Chapter 300 – 300 ⥤ That Must Be Me

If you were to ask who Kisuke feared most in the world, he would undoubtedly answer Aizen.

And what was even more terrifying than Aizen? Two Aizens!

Looking at the two figures confronting each other in the sky, he suddenly felt his heart stop. He had specifically developed a targeted Kidō to counter Aizen — Kyūjūrokkei Kakafūmetsu (Ninety-Six Capitol Fire-Suspended Seal Destruction).

Just when the plan was finally on track and about to be implemented, another Aizen had appeared!

Everyone else displayed appropriate expressions of terror. One of this man had already turned Soul Society upside down, wiping out Shinigami Captains and even the Visored army. If another one appeared, wouldn’t all Sangai be doomed?

Looking at the man identical to himself, Parallel Aizen’s gaze showed traces of suspicion.

Appearances could be faked, behavior could be mimicked, and even spiritual presence could be replicated. But souls… identical souls were impossible.

Although Parallel Aizen was reluctant to admit it, the facts were right before his eyes, leaving him no choice but to accept them. While the person before him had subtle differences in temperament, his instincts told him… This was the genuine Sōsuke Aizen.

When this thought arose, Parallel Aizen couldn’t help but feel a sense of absurdity.

How could there be two identical people in the world? Soul King, is this your handiwork? A rebellion against my predetermined destiny?

Parallel Aizen looked skyward, his eyes showing undisguised contempt.

While the other was observing, Aizen was also studying “himself” with interest — a person identical to him…

Parallel world, Akira didn’t lie to me.

Though the situation was chaotic, he instantly gathered vast information from the confused Reiatsu present and the other’s condition. Using this, he deduced and understood what was happening.

So, without that person, would my future have led down a path destined for failure?

Just as he was about to greet the other and introduce himself, an ill-timed voice emerged from the passage behind.

“Hey, everyone’s here!” Someone walked cheerfully out of the passage, waving at the bewildered crowd below, “Had dinner yet?”

Everyone: “…”

In a scene so tense it had people’s nerves stretched to the limit, where they barely dared to breathe, why did this guy’s appearance suddenly change the whole atmosphere?!

It was like a serious drama suddenly turning into a comedy. The shift was so dramatic, people couldn’t process it.

Looking at the new figure appearing in the sky, Kisuke inexplicably felt his heart seize up.

Unlike Aizen, he was certain he’d never seen such an eccentric person before. Neither the Reiatsu nor appearance rang any bells. While such an existence should be approached with caution, for some reason, a voice deep within his heart was screaming:

‘Use the invincible Benihime to kill this guy immediately, or your life will fall into unprecedented absolute darkness.’

Kisuke was a rational person who could distinguish right from wrong. He sensed that this eccentric young man harbored no ill will toward them. On the contrary, his overflowing goodwill and friendliness seemed genuine.

Yes, friend not foe.

With great willpower, he overcame his instincts and chose to hold back, waiting to see how things would develop.

Akira’s attention lingered on the crowd only briefly before being drawn to Parallel Aizen opposite him.

Pure white skin covered in cracks pulsed with blue-purple light. His wary eyes calmly observed the two before him.

“Sōsuke?” Akira asked tentatively.

Parallel Aizen’s brows furrowed, his cracked face showing traces of displeasure.

Since his betrayal of Soul Society, no one had addressed him that way. Was he close to this person? Or rather, was this version of himself close to this person?

Given that the two emerged together from the dark passage, they must share some kind of bond.

How laughable. Someone destined for solitude, having such a weakness.

While he expressed his disdain through silence, Akira pulled out the latest generation Denreishinki (the cellphone) from his pocket and aimed it at Parallel Aizen.

Click—

The shutter sound echoed across the empty ruins.

“What are you doing?” Aizen’s blood pressure rose.

Akira turned his head with a look of disdain, “Sōsuke, you’ve become quite dim since coming here. Obviously, I’m taking commemorative photos.”

What followed was a bizarre scene playing out before everyone.

Akira darted around Parallel Aizen at speeds that couldn’t be tracked by sight, his camera clicking non-stop.

Since the Aizen he knew had completely merged with the Hōgyoku, this version was now extinct. With such a rare chance to see it, he had to collect as many photos as possible.

As his behavior grew increasingly outrageous, both Aizen and Parallel Aizen’s blood pressure rose in perfect synchronization.

However, with his perfect understanding of his dear son, Akira stopped just as their blood pressure reached the critical point, carefully storing away his cellphone.

This device was more precious than Kisuke’s life — he couldn’t risk losing it. He’d need it later to tease his dear adopted son.

Aizen: “…”

Just from that shameless smirk, he could guess what the other was thinking.

Was it already too late to seize the Denreishinki?

“Let’s end this pointless charade.” Parallel Aizen calmly watched the two figures before him, raising his right hand with index finger extended, “I’ve grown weary of this display.”

⤫ Hadō #63: Raikōhō ⥤ Thunder Roar Sear! ⤬

A massive golden lightning pillar erupted from his fingertip, streaking across the sky and turning it brilliant with light. The air crackled with the scent of ozone.

Boom!

The dazzling light pillar pierced the heavens, its shockwave radiating outward, instantly vaporizing the cloud layer and carving a massive concentric circle at the explosion’s center.

At this stage, Parallel Aizen, shaped by numerous external factors, had reached the pinnacle of ordinary Shinigami power. His incantation-less Hadō rivaled — perhaps even surpassed — a Captain’s fully-chanted Kidō.

Yet when the dust settled and the shockwave dissipated, the attack hadn’t left even a scratch on the pair. A mere basic Reiatsu barrier — one that even Academy students could master — had completely nullified it.

The conscious Shinigami and Arrancar watched in shock. They’d thought Aizen was invincible, but now someone even more formidable had appeared.

Oh, it’s also Aizen — that explains it.

Their expressions turned peculiar. From what they observed, this Aizen in black Shinigami robes, without even a Captain’s haori, seemed marginally stronger than his white-clad counterpart.

None could predict how this would unfold, but in their hearts stirred a curious anticipation.

If these two were to clash, who would triumph?

Studying his unscathed opponent, Parallel Aizen narrowed his eyes, his expression hardening. He knew the devastating power of that Hadō — it would have felled any other Captain.

“The opponent is strong!”

“Leave this to me.” Aizen glanced at the eager husky, preemptively quelling its dangerous thoughts, “I have some theories to test.”

Akira clicked his tongue, looking disappointed.

“Alright then.”

Under Parallel Aizen’s vigilant gaze, Akira turned and descended from the sky, flying toward the others.

Aizen calmly regarded his “mirror image” and smiled.

“Now it’s just the two of us. You must have many questions. Don’t worry, we have ample time to discuss and explore them.”

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Shigekuni Yamamoto frowned as he observed the young man who suddenly materialized before him. His right fist clenched instinctively, Reiatsu gathering in preparation to strike.

{T/N: I will keep the old man’s name as Yamamoto, just so you know we are referring to the parallel one.}

He was certain he had never encountered this person before. Yet inexplicably, instead of feeling alarmed, he found himself oddly at ease. The young man’s presence somehow assured him that everything would be fine.

“Yama-jii, you’re as hot-headed as ever.” Akira approached the massive crater left by Ittō Kasō and helped Yamamoto to his feet.

Looking at the familiar elder’s pitiful condition, he shook his head with a sigh. Though he knew this particular Yamamoto had no connection to him, his heart ached as a disciple.

Shunsui’s incompetence and Kisuke’s cowardice had forced a thousand-year-old man out of retirement to fight on the front lines. And Aizen, fighting without honor through deception and ambush, had pushed him to resort to mutual destruction.

While Aizen emerged unscathed and evolved to the next stage with the Hōgyoku’s power, Yamamoto lay burned to a crisp, missing an arm.

As the young man supported him, Yamamoto felt uneasy — they were strangers, yet this person behaved just like his wayward disciple Shunsui.

He attempted to break free from the other’s grip, but the fellow’s strength proved extraordinary. Despite his struggles, he couldn’t escape.

“One must learn to accept aging — there’s no fighting it.” Akira advised, “For an old timer like you, teacher, you should be content being a source of power-ups. Why burden yourself with so much?”

“Teacher?” Yamamoto was stunned.

But what followed was even more astonishing.

Green light flowed from the young man’s hands, instantly enveloping him. Within moments, the charred cracks on his skin faded away, and at the site of his severed arm, new flesh began to sprout and grow visibly.

Yamamoto’s eyes widened, shock evident on his aged face.

Though not skilled in healing Kaidō himself, he understood its fundamentals. Currently, Retsu Unohana represented the pinnacle of Soul Society’s healing abilities, yet even she would require auxiliary methods to regenerate a lost limb.

Could she restore an arm sacrificed to release Ittō Kasō?

Among forbidden high-level destructive spells, Ittō Kasō sacrificed not just the body, but also part of the soul — this was the source of its terrifying power.

Yet this young man had easily accomplished what even Retsu could not.

Was this some special ability? Or perhaps…

“Who exactly are you?” Yamamoto asked, furrowing his brows as he tested his restored strength.

Everything about him was mysterious — his appearance, his familiar way of addressing Yamamoto, his powerful abilities.

In the past, Yamamoto would have been on guard. But something in his heart gave him an inexplicable trust in this person, as if they had known each other for ages.

“Let me introduce myself. I am Akira Kisaragi.” Akira looked at the fully recovered elder with a satisfied grin, “Teacher, have you heard of the concept of parallel worlds…”

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⤫ Hadō #90: Kurohitsugi ⥤ Black Coffin! ⤬

Distorted lines appeared around Aizen as black torrents surged like stacking cubes, extending and sealing him within instantly. Violent Reiatsu erupted wildly, forming gravity flows that distorted space-time, bursting within the long coffin with muffled explosions.

After more than ten seconds, the black coffin dissipated. Aizen stood completely unharmed, without even a wrinkle on his clothes.

Seeing this, Parallel Aizen frowned deeply, unease taking root in his heart like a buried seed. Without hesitation, he raised his Zanpakutō and rushed at Aizen, swinging his blade down in a direct strike.

Since Kidō was ineffective, he would try close combat. There are no omnipotent beings in this world — being human means having flaws.

Seeing the change in attack strategy, a glimmer of interest flashed in Aizen’s eyes as he casually formed a blade of Reishi and met the attack head-on.

In the blink of an eye, they exchanged dozens of moves.

The more Parallel Aizen fought, the more alarmed he became. His opponent was like an unfathomable ocean — no matter how much power he unleashed, he couldn’t create even a ripple. The only consolation was that such overwhelming power seemed to have clouded his opponent’s judgment.

Underestimating me will be the key to your defeat!

Blades clashed with ringing sounds as sparks flew. Both parties retreated simultaneously, shock waves exploding from the center and lifting the ruins once more.

Parallel Aizen stood in place, his blade pointing downward, and spoke softly:

“It’s time to end this. You will pay for your arrogance.”

He raised his right hand, blue-purple light gathering at his fingertips. A cero-like beam pierced the azure sky, shooting straight toward Aizen.

However, this seemingly certain hit was blocked by a Reishi blade, its flash of light cleanly splitting the beam.

Seeing the other’s shocked expression, Aizen’s lips curled into a smile.

“When did you fall under the illusion that I was affected by Kyōka Suigetsu?”

⤫⤬⤫

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep