Aizen said, "Kurohitsugi with the full incantation, used by me—one who has surpassed both Shinigami and Hollows—can even distort time and space."
The gigantic black coffin, dozens of meters high and marked with a cross, completely enveloped Shin.
But the next moment, a massive golden beam pierced the top of the black coffin and continued to extend, absorbing even distant buildings which disintegrated into Reishi.
Everyone in Karakura Town watched this single sword strike that seemed capable of piercing the heavens.
Tessai, the former Captain of the Kidō Corps, who was currently stabilizing the barrier, watched with cold sweat streaming down his face.
The barrier sealing off Karakura Town probably couldn't withstand the power of that strike at all. The Human world outside the barrier was in danger.
Seeing this, Hachigen, the Lieutenant of the Kidō Corps, unleashed his strongest technique.
"Eight basic points, a principle of no retreat! Blue bolt! White bolt! Black bolt! Red bolt! Sinking into the sea, biting one another! The Castle Gate of the Dragon Tail! The Castle Gate of the Tiger's Fangs! The Castle Gate of the Tortoise's Shell! The Castle Gate of the Phoenix's Wings! Four Beasts Barrier!"
A massive four-sided barrier, composed of a giant white defensive wall, large shields, tortoise shell-shaped shields, and red rings, enveloped both Aizen and Shin.
Inside the barrier.
Crack!
The Black Coffin shattered into pieces like glass, revealing Shin inside, completely enveloped in light and unharmed by the attack.
The 'skull' on the wing spine behind Aizen spat out six ultra-high-density Reiatsu projectiles, which merged into a single massive Reiatsu sphere flying toward Shin.
"Ex—calibur!"
Shin swung down Excalibur, and the massive, beam-like slash easily sliced through the Reiatsu sphere, causing it to instantly explode.
Aizen was split in two from the shoulder by the beam, and a gigantic golden pillar of light erupted from Aizen's location, tearing through the ceiling barrier.
The Gate of Four Beasts only held for a few seconds before being pierced through as if it were made of flimsy paper.
The beam's power remained undiminished, shattering the barrier sealing Karakura Town and leaving a massive ravine outside the barrier.
Karakura Town outskirts.
After the explosion, the former plain had been transformed into a canyon, the ground left barren with only two gigantic craters remaining.
Shin, who had been engulfed by the explosion, hadn't suffered serious injuries, but his power was completely exhausted, rendering him unable to use Reverse Cursed Technique.
Soi Fon immediately rushed over. Seeing Shin looking tattered all over, she anxiously asked, "Nohara, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, just a minor issue." Shin merely looked a bit battered.
Aizen hadn't held back at all. Shij had used every defensive measure he had and still sustained some injuries.
The others gathered around, and Unohana used Kaidō to heal Shin.
Kisuke stood in front of Aizen.
Aizen's two severed halves gradually rejoined under the effect of complete regeneration. At this moment, he was no longer in his previous terrifying Hollow-like form, but closer to his third fusion stage.
"Cough, cough."
Aizen slowly stood up, looking heavily injured.
"It's over, Aizen."
"Kisuke, it's far too early to say that."
As soon as he finished speaking, ten red light spikes arranged in a cross shape pierced out from Aizen's chest.
Aizen looked down at his chest. "Is this Kidō your trump card?"
Bakudo #96: Kyūrokujō Kakafuūmetsu!
"When I realized it was impossible to kill you while you were fused with the Hōgyoku, I developed this new Kidō specifically to seal you. I merged it with other Kidō and implanted it into your body when you let your guard down." Kisuke slowly explained.
Aizen said, "Was that during the Senju Kōten Taihō? Kisuke, you are clever, but you underestimated the power of the Hōgyoku."
But the next moment, the physical manifestation of Reiatsu surrounding Aizen began to shatter.
"What is happening?" Aizen exclaimed.
"That is the will of the Hōgyoku. The reason this Kidō only activated now is because your power was weakened after Nohara-san's strike."
Pausing for a moment, Kisuke continued, "What I mean is, the Hōgyoku no longer recognizes you as its master."
"Stop talking nonsense."
"Ugh..."
The ten light spikes pierced through Aizen's back, forming a row of crosses.
Countless amounts of sealing earth generated from beneath Aizen's feet, gradually wrapping around his entire body. It eventually formed a hexagram composed of three crosses.
'Huh? What's going on?'
Looking at Aizen, Shin felt something was strange. Unlike the original timeline, there didn't seem to be any problem with Aizen's "heart," so he shouldn't have been sealed.
"Is it finally over?"
Everyone sighed in relief upon seeing Aizen sealed.
Just as Kisuke stepped forward to retrieve the hexagram, a sudden anomaly occurred. The hexagram burst forth with several beams of light, and the next second, it completely shattered.
Aizen broke free. At this moment, he looked no different from his initial Shinigami form, except for his waist-length long hair. His Zanpakutō and the Hōgyoku had completely vanished.
Shin sighed in relief upon seeing Aizen break the seal.
'Did he evolve again?'
However, Aizen's current state was strange, even Shin couldn't sense any Reiatsu coming from him.
Aizen seemed to have become an ordinary person.
'No, wait, is this the return to natural simplicity?'
The previous Aizen could be described as radiating power. The oppressive feeling of his Reiatsu felt to Shin like facing a vast, boundless ocean.
The current Aizen was like a black hole, completely impossible to detect. His Zanpakutō and the Hōgyoku hadn't vanished—they had completely merged with him.
"Kisuke, it seems the Hōgyoku still chose me." Aizen wore a gentle smile on his face.
Kisuke was on high alert, even though he couldn't sense the slightest threat from the current Aizen.
The expressions of everyone around them changed when they saw Aizen break free.
Gin, in particular, felt a degree of despair, his plan was highly likely to fail.
The method he had learned to counter Kyōka Suigetsu was that by touching the blade before the complete hypnosis ability took effect, he could dispel the hypnotic effect.
But now that Aizen's Zanpakutō had vanished, this method was useless.
However, to everyone's surprise, Aizen made no move.
A gigantic Garganta appeared in the sky behind him.
Stepping into the Garganta, Aizen looked toward Shin. "As expected of Shin, to be able to push me to such an extent."
In his heart, Shin gave Aizen a thumbs up. He was truly an excellent actor. If this world had an Oscar, Aizen would undoubtedly win it.
Just then, Starrk, covered in wounds, appeared beside Aizen, carrying the severely injured and unconscious Harribel and her three Fraccion.
Gin also moved into the Garganta. Even if he saw no hope, he was determined to fight desperately.
Unexpectedly, Aizen said, "Gin, go see Shin. What you want is with him."
Gin met Aizen's meaningful gaze, feeling completely seen through.
Thus, he had no choice but to retreat from the Garganta.
"Farewell, everyone."
Following that, the Garganta completely closed.