Chapter 467 - 467: I Am the Flame

"Leave her."

Byakuya stared coldly at Aizen.

By now, it was obvious Tosen was acting under Aizen's direction, so the demand was meant for him.

"My apologies, Captain Kuchiki."

Aizen refused without hesitation.

Byakuya's eyes hardened as he reversed his grip on Senbonzakura.

"Wait, Captain Kuchiki."

Shunsui immediately stopped him.

"Something about what happened just now was wrong. Don't attack carelessly."

They had clearly targeted Aizen's group, yet without anyone noticing when it happened, their attacks had struck their own people instead.

Until they understood the ability involved, another reckless attack might only repeat the same mistake.

"It's an illusion."

Unohana looked toward Hancock.

More precisely, it was an illusion affecting their senses, because Hancock's Conqueror's Haki was still pressing down on Soi Fon exactly as before.

What they had seen moments earlier had simply been false.

"And how do you know the comrades standing beside you right now are really who you think they are?"

Aizen asked with a smile.

"Enough showing off. I'm making a move, so you lot leave first."

A familiar voice suddenly cut in.

Aizen's smile froze.

He turned sharply.

A small flame rose from Robin's body, gathered together, and took human form.

Cyrus appeared before everyone.

The captains immediately tensed.

Cyrus ignored them and opened a green doorway with a wave of his hand.

"Hueco Mundo."

The familiar presence on the other side told every captain where it led.

Robin, Hancock, and Baby 5 didn't hesitate. Hancock withdrew her Conqueror's Haki and stepped through with the others.

"So you left something on them beforehand."

Aizen understood at once.

"No wonder they were willing to fight so freely."

"You coming or not?"

Cyrus looked back at him.

"If not, I'm closing it."

"Much appreciated."

Aizen nodded and entered the doorway.

Tosen followed with Rukia.

"You think you're leaving?"

Byakuya snorted and released Bankai again.

A vast field was swallowed by Senbonzakura Kageyoshi as enormous blades emerged around them.

Cyrus turned toward him.

The next instant, the entire Bankai domain shattered beneath a sea of flame.

Several captain-class Reiatsu erupted at once.

But the fire vanished almost immediately.

The doorway closed.

Cyrus disappeared with it, leaving behind nothing except terrifying heat hanging in the air.

Byakuya stood motionless, his face grim.

"We should move."

Unohana finally broke the silence.

"Wait for the result of the Captain-Commander's battle, then organize a force to enter Hueco Mundo."

No one answered immediately.

The result?

Yamamoto was monstrously powerful.

But so was the unknown man fighting him.

Worse, Cyrus seemed to possess abilities eerily similar to the Captain-Commander's own.

After a tense silence, the captains separated and began making preparations.

…

Cyrus brushed dust from his chest as he climbed out of the crater he had made.

He looked up at Yamamoto approaching from above.

"That last one had some weight behind it."

His clothes had been torn across the chest by the attack.

Yamamoto, however, stared only at the exact point where Kyokujitsujin had struck.

There wasn't even a scratch.

So his earlier feeling had been correct.

Cyrus had taken the attack directly and suffered no damage whatsoever.

'A monster.'

Yamamoto tightened his grip on Zanka no Tachi, his expression grave.

"You almost killed me there, old man."

"Heh."

Yamamoto disappeared.

"And you expect me to believe that?"

One strike hadn't worked.

Then he would use two.

Three.

Four.

Everything had a limit.

Yamamoto appeared in front of Cyrus and brought his sword down with both hands.

Clang!

Cyrus raised his own crimson blade and caught it.

The instant their swords collided, Yamamoto's eyes widened.

A tremendous force traveled through Zanka no Tachi and into his arms.

Then he was hurled backward.

Cyrus bent his knees slightly.

The soft ground beneath his feet shuddered—

Then exploded.

He shot after Yamamoto.

Two blurred figures began tearing across the battlefield at extreme speed, their blades colliding again and again.

Zanka no Tachi, East: Kyokujitsujin carried terrifying destructive power.

But Cyrus's raw strength was equally monstrous.

Whenever the two forces met, the surrounding space trembled and shock waves burst outward in every direction.

The outer districts of Rukongai began collapsing.

Countless souls fled in panic.

"That all you've got?"

Cyrus continued swinging as he taunted him.

"Come on. At least make me feel some pressure."

"Brat, don't get arrogant."

Yamamoto's hands had already gone numb from the repeated impacts.

After another clash forced them apart, his Reiatsu surged.

"Zanka no Tachi, West: Zanjitsu Gokui!"

The flames around him collapsed inward and wrapped his body in a blazing mantle.

The temperature rose even higher.

At the same time, flames gathered around Cyrus and formed an almost identical cloak.

"You can imitate this too?"

Yamamoto charged again.

"I can do quite a lot."

Cyrus laughed.

"After all…"

His flames surged.

"I can say this now."

His eyes sharpened.

"I am the flame."

Their blades collided again.

Both men stood wrapped in fire, locked against each other.

Yamamoto gripped his sword with both hands, teeth clenched under the pressure.

Cyrus looked far more relaxed.

"What happened to all those refined sword techniques of yours?"

He smiled.

"Why aren't you using them?"

Yamamoto said nothing.

"You aren't seriously planning to beat me with brute force alone, are you?"

Cyrus continued pressing.

"Because if that's the case…"

His smile widened.

"I'm done holding back."

He briefly looked toward Seireitei.

Cyrus understood Yamamoto's intentions.

Inside the city, even if the Captain-Commander had resolved himself to fight, he would still have restrained his power to avoid destroying everything around him.

But apparently, even out here, he was still holding something back.

"No answer?"

Cyrus's expression brightened.

"Then—Zanka no Tachi, North…"

Yamamoto's pupils contracted violently.

"Tenchi Kaijin."

Cyrus suddenly increased the force behind his blade.

Yamamoto was blasted backward.

At the same time, a massive slash flew from Cyrus's sword.

Pop.

Seireitei's barrier burst like a soap bubble.

The slash tore through it effortlessly and continued straight into the city.

Then flames erupted.

Even from outside Seireitei, Yamamoto knew immediately what that attack would do.

The casualties would not be small.