After Ito Kai's spiritual pressure completely dissipated, Ronan's spiritual pressure was no longer obstructed in the slightest, pouring into the Asauchi like a flood.
Suddenly, Ronan felt a dizzying sensation. Looking up, the surrounding scenery had drastically changed; it was clearly no longer the Great Hollow Forest, and not even in Hueco Mundo!
Looking at the low earthen houses and messy streets around him, Ronan's mind went blank.
"This is... the West District of Rukongai, District 77?"
Ronan found that the scene he was in was identical to the Rukongai in Ito Kai's memory.
"Am I... in Soul Society? No, this is the inner world, this is Ito Kai's inner world!"
Just as Ronan was bewildered, a handsome, tall purple-haired youth suddenly appeared at the end of the chaotic long street. He was dressed in a soul reaper uniform and held an Asauchi.
"Ito Kai?"
Looking at the imposing man walking quickly towards him, Ronan tentatively spoke!
The purple-haired man did not reply, but instead rushed towards Ronan. The Asauchi at his waist quickly unsheathed, and from dozens of yards away, he unleashed a horizontal slash towards Ronan.
The next instant, 'Ito Kai' was three feet in front of Ronan, delivering a decisive blow.
"So fast! Is this Shunpo?"
In a panic, Ronan could only attach lightning arcs to his right arm and hastily block.
"Pfft!"
Crimson blood gushed out like a fountain; Ronan's large right arm was severed by 'Ito Kai' with a single slash.
Fortunately, Ronan reacted quickly, immediately using Sonido to create distance. He then used his tail to coil around the severed arm on the ground and place it at the wound.
Just as the severed arm and the wriggling flesh at the wound were about to reattach, the purple-haired man struck again. The long blade in his hand instantly transformed into a pitch-black long spear. From a distance, he lightly swung the long spear, unleashing a powerful gust of wind that directly shattered Ronan's almost-healed severed arm.
"Damn it, what incredible speed!"
Ronan cried out in pain and rapidly retreated again, using Sonido several times in succession before finally escaping the range of the gust of wind unleashed by the pitch-black long spear.
The flesh at the severed arm's opening wriggled frantically, and finally, the severed right arm was restored.
Because the severed arm was blasted away, regenerating a severed arm consumed much more spiritual pressure than reattaching and then regenerating it. However, Ronan did not feel even the slightest consumption of spiritual pressure within his body, which fully confirmed that he was currently in Ito Kai's inner world.
But Ronan clearly remembered the setting of the 'King and Mount' in the original Shinigami story: being killed in the inner world truly meant dying.
Looking at 'Ito Kai' charging at him again, intent on dismembering him, Ronan blurted out randomly.
"I can help you find Kasumioji Unokawa!"
Hearing this, the purple-haired man immediately stopped, squatted on the ground with his hands clutching his head, and showed a pained expression.
"My wife... Unokawa!"
"I am, Ito Kai... No, I am Kamikaze Maru!"
Ronan saw the purple-haired man in front of him acting erratically, like he was having a fit. He also had no way to leave this inner world, and Ronan didn't dare to ask, so he just stood still and watched.
After a while, the purple-haired man gradually calmed down.
Then he looked at Ronan and slowly spoke:
"I am... Kamikaze Maru... existing by my master's obsession, to find Unokawa..."
After saying this, the purple-haired man waved his hand, and Ronan suddenly felt another dizzying sensation. When he came to his senses, he suddenly found himself back in the Great Hollow Forest.
"I'm back?"
Ronan seemed to have spent a considerable amount of time in the inner world, but in reality, less than a second had passed in the real world.
However, Ronan still felt lingering fear recalling everything that had just happened. The joy he had felt from constantly devouring various Hollows and growing stronger during his time in Hueco Mundo was shattered.
"A Vice-Captain's level of Shinigami is this formidable..."
"No, I can't be complacent. I must continue to grow stronger!"
Ronan quickly calmed his mind and began to review. This unexpected understanding of Ito Kai's past was not without its benefits; at the very least, he possessed all of Ito Kai's memories from his training.
He immediately raised his left hand and pointed at the giant tree in front of him.
"Hado Number Four: White Lightning!"
Ronan called out the Hado number and circulated his spiritual pressure according to the method in Ito Kai's memory. Although Ito Kai was known as the Third Seat of the melee-focused Eleventh Division, he was quite skilled in Kido techniques, with White Lightning being his most proficient.
One second later!
Two seconds later!
Thirty seconds later!
Still nothing happened...
"Alright, so a Hollow's spiritual pressure really can't use Shinigami techniques."
However, Ronan didn't feel discouraged; he had only tried it on a whim.
What truly delighted him was the Asauchi currently held in his right hand, which had become over ten meters long and perfectly suited his physique!
"I must be the only Hollow in this world who possesses a Zanpakuto without becoming an Arrancar!"
Apparently, his previous encounter in the inner world had granted him the right to use this Zanpakuto, and he possessed all of Ito Kai's memories of practicing Zanjutsu and past battles. All he lacked now was practical experience.
This was Zanjutsu of a Squad Captain level. As long as he could skillfully apply these Zanjutsu techniques, his strength would undergo a qualitative leap in the shortest possible time!
Ronan lightly raised his right hand and unleashed a slash. A sharp flash of blade light passed, and a giant tree beside him, over a hundred meters tall with a trunk diameter exceeding five meters, was horizontally cut down by Ronan's single slash.
"Rumble!"
The giant tree crashed down, raising a large cloud of dust and crushing many low shrubs.
"Good, truly worthy of Sword God Nimaiya Ōetsu's work, what a treasure!"
Ronan looked at the Zanpakuto in his hand, liking it more and more. With the infusion of his spiritual pressure, the formerly chipped Zanpakuto had been restored to its original, pristine state. Moreover, this blade could adapt to his physique, becoming ten meters long!
Ronan was like a child with a new toy, flipping the gigantic long blade over and over in his hands!
...
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
Seven Gillians let out earth-shattering roars, surrounding the small Giant Hollow that dared to provoke them, as if they were about to swarm him and tear him to shreds the next instant!
"Sigh, just a few more mindless, ordinary Gillians. Can't I get a decent opponent? If not an Adjuchas, at least give me a unique Gillian!"
Ronan seemed somewhat unenthusiastic. He then raised the 'plus-sized' Zanpakuto in his hand and swung it several times!
Seven blade lights flashed, and all seven Gillians were cut in half.
Then Soul Eater activated, and a dark golden vortex illuminated at Ronan's tail, completely devouring all seven Gillians.
Feeling the increase in his spiritual pressure, Ronan revealed a comfortable smile.
Half a year had passed since Ronan obtained this Zanpakuto. In these six months, Ronan had mastered most of the Zanjutsu from Ito Kai's memories. And for half a year, Ronan had been devouring Gillians everywhere; now, his spiritual pressure was four or five times greater than when he first arrived at the Great Hollow Forest.
Ordinary Gillians were no longer a match for him in a single blow!