In the real world—
Inside the abandoned warehouse, a pair of eyes widened slightly as they watched Kurosaki Ichigo's figure step through the entrance to the base.
Hirako Shinji's lips curled upward into a smug grin.
"Heh heh… as long as Ichigo sets one foot through that door, everything after this is easy to handle!"
"I'm guessing that in the future, the lot of us are going to give him the most enthusiastic welcome, right?"
As the leader, Hirako Shinji was more excited than anyone.
Ever since the countdown videos started playing, in all the clips that had been exposed so far, the Visoreds' presence had been almost nonexistent.
To put it bluntly, their sense of existence wasn't much better than background extras.
In the previous rankings, the only impression they'd left on the audience was of getting beaten up over and over again—repeatedly used as fodder to highlight the power of others.
They'd been reduced to props to hype up Kenpachi… or to showcase the strength of pure-blood Quincy.
They'd been mocked more than once, becoming the butt of countless jokes in the viewers' mouths!!!
However—
As this new scene was revealed, Hirako Shinji was convinced:
The good days for the Visored Corps were finally about to begin!!!
Kurosaki Ichigo—
This protagonist.
For them, his importance could not be overstated.
If he really had to make a comparison, then it would be like the relationship between Ōetsu and the Zero Division: the difference between a thick thigh and four strands of leg hair clinging to it.
Yes—
With Hirako Shinji's lazy personality, he couldn't ask for anything better than to grab onto Ichigo's thigh and let the main character carry them to victory.
Lying flat.
Being a salted fish.
Isn't that the shared dream of every slacker?
And now something this nice was being delivered right to their doorstep.
All the other spectators could only be jealous!!!
——
At the same time—
While the Visored captains were secretly delighted, the footage on the screen continued to play:
"Ichigo…"
No sooner had Kurosaki Ichigo stepped into the interior of the warehouse than a welcoming voice came from ahead.
"Seeing you come here of your own accord, it looks like you've finally made up your mind…"
"You want to become one of us!!!"
Around him, the other Visored captains were standing on different levels of the building, gathered together.
All of their gazes looked down from above, uniformly fixed on Kurosaki Ichigo, curiously sizing him up.
And when this scene was shown—
The present-day Ichigo watching the video couldn't help getting excited.
"So that's how it is…"
"In the future, aside from Dad, Urahara-san, and Yoruichi-san…"
"I'm going to gain a whole group of powerful comrades like this as well?"
Ichigo's eyes were bright with excitement, filled with pleasant surprise.
Granted—
In the clips shown earlier, if we're being honest, the Visored captains' combat performance really had been pretty disappointing.
But that didn't change the fact that every one of them had once been a powerful captain from a hundred years ago.
And on top of that, they had mastered the power of Hollowfication.
In reality, their true combat strength was nowhere near as weak as the footage made them look.
It was only because of plot needs that they'd been unjustly treated and forced into the role of jobbers!
In fact—
Right this moment, after watching this segment—
As a hot-blooded teenager, Ichigo even felt an impulse rising in his chest.
He could barely stop himself from getting up right now, leaving the viewing hall, and going straight to the outskirts of Karakura Town…
To meet the Visored Corps face to face ahead of time, for a real-life meetup!!!
Who knew—
By that point…
With the guidance of these eight Visored captains,
Even if the timeline changed,
even if he didn't become a Shinigami via Rukia pouring her power into him,
Ichigo was still confident—
That after he fully absorbed the "experience pack" brought by White Ichigo,
And then received the eight-on-one, personalized coaching from the Visored Corps,
His future growth wouldn't be any worse than in the original storyline.
If anything, it would skyrocket!
One year of training would be worth three hundred years for someone else!
He'd be able to grow into a top-tier powerhouse before the Thousand-Year Blood War even began!
"That's right…"
"That's exactly how it's going to be!"
"This feeling of having found a group to belong to… is really great…"
After imagining it all in his head,
Ichigo's smile grew brighter and brighter, and he looked forward even more to the special training the Visored Corps would give him.
What kind of impact and benefits would that bring to his current self in the real world?
——
Meanwhile—
Back in the video, the footage fast-forwarded:
"Tch…"
"Kurosaki Ichigo…"
"You still don't seem to understand the situation!"
"Whether you can learn Hollowfication, or become one of us, the right to choose lies with us!!!"
Up in the air,
Sarugaki Hiyori tilted her chin, speaking in an overbearing, arrogant tone.
And then—
"Rumble—!!!"
Facing the camera, there was a dramatic close-up.
A Hollow mask formed on Sarugaki Hiyori's face.
Her spiritual pressure multiplied, and even her voice became deeper and raspier.
After that,
She became even more domineering,
Boasting that if Kurosaki Ichigo kept hesitating and overthinking things—
Then she would use the most violent means possible to forcefully drag White Ichigo out of his body!!!
These words,
Carried by the broadcast of the ranking video into the real world,
Didn't cause an uproar at first.
Instead, everyone's first reaction was…
That Sarugaki Hiyori was looking for trouble.
And that the Visored Corps' way of doing things…
Was probably once again going to earn them another brutal beatdown!!!
"Gin…"
"Back in your ranking, the slash you aimed at Sarugaki Hiyori… looks like you still went too easy on her…"
"You really should have taught that woman, who has no idea how high the heavens are, a harsher lesson back then…"
This time, even Aizen couldn't stand watching anymore.
He felt that Sarugaki Hiyori was talking way too big.
Leaving aside her actual strength—
Even within the Visored Corps, she wasn't the strongest.
The key point was this:
Using brute force to tear White Ichigo out?
Just hearing it made him want to laugh.
In Aizen's view, Sarugaki Hiyori was no different from someone trying to commit suicide.
Because in a moment,
Even with her comrades present,
And even though the former vice-kidō chief Hachigen Ushōda was on the scene in this footage,
Laying down multiple kidō barriers and making ample preparations—
That still wouldn't change
The enormous power gap between White Ichigo and Sarugaki Hiyori!
The outcome…
Went without saying.
It was bound to turn into yet another one-sided slaughter!!!
——
Sure enough—
Aizen hadn't been wrong.
"Clang—!!!"
At the beginning of the fight,
Because Ichigo's mental state was unstable and he was shaken by the fear and pressure,
Sarugaki Hiyori completely gained the upper hand.
Her Zanpakutō, Kubikiri Orochi, kept slicing through his Shihakushō,
Leaving bloody cuts all over Ichigo's body!!!
However—
This situation
Didn't last for very long.
After another clash of blades—
Just as Sarugaki Hiyori's eyes hardened and she raised her sword, ready to swing down a merciless heavy blow—
She never expected that at that very moment,
The scene would suddenly change.
The music swelled, and the moment everyone had been waiting for with bated breath finally arrived!
"Ha—"
A Hollow's roar
Burst from Kurosaki Ichigo's mouth.
Immediately afterward, on the right side of his face, around the corner of his eye,
A red crescent-shaped pattern appeared.
A Hollow mask rapidly formed, and a savage, violent aura surged outward!
"Holy crap…"
"It's here, it's here!!!"
"Last time it got interrupted, but this time, is White Ichigo finally coming out again?"
"This little delinquent totally has it coming! She was acting so cocky earlier—she's about to pay for it, right?"
"Whether it's a man or a woman, White Ichigo never bothers to reason with anyone…"
The atmosphere in the viewing halls
Was instantly fired up.
The expressions of the audience shifted from simple curiosity
To excitement and anticipation.
And sure enough—
What happened next did not disappoint a single person!!!
"Boom—!!!"
With one swing of the Zanpakutō,
A shockwave blasted out, brutally hurling Sarugaki Hiyori's body away.
Yet even while she was still flying—
The figure of Kurosaki Ichigo, whose body had been taken over,
Flashed in front of her as if he had teleported.
Then, right in front of the camera, that hand reached out and grabbed viciously!
His fingers clamped down
On Sarugaki Hiyori's throat.
As he crushed her Hollow mask, he slammed her entire body into the ground like a drumhead and drove her straight in!
"Rumble—!!!"
The old warehouse wall was smashed through.
Sarugaki Hiyori was on the verge of suffocation, her expression twisted in agony.
The Hollow power receded,
And she was left with no strength to fight back at all.
Her performance was nothing like that of a captain who had survived for a hundred years.
It was more like…
She only needed a few more seconds—
And White Ichigo would choke the life out of her with his bare hands!!!
This scene
Scared the Visored Corps out of their wits.
Both the ones in the present and the ones in the future within the clip were panicking at the same time!!!
"Ah?!"
"Crap! We flipped the car!!!"
"Quick! What are you all spacing out for? The future versions of us need to get over there and save her!"
"If this keeps up… Hiyori really is going to be killed…"
Hirako Shinji was so anxious he was practically spinning in circles on the spot.
A moment ago, seeing Ichigo show up at their doorstep,
He had been full of confidence, certain they'd secure the protagonist without a doubt.
But now—
With this life-and-death scene right in front of them,
His composure fell apart; he was utterly flustered, his face full of worry.
Joking around was one thing, and fooling around was another.
Even though Sarugaki Hiyori was always smacking him with her sandal for no reason—
Of course he didn't want to stand by and watch
A close companion die miserably right in front of his eyes!
"Yeah…"
"You can only say that Hiyori overestimated herself, and at the same time completely underestimated White Ichigo's power…"
"You can't just treat that monster like some ordinary Menos…"
"That thing is Zangetsu's spirit! A being on the level of a transcendent!"
"It's one of the few powers in the future that can actually kill the Soul King Yhwach!!!"
Around them,
Muguruma Kensei, Aikawa Love, Yadoumaru Lisa and the others all had headaches as well.
They agreed that Sarugaki Hiyori had been way too arrogant.
Given that they didn't have a god's-eye view and were missing key information—
In a way, her current suffering was a bit unfair.
She was basically getting beaten for free; there was nothing she could do about it!!!
Fortunately—
Their worries
Were soon eased when, in the video, the other seven saw that something was wrong
And acted together.
They drew their Zanpakutō at the same time,
Stepped in to stop Ichigo's rampaging body,
Forced open the Hollow mask,
Drove White Ichigo out, and let Ichigo's consciousness return, bringing the battle to an end!
"Tch…"
"Always getting in over her head…"
"That woman and the Visored Corps are all a bunch of trash…"
Grimmjow sneered.
He felt nothing but contempt for Sarugaki Hiyori's pathetic state.
That was what you got for forcing yourself into the spotlight.
Poking the hornet's nest known as White Ichigo—
Being able to walk away alive at all already meant she was lucky enough to have picked up a spare life!!!
"But, putting that aside…"
"That trash woman—when she put on that Hollow mask just now, the spiritual pressure coming off her…"
"Was exactly the same as ours as Hollows!"
"The only difference was that she had that extra mask on her face!"
Szayelaporro rested his chin in one hand,
His eyes shining with interest, a smile tugging at his lips.
As a scientist,
He was obviously extremely curious about the method about to be revealed—
The specific way in which the Visored Corps controlled the power of Hollowfication!
And this
Was what the other Arrancar were thinking as well.
They were all equally intrigued.
In particular, the protagonist Kurosaki Ichigo himself—
In a moment,
Would it turn out that,
Inside his inner world, he'd have to fight White Ichigo for control of his own body?
Or…
Was it a trial deliberately set up by the Zanpakutō spirit White Ichigo,
Forcing Ichigo to engage him in another life-or-death clash of black and white?
If that were the case…
Then it was definitely going to be worth watching!
Every time Hollow Ichigo appeared, the entire Arrancar army could feel, from up close,
That from this being who was technically their "same kind,"
There poured a never-before-seen sense of overwhelming dominance—
A crushing oppression in terms of sheer presence and power!!!
After that—
In the video,
The scene changed again. It was no longer the second-floor area of the warehouse,
But the enormous underground space hidden beneath this abandoned building.
The environment here
Was almost identical to the underground training field beneath Urahara's shop.
There was the same blue sky and white clouds and the same artificial rock formations and scenery.
Only—
This time, Kurosaki Ichigo
Was lying there completely unconscious,
Placed by the Visored captains within multiple overlapping kidō barriers.
Furthermore,
In that prone position,
His back was pinned down and sealed by binding kidō—
Five enormous iron pillars, formed from solid spiritual pressure, stood upright in a ring,
Clamping Ichigo's body tightly in place!!!
Outside the kidō barriers,
Hirako Shinji and the others all wore the same expression—
Their faces were uniformly grave and solemn.
This series of images
Triggered another wave of commotion the instant it hit the real world.
"So it's begun?"
"The process of Hollowfication training!!"
"Judging by this, Ichigo's consciousness must have once again entered his inner world…"
On the throne in Las Noches,
Aizen's face remained calm,
But at the bottom of his eyes, there was a faint glint of anticipation.
No doubt,
This time would be different from last time.
The battle between White Ichigo and Kurosaki Ichigo was bound to be even more intense, sparks flying everywhere!
"Tsk, tsk…"
Ichimaru Gin continued, "If Ichigo fails again this time, or if White Ichigo decides he wants to toy with him a bit…"
"Then his personality might actually end up being suppressed for a long stretch of time!"
"And at that point, this body really will be forcibly taken over…"
As Aizen and Gin discussed this,
The video once again shifted.
The scene really did switch to Kurosaki Ichigo's inner world.
Under the blue sky and white clouds, towering skyscrapers stretched endlessly.
By now, everyone was extremely familiar with this place.
So,
They were already mentally prepared.
Only—
Before anyone could react—
White Ichigo's voice suddenly boomed out, deafening:
"Yo…"
"Long time no see, king!!!"
The camera panned,
And across from Kurosaki Ichigo,
What appeared was the Hollowfied form of White Ichigo!!
"This…"
"Holy crap!!!"
"This time he shows up already carrying 'Zangetsu'?!"
"And it's actually a completely black blade!!!"
"This is the first sword that's entirely pitch-black—it's the Zangetsu that represents Hollow power alone!"
Right in front of Ichigo,
He was about to give a personal demonstration and explanation!!!
(End of Chapter)
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