Chapter 380: Help Me, Mr. Mikami!
Seireitei, Fifth Division, a certain secret room.
Satoru knelt on the floor, his pure eyes blinking innocently, his entire being radiating obedience and naivety.
Only his continuously smoking clothes ruined this innocent atmosphere.
Not far away, Aizen sat in a chair, elegantly drinking tea.
After gently blowing on the tea leaves and taking a sip, Aizen narrowed his eyes.
Satoru immediately spoke up:
"Sōsuke, is something not to your taste? To be honest, I have considerable expertise in tea brewing. Perhaps let me..."
"Sit."
Aizen spoke calmly, interrupting his casting.
Satoru immediately resumed his kneeling position, showing a pure smile.
Aizen sat in his chair, slowly finishing the tea in his cup.
Putting down the cup, he looked at the certain individual kneeling there.
The spot where Satoru was kneeling was a special device he had developed that could greatly increase the gravity on objects placed upon it.
This thing was originally used for testing instrument precision, but now served unexpectedly well as a punishment tool.
The problem was, he had already cranked the gravity to its maximum, yet that guy had been kneeling there for two hours without any reaction.
For a normal person, let alone under over ten times the gravity, even kneeling normally would have caused numbness long ago.
Innate physical prowess... truly an irritating ability.
With a hint of displeasure, he spoke:
"When did you return?"
"Just today..."
Satoru instinctively replied.
But as soon as he started speaking, he saw Aizen's icy gaze.
"...It's been over half a year since I returned."
Aizen let out a cold laugh.
"XXXXX Year, September 3rd, you left the Soul King Palace and returned to the Soul Society."
"That same day, after contacting the Twelfth Division's material collection team, you left the Soul Society and went to the Living World."
"In the Living World, you made contact with Shiba Isshin's son, Ichigo Kurosaki, and spent the following time teaching him cultivation knowledge and combat techniques."
"During this period, you mostly stayed at the Quincy Bambietta Basterbine's residence."
"You were aware when Ichimaru Gin, Komamura Sajin, and others went to the Living World to visit Shiba Isshin, yet you chose to avoid them every time, never revealing that you had returned from the Soul King Palace..."
Under Satoru's stunned gaze, Aizen sat there and laid out every single one of his actions from the past six months.
Listening to Aizen's words, cold sweat poured down Satoru's forehead.
"I'm extremely sorry, I was wrong!!!"
Without hesitation, he immediately performed a deep prostration.
Seeing his appearance, Aizen let out an almost imperceptible sigh.
"Enough, get up."
He pressed a button nearby, deactivating the gravity suppression.
Satoru felt as if granted amnesty, quickly rising with a smile.
After a moment's thought, he added:
"You can keep the gravity device on. It feels quite comfortable, like a massage."
"?"
Aizen took a deep breath.
His blood pressure was rising slightly.
After they both settled into their seats, Aizen spoke:
"Speak. Why have you been avoiding everyone all this time?"
Satoru leaned back in his chair, his expression somewhat complicated.
"Because... I feel a bit embarrassed."
"Embarrassed?"
Aizen showed a somewhat astonished expression.
For a moment, he even suspected this might be an imposter.
Hearing the word "embarrassed" come from Satoru's mouth was genuinely shocking.
Seeing Aizen's reaction, Satoru felt somewhat displeased.
"Sōsuke, what do you mean by that? Your brother here is someone who cares about face too!"
"..."
Aizen remained silent for two seconds.
Under his gaze, Satoru shook his head:
"During these years in the Soul King Palace, my strength has progressed rapidly. From when I first faced the Priest with almost no ability to resist, to now being able to confront him directly... one could say that even among prodigies, I stand out."
"The problem is, even so, I'm still missing the most crucial element."
"Even with such powerful strength, I still haven't found a way to deal with Yhwach."
"According to the Priest, Yhwach likely masters some extremely powerful world rule, whose unreasonableness even surpasses his own name-control ability."
"Facing rule-based abilities, no matter how high your basic stats are, victory cannot be guaranteed."
"Thinking that I've spent all these years without finding the path to victory gives me a feeling of shame toward those who placed their hopes in me."
"So I kept putting it off until now."
Hearing Satoru's words, Aizen slightly raised his head with a mocking smile.
"Is that all?"
"Huh?"
Satoru was momentarily stunned, unsure why Aizen would react this way.
Under his gaze, Aizen spoke with an eerie smile:
"I see. In Lord Mikami Satoru's eyes, everyone in the Soul Society are people he must protect from behind."
"If he can't protect everyone, he'll fail to live up to their expectations and become the subject of ridicule..."
"Should I immediately kneel and pray to Lord Mikami Satoru, begging him to quickly improve his strength to protect me from the impending catastrophe?"
Listening to Aizen's gradually chilling voice, Satoru felt his scalp tingling.
"Sōsuke, I'm not..."
"No, all your words and actions prove this is your true belief."
Aizen adjusted his glasses and stood up.
He looked down at Satoru from his higher position.
"Satoru, it's been a long time since we last sparred."
"How about we have a long-overdue match?"
"Spar?Satoru showed a subtle expression.
It wasn't that he looked down on Aizen - after all, the latter stood at the pinnacle of Shinigami.
But... his current baseline stats were ridiculously high.
Even Yamamoto would need to activate his Bankai to face him directly now.
For someone like Sōsuke, who excelled in battlefield strategy rather than direct combat, sparring with him would probably...
Seeing his reaction, Aizen said nothing and simply turned to leave.
Seeing this, Satoru stood up and followed.
Under his watchful eyes, Aizen opened a Garganta to Hueco Mundo.
Soon, both stood on the silver sands of Hueco Mundo.
Looking at Satoru standing there, Aizen spoke:
"Come, let me see how much you've improved over the years, and whether you've gained the ability to protect everything."
As he spoke, he already drew Kyōka Suigetsu.
Seeing Aizen wasn't joking, Satoru stopped hesitating and simply nodded.
Not to mention Aizen was already a top-tier powerhouse - even if he weren't, as close friends, he should show his training results from these years.
"Here I come, Sōsuke!"
Under Aizen's gaze, Satoru showed a serious expression.
He leaned forward slightly, adopting a combat stance.
The next moment, his figure suddenly vanished from the dune.
Aizen's pupils slightly contracted.
So fast.
Although he had mentally prepared himself that Satoru's current strength might far exceed his expectations, witnessing such absurd speed still surprised him.
He raised his blade, preparing to block Satoru's potential attack direction.
But halfway through raising it, a terrifying force already bypassed his defense, brutally striking his side!
Aizen's body instantly flew sideways, exploding with a shockwave before crashing into a silver dune.
Amid the tremendous explosion, a silver sandstorm surged into the sky, shooting in all directions like bullets!
Some Hollows wandering several kilometers away, unable to escape the lethal range in time, were instantly pierced by countless sand particles, collapsing lifelessly.
Satoru exhaled and slowly retracted his fist.
That strike should be enough for Sōsuke to understand his current strength.
But at that moment, he suddenly sensed something and looked down at his feet.
Unnoticed by him, several chains had silently emerged from the sand, snapping tightly around his ankles!
Then, two black bandages flew over, binding his arms.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!!!
Black nails descended from the sky, piercing through the bandages.
Each nail carried the terrifying suppression power equivalent to over seventy levels of Kidō binding spells.
Hundreds of these solid nails formed what could be called an indestructible celestial prison!
"Hadō number ninety-nine..."
Satoru was somewhat surprised.
When a Shinigami uses Kidō, if they have mastered it to an extremely proficient level, they can omit the incantation and directly invoke the technique by name.
Yet Aizen had just performed it completely silently, without even uttering the name!
To silently cast Hadō number ninety-nine—how thoroughly must one have internalized Kidō to achieve this?
Next would probably be Kurohitsugi...
Satoru was quite familiar with this combo of Aizen's.
However, what surprised him was that the Reiatsu gathering in the air didn't carry the signature of Kurohitsugi.
Under his gaze, the terrifying Reiatsu condensed into form, materializing as a multi-headed dragon hundreds of meters tall!
Its world-destroying presence was comparable to an ordinary person facing the descent of King Ghidorah!
The multi-headed dragon roared in unison as it charged toward Satoru.
In deafening explosions, light illuminated the entire world as if everything had lost its color.
From the sand dunes, Aizen slowly rose to his feet, forming a hand seal:
"Hadō number ninety-nine..."
"Goryūtenmetsu."
A trace of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Although Satoru's previous punch hadn't carried multiple layered forces, the sheer gravitational impact from that terrifying speed alone would have been enough to pulverize an Adjuchas.
Watching Satoru being consumed by Goryūtenmetsu, he revealed an almost imperceptible smile.
Though he couldn't stand seeing this guy act triumphant, he had to admit—Satoru had improved tremendously. No wonder he dared to adopt that attitude toward him.
Thinking this, his smile faded once more.
From the deep crater created by the Five Dragons Annihilation, Satoru's figure gradually emerged.
The surrounding silver desert had been melted into lava by Aizen's attack.
It was crucial to understand that this was no ordinary desert, but the "corpses" left behind by countless deceased Hollows.
Their melting point was incomparably higher than that of ordinary sand.
Yet, even such a terrifying attack had failed to leave any wounds on Satoru.
The only casualty was his Captain's Haori.
Glancing at the burnt Haori on his body, Satoru casually tore it off and discarded it.
After a moment's thought, he went further and removed the upper part of his Shinigami Uniform as well.
Grinning at Aizen standing not far away, he laughed:
"Though I knew you had mastered this technique, I never expected its power to be this immense."
Aizen paid him no mind.
Under Satoru's watchful gaze, he gripped his Zanpakutō and flashed forward, charging toward him.
Seeing Aizen preparing to confront him head-on, Satoru felt both amused and exasperated.
Even the Priest would hesitate before engaging him directly in close combat. Aizen's approach seemed rather unwise.
After brief consideration, Satoru drew Risō Jakumetsu.
Observing the trajectory of Aizen's blade, Satoru didn't hesitate, thrusting directly toward the weak point of his attack.
Having fought numerous high-level battles in the simulation space, he could now instinctively identify most opponents' vulnerabilities and break their assaults without specialized simulation.
However, midway through his strike, a sudden sense of foreboding struck him.
Satoru twisted his wrist, shifting from offense to defensive retreat.
Just as he changed tactics, a terrifying aura erupted from Aizen!
This seemingly ordinary, peak Shinigami-level sword strike suddenly accelerated to nearly match Satoru's speed!
The power contained within it abruptly surpassed the limits of a Shinigami!
CLANG!!!
Satoru used Risō Jakumetsu to block the blow.
As their blades collided, a white shockwave exploded outward around them.
The sandy ground beneath their feet erupted in layers, as if dozens of tons of explosives had been detonated!
"Hey, Sōsuke, what's this..."
Satoru showed a puzzled expression.
He was certain that what Aizen had just used wasn't Multiple Impact.
Was it some newly developed technique?
But that didn't make sense - if such a technique existed, he should have synchronized with it. Why was there no memory of it?
While Satoru pondered, Aizen's movements accelerated once more.
BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM!!!
In an instant, they exchanged dozens of blows.
The frequent collisions of immense power created effects similar to Multiple Impact, destabilizing the surrounding Reishi.
Sand particles disintegrated into Reishi, releasing terrifying energy that transformed their battlefield into hell.
At this moment, even an Adjuchas-level Arrancar would be torn to shreds if it accidentally entered their combat zone!
The expression on Satoru's face gradually shifted from surprise and astonishment to excitement.
Interesting... fascinating!
What method had Sōsuke used to suddenly become so powerful?!
He grinned, revealing a wild smile.
His previously restrained fighting style transformed into one of complete self-expression.
Casually discarding Risō Jakumetsu, Satoru clenched his fists and let out a mad laugh, launching a storm of explosive strikes against Aizen!
Facing Satoru's furious assault, Sōsuke Aizen remained expressionless, countering each move as it came.
However, as Satoru continuously increased his speed and power, a trace of helplessness flashed in Aizen's eyes.
BOOM!!!!
As Satoru's fist slammed into Kyōka Suigetsu, Aizen finally lost control of his posture and staggered back several steps.
Then, with a spurt, he vomited a mouthful of blood.
Witnessing this scene, Satoru froze.
His fist, already halfway extended to end the battle, was forcibly halted.
He rushed to Aizen's side.
"Sōsuke, are you alright?!"
Aizen's sudden blood-vomiting had such a classic wuxia movie flair that it made Satoru genuinely concerned.
Aizen waved him off.
He raised a hand, using his Reiatsu to wipe the blood from his lips.
Looking at Satoru standing beside him with a worried expression, he felt somewhat speechless.
The power he had just wielded was obtained externally by combining the Soul King Fragments he had continuously collected before.
The Soul King's power, combined with his vision and combat experience, allowed him to exhibit strength surpassing peak limits without actually breaking through them himself.
Unfortunately, while the effects were impressive in use, his body couldn't withstand such tremendous power.
It had been manageable before Satoru got completely serious, but as Satoru unleashed his full strength, Aizen's body could no longer bear the burden.
The massive flow of Soul King Power circulating within him directly damaged his Reiatsu channels.
After today's battle, it would take at least three to five days of rest to recover.
Thinking this, his gaze toward Satoru turned somewhat unfriendly.
The enhancement method he had researched should theoretically be sufficient to deal with monsters.
Unfortunately, Satoru wasn't a monster - he was a kaiju...
Watching Aizen unceremoniously sit directly on the ground, Satoru remained silent for a few seconds.
Then, he smiled.
Indeed, as Aizen had said long ago, he had been too arrogant.
Though he was the world's protagonist, favored by fortune, and the lover of the Victory Goddess, he wasn't the only one working hard and growing stronger in this world.
Taking saving the world as his personal mission was utterly foolish.
Especially when he had Sōsuke Aizen by his side - the pinnacle of boss prestige - yet still arrogantly attempted to become the sole savior. The foolishness squared itself multiple times over.
After all, in the world before his transmigration, any chat group novel had to include Sōsuke to freeload his strategic genius.
Thinking this, Satoru couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter.
Watching Satoru standing nearby laughing joyfully, Aizen narrowed his eyes.
He's injured like this, and this guy is having the time of his life?
He'd need to add several bold entries to the Satoru Mikami Special Grudge Notebook.
Considering this, he couldn't help but smile too.
..... ..
Carrying Aizen back to Soul Society, Satoru immediately began treating him.
His current control over Reishi had reached an incredible level.
For most ordinary injuries, his manual treatment efficiency surpassed even the Red-White Hot Springs.
It was even approaching the effects of Inoue Orihime's Twin Lotus Bridge.
Feeling Satoru's treatment effects, Aizen nodded slightly.
This guy had indeed made comprehensive and noticeable progress.
Under Aizen's gaze, Satoru began explaining the problems he was facing.
After listening, Aizen sat on the bed, stroked his chin, and showed a thoughtful expression.
Auswählen... the exclusive ability of the Quincy King.
If what Sōken Ishida said was true, then Yhwach's existence was indeed quite extraordinary.
A king who could bestow power upon his subjects and reclaim it with interest at any moment—no wonder the Quincies of Wandenreich were so loyal to him.
To them, when they lacked power, Yhwach, who could grant it, was an undisputed god.
And after gaining power, Yhwach, who could strip them of everything at any moment, was undoubtedly even more like a deity.
Hmph... interesting.
Only such an opponent would be worthy of my full effort.
Under Satoru's gaze, he turned to look at him:
"Prepare to begin special training."
"Special training?"
Satoru was somewhat surprised.
"That's right, special training."
Aizen curled his lips into a smile.
"In fact, ever since you left Seireitei, I've been considering your next steps."
"Even without the Auswählen hurdle, I had long prepared for you to break through the final barrier and touch that world standing above the heavens."
"Now, it's just that time is a bit tighter, but what we need to do remains unchanged."
"I've completed the preparations over these years."
"Next comes the special training."
Hearing Aizen's words, Satoru showed a stunned expression.
Had he already anticipated today's situation and begun making arrangements back when I first ascended to the Soul King Palace?
Looking at Aizen sitting there with that everything-is-under-control gaze fixed on him, Satoru—a tough man—shed tears and rushed forward for a bear hug:
"Sōsuke!!! My lifelong friend!!!"
Aizen's face turned pale.
Damn it, my bones are going to break!
...
...
In Karakura Town during April, the rain fell more frequently.
On the small path by the river, Kurosaki Masaki held an umbrella and hummed her favorite song softly.
Though already a mother of three, she still maintained a youthful heart.
On one hand, it was her natural disposition.
On the other hand, it was because Shiba Isshin was truly a good man.
Ichigo followed behind, holding a small umbrella, and yawned.
Mom's really in the mood to go for a walk in this kind of weather.
Before leaving, Satoru had instructed him to protect his mother at all costs.
Though Ichigo didn't understand why Satoru would say such a thing, when it concerned his beloved mother, he wouldn't slack off in the slightest.
Whenever possible, he would stay by Kurosaki Masaki's side.
Even while at school, he would release his Reiatsu perception to monitor Kurosaki Masaki's condition.
Masaki found this endearing, thinking her clingy little Ichigo was adorable.
Suddenly, a bad feeling rose from the depths of Ichigo's heart.
Frowning slightly, he looked around.
He saw a little girl collapsed on the road, drenched by rain, seemingly hit by a car.
Instinctively, he moved to rescue her.
But after taking just one step forward, he stopped.
Something wasn't right...
Why was there Reishi fluctuation coming from this girl?
While he was pondering, Kurosaki Masaki had already stepped in front of him.
"Ichigo, wait here. Let mom check the situation," she said softly while secretly preparing to form a spiritual bow in her hand.
She approached slowly.
The patterns of Blut Vene had already spread across her skin.
In truth, the moment she saw the girl, she had detected the scent of a Hollow.
Unlike the hybrid Ichigo, as a pure-blooded Quincy, Masaki's sensitivity to Hollows far surpassed her son's.
Just as she prepared to strike, the girl suddenly lifted her head, staring at her with pale white eyes.
"Quincy... damn... why here..."
As she spoke, the girl retracted like a marionette being pulled back.
Only then did Ichigo realize the girl was merely bait.
Through the curtain of rain, a massive figure gradually materialized.
It was a seven-to-eight-meter tall Hollow.
It resembled an anglerfish covered in fur, with a long fleshy whip extending from its head.
The "girl" dangled from the tip of this fleshy whip.
Anyone who saw the bait and approached would be devoured!
After clearly seeing the Hollow's form, Ichigo relaxed slightly.
Just small fry that could be dealt with easily.
The only problem was how to use his abilities discreetly in front of his mother...
Just as he thought this, he was shocked to see Kurosaki Masaki spread her arms and form a spiritual bow.
"Eh?"
Ichigo froze in surprise.
Mom... is a Quincy?
He'd been a Shinigami for over half a year, yet never realized his mother was a Quincy!
Seeing Masaki wield the spiritual bow, Ichigo's first thought was that Ishida had been boasting.
"The last Quincy in the world"... but wasn't his mother also a Quincy?
If that was the case, perhaps both his younger sisters could become Quincies too.
Oh, Satoru probably knew about this - that would explain why he was so certain Ichigo had Quincy potential.
Hmph... just how many more things was that guy hiding from him?
Come to think of it, if Mr. Mikami knew his mother was a Quincy, why had he so seriously instructed him to protect her?
Judging by the quality of the spiritual bow his mother had formed, she was clearly a highly skilled Quincy.
In terms of Quincy abilities alone, she might even surpass him.
With such strength, why would she need his protection? She could probably handle all the Hollows in Japan by herself...
Huh?!
Suddenly, Ichigo's expression changed.
Something... something was coming!
Kurosaki Masaki unfolded her spirit bow, preparing to eliminate the Hollow before her.
Just as she was about to release the arrow, her pupils suddenly dilated.
It was as if an invisible hook had abruptly pierced her body.
Her soul, her power, her very existence... all were being dragged away by this hook.
Thump!
Kurosaki Masaki's body went limp, and she collapsed to her knees.
"Mom!!"
Ichigo rushed over in shock.
What happened?!
What in the world just occurred?!
In that instant, he clearly sensed his mother's Reiatsu suddenly vanish!
In the pouring rain, Ichigo placed a hand on his mother's shoulder, checking her condition.
To his astonishment, he discovered that the Reiatsu within Masaki's body felt like a foreign object, on the verge of detaching from her at any moment.
Why was this happening...
As he panicked, the hairy Anglerfish Hollow, seeing Masaki suddenly collapse, grinned widely.
"Though I don't know what happened... it seems your mother can no longer protect you."
"Kid, you smell amazing... your potential is incredible. If I devour you, I'll surely gain immense power..."
With that, it began striding toward Ichigo.
In her excruciating pain, Masaki barely managed to open her eyes.
The agony of her power being torn from her body left her almost numb, making even standing an impossible dream.
Yet, despite it all, she mustered her last ounce of strength to smile at Ichigo:
"Ichigo... run."
"Run..."
"Hehehe... He can't escape now. He's going to be my meal!"
The Anglerfish Hollow let out a sinister laugh.
A clump of its fur suddenly transformed into a giant hand, lunging toward Ichigo to seize him.
But just as the fur-hand was about to touch him, a cold glint flashed through the air.
To Grand Fisher's astonishment, Ichigo had somehow shifted from his human form into his Shinigami state.
Clad in the black Shinigami uniform, he held a massive long sword raised high.
Beside them, Grand Fisher's fur-hand lay severed on the ground, disintegrating into scattered bristles.
The Hollow stared wide-eyed, as if seeing a ghost.
"How is this possible... You're actually... a Shinigami?!"
Then, its expression shifted to excitement:
"So what if you're a Shinigami? A tiny one like you will only become my food!!"
With that, it charged fiercely toward Ichigo.
Lying on the ground, Kurosaki Masaki also wore a look of disbelief.
Though she had noticed some changes in Ichigo recently, she never imagined her son had become a Shinigami.
But, just as the Hollow said, even if Ichigo was a Shinigami, how could someone so young possibly stand against a Hollow?
She wanted to stop Ichigo, but another wave of excruciating pain robbed her of speech.
Under her watchful gaze, Grand Fisher lunged at Ichigo with maniacal laughter.
Facing a Hollow several times his size, Ichigo remained expressionless. He simply brought his raised Zanpakutō down in a casual slash—
Riiip!!!
With a look of utter disbelief, Grand Fisher's entire body was cleanly split in two.
Still in its forward charging posture, the bisected Hollow thudded to the ground, lifeless.
Ichigo was about to return to check on Masaki's condition when he suddenly sensed several ominous Reiatsu approaching from afar.
It seemed that attracted by the unique and delicious power that had appeared here, numerous Hollows tore open Gargantas and descended upon Karakura Town.
Ichigo's face turned pale.
He wasn't concerned about these Hollows themselves.
But... his mother's condition was already critical.
What should he do?!
Just as he was at a loss, a figure suddenly appeared beside him.
Seeing this person's appearance, Ichigo's pupils contracted.
Black wings, eyes with long green tear marks, and... a Hollow hole faintly visible at the collar.
A humanoid Hollow?
Could there really be a Hollow that resembled humans so closely?
No... more than its appearance, the terrifying Reiatsu emanating from this being was what truly demanded attention.
Such powerful Reiatsu - not inferior to his own!
He quickly gripped his Zanpakutō, preparing for battle.
However, the other raised a hand to stop him:
"Kurosaki Ichigo, go protect your mother."
"Leave these Hollows to me."
Without waiting for Ichigo to react, he was about to leave.
But before departing, he paused.
Turning his head, he said to Ichigo:
"Trust Lord Mikami."
"He will definitely save your mother."
After speaking, Ulquiorra's figure flickered and disappeared into the air.
Ichigo was somewhat astonished.
That guy... just what was he?
Slinging his large sword onto his back, Ichigo hurried back to Kurosaki Masaki's side.
In this brief period, Kurosaki Masaki's condition had deteriorated severely.
Feeling Masaki's rapidly worsening state, Ichigo became utterly panicked.
He lifted Masaki, preventing her from lying in the rainwater any longer.
What to do... What to do?!
Under normal circumstances, he would have thought to seek Bambietta's help.
Or perhaps, seek assistance from the Quincy family behind Ishida.
But now, only one figure appeared in his mind.
"Mr. Mikami!! Save my mother!!"
In the heavy rain, Ichigo let out a desperate cry.
In her pain, Masaki showed a somewhat surprised expression.
Mikami...
She only knew one person with that surname.
Could it be...
As she was lost in thought, a voice rang out from the sky—
"Those who chant my true name shall attain eternal life through the cycle of reincarnation!"
"The Warrior of Love, Satoru Mikami, has arrived!!"
The dark clouds suddenly dispersed from a central point, revealing the sky illuminated by sunlight.
Above the sky, two figures stood as if they were deities, overlooking all living beings.
Seeing one of them, a light appeared in Ichigo's eyes.
"Mr. Mikami!!"
"Hmph, it is I!"
Under Ichigo's astonished gaze, Satoru slowly descended, landing beside Masaki.
Looking at Kurosaki Masaki, who was leaning against Ichigo and on the verge of death, he felt a burning rage in his chest.
"Sōsuke!"
He looked up at the sky and shouted.
Aizen nodded.
He raised his hand and slowly placed it on his chest.
There, a point of light began to glow.
As the light appeared, the Reiatsu around Aizen began to fluctuate violently.
At the same time, a long-unheard prompt sounded in Satoru's ears:
[Detected that bound target "Sōsuke Aizen" has increased in strength. Automatically synchronizing cultivation progress... Synchronization complete!]
[Your Reiatsu level has increased!]
[Current Reiatsu level has broken through the limits of Shinigami and Hollow fusion... Advancing toward a new realm!]
BOOM!!!!
A powerful Reiatsu fluctuation erupted from Satoru's body, shaking violently.
The surging Reiatsu caused his clothes to flutter wildly.
His white Captain's Haori billowed and rustled in the wind.
In the sky, Aizen frowned slightly.
The small, translucent sphere glowing in his chest continuously generated power out of thin air, transforming his body.
Although he had long known the possible consequences of this action, experiencing it firsthand was still somewhat overwhelming.
The power of the Hōgyoku was simply too immense.
Even though he had already mastered both Shinigami and Hollow powers, and his Reiatsu had even surpassed that of Yamamoto Shigekuni, he still felt as though his body couldn't keep up with the Hōgyoku's transformation rhythm.
If it were Satoru undergoing this, he would probably be dragged around uncontrollably by the Hōgyoku.
...Then again, it might also be the Hōgyoku being dragged around uncontrollably by him.
Who knew? In any case, it was more reassuring for him to control the Hōgyoku's process himself.
In this regard, that legendary husky certainly didn't inspire any sense of security.
Gradually, Aizen felt himself entering the second stage.
A layer of white armor materialized, encasing his entire body like an insect's cocoon.
Inside this "cocoon," Aizen felt no discomfort whatsoever.
On the contrary, a peculiar warmth and sense of security made him feel quite comfortable.
While experiencing this wondrous sensation, he continuously used his power to control the evolution process, keeping it within a manageable range.
Gaining unprecedented, immense power was inherently a good thing.
However, if power grows too rapidly, exceeding the limits of one's control, one becomes nothing but a clown possessing strength yet ignorant of how to wield it.
Such a thing would never be allowed to happen to Aizen.
Otherwise, he could already envision Satoru's infuriatingly smug expression as he mocked him.
While controlling the surging power within his body, he lowered his head to look down at Satoru on the ground.
He noticed that although Satoru also radiated newly emerged Reiatsu, his condition appeared far more stable.
The guy even had the leisure to raise his hand and wave when he noticed Aizen looking down at him.
Aizen fell silent.
After a moment's thought, he understood Satoru's condition.
During these years in the Soul King Palace, Satoru had actually completed his evolution to the next level in terms of spiritual realm.
The only thing lacking was his Reiatsu not having caught up.
Now, Aizen had merely supplemented this missing portion of Reiatsu for him.
Sometimes, one had to admit that this guy was truly a genius.
The bottlenecks that appeared insurmountable to others, this guy always crossed with ease.
Perhaps influenced by Satoru, Aizen suddenly felt that the previously elusive threshold to the Hōgyoku's next stage had become considerably clearer.
Some powers that were previously difficult to master now felt easier to control.
Aizen shook his head with amusement and began advancing toward the next stage.
Crack!
The white bone armor covering his face developed a fissure.
As the crack widened, the facial armor finally shattered completely with an audible breaking sound, falling away to reveal his true appearance beneath.
However, his current form resembled Hollowfication - with black sclera and golden pupils.
With the shattering of the "cocoon," Aizen felt he had officially stepped onto a new level!
A brand new world seemed to open before him like a great gate.
The world as he perceived it underwent unprecedented changes!
For a moment, Aizen felt he could lose himself in this power, never needing to emerge.
But soon, clarity returned to his eyes.
Hmph... ridiculous.
Did this mere power think it could deceive Sōsuke Aizen?
He looked down at Satoru, curious about how the latter would react to this power.
He saw Satoru with closed eyes, seemingly deep in thought.
Aizen remained silent, even restraining his continuing power growth to avoid disturbing him.
After about ten seconds, Satoru opened his eyes.
His eyes had also transformed to match Aizen's - black sclera with golden pupils.
Satoru slowly exhaled.
He raised his head to look at Aizen:
"Sōsuke! You can stop now!"
Hearing this, Aizen nodded.
Swish!
A figure wearing a Shinigami Uniform appeared on the scene.
Shiba Isshin arrived urgently.
Having sensed the unusual Reiatsu in this area, he had rushed over immediately.
Seeing his wife's condition, he nearly lost consciousness.
But then, he noticed Satoru kneeling beside Masaki.
And Aizen standing in the sky.
Shiba Isshin's heart immediately settled.
He was about to ask Satoru about the situation.
But before he could speak, he suddenly paused.
He sensed that the aura emanating from Satoru had changed.
Though Satoru's essence remained the same, the terrifying presence he now projected...
A single word emerged in Shiba Isshin's mind.
Divinity.
Under Shiba Isshin's gaze, Satoru slowly rose to his feet.
A faint golden light shimmered in his eyes.
Then, he extended his hand, aiming at Kurosaki Masaki who was sitting on the ground leaning against Ichigo!