"Bankai! Remnant Fire Style!" Ace declared with chilling calm, his eyes now completely aglow with swirling dark red intensity.