With just one finger of his left hand, he effortlessly shattered Harribel's greatsword. Before the Third Espada could react, she saw several flashes of red light before her eyes, followed by stinging pain in several places on her body.
By the time she realized she had been hit, the constant numbness spreading from the wounds forced her to lie still on the ground, unable to move even a finger.
The dignified Third Espada, even in her Resurrección state, could not withstand a single attack from her opponent. Ethan's strength finally made the several Arrancars present take him seriously.
However, their seriousness was useless. Ethan still walked toward the place where the Hōgyoku was stored as if no one else was there. He broke open the protective device around it and took the Hōgyoku into his hand.
At this moment, Ichimaru Gin, who had been acting like an invisible person nearby, stepped beside Ethan. He was eager for Ethan to fulfill his promise immediately, but he also knew that now was not the right time.
He only wanted to confirm one question.
"Can it be separated?"
"Of course."
Ethan gave Shiba Kaien a glance.
"Kaien's situation is actually somewhat similar to this thing. It is just slightly more troublesome to strip a specific soul from the Hōgyoku than it was for him."
"As long as it can be done."
Gin was satisfied. Now he only needed to ensure Ethan left here safely, then separate the part of Rangiku's soul that had been taken and bring it back to the Soul Society to return to her.
If possible, it would be best to ask Ethan to treat Rangiku to ensure her soul could recover smoothly as before.
After witnessing the various incredible abilities Ethan displayed, he felt that only Ethan could accomplish this now.
Ethan looked at the Hōgyoku in his hand again, then turned to look at Yoruichi and Grimmjow, who were still fighting nearby.
Grimmjow was using his full power, while Yoruichi still had plenty of energy left. As long as she had not used her strongest form, the Black Cat Battle Princess, Raiju Senkei, it meant she was not fighting with her full strength.
Yoruichi's Black Cat Battle Princess mode could no longer be called Raijin Senkei. When she used this form now, it was no longer mainly based on lightning attribute Kidō power as it was in the original story. Instead, it integrated many strange techniques she had learned from Ethan, along with techniques created from her own understanding of Reishi.
Moves such as Reiko Hadō, Makai Kōen, Jao En Satsu, and even the Reiryoku based Kaiōken that Ethan had experimented with, along with her already proficient Kidō, were all integrated into it.
Not only was it more powerful, but it also had far fewer side effects. It could be said that the current Yoruichi had already broken the limits of a Shinigami. This was evident in her fight with Grimmjow. She easily beat the Sixth Espada to the brink of death.
"Having fun?"
"It's alright."
Grimmjow, who had completely lost his ability to fight, could only lie on the ground in frustration. However, being frustrated was useless. He could see that his opponent had not used her full strength at all, and he was no match for this woman.
"Are you planning to go back?"
"Yes, it has become a bit boring."
Ever since his strength recovered to a certain level, Ethan had started to feel bored, especially after staying in this world for so long. Now he wanted to leave earlier.
Having obtained the Hōgyoku, it was time for him to continue what he should be doing.
"This long period of comfortable life has almost made me forget my responsibilities."
He even suspected that this long period of comfort was a kind of test, making him unknowingly waste more time.
"Your mission?"
"Yes."
Ethan completely ignored the few remaining Espadas. As long as they did not interfere with him, he had no interest in instantly killing these Arrancars.
The remaining Espadas were intelligent. They did not make a move and only watched as Ethan and his companions gathered together, clearly preparing to leave.
Their inaction did not mean the other Arrancars would remain idle. Baraggan, who had been secretly observing the situation, finally appeared.
"With your performance, are you even worthy of being called Espadas?"
Baraggan, who regarded himself as the Emperor of Hueco Mundo, could not tolerate several Shinigami freely roaming and acting without restraint within Las Noches. He decided to display the Emperor's authority and show these Shinigami the power of Baraggan.
"Rot away, Gran Caída!"
A skeleton wearing a black robe and a crown, wielding a double bladed great axe, appeared before Ethan and the others. It raised the axe and swung it down toward Ethan.
As the giant axe descended, it was wrapped in a black aura that seemed capable of devouring everything. Ethan knew this was Baraggan's Death Aura, a power symbolizing aging. Even being lightly touched by this aura would cause the victim to decay and age until they completely vanished.
"Interesting power."
Ethan praised it verbally and showed no intention of dodging. He even used his finger to pinch the blade of the giant axe wrapped in the vast Death Aura, allowing the dark aura to coil around him.
"Too bad it is useless against me."
"Once touched by my Death Aura, nothing can escape the fate of decay. Nothing can avoid this end. Shinigami, you are dead."
Ethan looked at the black aura wrapped around his hand as if it were a venomous snake coiled around his arm. Although this snake was fierce and constantly spewed poison at him, trying to take his life, the reality proved that it could not harm him at all.
"That is not something a mere subordinate like you can say so casually."
Ethan instantly vanished and suddenly appeared in front of Baraggan. He simply threw a straight punch, driving his forearm, still wrapped in the Death Aura, into Baraggan's body. Only after the action was completed did Baraggan realize what had happened.
"Wh..."
Looking at Ethan's withdrawn arm, the Death Aura surrounding it had completely disappeared, and his arm was entirely unharmed. There was no decay or aging, and even the sleeve of his clothing remained intact.
"This is impossible."
"What a cliché and boring final remark."
Baraggan's power was formidable, so powerful that even he himself was not immune to it. Therefore, when Ethan sent the Death Aura into his body, Baraggan could not escape the fate of aging, decay, and death.
He died in the same way as in the original story. The difference was that originally Hachigen Ushōda had to exhaust himself and sacrifice an arm, while Ethan simply threw a casual punch without losing a single hair.
The difference between them was immeasurable. The Arrancars no longer had any intention of stopping Ethan. They simply watched as Ethan and his group leisurely left Las Noches.
After leaving Las Noches, Yoruichi gently nudged Ethan with her elbow.
"What?"
"Did you take a liking to that female Arrancar?"
"..."
Ethan looked at Yoruichi with a strange expression, not understanding why she would think that.
"You showed mercy and did not kill her directly. Was it because that Arrancar was pretty and had a good figure?"
"You also did not kill that Sixth Espada. Do you like that type?"
Suddenly feeling that Ethan's words made sense, Yoruichi decided to end the topic.
However, her casual joke reminded Ethan that he once had an idea about a certain Arrancar. He had once considered catching an antelope to use as a mount, thinking it would be quite interesting. In the end, he gave up the idea and decided to let that guy run freely and happily in Hueco Mundo.
Next, it was time to return to the Soul Society.
Opening the Garganta and heading toward the Soul Society, they chatted casually along the way. Most of the conversation consisted of Shunsui telling Kaien and Miyako about what had happened in the Seireitei over the years.
"After we return, Kaien, you might need to undergo some examinations. There should not be any major problems, and then you can return to the Thirteenth Division."
Examinations were inevitable. Even if Ethan's abilities were miraculous and powerful, the Gotei 13 still needed to confirm that Kaien had truly recovered as a Shinigami before reinstating him.
In Shunsui's view, there should not be much trouble. Although the Shiba family had declined, they still had some reputation, and the Central 46 would not make things too difficult for him.
However, Ethan did not save Kaien just to add manpower to the Gotei 13.
"Do not count on Kaien. I have other work for him."
"Huh?"
"Did you forget about my mission?"
Of course Shunsui had not forgotten, but what did that have to do with Kaien?
"Regardless of whether the members of the Zero Division survive, I will adjust its members afterward."
"..."
Shunsui understood what Ethan meant. Since Ethan planned to replace the Soul King, the members of the Zero Division would naturally need to be reorganized and replaced with trustworthy individuals.
"So you plan to have Kaien join the Zero Division?"
"Yes."
Kaien, as the head of the Shiba family, naturally knew what the Zero Division was. Although he felt his strength might be insufficient, he did not refuse Ethan's arrangement. Both he and his wife had been saved by Ethan, so it would be inappropriate to refuse. Besides, it was not a bad arrangement.
Compared to that, he was more concerned about the idea that Ethan wanted to replace the Soul King. Would an ordinary person even think of such a thing? And Shunsui's reaction seemed far too calm.
"I see. Do you really have to take action against the Soul King?"
"Of course."
"You absolutely must not say that in front of the old man."
Ethan smiled and looked at Shunsui. He did not think this was a big deal.
"Ethan, you have changed a lot."
"This is my true nature. Back then my strength had not recovered, so I had to suppress it." Ethan shook his head helplessly. "After suppressing myself for more than a hundred years, I have become a bit foolish."
After his strength recovered to a certain level, he stopped suppressing his true nature and began handling problems according to his usual style.
"Speaking of which, Captain Kyoraku, would you like to join the Zero Division?"
(To be continued.)