Chapter 128: The Incident

"Don't you want to see a brand new world? King of Hueco Mundo."

"How ironic. You are now cloaked in black, wielding a weapon, looking just like a Shinigami."

"Come, follow me."

"I will show you a brand new world."

ROOOOOOOAAAARRRR!

Why...

Why has it come to this...

I am supreme!

I cannot be defeated!

I am the King!!

Why must I bow before you!

You have brought upon me a shame that can never be washed away. You are the only one I will never forgive!

Even if I have to chase you to the ends of the earth, even if I am reduced to fragments, I will not let you go...

I will never let you go—

Aizen!!!!

"WAAAAAAAH!"

The agony of lightning coursing through his body finally overwhelmed Barragan. He opened his mouth and let out a deafening roar, though with the thunderous noise so immense, there was likely no one left to hear his cry.

The black cloak on his body had been reduced to ash by the high-voltage electricity in an instant. The aura of death had vanished, heaven knows when. Now, within the lightning, only a bare skeleton remained, enduring the assault of hundreds of millions of volts.

"Creak, creak..."

His once pristine white bones were now more than half charred black. In some places, the lightning was so intense that the bone had scorched, crumbled away, and turned into dust, eventually vanishing into the golden pillar of lightning.

"...Oh?"

On the other side, trapped within the thunder prison, Aizen seemed to sense something. He raised an eyebrow, a playful smile playing on his lips.

"Is something wrong, Lord Aizen?"

Tosen, standing nearby, noticed the expression and asked with curiosity.

"No, nothing at all. Just..."

Aizen’s eyes, capable of seeing through everything, fixed upon the crackling wall of lightning as if piercing through it all, before he slowly closed them.

"It is merely a trivial matter."

"Click..."

Chojiro’s hand tightened slightly. The crown shattered into pieces, falling from the air and landing upon the ruined earth below.

"Rumble, rumble..."

The thunderous roar gradually subsided, and the dark clouds in the sky began to disperse, revealing the blinding, piercing sunlight that had been hidden away.

"Oh... that is quite blinding."

Kyoraku exaggeratedly raised a hand to block the sun, yet his gaze never strayed from the man standing not far away, who wore an indifferent expression.

"It seems it is time for us to make our move."

"...Is he dead? That old man."

Watching the fragments of the crown falling from Chojiro’s hand disappear from his view, Stark finally spoke.

"..."

For once, even Lilynette remained silent, standing quietly beside Stark, lost in her own thoughts.

"In the end, you still didn't say a word..."

It was unclear who this remark was intended for, and Stark did not seem to wait for an answer. He reached out and pressed his hand against the hilt at his waist.

"Let’s go, Lilynette."

Without waiting for a reaction, Stark lunged toward Chojiro. His Zanpakuto was unsheathed in an instant, its blade gleaming sharply in the sunlight.

"!!"

However, to reach Chojiro, he first had to overcome a hurdle—the other captains, who had yet to intervene, would not let him approach Chojiro so easily after the latter had just exhausted himself in battle.

"Whoa, nice dodge."

Seeing Stark lean back quickly to evade his overhead strike, Kyoraku grinned, immediately following up with another slash toward Stark’s abdomen.

"A sneak attack is quite uncalled for, Captain."

Stark retreated sharply and regained his footing, offering a cold assessment of Kyoraku's actions. Had his reflexes not been so sharp, he would likely have been gutted by now.

"Can't help it, that's just my style."

Laughing nonchalantly, Kyoraku pressed his assault, swinging his blade upward from below, though it met only air.

"I say, running around like this is pointless, Espada. Why don't we have a proper fight?"

"I suppose you're right..."

Stark lowered his sword, staring coldly at Kyoraku as his spiritual pressure fluctuated.

"Cero."

"!"

Without any wasted motion, a Cero was unleashed. Had it not been for a battle-hardened captain, this blow alone would have been enough to inflict severe damage.

"Regardless..."

Watching Kyoraku dodge his Cero without a scratch, Stark’s eyes grew more serious.

"Your speed is unexpectedly fast, Captain."

"I wouldn't say that. If it were any other captain, they could manage at least this much."

Kyoraku tipped his straw hat with his finger, smiling indifferently.

"Is that so? In that case..."

"You are actually quite strong."

"..."

..............................

"BOOM!"

An explosion suddenly echoed in the empty air.

"Ugh... stop running around! You milk cow!"

Apache chased after Matsumoto, who had just bolted from the explosion, brandishing two rings and seemingly intent on killing her.

"You're too fast! You damn monkey!"

Mila Rose followed close behind, chiding her comrade without mercy.

"Shut up! You damn gorilla! Who are you to talk to me like that!!"

"A perfect chance...!"

Matsumoto, who had hoped to use the chaos to slip away, was forced to abandon the thought as a third subordinate stood in her path.

"Sorry, but since those two idiots are busy bickering, it’s better if I take care of you myself."

Sun-Sun said calmly, her hand covering her mouth, her killing intent and spiritual pressure laid bare.

"I won't let you disturb Lady Halibel."

"..."

Hearing Sun-Sun’s words, Matsumoto instinctively glanced toward the direction of Hitsugaya’s battle, her anxiety mounting.

'Captain...'

"BANG!"

Hitsugaya’s Bankai clashed with Halibel, sparks flying as they crossed paths in the air.

"!"

"Hiryu Gekizoku Shinten Raiho!" (Cero Shot)

Just as Hitsugaya turned, he was repelled by a sudden blast from Halibel. Having barely deflected the blow, he was immediately met with her relentless pursuit.

"Tsk..."

Gritting his teeth, Hitsugaya struggled to deflect her attacks, finally finding an opening to create some distance between them.

"..."

Halibel turned to look coldly at Hitsugaya behind her, but she said nothing. For a queen with such a cold and haughty nature, she had little to say to a stranger.

"BOOM!"

"!"

"!"

This time, another explosion ripped through the sky. Compared to the last, this blast was not only more powerful but carried with it a massive surge of spiritual pressure.

When Halibel saw what had happened at the site of the explosion, her expression shifted drastically.

"Th-that is..."