Black spiritual pressure, burning like flames, erupted from Tōsen Kaname's body!
It surged upward into a massive pillar of fire, sweeping away the clouds that had just begun to gather and twisting the surrounding space.
The Shinigami and Arrancar watching the scene were completely stunned. For a moment, their minds went blank.
What just happened?
Why did the fake "Kyoraku Shimo" suddenly start self-destructing?!
What exactly did Captain Shimo do?
The stronger captains faintly sensed something unusual.
Yamamoto, forcing his heavily wounded body to stand amid the ruins, narrowed his eyes as a thoughtful gleam flashed within them.
There was no doubt—this phenomenon had everything to do with Shimo.
Just judging from the change in his expression was enough to confirm it.
Moreover, the reishi density of the entire city seemed to have undergone a violent shift.
"Captain Shimo's Zanpakutō has been released!"
"Another one-strike kill? Captain Shimo seems even stronger than before."
"Compared to the change in his strength, I'm more curious about how he accomplished something like this."
It wasn't only the captains who were shocked.
Even Aizen was surprised.
Although he had long anticipated that Shimo possessed hidden methods—and had prepared contingencies in case of another release—
Seeing the scene unfold before his eyes still caught him off guard.
Aizen's gaze flickered. When he looked at Shimo again, his expression was no longer as calm as before.
"…Time?"
He murmured the word quietly.
Because of the distance, Shimo did not hear it.
At that moment, Aizen's expression gradually grew serious, complex emotions surfacing in his eyes.
With Aizen's intellect, how could he fail to understand?
From the very beginning, Shimo had always been wary of him.
Guarding against him.
But why?
Had he already seen through everything from the start?
Shimo glanced toward Aizen in the distance and smiled faintly, appearing unusually modest.
"Arrogant fool!"
From within the spiraling pillar of flames, Tōsen Kaname's furious roar erupted.
"You think such an attack can extinguish the justice within my heart?!"
"Those who do not understand fear are unworthy of wielding a sword!"
The word justice echoed across Karakura Town.
Yet beneath the blazing pillar of fire consuming him, those heartfelt declarations sounded painfully hollow.
The Shinigami below truly felt despair.
"What a terrifying opponent…"
Because he had stayed far from the center of the battlefield, Szayelaporro had not been struck by Shimo's slash.
Even so, he could feel the despair and terror contained within that attack.
After all—
It had destroyed his proudest creation.
"…What a shame."
Szayelaporro shook his head and spoke gravely.
"To achieve a near-perfect creation, one must still rely on external power."
As his words fell, the four wings behind him flapped again.
His spiritual pressure surged, accompanied by a strange energy.
Thick black liquid, like the ink of an octopus—sprayed across Tōsen's body.
In an instant, the flames were extinguished.
All that remained was a charred body floating in the air.
The man who had shouted about justice moments ago now hovered on the brink of death.
Had Szayelaporro not intervened, he might already have died.
"Looks like I need a more perfect specimen."
Szayelaporro glanced at Tōsen's condition with disappointment.
Immediately afterward, the four wings behind him extended like tentacles, wrapping around Tōsen's body and dragging it toward him.
Shimo watched the scene with curiosity.
Among the researchers of Hueco Mundo, aside from Aizen himself, Szayelaporro was undoubtedly the most formidable.
He must have participated in research related to soul experiments.
From what Shimo had just witnessed, the creation of the fake "Kyoraku Shimo" clearly involved Szayelaporro's abilities.
So Shimo decided to see just what other tricks Szayelaporro still possessed.
"A perfect work requires perfect experimental materials."
Szayelaporro's face twisted into a manic grin. Behind the mask of his glasses, his gaze locked onto Shimo.
"So, Shinigami… become my experimental material!"
The moment he finished speaking—
His mouth stretched open horrifyingly.
Before everyone's horrified eyes, he swallowed Tōsen's body whole.
In the next instant—
His spiritual pressure skyrocketed.
Solidified spiritual pressure surged from him like a raging tide.
A deep violet aura dyed the sky.
Szayelaporro's laughter echoed across the world.
His exponentially increasing spiritual pressure whipped up invisible tempests, causing Shimo's haori to flap violently in the wind.
Shimo simply stood there, holding his long Zanpakutō, calmly observing everything.
Given Szayelaporro's personality, Shimo found that his tolerance for the scientist had already reached an absurd level.
No matter what bizarre act Szayelaporro committed, Shimo no longer felt surprised.
After all—
This was hardly the first time Szayelaporro had devoured someone.
His own brother Yylfordt Granz, along with several subordinates, had once served as nothing more than spare rations.
"Heh… Shinigami!"
Szayelaporro's laughter suddenly stopped.
His dangerous, manic gaze locked onto Shimo.
"For the sake of my great experiment…"
"Offer up your power!"
As his words ended—
Countless tentacles behind him suddenly tore through the surrounding space.
Shimo's expression shifted slightly as he glanced to the side.
Around him, numerous dark, abyss-like holes had suddenly appeared.
In an instant, Szayelaporro's tentacles surged out from them, carrying violent force as they attempted to shred Shimo apart.
"The power of space, huh?"
Shimo activated Shunpo, enhanced by his time-acceleration ability, effortlessly evading the attacks.
"Unfortunately…"
"Your application of spatial power is far too crude."
"Try this instead."
His figure flashed.
In an instant, he appeared directly before Szayelaporro.
Shimo's pale hand slammed against Szayelaporro's face, black light flickering across his palm.
A spiritual pressure as deep as the abyss erupted violently.
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