282 282. Peak Battle

"Bankai."

Yamamoto's aged voice rang out through the Seritei. And following it was a horrible spiritual energy that weighted down on everyone.

Leo's spiritual sense was ringing alarm bells.A palpitating feeling emerged in his heart.

At that moment every person inside the Seritei felt a thirst for water. Their skin felt hot and started to dry up.

Leo who was facing the brunt of Yamamoto's spiritual energy could feel the water content inside his body disappear.

Busoshoku!

Spiritual energy spilled out of his body and covered him. In a moment Leo's body was entirely covered by busoshoku haki. Doing so slowed down the effects resulting from Yamamoto's release of his Bankai.

He narrowed his eyes and focused.

The flaming pillars surrounding them had disappeared. Only his opponent, Genryuusai Yamamoto remained.

He held a rusty old sword with trails of ash rising from its blade.

"Zanka no Tachi, East, Rising Sun Edge."

Yamamoto softly muttered.

As he spoke he flashed and appeared before Leo. He slashed the rusty old sword at him.

Leo didn't dare to take the old man head on. He quickly used Soru and retreated.

Ssh!

Retreating to a distance he looked at where he stood a moment ago. His pupils shrunk when he saw the state of it.

A large part of the ground had disappeared, leaving only scorched earth. Even the air felt burnt.

Leo sucked in a cold breath. From his spiritual sense he could see what that rusty old sword held.

If Yamamoto's Shikai released flames in a large scale then his Bankai focused everything in it's blade.

Not only that, the temperature of his Shikai was at best equal to the surface temperature of the sun. But his Bankai...

It had the same temperature as the sun's core!!

Letting a sword bearing that much power touch his body was nothing short of suicidal.

Going head on isn't good.

Calming his breath Leo focused. The 'Breath' inside his body started to churn. His muscles, tendons, bones and organs were strengthened with each revolution.

Yamamoto felt the rising strength of his opponent. An indiscernible smile crept onto his face.

Soru!

With his spiritual energy and his 'Breath' working in tandom Leo's strength reached it's peak.

Silent Wind!

Along with Soru he used his swiftest and untraceable sword stance.

Oh...

Yamamoto was slightly surprised to find that he lost his opponent's trail.

Suddenly he felt a sense of danger from his side. Yamamoto was calm and waved his sword.

The danger he felt disappeared. However the next instant that feeling came from his back.

Yamamoto slashed again. That feeling disappeared.

He slashed for more than three times before stopping.

"Zanka no Tachi, West, Remnant Sun Prison Garb."

Leo was about to slash once more when he sensed danger. He stopped in his track and retreated.

The moment he did so a fierce flame erupted from Yamamoto's body. It cloaked his entire body like a garb.

Leo narrowed his eyes. This way he couldn't attack anymore.

He sighed and looked at his sword. Sorry, partner, bear with me for a while...

He shook his head and focused. His sword coated with busoshoku haki started to hum. An even stronger haki was infused into it. The pitch black colour turned even darker, and the wave of red on it's edge turned deeper as well.

Silent Wind!

Leo vanished like the ever untraceable wind.

Yamamoto garbed in fiery flames sensed the direction of the attack and slashed.

This time however, Leo didn't retreat. Using his inhumane body and monstrous reaction he slipped past the rusty old zanpakuto and slashed at the old man.

When his sword met the flame garb the latter erupted. A muffled explosion rang out.

Leo was blasted away while Yamamoto took three steps back in retreat.

Stabilising his body Leo looked at his sword. Even with his strengthened busoshoku there was still a trace of burn on it's blade.

Taking a deep breath he raised his head and stared at the old man. His fighting intent started to soar. His 'Breath' churned even faster. His spiritual energy was like a broken dam as it reinforced his sword.

Merciful Rain!!

He raised his sword to the sky and roared in his heart.

Sword rays flashed and morphed into countless blades.

Leo slashed down. The swords flashed and fell upon Yamamoto in an instant.

Watching the falling sword Yamamoto muttered.

"Zanka no Tachi, North, Heaven and Earth End In Ashes."

The rusty sword hummed as he slashed it against the sky full of swords. In an instant the sky turned dark, the clouds parted as a terrifying rift appeared in the sky.

The terrifying sword intent contained in Leo's sword stance was burned to ashes!

Yamamoto just finished his sword technique when a sense of danger invaded his heart.

A sword ray flashed from the corner of his eyes.

The flame garb surrounding him burned wildly.

A terrifying sword slashed across his chest. The strength behind that strike along with the unimaginable speed of that sword caused a huge explosion.

The fiery flame garb fluctuated for a second, creating a few openings.

Calamity Lightning!!

Leo's sword went through the flame garb and fell on the old man.

Spurt!

Blood spilled through the air.

The flames burning around Yamamoto regained it's power after a second and pushed away the sword.

Hmph!

A muffled hum rang out before Yamamoto saw Leo again.

The young man was coughing out blood that evaporated as soon as it came out. The sword he was holding had burnt traces all over it's blade.

"Your talent and skills... you are the only person I have seen ever in my life."

Wiping his mouth and pushing down the burning pain all over his body Leo replied.

"Likewise. Your experience and your zanpakuto... you are the most terrifying person I have ever met, captain commander, Genryuusai Shikeguni Yamamoto."

Both of them stared at each other in silence.

Leo raised his scorched sword and was ready to make another move.

The flames surrounding Yamamoto also started to fluctuate.

It was at that moment Shunsui flashed between the two.

"I say guys, let's stop it here. Otherwise not just the Seritei, even the Soul Society is gonna be destroyed."