Death: Starting as the Guardian of Avici Hell

This is precisely where Takeda Satoru's confidence comes from.

During their two encounters, he had already discovered Naraku Sora's problem.

Unlike the strange woman Shutara Senjumaru, this guy in front of me is straightforward and has no special abilities whatsoever. He relies entirely on his strength to send bricks flying.

Whether it's the sword strike that's highly similar to the Thunder Roar Cannon, or the terrifying sword pressure released at point-blank range just now.

Although they differ in form, their essence remains the same: extreme destructive power without any frills.

The dazzling lightning pillar struck the crystal wall directly, and the cracking sound was like a magnificent symphony, growing ever higher and higher until it reached its peak.

However, at the very moment the crystal wall collapsed completely, the figure that should have been on the throne behind it suddenly vanished.

Like a ghost, Takeda Satoru emerged from the shattered crystal without warning, his crystal sword gleaming in the sunlight as he slashed down fiercely at Naraku Sora.

The longsword, covered in vibrant colors, clashed with the Zanpakuto, which was burning with spiritual pressure, with overwhelming force.

Instantly, Takeda Satoru's expression changed drastically.

The strike, which was expected to be a sure thing, failed to achieve anything.

Naraku Sora looked at the distorted face so close to his, and a sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth:

"The mighty Captain Death Slayer, is this all?"

Undisguised provocation, though extremely purposeful, is surprisingly effective.

As the captain of the Shinigami team, Takeda Satoru not only failed to capture the intruder immediately, but even after activating his Bankai, he was at a disadvantage from time to time.

With such a level of skill, it's hard not to suspect that his captaincy was bought.

Seemingly sensing the gazes of the nobles behind him, Takeda Satoru's eyes grew increasingly sinister as he slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

"You asked for this."

The moment he finished speaking, Takeda Satoru sprang up again, and countless crystallized substances appeared out of thin air, quickly adhering to his body as if he were wearing armor.

Even its head was shrouded in crystal, and two narrow, indifferent eyes stared at Naraku Sora. The terrifying pressure grew stronger, as if it had lost all emotion and turned into a cold killing machine.

Two figures suddenly leaped up, transforming into streaks of light, colliding repeatedly in the sky above the courtyard and below the ghostly barrier.

Countless sparks burst forth from within, and terrifying aftershocks continued to spread in all directions, demonstrating the indescribable and terrifying power of both sides.

If the two were thrown into the battlefield of an ordinary Grim Reaper, they would probably be turned into a meat grinder in an instant.

Naraku Sora's smile grew increasingly ferocious, and a scorching spiritual pressure surrounded him. His powerful slashes, like a high-speed dump truck, crashed down on the figure completely covered in crystal.

When he first fought Takeda Satoru, he was able to predict his opponent's attacks based on instinct.

However, his strength has increased significantly again recently. If he can't react in time, wouldn't his improvement have been in vain?

In the gaps between the collisions, which resembled intertwined streaks of light, countless crystal spikes appeared out of thin air, creating an opportunity for Takeda Satoru.

In a magnificent world entirely constructed of crystal, his power seemed inexhaustible.

Just as Naraku dodged the crystal spikes that shot out from under his feet, Takeda Satoru was performing a brand new Kido ritual.

After a brief and rapid chant, the spiritual pressure, condensed to its peak, exploded.

"Hado #88: Flying Dragon Strikes the Thief with Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon!"

In an instant, a deafening roar, like thunder from the heavens, erupted. A beam of azure light, crackling with brilliant arcs of electricity, shot straight toward Naraku.

Wherever it passed, it plowed deep, scorched furrows into the ground.

Boom!!

The earth-shaking aftershocks suddenly erupted, and in an instant, the huge courtyard trembled violently, with countless particles of soil mixed with crystals shooting straight into the sky.

Just then, Aizen finished sealing the Kido barrier and rushed into the courtyard.

The first scene that catches the eye is Naraku Sora being swallowed by the lightning pillar.

Fearing that this attack would not kill his opponent, Takeda Satoru immediately condensed countless crystal spikes, which fell like a torrential rain into the spot where Naraku Sora had originally been.

The dazzling, brilliant light obscured everything.

Aizen's expression changed slightly, and he immediately prepared to rush into the battlefield to save people. However, before he could even step into the fray, something unbelievable happened—

Amidst the boiling dust and crisscrossing, frenzied lightning flashed, and a figure slowly emerged.

A man, half-charred and on the verge of shattering from countless impacts, slowly emerged from the crowd and curled the corners of his lips at Takeda Satoru, who looked on incredulously.

Naraku Sora stared at the astonished face, his smile growing increasingly sinister:

"You have no idea what—"

"Number!"

Chapter 82 Your life is like a candle flickering in the wind.

The combination of the three powers—the Punisher Emperor, the exclusive Shinigami armor, and perfect Hollowfication—that are beyond the reach of ordinary Shinigami, produced a wonderful spiritual reaction.

From this arises a numerical beauty that defies comprehension.

At the same time, the enhancement of growth potential also played a crucial role.

Although it lacks rule-based abilities that would make enemies nauseous, the battles of the Grim Reapers are, after all, battles of numbers.

You are a second-class spiritual master, I am a fourth-class spiritual master.

My numbers are bigger, so the advantage is with me!

With a sweeping motion, the long, slender blade, wreathed in flames, brutally swung towards Takeda Satoru.

Slash!

With a deafening roar, the seemingly indestructible crystal shield wall was brutally shattered by this simple yet powerful strike.

It completely lacks the aesthetic beauty that Kendo should have.

Instead, it's more like displaying power violently to the world.

But even such a move made Takeda Goki's face turn pale, and even the noble members behind him felt a chill run down their spines for no reason.

In the distance, Aizen watched that scene with a look of shock on his face.

I thought that guy would be severely injured even if he didn't die after being directly devoured by the 88th Hado, but it turns out that his Shinigami armor was only slightly damaged.

As for the charred half of his body, it was hardly an injury.

Moreover, according to Aizen, Naraku Kuro's own regenerative ability is extremely terrifying. What would be a serious injury in the eyes of an ordinary Shinigami would heal itself in no time at all.

If combined with post-treatment healing, the regeneration speed will only become more exaggerated.

To this day, Aizen still doesn't know the structure of this thing.

But it was precisely these unusual behaviors that aroused his strong curiosity.

Once this matter is settled, perhaps we can ask this guy for a vial of blood to study.

Just as Aizen was figuring out how to maximize Naraku's effectiveness, the battle in the courtyard had already reached a fever pitch.

The longsword, wreathed in scorching heat, shattered the oncoming crystal spear. Countless glittering fragments scattered and easily stirred up a hurricane, tearing apart the ground beneath their feet.

The rift stretched straight forward, reaching nearly a hundred meters in an instant, extending all the way to the edge of the courtyard and touching the Kido barrier set up by Aizen.

Naraku Sora recklessly wields the power called "numerical value," exploring the limits of what he can withstand.

As the only existence described by Shutara Senjumaru, his perfect Hollowfication is completely different from the Hollowfication that researchers have tried to study throughout the ages.

Death has its limits. Even in legends, each Death God uses only a fraction of the power of their soul. Once the restraints are broken, they can unleash a power that terrifies even themselves.

However, there is still an upper limit.

The quality of the Grim Reaper's soul determines the existence of this upper limit.

But Naraku is different. When he perfectly accepted the power of the Hollow, he was no longer a traditional Shinigami.

In addition, there are products born from the fusion of perfect Kido and Kendo, as well as Kendo techniques extracted that do not belong to this world at all.

With these stacked buffs, he can easily break through the limits of his spiritual pressure and unleash destructive power far exceeding his own.

The blade slashed down.

Secret Technique: Dragon Flash!

With a roar, Takeda Satoru raised one arm, and the crystal longsword that appeared out of thin air was instantly filled with cracks and became shaky under the infusion of immense power.

The immense power surged forward like an overturned ocean, relentlessly crushing everything in its path.

"Hado #63: Thunder Roar Cannon!"

Brilliant golden arcs of electricity burst forth wildly, and scorching lightning condensed into dazzling pillars of light, rushing straight toward the terrifying sword pressure that would unleash its devastating power the next second.

The collision of the two instantly ignited the entire courtyard, causing the ground within a radius of hundreds of meters to collapse and shatter, with countless crystal fragments mixed in, the destruction carrying a unique brilliance.

"I have to admit..."

Takeda Satoki glanced at Aizen, who had appeared at the edge of the courtyard, but at this moment he no longer had any urgent thoughts of revenge.

He knew very well that if he didn't kill Naraku Sora who was blocking his way, there was no way he could get revenge.

"You are much stronger than I expected."

"The spiritual pressure of a top-tier vice-captain is actually the most insignificant aspect of your abilities."

"Your attack and defense are both beyond reason. Even in the history of Soul Society, it would be hard to find someone who can compare to you."

"But we must not underestimate any captain."

The light in Takeda Satoru's eyes grew even brighter, shining like two crystals.

"That's common knowledge in Soul Society too!"

"Immaculate, crystal-clear color!"

boom!

The crystal-constructed world collapsed with a deafening roar, and Takeda Satoru seemed to transform into a black hole, with the powerful gravity causing countless crystal-clear fragments to instantly gather on his body.

A vast spiritual pressure erupted like a torrent, and a sweeping hurricane tore the remaining buildings apart, turning the huge courtyard into complete ruins.

Amidst the surging storm, Takeda Satoru's image underwent a dramatic transformation, as if he were cast from crystal.

The intense spiritual pressure transformed into a pillar of light, unleashing its immense power outwards.