Chapter 296: Hahahahaha!
Aizen felt a headache coming on.
In all his years, he'd rarely been bested in combat.
But this reckless, wild boar of a man charging before him had truly found his weak spot.
His signature Kyōka Suigetsu, due to the explosive Reiatsu from Hollowfication, no longer worked on him.
In fact, even without the Reiatsu issue, Aizen suspected that in this frenzied state, Satoru might still be able to ignore his illusions completely.
As for Kidō, Zanjutsu, and similar techniques—while they could injure him, his Hyper-Regeneration allowed him to recover instantly.
Meanwhile, on their side, under Satoru's terrifying suppression, they had already suffered heavy losses and were struggling to continue.
BOOM!!!
A figure crashed into the ground beside him.
Ichimaru Gin rose awkwardly, face covered in dust.
"...Vice-Captain Aizen, how much time has passed?"
"Twenty-six minutes and eighteen seconds."
Aizen answered without hesitation.
Ichimaru Gin breathed a slight sigh of relief.
"That's not too bad... During the previous Hollowfication experiments, the longest it took anyone to regain their senses was nearly fifty minutes. We're only halfway there."
Aizen showed a wry smile:
"Yes, Satoru still has plenty of time."
"But for us... time is likely running short."
Feeling the increasingly dense Reiatsu in the air that was beginning to restrict their movement space, Aizen didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
He never imagined that the most arduous battle he would face would unfold in such a setting.
Kisuke Urahara flashed to Aizen's side.
He held a short blade, his clothes already torn and tattered.
"Mr. Aizen, the situation isn't looking good. Perhaps... we should consider alternative approaches."
"For instance, inviting that person over?"
Though speaking to Aizen, his eyes remained fixed on Satoru engaged in combat not far away.
Hearing this, Aizen shook his head.
"Impossible."
He didn't need to ask to know who Urahara was referring to.
This guy wanted to summon Yamamoto Shigekuni.
If Yamamoto Shigekuni intervened, he could indeed suppress Satoru.
The problem lay in how to explain things afterward.
Whether it was Hollowfication or the current state of Hueco Mundo, either could easily trample over Yamamoto's bottom line.
No matter how profound the bond between Satoru and that old man might be, things had reached a point where clarity was impossible.
He couldn't accept creating a rift between Satoru and Yamamoto due to his own incompetence.
This guy had already sacrificed too much—he couldn't let him suffer further harm.
By now, Satoru had descended into a frenzied slaughter.
Fewer than half of those present remained capable of continuing the fight.
Even the thick-skinned Arrancars with their powerful regenerative abilities now lay mostly defeated.
Aizen's thoughts turned to the Ninth Formula.
This was one of the trump cards he had developed in his youth. After taking it, his Reiatsu would surge dramatically.
However, it would affect his potential afterward, permanently reducing his strength.
He instinctively wanted to take the pill.
But the next second, his face darkened.
He almost forgot… That guy Satoru could gain the same power from him.
Taking the pill now would only make the situation worse.
Gripping Kyōka Suigetsu, Aizen forced himself to calm down and think of a countermeasure.
He didn't know what Satoru had seen in the mental landscape, but his aura was rising steadily.
From the Reiatsu, Aizen sensed his intense rage.
What… was this guy so angry about?
Aizen quickly pondered what could make Satoru feel such anger.
Soon, he guessed the answer.
Watching Satoru flicker, tear off Ulquiorra's arm, and slam the latter into the ground like a ragged cloth, Aizen curled his lips.
"Kisuke, cooperate with me."
"How?"
Kisuke Urahara asked without hesitation.
Aizen adjusted his glasses, revealing a look of complete control:
"Start from the root. Since the problem lies in Satoru's will, we help him restore it."
Kisuke Urahara thought for two seconds and suddenly understood Aizen's meaning.
He grinned, baring his teeth in a smile.
"Understood… Let's do it!"
"Bankai—"
"Kannonbiraki, Benihime Aratame!!"
...
...
In the storm, Satoru was like a demon crawling out of hell, surging flames erupting from his body, dyeing the entire sea area blue.
The Quincy who had fired the spirit arrow was minced into pulp under his relentless slashes.
But in the blink of an eye, more Quincies appeared.
These Quincies were hunting targets everywhere.
Yoruichi, Suì-Fēng, Ichimaru Gin, Rangiku, Sōjun, Seinosuke…
Whoosh!!
A spirit arrow cut through the rain curtain, piercing Aizen's temple and emerging from the other side.
Blood sprayed from Aizen's brain.
With a hint of astonishment, Aizen slowly collapsed.
Satoru made no sound, instantly rushing over and pinning the Quincy to the ground, hacking down with his blade in the most brutal manner.
He didn't know how many strikes he landed, only stopping when the Quincy was no longer recognizable as human. Slowly, he stood up and looked around.
The entire ship was filled with hooded Quincies, their faces obscured.
Holding spirit bows, they hunted Shinigami like a pack of hunters.
One after another, Shinigami he knew or didn't know fell under the blue spirit arrows.
While he was hacking apart the Quincy who killed Aizen, dozens more Shinigami fell.
Satoru turned his head, gazing silently at Aizen's corpse lying at his feet for a long time.
Even the familiar Shinigami being riddled with arrows like a hedgehog nearby didn't draw his attention.
Amid the rain, Risō Jakumetsu watched this scene quietly.
It was about time.
As Satoru's Zanpakutō, she was the one who had witnessed Satoru's journey from the closest distance.
Throughout his long years as a Shinigami, Satoru had experienced much.
He had endured hardships unimaginable to ordinary Shinigami.
One arduous battle after another had left indelible marks on him.
Yet, even so, this man had never tasted true "defeat."
Admittedly, during daily training, Satoru had lost to Yamamoto countless times.
During his sparring sessions with Aizen, he was often defeated.
Not long ago, he even suffered a heavy blow from the Zero Division, nearly getting slapped into his next reincarnation.
To ordinary people, these would indeed be significant setbacks.
But for Satoru, these were far from being failures.
The pain inflicted upon him never left a mark on this man's heart.
What truly brought him despair was only the loss of those he cherished.
Only after experiencing such things could he move forward, standing in this world with an even stronger presence.
These matters could never be accomplished through mere "Risō Jakumetsu" alone.
Though she harbored ten thousand grievances against Satoru, wishing to pin him down and beat him mercilessly while hurling all kinds of insults... as the person in the world who understood best what Satoru had experienced and endured, she simply couldn't bring herself to be so cruel as to make him face such things.
That was, until the Hōgyoku granted her the power of Hollows.
After obtaining the Hollow's power, Risō Jakumetsu not only mastered new abilities but also found it easier to be ruthless toward her master.
Watching Satoru standing in the rain, silently facing Aizen's corpse, Risō Jakumetsu knew it was time for her to act.
Though it pained her heart, this was what she had to do.
Through the torrential rain, she stepped closer to Satoru.
"Sat..."
"Oh? Finally decided to show yourself?"
Under Risō Jakumetsu's astonished gaze, Satoru lifted his head to look at her.
Where was the near-madness from moments ago in his eyes now?
Those eyes had completely regained their usual clarity.
And at the corner of his mouth was that familiar, mocking smile.
Seeing Satoru's transformation, Risō Jakumetsu couldn't help but ask, "How did you..."
"You want to know how I regained my senses?"
Satoru gripped his short sword with both hands, proudly crossing his arms.
"Simple."
"Because you killed Sōsuke."
"?"
Risō Jakumetsu frowned.
What kind of answer was that?
Sōsuke Aizen was Satoru's closest companion. Shouldn't his death have driven him further into madness?
Noticing her confusion, Satoru chuckled:
"The grand performance you staged was indeed impactful. Even though I knew it was fake, driven by emotion, I completely immersed myself in it."
"Until I saw Sōsuke fall after being shot."
"That moment, I finally realized everything before me was merely an illusion."
"A mere Quincy wanting to kill Sōsuke? They're ten thousand years too early."
"Risō Jakumetsu, your failure has but one reason - you simply don't understand what Sōsuke Aizen truly is."
Under the girl's gaze, Satoru raised his sword.
Just then, a voice suddenly rang out across the stormy sea:
"Yū, snap out of it."
"I'm right here, I'm fine, alive and well."
"Yamamoto Shigekuni is fine too. He's waiting in the Soul Society to discipline you when you return."
"Everyone is here, all alive."
"Don't worry, I'm here."
Hearing this voice, Risō Jakumetsu exclaimed in surprise:
"How is this possible... How did he transmit his voice here?"
"This is the mental landscape, a world only I can control!"
Satoru laughed heartily.
"Fool."
"Sōsuke Aizen is the strongest and undefeated man, second only to me in both power and wisdom!"
"Moreover, you've made one mistake."
"My heart's world is not the world you control."
"This here is my world!"
As Satoru's voice fell, a beam of light suddenly pierced through the clouds, shining upon the ship.
In the pitch-black storm, this light was like a sharp sword, piercing through the sky and sea.
The next second, centered around the light sword, the dark clouds were torn apart as if by a pair of giant hands, instantly vanishing without a trace.
The entire sea was illuminated by sunlight.
The great ship raised its sails, cleaving through the waves as it advanced magnificently!
Gazing at the red-haired girl before him with golden pupils set against black sclera, Satoru raised his sword.
"Watch closely, Risō Jakumetsu."
"Your master is no fragile man who needs to worry about mental fortitude."
"Bankai!"
"Risō Jakumetsu, True Self Illumination!!"
...
...
Aizen gripped his sword with both hands, holding it horizontally before him to block Satoru's descending blade.
It had been forty-one minutes since Satoru's Hollowfication began.
Such a prolonged, high-intensity battle had left him feeling a rare sense of exhaustion.
BAM!!
Under another of Satoru's slashes, his sword was knocked slightly askew.
Seizing this slight opportunity, the Hollowfied Satoru grinned, his sharp claws shooting toward Aizen's neck.
Facing this potentially fatal attack, not a trace of panic showed in Aizen's eyes.
He quietly watched Satoru's fingertips.
BANG!!
Beside him, a blade extended, blocking Satoru's attack.
Kisuke Urahara wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
Behind him stood a giant, beautiful woman with closed eyes.
His Bankai, Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame, was a summoning type similar to Komamura's.
However, its ability wasn't combat-oriented but rather the power to reconstruct anything in the surroundings at will.
Injured bodies could be repaired by reconstructing the wounds.
Damaged organs could have their functions restored through reconstruction.
Relying on this nearly unreasonable ability, he single-handedly managed to heal everyone present.
Facing Satoru in his second phase, though physically exhausted to the extreme, everyone remained mentally exhilarated.
Standing alongside so many reliable comrades against one of the Three Realms' greatest bosses—wasn't this the ultimate romance for a warrior?
Everyone tightened their grip on their weapons, ready for one final struggle!
Satoru held his blade, his beast-like golden eyes fixed on the group.
His body was now completely covered in a white bony layer.
Seeing his appearance, Starkk, Ulquiorra, and the others felt somewhat conflicted.
Lord Satoru's current form seemed even more Hollow-like than they had been before becoming Arrancars.
Should they ask Lord Aizen to try using the Hōgyoku to see if he could turn him into an Arrancar?
Under everyone's gaze, Satoru let out a roar and leaned forward slightly.
He's coming!!
Everyone gritted their teeth, bracing for the attack.
But the anticipated assault never arrived.
The white bony layer covering Satoru's body suddenly shattered.
Like shedding a layer of skin, the bony layer separated entirely from his body and fell away.
Beneath it, Satoru was revealed with his clothes torn to near-nothing, exposing his well-defined muscles.
On his face rested a white mask.
Beneath the white mask, golden pupils gleamed.
From the top of his head extended four long, sharp antennae.
The entire mask wasn't smooth like Ichigo Kurosaki's but angular and sci-fi inspired.
A red gem was embedded in the center of his forehead, shining with a brilliant luster.
Watching Satoru's transformation, Aizen curled his lips into a smile.
"How does it feel to obtain new power?"
Satoru raised his hand and touched the mask on his face.
Then, with a synthesized, electronic-like voice, he laughed:
"Pretty fun."
"Fun?"
Aizen raised an eyebrow, puzzled by Satoru's evaluation.
"As soon as I regained consciousness, I saw all of you in such a pathetic state."
"Especially you, Sōsuke. You look like you've been begging all the way from Rukongai—it's just too hilarious... HAHAHAHA!!"
Watching the masked Satoru point at him and laugh, Aizen maintained his smile without any change in expression.
In his heart, the thickness of Satoru's exclusive grudge notebook instantly doubled.