OUT OF BLOOM

Several Riteitai move out as one of them informs Rin Tsubokura that they will be placing a Tsūdentō at each battlefield and retreating since conveying a lengthy message to the captains currently in combat is currently impossible before instructing Rin to send the message directly once the Tsūdentō are in place, which Rin affirms. With Tsūdentō being thrown into the ground and walls near the captains, lieutenants, and seated officers of the Gotei 13 across the Seireitei while one of the Riteitai is shot down by Sternritter "N" Robert Accutrone, Rin speaks to them from within the Shinigami Research and Development Institute and reveals that Ichigo Kurosaki is on his way to Soul Society, with his Bankai unable to be stolen by the Quincy, shocking and elating those listening, though 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi is merely annoyed by his 3rd Seat, Akon, acting without permission as Ryūnosuke Yuki expresses relief at this news.

However, one of the researchers has his attention drawn by Akon, who reveals that Ichigo's Reiatsu has disappeared in the Garganta. Within the Reishi prison enveloping him, Ichigo repeatedly strikes the converging point of the bars with the sword of his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu, and angrily wonders what it is prior to apologetically explaining to Akon that he has been trapped when the latter asks him if everything is alright through the Denreishinki he is holding. Despite this, Akon continues telling Ichigo to respond, which leads Ichigo to realize that Akon cannot hear him anymore no matter how loud he yells. Simultaneously, in the SRDI, Akon deduces that something has gone wrong within the Garganta and orders the other researchers to determine what it is as well as to send the Riteitai to the Senkaimon that leads directly to Hueco Mundo, but is interrupted by one of the walls being broken through, eliciting cries of pain and startling Ichigo, before Jidanbō Ikkanzaka appears in the gap with blank eyes.

With Jidanbō proceeding to brutally attack the researchers despite their pleas for him to stop, Hiyosu prepares to shut down the facility with Kido after noting that they have backups of all their data and urges Akon to leave since there will be no one to lead the institute if he dies here. Suddenly, Rin stabs a blade into Hiyosu's side, and when a stunned Hiyosu questions what he is doing, Rin can only react with confusion prior to Jidanbō continuing his assault as Sternritter "L" PePe Waccabrada watches from afar and chuckles maliciously. Back in the Garganta, Ichigo curses at what he is hearing from the Denreishinki, only to be further bewildered when 13th Division Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki and 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai's voices come through while they realize that the enemy has attacked the SRDI. Due to the Tsūdentō placed around the Seireitei transmitting the voices of those nearby even though they are not at the SRDI, Ichigo begins hearing the screams of agony and panic from dozens of Shinigami across the Seireitei, leaving him mortified. With Rukia telling those around her that they just need to hold out until he gets here, an enraged Ichigo attacks the cage with a Getsuga Tenshō.

Meanwhile, in Hueco Mundo, Sternritter "J" Quilge Opie observes that Ichigo is on a rampage, but proclaims that it does not matter because Yhwach granted him the letter "J" for The Jail, which means that Ichigo will never escape this prison, and turns to Yasutora Sado, Orihime Inoue, and Nel Tu lying on the sand nearby, whom he decides to finish off before the power he gained from absorbing Ayon disappears. Suddenly, with Kisuke Urahara begging him to wait, Quilge is cut vertically in half on his left side by a slash from behind, and as a stunned Urahara wonders who could have done that, someone holds a Zanpakutō to his neck, leaving Urahara to curse in frustration.

Within the Garganta, a panting and sweating Ichigo Kurosaki expresses frustration at being unable to break through the Reishi cage enveloping him even with his Getsuga Tenshō before noticing that his Denreishinki has been disconnected from Kisuke Urahara, to his further confusion and frustration.

Meanwhile, in the Seireitei, 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki is cut on his right shoulder, sending a spray of blood high into the air, and slides back as his lieutenant, Renji Abarai, expresses concern for him, though Byakuya merely asserts that Renji should be watching him fight in order to figure out Sternritter "F" Äs Nödt's abilities. When Renji suggests that he go first instead, Byakuya counters that Renji lacks the wisdom to expose the entirety of Äs's ability, which Renji begrudgingly concedes to. Promising to draw out Äs' abilities, Byakuya notices his hands trembling as they grip his Zanpakutō and wonders why his limbs feel like they are freezing. With Byakuya theorizing the Reishi Thorns surrounding Äs are coated in some kind of poison, Äs infers this and clarifies that it is not poison, but instead something Byakuya lost long ago, prior to asking Byakuya to retrace his memories and recall how he became strong enough to overpower his enemies as a captain. Concluding that he has not felt this sensation in a long time and that it is most important for survival, Äs informs Byakuya that he is feeling fear.

While Renji expresses disbelief at this, Äs explains that anyone struck by his Reishi Thorns experiences fear over many things leading to something fatal, such as the consideration of drawing and swinging their sword, the enemy casting a terrible spell on them, or simply breathing in and out, which makes it impossible to even think straight since anything and everything is suspicious, though he observes that Byakuya is resisting it by sheer force of will so far. Admitting that Byakuya is a threat, Äs dismisses him because a threat is nothing compared to fear and the core of Byakuya's soul is already consumed by fear of Äs while Byakuya rushes forward to slash him, though Äs's Blut Vene protects him from this.

Internally, Byakuya ridicules the idea that he has been battling without fear since that is impossible and asserts that he has overcome and accepted his fear of battle, but suddenly envisions a smiling 13th Division Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki rotting into a decaying corpse in front of him, to his alarm, just before Äs shoves his hand through Byakuya's chest. With Byakuya coughing up blood, Äs notes that the preconception of experience allowing one to conquer fear is easier to believe when one is strong and experienced and details how fear with a cause is easy to deal with since removing the cause also removes what one believes to be fear, only to clarify that true fear has no cause. As Äs concludes that true fear is an instinct rather than an emotion with no limits that crawls up one's body like an endless horde of flies, making it something they cannot escape, a screaming Byakuya slashes at him, but Äs easily evades him, leaps back, and uses his Medallion to activate Senbonzakura Kageyoshi before attacking Byakuya with it. After Rukia notices a cherry blossom falling through the air near her face and realizing something has happened to him, Byakuya falls before Äs with a large amount of blood spurting from wounds on his chest.

6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki struggles to stay on his hands and knees while Sternritter "F" Äs Nödt approaches him and asserts that Byakuya cannot win with just his Shikai against his own Bankai, only to be interrupted when 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai proclaims that Senbonzakura Kageyoshi does not belong to him and furiously attacks Äs. Upon sensing the explosion of force at Byakuya's location, a concerned 13th Division Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki begins rushing toward it, but her opponent claims to feel offended by Rukia turning her back on her opponent and rushes after Rukia to attack her, resulting in a fountain of blood spurting into the air.

Back at Byakuya's location, Äs blocks Renji's Shikai, Zabimaru, with Blut Vene. When Renji extends Zabimaru around him, Äs activates Senbonzakura Kageyoshi once more and blasts a stream of blade petals at Renji, who is quickly overwhelmed by them. Upon seeing Byakuya getting to his feet, Äs redirects Senbonzakura Kageyoshi to instead engulf Byakuya in a massive torrent of blade petals, slashing him all across his body and leaving him nearly unconscious, and when Byakuya begins to collapse once the torrent ceases, Äs resumes the torrent, which quickly slams Byakuya into a nearby wall with enough force to crater it.

Enraged by this, Renji runs toward Äs and attempts to activate his Bankai, only to be interrupted when Sternritter "S" Mask De Masculine grabs Zabimaru by the blade and dropkicks Renji with enough force to send him flying through several buildings and across the Seireitei. Though Mask is pleased by this result and tosses away the severed segment of Zabimaru in his hand, Äs chastises him for not allowing Renji to use his Bankai so Mask could steal it, prompting a startled Mask to admit that he thought only captains had Bankai while Äs tells him to reread Yhwach's Daten. Nearby, surrounded by his own blood splattered on the crater in the wall, Byakuya asks Rukia and Renji to forgive him while his Zanpakutō shatters.

Meanwhile, at the Blue Stream Gate, Yhwach and Sternritter "B" Jugram Haschwalth stand over dozens of slaughtered Shinigami, where Haschwalth observes that Byakuya has died and muses that it took longer than expected, prompting Yhwach to assert that the only flaw of the Sternritter is their lack of ruthlessness. Suddenly, Yhwach and Haschwalth are confronted by 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, who stands before them with Sternritter "Q" Berenice Gabrielli, Sternritter "R" Jerome Guizbatt, and Sternritter "Y" Loyd Lloyd impaled on his Zanpakutō and slung over his shoulder while inquiring if Yhwach is their boss.

While Sternritter "B" Jugram Haschwalth expresses shock at his arrival, 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki dumps the corpses of Sternritter "R" Jerome Guizbatt, Sternritter "Q" Berenice Gabrielli, and Sternritter "Y" Loyd Lloyd onto the ground, leaving Haschwalth in disbelief at him killing three Sternritter. In turn, Kenpachi asserts that it was not too hard, as Jerome simply turned into a giant ape who could attack people with his voice and Kenpachi cut him in two. After recounting how he could not hear Berenice explaining his ability to object to the existence of others due to his ears ringing from Jerome's yelling and chose to rip out his throat with his hand, Kenpachi admits that Loyd was not bad since he transformed into Kenpachi and gave him a decent battle, but concludes that he simply had to become stronger than Loyd's impression of him. With Haschwalth stating that he now understands why Kenpachi is considered a monster, Kenpachi flicks the blood off his blade and proclaims that he came here to kill Yhwach rather than talk to Haschwalth before attacking a smiling Yhwach. Despite Haschwalth's concern for him, Yhwach blocks Kenpachi's slash with his forearm, generating a powerful explosion of force around them.

Simultaneously, within the Garganta, Ichigo Kurosaki curses after hearing 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, his lieutenant Renji Abarai, and 13th Division Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki's defeats and repeatedly attacks the cage with more Getsuga Tenshōs as he refuses to let any of the Shinigami die.

Back in the Seireitei, 9th Division Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi slams into the side of a building within his division's barracks, causing Sternritter "O" Driscoll Berci to laugh and declare that it sucks to be weak like Hisagi is. With Hisagi realizing that he is hopelessly outmatched, Driscoll wonders if the former is afraid of his strength and explains that his Schrift, The Overkill, allows him to grow stronger with each enemy, ally, or wild beast he kills before noting that he has already killed a hundred people today and killed just as many the last time he was in the Seireitei, including a lieutenant just like Hisagi, who gasps upon realizing that he is the one who impaled Chōjirō Sasakibe.

Suddenly, with Driscoll forming a javelin-like Heilig Pfeil between his Reishi Tekkō and throwing it at Hisagi to demonstrate how he killed Chōjirō, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto appears in front of Hisagi and deflects the Heilig Pfeil with his hand, leaving it to crash into another building. Initially startled by this alongside Hisagi, Driscoll laughs maniacally and calls himself lucky since he came here for Yamamoto prior to proclaiming that he will be killing the latter with his own subordinate's Bankai.

With Sternritter "O" Driscoll Berci using his Medallion to activate Chōjirō Sasakibe's Bankai, Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto recalls seeing Chōjirō himself using it as a younger man and closes his eyes in sorrow. While a large energy disc forms above him and pours down columns of lightning, Driscoll claims that Yamamoto should be thanking him since Chōjirō apparently had not used his Bankai in over 2,000 years. Watching this in astonishment, 9th Division Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi is intimidated by its Reiatsu and mentally admits that he had no idea there was a Zanpakutō other than 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya's Hyōrinmaru that could control the weather just before Driscoll blasts Yamamoto with a large bolt of lightning, causing Hisagi to call out to Yamamoto in concern.

In the past, a young Chōjirō calls out to a middle-aged Yamamoto, who turns to face him. Having been called "Eijisai" due to the scar on his forehead resembling the "Ei" character, Yamamoto yells at Chōjirō for calling him this and ruminates on how this nickname became more widespread each time he distinguished himself in battle, to his chagrin. However, Chōjirō apologizes and refuses to call Yamamoto by his given name since it would be too audacious, which Yamamoto muses he would always do no matter how many times he apologized, and when Yamamoto questions why he keeps hanging around here despite not even being a student, Chōjirō explains that he wants to be Yamamoto's right-hand man, which prompts Yamamoto to assert that this is only another reason he should become a student so he can rise to the rank of master.

In turn, Chōjirō counters that a student would be forced to imitate Yamamoto and declares that his role as a right-hand man would be to compensate for everything Yamamoto cannot do or handle. Though Yamamoto dismisses this, Chōjirō clarifies that he has not been coming here every day and is here for the first time in a month because he has acquired a Bankai, which leads a bemused Yamamoto to challenge Chōjirō to defeat him with this Bankai. Shortly afterward, having been wounded on his forehead by an attack from Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū, Yamamoto observes that it left a permanent scar intersecting with his existing one despite not being enough to defeat him and describes Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū as being akin to a newborn baby, only for Chōjirō to readily concur with this and promise to spend the rest of his life honing his Bankai so he can be of use to Yamamoto. After recounting how Chōjirō did not lie and came to be known by all of Soul Society through years of grueling training, Yamamoto muses that people began calling him "Jujisai" following this because the new scar shape on his forehead resembled the character "Ju", but Chōjirō continued to call him "Eijisai" since he did not want his actions to change Yamamoto's name, which led Yamamoto to decide to take on the name Genryūsai for Chōjirō's sake.

In the present, Driscoll continues to blast a motionless Yamamoto with lightning, to Hisagi's concern, and questions if he has lost the strength to retaliate after being struck by his subordinate's Bankai prior to intensifying the lightning striking him. With Yamamoto remaining motionless once the lightning ceases, Hisagi assumes that he has lost consciousness and attempts to intervene, only for Yamamoto to demand that he wait, to Hisagi's surprise. Annoyed by Yamamoto continuing to talk instead of shutting up and dying, Driscoll blasts him once more and questions if Yamamoto has had enough yet, but a grinning Driscoll is unnerved by Yamamoto simply asserting that he understands Chōjirō's frustration and walking forward. After angrily proclaiming that Chōjirō's Bankai was not this weak when he used it, Yamamoto releases his Shikai, Ryūjin Jakka, and unleashes a massive blast of flame that flays the skin and muscle off Driscoll's face and chest.

As his flames incinerate Sternritter "O" Driscoll Berci, reducing him to a skeleton that crumbles into ashes, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto notes that he has finally given Chōjirō Sasakibe a proper sendoff and bids him farewell. Approaching a stunned 9th Division Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi, Yamamoto promises that he will kill every last member of the Wandenreich himself and bursts into the air in a scorching trail of flame.

With Yamamoto hurtling across the Seireitei like a comet, the other captains are alarmed and impressed by his rage. Far away, when her lieutenant, Marechiyo Ōmaeda, questions what this sensation is, 2nd Division Captain Suì-Fēng calls him foolish and declares that Yamamoto is furious. As they run down a street, 5th Division Lieutenant Momo Hinamori observes that she has never felt Yamamoto get this angry before and her captain, Shinji Hirako, confirms that he has not seen this or Yamamoto fighting on the front lines before telling Hinamori that he will get to have all the fun if they do not hurry. Elsewhere, 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya points out how hard Yamamoto is fighting and tells his lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, that they cannot let themselves be defeated, which she concurs with as Sternritter "I" Cang Du raises his Reishi Claws in response.

Simultaneously, 7th Division Captain Sajin Komamura rouses his subordinates by declaring that it would be disgraceful for them to lie down while Yamamoto still stands. With 7th Division Lieutenant Tetsuzaemon Iba and the other Shinigami standing up and loudly affirming this, Sternritter "E" Bambietta Basterbine stands opposite Komamura and expresses confusion at how they are doing this when they were almost dead moments ago. During this, 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku gets to his feet and observes that Yamamoto's Reiatsu is reverberating across the Seireitei as though he is telling Shunsui that he does not recall raising a coward who would struggle against someone of Sternritter "N" Robert Accutrone's level prior to readying his Shikai, Katen Kyōkotsu, and rushing toward the latter while attacking, to Robert's shock.

Shortly afterward, Yhwach holds an unconscious 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki aloft by the throat, identifies him as a Special War Power, and questions if this is the best he can do prior to assuming that he has overestimated the Shinigami and telling Kenpachi to go to sleep. Suddenly, Yamamoto slams into the ground behind Yhwach and notes that it has been a thousand years since they last met before proclaiming that he has come to annihilate Yhwach, who grins at this.

In the Seireitei, Sternritter "N" Robert Accutrone skids back after blood spurts from a wound on his chest, having been slashed by a revitalized 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku, and notes that it is indeed good to see that his spirits have been lifted before asserting that he is wrong about one thing. With Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto standing before Yhwach, who holds an unconscious 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki up by the throat, and musing that it has been a thousand years since they last met prior to announcing that he has come to end Yhwach's life, Robert declares that Yamamoto will lose because the Shinigami are not the only ones excited by their bosses fighting.

Suddenly, Sternritter "F" Äs Nödt, Sternritter "H" Bazz-B, and Sternritter "U" NaNaNa Najahkoop attack Yamamoto from above, with NaNaNa mocking Yamamoto for facing their leader alone, Äs stating that this is the end, and Bazz-B telling Yamamoto to die, only for them to be engulfed in a massive explosion of fire from Yamamoto's Shikai, Ryūjin Jakka, visible from Shunsui and Robert's location, leaving the latter stunned as the former notes that someone did misjudge the situation since conventional wisdom does not apply to Yamamoto. The limp bodies of Äs, Bazz-B, and NaNaNa fall to the ground while Yhwach admonishes them as deserving this for interfering in his battle. In response, Yamamoto simply cracks his neck and right shoulder, and when Yhwach observes that he seems to want to say something, Yamamoto attacks Yhwach with a slash of his sword, cutting through the latter's left forearm and causing Jugram Haschwalth to call out to him in concern.

Noting that Yhwach has not changed at all in the last thousand years, Yamamoto promises that his habit of undervaluing his subordinates will end here, though Yhwach simply counters that despite Yamamoto's age, his enraged state hearkens back to his younger years. When Yamamoto unleashes a powerful burst of flame by slashing at him with Ryūjin Jakka, Yhwach defends himself by grabbing his Quincy Cross and manifesting his Reishi Sword. Upon hearing Yamamoto observe that he has finally drawn it, Yhwach notes that he sounds like he has been waiting for this, which prompts Yamamoto to confirm that he has because he intends to crush every aspect of Yhwach until nothing is left while the flames around him suddenly disappear, leaving Yhwach surprised as Yamamoto activates his Bankai, Zanka no Tachi.

With Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto having activated his Bankai, Zanka no Tachi, Sternritter "B" Jugram Haschwalth is incredulous at Yamamoto's Bankai being such a pitiful and burned-out blade, but Yhwach warns him to not underestimate it because Zanka no Tachi seals all the flames of Ryūjin Jakka within the blade and allows Yamamoto to end battles in a single strike by engulfing whatever he cuts in explosive flames. With Yhwach concluding that it is a blade of hellfire, Yamamoto recalls him seeing this Bankai a thousand years ago, but questions if it is really the same as he remembers and invites Yhwach to find out.

Elsewhere, 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake mentally realizes that his throat feels dry and 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku's lower lip cracks open. In the Fourth Division barracks, Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu asks her captain, Retsu Unohana, if her skin feels dry while the latter looks at a vase filled with flowers and a small amount of water. After teasing Isane about how cute it is for her to be worrying about her skin, to Isane's alarm, Unohana internally urges Yamamoto to finish this battle before his power destroys all of Soul Society. Simultaneously, Sternritter "I" Cang Du realizes that the wings of his stolen Bankai, Daiguren Hyōrinmaru, are melting. Seeing this, 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya affirms that he cannot use it anymore and reveals that every droplet of water in Soul Society is beginning to evaporate, with Ukitake and Shunsui recognizing this as the effects of Zanka no Tachi being activated.

Back at Yhwach's location, when Yamamoto rushes forward and slashes at him, a startled Yhwach evades backward, allowing the blade to cut through his cloak, and wonders why he is not engulfed in flames from this. Yhwach mentally asserts that Yamamoto's power is fire, even if his Bankai is different from a thousand years ago, and ponders where the flames are now if this is the case prior to Yamamoto slashing downward and inadvertently striking the ground with the tip of Zanka no Tachi, erasing a massive chunk of it and the building behind Yhwach, who realizes with astonishment that the flames are now in the tip of the blade. Confirming this, Yamamoto attacks Yhwach once more, with the latter narrowly evading this, and holds up Zanka no Tachi as he identifies this ability as Zanka no Tachi, Higashi: Kyokujitsujin, which focuses all of his flames into the tip of his blade to erase everything it touches without a trace rather than emit heat or explosive flames.

While moving to attack Yhwach once more, Yamamoto proclaims that not even Blut Vene can withstand this power even though it is the peak of defense for Quincy, but Yhwach counters that he merely needs to cut Yamamoto down without being touched by his blade and slashes at the latter with his Reishi Sword. However, Yhwach is speechless to see Yamamoto unharmed and his own Reishi Sword having had most of its blade erased by this, prompting Yamamoto to call him foolish for not listening and point out that there must also be a West if Zanka no Tachi has an East prior to deciding to make it visible for Yhwach and revealing that his entire body below his head is now clad in raging flames, which he identifies as Zanka no Tachi, Nishi: Zanjitsu Gokui. After explaining that these flames reach a heat of 15,000,000 degrees Celsius, preventing Yhwach from even touching him now, Yamamoto notes that using his Bankai causes himself and his blade to essentially be enveloped by the sun.

Having seen Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto activate Zanka no Tachi, Nishi: Zanjitsu Gokui and claim that it emanates a heat of 15,000,000 degrees Celsius, Sternritter "B" Jugram Haschwalth muses that such immense heat would not be visible as flames and assumes that the flames around him are an illusion, but quickly realizes that Yamamoto's Reiatsu is instead so powerful that it resembles flames when emitting from him.

Approaching Yhwach, Yamamoto states that he is going to end this battle now before Yhwach, himself, and all of Soul Society are destroyed by this power. Internally, Yhwach observes that it feels like his entire body is burning and that only his Blut Vene is preventing him from turning to ashes at this distance. Upon seeing Yhwach standing still, Yamamoto questions if he is just going to stand there and admits that this question was somewhat spiteful, since Yhwach's Reishi Sword is broken and he cannot attack Yamamoto, before claiming to not blame Yhwach for just standing there and assuring him that he can run away if he likes. However, Yamamoto vows to track Yhwach down and kill him regardless, which prompts Yhwach to form and fire a large Heilig Pfeil at him.

Once he deflects the Heilig Pfeil, which explodes next to him, Yamamoto acknowledges that all Yhwach has left are his arrows now that his Reishi Sword is broken and leaps into the air to attack Yhwach. Suddenly, Yhwach holds out his left hand, and when a bemused Yamamoto questions what this is supposed to be when none of Yhwach's attacks can harm him, Yhwach counters that the Quincy Cross and Heilig Pfeil are not the only weapons of the Quincy before activating Kirchenlied: Sankt Zwinger, creating several towering columns of Reishi bearing the Quincy Cross in a large area around himself, and declaring that this is the ultimate defensive spell of the Quincy that combines offense and defense to rend asunder any who enter with the light of God.

Despite this, Yamamoto reiterates that Yhwach cannot harm him and embeds his Bankai, Zanka no Tachi, into the ground several meters away from Kirchenlied: Sankt Zwinger prior to promising the dead slain by his blade a moment of battle if they will aid him and activating Zanka no Tachi, Minami: Kaka Jūman'okushi Daisōjin, which causes thousands of charred skeletons to crawl out of the ruptured earth around him.

With thousands of charred skeletons crawling out of the ruptured earth around Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto and advancing on Yhwach as the Reishi pillars around the latter collapse, an astonished Yhwach demands to know what this is, prompting Yamamoto to detail how Zanka no Tachi, Minami: Kaka Jūman'okushi Daisōjin has heated the ashes of those he has slain so they can serve as his limbs and chase his targets until they turn to dust. In response, a scoffing Yhwach chastises Yamamoto for raising the dead as a Shinigami and claims that he does not deserve to be called one prior to leaping into the air and promising that something like this will not stop him.

However, when Yhwach crashes into a wall formed by dozens of skeletons rising in front of him to intercept his attack, Yamamoto observes that his mouth is working far better than his eyes are and instructs Yhwach to take a closer look at the skeletons around him, causing a shocked Yhwach to recognize the faces of Seydlitz, Huburt, and Algora as Yamamoto wonders if he is seeing the faces of the subordinates he mercilessly killed. Turning and walking away, Yamamoto assures Yhwach that he is not leaving and invites the latter to attack him once he has battled through his dead subordinates, and when Yhwach curses at him, Yamamoto questions if he is regretting not stealing his Bankai earlier, only to clarify that rather than decide not to steal Zanka no Tachi, Yhwach was unable to do so because the Wandenreich steals Bankai by seeing and understanding its power, with them being cautious of Ichigo Kurosaki because he still has room to evolve due to his Bankai acquisition being fairly recent and Yamamoto himself not using his real power even a thousand years ago, which prevents Yhwach from stealing what he cannot comprehend.

In response to Yhwach screaming wildly at this, Yamamoto notes that he had a shred of humanity left after all as Yhwach rushes through the encroaching horde of skeletons and reiterates that he cannot be stopped by something like this, only for Yamamoto to counter that he can see Yhwach's tears. After ruminating on how painful it must be for Yhwach to crush his subordinates just to reach Yamamoto and how Yhwach must hate him for using a strategy as low as bringing his dead subordinates back to the battlefield, Yamamoto proclaims that none of it compares to the pain of the Shinigami that he has slaughtered today and performs Zanka no Tachi, Kita: Tenchi Kaijin, a blazing slash that obliterates Yhwach's left forearm and a large chunk of his torso, leaving him to fall on the ground as Yamamoto deactivates his Bankai, Zanka no Tachi. While heavy rain begins to fall across the Seireitei, Yamamoto turns and begins walking away, but Yhwach merely admits that he was not strong enough and requests forgiveness from Yhwach.