Even Kuchiki Byakuya, renowned for his speed, wouldn't be able to react in time when facing Tensa Zangetsu.
However, Ichigo was certain that even if he activated both his Bankai and Hollowification, his speed and slashing power couldn't match Shiroha's casual attack.
In terms of speed, he couldn't keep up with his opponent's movements at all—he couldn't even see them clearly.
In fact, no one present could see Uehara Shiroha's movements clearly.
Shiroha's speed was so fast that it seemed to transcend time, as if he existed in a different dimension. In the time it took them to launch one attack, he could launch ten, as if he could stretch one second into ten.
The power behind his slashes was incomprehensible.
Ichigo's Tensa Zangetsu after Bankai couldn't hurt Nnoitra at all.
The title of "strongest hierro among the Arrancars" wasn't a boast—it was reality.
Yet Shiroha had used only a branch to easily cut off Nnoitra's arm, treating the strongest hierro as nothing.
This went beyond being merely powerful. It wasn't a matter of capability, but something entirely incomprehensible and unimaginable.
It was as if they existed in one world, and Shiroha in another.
That's why Shiroha could use a mere branch to accomplish what Tensa Zangetsu could not.
In this man's hands, even a branch would become an indestructible sword.
This was the Commander of the Teigun, Uehara Shiroha!
At this moment, Ichigo remembered the man with slicked-back hair and glasses who had killed a captain with ease and held his Zanpakuto with just one hand.
Perhaps only Aizen, who had fooled all the captains, could do such a thing.
At the same time, in the Palace of Night, the Aizen trio used special instruments to witness Uehara Shiroha's amazing swordplay.
Aizen admitted he couldn't replicate this feat.
In truth, Aizen didn't fully understand this technique.
He could only guess that Uehara Shiroha had used some special means.
Of course, this was only part of Uehara Shiroha's secret.
The opponent's strength now revealed just the tip of the iceberg.
Although the revealed part was already strong, it remained insignificant compared to the massive iceberg hidden beneath the surface.
Aizen felt his previous strategy was correct—he should avoid direct confrontation with Uehara Shiroha.
Once the Hōgyoku was fully fused, he would uncover Uehara Shiroha's secrets.
Of course, by then, whatever secrets his opponent possessed might not matter.
After all, the power of transcendence was absolute!
Gin wiped nonexistent cold sweat from his forehead and exclaimed, "Lord Aizen, this isn't right! I never expected Nnoitra would be so vulnerable. If we continue to let Uehara Shiroha act freely, won't all the chess pieces we've worked so hard to acquire be destroyed?"
Of course, he didn't actually care about the life or death of these Arrancar.
He also didn't care why Uehara Shiroha was so strong.
In fact, he felt somewhat numb to it all.
Regardless of reason, this old classmate could do things they couldn't do or even imagine—just like Aizen on his throne.
They were geniuses, while people like Aizen and Uehara Shiroha were monsters.
Gin had learned to reconcile with himself on this point.
But he would never reconcile with Aizen, let alone forgive him for what he had done.
So he cared deeply about Aizen's next plan.
Tōsen Kaname nodded in agreement, "Although these Arrancar aren't allies of justice, we still need them as a fighting force for now."
His reaction mirrored Gin's—both were somewhat numb with shock.
He had abandoned any notion of dealing with Uehara Shiroha completely.
He now recognized how unrealistic such an idea was. He hadn't accomplished it before, and it was impossible now.
Their opponent wielded a time-space type Zanpakutō, making him invincible at any time and place.
Tōsen now only hoped Uehara Shiroha wouldn't interfere with their plan.
As long as their plan succeeded and Lord Aizen fused with the complete Hōgyoku, even time-space abilities would become insignificant.
"It's fine, Gin," Aizen said, watching Uehara Shiroha on the screen with interest. "We have as many fighters like Nnoitra as we need. As long as chess pieces serve their purpose, it doesn't matter if they're all sacrificed. Containing Uehara Shiroha without paying any price is impossible."
That said, he knew in his heart that Nnoitra had served no purpose as a chess piece.
Just like his opponent's strength, Nnoitra's impending death was meaningless, irrelevant to the bigger picture, and insignificant.
He had simply encountered an opponent he shouldn't have faced.
However, this had been part of Aizen's plan all along.
As long as Uehara Shiroha was satisfied, losing a few chess pieces wasn't a big deal—it might even be beneficial.
"Could it be that even the Espadas have no way to deal with my old classmate?" Gin pushed slightly harder.
His attempt was somewhat bold and obvious.
But at this point, using more force didn't matter.
After all, it was almost time to see the truth.
Besides, being bold occasionally was more deceptive than constant caution.
"Uehara Shiroha is no ordinary Shinigami," Aizen replied calmly, studying Gin.
Gin was a genius in every aspect.
But even such a genius paled in comparison to Uehara Shiroha—the two weren't even comparable.
In the Palace of Night, hearing Aizen's praise, Gin remained silent.
Shiroha's strength was obvious to anyone not blind.
His question had merely been to gauge Aizen's attitude and test his trump card.
Tōsen seemed unconvinced. "He just relies on his Zanpakutō ability. He cannot be compared to Lord Aizen."
In his eyes, Aizen was the only light, the ultimate god.
How could a mortal compare to a god?
"No, you're wrong," Aizen explained patiently.
"Among Shinigami, none should surpass Uehara Shiroha. He is perhaps the most perfect Shinigami. Whether in Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Kidō, Reiatsu, physical strength, or even Zanpakutō ability, Uehara Shiroha is incomparably powerful. His abilities and talents exceed the limits of common sense. Therefore, we cannot view Uehara Shiroha through ordinary standards and boundaries. He effortlessly reaches limits that other Shinigami can barely approach, and he doesn't even possess the weaknesses that Shinigami typically have. This is Uehara Shiroha—a Shinigami that defies common sense!"
In truth, Aizen had initially hesitated to use the word "perfect."
Because "perfection" in others' eyes, in his opinion, merely reached the limit of their perception.
Ultimately, it revealed a lack of ability and vision.
For instance, Aizen himself had surpassed what ordinary Shinigami considered perfect in all aspects.
The vision of these mediocre souls was too limited. What they deemed perfect was merely a reflection in a mirror.
Aizen refused to be as shallow and ignorant as them.
He would only surpass the so-called perfection. But Uehara Shiroha was so exceptional that even he could only describe him as perfect.
Such talent and strength made him feel inferior and even overturned his perceptions.
At first, Aizen hadn't considered himself a Shinigami.
His talent was too extraordinary; he existed in two dimensions compared to others.
His growth rate and potential completely transcended ordinary Shinigami—truly monstrous and unimaginable.
Thus, Aizen had learned to disguise himself and separate himself from other Shinigami.
He had experienced the isolation of "it's lonely at the top" very early on.
Until he confirmed the abilities and talent of Uehara Shiroha.
Only then did Aizen admit that he was, indeed, just a Shinigami.
Some peaks truly couldn't be climbed without the Hōgyoku's help!
But this made everything more challenging and interesting!
Regarding this, Tōsen remained silent.
He felt that Uehara Shiroha was still just a Shinigami after all, with a slightly stronger Zanpakutō.
Though he couldn't see with his eyes, his heart remained clear as a mirror.
But since Aizen had spoken, he too wanted to discover what made Uehara Shiroha so extraordinary.
In the desert, Nnoitra actually had a similar opinion.
He believed Shiroha's slash was so powerful because of his Zanpakutō's abilities.
But regardless, a Shinigami was still a Shinigami—they would die if struck properly.
And he was an Arrancar, the 5th Espada, a Great Hollow with the power of Resurrección and High-Speed Regeneration.
Even missing arms and legs couldn't stop him from killing his enemy.
Now it was time to show his true power.
He gritted his teeth and unleashed all his Reiatsu.
The powerful spiritual pressure exploded outward, blowing away the surrounding sand.
Simultaneously, Reishi in the air gathered and swirled around Nnoitra, forming hurricanes.
The sudden sandstorm and terrifying pressure made Orihime Inoue, Ichigo Kurosaki, and Nelliel behind the rock tremble.
They raised their arms to shield themselves from the sandstorm.
Only Shiroha remained motionless, like a deep abyss or immovable mountain, exuding an unshakable presence. He didn't take Nnoitra seriously at all, letting him do as he pleased. Nnoitra in his normal state was too vulnerable to a single blow, and there was no value in killing him...
Nnoitra at full strength might barely serve as a whetstone.
It was just enough for Shiroha to hone his Reiatsu and gain some insignificant combat experience.
In the eyes of both Aizen and Uehara Shiroha, Nnoitra was merely an insignificant pawn.
This Arrancar who claimed to be the strongest among the Espada was just a chess piece in the greater scheme, and an unimportant one at that.
In fact, all the Espada were unimportant chess pieces.
Aizen's Espada forces were more of a smokescreen, just like during Rukia's execution in Soul Society.
These were just means of diverting attention.
In the end, Aizen would still need to take action himself.
"Pray, Santa Teresa!" With a roar, Nnoitra completed his Resurrección and unleashed Santa Teresa.
His form changed dramatically.
In the wind and sand, a huge and strange figure slowly emerged.
First came crescent-shaped horns that gathered powerful Reiatsu.
The two horns on Nnoitra's head bent vertically upwards—they didn't look like weapons for attack, but more like decorations.
At the same time, his white eye patch fell away.
This was originally where his hollow hole should have been.
Now, the black hollow that should have been empty contained a long, narrow eye with a ferocious look.
Cross-shaped yellow facial patterns decorated his face.
Of course, the most terrifying change was to his arms.
After his Resurrección, his severed arm returned to normal, and he even grew four more arms.
Though Nnoitra didn't have three heads, he now possessed six arms.
Each arm held a massive double-edged scythe, creating an oppressive and terrifying sight.
Orihime, who was treating Ichigo, trembled. "The Reiatsu gathering over there—it's truly terrible!"
"His Reiatsu has become stronger, and even his arm has regenerated. What's happening?" Ichigo's eyes widened in confusion.
This was the second time he had witnessed an Arrancar's released form, their so-called Resurrección.
Last time, Grimmjow had initiated his Resurrección without any explanation.
And just like Zanpakutō, different Hollows gained different abilities after Resurrección.
Therefore, Ichigo had no idea what new powers Nnoitra possessed after his transformation.
For Arrancars, Resurrección fused with their sealed Hollow core.
This enhanced their Reiatsu, healed injuries, and awakened special abilities.
For example, Nnoitra now possessed high-speed regeneration because of his Resurrección.
Simultaneously, the power of Santa Teresa had reached its peak.
Nnoitra felt full of confidence in this form, just as he cared deeply about his ranking among the Espada and took pride in his identity.
He shouted, "Shinigami, you can never kill me! You can never kill me. It's absolutely impossible! Now I don't fear injury! No matter how you slash at me, you'll definitely be the one who dies in the end!"
After Resurrección, Nnoitra's Reiatsu increased dramatically, far exceeding that of ordinary Shinigami captains.
In the original timeline, it was Kenpachi Zaraki who faced Nnoitra after his Resurrección.
Even Kenpachi, with his immense Reiatsu, acknowledged that Nnoitra's spiritual pressure was impressive—at a level where he needed to fight seriously.
So the captain of the Eleventh Division, who loved a challenge, recalled the time when Captain Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni taught him kendo.
In truth, that teaching itself had been a trap.
Yamamoto deliberately used a teaching method that Kenpachi disliked, limiting his strength and denying him the opportunity to properly learn kendo.
This was an order from the Central 46.
After all, Kenpachi wasn't "professionally trained," didn't obey the law, and lacked discipline.
In their view, allowing such a beast to learn kendo and gain greater power was dangerous.
The nobles of the Soul Society were only capable of such short-sighted thinking.
In short, Yamamoto's teaching was very "successful."
The strongest Shinigami only taught Kenpachi one move repeatedly—to hold his sword with both hands.
Because a Shinigami's wrists are the output points of Reiatsu, the power of holding a sword with both hands was incomparable to holding it with just one.
This efficiency wasn't as simple as one plus one—it increased the power several times over.
For other Shinigami, holding a sword with both hands to enhance slashing power was common sense and an entry-level skill.
Except for top-tier fighters like Aizen and Uehara Shiroha, almost all Shinigami fought by holding their swords with both hands, including Ichigo, with his full attack coefficient.
Other Shinigami wanted to become as strong as possible, but Kenpachi's situation was unique.
He actually didn't want to become too powerful—otherwise, battles would become boring.
Moreover, the Captain Commander's teaching method was extremely tedious...
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New Fanfic
Marvel x Star Wars: Avengers in the Clone Wars
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