Chapter 564

Silence descended upon the arena the moment these words were spoken.

Even Aizen's breathing hitched. 

A sudden chill ran down his spine, and a powerful urge to flee surged within him.

But he resisted. 

Even though he knew there was a high probability that Hui's words were true – that Hui genuinely possessed the power to kill him – Aizen still didn't run.

The reason was simple: his pride.

But it wasn't just pride.

If Hui's statement was factual, if Hui truly intended to kill him, Aizen knew he wouldn't be able to escape.

Therefore, whether the statement was true or false, there was no point in running.

"As expected of Lord Hui, truly unfathomable and awe-inspiring."

Aizen refrained from further provoking Hui. He didn't dare gamble on the veracity of that statement. He even changed how he addressed Hui.

Forget an eighty percent chance of it being true; even a thirty percent chance was too much of a risk for Aizen. 

Because Aizen could "see" his own future, he understood just how powerful he would become. If he were to die now, all of that future potential would vanish into thin air.

The loss would be far too great.

So, it was better to endure for now, wait until he had fully fused with the Hogyoku, and then properly "greet" Hui.

Hui naturally sensed Aizen's apprehension. 

A faint smirk played on his lips as he spoke, "I can tell you're conflicted. You're unsure whether my words are true or false, but you don't dare to gamble."

Aizen remained silent. 

Faced with Hui, who had so readily exposed his inner thoughts, what else could he do besides remain silent?

"Since you're so conflicted, I'll make the decision for you."

Hui's words caused Aizen, Gin, and Ulquiorra's hearts to clench. They all felt as if they were facing final judgment.

"My decision..."

Hui deliberately drew out his words, toying with the three of them.

"...it would be a shame to let such a durable punching bag go to waste!"

As his voice fell, silver-white lightning crackled around Hui, quickly coalescing and transforming into a magnificent garment that radiated a light dimmer than lightning but brighter than starlight.

With the activation of Silver Lightning Mode, a terrifying aura erupted from Hui. It was so overwhelming that Ulquiorra felt suffocated, his mind blanking.

Gin's face paled drastically, his body stiffening in place, unable to move.

Meanwhile, Unohana and Yoru were profoundly shocked.

They both knew Hui was powerful. Unohana had witnessed Hui with his Celestial Eye unleashed, and Yoru had seen him in Silver Lightning Mode. 

But this was the first time either of them had seen him with both the Celestial Eye and Silver Lightning Mode active.

Only now did they truly grasp the extent of Hui's power, how utterly outrageous his strength actually was.

As for Aizen, sheer terror gripped him. 

The Hogyoku screamed warnings, alerting him to the extreme danger he faced, urging him to flee, to escape this source of peril.

Bitterness welled up within Aizen. It seemed that Hui's earlier statement about killing him was indeed true.

His life now hung in Hui's hands, and he had no choice left.

Because in terms of power, he was already completely crushed by Hui.

And as for escape speed, looking at Hui enveloped in lightning, clad in a lightning cloak, Aizen didn't believe he could escape Hui's pursuit.

He was now like a fish on a chopping block, utterly helpless.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you. However, since you've forced me to use this mode, you'll have to spar with me."

As Hui's voice faded, he vanished from the spot.

This time, even Aizen couldn't capture Hui's movements.

Bang!

It wasn't until a sharp pain ripped through his body, blood spraying from his mouth as he was sent flying backward, that Aizen realized he had been attacked.

Yet, it didn't end there. Following that initial strike came a relentless barrage of attacks.

In this moment, Aizen was reduced to a mere punching bag, mercilessly pummeled and brutally beaten by Hui.

It could be said that against Hui in Silver Lightning Celestial Eye Mode, Aizen truly had no power to fight back. This was a level of power he couldn't have even imagined.

At this moment, Aizen even wondered if, even after fully merging with the Hogyoku, he would only reach this level.

What Aizen didn't know was that Hui in his current state wasn't even at his strongest.

Hui's next, even stronger state, involved opening the Eight Inner Gates, combining it with the lightning cloak, unleashing the Celestial Eye, and utilizing his space-time abilities!

Finally, at a certain point, Hui ceased his attack.

His figure reappeared in the sight of Unohana, Yoru, Gin, and Ulquiorra.

As for Aizen, he lay on the ground, barely clinging to life.

Even though he had initially fused with the Hogyoku and possessed incredibly potent regenerative abilities, faced with Hui's continuous onslaught, recovery was impossible.

Boring.

Hui looked down at the incapacitated Aizen with an indifferent gaze.

Then, he spoke in a detached tone.

"You're still considered a worthy opponent. If I were to finish you off now, facing Yhwach alone in the future would be too dull.

"I'll give you more time to further fuse with the Hogyoku.

"Aizen, become stronger. Don't disappoint my expectations. Strive for greater power, and then come find me with that power, so I can have a battle that's worth my time." 

After speaking, Hui instantly teleported to Unohana and Yoru's side, tore open a rift in space, and departed from Hueco Mundo.

Left behind were the collapsed Aizen, who had recovered some strength and was clenching his fists; Gin, filled with regret; and Ulquiorra, whose mental fortitude had completely crumbled under the immense shock.

After a long while, Aizen finally calmed his breathing, loosened his fists, and propped himself up. 

He slowly regained his previous air of control and spoke to Gin, "Gin, investigate. Find out who Yhwach is."

With that, Aizen walked away on his own.

Though he appeared calm on the surface, his inner turmoil was far from settled.

After all, the confidence he had just built up had been utterly shattered by this battle.

Hui had not only completely outclassed him in his area of expertise but had also knocked him down from his pedestal of confidence.

This feeling was incredibly unpleasant, but Aizen had no choice but to accept it.

Now, he could only follow Hui's words, fuse with the Hogyoku, strive to increase his power, become stronger, and finally seek out Hui with sufficient strength.

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