"It didn't even hit me at that close range," Kyōraku Callum scoffed, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes as he activated Shunpo again. BO
"It didn't even hit me at that close range," Kyōraku Callum scoffed, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes as he activated Shunpo again.
BOOM!
A series of deafening explosions ripped through the area, swallowing the landscape in a maelstrom of destruction.
Suì-Fēng, observing the battle from a distance, looked pale, her expression reflecting a dramatic shift in her mindset.
Her initial disdain for the Hōgyoku had given way to apprehension, and now, a chilling fear gripped her.
"This bizarre Hollow possesses the strength of a Vasto Lorde, without a doubt!" Suì-Fēng's gaze fell upon the Hōgyoku's black armor; the butterfly markings had been unleashed, yet they proved completely ineffective.
She now understood: her spiritual pressure was vastly inferior to the Hōgyoku's, rendering Suzumebachi's abilities useless.
Kyōraku Callum, however, possessed a far clearer understanding of the Hōgyoku's power. This Hollow, after all, had been able to suppress Isshin Shiba even while he was in his Shikai state.
While Aizen had dealt Isshin Shiba a debilitating blow, preventing him from achieving Bankai, he still possessed the significant enhancements granted by his Shikai.
Furthermore, if Kurosaki Ichigo hadn't arrived when he did, Isshin Shiba might well have perished in the World of the Living.
A thick cloud of smoke and dust billowed from the Cero explosions, gradually obscuring visibility.
The Wasteland was ravaged by spiritual particle turbulence, and the spiritual particle density here was on par with, if not greater than, Soul Society itself. Kyōraku Callum had attempted to manipulate the spiritual particle flows beneath his feet to lift himself into the air, but the density proved too great, preventing him from achieving lift-off.
He abandoned this strategy, choosing to engage the Hōgyoku on the ground.
"Hadō #73. Sōren Sōkatsui!"
Intense blue light erupted from Kyōraku Callum's palm, a massive concentration of spiritual pressure coalescing into a blue inferno that blasted forth.
ROAR— A violent shockwave tore through the air, emanating from the heart of the explosion. A deep, blood-red light pulsed in the distance, its immense spiritual pressure sending a wave of foreboding through Kyōraku Callum.
"Bakudō #81. Dankū!"
A steady voice cut through the chaos as Kyōraku Callum uttered the incantation.
His palm extended forward, a massive, transparent wall instantly materializing before him. The moment the Dankū barrier formed, a thick, crimson beam of light sliced through the smoke and dust.
Cero!
The Hōgyoku, positioned not far from Kyōraku Callum, lowered its head, its horn aimed directly at him. A powerful crimson beam of energy erupted from the horn's tip.
The surrounding space seemed to vibrate violently.
Kyōraku Callum could clearly see the Hōgyoku's Cero triggering the already volatile spiritual particle turbulence in the Wasteland.
Cero vs. Dankū!
Under the pressure of the sudden attack, Kyōraku Callum couldn't afford the time to chant a full Kidō incantation.
The resulting Kidō, lacking the power of a fully chanted spell, was considerably weaker.
"Will this even hold?" Kyōraku Callum wasn't entirely confident. To be precise, from the start of the battle, he hadn't had a clear grasp of his own current strength.
For over a year, aside from his research on the Dangai space with Kurotsuchi, he had dedicated himself to honing his swordsmanship and practicing Sitting Meditation.
Each level ascended on the Time Staircase had significantly enhanced his spiritual pressure. He had now successfully reached the 9999th level!
However, this very accomplishment left him uncertain about his precise spiritual pressure level.
"Perhaps I should try releasing all my spiritual pressure?" The thought occurred to him as he observed the Dankū barrier beginning to crack under the relentless assault.
Suì-Fēng, witnessing the battle from a distance, noticed the fissures appearing in the Dankū barrier, her heart clenching with alarm.
"No, I have to help Kyōraku Callum." Just as she was preparing to release her Shikai, a sudden, dramatic change occurred.
A colossal spiritual pressure erupted, exploding outwards with overwhelming force, like a collapsing mountain or a surging tsunami, instantly engulfing the entire Wasteland!
Suì-Fēng stared, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
"Impossible… That's Kyōraku Callum's spiritual pressure?!
This is… utterly absurd!"
North Rukongai's 80th district.
Three figures, cloaked in black, remained motionless, their movements concealed by a Kidō barrier.
"My, my, what an astounding display of spiritual pressure!" Gin Ichimaru's voice was light, yet his tone betrayed a hint of unease.
He had even widened his eyes at the moment Kyōraku Callum's spiritual pressure reached its peak, a testament to his surprise.
"Unbelievable. Kyōraku Callum's strength has reached such terrifying heights," Tōsen Kaname remarked, his blindness ironically sharpening his perception of spiritual pressure. The overwhelming wave of spiritual pressure felt intensely oppressive.
He couldn't help but shudder at the thought of facing such power if he were in the Hōgyoku's place.
Aizen's voice remained calm and unreadable, betraying no emotion. "The deeper the concealment, the greater the ambition. Kyōraku Callum's ambitions clearly surpass those of Seireitei itself."
This exceptionally high assessment surprised both Gin Ichimaru and Tōsen Kaname. They rarely heard Aizen offer such effusive praise, Kyōraku Callum being a notable exception.
"Let's go. The Hōgyoku has served its purpose," Aizen stated, turning to leave without any lingering hesitation. Gin Ichimaru and Tōsen Kaname followed suit, departing from the North Rukongai's 80th district.
Kyōraku Callum let out a long breath, a low murmur escaping his lips. "I miscalculated," he admitted. "I never anticipated the Time Staircase's enhancement to spiritual pressure would be this… terrifying." He had witnessed Kyōraku Shunsui's spiritual pressure release, and he knew it had never been remotely this intense.
The majority of the Cero's power had been absorbed by the Dankū barrier, but the moment his spiritual pressure reached its peak, the remaining energy dissipated completely. The Hōgyoku, seemingly reduced to a primal, instinctual beast, let out a deafening roar.
"If I'd known," Kyōraku Callum said calmly, his eyes as still and reflective as a tranquil lake.
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