Not long after—
Aside from the two vice-captains who had already rushed to Zaraki District…
and under the Captain-Commander's emergency summons—
with Vice-Captain Sasakibe, and the already restrained Mayuri present—
every captain of every division assembled.
A full captains' meeting was convened to discuss the "rescue operation."
"Everyone—on your way here…"
"you should have already learned the truth through Tenteikūra, correct…?"
Leaning on an ancient wooden cane, the Captain-Commander lowered his gaze.
His torch-like, imposing eyes swept across the room—
passing over each captain's face one by one.
"Ah, honestly…"
"Old man, if you hadn't suddenly announced it, I'd still be in the dark…"
Under his gray straw hat, Shunsui Kyōraku pouted and glanced toward the lineup—
at the position left empty by Mayuri's absence.
He sighed, then shook his head helplessly.
"Truth is…"
"Captain Mayuri really went too far this time."
"Good thing Bai Chen was there…"
"Otherwise the purification unit would've been wiped out!"
Kyōraku was usually the peacemaker—
someone who loved smoothing conflicts over.
But this time, after hearing the full story,
even he couldn't bring himself to speak up for Mayuri.
"Hopefully, while he's being disciplined and forcibly confined…"
"he'll reflect properly on how extreme this was…"
Next to the "empty seat," Jūshirō Ukitake also sighed,
trying to offer a gentle word in Mayuri's favor.
"Still…"
"Third Seat Bai Chen… truly didn't disappoint."
"He turned the tide again, right in the middle of the crisis…"
Beneath his falling black bangs, Sōsuke Aizen wore a warm smile.
In front of the captains, without the slightest awkwardness—
he smoothly shifted the topic away from Mayuri…
and onto Bai Chen.
And in doing so,
he once again displayed his "kind, considerate good-guy" image in public.
The moment Aizen finished speaking—
Gin Ichimaru, two seats away, narrowed his eyes and played along,
continuing the topic as if it were rehearsed:
"Captain Aizen…"
"If I'm not mistaken…"
"you—someone who always cares for comrades and worries for subordinates…"
"right now should be desperate to rush to Zaraki District and provide support, yes?"
Gin asked with a smiling squint.
"If the Captain-Commander grants me the chance…"
"I will, without hesitation, lead Squad Five…"
"and depart immediately for Zaraki District to assist!"
Aizen's voice was sincere—firm and ringing.
He looked like a man ready to sacrifice everything.
Naturally, such flawless "acting" earned praise and goodwill:
"As expected of Captain Aizen…"
"No matter when, you're always willing to give yourself…"
"Devoting yourself entirely to the Gotei Thirteen!"
Amid the compliments, the Captain-Commander tapped his cane lightly and cut in:
"Aizen is right…"
"The urgent matter is selecting suitable personnel…"
"They must reach Zaraki District as fast as possible to purge and secure the battlefield."
In truth, as he spoke—
the Captain-Commander had already decided the names in his mind.
"Soifon…"
"Unohana Retsu…"
"Shiba Isshin…"
"And Kiganjō Kenpachi…"
After calling out the four names, he looked at them and issued a cold order:
"You will immediately lead your subordinates and depart."
"Afterward, you will report the entire incident—start to finish—without omission."
The strict command instantly tightened the atmosphere in the room.
"Yes!"
The four captains stepped forward and acknowledged.
They didn't linger.
They turned and left at once—
moving in urgent formation toward Zaraki District.
"Ah…"
"What a pity…"
"Captain Aizen—me and you…"
As the room grew emptier, Gin shrugged and sighed dramatically.
"We got passed over again. No chance to reach the battlefield ourselves…"
In truth—
Gin really did find it a pity.
If he had the option, he'd rather intervene openly,
instead of relying on that "black cloak" trick every time.
This time, Aizen didn't respond.
Like the other captains, he remained quietly composed.
"Reinforcements…"
"meaningless."
"By the time they reach Zaraki District…"
"the Negación will probably have already descended…"
Aizen looked up and glanced toward the northern Rukongai sky outside.
He murmured silently to himself.
Yes.
Even before leaving the underground base,
Aizen had already decided: this operation ends here.
To avoid unpredictable disaster…
the heavily wounded Yammy…
and the released Black-Winged Great Demon…
would have to rely on Negación to flee back to Hueco Mundo in disgrace.
It would crush morale—
for the Espada and the Arrancar army alike.
But Aizen had no choice.
He couldn't shake the fear that if this dragged on—
it wouldn't just be Yammy.
Even his most loyal Ulquiorra
might be buried in Zaraki District forever.
Back in Zaraki District: A One-Sided Endgame
"Black Cero—!!"
Ulquiorra, unwilling to accept it,
fired more than a dozen Black Ceros in succession.
Explosion after explosion—
roaring air, shaking the atmosphere—
yet none of it could move the Fivefold Rashōmon.
Not even the first gate showed so much as a scratch.
"Unbelievable…"
"Against a mere opponent who isn't even a 'captain'…"
"the gap between Bai Chen and me… is this large?"
When the last shred of black light dispersed—
even Ulquiorra, normally one of the calmest Espada,
finally broke.
Those widened emerald eyes said everything.
"Black-Winged Great Demon…"
"If I were you, I'd stop struggling."
"As a Vasto Lorde Arrancar, you should be able to see it…"
"Every Black Cero you fire with your life on the line…"
"just becomes nourishment for those trees and vines."
"It can't shake the Fivefold Rashōmon at all."
Bai Chen's words were the final shove off the cliff.
Ulquiorra's balance snapped.
His emerald gaze, cold as ever—
now carried a hint of madness.
"Don't get smug and lecture me…"
"Do you really think this is my limit?!"
His tone rose sharply.
His face was no longer expressionless—
it was openly furious.
"And if it isn't…"
"I don't have the patience to keep dragging this out."
"Whether you're hiding more power or not…"
"This fight ends here."
Bai Chen could already tell—
Ulquiorra was about to stop holding back.
Second-stage release was coming.
But Bai Chen wasn't the type to stand around politely and let a monster transform.
"Wood Golem—Suppress!"
Before Ulquiorra could fully build momentum—
with a single gesture from Bai Chen,
the Wood Golem Arhat moved in perfect sync.
A colossal wooden palm blotted out the sky—
pressing down with crushing force—
slamming toward the crater where the wounded Yammy lay.
"Black-Winged Great Demon…"
"You might be able to Sonído away…"
"But what about your partner?"
Bai Chen's smile curved with cruel amusement.
He wasn't trying to suppress Ulquiorra instantly—
that wouldn't be easy while Ulquiorra's second-stage pressure surged.
So Bai Chen chose the most effective, most shameless move:
finish the weak one first.
"Bai Chen…"
"You're even more sinister than I imagined!"
Ulquiorra bared his teeth.
He spread his arms and condensed a green-glimmering spirit weapon at speed—
trying to intercept the descending palm.
But he didn't expect—
ROAR—!!
The soaring Wood Dragon, previously coiled around the Wood Golem's other arm,
lunged under Bai Chen's will—
tearing forward with fangs and claws.
And that wasn't all.
The roots and vines bound to the "gates of hell" surged from every direction too.
Ulquiorra was instantly overwhelmed—
forced to fend off the dragon's bite and the creeping bind of vines—
and he could only abandon Yammy.
He could do nothing but watch his unlucky partner—
already grievously wounded—
take the full blow alone.
"It's over…"
"One slap from the Wood Golem Arhat…"
"No matter how huge and tough that Fury Beast body is…"
"half of it will be smashed into blood mist instantly!"
Far away, the purification unit Shinigami stood up—
no longer afraid.
Their emotions burned hot with excitement.
They widened their eyes to the limit—
desperate to witness Bai Chen's absolute domination…
and the first Espada kill.
"And when Captain Unohana and the others arrive…"
"we'll probably already be cleaning up the battlefield."
Sasakibe finally smiled in relief.
In his view—
Yammy was dead, beyond doubt.
There was no room left for reversal.
And reality followed exactly as expected.
RUMBLE—!!!
Yammy's head was already shattered.
He'd been lying wounded for a long time.
And to chase power to the extreme—
during the Arrancar transformation,
he had long since abandoned High-Speed Regeneration.
Now, with no defense and no resistance—
when the Wood Golem Arhat's palm crashed down—
BANG—!!
Blood mist erupted.
The Fury Beast's massive body exploded—
into countless chunks of flesh and torrents of blood—
like a crimson storm detonating from nothing.
It painted the skies of Zaraki District red.
With Yammy completely obliterated—
the "bottom-ranked" Espada in normal form…
was erased from existence.
And Bai Chen—
under the gaze of countless witnesses—
stood as the victor,
unlocking a brutal new achievement:
One-move kill.
First Espada kill.
◇ I'll drop one bonus chapter for every 10 reviews (leave a review/comment!)
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon: patreon.com/KageNaruto