Chapter 347: Against The Captain-Commander

Almost instantly, a dense, liquid-like flame erupted from beneath H'el's feet, surging with the intensity of a volcanic eruption. The scorching flames seared through his body, vaporizing the skin from his legs upwards in mere moments. His skin burned away, revealing the red muscles and fatty tissues beneath, which were instantly melted down to nothing.

In the blazing inferno unleashed by Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, H'el's flesh was completely incinerated, leaving behind nothing but a charred skeleton.

The fiery column rose into the sky like a volcanic eruption, the temperature skyrocketing, making the entire Seireitei feel parched and dry.

The Shinigami who watched the battle from below stared up in awe, witnessing H'el's transformation into a skeleton within the fiery column. The sight left them stunned, their mouths dry and their minds reeling. For many who had never seen Captain-Commander Yamamoto in combat, the sheer scale of his overwhelming power filled them with a mix of dread and awe.

The very first strike from Yamamoto's fiery blade had already left them all in shock.

*Clang*

Within the pillar of fire, H'el swung his zanpakutō towards Yamamoto, only to be blocked by the flaming Ryūjin Jakka in the captain-commander's hand.

"He can still move?" one of the Shinigami exclaimed in disbelief.

"Even after being burned to a skeleton by the captain-commander's flames, he's still alive?"

"That kind of vitality is terrifying."

The Shinigami on the ground stared in shock at the scene unfolding in the sky above them.

H'el, his body reduced to a charred skeleton, walked out from the fiery column, as if emerging from the depths of a flaming hell. His skeletal eyes and neatly aligned teeth glowed with residual flames, giving him the appearance of a demonic figure.

'Even without flesh, he's not dead?' Yamamoto's expression remained unchanged as he watched H'el emerge from the flames like a skeletal demon. He sensed the strength in H'el's sword strikes hadn't diminished in the slightest, confirming almost beyond doubt that H'el was largely unharmed.

It was as if the body itself was not essential to him.

The remaining flames on H'el's skull flickered upwards as his charred bones began to regenerate rapidly. Blood formed from the marrow, droplets seeping out of the bones. The complex network of human cells, the eight major systems, the four types of tissues, and the intricate blood vessels and fibers all began to reconstruct with meticulous precision, like a highly detailed human model, rebuilding his complete body in front of Yamamoto's eyes.

He once again saw Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, felt the sensation of breathing, the touch of his zanpakutō in his hand, and the scorching heatwaves searing his newly formed skin, bringing with them a burning pain.

"What terrifying flames," H'el remarked seriously, exhaling a breath of black smoke and flames.

Yamamoto was incredibly strong—far beyond any enemy H'el had faced before. His ferocity and searing flames destroyed the spiritual particle reactions in H'el's body with overwhelming intensity.

This kind of spiritual energy, moving with such reckless intensity, generated flames so hot they could burn every spiritual particle to nothingness, causing them to perish in agony.

Seeing H'el's regeneration, Yamamoto's half-closed eyes narrowed slightly, flashing with a dangerous light.

To step out of the flaming pillar and fully restore his body with just one swing of the sword—this level of regeneration was astonishing even to Yamamoto.

What kind of monstrous technique was this? Rearranging every spiritual particle in his body to completely restore himself.

Yamamoto finally understood why H'el was so arrogant.

He had nearly mastered the essence of spiritual particles.

"Master Yamamoto! The three thousand dark spheres behind him—they must be completely destroyed with overwhelming spiritual pressure to kill him," Jūshirō Ukitake called out, raising his sword in warning from a distance.

Just as Ukitake prepared to move in with Sōgyo no Kotowari to clear away the three thousand worlds, Yamamoto, standing behind the fiery Ryūjin Jakka, opened his eyes wide. It was as if an ancient beast had awakened, emitting a murderous aura so intense it was palpable.

The killing intent, born from countless slaughters, caused Ukitake to freeze. Even in the intense heat caused by the flames from Ryūjin Jakka, Ukitake felt a chill run up his spine and into his skull.

'Master Yamamoto is warning me not to interfere with his fight.' Ukitake realized, a cold sweat breaking out as he understood Yamamoto's message. He did not advance to deal with the three thousand worlds; instead, he retreated, descending to the ground to assist Unohana Retsu in tending to the defeated captains.

Ukitake knew that once Master Yamamoto fought with full force, anyone in the center of the battlefield would only become collateral damage from the flames. He couldn't help Yamamoto if he was consumed by the fire.

Without hesitation, Ukitake withdrew from the battlefield.

*Clang*

The moment Ukitake retreated, Yamamoto swung Ryūjin Jakka with his right hand. The muscles in his arm, hidden beneath his wide haori, bulged with veins, releasing a tremendous amount of power as he slashed at H'el.

The two stood in place, their hands moving so quickly they became a blur. Countless sword slashes and sparks of fire filled the sky as their blades clashed.

Each sword stroke struck against the other, their blades grinding and sparking, tearing through the air with explosive force.

In an instant, they exchanged dozens of sword strikes in the sky, with the entire space filled with the residual flames from Ryūjin Jakka and the cold gleam of H'el's sword.

Each time one of the three thousand dark spheres behind H'el clashed with Yamamoto's sword, it exploded from the powerful impact, only to regenerate continuously.

"You've arranged the spiritual particles you've absorbed to withstand my slashes. Young friend, your talent and skill are the greatest I've ever seen," Yamamoto remarked, his previously calm expression now deeply shaken.

He had never encountered an opponent like H'el before.

Simply through absolute control and skill over spiritual particles, H'el could arrange them in a way that could withstand Yamamoto's sword strikes—something unheard of.

But...

"Your swordsmanship lacks soul!" Yamamoto roared, swinging Ryūjin Jakka with such force that H'el, using his zanpakutō to block, was pushed back, the friction from the spiritual particles under his feet causing smoke to rise.

H'el slightly bent his body to absorb the impact, then straightened his spine and swung his zanpakutō downward, the tip pointing to the ground.

*Boom*

Suddenly, H'el's zanpakutō burst into flames.

°°°

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