"What... what kind of battle is this?"
Rukia and the others, who had run quite a distance away, watched the fight between Jin and Yhwach.
Even seasoned veterans like Ukitake and Kyoraku, who had lived for nearly a thousand years, didn't know how to describe this battle.
In the distance, Jin, holding Ryujin Jakka, and Yhwach, wielding his Reishi Sword, rapidly closed in on each other.
The moment their blades clashed, all things fell silent, and the shockwave sent the spectators, who had already retreated quite far, flying back another several hundred meters.
But the stalemate lasted less than half a second.
Jin twisted his wrist.
With a backhand slash, he severed Yhwach's right arm!
Clean and neat!
However, in the next instant, the right arm that had just been cut off grew back completely intact.
That's right. At this point in the battle, it wasn't just that Jin held the absolute upper hand.
He completely and utterly overwhelmed Yhwach in a crushing manner.
Whether it was strength, speed, technique, explosive power...
Yhwach couldn't keep up at all!
But even in this state, Jin just couldn't secure the victory.
It was all because of Yhwach's ability called [The Almighty], which was too perverted.
Forget cutting off his arm… even if Jin cut off his head, it would grow back in the blink of an eye.
How does one win against that?
"It is indeed a troublesome ability. Foreseeing the future and altering it in advance… that's the power of [The Almighty], right?"
Jin said with a smile.
Even though disgusting eyeballs covered the upper half of his face, making it hard to discern Yhwach's expression, Jin could affirm that this guy's mood was absolutely not good right now.
After all, this guy was both a chatterbox and a show-off.
He loved to show off while spouting crazy nonsense.
Once he stopped talking, it meant he was pushed to the brink.
Jin seized the opportunity and raised his left hand.
The Kamehameha erupting from his palm instantly crushed Yhwach's body into particles too fine for the naked eye, scattering in the air.
"Look out!"
Orihime cried out.
From a third-person perspective, Yhwach, who should have been killed, had already appeared behind Jin.
A giant Reishi Bow materialized above Yhwach's head.
He drew the bow and released a massive Heilig Pfeil capable of instantly killing a Vasto Lorde, aimed at Jin's back!
Jin turned and waved his hand.
Just like when he shattered Lille Barro's shot earlier, he smashed Yhwach's massive Heilig Pfeil to pieces.
In Jin's eyes, there was no difference between Yhwach and Lille Barro anyway.
Borrowing the lines of the show-off Aizen, it was 'Whether there's one more speck of dust or two, it's hard to tell with the naked eye'.
"This Uchiha Jin can't kill Yhwach, but it seems Yhwach can't do anything to Uchiha Jin either…"
Ukitake said in a low voice.
In his view, the current battle between Jin and Yhwach was like a fight between a human and a cockroach with immortality.
It's hard for a human to kill an unkillable cockroach.
But how can a cockroach kill a human?
Thus, both sides fell into the predicament where neither could kill the other.
"Shall we call it here?"
At this moment, Yhwach finally spoke proactively.
"How about this? We divide the territory and establish a truce agreement."
"That Vasto Lorde named Harribel is yours, right? The Human World goes to you, the Soul Society goes to us. We swear an oath of non-aggression. As for Hueco Mundo… we split it fifty-fifty."
Hearing Yhwach's words, the expressions of Rukia, Ichigo, Kyoraku, and the others changed drastically.
They never expected things to develop to this point.
Currently, it seemed neither Jin nor Yhwach could kill the other.
So a truce was probably indeed the most effective solution.
But, but if the Soul Society was given to Yhwach, would their Seireitei have any chance of survival?
"Oh~ That's quite an interesting proposal."
Jin grinned.
Seeing that Jin seemed somewhat tempted, the Shinigami side grew even more panicked.
"Captain Kuchiki, I think the situation is a bit tense."
Shinji whispered:
"If the Soul Society falls under Yhwach's control, none of us will have a good ending."
"…Yhwach's ability is unsolvable."
Byakuya naturally knew this, but the problem was, after watching Jin and Yhwach fight for so long, he also realized that the Soul Society truly had no way to deal with Yhwach.
Even a monster as terrifying as Jin could only suppress Yhwach, not kill him.
What could their Gotei 13 do?
"Don't you have a sister?"
Shinji blinked.
The other members of the Gotei 13 also cast looks at the Kuchiki siblings that said, 'It's up to you.'
Byakuya: …
'Damn it, so this is where you were leading me?'
'But… it seems like this really is the only option left.'
"Rukia… What do you think…"
Although after his wife's death, Byakuya had regarded Rukia as the most important person in his life, the current situation wasn't just about the Kuchiki Clan.
It was a matter concerning the survival of the entire Soul Society.
Byakuya ultimately chose to sacrifice small love for greater righteousness.
"…I understand, Brother."
After a brief silence, Rukia nodded.
She took several deep breaths, walked over to Jin, and mustered her courage with great effort:
"Th-that…"
"What?"
Jin looked at Rukia with an amused expression.
"I, I can marry you… but, but you have to protect the Soul Society…"
When she said these words, Rukia felt her face was about to burn up.
Jin: "…"
'Why does this plot feel familiar?'
'Oh right, I remember.'
'When passing through Dressrosa, Viola pulled the same move.'
Seriously, you women all think your 'precious parts' are made of gold.
'You think just spreading your legs will make me help with such a big favor?'
Nothing in the world is that simple.
"Rukia…"
Ichigo's face turned green.
But there was nothing he could do.
Who asked him not to be strong enough to defeat Yhwach?
"Little one, many people want to marry me. You… can at most be a mistress."
Unlike his attitude towards Viola back then, Jin didn't outright reject Rukia.
After all, he had come here specifically to deal with Yhwach.
Rukia's offer was just an unexpected bonus.
Rukia took several more deep breaths, her not-very-curvy chest rising and falling repeatedly.
Her nonexistent breasts ached with anger.
'I, the esteemed young lady of the Kuchiki Clan, am only fit to be your mistress!?'
"…Fine! Whatever you say!"
Rukia gritted her teeth and squeezed the words out.
This time, Ichigo really couldn't hold back and cried out.
'It's not fair!'
'I just wanted two, and you weren't willing.'
'This damn playboy probably has countless women, and you actually submitted?'
'Why?'
If Jin heard his thoughts, he would definitely say, "Because you're not capable enough."
…
"Yosh~ I've changed my mind. Go die, Yhwach."
Jin drew his sword again, smiling.
Yhwach's face darkened, "After fighting for so long, don't you understand? You can't kill me."
"Oh, really?"
The moment Jin finished speaking, he vanished from his spot.
A single slash fell, directly severing Yhwach's left arm.
But just like before, in less than the blink of an eye, Yhwach's wound healed perfectly.
However, it wasn't over. Jin extended his left index finger.
A energy beam shot out.
It pierced several more holes in Yhwach's chest.
"What's wrong, Your Majesty? Feels like your recovery speed is slowing down."
Jin teased.
Yhwach didn't answer, only gloomily using The Almighty again to heal his wounds.
By now, after fighting for so long, Jin had also discerned the difference between The Almighty and Izanagi.
Using Izanagi not only required the cost of a Sharingan, but The Almighty had no such cost, nor did it have a casting delay like Izanagi's hand seals.
It could be said it could be used at will.
But even so, there were limitations.
That was, as the battle prolonged, Yhwach, the caster, suffered massive mental consumption.
After all, he was someone who considered himself invincible.
In this battle lasting several hours, he had been toyed with like a dog by Jin.
His spirit was certainly subjected to immense blow.
Even if he used The Almighty to alter reality, as long as the memory remained, he would definitely be affected.
It's like programmer sitting in front of the computer typing all day.
Clearly, there's no physical exertion.
So why are they also half-dead tired?
It's because the mental consumption is too severe.
Although The Almighty had no casting delay and could be used at will, after fighting for so long, Yhwach would inevitably have a moment of relaxation during its activation… a second, a microsecond, even an instant.
And Jin only need that instant.
That instant where he failed to activate The Almighty in time.
That was enough.
"Now!"
And in that instant, Jin seized that moment!
Ryujin Jakka blazed with golden flames different from its usual red fire.
That was Jin's new technique, fusing his own energy with Ryujin Jakka!
[Shining Sword Strike!]
Yhwach's eyes changed drastically.
The Almighty, activate!
'No!'
'Too late!'
Under Yhwach's stunned gaze, he only saw Jin's sword-slashing figure split into two in his vision.
No, that's not right!
In the eyes of Rukia and the other spectators, it was Yhwach's body that was split in two!
The next instant, even Yamamoto, who was in the Chat Group of the Dead, couldn't clearly see Jin's sword speed.
He only vaguely saw a few flashes of sword light.
Yhwach's body was cut into several pieces!
In that instant, Jin raised his left hand, concentrating a Kamehameha in his palm.
"Bye bye~"
Seeing Jin's gesture, Shutara Senjumaru, a member of the Zero Division who had climbed out of the Soul King Palace with the help of Yoruichi and Kisuke, cried out:
"Wait! Don't-"
Boom!
The erupting golden shockwave blasted the 'fragments' of Yhwach's diced body, scattered in mid-air, into smithereens.
The Gotei 13 below and the remnants of the Sternritter stared with their jaws dropped in shock.
It wasn't until Jin slowly landed back on the ground that Jushiro Ukitake, still shaken, managed to ask, "D-did we win?"
"He… won't revive again, will he?"
Sui-Feng next to him had a similar expression.
After all, during the several-hour-long battle, they had witnessed Yhwach die and revive at least thirty or forty times.
"Probably… not, right?"
Ichigo said dumbly.
Earlier, Yhwach's revivals were all completed instantly.
Several minutes had passed now with no movement.
He should be dead… right?
Thud!
However, as soon as he said that, before everyone could celebrate, Ichigo felt a tremendous force press down on his shoulder, slamming him hard to the ground.
Ichigo turned his head to look with effort and found that the one who had attacked him was Shutara, who had helped him level up in the Soul King Palace earlier!
"Shutara-san! Wh-what are you doing!?"
Ichigo cried out.
Shutara's actions also startled Rukia and the others.
Just when they had finally defeated Yhwach and it was time for universal celebration, what was Shutara trying to pull now?
"Sorry, Kurosaki-kun. I don't want to either, but there's no other way."
Shutara used her artificial limbs to tightly restrain Ichigo.
She cast a glance at Kisuke and Yoruichi.
Seeing this, the two hesitated for a moment before finally stepping forward and taking his Zanpakuto away.
"Wh-what are you doing? What exactly are you trying to do?"
Ichigo grew increasingly panicked.
"Urahara-san, Yoruichi-san, what are you doing?"
Many members of the Gotei 13 who had good relationships with Ichigo came forward to ask.
Kyoraku and Ukitake, who vaguely guessed the inside story, wore conflicted expressions but did not speak up.
"The Soul King, the cornerstone and linchpin maintaining the balance of the three worlds, has been absorbed by Yhwach. And Yhwach, who absorbed the Soul King, has now been utterly destroyed, leaving not even a trace…"
Shutara coldly explained:
"If we continue to stand by and do nothing, the three worlds will collapse. We must immediately create a new linchpin."
"Don't tell me, you, you want to use Ichigo as…"
Rukia's expression changed drastically.
"Yhwach's body is gone. Only he has the qualification now."
"Th-this… this…"
Rukia was immediately at a loss for words.
"Wow, this is quite unexpected."
Jin walked over with a weird laugh:
"Kurosaki-kun, for the sake of this world's survival, you can go in peace. I'll take good care of Rukia-chan and Orihime-chan for you. How about we name the future son and daughter Uchiha Kazui and Uchiha Ichika? What do you think?" (T/N: For those who don't know, those are Ichigo's son and Renji's daughter's names in the original work.)
"Shut up! Why did you have to destroy Yhwach's body earlier? If you hadn't done that, this wouldn't be necessary!"
Even though Ichigo had a good temper, he couldn't help but lose his composure at this moment.
He truly wasn't afraid of death, but he really didn't want to die this way.
Especially not after watching his two love interests fall into someone else's arms before dying!
Both Rukia and Orihime felt that Jin was too despicable, as he actually stimulated Ichigo at a time like this.
Jin spread his hands, "How would I have time to think that much? Anyway, I've fulfilled the promise I made to someone. I don't care what happens to this world. Mmm… but I'll take my little wife with me. Although she's a bit flat, she'll be good for warming the bed."
As Jin spoke, he rubbed Rukia's head again.
But he planned to find a way to get her to change her hairstyle back to the onion-head.
He didn't have any particular ill will towards Ichigo… in fact, his impression of him was much better than that of Monkey D. Luffy.
But Jin really didn't intentionally scatter Yhwach's ashes to the wind.
After all, they were in a fight, so who would think that much?
"You… all of you…"
Seeing that no one stood up for him, Ichigo's heart turned to ashes, his face full of disbelief.
Whether it was Byakuya, Uryu, Rukia, or even Orihime, none of them spoke up at this moment.
Yes, sacrificing one person could save the world.
Although this kind of thing was really shitty, if it really happened, how to choose was obvious at a glance, wasn't it?
Of course, if the chosen unlucky person wanted to resist, that was naturally fine too.
But then it would depend on whether you had the strength for it yourself.