Ishikawa retracted his gaze, not paying attention to Yhwach's whereabouts.
Is Yhwach strong after opening his eyes?
Very strong!
There's no doubt about this, but this 'strength' isn't like Ishikawa's, manifested in all aspects like Reishi, physique, skill, and Zanjutsu; instead, it's a strength on a conceptual level.
In other words…
Compared to when Yhwach hadn't opened his eyes, the inherent strength of his Reishi and other attributes remained almost unchanged after he did.
It's just that the concept he possesses, named 'The Almighty,' allows him to be invincible; anyone within the influence of this concept is not qualified to be his opponent.
But when someone steps outside the framework of his concept, Yhwach can only rely on his own strength to fight them.
This is also why Yhwach was so vulnerable in front of Ishikawa.
Yet, even so, Ishikawa still hasn't completely surpassed the concept of 'The Almighty,' because defeating Yhwach is easy, but trying to kill Yhwach within the confines of the concept is extremely difficult.
Because, in a way, this world favors Yhwach.
But being unable to kill him doesn't mean he can't be dealt with. If Ishikawa had wanted to, he could have completely suppressed Yhwach the moment his form condensed, but Ishikawa simply chose not to do so.
… …
At the same time—!
Fierce battles erupted throughout Seireitei, and Reishi fluctuations enveloped the entire Seireitei.
But unlike previous battles, the Quincy side was at a definite disadvantage in this war.
Because now, the Sternritter is almost entirely composed of the Schutzstaffel.
The only surviving non-Schutzstaffel members were Äs Nödt (Fear), Bazz-B (Heat), and Jerome Guizbatt (Roar). They barely caused any disturbance before they were either killed or captured.
In the central part of Seireitei, a pillar of fire soared into the sky, taking with it a presence.
That was the direction of the First Division, and that fire was one that the Gotei 13 were all familiar with, the Captain Commander!
As the flames ascended, the presence of the Schutzstaffel member who had gone to that area completely vanished.
The vanished presence was…
Askin Nakk Le Vaar, whose Schrift was D, the 'Death Dealing.'
Although Askin's ability is extremely terrifying, for someone like Captain Commander, who is merciless towards enemies and possesses the ability to kill in one blow, it was almost impossible for Askin to fully utilize the characteristics of his ability, even with Captain Commander still recovering from severe injuries.
In another direction, a giant like a mountain stood tall, surrounded by several tiny figures constantly launching attacks against him.
Soi Fon, Komamura Sajin, Shinji…
Harribel, Ulquiorra, Grimmjow…
Under the encirclement of the Gotei 13 Captains and the Arrancar Espada, the giant was already showing signs of decline.
Finally, Haschwalth faced the remaining majority of the combatants, and among them was a helper Ishikawa had anticipated, who worked with the Arrancar and Shinigami to confront Haschwalth!
Ishida Uryū.
However, although the Shinigami side had more numbers, they didn't hold a significant advantage. Instead, due to Haschwalth's ability, the allied forces suffered casualties from severe injuries.
The Balance!
An ability that directly inflicts misfortune upon an opponent through a sword, making anything afflicted with misfortune vulnerable before his power.
And when the sword cannot bring misfortune to the opponent, it means the opponent possesses a certain degree of luck. By collecting misfortune from around the world to offset the opponent's luck, the scales are corrected. Therefore, the luck that the opponent used to inflict damage upon him is forced to bear an equal amount of misfortune.
At the same time, the misfortune inflicted upon his body is absorbed by the 'Freund Schild,' and the damage is reflected back to the opponent, causing the opponent to face a cataclysm of extinction.
It was precisely because of this troublesome ability that the allied forces suffered casualties.
And after Ishida Uryū, with his new power, intervened, he indeed provided immense help to the allied forces.
Overall, Ishikawa didn't need to intervene to help.
Everything was proceeding according to Ishikawa's initial plan, except for the last part…
Ishikawa's gaze shifted towards the direction of Cirucci and Lille Barro. Due to Haschwalth's unique nature, he had dispatched the vast majority of his forces to confront him, while only sending two people to Lille Barro's side.
One was Cirucci, and the other was Retsu Unohana, who served as logistics and treated the wounded, and was always ready to provide support to Cirucci.
The main purpose was just for Cirucci to temporarily hold off Lille Barro, not to defeat him, so a retreat route had already been prepared for Cirucci in advance.
As for Lille Barro, whether the battle on his side ended, or Captain Commander's side, or anyone else's, they would all go to support after their battles concluded.
Cirucci's battle could be said to be the easiest, the most insignificant, and the one least likely to have an accident. She only needed to hold out through the early stage of the war.
However…
An unexpected turn occurred in that direction.
Although this unexpected turn, in a way, held immense benefits for Cirucci.
Because even ignoring the experience points in his mind, Ishikawa could feel the kind of… overflowing, extremely dark, and terrifying Reishi fluctuation emanating from Cirucci's location, filled with avarice!
Even…
Ishikawa also felt a rule within that Reishi fluctuation, as if it could devour everything, like a black hole.
Whether it was the Reishi in the atmosphere, sound, or even light, all were distorted under that rule, and then completely devoured!
Looking in that direction, Ishikawa hesitated for a moment, then concealed his presence and vanished into thin air.
He wanted to see what exactly was happening with Cirucci.
… …
Western Seireitei.
The entire Western Seireitei had undergone a massive transformation; black and white colors replaced the sunlight, leaving only black and white clashing intensely throughout the region.
The Reishi fluctuations generated by the collision of black and white light caused distortions in the sky above Seireitei.
Lille Barro, engulfed in what appeared to be divine judgment, no longer resembled a human in the slightest; he looked like an unknown creature composed of sacred light.
"What a truly sinful Hollow!!"
Lille Barro's voice carried a strange sense of divinity, making anyone who heard it instinctively feel as if the sins hidden within their hearts were completely exposed.
However…
His enemy made no attempt to hide her sins; instead, she unleashed all of them.
Ultimately forming something capable of contending with divine judgment…
Great Sin!!!
The pitch-black Reishi was permeated with an omnipresent avarice. Even the sacred light, resembling divine power, gradually became stained with a layer of black upon contact with that avaricious darkness.
This sight caused Lille Barro's bird-like eyes to narrow slightly, but they quickly returned to their calm state.
Although the current state of the Arrancar before him was somewhat incomprehensible, he didn't need to understand it.
Because…
He was immortal; no weapon or Kido could cause him any harm!
He was invincible!
He was a privileged messenger of God!
This, no matter how the opponent changed, could absolutely not be altered or shaken.
Moreover…
"All those who are deeply sinful can only sit and await their demise before me, a messenger of God!"
As he spoke, the sacred light intensified.
Boom~!
Faintly, the sound of a judgment hammer striking echoed continuously through the void.
The next second, a pillar of light pierced through the darkness, like an arrow, penetrating deep into the shadows. Everything in its path was pierced through as if it didn't exist under this arrow of light.
Judgment Light!
The light tore through the darkness, reaching its core, and finally, with a deafening roar, slammed heavily into the indistinct figure at the center of the darkness.
It was as if, before this arrow of judgment possessing divine power, all sins would be pierced and utterly annihilated!
The world, in that instant, seemed to have been paused, becoming utterly silent.
The darkness was illuminated by the light; the entire area was enveloped in sacred light, but…
"Hmm?"
A questioning sound came from the amorphous form Lille Barro had taken, his bird-like eyes fixed on a certain spot.
There…
There was a spherical black area that seemed capable of swallowing everything. Compared to the sacred light around it, this black sphere appeared so tiny, yet it exuded an indescribably bizarre sense of presence.
It was as if no matter how sacred the light, it could not dispel it. In fact, due to the intensified light, it inadvertently highlighted this indelible darkness.
Making one feel as if they were witnessing the root of all evil and disaster…
Beyond sin, the word that best suited its 'existence' should be…
Original Sin!
The Original Sin of Greed!!
"This is?"
Ishikawa, hidden in the void, his pupils slightly constricted, vaguely felt a sense of being watched fall upon him.
And the source of this gaze was precisely that darkness whose inner situation was unclear.
Greed, longing, hunger…
Even without seeing the owner of the gaze, Ishikawa could clearly feel that unrestrained avarice, which made him shiver slightly!
Ishikawa's eyelid twitched. He suddenly felt a strong urge to escape from here.
He felt that Cirucci, who had always been so easy to manage, had suddenly become very problematic.
Most importantly…
He had concealed himself to such an extent that Lille Barro hadn't even noticed his arrival, yet Cirucci immediately sensed his presence.
It should be known that Ishikawa's method of concealment wasn't simply hiding his form; in a sense, he was in a different dimension than Lille Barro and the others. Normally, given the dimension Lille Barro and Cirucci were in, they absolutely couldn't detect Ishikawa's Reishi or presence.
But Cirucci, somehow, did sense it!
This feeling was as if he had become the source of that extreme greed.
This is not good.
"A mere Hollow, born of sin itself, dares to…"
Just then, Lille Barro's furious roar echoed, his voice no longer as calm as before, due to the judgment light being ineffective.
However…
Lille Barro's words were cut short.
At this moment, his pupils trembled incessantly, filled with disbelief.
The slender, black-glowing fingers slowly closed, causing Lille Barro's bird-like form, made of light, to tremble uncontrollably.
How is this possible?
Lille Barro looked at the black figure that had appeared before him at some unknown point; no matter how he thought, he couldn't understand how she had appeared.
It was as if…
This black figure had always been standing in front of him, only he hadn't noticed, until the moment his head was clamped.
What on earth happened to her?
Lille Barro looked along the arm that was clamping his head, and what met his eyes was a face that, with just one glance, would penetrate deep into one's soul.
It wasn't because of beauty, but because of its strangeness!
Her face had not changed much; only her wavy purple hair had turned into long, waist-length hair as black as a waterfall, but the feeling she gave Lille Barro was as if she were a completely different person, especially the strange and terrifying smile on her face, which made Lille Barro feel a tremor from the depths of his soul.
Most importantly…
He couldn't move!!
Under those slender fingers, his body was like ice, unable to move a single inch, and even the Reishi within him, infused with the power of a god, solidified.
The only part of Lille Barro's body that could move was his pupils; he instinctively looked into Cirucci's eyes before him.
However, what he didn't expect was…
Her gaze was not on him, but directed to his upper left.
What is she looking at?
No!
What's important now isn't what she's looking at, but escaping!!
Lille Barro could clearly feel his Reishi continuously draining away; more precisely, it was being constantly devoured by Cirucci, who was shrouded in black mist.
At this moment, this Arrancar before him seemed to have transformed into a greedy beast; if he didn't find a way to escape immediately, his Reishi, body, and even his soul would be completely consumed by her!!
Thinking of this, the light around Lille Barro flared brightly.
"Oh?"
A slightly surprised voice emerged as Cirucci, who was in front of Lille Barro, slowly retracted her gaze and looked at Lille Barro, but then immediately looked up towards the sky above her head.
Looking up from below, one could see the holy light of the sky converging, forming a dazzling celestial curtain, like a perfectly circular cloud, except this cloud emanated a power capable of destroying the world.
But if one observed it from the side, they would find that the circular cloud was merely the bottom, and above it, the light formed an inverted funnel shape; overall, it looked like an enormous trumpet.
—God's Trumpet!
"You said it before, didn't you?"
Cirucci's voice emerged, her tone calm and… eerily gentle, causing Lille Barro to freeze, not understanding why this woman, who had been laughing like a madwoman just moments ago, had suddenly become so gentle.
Although…
Lille Barro clearly felt a subtle sense of perversion hidden within her gentleness.
"You are Yhwach's greatest masterpiece, the man closest to God!"
Sarcasm?
A flicker of annoyance crossed Lille Barro's eyes, but his restrained body prevented him from retorting; fortunately… his strongest attack was already fully charged.
Soon, this inexplicably crazy woman, along with the entire western Seireitei, would be reduced to ashes under his God's Trumpet!
"On that point, I must thank you."
"If it weren't for you, I might never have realized my own greed."
"However…"
Cirucci paused here, her gaze shifting from Lille Barro to the upper left behind him once more.
"Although I, like you, were among the first to be granted power by someone, there is one difference."
Lille Barro froze, noticing that Cirucci, who was looking at an unknown point, once again revealed that incredibly greedy, extremely morbid smile!
A voice, gentle yet immensely firm, then emanated from Cirucci's mouth:
"I am not content with becoming the woman closest to God, but rather… I want to…"
Boom—!
A booming sound that vibrated the air emanated from the giant trumpet in the sky, and light that distorted the void descended from above, enveloping the entire western Seireitei.
This scene was like divine retribution!
Everything under that light fell into a state of stillness; everyone, no matter where they were in Seireitei, turned their gaze towards the battlefield where Cirucci and Lille Barro were at that instant.
Die!!
Lille Barro's bird-like eyes were filled with murderous intent; he was completely uninterested in the madwoman's words and wouldn't wait for her to finish speaking before attacking.
However, in the next second, Lille Barro's breath hitched.
Because…
"…turn God into my possession!!"
How is this possible?
Cirucci's voice, revealing a morbid greed within her gentleness, was incredibly clear, even overpowering the thunderous roar like a heavenly punishment, clearly entering Lille Barro's ears.
These words were like a switch, or perhaps a broken chain!
An ominous black light burst forth from Cirucci, eventually forming a dark vortex above her, appearing somewhat circular yet also like a three-dimensional sphere.
Buzz—
Almost the instant this vortex appeared, the light descending from the sky seemed to be drawn to it, all heading towards the black vortex.
No…
"Impossible!?"
This unbelievable sight made Lille Barro let out a shriek.
But no matter how he tried to control the light, he couldn't stop it from twisting and continuously converging towards the black vortex.
Not only the light, but he himself was also affected!
His life force was rapidly draining away; Lille Barro felt his body twisting little by little, and even the power of a god within him became vulnerable at that instant, as if it had met its nemesis.
At the same time!
A whooshing sound echoed high in the sky as Ishikawa's figure appeared above, looking strangely at the all-consuming vortex below.
He didn't know if it was an illusion, but he always felt that the vortex seemed to be specifically targeting him, filled with a strange gravitational pull that wanted to devour him alive and integrate him into itself!
Restraint?
"…"
Thinking of this, Ishikawa's eye twitched again.
Is this woman crazy?
The moment that vortex formed, this fellow actually truly wanted to swallow him.
No!
More precisely, it wasn't Cirucci's own will, but the black-hole-like rule she embodied that wanted to swallow him.
Although it posed no threat to Ishikawa, the rule itself, which was born because of him, was extremely dangerous for Ishikawa.
What on earth happened to Cirucci?
And just as Ishikawa was in doubt, the area below had already returned to tranquility.
Looking out, the alien form that Lille Barro had taken was gone; only Cirucci, shrouded in black mist, was faintly visible, and that chilling gaze that made Ishikawa feel a chill throughout his body returned.
A trace of hesitation flashed across Ishikawa's face; he wondered if he should reveal himself and greet Cirucci now…
However, he didn't hesitate for long.
Because that gaze quickly shifted elsewhere; where Cirucci was looking, a full-figured silhouette, radiating killing intent, even subtly forming a crimson mist, had appeared there at some unknown time.
That was…
Retsu Unohana!!
Ishikawa: "…"
As the two women's gazes met, the western Seireitei, which had returned to tranquility, suddenly gained an invisible sense of solemnity at that instant, making Ishikawa feel even more danger than when Lille Barro was still alive.
On one side was a blood mist formed by an extreme concentration of killing intent;
On the other side was a black mist formed by the condensation of extreme greed;
The two collided almost instantly, making this area extremely dangerous and causing Ishikawa's mind to go blank.
He regretted it deeply, regretted putting these two women together in the first place.
Now, let alone mutual support, Ishikawa felt that if he didn't act soon, these two might inexplicably start fighting!
That's right!
It was utterly inexplicable.
Ishikawa couldn't understand why such a tense situation arose the moment these two women met.
Did they have any conflicts before?
Probably not, right?
Ishikawa's face was filled with struggle; from the perspective of the Captain Commander… although he was the temporary Captain Commander, he should appear and prevent the two from clashing.
But from his own standpoint, or rather, a man's standpoint, Ishikawa had a premonition that if he appeared before the two of them at this moment, he might fall into an incredibly terrifying situation!
Finally, after some hesitation, Ishikawa made up his mind.
Forget it!
He was the Captain Commander of the Gotei 13, burdened with the heavy responsibility of saving the Three Realms, and upholding the great cause of protecting the Soul King; how could he stand still due to personal matters!
Thinking of this, Ishikawa got up and was about to leave.
However, just then, two dangerous gazes suddenly descended, simultaneously falling on Ishikawa, making Ishikawa, who was about to leave, stiffen.
So…
Why can you all see me?
That being said, Ishikawa also understood that the two women could sense him probably because there was some kind of connection between them and him.
Ishikawa revealed himself with a trembling smile, as if about to say something, but at that instant, Ishikawa's expression suddenly changed, his pupils constricted, and he exclaimed loudly:
"Damn it, the Soul King is in danger!"
Before his words finished, he suddenly vanished from his original spot.
Immediately, a meteor streaked across the sky, flowing upwards, heading towards the Soul King Palace along the previous opening; this scene was extremely grand and attracted everyone's attention.
But for some reason, everyone who saw this scene had a feeling that the 'meteor' seemed to be fleeing.