Chapter 535 - 535 As Dazzling as Moonlight

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

After being cut by Rangiku, the enraged Demoura instinctively used his special technique while punching… absorbing surrounding Reishi with his hands, then blasting it out together with his giant fist, producing an explosive effect.

So, after Rangiku dodged, Demoura's attacks blasted large holes directly into the ground.

"Haah!"

Rangiku shouted. The moment Demoura's storm of iron fist attacks paused, she pressed forward again. Reaching Demoura, she gripped her sword with both hands and slashed at him with all her might.

"Roar!"

Demoura roared, directly extending his giant hand to grab Rangiku's Zanpakuto.

Scrape—

The force behind Rangiku's Zanpakuto exceeded Demoura's imagination. After cutting through the skin of his palm, it continued deeper.

Demoura quickly extended his other hand, gripping Rangiku's Zanpakuto with both hands like iron pincers, preventing her from pulling it back.

However, seeing this, Rangiku showed no sign of panic. Instead, a strange smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"You fell for it!" Rangiku suddenly shouted. "Growl, Haineko!!"

Whoosh—

The blade of Rangiku's Zanpakuto, gripped by Demoura, suddenly turned into smoke and ash.

Then Rangiku suddenly swung the remaining hilt of her Zanpakuto in her hand.

Swish—

The ash and smoke that had been the blade of Rangiku's Zanpakuto suddenly rushed towards Demoura's neck, which was right in front of her.

Schlick—!!!

A large amount of blood sprayed out. Caught off guard, Demoura was instantly killed by Rangiku's technique.

Thud!

Having lost its life force, Demoura's massive body collapsed cleanly to the ground.

Bang—!!!

The over ten-meter-tall icicle exploded. Aisslinger's figure once again appeared before Sojiro.

Sojiro said seriously, "You still broke through the ice? It seems I underestimated you after all. But then again, you do have Captain-class Reiatsu. Although your combat ability hasn't reached true Captain-class, you're not someone who can be defeated by just Shikai. However..."

"—Since I can't defeat you with just Shikai, it seems I'll have to show you my Bankai!!"

Having said that, Sojiro whispered, "Ban"...

Thud!

Aisslinger's body suddenly collapsed heavily to the ground.

Crack, crack, crack...

Aisslinger's body showed cracks, like broken porcelain.

"What!?" Sojiro was surprised. "How did this..."

Before he could finish, Sojiro suddenly saw a crystalline, icy light emanating from the cracks in Aisslinger's body, and immediately understood what had happened.

"I see... Although you used your tenacious will to muster your last strength and break through the ice, my ice and snow power had already invaded your body, completely freezing your life force. So... you are already 'dead'..."

Sojiro felt a bit awkward. The enemy had already lost his life force and was about to die, yet he had acted as if facing a great enemy, preparing to use his Bankai against him. This was really... awkward...

"Cough... I said the battle should have been over. With your impure Captain-class Reiatsu, breaking through the ice again was impossible. Although there was a small mistake, it's still pretty much what I expected. You did break through the ice in the end, but your life force was already severed. Unable to fight further, you can only close your eyes and wait for death."

Seeing Toshiro, Nel, Ashido, and Rangiku, who had already finished her fight, walking towards him, Sojiro coughed awkwardly and then spoke to Aisslinger, lying on the ground, with a serious face.

"D-damn Shinigami... I didn't expect to ultimately fall to you... how unsatisfying..." Aisslinger, lying on the ground with a thread of life left, said with an unwilling expression.

"Unsatisfying? No. You should feel honored."

Toshiro said indifferently, looking down at Aisslinger like a lofty god looking at an ant. "Do you know who I am? I am Hitsugaya Toshiro, the Vice-Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Captain of the 10th Division. An existence that even Aizen fears. For a small fry like you to fall to us is your honor."

"Hitsugaya Toshiro?! The Hitsugaya Toshiro who killed the Cuatro Espada, Ulquiorra-sama? The Hitsugaya Toshiro whom Aizen-sama considers his greatest enemy?"

Hearing Toshiro's words, Aisslinger suddenly remembered countless legends about him, and then understood who this Shinigami before him was, and what a terrifying existence he was.

Recalling his earlier arrogance in challenging Toshiro, even mocking him as a 'short Shinigami', Aisslinger's already lifeless body couldn't help but shiver, a flicker of fear and terror in his eyes.

'If I had actually fought Hitsugaya Toshiro just now, I would have died even more horribly...'

Although he knew he was about to die, for some reason, seeing Toshiro's indifferent, god-like gaze, Aisslinger still couldn't help but feel genuine fear and terror.

"Are you afraid? That's good. That's the expression you should have." Toshiro said expressionlessly.

Rumble—!!

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed, and the entire underground structure they were in began to collapse.

"What's happening?" Rangiku said, a little flustered. If the entire underground structure collapsed, with her strength, she might not be able to escape unscathed.

Sojiro said calmly, "It seems about to collapse..."

With his strength, even if it collapsed, he would at most be a bit messy, not injured.

Seeing Sojiro's nonchalant expression, Ashido, who was usually quiet, couldn't help but remark, "Isn't this because your Shikai release was too exaggerated? Captain clearly said this is an underground structure and told everyone to be careful when fighting..."

"You're wrong! It's not collapsing because of the fight. This building was designed this way. We are the guardians here... responsible for clearing those who go from here to Las Noches... And if we lose... we disappear along with this building!"

Perhaps because 'a dying man's words are sincere', Aisslinger not only answered their confusion but also warned them, "You'd better remember... this is the kind of person you will be facing!"

"Our battle is over, but your war is far from finished. Victory... is not so easily achieved."

Toshiro looked deeply at Aisslinger lying on the ground, then turned to the others and said, "Let's head up those stairs first."

Hearing Toshiro's words, Rangiku, Sojiro, and Ashido immediately ran towards the nearby stairs.

Toshiro then prepared to carry Nel towards the stairs.

"You said I was afraid earlier..."

Just as Toshiro was about to leave, Aisslinger suddenly spoke, causing him to pause.

"Perhaps that's true. Because I am weak, I instinctively feel fear. Because I am afraid, I become even weaker. But..."

"Aizen-sama fears nothing. Nothing can make Aizen-sama afraid. That is why we gather under his command..."

"We were born from fear. To us, born from fear, the path that Aizen-sama, who fears nothing, walks... is as dazzling as moonlight. That great man..."

Boom!

Debris fell, completely burying Aisslinger's figure.

"Because he fears nothing, he is immensely powerful? Hah, what a ridiculous notion. I will defeat Aizen and show you what true power really is."

Toshiro said, as if talking to himself.

Swish!

Toshiro flickered and instantly disappeared from the collapsing underground structure.