Chapter 286 – 286 ⥤ Farewell, Shigekuni Yamamoto

The blackened blade absorbed all the flames from the sky, releasing an uncontrollable wave of searing heat into the air.

The moisture evaporated instantly near the 1st Division’s barracks, where both Shinigami and Quincy felt as if the sun had descended upon them — their flesh beginning to wither. Without hesitation, they abandoned their battles and fled the area.

Even Jugram, Grandmaster of the Sternritter, furrowed his brow as he gazed anxiously toward the source of the heat.

“Worried about Yhwach?” Chōjirō lifted his Zanpakutō skyward, brilliant golden Reiatsu streaming upward, “Though losing focus during battle is unwise.”

⤫ Bankai: Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū ⥤ Final Release: Yellow-Glittering Royal Villa of the Stern Spirit! ⤬

Heavy clouds materialized in the azure sky as the rapier crackled with electricity like a lightning rod. A beam of light shot from its tip, turning the clouds golden and weaving them into an elegant canopy above Chōjirō.

Within the canopy, golden light twisted and flowed, emanating a terrifying destructive aura before splitting into eleven lightning bolts that struck the ground.

With grave focus, Chōjirō swung his Zanpakutō, touching its tip to the lightning.

In an instant, the blade absorbed all the lightning, transforming from an ordinary rapier into a majestic weapon blazing with golden light.

“Hmm, a powerful technique.” Jugram’s expression remained unchanged as he calmly observed, allowing his opponent to gather power and reach full strength.

Chōjirō felt no irritation at his opponent’s apparent dismissal. After two thousand years of life, few external things could disturb his composure.

From the moment he activated his Bankai, he had but one purpose…

To kill the person before him!

As brilliant light erupted from Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū’s rapier form, Chōjirō moved — transforming into lightning and crossing space in an instant.

The world darkened, heavy clouds pressed down, and the whisper of tearing flesh echoed in the air.

He and Jugram passed each other, standing back to back.

Looking at his nearly pierced chest, Jugram assessed the damage with unnerving calm:

“An impressive Bankai. Worthy of the 1st Division’s Lieutenant.”

Chōjirō turned around, frowning at his opponent as doubt crept into his mind.

How could this man show no fear of death? Despite having his heart melted by lightning, why did he maintain such a casual demeanor, treating his wounds as mere trifles?

“You must be wondering if I’m insane — or perhaps if I possess some hidden advantage?”

Jugram spread his left hand’s fingers, and Reishi coalesced in his palm, forming a shield adorned with protruding diamond-shaped crosses.

In an instant, his injuries vanished. The shield’s surface cracked and splintered.

Seeing this, Chōjirō’s heart filled with dread.

⤫ Schrift: B ⥤ Sacred Letter: The Balance! ⤬

A massive scale materialized above Jugram. As one side descended, Chōjirō’s fears became reality. Reishi gathered in Jugram’s right hand, crystallizing into an elegant spirit sword.

He raised the blade and struck.

“Let this end here.”

An invisible force engulfed Chōjirō, and his own Bankai’s destructive power rebounded upon him. Even his Reiatsu defense crumbled before this devastating assault.

The Bankai — dormant for two millennia and unleashed for the first time — sent its wielder crashing into Soul Society’s earth. Searing heat erupted, incinerating Chōjirō’s body into countless particles of Reishi that dissolved into the atmosphere.

Having eliminated Yhwach’s greatest threat, Jugram turned toward the barracks. The worry had vanished from his features, replaced by an expression of inner conflict.

“Your Majesty, where does the future path of the Quincy truly lie?”

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Sensing Chōjirō’s Reiatsu disappear, a savage smile of satisfaction spread across Yhwach’s fierce face.

“As expected of my most trusted knight. Well done, Jugram!”

“Genryūsai Yamamoto, you must feel it now?” He sneered, “The pain of losing your closest companion has made your Zanka no Tachi slow!”

Genryūsai responded only by calmly swinging his sword.

With all flames sealed within the blade, Zanka no Tachi’s power could annihilate anything it touched. Even Yhwach’s cross-shaped Quincy blade showed signs of deterioration after just a few brief contacts.

Truth be told, Chōjirō’s death hadn’t caused Genryūsai any pain — his sword swings had become even faster. Such psychological warfare only works when both parties share the same understanding.

Poor Yhwach, you have no idea what awaits you.

A flash of pity crossed Genryūsai’s eyes before fury took over. His body erupted with scorching Reiatsu, the temperature so intense it distorted the surrounding air, making him appear as a god of flames.

Without warning, Zanka no Tachi accelerated, striking straight down at Yhwach.

Hum—

The sword tip touched the ground. There was no explosion, no surge of flames — only dozens of miles of earth instantly erased.

A massive chasm appeared at Yhwach’s feet, making his pupils contract.

He had underestimated this old enemy. He’d thought that he — on the verge of recovering his power and achieving omniscience — could easily torture and kill Genryūsai Yamamoto.

Reality proved far crueler.

In this battle, he couldn’t afford carelessness. One mistake would mean failure, rendering a thousand years of planning meaningless.

“Yhwach, everything ends here.” Genryūsai said, his voice devoid of emotion, “Your ambition, your everything, will be annihilated here, leaving nothing behind!”

A surging momentum swept through as if heaven and earth were overturning. Heavy, scorching air pressed down while the ruined ground moaned in anguish. All colors in the world reduced to black and white.

Seeing this, Yhwach’s expression changed drastically. Countless blue patterns appeared on his body, extending outward frantically until they formed a massive protective barrier.

⤫ Blut Vene Anhaben ⥤ Shell of Stilled Blood Guise! ⤬

Genryūsai’s angry voice followed:

⤫ Zanka no Tachi, Kita: Tenchi Kaijin ⥤ Longsword of the Remnant Flame, North: Heaven and Earth End in Ashes! ⤬

When the blackened blade fell, everything before it vanished — all things, both tangible and intangible, met their end in that single moment.

Blut Vene Anhaben shattered instantly, its materialized Reishi scattering in the air before being consumed by the overwhelming heat.

Under Yhwach’s incredulous gaze, the slash tore through his body.

Scorching waves of fire surged skyward, engulfing the barracks as shockwaves rippled outward, reducing everything to ruins.

When the dust settled, only an endless expanse of grayish-white ashes remained.

Yhwach stood motionless, a massive void in his abdomen so complete that the sky was visible through it. His gaze was vacant, as though all life had fled.

Yet Genryūsai remained vigilant, his eyes blazing as he studied his opponent.

At that moment, Yhwach’s rigid face twitched.

“As expected of a monster who has lived for thousands of years. You couldn’t be fooled.” Blood trickled from his mouth as he spoke in a hoarse voice.

Yhwach lifted his remaining left hand to wipe away the blood, slowly raising his crimson eyes.

Genryūsai showed no surprise — if this bastard were so easily defeated, Akira and the others wouldn’t have gone to such lengths.

“Self-Bestowal: Healing.”

Yhwach pressed his left hand against his broken body. Black Reiatsu poured out like sludge, healing his wounds before their eyes. In his newly regenerated right hand, he gripped a Medallion.

“It’s over, Genryūsai Yamamoto. Your Bankai belongs to me now.”

As Yhwach aimed the Medallion forward, tendrils of black Reiatsu shot forth, crossing the distance instantly and plunging into his enemy’s body.

Genryūsai’s pupils constricted.

His Bankai was vanishing!

Scorching Reiatsu erupted as he tried to halt the process.

But his efforts were futile. His power couldn’t prevent the theft of his Bankai—he could only watch helplessly as it was stolen away.

After claiming the Bankai, Yhwach tucked away the Medallion and fixed the enraged elder with fierce eyes.

⤫ Sankt Bogen ⥤ Great Holy Bow! ⤬

A giant holy bow materialized above his head, a holy arrow dozens of meters long suspended on its string. With a thunderous boom, the blue beam streaked toward Genryūsai.

Genryūsai struck with his sword again — but having lost his Bankai, he could only rely on raw power to block the attack. This opening proved fatal.

Yhwach summoned another Quincy cross blade and swung it forward:

“Farewell, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.”

In the next moment, the scorching Reiatsu vanished completely from the Seireitei…

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“…” Gazing at his fallen form, Genryūsai’s expression grew solemn.

He had known Yhwach would be formidable and had prepared for the worst.

Yet he had still underestimated him. Not only had Yhwach survived his strongest technique, but he could instantly heal his grievous wounds through some mysterious power.

Could that boy truly defeat such an enemy?

“You’ve all witnessed the Quincy’s true power. The Medallion — the ultimate weapon against Shinigami Captains.” Aizen explained calmly, “It’s a technique that forcibly steals a Shinigami’s Bankai, developed by Yhwach and modified by Urahara. Originally, it could only steal Bankai at the moment of release. Now it can be stolen even when dormant.”

As his words settled, countless gazes in the palace turned toward Kisuke. Genryūsai’s was the fiercest of all.

Sensing the killing intent directed at him, Kisuke wanted to cry. Though Aizen had ordered the technique’s enhancement, why was he taking the blame?

Damn you, Sōsuke Aizen!

No wonder he got along with Akira — their hearts were equally dark.

“Ahem, there’s no need for such concern.” Kisuke said, trying to salvage his reputation, “The Medallion can only be used once, and when its victim dies, their stolen Bankai becomes unusable.”

At this, everyone’s tension eased.

Fighting enemies who could steal their Bankai would be like battling with severed limbs. Thankfully, this technique could not be used again, or the outcome would remain uncertain.

Yet this technique seemed ineffective against Akira. His bestial, instinctive fighting style didn’t rely on his Zanpakutō’s power — his iron fists alone commanded the eight directions.

Looking at it this way, he seemed to have anticipated this step all along.

The Captains’ feelings were mixed. Being thoroughly outmaneuvered intellectually by that person was, indeed, the ultimate insult.

“Besides the Medallion, their specific fighting style involves manipulating Reishi in the air.” Aizen continued speaking, paying no attention to the others’ expressions, “Although the Reigai consumed some of the Quincy’s fighting power, it won’t make the coming war much easier. Our task is more challenging — we must defeat rather than kill both regular Quincy and Sternritter members whenever possible. As for why…”

His gaze swept across the room, his calm voice reaching everyone’s ears with perfect clarity.

“Living Quincy are the greatest threat to Yhwach.”

Their fanatical faith had made the Quincy loyal to Akira instead of Yhwach. Under his ability enhancement, they couldn’t be sanctified by Yhwach. However, when a Quincy died, their soul and power would return to Yhwach, instantly nullifying everything accomplished before.

After this straightforward explanation, the Captains nodded in agreement. Having witnessed this unfold, they no longer harbored doubts about this 3rd Seat of the 12th Division.

If Akira had conquered Soul Society through force, then Aizen had subdued everyone through wisdom. Even in this racial war between Shinigami and Quincy, he manipulated everything effortlessly. Yhwach’s actions, the Sternritter’s movements — all fell within his plans.

Such a frightening existence — even looking back through Soul Society’s million-year history, one would struggle to find anyone comparable.

In Seireitei No. 2, Hashirama Senju, enhanced by both his full blood transformation and the Schrift, moved like a tiger among sheep and struck down Genryūsai’s direct disciple, Akira Kisaragi.

The other Shinigami, caught unaware, fell to trickery and ambush. A war that could have shaped the course of Sangai ended in mere moments.

Looking at the ruins on the screen, Aizen rose from his seat and casually tore open the space beside him, revealing profound darkness.

“Let’s go, Urahara-san. Next, we head to the Soul King Palace…”

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