Kazuma and Aizen's reiatsu erupted like volcanoes.
Their spiritual pressure surged outward like a raging tsunami, instantly shattering the barrier they had set up at the beginning of the battle.
The overwhelming force shook everything around them, as though it meant to drag the entire world into the clash.
As both men released their reiatsu without restraint, their figures gradually blurred.
The presence radiating from them grew more and more terrifying.
Kazuma's gaze sharpened and the Sword in his hand shimmered with brilliant starlight.
Aizen, meanwhile, still wore a faint smile, his eyes filled with effortless confidence.
Their immense reiatsu enveloped all of Karakura Town.
The crushing pressure left everyone struggling to breathe.
Shinigami, Visoreds, Quincy—every faction present was stunned speechless by the two spiritual pressures.
A fear unlike anything they had ever felt gripped them, making one thing painfully clear.
Something had happened in Karakura Town.
Two absurdly powerful beings had begun fighting.
Under that tremendous reiatsu, buildings across Karakura Town began to tremble.
The streets, however, were completely empty. It was not that the humans did not want to flee.
Rather, every ordinary person had already collapsed unconscious beneath the weight of the spiritual pressure.
Kisuke Urahara and the others were the closest to Kazuma.
Their perception of reiatsu was extremely sharp, and the instant the barrier shattered, they sensed the owners of those two terrifying spiritual pressures.
Kazuma and Aizen.
"How could this happen?" Urahara frowned, worry flashing across his face. "Kazuma is fighting Aizen? This is bad. Things have become very troublesome."
Farther away, the Visoreds were even more furious.
Shinji Hirako in particular could not stop his hands from trembling. Rage burned in his eyes like a roaring flame.
"Aizen… That bastard. I can finally feel that disgusting reiatsu of his again."
Ryūken Ishida, who had previously been frightened off by Kazuma, had gone deathly pale.
Remembering the terrifying pressure he had felt when he briefly clashed with Kazuma, he could not help muttering to himself.
"So that is the strength of that captain from earlier? That is ridiculously powerful. Good thing he had no intention of killing me at the time."
Then his gaze shifted toward the other spiritual pressure, and he saw that the opponent wore the same kind of attire.
"Could Soul Society be having an internal conflict?"
The thought left Ryūken uneasy and uncertain.
...
Kazuma and Aizen stood facing each other.
The space around them distorted beneath the weight of their reiatsu.
Their eyes met, and it was as if sparks burst through the air between them.
"Captain Kazuma, your strength truly cannot be underestimated," Aizen said with a smile, a trace of excitement in his voice.
"Aizen, today is the day you go to hell."
Kazuma did not back down in the slightest. The Sword in his hand gleamed coldly.
Before his words had fully faded, both men moved at the same time.
In an instant, reiatsu scattered in every direction, and blade energy tore through the battlefield.
Their fight was ferocious beyond belief. Every strike carried tremendous force, causing the surrounding buildings to collapse one after another.
When the various factions arrived at the scene and saw the devastation, they were all shaken.
After several exchanges, Aizen found himself genuinely admiring Kazuma's Zanjutsu.
'To think he has refined his swordsmanship to such a level. He truly is not simple.'
"As expected of a veteran captain who has served for over a thousand years," Aizen praised, his expression showing appreciation.
"In Zanjutsu, I admit I am inferior to you. Perhaps even Kenpachi Zaraki is not as powerful as you in this regard. Among all the swordsmanship I have witnessed, I would call yours the strongest."
Kazuma smiled faintly. Starlight flickered across the blade in his hand.
"You flatter me, Aizen. But this is still far from enough."
The moment he finished speaking, he swung his sword toward Aizen again.
The two traded blows back and forth, blade light and sword shadows crossing in rapid succession.
Every clash produced a piercing ring of metal against metal.
Even the air around them seemed to grow heavy beneath the force of their battle.
Kazuma's gaze was focused.
He knew that against an opponent like Aizen, he had to give everything he had.
He constantly adjusted his breathing and rhythm, pushing his Zanjutsu to the limit.
Aizen, however, remained calm and composed from beginning to end. He carefully observed Kazuma's movements, searching for an opening.
Yet Kazuma's offense and defense were both watertight, leaving Aizen unable to find a chance for the time being.
"Aizen! If this is all you have, then this ends here."
"Hadō #78: Zangerin."
With a furious shout, Kazuma swung the sword in his hand.
A tremendous wave of sword energy erupted from the blade, carrying overwhelming force as it slashed toward Aizen.
Immediately after, Kazuma stepped forward.
This time, he used his own unique Shunpo technique—Shunsen.
His movement was strange and impossibly swift, making the direction of his steps nearly impossible to predict.
Just as Aizen moved to defend against the Hadō, Kazuma appeared behind him like a ghost.
Without the slightest hesitation, Kazuma slashed.
The sharp blade cut straight into Aizen's body.
Aizen's face turned slightly pale, but his expression remained light and unconcerned, as if he did not care about the deep wound on his body.
Blood poured from his back, staining his white captain's haori a vivid crimson.
"Captain Kazuma, you really are excellent," Aizen said with a smile, his voice carrying a note of admiration.
But his next words made Kazuma's heart jolt.
"However… are you certain the one you struck just now was me?"
Kazuma's pupils contracted slightly.
An ominous feeling surged through him.
At that moment, a sharp pain suddenly pierced his chest. A wound rapidly opened across him, and blood sprayed out like a fountain.
It was the first time he had been injured in this battle.
And the wound was not light.
Only then did Kazuma realize the truth.
The one he had cut was Gin Ichimaru, who had been lying on the ground.
At some point, Aizen had lifted Gin up and used him as a shield. Aizen himself had never been wounded at all.
"You…" Kazuma endured the terrible pain and gritted his teeth. "When did you release your Zanpakutō?"
He had always believed he could see through Aizen's movements.
But now, it was clear he had underestimated both Aizen's strength and his cunning.
"When did you begin to believe I had not already released Kyōka Suigetsu?"
Aizen smiled faintly, his eyes filled with mockery.
He lightly flicked his Zanpakutō, shaking the blood from its blade, then continued advancing toward Kazuma with graceful composure.
Kazuma's eyes widened.
He could hardly believe what had just happened.
Aizen had deceived his perception so easily.
Kazuma clutched his wound and took several steps back.
He knew he was now at an extreme disadvantage, but he would not admit defeat so easily.
"Aizen, you really are strong…" Kazuma clenched his teeth. "But I will not fall here!"
He prepared to use his final trump card.
However, Aizen seemed to have anticipated his move long ago.
With a light step, he avoided Kazuma's attack, then raised his Zanpakutō and launched another assault.
Kazuma poured every ounce of strength into defending against Aizen's offense, but his injuries were too severe. His movements grew slower and slower.
At that critical moment, Shinji Hirako, who had been watching from the side, stepped forward and blocked Aizen's strike for Kazuma.
"Captain Kazuma, I'll lend you a hand!"
"Get away!" Kazuma shouted. "Aizen has released Kyōka Suigetsu! You can't tell enemy from ally!"
The words had barely left his mouth when Shinji was cut down by Aizen's blade.
In Shinji's eyes, the Kazuma before him had actually been Aizen.
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