That person had grown stronger yet again—a reality that neither Byakuya nor Kenpachi could ignore. They knew with absolute certainty that they could not afford to remain static; they too must evolve and strengthen themselves if they hoped to maintain even the illusion of relevance.
"Is the instrument malfunctioning?" In Szayelaporro's meticulously maintained private laboratory, Mayuri Kurotsuchi stared with genuine confusion at the sophisticated device that monitored Reiatsu fluctuations throughout Hueco Mundo:
"Why was such an extraordinary Reiatsu signature detected? This sudden energy surge completely destroyed all the monitoring equipment in the laboratory. How could a mere Reiatsu emission possess such destructive potential!? Is this power genuinely classified as Reiatsu at all? What possible explanation exists for his possession of such incomprehensible power?"
As the Director of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, Mayuri prided himself on his expansive knowledge and insatiable spirit of scientific exploration. Yet confronted with this unprecedented phenomenon, even his brilliant mind struggled to process what had occurred. Despite his clinical detachment, he couldn't suppress a profound sense of shock.
It wasn't that he had never encountered powerful beings before—he had studied countless unique spiritual phenomena throughout his career. But something about this particular incident defied conventional understanding. The notion that a simple Reiatsu emission could physically damage hardened scientific instruments designed to withstand extraordinary spiritual pressure was profoundly abnormal.
He had never before witnessed Reiatsu of this magnitude—off the charts doesn't begin to describe it. Such power existed outside his knowledge framework, violating the scientific principles he had established over centuries of meticulous research.
As the initial shock subsided, an emotion resembling excitement began to surface. Kurotsuchi Mayuri's golden eyes gleamed with the intensity of a predatory dragon discovering a previously unknown treasure. Such unprecedented power was worthy of his dedicated research—destined to be cataloged, analyzed, and understood through his scientific methodology.
Nemu analyzed the situation with characteristic precision:
"Lord Kurotsuchi Mayuri, although the energy discharge we detected was momentary, throughout the entirety of Hueco Mundo—indeed, perhaps throughout all spiritual realms—only that particular individual could generate such a phenomenon. That lord possesses a notably volatile temperament. Please exercise extreme caution, Lord Kurotsuchi Mayuri!"
She could clearly observe that her captain had entered his familiar predatory mindset, viewing this new power as potential research material. However, she also recognized the lethal danger that lay down that particular investigative path.
Given Commander Uehara's established temperament and demonstrated capabilities, anyone who dared probe into his personal secrets would likely perish without leaving sufficient remains for a proper burial—and her captain would be no exception to this rule.
Even Lord Kurotsuchi Mayuri, whom she regarded as both father figure and scientific idol, could never hope to challenge that man's supremacy. Of this fundamental truth, Nemu remained absolutely convinced.
"Hmph! What precisely are you insinuating?" Kurotsuchi responded with a dismissive snort.
"I harbor no fear of him whatsoever. It's merely that I already possess sufficient research materials and see no strategic benefit in creating unnecessary complications. I simply find Arrancar physiology more scientifically valuable for my current research priorities."
Of course, this bravado masked genuine trepidation. There existed no alternative approach. That person was Uehara Shiroha—an entity that neither the assembled captains nor the noble houses of Soul Society possessed any effective means of confronting, and Mayuri recognized his own limitations in this regard.
The critical issue was that Uehara Shiroha operated beyond established constraints, following his own inscrutable code. He would gamble impossibly high stakes or manipulate others when it suited his purposes. Mayuri genuinely feared him—not merely because he couldn't defeat him in direct confrontation, but because he couldn't outmaneuver him intellectually either. No strategy remained except acknowledging this unbridgeable power gap.
Uehara Shiroha's unconscious Reiatsu emission had caused all of Hueco Mundo to tremble in response, even diminishing the luminosity of the perpetual cold moon that hung in the endless night sky.
When measured against the vast, primordial will of Hueco Mundo itself, he had barely damaged the metaphorical fur of this ancient consciousness. Yet his demonstrated control over fundamental principles and authority had once again shocked the entire dimensional plane, causing all powerful Hollows to experience the instinctive terror of facing an apex predator. Cold sweat broke out across their monstrous forms.
A mere flash of Reiatsu possessed such overwhelming oppressive force? Whose spiritual pressure could possibly manifest such terrifying potency? Could this be the legendary Lord of Hueco Mundo, Aizen himself? Or something even more ancient and terrible?
Meanwhile, the Visored had finally arrived at the replica Karakura Town in the present world, adding a new variable to the unfolding conflict.
Not long before, they had encountered Chōjirō Sasakibe, the "Thunder King," who maintained vigilant guard over the dimensional barrier. As a consummate "professional gatekeeper," Sasakibe had initially refused the Visored entry into the protected zone.
His reluctance stemmed from multiple considerations: on one hand, he couldn't fully trust the Visored's stated intentions given their complicated history; on the other, Uehara Shiroha had been systematically eliminating enemies at that particular juncture and appeared to require no additional reinforcement.
Subsequently, Aizen had managed to escape from Yamamoto's flame prison, and Uehara Shiroha's ice clone had dissipated. Shinji Hirako bluntly assessed that since Aizen had dared to directly confront Ryūjin Jakka, he must have implemented comprehensive countermeasures against the ancient weapon.
Even if old man Yama remained fundamentally invincible, they needed to exercise extreme caution regarding Aizen's cunning stratagems. After all, Aizen had been manipulating everyone like chess pieces from the beginning and bore direct responsibility for the Visored's forced exile.
Their very existence represented a variable beyond Aizen's predictive calculations. By joining the battle, they might potentially catch Aizen off-guard, creating an opening to decisively neutralize him.
Lieutenant Sasakibe recognized the validity of this reasoning. In scenarios where direct confrontation proved insufficient, Aizen would inevitably resort to underhanded tactics. Therefore, from a strategic perspective, increasing their combat assets made logical sense.
The vice-captain of the First Division harbored legitimate concerns regarding Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's safety, so he ultimately granted the Visored permission to enter the barrier and engage with Aizen's forces.
Thus, under the leadership of Shinji Hirako (former captain of the Fifth Division), accompanied by Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi (former captain of the Third Division), Love Aikawa (former captain of the Seventh Division), Kensei Muguruma (former captain of the Ninth Division), and Hachigen Ushōda (former vice Kidō chief), along with Lisa Yadōmaru (former lieutenant of the Eighth Division), Mashiro Kuna (former lieutenant of the Ninth Division), and Hiyori Sarugaki (former lieutenant of the Twelfth Division and head researcher at the Shinigami Research and Development Institute), the Visored entered the Karakura Town barrier as a united force.
This formidable contingent—comprising eight Visored in total, including three former captains, multiple former lieutenants, and a Kidō master proficient in spatial binding techniques—represented a significant addition to the battlefield dynamics. Their combined combat potential could potentially determine the ultimate outcome of this war, introducing an unpredictable element to the strategic equation.