Restricted Death

Chapter 239 Declaration
Boom——

A deep, resounding roar, seemingly originating from the depths of the Earth's core, shattered the silence. The massive alloy door, seemingly connecting the ancient past with the present, slid slowly to the sides with a sickening metallic scraping sound, as if a sleeping giant had been awakened.

The moment the door opened, an extremely rich, almost viscous amber light burst forth, like a thousand-year-old river of knowledge finding its outlet.

This light was not simply brightness, but rather a "light of knowledge" composed of countless tiny runes and spiritual information accumulated over thousands of years, compressed and gathered together. It possessed a substantial and weighty quality, instantly filling the entire deep passageway, illuminating everyone's face, and casting leaping and distorted light and shadow on the smooth walls of the passageway.

This sudden turn of events was like pressing the pause button. The four people who were fiercely fighting—Kuchiki Byakuya, Komamura Sajin, Sasakibe Chojiro, and Tosen Kaname—immediately stopped.

Dongxian leaned on the ground, sword in hand, panting heavily, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Facing three captain-level fighters at the same time was no easy task, and none of them were weaker than him.

During the battle, he nearly died on the spot more than once. Fortunately, he realized that the three of them only wanted to capture him alive and did not actually kill him, which allowed him to survive time and time again.

At the center of the cascading light, footsteps rang out clearly—calm and steady, each step landing on the frozen air with a domineering rhythm.

All eyes froze, turning in unison towards the giant gate. From within the halo of light, a figure strolled out unhurriedly. He was still wearing that pristine white "five" captain's haori, spotless, and even sported that familiar, gentle, and warm smile on his face.

The air seemed to freeze.

Upon seeing this person, Chojiro Sasakibara's face turned ashen, his knuckles turning white from gripping his Zanpakuto so tightly. He stared intently at Aizen, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth: "Aizen, why did you do this?"

Aizen first glanced at Tosen Kaname. Faced with the combined attack of three, it was understandable that Tosen was no match; it was already remarkable that he could hold on. Then, his terrifyingly steady voice, like mercury spilling onto the ground, echoed clearly and with great penetrating power in the deathly silent passage:
"Why do you want to know?"

Aizen gently pushed up glasses that weren't actually on his nose—this habitual gesture now carried a deliberate, ritualistic quality, as if he were saying goodbye to something. His voice remained steady, yet it echoed clearly in the silent passage, carrying a peculiar penetrating power.

Even if I give my reasons, will you be able to understand them?

His gaze swept calmly over the enraged Sasukebe, the raging Komamura beneath his iron mask, and Byakuya Kuchiki, who was like a frozen volcano. The door behind him closed again, and the vast secret was sealed once more.

"Vice Captain of the Sparrow Division, you and Captain-Commander Yamamoto stand at the pinnacle of the Soul Society's rules, maintaining an unchanging order for millennia. Have you ever considered whether these 'rules' themselves have long since become shackles that bind evolution and cognition?"

Tosen Kaname stepped to Aizen's side and behind, calming his own disordered breathing.

"I'm sorry, Lord Aizen, I was unable to defeat the three of them."

Aizen simply smiled and replied, "It's alright, Tosen, thank you for your hard work."

"Damn it!" Like a volcano finally erupting from its simmering depths, Komamura Sajin could no longer contain the rage that threatened to burst his chest. A deafening roar, accompanied by a thunderous shockwave of spiritual pressure, exploded outwards, causing rubble to fall from the ceiling of the passage. His Zanpakuto was pointed directly at Aizen. "Traitor! Stop using your twisted logic to taint justice! Today, I will slay you here!"

With that angry roar, his massive body transformed into a wild shadow, the ground beneath his feet cracking inch by inch, like a true prehistoric beast, carrying a destructive spiritual pressure storm as he charged toward Aizen! The wind howled, making Aizen's haori flutter wildly.

Faced with a terrifying attack capable of crushing mountains, Aizen's smile remained completely unwavering. He simply and casually raised his right hand, and then... gently held up a slender, white index finger towards the massive blade that was slashing down like a tidal wave.

Ding--

Komamura Sajin's powerful slash was actually blocked by him with a single finger!
In an instant, it was very slight, like the distortion under a heat wave, or like ripples spreading on the surface of water. Immediately afterwards, an immense spiritual pressure, so vast it was suffocating, yet so cold it was devoid of emotion, descended with a roar, like an ancient god suddenly opening its eyes! Faced with this spiritual pressure, the three members of the Sparrow Clan felt like candles in a storm, instantly feeling as insignificant as dust, their thoughts even freezing for a moment.

It was as if the person they were facing was a being of a higher dimension, and the entire space itself was prostrate at its feet!
The next instant, scalding hot blood, as if forced out by an invisible force, gushed violently from Komamura Sajin's massive chest and abdomen! His burly body crashed heavily onto the cold ground, the splattered blood staining a large area a shocking deep red. His massive body convulsed, blood gushing out, pooling into a small, rapidly expanding pool on the polished floor, the pungent smell of rust instantly filling the air.

On Byakuya Kuchiki's perpetually icy face, his pupils suddenly contracted to needle size, the unprecedented shock almost tearing apart his perfect self-control!
Chojiro Sasaki felt a chilling coldness instantly surge from the soles of his feet, like the most venomous ice snake, freezing his blood along his spine and rushing to the top of his head—just one strike! One finger! Aizen had defeated Komamura Sajin with just one finger! This far exceeded his understanding of "captain-level" strength!

Has this guy already reached the level of the Captain-Commander?!

Based on the information I had learned from the letter, Aizen had been secretly plotting everything. Not only was he powerful, but his intelligence was also terrifying!
A faint trace of light remained on Aizen's fingertips. His gentle smile remained unchanged, but the eyes that were fixed on Byakuya Kuchiki and Chojiro Sasaki no longer held any of their former humility. Instead, they held an undisguised coldness and indifference as they looked down upon the dust.

Chojiro Sasakibara forcibly suppressed the raging storm within him, letting out a cold snort as he tried to dispel the chilling aura with his voice. He questioned in a deep voice, which trembled almost imperceptibly, but his will was unwavering: "Aizen, do you really think you can stand against the entire Soul Society, against the Captain-Commander?!"

Aizen's gaze, detached yet possessing a scrutinizing quality akin to examining a rare specimen, swept over Kuchiki Byakuya's frosty yet subtly shocked face. Finally, his gaze, as if it were tangible, settled heavily on the seemingly composed Sasakibe Chojiro: "Vice-Captain Sasakibe, you have devoted yourself to the Seireitei for thousands of years, serving the Captain-Commander like a god. This loyalty is admirable, yet also regrettable."

He said calmly, “Being loyal to what is ‘established’ while giving up the possibility of ‘knowing something higher.’ This complacency is precisely the shackle that leads to wasting one’s potential.”

Aizen slowly raised his hand, not pointing at them, but gently brushing the space around him as if brushing away a speck of dust that was not there.

Tosen Kaname suddenly raised his hand and flung out white bandages, enveloping the area where he and Aizen were located.

Chojiro Sasaki and Byakuya Kuchiki immediately realized that the two were planning to leave using this method of transferring Kido. Almost instinctively, they wanted to step forward to stop them, but seeing Aizen standing there calmly, they froze in place.

Aizen glanced at them one last time, losing all desire for further communication, and vanished from the spot along with Tosen Kaname in the next instant. Byakuya Kuchiki's Senbonzakura slowly dissipated. He stood there, staring at the spot where Aizen had disappeared, his eyes shifting from anger to deep apprehension and coldness. Chojiro Sasaki staggered to Komamura's side to check his injuries. After confirming that he was not in immediate danger, he looked up at the tightly closed, massive alloy door that Aizen had once opened.

The Great Spirit Book Corridor… What did Aizen learn inside? Or rather, what did he take away? The Sasakibe's worries were heavier than ever before. The shadow of the Quincy had not yet dissipated, and now a monster capable of overturning the entire order of Soul Society had appeared within… Captain-Commander… the future of Soul Society…

On the vast and desolate wilderness of the replication space, violent spiritual pressure surged and collided, the sound of metal clashing was deafening, and the energy storm of the battle never stopped.

Kyoraku Shunsui, Ukitake Jushiro, and Urahara Kisuke formed a triangular formation, confronting Barragan Ruisenbon. The old man's withered face wore a cold mockery, and an aura of decay and old age gathered and surged around him, like stagnant, polluted water. Every slight ripple seemed to drain the life force from the surrounding rocks, causing them to weather and crumble.

However, on the Arrancar side, apart from Kyoraku and his two companions who dared not act rashly against Barragan, and Koyatai Stark who was in a very good position in his battle against Rojuro Ootori, most of the others were at a disadvantage.

Finally, a shrill, desperate scream pierced the clamor! One of Barragan's subordinates, Qinong Bona, whose massive body had swelled to the size of a mountain, suddenly stiffened and then collapsed! Kenpachi Zaraki laughed wildly on his scarred face, his eyes flashing with bloodlust, and the spiritual pressure of his raised serrated sword surged once more.

"Who's next?!"

He was covered in blood, but the frenzied fighting spirit in his eyes burned to its peak, and his wild laughter even overwhelmed the explosions of energy on the battlefield!

This sudden death shattered the delicate balance of the battlefield, like toppling the first domino. Geoveg, another officer of Barragan, was thrown into disarray by the tragic death of his companion, Qinon Po, and his attack instantly revealed a fatal flaw! He was struck in the shoulder by Madarame Ikkaku's sword, causing him to fall heavily to the ground.

The scales of victory seemed to be tipping even further in favor of Death, who was already in a favorable position.

Kyoraku glanced at Kenpachi, then said to Barragan, "Your adjutant is dead."

Barragán's expression was grim, and he did indeed seem genuinely angry, though it was unclear whether it was out of pity for his subordinate's life or because Death had offended him.

Just then, a huge gate resembling a portal suddenly appeared on the open ground in the distance.

The gate opened, and countless figures of death rushed out, with the leader among them being none other than Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni himself!

And there's also Retsu Unohana!

"Lord Captain!"

The appearance of Captain-Commander Yamamoto immediately gave all the Shinigami present a shot in the arm.

Koya Stark, who was originally entangled with Fengqiao Lou Shilang, finally lost his laziness after seeing the old-looking figure.

"Yamamoto Shigekuni!"

Barragan stared intently at the leader of the group of Death Gods, almost spitting out his name through gritted teeth.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni merely glanced at him indifferently before turning his gaze to Urahara Kisuke, Shihouin Yoruichi, Hirako Shinji, and others.

Then, his expression darkened, and he slammed his wooden staff heavily into the ground, causing a surge of scorching spiritual pressure to erupt.

"Those who commit petty and wicked acts are unforgivable!"

It was as if a heavy hammer had fallen on the entire battlefield. It was not just the sound of a collision, but a destructive will that could burn away everything, which spread out with the burst of scorching spiritual pressure!
Boom——

The air twisted violently, and the already desolate wilderness of the replicated space instantly turned scorched and cracked, as if it had been licked by invisible flames.

The intense battlefield was instantly suppressed by this terrifying spiritual pressure. The Arrancars with slightly weaker spiritual pressure were already unable to control their legs from trembling. If their willpower were even weaker, they would probably collapse to their knees!
Even the Grim Reapers present, even those at the captain level, felt a stinging sensation on their skin, as if they were facing a scorching sun.

Kothael Stark and Halibel are among the strongest Arrancar, yet even they felt a tightness in their chests, as if they were standing beneath a volcano about to erupt, their eyes revealing intense solemnity and apprehension.

For the first time, the thought of retreat arose in their minds: if they continued fighting, people would really die!
"Yama-moto-shige-kuni!" Barragan roared, his decaying spiritual pressure surging back like an inky tide, colliding and annihilating violently with the scorching heat wave in the air, emitting a piercing "sizzling" sound, and the space itself seemed to tremble under the clash of the two extreme forces.

However, the captain didn't even spare Barragan a glance; his gaze, filled with thunderous fury and the oppressive aura accumulated over a thousand years, was directed at all the enemies present.

Kyoraku Shunsui abandoned his usual nonchalant attitude, his eyes unusually serious. He glanced at the furious Captain-Commander, then at the equally intimidated members of the Masked Army, and sighed inwardly. He said to the person beside him, "Ukitake, this is really... Is Yama-san planning to wipe out everyone indiscriminately in his anger?"

He was genuinely worried that the Captain-Commander would also consider Urahara and the others as sinners.

(End of this chapter)