Under the eternal cold moonlight of Hueco Mundo, a brilliant golden energy beam shot skyward, piercing the darkness!
After unleashing his Shunkyō Bankai, Uehara Shiroha once again announced his presence to the Espada, Aizen, and all of Hueco Mundo.
For a breathtaking moment, the world lost its color. The wind shifted violently as clouds gathered and scattered. The earth beneath trembled and groaned as if in pain. All living things seemed to wail in unison as even the fabric of time and space rippled like disturbed water. The majestic Reiatsu spread outward in waves, forming a terrifying shockwave of such magnitude that even the mightiest of Hollows would have been instantly annihilated in its path.
The range of this overwhelming spiritual pressure was no longer confined to their immediate surroundings—it began to blanket the entirety of Hueco Mundo, reaching toward its furthest boundaries!
The towering column of light ascended to the zenith of the sky, gathering into a radiant golden sun that completely overshadowed the cold, eternal moonlight that typically bathed the realm.
Above the endless white desert, this newly formed golden orb hung like the watchful eye of a god, silently observing all of Hueco Mundo with patient, terrible judgment.
Standing upon the desert sands, Uehara Shiroha's figure appeared impossibly tall and unyielding, like a mountain that refused to be moved by any force of nature. His posture, his presence, his very aura—like his Reiatsu—instilled an unparalleled sense of oppression and primal fear in all who beheld him.
The sensation was not unlike what mortals experience when facing catastrophic natural disasters—a profound mixture of fear, powerlessness, and absolute despair settling into one's heart.
Before this monumental wave of spiritual pressure, even Shinigami captains and the Espada themselves were reduced to mere mortals, insignificant before such overwhelming might.
Yet, curiously, after the initial fear subsided, an unexpected sense of beauty arose spontaneously within those who witnessed it.
This wasn't the conventional beauty of physical form or temperament, but rather the sublime beauty of pure Reiatsu and absolute power.
The incomparable spiritual pressure and sense of dominance that overshadowed everything else in existence left everyone dazzled and profoundly shaken to their core. This was the unique beauty brought forth by extraordinary Reiatsu.
The stronger the observer, the more deeply they could perceive this beauty, and consequently, the more astonished they became—just as Orihime, Ichigo, and Nel were experiencing at this very moment.
Though Uehara Shiroha's Reiatsu made no direct attack against them, the three still felt its incomparable impact and presence reverberating through their bodies and minds.
This was a power capable of destroying not only their physical forms but their very consciousness. The beauty of such surging power made even those who had never craved strength—like Orihime—feel a strange mixture of awe and trembling reverence.
Not long ago, Nnoitra's final venomous words before death had still echoed in their ears, his threats sounding genuinely terrifying.
After all, no matter how formidable Uehara Shiroha might be, logic dictated he couldn't possibly stand against Aizen and all ten Espada simultaneously, especially on enemy territory. The three had genuinely worried that Shiroha would suffer dire consequences for his boldness.
But now, witnessing his majestic figure bathed in brilliant light, Nnoitra's final threats seemed weak and almost laughably insignificant.
In the face of this terrifying Reiatsu, any resistance—any defiance at all—was doomed to futility. All that remained possible was silence and complete submission.
Just as now, their minds had gone completely blank, capable only of processing feelings of worship and shock.
This wasn't because they themselves were particularly weak—it was because Uehara Shiroha's display of power was simply that overwhelming.
The technique Uehara Shiroha had just employed was called "Bankai : Shunkyō Reishi Issen (Spirit Stone Flash Cut).
In essence, it was an application of his Bankai's true power.
This devastating move combined the abilities of the Mind Gem, Unlimited Blade Works, and Bankai: Shunkyō Jikūsen into a single, harmonious attack. Under the influence of his EX ability, the power of Reishi was stimulated beyond normal limits, surpassing even the maximum threshold that a Zanpakutō could traditionally reach.
With this single sword strike, the Espada were forced to bow, and all of Hueco Mundo shook in response!
Ichigo, Orihime, and Nel had only indirectly experienced the impact of Reishi's energy, yet they were already shocked beyond their ability to control their reactions. The Espada and Aizen, who were directly targeted by this display, received an impact so profound that they were momentarily rendered speechless and immobile.
The first to suffer its effects were the Seventh Espada, Zommari Rureaux—Rukia's opponent—and the Eighth Espada, Szayelaporro Granz—who had been facing Uryū. Their proximity to the epicenter of the blast made them particularly vulnerable.
Szayelaporro had once held the prestigious rank of Zero Espada. Although he had previously been utterly overwhelmed by Uehara Shiroha, his fundamental power remained substantial.
So after the initial shock passed, he quickly regained his composure and fled toward the ground, seeking shelter from the onslaught of spiritual pressure.
He had no choice but to flee!
Though the sudden eruption of power carried no specific killing intent—it simply expanded outward in all directions—the Reiatsu it contained seemed to transcend normal limitations of time and space, acting directly upon the soul and mind of anyone caught within its range.
Szayelaporro once again experienced the excruciating sensation of his very soul being torn asunder. This was only the second time in his existence that he had been so thoroughly and brutally humbled.
Even Aizen had never subjected him to such overwhelming force.
Coincidentally, the previous instance had also been at the hands of Uehara Shiroha.
This combination of old wounds and fresh humiliation created a hatred impossible to forget—truly unforgettable in every sense.
If circumstances had been different—if the power gap hadn't been so insurmountable—Szayelaporro would have gleefully placed his opponent on a dissection table to examine every aspect of his being.
Unfortunately, he had no viable means of confronting this formidable enemy.
Previously, Szayelaporro had been capable of engaging Uehara Shiroha in direct combat, still qualifying as a worthy opponent.
But now, when confronted with the other's overwhelming Reiatsu, he couldn't even maintain his composure, much less mount any form of resistance.
Compared to their encounter a years ago, Uehara Shiroha's strength had improved exponentially, while his own power had not only failed to increase but had actually diminished.
The disparity between them had grown so vast that it transcended dimensions. An insurmountable barrier now separated them, and Shiroha's attack wasn't even specifically targeting him alone.
Through specialized surveillance methods, Szayelaporro discovered that Uehara Shiroha's attack was remarkably precise yet expansive in range.
Almost all the Espada had been included within the attack's scope—even Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen were not exempt.
The opponent's attack strength and effective range were beyond comprehension, far exceeding anything Szayelaporro could have imagined.
This realization deeply troubled the scientist:
"This definitely transcends the capabilities of any Shinigami or Arrancar. Spatial manipulation abilities can mitigate the problem of Reiatsu attenuation, allowing the spiritual pressure to maintain its terrifying impact over vast distances. But what about the targeting mechanism? How has Uehara Shiroha accurately locked onto so many enemies simultaneously? It's surely impossible for him to encompass the entirety of Hueco Mundo within his perception range... isn't it?"
There remained too many unsolved mysteries surrounding Uehara Shiroha. For a scientific mind like Szayelaporro, this ignorance was nothing short of humiliating.
He had always pursued perfection, never allowing himself to remain helpless and ignorant like a common fool.
In his relentless pursuit of knowledge, he had even dared to disobey Aizen's direct orders, conducting clandestine experiments when opportunities arose.
However, regarding many of Uehara Shiroha's seemingly impossible abilities and methods, Szayelaporro had not the slightest clue—he lacked even the conceptual framework to begin understanding them.
Of course, his current state was hardly conducive to deep analytical thinking.
His spirit body had sustained significant damage, leaving him in an extremely compromised condition. Both his cognitive abilities and combat effectiveness had been severely diminished.
Ordinarily, he could have recovered from such injuries by consuming his specially created subordinates.
These underlings were essentially living consumables—biological "pills" designed to restore Reiatsu and physical integrity when absorbed.
However, Uehara Shiroha's Reiatsu impact had been so overwhelming that those subordinates had been completely obliterated, leaving not even fragments behind.
Therefore, Szayelaporro had no choice but to rely on his Resurrección to heal his injuries and restore his power.
Originally, he wouldn't have needed to resort to his released state to deal with a mere Quincy—he certainly wouldn't have expected to sustain injury.
But now, left with no alternatives, he was forced to use his ultimate trump card.
Meanwhile, seizing this unexpected opportunity, Ishida Uryū—whose Reiatsu had been nearly depleted in battle—hastily fled across the desert, desperate to escape while his formidable opponent was momentarily distracted.
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Marvel x Star Wars: Avengers in the Clone Wars
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