Chapter 351: Kyōraku's Suggestion
"Grah!!!"
Shiba Isshin's figure soared high above Karakura Town.
Gritting his teeth, he tightly gripped his Zanpakutō with both hands.
The completely black Hollow had instantly dodged his Getsuga Tenshō, appearing before him to send him flying with a single claw strike.
As expected of a test Hollow released by the captain... ridiculously strong.
Fortunately, with his interference, this creature called White seemed to have forgotten about Masaki, focusing entirely on the fight.
Observing the humanoid Hollow, pitch black and radiating intense threat, Shiba Isshin suddenly felt puzzled.
Why was this guy called White?
Just because of its white hair?
What a strange naming convention.
Shiba Isshin could sense that while he was observing White, the latter was also observing him.
This powerful Hollow with bizarre abilities didn't seem in any hurry to end the battle.
This guy was enjoying itself, playing around.
Realizing this, he couldn't help but smile.
What an arrogant bastard.
Daring to treat someone from the Mikami Group as a plaything—don't come crying with regret later!
With a low shout, he dove downward.
The Zanpakutō in his hand burst into raging flames!
Watching Shiba Isshin charging toward him, White chuckled lightly.
Sufficient destructive power, but too slow.
A Hollow's Sonído was naturally faster than a Shinigami's Flash Step.
And it was an artificially created Hollow, specially enhanced for mobility.
Its Sonído speed approached near-instantaneous movement!
Facing Shiba Isshin's slash, it lightly shifted its posture, preparing to evade.
But just as it was about to move, a sudden sense of danger emerged from behind.
"Hmm?"
Instinctively, Hollow White halted, ceasing its movement toward the intended direction.
Whoosh!!!
A blue spiritual arrow flew past its side.
The arrow carried immense destructive Reiatsu within.
Had it not stopped just now and continued moving in that direction, it would have been struck directly.
That Quincy girl from earlier?
For a mere Quincy, she's quite skilled.
As it pondered, Hollow White raised its hand.
Boom!!!!!
A blazing Zanpakutō slammed fiercely into its palm.
The steel-like skin, reinforced and coated with Reiatsu, sizzled under the scorching flames.
"Hyah!!"
Shiba Isshin roared, increasing the downward pressure with even greater force.
Hollow White could sense the renewed threat of a spiritual arrow gathering behind it.
It used its other hand to stroke its chin.
A Shinigami and a Quincy, cooperating so seamlessly, trusting each other completely.
Interesting.
"Masaki! I've got it pinned! Aim for the head—shoot it right in the head!!"
Shiba Isshin bellowed while furiously releasing his Reiatsu.
Kurosaki Masaki nodded, aiming her spiritual arrow at the back of Hollow White's skull.
Just then, to the astonishment of both, Hollow White suddenly kicked out.
Shiba Isshin had no time to react before the kick landed squarely in his abdomen, sending him flying backward.
Then, in a flash, Hollow White appeared beside Kurosaki Masaki, reaching out to grab her by the neck!
Masaki's face paled.
Damn it, I can't dodge this!
Just as she thought she was about to be killed, a streak of light suddenly tore through the space.
Rip!!!
A spear wreathed in blue-green lightning pierced straight through Hollow White's shoulder.
The tremendous kinetic energy carried Hollow White's body away without losing momentum.
Boom!!!!
The electric spear slammed Hollow White into a building, erupting into a massive fireball.
Ulquiorra flashed into existence beside Kurosaki Masaki.
He turned his head, glancing at the young woman standing there.
After confirming she was unharmed, he nodded without a word and immediately pursued Hollow White.
Watching Ulquiorra's retreating figure, Masaki was stunned.
Isn't that the sales manager who works at Satoru Heaven?
Why is he here? And how is he so strong?
That strange white uniform he wore wasn't a Shinigami Uniform.
Moreover, his Reiatsu didn't feel like a Shinigami's.
If anything, it felt more like… a Hollow?
Ryūken's company actually has a Hollow serving as an executive?
"Masaki!"
Shiba Isshin rushed back at top speed, relieved to see Masaki unharmed.
He turned his gaze toward Ulquiorra, who was charging ahead.
"Ulquiorra… what a good man."
He recalled when Satoru went berserk during his Hollowfication experiment—how Ulquiorra and Starkk had stepped in to block the attack for him.
Without them, whether he'd even be standing here now was debatable.
And now, at this critical moment, Ulquiorra had saved Masaki's life.
If he ever had children in the future, he'd definitely have to consider Ulquiorra as family.
With that thought, he said to Masaki:
"Masaki, contact Ryūken and have him send people immediately to evacuate the nearby humans!"
"Okay!"
Masaki nodded.
Meanwhile, Shiba Isshin chased after Ulquiorra, charging toward Hollow White.
Ulquiorra had already released his Resurrección, a pair of massive black wings spread behind him as he wielded a long Reishi spear, engaging Hollow White in a fierce back-and-forth battle.
Meanwhile, Isshin brandished his flaming Zanpakutō, waiting for the right moment to strike decisively.
If nothing unexpected occurred, maintaining this suppression rhythm to gradually wear down Hollow White wouldn't be an issue.
However, at that very moment, Hollow White suddenly grinned widely.
Under the watchful eyes of Isshin and Ulquiorra, it unexpectedly raised its hand and launched a volley of Hollow bullets toward the distant residential buildings!
The destructive power of these Hollow bullets was insufficient to pose any real threat to Isshin or Ulquiorra.
Yet, if they were to hit the residential buildings, massive casualties would be inevitable!
Without the slightest hesitation, Isshin flashed forward, positioning himself directly in the path of the incoming projectiles.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!
About half of the seven or eight Hollow bullets were intercepted by his Zanpakutō, while the remaining half exploded violently against his body.
Excruciating pain darkened his vision.
Just then, Hollow White pointed toward another direction.
A series of Bala shots flew toward another building!
Ulquiorra stepped with Sonído, brandishing his Reishi spear as he positioned himself in the path of the incoming Bala.
Using one black wing to shield his body, he completely blocked the explosions outside his wing.
As for the damaged parts of his wing, a quick High-Speed Regeneration would suffice—it wouldn't consume much energy.
Watching the two who used their bodies to block the Bala, Hollow White grinned eerily.
It raised its hand and pointed a finger toward the sky.
Shiba Isshin suddenly had a bad premonition.
Sure enough, a sphere glowing with red light abruptly materialized out of thin air.
After a brief charge, countless Bala shots erupted from the sphere, flying in all directions!
Karakura Town, though just a small town, was quite prosperous, with buildings everywhere.
If all these Bala shots were to strike, it would likely cause hundreds of thousands of casualties!
Shiba Isshin's face turned ashen.
If Master were here, if Mikami-aniki were here, what would they do?!
In that moment of his daze, a voice suddenly rang out—
"What a pair of embarrassing fools."
As the words fell, a torrential downpour suddenly descended from the sky!
Under the astonished gazes of Isshin and Ulquiorra, the pouring rain instantly detonated all of Hollow White's Bala shots mid-air!
Dozens of Bala released by Hollow White stood no chance of breaking through under this indiscriminate barrage of thousands, tens of thousands of arrows!
Amid this storm of spirit arrows, a figure slowly descended from high above.
White military uniform, peaked cap, beautiful long black hair, and a proud, imposing demeanor.
And most strikingly, the massive white wings spread out behind her.
Ulquiorra looked puzzled.
"This is... a Quincy?"
"There's such a powerful Quincy in the Living World? I've never seen her before."
Shiba Isshin came to his side.
"This is Mikami-aniki's subordinate, Bambietta Basterbine... Baster-something, I forgot."
"Her strength is far from that of an ordinary Quincy."
"Though I've never seen her go all out, the task aniki gave her is to oversee all Quincies in the Living World."
"If she weren't capable, would she be entrusted with such an important responsibility by aniki?"
Hearing this, Ulquiorra showed a surprised expression.
Overseeing all Living World Quincies... meaning this girl's power is enough to suppress both Ishida Ryūken and Sōken Ishida?
If that's true, then she really is a formidable character.
In the sky, Hollow White flickered back and forth, engaged in combat with Bambietta.
Bambietta condensed a long blade from her Reiatsu, wearing a mocking smile as she continuously slashed at Hollow White.
Among the crowd, Kurosaki Masaki, who was helping with evacuation, looked up at the figure in the sky.
The Reiatsu emanating from the girl gave her an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
After carefully sensing it, Masaki's eyes widened.
That is... the ultimate form of the Sanrei Glove?!
That Quincy girl actually abandoned her Quincy powers to protect everyone?
For a moment, she couldn't help but feel respect.
Ishida Ryūken was rushing to the scene.
Beside him, an old man kept pace, not falling behind.
Sensing the Reiatsu transmitted through the air, Ishida Ryūken adjusted his glasses.
"What powerful Quincy Reiatsu... it's very similar to the ultimate form of the Seele Schneider."
"Is this the Quincy Vollständig you mentioned before, Father?"
"Yes."
The old man, Sōken Ishida, nodded gently.
"When I left the Wandenreich, Vollständig was still just a concept, not yet completed."
"I never expected that in just over a hundred years, Haschwalth and the others actually completed this ability... truly worthy of the man who could lead our people to this day even after losing our king."
"I am ashamed of my own inadequacy."
Ishida Ryūken said nothing.
He didn't know what kind of existence Yhwach really was.
He only knew that in his eyes, Satoru was invincible.
Even if he wasn't Yhwach's match now, he would surpass him eventually.
Time would surely prove that his father leaving the Wandenreich to join Satoru's ranks was the correct course of history.
...
...
Hollow White's figure flickered back and forth in mid-air.
He never expected there to be such a powerful Quincy in the world.
At equal power levels, Shinigami counter Hollows, Hollows counter Quincies, and Quincies counter Shinigami.
Despite this counter relationship, he was being overpowered by his opponent instead.
This Quincy girl's strength was truly remarkable.
Whether in single combat or group battles, Bambietta demonstrated excellent combat prowess.
As Shiba Isshin and Ulquiorra rejoined the battle, Hollow White's situation began to deteriorate.
No matter how much he dodged and shifted, facing three monsters no less powerful than himself, victory was absolutely impossible.
However, he had no intention of fleeing.
Because... besides rapid movement, he possessed another special ability.
Watching the Quincy girl before him who wore a proud smile while relentlessly attacking him, he grinned back with a sinister expression.
You Quincy are indeed strong.
But before a Hollow, no matter how powerful a Quincy might be, once their abilities are corrupted, their doom is sealed.
His second ability was parasitism.
At the moment of death, he could parasitize a host he had previously injured, absorbing their power until the time was ripe to burst forth anew, fully matured.
Aizen had sent him to the Living World precisely to test this effect.
Well then, he might as well use this Quincy girl as his test subject!
With this thought, Hollow White stopped caring about injuries and charged directly at Bambietta, prepared to trade wounds for fatal damage.
But facing his suicidal attack, Bambietta showed no willingness to accept any injuries.
Unlike Quincies from the Living World, she had received systematic Quincy education since childhood in the Wandenreich.
As a Quincy, one must never be harmed by a Hollow.
Seeing Hollow White charging toward her, Bambietta immediately gripped her spirit weapon with both hands, ready to use his momentum against him and cut him down with a single strike.
However, just before the collision, Hollow White suddenly turned and fled.
He suddenly realized this Quincy girl before him was an existence that couldn't be measured by conventional logic.
Rather than taking risks with her, it would be better to choose another target.
On the ground, Masaki was helping with evacuation.
Suddenly sensing something, she looked up at the sky.
Seeing Hollow White charging toward her, her expression turned serious as she drew her bow fully.
Whoosh!
A spirit arrow flew upward.
Hollow White neither dodged nor avoided it, taking the hit directly in his shoulder.
Behind it, the attacks from Isshin, Ulquiorra, and Bambietta followed closely.
With just one strike, half of its body was shattered.
Yet, Hollow White paid no mind.
Amidst a burst of eerie laughter, it opened its mouth...
...
...
Seireitei, First Division office.
Shunsui Kyōraku set down his pen and stretched.
Another day of hard work—he really had outdone himself.
He turned his head and looked at Satoru sitting there.
The documents he had sorted just yesterday had all been processed by this guy early this morning.
Kyōraku felt a wave of emotion.
His junior had truly grown so much.
No wonder many said that suffering was the best teacher for growth.
Old Man Yama's death... ahem, Old Man Yama's departure, had allowed Satoru to mature into a Captain-Commander successor so impeccable that even he found no fault in such a short time.
Truly remarkable.
Thinking of Yamamoto, Shunsui suddenly felt a subtle shift in his mood.
He looked at Satoru.
"Hey, Satoru, how about we go see Old Man Yama?"
"See him? What's there to see?"
Satoru wore an exasperated expression.
Not long ago, he had visited Yamamoto once.
The latter was sitting in his room, happily playing Monster Hunter with a few others, having the time of his life.
Shunsui chuckled:
"It's been a while since we last saw him. Let's go pay a visit."
"Fine."
Satoru nodded.
Coincidentally, he had a few questions he wanted to confirm with the old man...