The nights in Hueco Mundo were exceptionally long.
In the darkness, the expeditionary soldiers led by Amagai Shusuke trembled as they fought with their Zanpakutō drawn. They managed to slay several Hollows—but were also torn and battered by the Hollow hordes, their bodies covered in wounds.
Meanwhile, Fūjin Taichi's own expeditionary troops, having received orders from above, had already withdrawn from the Forest of Menos. They now guarded the outer edges of Hueco Mundo, awaiting his next command.
…
After an unknown amount of time, Fūjin Taichi finally awoke from his brief rest. Gazing at the boundless desert, he couldn't help but sigh.
"I only meant to take a short nap… but it feels like I've been sleeping here for a very, very long time…"
He looked up at the night sky. The perfectly round moon had remained fixed in the same spot, staring down like the single eye of a Cyclops overlooking the Siberian plains.
Shaking off the white sand that had gathered on his Reiatsu-Concealing Cloak, he surveyed the empty wasteland. A sudden sense of isolation welled up inside him.
He had once been nothing more than an ordinary college student, shuttling daily between classroom, dormitory, and cafeteria. Since transmigrating into the world of Bleach, he had experienced a string of unimaginable events.
There had been confusion. There had been pain.
Yet his overwhelming will to survive had pushed him to grow stronger and stronger amid hardship.
At the same time, however, his human emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness—seemed to be fading little by little…
Just like those Shinigami who had existed in Soul Society for hundreds, even thousands, of years—
Figures such as Yamamoto Genryusai, Retsu Unohana, Shunsui Kyoraku, Jushiro Ukitake, and Byakuya Kuchiki.
Before becoming Shinigami, they must have once been human.
But after becoming Shinigami, as time passed and their power grew ever stronger, their human emotions and memories gradually blurred—until they vanished entirely.
"So… will the end of my evolution be becoming like Old Man Yama?"
The image of Yamamoto's bald head suddenly appeared in his mind. Instinctively, Taichi ran a hand through his thick hair, secretly rejoicing.
After getting stronger… I won't go bald too, right? Wait—what the hell?!
Suddenly, something behind him bit his right hand.
A sharp pain shot through him.
He quickly brought his hand in front of him—only to see a small figure wrapped in a dark green robe clamped onto his palm with a mouth full of sharp teeth. Her tiny limbs flailed wildly in midair as she let out repeated "waaah" sounds.
"You..." Taichi lifted the small, delicate child up in surprise. "Nel? What are you doing here?"
The little Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck hung from his hand like a hooked fish, stubbornly refusing to let go.
"Could you… maybe release your bite first?!"
Taichi shook his arm several times, trying to free his hand from her teeth—but to no avail.
"Hey! You there, Shinigami! Let go of that girl! If you've got the guts, fight the great Pesche Guatiche to the death!"
With a shrill cry, Pesche leapt out from behind the sand dune, waving his claws dramatically. Behind him followed Dondochakka Birstanne, the two striking an utterly ridiculous attack pose.
"I'd love to let go! The problem is getting her to loosen her grip first!" Taichi fumed, still unable to shake Nel off.
"Since you persist in your folly, don't blame me for being ruthless! Bawabawa! Use Body-Slam Attack!!"
With a roar, the massive purple serpent-like Menos Bawabawa burst from beneath the sand, jaws wide as it lunged at Taichi.
"Bakudō #39: Enkōsen!"
Taichi swiftly extended his left hand, forming a circular shield of Kidō that blocked the serpent's charge.
"Hmph! You think that's enough? You underestimate Lord Pesche!"
Pesche sneered and shouted, "Dondochakka! Chōgeki Kōtai (Super-Impact Collision)!"
"Wooooh!!"
At some point, Dondochakka had appeared behind Taichi. With his massive arms spread wide, he slammed forward in a crushing bear hug.
"You idiots! I'm not your enemy!"
Taichi suddenly lowered his body, dodging the hug. In an instant, he used Shunpo to move behind Dondochakka. His left hand formed a blade, and he unleashed a forbidden taijutsu secret technique—
"One Thousand Years of Death!"
"AAAAAAH—!"
Dondochakka let out a miserable scream, launching over ten meters into the air before crashing heavily onto the northern side of the dune, clutching his rear and wailing in agony.
"Hiss—!"
Pesche instinctively covered his own backside, sucking in a sharp breath as cold sweat poured down his forehead.
"Um… Shinigami… let's talk this out. No need to be so violent!"
"See? Wouldn't it have been easier if you'd said that earlier?"
Taichi raised his right hand. Seeing Nel still clamped on, he used the method a fishmonger uses on a snapping turtle—pinching her nose with his left hand. A moment later, she let out a soft "ing" and reflexively let go, tumbling down.
With lightning speed, Taichi caught Nel by the back of her robe and tossed her into Pesche's arms without a second look.
"I've already wasted enough time here. So let's skip the nonsense. Take me to Las Noches—and I'll kill Nnoitra Gilga for you."
What?! You—"
Pesche Guatiche stared at Fūjin Taichi with his tiny bean-sized eyes for a long moment before continuing:
"How do you know about… Nnoitra Gilga? He was only recently selected by that person as the Fifth Espada. You—
Shinigami like you, who slash at Hollows indiscriminately without caring about right or wrong—how could you possibly know what's happening inside Las Noches?!"
"I already told you," Fūjin Taichi slowly pulled back his hood, his eyes burning as he looked at Pesche.
"We aren't enemies. And... my name isn't 'Shinigami.' I'm Fūjin Taichi, a Shinigami who's a hero for fun!"
…
Meanwhile, inside Las Noches.
The ten Espada sat around a long quartz table, each wearing a different expression as they stared at the steaming red tea before them, their thoughts unreadable.
"Tap… tap… tap…"
A crisp echo of footsteps sounded.
The Espada's expressions immediately grew solemn as they turned toward the supreme throne of Las Noches.
Clad in a white coat, Sosuke Aizen slowly seated himself upon the throne. Standing beside him, also dressed in white, was Gin Ichimaru, smiling faintly as he looked toward the table.
"Good morning, Espada," Aizen said gently. "The tea is quite good. Please, have a taste."
The Espada reacted differently. Some remained unmoved. Some picked up their cups, examined them, then set them down. Some took a small sip. Others crossed their arms and watched coldly.
"Very good."
Aizen leaned back against the throne, one hand supporting his chin, the other rhythmically tapping the armrest.
"Last night, an intruder entered Sector 11."
"Sector 11? That's already very close to Las Noches."
The tall, slender Fifth Espada, with long black hair parted down the middle and a white eyepatch over his left eye—Nnoitra Gilga—spoke up first.
"Well? Is it worth my time?"
"Gilga, do not interrupt Lord Aizen before he has finished speaking."
The Third Espada, Tier Harribel, with bronze skin, green eyes, and flowing blonde hair, glared at him in displeasure.
"Heh. I was just trying to save everyone's time," Nnoitra replied, though he didn't dare continue.
"It's fine, Harribel," Aizen said mildly. . "As long as you all stand united by my side, there are no enemies who can stand before us."
"Hmph…"
The Sixth Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, with light-blue hair, sky-blue eyes, and a fragment of bone mask on his right cheek, gave a low snort and rose to his feet, heading toward the exit.
"Where are you going, Grimmjow?" asked Ulquiorra Cifer, lifting his gaze.
"They're just a few weak bugs that snuck in. I'll go crush them right now," Grimmjow said without looking back.
"Oh my…" Gin Ichimaru narrowed his eyes slightly, glancing at Grimmjow—but said nothing.
"Lord Aizen hasn't given an order yet. Return and hear him out first," Harribel said with a frown.
"I'm going to kill the enemy for your Lord Aizen!"
Grimmjow turned back toward the group, glaring at his fellow Arrancar who were willing to endure Aizen's rule.
"Instead of wasting time here, I'd rather take the initiative and eliminate—"
"Grimmjow."
The previously silent Aizen suddenly interrupted him.
An overwhelming surge of spiritual pressure erupted from Aizen, crushing down upon Grimmjow.
"I'm pleased that you're willing to act for my sake. But I haven't finished speaking. Would you kindly return to your seat?"
"Urgh! Damn it..."
Under the immense pressure, Grimmjow felt as if his body were being squeezed apart, like an abscess about to burst. He couldn't suppress the pained cries escaping his mouth.
Around the quartz table, the other Espada watched coldly as Grimmjow was disciplined by Aizen.
Though some of them burned with anger inside—
Faced with reality, they could only sit like puppets on strings, watching one of their own be humiliated and oppressed by a single Shinigami, their hearts seared as if by raging flames.
...
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