Deep within Hueco Mundo, in the Great Forest of Menos, Raizen Kō who had been seated in silent meditation slowly opened his eyes.
Because his consciousness was linked directly to Ito Makoto in Soul Society, he was able to perceive everything happening there in real time.
"If the clone has already reached Fifth-Class spiritual pressure, then my main body's Reiryoku must be at least five times greater. Based on the Soul Society's classification standards, my current level should just barely reach Third-Class Reiatsu."
In other words, Raizen Kō's total spiritual pressure had likely crossed the threshold typically associated with a Gotei 13 captain. However, in terms of combat techniques and refined abilities, he was still far from matching a true captain-class Shinigami.
Considering his overall strength, Raizen Kō could at best be described as quasi-captain level.
And yet, at this moment, he remained nothing more than a Gillian-class Menos Grande an enormous Hollow who had not even evolved into an Arrancar.
He had not yet reached the evolutionary limit of Hollows, so attempting to become an Arrancar now would be premature.
Still, improvements in skill especially in Zanjutsu could bring rapid short-term growth. After all, while most Adjuchas still relied purely on claws and fangs, Raizen Kō had already begun to wield a sword.
This was precisely why he had chosen to let his clone join the Eleventh Division. There was no better place to temper swordsmanship than in an environment filled with endless battles and bloodshed.
...
"ROOOOAR!"
Staring at the group of Gillians howling toward the sky in front of him, Raizen Kō merely nodded slightly.
In that instant, he released his full spiritual pressure without restraint.
His Reiatsu surged to its peak.
Although they were technically of the same Gillian class, Raizen Kō's spiritual pressure vastly surpassed theirs. Even most Adjuchas would be far inferior to him.
And yet, these mindless Gillians did not scatter in fear.
The only reason they could remain standing before him was obvious someone was controlling them from the shadows.
"So you refuse to show yourself, huh?"
Raizen Kō raised his right hand casually.
Immediately, a lightning-shaped whip, as thick as a grown man's arm and over a hundred meters long, materialized in his grasp.
With a single fierce swing, the whip twisted violently through the air and tore through the surrounding Gillians like fragile paper.
The shredded remains were instantly absorbed as his Soul Eater ability activated, converting them into pure spiritual power.
Just as Raizen Kō was savoring the familiar sensation of energy flowing into his body, his expression shifted.
"…Found you."
A savage grin spread across his face.
Without hesitation, he rushed deeper into the dense forest. Arriving at a seemingly empty patch of air, he drew his blade and slashed downward.
"Splash!"
A strange resistance traveled through the sword, as if he had struck the surface of water.
Immediately afterward, the previously calm space began to ripple like a disturbed lake. The distortions started small but rapidly intensified.
Suddenly, a bizarre creature leapt out from the rippling void.
It was a strange fish-like Hollow, roughly one meter in length, covered in dark blue skin and sharp bone spikes.
"Thwack!"
There was no doubt about it this Adjuchas was the one who had been controlling the Gillians earlier.
Its small size made it incredibly agile. The moment it appeared, it whipped its spiked tail toward Raizen Kō.
Although he evaded the strike with Sonído, the creature immediately dove back into another set of spatial ripples.
"…Interesting."
Its spiritual pressure was not particularly strong far weaker than the half-centaur Adjuchas Raizen Kō had once used to create his clone.
However, its fighting method was undeniably unique.
"Whoosh!"
The ripples appeared again this time directly behind Raizen Kō.
Just as the strange fish prepared to burst out and pierce his back, Raizen Kō calmly swept his sword backward.
"Clang!"
A sharp metallic impact rang out as he perfectly intercepted the ambush.
After several exchanges, Raizen Kō began to understand his opponent's limitations.
This strange Adjuchas could not remain hidden within those spatial ripples indefinitely. That was why it had to periodically emerge and attack.
"The interval between appearances is roughly five seconds," Raizen Kō analyzed calmly. "And it never emerges from the same location twice in a row."
Having grasped the rhythm of its attacks, he simply stood motionless in the center of the area, waiting.
"Whoosh!"
The ripples formed once more directly above his head.
"Flash Lightning."
"Crack!"
Without even glancing upward, Raizen Kō released a burst of electrical Reiatsu around his body. The creature that had just attempted to attack was instantly struck and paralyzed.
Since he had already deduced that it could only remain hidden for five seconds at a time, he needed only to time his technique accordingly.
Every five seconds, he unleashed Flash Lightning in all directions. No matter where the Adjuchas appeared, it would inevitably be electrocuted.
The battle quickly devolved into a one-sided spectacle.
"Whoosh!"
"Crack!"
"Whoosh!"
"Crack!"
It was almost like a cruel game.
Each time the strange fish poked its head out, it was immediately blasted by lightning. After several cycles, its body began to emit the faint smell of burnt flesh.
At last, the spatial ripples retreated far into the distance.
Clearly, the creature had lost the will to fight and was attempting to flee.
"Trying to run? Not a chance."
Raizen Kō chuckled coldly.
Another lightning whip formed in his hand. With precise timing, he lashed it forward.
Just as the strange fish attempted to emerge again, the whip wrapped tightly around its body and yanked it back.
Without wasting time, Raizen Kō raised his sword, ready to end the nuisance once and for all.
"My King, please spare me! Jiwa Barnes is willing to submit please don't kill me!"
A surprisingly youthful voice suddenly came from the creature's mouth, completely at odds with its grotesque appearance.
"Oh? You can speak."
Raizen Kō tilted his head slightly.
"Then give me a reason not to kill you."
He held the crackling lightning whip in his left hand and his sword in his right, staring down at the captured Adjuchas with calm interest.
Jiwa Barnes glanced miserably at the towering, jet-black humanoid Menos Grande before him and screamed internally.
"A dignified Vasto Lorde bullying a mere Adjuchas like me what kind of nonsense is this?! If you're so powerful, go challenge Baraggan Louisenbairn in Las Noches instead!"
Clearly, Jiwa Barnes had mistaken Raizen Kō for a Vasto Lorde.
If he ever discovered that the monster before him was actually only a Gillian, he would likely faint from shock.
Despite his inner complaints, his tone remained utterly submissive.
"Great Vasto Lorde… I know the location of a gathering place for Adjuchas. I can guide you there. There are at least five of them perhaps more. Please, just promise not to eat me!"
"Hm? Are you certain?"
Raizen Kō narrowed his eyes.
Ever since advancing, he had encountered astonishingly few Adjuchas. Including Jiwa Barnes, only three in total.
The sudden claim that five were gathered in one place naturally made him suspicious.
"Absolutely, my great Lord! How could a lowly Adjuchas like Jiwa Barnes dare deceive such a powerful Vasto Lorde?"
The strange fish groveled desperately, clearly terrified of being turned into Hollow sashimi.
"…Very well. I'll believe you for now."
Raizen Kō lowered his blade.
"But just in case…"
He condensed a mass of lightning into his palm, compressing it into a small but violently unstable sphere.
Grabbing Jiwa Barnes by the jaw, Raizen Kō forced his mouth open and shoved the lightning sphere directly inside.
This was a new application of Flash Lightning implanting highly compressed electrical Reiatsu into a target's body.
With a mere thought, even from an immense distance, Raizen Kō could detonate it at any time.
The explosion would tear Jiwa Barnes apart from the inside.
Only after completing this insurance measure did Raizen Kō release the lightning whip and set the trembling Adjuchas free.
"Now then," Raizen Kō said coldly, "lead the way."