"Ha! Arrogant!" Szayelaporro let out a sharp laugh, the tumor-like appendages hanging from his wings trembling slightly.
Though the Shinigami he regarded as a precious specimen made his heart itch with desire, this self-proclaimed Aizen before him dared to provoke him with such an indifferent attitude.
Stirred by a researcher's desire to destroy, Szayelaporro decided to first dismantle Aizen, then capture Kensei alive.
Then he could make Kensei listen to Aizen's agonized cries during the experiment. What kind of reaction might that produce?
Szayelaporro's fingers continued rapidly tapping the control panel behind him. This place was meticulously designed by him—here, he had an inherent advantage.
From the laboratory ceiling, several vent structures suddenly opened. Thick purple mist poured from the nozzles, mixed with some green dust. This was a specially formulated toxin and nerve-paralyzing powder targeting Shinigami.
As the smoke spread, more openings appeared in the ceiling. Numerous launch ports extended, firing dark red concentrated energy bullets like a rainstorm. These energy bullets were simulated Ceros, created by Szayelaporro through research on Gillian's Cero.
"Ah~ let me listen intently to the Shinigami's lament."
Szayelaporro's face showed an expectant yet cruel smile. His wings extended, preparing to capture the now-defenseless Shinigami alive.
"Utterly boring."
Facing the rain of attacks, Aizen merely slowly raised a hand as she advanced.
"Bakudō #81: Dankū."
As Aizen's calm voice sounded, a broad transparent barrier instantly unfolded in the space before her.
The blazing energy bullets, the spreading poison mist—all were completely isolated by this transparent barrier.
The lab occasionally rang with the explosions of simulated Ceros striking Dankū. The raging energy formed a small-scale storm sweeping the area, barely stirring the tied ends of Aizen's hair.
"It seems you have some research value too."
Szayelaporro's smile froze for a moment. He hadn't expected this Aizen to possess some strength, capable of using advanced Kidō.
"Is this the only toy you have?" Aizen's voice pierced through the ongoing explosions, reaching Szayelaporro's ears. "If this is all you're capable of, you're not qualified to be my experimental subject."
"Hope your mouth is still this hard later."
Provoked by this disdainful attitude, Szayelaporro mobilized his Vasto Lorde-level spiritual pressure.
"Don't talk nonsense. I've tried." Kensei, watching the spectacle, suddenly interjected. "Aizen's mouth is actually sof—"
Before Kensei could finish, a look from Aizen shut him up. He obediently continued watching the show.
Szayelaporro's attacks grew more ferocious. The tentacles on his body extended underground, attempting to ambush Aizen.
But unfortunately, the simulated Ceros were once again blocked by the rock-solid Dankū. The ambushing tentacles were easily dispatched by Aizen with Kidō.
Without even needing incantation, as if dealing with such attacks was effortless for Aizen—this composure thoroughly ignited Szayelaporro's anxiety.
Moreover, she hadn't used her Zanpakutō at all. Szayelaporro clearly knew that most of a Shinigami's power relied on that blade.
Was she hiding her strength? Or did she consider him unworthy of even using her Zanpakutō?
"Where is your Zanpakutō?!" Szayelaporro shrieked. Purple spiritual pressure gathered at his fingertips. "Show me your ability! Let me collect more data before you die!"
Through the transparent barrier, Aizen looked at Szayelaporro. Contempt clearly appeared in her eyes, like a human looking at an unreasonable ant.
This disregard again provoked Szayelaporro's inner self. The spiritual pressure at his fingertips instantly shot forth. A Vasto Lorde-level Cero reached Aizen in the blink of an eye—then passed through her body.
"Mwahahaha!" Szayelaporro clutched his forehead, letting out maniacal laughter. "All talk, in the end."
"Since when..." Accompanied by the sound of shattering glass, the Aizen who had just been pierced by the Cero completely unharmed appeared before Szayelaporro's eyes. "...did you get the illusion that I haven't been using Kyōka Suigetsu?"
"How is that possible?!"
Szayelaporro stared at Aizen in disbelief. He had clearly felt the Cero hit and sensed Aizen's spiritual pressure gradually disappear.
"But dealing with you, indeed, doesn't really require my Zanpakutō." Aizen advanced with leisurely steps, Kyōka Suigetsu at her waist still not drawn. "Why bother slowly cutting with a blade? Simply crush you with spiritual pressure in one go."
The moment she finished speaking, an indescribable, terrifying spiritual pressure erupted from Aizen's body, mixed with the ferocity belonging to a Hollow.
The Hollowfication mask once again appeared on Aizen's face, adding another layer of savage pressure to her already terrifying presence.
"Th-this?!"
Szayelaporro's eyes widened, fixed on the mask appearing on Aizen's face.
Two inherently conflicting powers were actually fused within this person, completely breaking racial boundaries!
The mixed spiritual pressure of Shinigami and Hollow shot skyward. The lab's sturdy ceiling was directly blasted open by this terrifying power.
Accompanied by the sound of electrical currents, all surviving instrument screens in the lab exploded. The entire space seemed to tremble.
"Such evolution exists?!"
Under this pressure, Szayelaporro's madness and excitement didn't diminish—they grew even more intense.
"Hadō #90—"
Aizen raised her hand. No complicated incantation needed to increase power. Under such spiritual pressure enhancement, the power was terrifying enough. The Hōgyoku in her clothing flickered with light, as if resonating with this spiritual pressure.
"Kurohitsugi!"
Even more profound black spiritual pressure materialized in the air, rapidly forming a coffin that encased Szayelaporro. Compared to previous Kurohitsugi, this one contained the ferocity of a Hollow, making its power even greater.
"Gyaaaaaah!"
Szayelaporro's piercing screams emerged from the Kurohitsugi. He felt his body not only being sliced by spiritual pressure blades, but also pulled in opposite directions by two completely opposing forces, as if trying to tear him apart.
His Vasto Lorde-level high-speed regeneration was useless. His hard Hierro was now like paper mâché.
The blades within Kurohitsugi acted like scalpels, cutting and dissecting Szayelaporro's body.
"Whew~" Kensei whistled, looking with pity towards the Kurohitsugi, shaking his head. "Szayelaporro, if I were you, I'd never oppose Sōsuke."
"Because as long as Sōsuke draws breath, she is unbeatable."
While Aizen was overwhelmingly dealing with Szayelaporro, on the other side of the lab, the battle against the out-of-control Gorudo Roikodium was also nearing its end.
Against this group of specially modified Hollows, there was nothing a Shunkō-empowered punch from Yoruichi couldn't solve. If there was, add an Ikotsu.
As for Ikomikidomoe, though its size had diminished somewhat, the power it carried was instead more terrifying.
Its attacks were completely without form, making it difficult for Nelliel and Yoruichi to approach.
If it released a Cero, that would be manageable—Nelliel's Cero Doble could absorb and return it doubled. Unfortunately, the deranged Ikomikidomoe only used physical power.
On Ikomikidomoe's head, Gorudo Roikodium was half-fused with it. Due to the drug Szayelaporro had injected, its body had become extremely emaciated, nearly withered. But the spiritual pressure it erupted with was increasingly terrifying.
"Lanzador Verde!"
Nelliel took a deep breath. Rather than watch this experimental subject, abused by Szayelaporro, die in agony, it was better to give it a quick end.
Powerful spiritual pressure began gathering into her double-headed javelin. Nelliel's gaze aimed at Gorudo Roikodium above.
Ikomikidomoe seemed to sense the threat. The yellow giant eye on its chest opened again, immense spiritual pressure gathering. Aiming at Nelliel's thrown spear tip, a Cero fiercely blasted forward.
Spear tip and Cero collided midair.
After a brief stalemate, the two evenly matched spiritual pressures began to compress, then produced a massive explosion in the air.
In the seconds before this explosion, Szayelaporro, still being tortured within the Kurohitsugi, his blood almost drained, with difficulty pulled a button from his robe.
He hadn't expected such a Waterloo. Survival instinct drove Szayelaporro to press the button, detonating the specially made bomb buried beneath the lab.
BOOM!
The two explosions occurred almost simultaneously. The violent tremors completely destroyed the lab, temporarily blasting a gap in Aizen's Kurohitsugi, allowing Szayelaporro to escape.
"Just wait... I will unleash endless revenge on you!"
Szayelaporro, with hardly an intact spot on his body, gasped like a stray dog. The peculiar wings on his back were half-broken, the mask on his face badly damaged.
"From now on, you Shinigami will live in fear."
Fearful of aggravating his unhealed wounds, Szayelaporro couldn't laugh properly. His venomous gaze swept over everyone present. His remaining tentacles coiled around the already restored Gorudo Roikodium and Zanpakutō.
Catching a glimpse of spiritual pressure once again gathering in Aizen's palm, Szayelaporro had to discard the now-useless Gorudo Roikodium and detonate the bomb he had pre-planted inside it.
BOOM!
"Cough, cough!" After the explosion's aftermath dissipated, Yoruichi looked at the now-vanished Szayelaporro. "Didn't expect him to be so ruthless. He got away."
"No matter." Aizen looked up at the crescent moon hanging in the sky, a smile curving her lips. "He won't get far."
***
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