Sāgara Ryū.
This was the name of Seiya's zanpakutō—also the very root of his power.
Anyone in the Gotei 13 who knew of him—his name, his combat style—would naturally have a vivid impression of this ability.
But it was precisely because they understood it so well…
That they were now so confused.
"...Is this for real?"
Facing off against Espada No. 1, Kyōraku Shunsui half-turned his head in stunned disbelief.
He's not using Bankai? Just Shikai?
Did he seriously think that kind of power could stand up to Yamamoto's flames? From any angle, this seemed like a ridiculous fantasy.
Hard to believe.
"What are you looking around for?"
Coyote Starrk coolly pulled the trigger.
The silver-white firearm in his hand wasn't complex, but it could extract and project his internal energy like a continuous Cero.
A shimmering blast surged from the barrel, narrowly grazing Kyōraku's face.
Forced to dodge, the 8th Division Captain stumbled a bit, letting out a few comical yelps.
"Shooting Cero with a gun, huh? Good grief... What a ridiculous ability."
Ordinarily, a Cero was something even captains had to be wary of.
But for this guy, it was basically a normal, repeatable attack?
What a mess.
No time to worry about others, Kyōraku adjusted his straw hat with a bitter chuckle.
"Maybe I really am the unlucky type…"
Starrk replied plainly, "Could be."
And just like their casual exchange, similar situations unfolded all over the fake Karakura Town battlefield.
Except for Aizen Sōsuke, who had no intention of fighting personally, no one could interfere in the duel between Seiya and Yamamoto.
As Seiya's zanpakutō began transforming into its released state…
Yamamoto lightly swung Ryūjin Jakka and said impassively:
"So, you don't intend to use Bankai to absorb my flames?"
Or perhaps—
"You think this level of power is enough to match mine?"
Faced with such a pointed question, Seiya was silent for a moment…
Then he smiled, calm as ever.
"When facing the Head Captain, I wouldn't dream of underestimating him. But I have my own convictions."
Without a breakthrough, he could never reach a broader horizon.
And if he chose to stand beside Aizen—
Then…
"This 'thank-you match' needs to end beautifully."
Looking straight at the old man's stern, weathered face, Seiya laughed softly.
"You, Head Captain, are the mountain I must climb."
"…Is that so."
In that instant, Yamamoto's mind wandered to memories of the past.
In fact, the Gotei 13 had already formed several contingency plans for today's battle.
And among them, the most concerning one was undoubtedly Seiya's troublesome Bankai.
One that could suppress, consume, and nullify the Head Captain's flames—practically a perfect counter.
Like the mouse defeating the elephant in Jungle Chess, Seiya was born to restrain Ryūjin Jakka.
Thus—
"Everyone, focus on taking out Seiya first. Once he's down, we'll reassess the rest."
A classic decapitation tactic, cutting off the enemy's strongest piece.
Most captains agreed with this strategy immediately.
But Yamamoto had vetoed it.
"To go so far just to handle a greenhorn… where's the dignity of the Gotei 13?"
Even without Ryūjin Jakka, he had other means.
The power of a Shinigami was not so easily defined.
And now, seeing Seiya refuse to use his Bankai… strangely, Yamamoto felt a tinge of approval.
Well done. A worthy bearer of Genryū's legacy.
Then—
"I'm coming, boy."
With a swing of his right hand, the swirling flames exploded outward, gathering as if drawn to his blade.
A vortex of searing destruction fell from the heavens, hot enough to melt everything—spirit particles, air, even life itself.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
The blazing vortex surged like a sea, wrapping Seiya within and compressing madly.
With one swing—such overwhelming might.
Yamamoto didn't press the attack. He simply watched the inferno, unmoving.
The blast engulfed nearly a fifth of the battlefield within the barrier.
Even those mid-fight turned to stare.
…Was there any point in continuing?
With power like that, if it hit any of them—they'd be dead ten times over.
Like ants before an elephant.
Too vast a gap breeds despair.
So… what was the result?
"…I've missed this, Yamamoto's fire."
Seiya's voice echoed out from the flames. And then—
That slim silhouette emerged from within the burning hell.
"This power that melts air, spirit particles, and even life back into chaos."
"I can't help but admire it… Head Captain, your strength truly is the pride of the Gotei 13."
"This must be what 'peak combat power' looks like."
His figure gradually cleared as he strolled calmly through the inferno—
Breaking through the wall of fire that separated life from death.
His clothes were intact. His expression hadn't changed in the slightest.
As though he'd time-traveled seconds earlier and arrived unscathed.
He casually adjusted Sāgara Ryū in his hand.
"Seems your flames no longer work on me."
Everyone's faces shifted.
The Gotei 13 reached a unanimous, unspoken thought:
—No way.
Plenty had predicted how this battle might go. But no one imagined that Yamamoto's flames would… have no effect?
"What the hell is going on?!"
Even the Visoreds paused, Shinji abandoning his pursuit of Aizen to gawk at the scene.
"Has the old man not gotten serious yet?"
Kensei shouted behind him, but Shinji replied calmly:
"No way… If he didn't know when to go all out, he wouldn't deserve the title of Head Captain."
Which meant—Seiya really had neutralized Ryūjin Jakka.
But how?
They knew Sāgara Ryū's power: the ability to analyze, simulate, and predict based on absorbed information.
Against a single opponent, it was a trump card.
But this?
Could it really nullify Ryūjin Jakka?
Yamamoto didn't ask. He didn't need to.
Instead, he would find out the answer his way.
If once wasn't enough—
Then strike again.
With a deep breath, he hunched forward slightly. Sparks flashed around him.
His loose robes tore apart as his body flexed—revealing scarred, muscled flesh, a living testament to raw power.
Hard to believe it belonged to an "old man."
"The previous move was called Torch."
"This one…"
"Hellfire Inferno."
With that, he slashed sideways.
The entire fake Karakura Town trembled.
Balance shattered.
Flame pillars shot skyward—piercing heaven and earth alike.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
Explosions detonated from every direction.
The sheer heat and fury turned the battlefield into a disaster zone.
"Get out of the way!"
"Don't be stubborn—run!"
"Just stay alive!"
Even Shinigami and Arrancar forgot their differences and scattered.
Everyone sought shelter, finally catching their breath once it settled.
Impossible to believe this was just one man's power.
Yamamoto, unbothered by others' panic, kept his eyes on Seiya.
The flame pillars surged like stampeding beasts, converging on a single point.
"Wait…"
Some of the Arrancar noticed something wrong.
"Wasn't that supposed to trap Lord Arima?!"
There was no time to react.
In a blink, the flames closed in from all directions.
Hellfire Inferno.
Dozens of sky-piercing fire pillars converged and detonated simultaneously, capable of reducing a hundred-kilometer radius to ash.
Yamamoto gave the command.
CRACK…
A faint snap—herald of collapse, and warning of what was to come.
Then—
A deafening roar.
Explosions erupted like a tidal wave, light and heat tearing across the sky.
Relentless.
It felt like the world itself was flipping over.
Aizen calmly erected a spiritual barrier, shielding the Arrancar.
For once, even the arrogant ones grew quiet.
If this was a Shinigami…
Then what of Aizen Sōsuke and Seiya, who stood as his equals?
Arrogance had its limits.
But more than anything—the question lingered:
Would Seiya survive?
From the smoke…
He emerged once more, smiling.
Not a scratch.
Beyond unbelievable.
Kyōraku and Ukitake both sensed it.
"That wasn't dodging the Head Captain's flames…"
"It was something else. Like… evasion by adaptation."
Fire isn't a slash or stab—it's not easily avoided.
And Seiya had done something like this once before—walking through Sui-Feng's thunder whip, but only with Bankai.
"Can he really do that in this state?"
Ukitake was sweating.
Kyōraku said nothing.
The truth was hard to grasp.
Only Yamamoto, watching Seiya's expression, seemed to understand.
He spoke calmly:
"You… That Shikai of yours—it's not what it used to be, is it?"
After a pause, he added:
"You didn't just analyze or dodge my attack…"
"You've adapted to my flames."
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Powerstones?
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