The enormous hexagonal prism, radiating seven-colored light, illuminated the dim sky of the battlefield.
"Interesting!"
Yekawa did not evade the overwhelming multicolored beams surging toward him like a tidal wave. Instead, he stood calmly in place, his gaze filled with curiosity as he examined the massive prism suspended in the air.
At the instant the seven-colored light was about to strike his body, boundless dark golden lightning erupted from his form.
"Thunder Armor!"
This Thunder Armor was a new technique Yekawa had developed after his mastery of Flash Lightning reached a higher level following his promotion to Adjuchas.
"Sizzle!"
In a flash, dark golden lightning enveloped his entire body, merging seamlessly with the pale centipede armor already covering him. The two fused together, forming a dazzling Thunder Armor that shimmered with violent electrical power.
Endless thunder surged outward, forcibly repelling the raging seven-colored beams.
Realizing that his ultimate technique could not break through Yekawa's defense, Osaki Masahiro released a hoarse roar. His indigo-blue Reiatsu erupted completely, while the giant prism in midair shone even more brilliantly.
Yet even so, it remained firmly blocked by the lightning barrier, unable to advance even a single inch.
Yekawa stood motionless.
He did not counterattack.
He relied solely on the faint lightning passively radiating from his Thunder Armor to neutralize everything.
In contrast, Osaki Masahiro pushed his Bankai to its absolute limit, desperately squeezing out every last drop of spiritual pressure in an attempt to overwhelm Yekawa.
"Die for me!"
Osaki Masahiro roared madly. Sweat streamed down his face, his expression twisted with strain. This technique was placing an unbearable burden on his body.
"Ha…"
Unlike his opponent's hysteria, Yekawa simply yawned in boredom.
For nearly ten minutes, he had stood there allowing Osaki Masahiro to attack freely, yet not even a trace of damage had appeared on his defense.
"Is this really all a Squad Captain amounts to?"
Seeing that his opponent had nothing more to offer, Yekawa lost interest.
He drew the Zanpakuto from his waist.
With a casual swipe of his hand, dark golden lightning clung to the blade.
Holding the sword in one hand, he slashed upward.
"Crash!"
With a single strike, the massive hexagonal prism split cleanly in two.
The lightning bound to the blade detonated instantly, shattering the prism into countless fragments.
"Pfft!"
As the Bankai was destroyed, Osaki Masahiro spat out a mouthful of blood. Blood then poured from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, turning him into a grotesque, crimson-stained figure.
The destruction of his Bankai had directly injured his soul.
"That sword… it really is a Zanpakuto!"
Osaki Masahiro stared in disbelief.
"To think a Hollow would imitate a Shinigami and wield a Zanpakuto… how ridiculous!"
"No matter how much you copy us, you are still just a Hollow!"
"You will never become a Shinigami!"
"Hahahahaha!"
He burst into bitter laughter.
Yekawa did not respond.
"A defeated dog's barking."
He raised his hand.
A Cero erupted.
Osaki Masahiro was blasted away.
Despite his desperate attempt to evade, one of his legs was blown off completely.
"Whoosh!"
In the next instant, Yekawa appeared before him.
Looking down at the shattered Captain lying at his feet like a stray beast, Yekawa sneered.
"What, are Shinigami some noble creatures?"
"Are Hollows supposed to be inferior?"
"Put away your pathetic pride."
"Besides…"
"I've already been a Shinigami for a long time."
As he spoke, Osaki Masahiro's lips curled into a strange smile.
He slammed both hands onto the ground.
"Shattered Mirror Kill!"
The scattered prism fragments shot up into the air, rushing toward Yekawa.
But in a flash of lightning, Yekawa vanished.
This was Flash Lightning Sonido, a fusion of lightning and Sonido that boosted his speed to more than four times its normal limit.
"Impossible!"
Osaki Masahiro's eyes widened in disbelief.
After a moment of shock, he clasped his hands together.
The fragments gathered once more, forcibly reassembling into another hexagonal prism.
However, this prism was now riddled with cracks and jagged gaps, as if barely held together.
Yekawa's previous slash had permanently damaged his Bankai.
"A cornered beast's struggle."
Yekawa shook his head.
He sheathed his sword.
Dark golden lightning coiled around his right fist.
With Sonido, he rushed forward and punched.
"Crash!"
With a series of sharp cracks, the unstable prism shattered completely, turning into glowing dust that scattered with the wind.
As the Bankai vanished like drifting light rain, Osaki Masahiro vomited another mouthful of blood. His aura plummeted to its lowest point.
Yet he still refused to bow.
Propping himself up with trembling arms, he glared fiercely at Yekawa.
He raised his right hand.
"The bones of a beast, scattered across the land…"
"A red crystal spire, a steel wheel…"
"Movement is wind, stillness is void…"
"The clash of spears echoes through the empty city…"
"Hado Number Sixty-Three — Raikōhō!"
A brilliant blue lightning arc surged from his palm.
A massive bolt shot toward Yekawa.
Yekawa did not dodge.
He opened his arms.
The lightning poured into him like rivers into the sea and was absorbed completely.
He did not even activate Thunder Armor.
"Using lightning against me?"
"How foolish."
Yekawa looked down at him coldly.
"Damn it…"
"One day… someone will wipe out all you Hollows…"
That Raikōhō had exhausted his last spiritual pressure.
All he could do now was curse.
"Is that your dying wish?"
"How pitiful."
Yekawa swung his hand like a blade.
Osaki Masahiro's head flew.
A Squad Captain of the expeditionary force fell.
"Captain-level?"
"Nothing special."
Yekawa spat on the corpse.
This man's pressure was far inferior to Kenpachi without his eyepatch.
At best, he was an average Captain.
In Hueco Mundo, such strength would normally allow free movement, as long as one avoided monsters like Yekawa or Starrk.
Unfortunately…
From the moment he left Soul Society, he had already been marked by Yekawa.
His end had been sealed.