"So this is the enemy they were up against?"
A suffocating silence engulfed the massive palace.
The only sound that remained was the sharp intake of breath.
Whether it was the Espada or their Fracción, every single Arrancar wore the same uneasy expression on their faces.
The overwhelming entrance of the monstrous Man.
It was as if a powerful spell of collective silence had been cast upon them.
Instantly, all the Arrancar shut their mouths!
The atmosphere was stifling.
That terrifying spiritual pressure, so immense it seemed to transcend dimensions, loomed over them like a nightmare, exerting an absolute suppression over their very existence.
Among them—
The one whose expression was the most grim was the Skeletal king.
As one of the oldest Vasto Lorde in Hueco Mundo's history, he had stood at the pinnacle of the food chain from the moment of his birth.
Once the undisputed king of Hueco Mundo, he had reigned supreme for centuries, accustomed only to the reverence and submission of others.
Never in his life had he imagined that he would one day feel the urge to kneel.
This impulse…
It infuriated Baraggan Louisenbairn.
And yet, no matter how much he raged, he could not find a way to free himself from the crushing weight of this spiritual pressure!
If even the King was in such a state…
Then the others fared far worse.
Some were paralyzed in terror.
Some trembled down to their very souls.
Some instinctively curled into themselves.
The most extreme cases involved weaker Arrancar outright losing control of their own bodies, their bones nearly collapsing under the sheer pressure.
What was supposed to be a routine gathering of all the Arrancar had now descended into utter chaos!
---
"Say..."
A voice cut through the oppressive silence.
The tension that had gripped the entire palace was suddenly broken by Tier Harribel's measured tone.
"Is there a possibility... that we were mistaken just now? That this mysterious Man is the real Kisuke Urahara?"
The Shark Empress's words carried an air of uncertainty.
"That's right!"
"Lady Harribel makes a good point!"
"Just by unconsciously releasing his spiritual pressure, he has already demonstrated power surpassing that of a Vasto Lorde! This man definitely ranks among the top fifteen in the world of Shinigami!"
"Yes, that must be it!"
---
Hearing this, the Arrancar were momentarily stunned.
Then, a collective look of realization dawned on their faces.
Yes!
That had to be the answer!
This Man was the real Kisuke Urahara!
And that fisherman-hat-wearing guy from earlier? Just a pathetic excuse for a Shinigami!
"I knew it!"
"There's no way that lazy, slouching fisherman-hat guy deserved to be on any ranking list. He's a nobody!"
Nnoitra Gilga sneered in contempt.
Shinigami and Hollows were natural enemies.
From the moment he laid eyes on that red-hilted Zanpakutō, his blood pressure had skyrocketed.
If it weren't for the screen separating them, he would've already swung his scythe to cleave that image in half!
And now?
Whether it was the first clip they had seen, or the current confrontation with the mysterious Man—
Beyond that brief moment where he suppressed Yammy, Urahara had done nothing else noteworthy.
And after hearing Harribel's comment, it only made sense to Nnoitra—
Kisuke Urahara, along with Yoruichi and Isshin, were nothing more than background characters, included in this ranking solely to emphasize the overwhelming power of this Mysterious Man!
---
"Hmph..."
"I won't lie, I don't like admitting it, but if he's the real Urahara, then I have to give him some respect."
Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez's sharp gaze flickered toward Hōgyoku-fused Aizen.
His hand slipped into his pocket as he muttered under his breath.
For someone as prideful and combative as Grimmjow, acknowledging another's strength was almost impossible.
But there was no helping it.
Hōgyoku-fused Aizen's spiritual pressure was simply too overwhelming.
Even someone as arrogant as Grimmjow had no choice but to acknowledge this power.
And, naturally—
It wasn't just him.
Several of the Espada wore the exact same expression.
They all turned to the image of the Chrysalis Man, their eyes filled with a newfound recognition.
It was clear—
They believed this ranking was completely justified.
The Mysterious Man—Kisuke Urahara—was absolutely deserving of a spot in the top fifteen!
However…
As the video continued to play—
The next scene left them utterly dumbfounded.
---
"What a pity..."
Shrouded in bone-like armor, standing in his First Fusion Form, the mutated voice of Aizen Sōsuke, corrupted by the Hōgyoku's influence, carried an intoxicating sense of power.
"By sealing your spirit core, you allowed your spiritual pressure to burn within you. If your opponent weren't me, then just now... you might have actually succeeded."
"Isn't that right...?"
"Kisuke Urahara?"
====================
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