Chapter 352: You Shall Go No Further
Swish!
The Senkaimon opened, and Satoru and Shunsui Kyōraku stepped out.
This was a small city in the Living World, where Old Man Yama had secluded himself.
Although the old man had instructed not to reveal his whereabouts, Shunsui was, after all, his direct disciple and couldn't be considered an outsider.
Leading Shunsui, Satoru headed toward the place Yama had rented.
Along the way, Shunsui observed the scenery of the Living World with great interest.
Compared to the Soul Society, the Living World was clearly more vibrant. Even in this remote town, people's living conditions were no worse than those in the First District of Rukongai.
Occasionally, at places like bus stops, advertisements for LSP4 could be seen.
Seeing these ads, Shunsui felt a subtle unease.
It was truly remarkable for a product to have advertisements in both worlds and still sell so well.
Before long, the two arrived at the door of an apartment.
Satoru pressed the doorbell:
"Teacher!! Open up!! Your most detested senior disciple and your favorite junior disciple are here to see you!"
"?"
They waited a few seconds, but there was no response.
A bad premonition suddenly struck Satoru.
He placed his hand over the lock, released a shadowy presence, triggered the lock mechanism, and opened the door.
Inside, the room was completely empty.
The books Yama usually read, the bedding he slept on, the gaming consoles he played with…
All of it was gone.
There were no signs of a struggle—clearly, the old man had left on his own.
In fact, there was no need to overthink it. If Yama hadn't wanted to leave, it was unlikely anyone in the world could have taken him away.
At this moment, rather than worrying about Yama's whereabouts, Satoru keenly realized a more pressing issue.
Turning around, he hurried toward the door.
After just two steps, he noticed Shunsui doing the same—slipping out of a nearby room and making a beeline for the exit.
Their eyes met.
Satoru's gaze turned icy and sharp.
Without hesitation, he drew his Zanpakutō and swung it directly at Shunsui Kyōraku.
As he struck, Shunsui sank into the shadows and vanished.
Then, with two large swords in hand, Shunsui leaped out from a nearby shadow, delivering a dual-bladed New Year's greeting slash aimed straight at Satoru!
Clang!!!
Satoru raised Risō Jakumetsu, blocking Shunsui's blades.
A look of shock crossed his face:
"Senior Brother, we share the same master. How can we turn against each other, fighting under the same roof and bringing shame upon ourselves?"
"Quickly sheathe your weapons. If there's any misunderstanding, let's sit down and talk it over!"
Shunsui Kyōraku chuckled.
"I'm afraid if I sheathe my weapons, I won't be leaving here today."
"Ah—Senior Brother, what are you saying? There's no one else here. Would your junior brother really harm you?"
"Whether you'd harm me or not, I can't be sure."
"But I do know that someone is planning to tie me down in the First Division as a scapegoat for Old Man Yama."
Hearing this, Satoru's expression shifted.
He dropped his earnest demeanor, revealing a sinister grin.
"Since Senior Brother has put it so bluntly, I'll drop the act too!"
"The old man has skipped town, and someone has to manage the mess in the First Division."
"If it were just a temporary arrangement, that would be one thing. But right now, no one knows when the old man will be back."
Shunsui's expression turned equally menacing:
"If Old Man Yama gets a wild idea and doesn't return for years, decades, or even longer, the person in charge of the First Division might just end up stuck with the role for real!"
The pressure from their clashing blades intensified from both sides.
"Senior brother, you handle the squad affairs quite well every day, don't you? Changing from temporary to permanent is just a matter of title, isn't it?"
"Covering shifts and officially taking the position are completely different concepts... Junior brother, you're also getting the hang of squad duties gradually, aren't you? After reading your annotated documents, I feel truly inferior. Since Old Man Yama has already skipped town, junior brother can seamlessly take over the work. I'll definitely support you wholeheartedly."
"So it seems there's no room for discussion?"
Killing intent surged from Satoru.
"Of course! I won't waste my life in a place like this!"
Reiatsu stirred around Kyōraku, causing his pink outer robe to flutter violently.
BOOM!!!
Two figures burst through the building's wall, emerging into mid-air.
Satoru's face resembled that of an Asura as he released Risō Jakumetsu, swinging it down fiercely.
Kyōraku met the strike with his own blade.
The shockwave from their colliding Reiatsu swept through the surroundings!
On the ground, people hurrying to work were walking briskly.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew through, causing people to exclaim and raise their hands to shield their faces, inevitably tumbling over in chaos.
In the sky, Satoru's arms seemed to transform into a blur of afterimages.
His dual blades wove a dense net, continuously striking at Kyōraku from various angles!
Facing attacks that could instantly overwhelm an ordinary captain, Kyōraku remained calm, parrying each move while occasionally finding openings to counter.
As Yamamoto's first disciple, his strength was beyond doubt.
Even against the first Kenpachi, Unohana, in a life-or-death battle, he was confident he could win through strategy.
But against Satoru, Shunsui Kyōraku had no such confidence.
This kid could confront the old man head-on.
Although that last sword-exchange play was a bit strange, looking past the surface, since junior brother could even master Ryūjin Jakka, his strength was likely far beyond imagination.
Rather than seeking victory, it'd be better to find an opportunity to escape.
Surely, junior brother wouldn't be so insane as to push Ukitake into taking the blame.
Probably.
Kyōraku curled his lips, praising his own brilliant wisdom.
Seizing an opening in Satoru's sword swing, he activated his ability.
A black blade formed from a shadow quietly emerged near Satoru's feet, stabbing toward his ankle!
If he could just injure this guy's foot, he'd make his escape immediately.
The Living World was vast—he could hide somewhere for a year or two. By the time he returned to the Soul Society, either Old Man Yama would be back, or junior brother would have firmly taken the throne.
Either way, he'd come out on top!
Imagining himself lounging and slacking off in the squad from now on, Kyōraku nearly laughed aloud.
The next moment, to his astonishment, the shadow blade extending from Satoru's feet suddenly shot out and plunged into his own calf with a sickening squelch.
"?"
Staring at the shadow blade embedded in his leg, Kyōraku fell into deep thought.
Had Katen Kyōkotsu, like Ryūjin Jakka, been turned against him?
Unlike that master-disciple pair, he'd never mistreated his Zanpakutō.
As if reading his confusion, Satoru let out a sinister chuckle.
"Dear senior brother, look closely. Whose blade is that stuck in your leg?"
Only then did Kyōraku realize the blade in his leg wasn't his own shadow blade.
He looked in surprise toward Satoru's feet.
There, half of the shadow blade remained, poised but unactivated.
Several shadowy ribbons materialized upon the blade, binding it securely.
Kyōraku: "..."
He had been careless.
Having grown overly reliant on his shadow abilities in daily life, he had forgotten that his junior brother was also a master of shadow manipulation.
Gripping his sword with both hands, he assumed a defensive stance, completely ignoring the blood still trickling from his calf.
Satoru charged forward, swinging his blade in a fierce slash.
Knowing his junior brother's ability to bypass defenses, Kyōraku chose not to block but to counterattack, meeting the assault with his own strike.
However, just as their blades were about to clash, Satoru abruptly disintegrated on the spot, transforming into a cloud of Reishi.
Passing through Kyōraku's sword, his body reformed instantly.
Under Kyōraku's stunned gaze, Satoru let out a wild laugh, discarded his dual blades, and agilely wrapped himself around Kyōraku's back. Applying a series of joint locks, he pinned Kyōraku mid-air.
"Ah..."
Despite Kyōraku's vast combat experience, being entangled by Satoru with all his major joints controlled forced a pained groan from him.
His face contorted in agony as he rapidly strategized.
Surrender was out of the question.
The thought of being confined to the First Division barracks for centuries, even millennia, doing paperwork was worse than a quick death.
At this point, he had no choice but to use Bankai.
It was time to test whose Reiatsu was stronger—his or his junior brother's!
With this resolve, he took a deep breath, and his Reiatsu began to surge.
Sensing the shift in Shunsui Kyōraku's aura, Satoru's expression lit up with anticipation.
Was he finally getting serious?
Perfect. Having just fought Yamamoto, his hands were still warmed up, and he craved a second major battle!
With a burst of Reiatsu, his Captain's Haori and Shinigami Uniform shattered into fragments as he prepared to enter his second phase.
Just then, Aizen's voice suddenly echoed in his ear:
[Satoru, are you in the Living World?]
[Head to Karakura Town immediately and find Isshin and the others. I'll give you further instructions once you arrive.]
Hearing this, Satoru was momentarily taken aback.
Seriously? Right at the critical moment? Why now?
Though unsure what Aizen was up to, the urgency in his tone suggested an emergency.
Releasing Shunsui Kyōraku, Satoru vanished in a flash.
Kyōraku stood frozen in place.
What just happened?
What should I do now?
After a few seconds of thought, he decided to follow and check the situation first.
If anything happened, he should at least lend a hand.
At critical moments, as the senior brother, he couldn't act recklessly.
...
...
Arriving in Karakura Town, Satoru was somewhat surprised by the scene.
A young girl lay on the ground, gasping painfully for breath.
Shiba Isshin and the Ishida father and son knelt beside her, busy at work.
Ulquiorra and Bambietta stood nearby, watching quietly.
"What's going on?"
Satoru approached Ulquiorra and asked.
Seeing him arrive, Bambietta's breathing instinctively quickened slightly.
"Big Bro!"
Hearing the commotion, Shiba Isshin turned his head.
His eyes lit up when he saw it was Satoru.
In his view, there were two people in this world who were invincible and capable of anything.
One was his master, Aizen, and the other was his big bro, Satoru!
"Big Bro, come take a look… Masaki is fading fast!"
Masaki?
Hearing the name, Satoru thought for a moment before a look of realization crossed his face.
Kurosaki Masaki… Isn't that Ichigo's mother?
What's this storyline?
Could it be the plot where she's attacked by a Hollow and dies?
Wait, wasn't Masaki attacked by a Hollow after Ichigo was born?
Hmm, maybe due to my influence, some events have changed, so the timing isn't as precise.
After all, the original Shiba Isshin wasn't Aizen's disciple…
While pondering these random thoughts, he approached Kurosaki Masaki and knelt beside her.
He reached out, placed his hand on her head, and released his Reiatsu to sense her condition.
Soon, Satoru raised an eyebrow.
"A Hollow? Did you perform Hollowfication experiments on her?"
"How could that be…"
Shiba Isshin replied with a mix of amusement and exasperation: "Big Bro, for Quincies, a Hollow's Reiatsu is a deadly poison. They can't undergo Hollowfication."
Then, Aizen's voice echoed in his mind once more:
[You've arrived at the scene… Good. Satoru, pay attention to the Quincy before you.]
Her name is Komi?
Satoru instinctively filled in the rest of the sentence in his mind.
[Her soul has been corroded by a Hollow, and the two are now highly fused.]
[Right now, only your high-precision Reishi manipulation technique has a chance of saving her.]
[Prepare yourself and follow my instructions. This is an extremely complex and draining procedure.]
[If anything goes wrong, prioritize your own safety. I'll find another way to handle Kurosaki Masaki's situation.]
Hearing this, Satoru let out a hearty laugh.
"No need for preparations. It's just a simple procedure… Do you know who I am?"
"Seinosuke Yamada, the vice-captain of the Fourth Division, nicknamed the Hand of Revival—that's my son!"
"As the father who raised such a child, how could I be any less capable?"
[...]
Perhaps out of habit, Aizen didn't even feel his blood pressure rise.
After a moment of silence, he began directing Satoru through the procedure.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Satoru lifted Kurosaki Masaki and sat her upright.
Then, he placed both hands on her back.
Blue Reiatsu flowed from his palms, seeping into Kurosaki Masaki's body.
Though he didn't know exactly what Satoru was doing, from his earlier muttered reactions, Isshin guessed that his master was likely assisting from behind the scenes.
Gripping his Zanpakutō, he stood guard nearby, focusing intently on protecting Satoru from any potential interference.
Ishida Ryūken frowned deeply.
He was somewhat worried, unsure whether to let Satoru proceed with Masaki.
"Relax, Ryūken. Big Bro and the master will definitely save Masaki."
Shiba Isshin glanced at him, offering reassurance.
Hearing this, though still conflicted, Ishida Ryūken nodded and joined Shiba Isshin in protecting Satoru.
Bambietta, having just activated her Vollständig, was somewhat fatigued and sat cross-legged nearby to rest.
Kyōraku Shunsui also arrived at the scene.
Seeing everyone present, he couldn't help but feel surprised.
This was no small gathering.
Suddenly, his eyes fell upon Ulquiorra, and his pupils constricted involuntarily.
This was... that "Satoru's relative" who had killed the young master of the Kijima family in the Noble District before!
Last time, this "relative" had concealed his Reiatsu, so Kyōraku couldn't confirm his identity.
Now, he was one hundred percent certain—this was a Hollow!
He instinctively looked toward Shiba Isshin.
As if guessing Kyōraku's thoughts, Shiba Isshin stepped forward:
"Sorry, Captain Kyōraku. I'll explain everything to you later. For now, let's help Big Bro keep watch. We can't afford any accidents."
Kyōraku frowned.
Although Shiba Isshin said so, pretending to ignore Ulquiorra was incredibly difficult for him.
He instinctively glanced at Sōken Ishida.
This old man was the leader of the Living World Quincy.
Meditating nearby was the girl Satoru had captured from the Wandenreich, now the supervisor of the Living World Quincy.
Two captain-level Quincy actually coexisting peacefully with a Hollow...
This world was truly bizarre.
Though his feelings were complicated, he wisely refrained from taking action.
He stopped at a position some distance from Ulquiorra where he could react at any moment, helping to guard Satoru.
Due to the aftermath of the recent battle, the area was temporarily free of passersby, relatively quiet.
Satoru closed his eyes, following Aizen's instructions, and extended his spiritual power into Kurosaki Masaki's body.
Soon, he discovered a soul that stood out incongruously.
Just as Aizen had said, the soul had already entangled itself with Kurosaki Masaki, with an extremely high degree of fusion.
Sensing Satoru's arrival, the soul turned its gaze toward him.
The next moment, under Satoru's watchful eyes, a Hollow mask larger than his entire body materialized out of thin air in this soul space.
"Shinigami, leave this place, or I'll devour you along with her!"
"Oh? If you can do it, then try."
Satoru grinned and continued forward.
Watching Satoru "step" closer, Hollow White began to panic.
Although it had been created not long ago, it was a super Menos Grande forged from various top-tier technologies in Aizen's possession.
Its power rivaled that of a Vasto Lorde.
Its perception abilities were naturally not lacking.
It could sense that this Shinigami who had invaded the soul world was completely different from all the others before.
This guy... was dangerous!
But it had already begun merging with Kurosaki Masaki. Leaving now would only make it more passive.
After a brief deliberation, it decided to gamble everything.
Under Satoru's amused gaze, Hollow White split off a consciousness entity.
Swinging its scythe-like arms, it stomped its foot and charged fiercely at Satoru!
Then, to its utter disbelief, Satoru casually backhanded the consciousness entity it had split off, shattering it instantly!
Hollow White fell into existential doubt.
This was practically half his home turf.
The consciousness he had just created, though only possessing a fraction of his power, was still a Vasto Lorde.
And this Shinigami had shattered it with a single slap?
What kind of joke was this?!
Under Hollow White's horrified gaze, Satoru grinned and stepped closer.
"Let me see if your fusion went smoothly~"
"Eek, eek, aaaaaah!!!"
Watching Satoru's outstretched hand, Hollow White let out a terrified scream.
In the real world, Shiba Isshin and Ishida Ryūken occasionally glanced over at Satoru and Kurosaki Masaki.
Seeing the eerie smile curling Satoru's lips and the somewhat distorted expression on Masaki's face, both of them felt a subtle unease.
Just what was happening in the soul world?
Suddenly, Shunsui Kyōraku spoke up:
"Someone's coming."
As soon as he said this, the others also noticed something unusual.
Everyone turned their gaze in the direction Kyōraku was looking.
In the next moment, a Senkaimon abruptly materialized out of thin air.
With the sound of the Senkaimon opening, a figure stepped through.
Silver hair, Captain's Haori.
It was Jūshirō Ukitake.
After confirming the newcomer's identity, Shunsui Kyōraku let out a sigh of relief.
Seeing the group before him, Ukitake was momentarily taken aback.
"Kyōraku, Captain Shiba, what is... this?"
"Ah, the situation is a bit complicated. To be honest, I'm not entirely clear about it either."
Kyōraku adjusted his straw hat.
"The details should wait until Satoru wakes up and explains it himself."
Hearing his words, Ukitake finally noticed Satoru sitting in the middle, currently "transferring energy" to Kurosaki Masaki.
He frowned slightly: "Was someone injured?"
As he spoke, he stepped forward to approach.
Suddenly, Ulquiorra flashed and blocked his path.
"Stop."
"Do not approach Lord Mikami."
"Huh?"
Ukitake showed a somewhat startled expression.
Who is this person?
Kyōraku came between the two:
"Alright, alright, let's not start a conflict... Jūshirō, just stay over there."
"Oh, okay."
Though not understanding the situation, Jūshirō Ukitake nodded.
After confirming he no longer intended to approach, Ulquiorra also quieted down.
Kyōraku looked at Ukitake.
"Jūshirō, did something happen? Why did you suddenly come to the Living World?"
Hearing this, Ukitake's expression turned serious.
"Kyōraku, there's trouble in the Soul Society. We need you and Satoru to return and maintain stability."
Kyōraku frowned slightly.
This didn't sound like a minor matter.
As if confirming his suspicion, Ukitake continued:
"The Dangai seems to be having problems again... Captain Kurotsuchi says abnormal Reishi activity data has been detected in the Dangai."
"According to him, the activity level inside the Dangai is continuously rising at a visible rate."
"If this continues, unexpected dangers might occur in the Dangai!"
The Dangai again...
Kyōraku rubbed his temples, feeling as frustrated as if he'd fought Komamura.
Then, Ukitake seemed to remember something and started walking toward him again.
When only a few steps remained between them, Satoru suddenly opened his eyes and looked over.
"Stop right there. Don't take another step forward."
"Take one more step, and I'll tear you to pieces."
"Huh?"
Hearing Satoru's words, Ukitake was taken aback.
"Satoru, what are you saying?"
Kyōraku also looked over curiously.
What madness is our junior brother up to now?
Under their gazes, Satoru showed displeasure.
"Don't call me so familiarly. Who are you?"
"Satoru, it's me, Jūshirō Ukitake!"
Ukitake raised his hand to his chest.
"I'm the captain of the Thirteenth Division, your senior brother!"
Satoru seemed somewhat disgusted.
"Seeing some random person say such things is truly nauseating."
The moment his words fell, his eyes suddenly widened.
Limbo: Border Jail!!
An invisible shadow warrior instantly appeared beside Ukitake, swinging its sword!
As the shadow warrior struck, Ukitake seemed to sense something and leaped backward.
However, his movement was slightly too slow, and the shadow warrior cut his arm, sending blood flying.
"Satoru?!"
Kyōraku looked at the scene in surprise.
"What's wrong with you? That's Jūshirō!"
Hearing this, Satoru sighed.
"Others might not be able to tell, but Uncle Kyōraku, you're at least Ukitake's closest friend. How can you be so confused too?"
"Look carefully - who is that?"
Kyōraku frowned deeply, looking at Jūshirō Ukitake.
He saw that Ukitake had already drawn his Zanpakutō and completed his Shikai.
Without doubt, that Zanpakutō was Sōgyo no Kotowari.
If this isn't Ukitake Jūshirō, where did the Zanpakutō come from?
Ukitake held dual swords, his face full of confusion.
"Satoru, what's wrong with you?"
Seemingly concerned about Satoru's condition, he quickly approached.
Satoru watched him calmly.
"I told you, if you come closer, I'll tear you apart."
Though uncertain of the situation, Kyōraku once again positioned himself between the two.
"Jūshirō, wait a moment, let me clarify..."
Before he could finish speaking, his pupils suddenly contracted.
As he raised his hand to block Ukitake Jūshirō, the latter suddenly swung his blade upward.
SHRRREEEECH!!
Though he retreated in time, a spray of blood still flew from his chest.
Ukitake Jūshirō stood in place, shaking his head helplessly.
"As expected, just as we speculated earlier, such simple tricks could never deceive you."
"You are truly the greatest variable in the Soul Society."
"Being praised by something as disgusting as you only makes me uncomfortable."
Satoru shook his head.
"Isshin, Ulquiorra, eliminate him."
Though not understanding what was happening, the moment Ulquiorra heard Satoru's command, he charged forward without hesitation.
"Enclose, Murciélago!"
With a flash of green light, he completed his Resurrección.
Gripping a shining Reishi spear in his hand, he thrust toward Ukitake Jūshirō!
Isshin also sprang into action.
"Burn, Sode no Shirayuki!!"
Holding a blazing longsword, he used Flash Step to appear above Ukitake and brought his sword down in a sweeping slash!
From their earlier conversation, he had keenly picked up on certain key phrases.
Without a doubt, this Ukitake Jūshirō before them was problematic.
He wasn't yet clear on the specifics, but following his leader's orders was always the right move!
Facing two captain-level opponents, Ukitake Jūshirō maintained an icy expression, wielding Sōgyo no Kotowari as he engaged in combat.
Kyōraku clutched his chest wound, watching the scene with confusion.
Soon, he began to notice something wrong.
Though this Ukitake before him shared identical appearance, physique, and even Reiatsu with his dear friend, there was a subtle difference in his aura.
If this were the real Ukitake Jūshirō, even in such circumstances, he would never possess such a cold and severe presence.
This Ukitake clearly intended to kill both opponents.
Ulquiorra was one thing, but Shiba Isshin was on their side—how could he attack with such murderous intent?
Suddenly, he thought of an even more serious problem.
If this Ukitake before them was a fake, as Satoru claimed, then where was the real Ukitake?
As he pondered this, Satoru's voice rang out:
"More are coming. Prepare for battle."
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
Figures appeared around them using Flash Step.
Fourth Division Captain, Retsu Unohana.
Seventh Division Captain, Love Aikawa.
Tenth Division Captain, Komamura Sajin.
The appearance of three captains made the surrounding air seem to grow thick and heavy.
Kyōraku instinctively looked toward Satoru.
"They're all fakes. Kill them."
Satoru gave the order.
Though somewhat unbelievable, Kyōraku still tightened his grip on his dual swords.
Whether they were real or fake, preventing these people from getting closer was undoubtedly the right move.
The Ishida father-son pair drew their spiritual bows, ready for battle.
Bambietta opened her eyes and moved to Satoru's side to protect his safety.
The moment they appeared, the three captains wasted no words, directly drawing their Zanpakutō.
"Smash it, Tengumaru!"
"Roar, Heavenly Punishment!"
Love Aikawa swung the massive black cactus, smashing it down toward the Quincy father and son.
Komamura summoned a Myōō arm out of thin air, gripping a long blade as he swung it down at Satoru.
Retsu Unohana flashed forward, her sword slashing toward Kyōraku.
Sōken Ishida raised his arm, spreading his fingers as blue patterns emerged from his skin.
Quincy: Blut!
The blooming spiritual attire, like an impenetrable barrier, blocked the massive falling cactus.
At the same time, Ishida Ryūken gripped his spiritual bow, unleashing a torrent of light arrows that howled through the air, engulfing Love Aikawa!
Bambietta snorted coldly, condensing a Reishi longsword and swinging it upward with tremendous force.
BOOM!!!
The colossal blade over ten meters long summoned by Komamura was effortlessly deflected by her.
Vascular-like patterns emerged across Bambietta's skin.
A divine technique that dramatically enhanced the Quincy's offensive power and Reiatsu.
Blut Arterie!
After shattering the divine arm summoned by Komamura, she stood up.
"A mere puppy dares to strike against Lord Mikami."
"You truly lack discipline."
As she spoke, her figure flickered, appearing before Komamura Sajin, and delivered a swift slash!
Komamura instinctively raised his sword to block.
But facing Bambietta, who had sparred countless times with Satoru and activated Blut Arterie, his speed was utterly insufficient.
With a tearing sound, a long wound was carved into his body.
Blood sprayed out!
Retsu Unohana, expressionless like a wrathful demon, instantly crossed the battlefield and appeared before Shunsui Kyōraku.
She drew her Zanpakutō, tracing a sharp, cold gleam as she aimed for his neck.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!!!
Shunsui, wielding dual swords, continuously parried Unohana's slashes.
Even now, he still couldn't comprehend what was truly happening.
Satoru claimed these were fakes, but... how could fakes possess the same abilities and Reiatsu as the real ones?
If someone could create such convincing counterfeits, why bother with schemes and plots? Simply replicate five Old Man Yamas and five Satorus to conquer the world—wouldn't that be easier?
With these doubts in mind, he activated his Zanpakutō's ability—
"Takaoni!"
"White!!!"
The moment he called out the color, he swung his sword at the white Captain's Haori on Unohana's body.
Facing Shunsui Kyōraku's strike, Retsu Unohana revealed a cruel smile.
A boiling killing intent radiated from her; though she hadn't released her Bankai, it felt as if an ocean of blood surged around her.
Boundless killing intent forged an undefeatable blade!
Gripping her long sword, she neither dodged nor evaded, instead slashing directly at Shunsui!
Satoru remained stationed at the center, unmoving.
Now was the critical moment of the procedure.
Under his control, Hollow White, which had already mostly fused with Masaki, was being violently torn apart.
Yet, the separated sections showed no wounds.
Despite being fused together, the two were being meticulously separated at the Reishi level, particle by particle.
The difficulty of this operation was comparable to using molecular tweezers to separate water and pigment that had already blended.
Feeling his soul gradually detach from Kurosaki Masaki, severing their connection, Hollow White's pupils trembled violently.
How could such an absurd ability exist in this world?
And how could such a terrifying being wield it?!
Hollow White grew anxious, panicked, but was utterly powerless.
Sensing the emotions emanating from Hollow White's soul, Satoru grinned.
"Bold of you to lay a hand on my niece-in-law."
"Though my presence has somewhat diminished Ichigo's protagonist status, he's still half a main character."
"A mere Hollow dares to kill the mother of the protagonist?"
"Watch as I reduce you to ashes!"
He increased his strength, preparing to sever the connection between Hollow White and Masaki in one go.
But, at that very moment, as if sensing something, he opened his eyes in the Living World.
In the distance, he saw a flash of light.
A thousand meters away, a silver-haired man smiled at him.
"Bankai."
"God Killing Spear."
Whoosh!!!!
A cold gleam instantly tore through space, piercing through Satoru's forehead.
However, Ichimaru Gin frowned from afar.
No sensation of impact.
Sure enough, under his gaze, the pierced Satoru shattered into Reishi fragments on the spot.
Not far away, Satoru's body reformed.
Staring at Ichimaru Gin standing in the distance, he fell into deep thought.
Where did all these fake captains come from?
"Sōsuke, can you hear me?"
He pressed his hand to his ear and spoke.
Aizen did not respond.
Satoru slightly frowned.
Just as he was about to do something, Aizen's voice rang in his ear:
[Protect yourself. Don't trust anyone... No, with your intuition, you should be able to tell.]
[Act freely and wait for my message.]
After saying this, the communication ended directly.
Satoru didn't even have time to speak.
He was speechless for two seconds, then drew his Zanpakutō.
"Break through, Risō Jakumetsu!"
In a flash of light, twin blades entwined with chains fell into his hands.
Facing Ichimaru Gin in the distance, he swiftly threw out the chain-blade.
The chain-blade moved with astonishing speed. Ichimaru Gin attempted to dodge with a Flash Step, but he had barely started moving when he was tightly entangled.
"Come here, you!"
Satoru grinned fiercely and pulled Ichimaru Gin toward himself.
...
...
After ending the communication with Satoru, Aizen looked at the two people standing before him.
Shiba Isshin and Hirako Shinji.
Shiba Isshin's gaze held unmistakable reverence when looking at him.
Hirako Shinji's head had recently been shaved bald, with only a stubble of yellow hair growing back.
Under normal circumstances, even he might not have been able to detect anything unusual about these two.
The problem was, these two had directly found his secret laboratory hidden in the Living World.
This made it impossible for him to pretend he hadn't noticed anything wrong.
Sure enough, with just a little probing, he discovered that these two were problematic.
Although it was hard to believe, the facts proved that both of them were fakes.
"Before we begin, I'm a bit curious."
Aizen spoke gently.
"How did you two find my laboratory?"
Hirako Shinji sneered:
"Who would tell you that, idiot?"
"Because our master possesses the power to see through everything. Nothing can hide from him as long as the slightest clue is revealed."
"?"
Looking at his teammate who had unhesitatingly revealed the information, Hirako Shinji felt exasperated.
"Hey, hey, you fool, what are you saying in front of the enemy... This is Aizen, Sōsuke Aizen! One of the most troublesome and difficult opponents!"
Shiba Isshin smiled wryly and scratched his head:
"I can't help it. Facing him, I just can't keep my mouth shut."
"How did I end up with such an unreliable teammate..."
Hirako Shinji sighed.
"Never mind that. Let's focus on completing the mission first."
As he spoke, he grinned, revealing a row of white teeth:
"Collapse, Sakanade."
Shiba Isshin also drew his blade:
"Burn, Sode no Shirayuki!"
Watching the two release their Zanpakutō, Aizen did not respond, nor did he even draw his sword.
"Even if the two of you join forces, you stand no chance of defeating me."
"This fact is clear to me, and certainly to you as well."
"Yet despite this, you've come before me with just the two of you..."
"This indicates that your mission wouldn't be considered a failure as long as you managed to reach me and engage in battle."
"So then, what exactly is your mission?"
"To stall me?"
"My apologies, but that seems rather difficult from my perspective."
"Hmm... I see. You're trying to lure me somewhere."
Upon hearing Aizen's words, both Hirako and Isshin's expressions drastically changed.
Though they knew Sōsuke Aizen was a monstrous genius with extraordinary intellect, witnessing it firsthand still gave them an eerie, supernatural feeling.
Their highly secretive mission details had been effortlessly deduced just like that!
Shinji Hirako's feet shifted as he charged toward Aizen.
But halfway through his charge, he suddenly realized with shock that Aizen had vanished from his sight!
The next instant, excruciating pain erupted from his chest.
Splat!!!
Before Shinji Hirako's disbelieving eyes, a spray of blood blossomed across his chest.
When… when had he been struck?
Could it be Aizen's illusion?
Aizen had said that his Kyōka Suigetsu's ability was to disrupt enemies using reflections of mist and flowing water.
The problem was, he hadn't seen this guy release his Zanpakutō at all.
As if guessing Hirako's thoughts, Aizen let out a soft chuckle.
"Captain Hirako… well, to be precise, the thing pretending to be Captain Hirako."
"You're probably wondering when I released my Zanpakutō."
"Since you've amused me by taking this form, I'll generously enlighten you."
Under Shinji Hirako's gaze, Aizen slowly approached from the side.
He smiled faintly, tilting his head slightly upward—
"Against a Shinigami of your caliber, I don't need to release my Zanpakutō at all."
"?!"
Shinji Hirako's face twisted in fury.
"Aizen… you bastard!!"
Gripping his reversed sword, he roared in anger.
But Aizen had already dismissed him, turning his attention elsewhere.
There, Shiba Isshin raised his Zanpakutō.
"Bankai!"
Facing a serious Aizen, he didn't hesitate to unleash his full power.
"Hakujitsu Sode no Shirayuki!!"
Within the erupting pillar of Reiatsu, a blazing sun materialized behind Shiba Isshin.
The surrounding temperature began to skyrocket!
"Master, I'm coming at you!"
Shiba Isshin shouted.
Aizen watched him calmly.
Then, he revealed a somewhat eerie smile.
"Let me answer you in the way that Satoru likes."
"Do you even deserve… to call me by that title?"
Hearing this, Shiba Isshin's expression darkened.
With a furious roar, he charged straight at Aizen.
Confronted with the rapidly approaching solar blaze, Aizen curled his lips and lightly flicked a finger.
"Hadō #90."
"Kurohitsugi."
A massive black coffin of spiritual energy erupted from the ground, sealing Shiba Isshin inside as his eyes widened in alarm—"Damn it!"
A few seconds later, the black coffin dissipated, and Shiba Isshin's battered body collapsed to the ground with a thud.
Aizen swung his blade, cleanly severing Shinji Hirako's head.
Under his watchful gaze, both bodies crumbled and vanished.
Two round, spherical objects dropped to the ground.
10k
Still owe 6K, still 6K in debt.
Can't take it anymore, I'm putting out a bounty!
Ah, actually, I originally saw that I was falling behind and didn't plan to push anymore, just casually asked for monthly tickets, thinking a little slacking off wouldn't be so bad.
But in the authors' group, others looked down on me, Zhao Si laughed at me, CCC mocked me, Tazang treated me like dirt!
No way, I must rise up, I must smirk defiantly!
Alright, just joking around to lighten the mood.
Actually, it's like this: you see, most of the duelists in my book are those who never give up any hope, who crave victory and progress. If I, as the author, just slack off, that's really not fitting, right?
Besides, I originally thought that after the summer event ended, the monthly ticket restrictions would lift too, but unexpectedly, it never ended. Even now, everyone can still cast twenty tickets each, and the big shots are catching up fast. Just opened the app and saw I'm about to be kicked out of the top ten—I have to ask for votes now.
The monthly ticket bounty is always open. Today's baseline is 10k words, even if I have to pull an all-nighter!
In short, I'm in the middle of an explosive update spree. Everyone can vote as many monthly tickets as you have—I'll keep bursting with updates until all debts are paid off.
Last 24 hours for the monthly ticket reward, until the end of this month. Charge! Charge! Charge!