"Kuchiki-san! Nel! Tia! Captain Unohana—you're all back!"
Orihime Inoue looked up in surprise when she saw them return. But as they got closer, she blinked in confusion and tilted her head.
"Huh? Nel… Tia… Why do you two look… prettier than before?"
She was still an innocent high school girl, and though she noticed something was different, she didn't realize that the two now had a certain mature glow about them.
"Orhime-chan, let me tell you!" Nel grinned and ran over, hugging Orihime tightly.
Her personality was still childlike, and she was always friendly toward Orihime. She was just about to excitedly share some of the pleasant experiences she'd had earlier.
But Rukia's face instantly flushed red. She coughed hard and cut her off.
"N-Nel, don't say anything right now! We need to head to the human world and help!"
She was terrified Nel would start talking, and then another "sister" might be added to the mix...
Nel blinked, confused, but nodded obediently.
At that moment, "Kurosaki Ichigo" slowly pushed himself up with one hand. His body trembled as he stood, and he looked at Nanaya with fierce killing intent.
"You damn bastard… I'm going to kill you someday…"
But the voice wasn't Ichigo's usual tone. It sounded distorted—like an electronic sound.
Nanaya froze for a moment, confused, then realized something and his expression changed.
"Oh… You're Kyōbaku! But where's your mask?"
Kyōbaku's eye twitched in frustration.
"You… did you forget what you did!?"
Nanaya thought for a while, then finally remembered.
When he was in his Nine Tails form, poor Ichigo had his full potential awakened—and ended up summoning Kyōbaku to take the hits for him.
Kyōbaku was dragged out and used as a punching bag.
Eventually, pushed to his limit, Kyōbaku activated his Hollow Bull transformation…
…And got pummeled again.
Nanaya had been partly conscious back then. He held back just enough not to kill him, but the guy's Hollow mask had been shattered into pieces.
And yeah… now that he thought about it, Kyōbaku did cry a little.
That would explain the electronic, sobbing tone.
"Ahem! Cough—why don't you head back now!"
Nanaya awkwardly waved his hand and activated his Rinnegan, sending Kyōbaku back into Ichigo's subconscious.
He wasn't comfortable talking with someone he'd turned into a literal punching bag.
"KR—!"
Kyōbaku didn't even get to finish his sentence.
Kurosaki Ichigo's own consciousness returned. He blinked, dazed, looking around.
"…Is it over?"
"I'm not getting beat up anymore?"
Inside Ichigo's inner world, his Hollow self exploded in rage. He swung his pure white Zanpakutō like a madman.
"You bastards! Both of you! I swear, if I ever get the chance—I'll kill you both!!"
He was furious.
One had pulled him out just to be used as a shield.
The other had beat him down without a second thought.
Nanaya coughed awkwardly again and muttered, "Yeah, yeah… Anyway, go find Kurotsuchi Mayuri. Hopefully, that guy hasn't been beaten into a coma by my Nine Tails form…"
Meanwhile, over Karakura Town—
"Chase him down, wolves."
Coyote Starrk spoke lazily, but an immense wave of spiritual pressure spread from his body.
For the first time, his appearance changed.
A Hollow mask appeared just above his eyes, like the frame of glasses. His forearms and calves grew tufts of gray fur—resembling a wolf's limbs.
He held a musket in each hand—like a hunter on the prowl.
He aimed the two guns at Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jūshirō, who stood opposite him. Then he scratched his head with the gunstock and sighed.
"Are you two really going to fight me seriously?"
He sounded more tired than angry.
"I don't think you stand a chance…"
Kyoraku Shunsui's usual relaxed look was gone.
Jūshirō Ukitake's expression had turned grim.
They glanced around at the situation—across every battlefield. Things were going badly… very badly.
Almost every fight was tipping against them.
"The outcome isn't decided yet," Kyoraku said firmly, but his voice was tense.
He had already prepared himself mentally to activate Bankai.
So had Ukitake.
"…Then I guess there's no helping it."
Starrk let out a sigh and raised both muskets again, this time with intent.
"Unlimited Cero Reload."
In an instant, a dazzling blue light burst from the barrels of both guns.
And in just one second—hundreds of blue Cero blasts shot out.
Even though he looked bored on the outside, Starrk's power was terrifying once he got serious.
"Hundreds of Cero!?"
Kyoraku and Ukitake's expressions turned pale.
"Kh… damn it…"
Sui-Feng stared at her right arm in disbelief—reduced to bare bone. Her face twisted in anger and shock, and she nearly cracked her teeth from clenching them so hard.
"Damn it all…"
She had fought through hell to defeat the Menos Grande named Gio Weiger. Her next target had been Baraggan himself.
But she hadn't expected this.
The former emperor of Hueco Mundo truly wielded terrifying power.
His ability—Aging.
Just a single touch, and the flesh on her right arm had instantly withered to ash, leaving behind nothing but bleached bone.
"Give it up, Shinigami. It's useless to struggle."
Baraggan's voice was cold and commanding.
"What I control… is the most dreadful force in existence. Even death gods can't resist the decay of time."
"You're strong, I'll give you that—after all, you defeated one of my Fracción."
"But that's the limit of your power."
Baraggan pulled out his weapon, his skeletal hand gripping it tightly.
"Now… turn to bone!"
Elsewhere—
"Ryūjin Jakka… sealed."
In mid-air, Aizen Sōsuke appeared, his presence calm and composed as ever.
He looked toward the Captain-Commander and spoke in a flat tone:
"Kill him, Wonderweiss."
The creature known as Wonderweiss had fully transformed into his "Fire-Eating Prince" form. He absorbed all of Yamamoto's intense flames—completely sealing away the power of Ryūjin Jakka.
Upon receiving the order, Wonderweiss charged forward without hesitation.
"Hmph… Aizen, you think I'm helpless just because my Zanpakutō is sealed!?"
Yamamoto Genryūsai scoffed, throwing off his outer robe.
He raised his fists.
With just one punch, he shattered most of Wonderweiss's body.
A second punch, and the Fire-Eating Prince was completely obliterated.
But then—
A massive eruption of flames burst from Wonderweiss's remains.
"What!?"
Yamamoto's eyes widened in shock.
Aizen watched it all unfold with unsettling calm.
"There's no need for me to explain it to you, Captain-Commander," he said. "I simply needed to resolve this sooner than expected."
There was impatience in Aizen's voice now—something unusual for him.
That human from Soul Society had accelerated his plans. He was being forced to act before he was fully prepared.
He didn't like it.
After centuries of preparation, this final act was supposed to unfold under his control. Smoothly. Perfectly.
And yet now—he had to step in personally.
"It's over."
As Aizen finished speaking, the remains of Wonderweiss exploded.
A towering pillar of fire engulfed the battlefield. The flames soared into the sky, threatening to consume all of Karakura Town.
But just as they reached their peak…
They suddenly shrank.
Compressed tightly into a single point…
And detonated in an instant.
A thunderous explosion shook the ground.
When the smoke cleared, a massive crater remained—scorched and glowing with magma.
Inside it… lay Yamamoto Genryūsai.
His body was charred and motionless.
Aizen walked calmly toward the fallen captain, slowly drawing Kyōka Suigetsu.
"I won't bother pretending to let you live," Aizen said softly. "You've earned your place in Soul Society's history. Now… I'll send you off myself."
Just then—
A sudden noise tore through the sky.
RRRIIIIIPPPP!
A black crack split open in midair—like a wound in space.
Nine monstrous arms clawed their way out of the darkness—some with claws, some with hooves, others with wings.
The air vibrated with a sharp tearing sound.
The crack stretched wider and wider.
Every Shinigami on the battlefield froze.
Their expressions changed instantly.
They thought more Menos reinforcements had arrived. Panic set in—their situation had already been desperate.
But the Menos Grande themselves looked confused.
Reinforcements? What reinforcements? No one had mentioned this.
As far as they knew, their last cards had already been played.
And then—
One by one, they emerged from the darkness.
One-Tail: Shukaku
Two-Tails: Nekomata
Three-Tails: Isobu
Four-Tails: Son Gokū
Five-Tails: Kokuō
Six-Tails: Saiken
Seven-Tails: Chōmei
Eight-Tails: Gyūki
Nine-Tails: Kurama
Nine colossal beasts—each one shaped like a Menos Grande Arrancar—emerged from the rift in the sky.
And together—they roared.
The ground shook.
The skies trembled.
Even the strongest warriors felt their hearts skip a beat.
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