Leading Nel, they arrived at a secluded mountain range far from the city.
Sombravida stopped mid-air. After scanning the surroundings and confirming there were no human settlements nearby, he nodded slightly.
"Nel. Sweep the area. There should still be stray Hollows nearby. After that gathering earlier, some must have escaped."
"Yes, Lord Sombravida."
Nel vanished with Sonído.
Moments later—
Hirako Shinji arrived using Shunpo.
Seeing one of the Adjuchas leave, his expression hardened.
"What exactly do you know?" Hirako asked coldly. "And why did two Adjuchas come to the Human World?"
Sombravida looked at him calmly.
"Before we talk," Sombravida said as the Sky-Splitting Greatsword formed in his hand, "let's exchange a few moves."
Hirako frowned.
"If we don't fight," Sombravida continued evenly, "you'll keep assuming I'm bluffing."
He had tolerated enough arrogance already.
The next second—
Sombravida released his reiatsu fully.
Dense. Compressed. Violent.
Peak Adjuchas.
The surrounding air trembled under the weight of it.
"You were holding back?" Hirako muttered, instinctively raising his own spiritual pressure. His limiter had already been released earlier in the city—this was his full captain-level output.
"There's no lieutenant here," Sombravida said calmly. "So begin."
He vanished.
Not Sonído.
Spatial displacement.
A residual afterimage lingered where he had stood.
Clang!!
Steel collided in mid-air. Hirako had reacted instantly, Sakanade intercepting the descending blade behind him.
The impact forced Hirako backward. His arm tingled from the force.
"Strong…" he muttered.
Before he could stabilize—
A pale-gold Cero shot toward him.
Standard output. No reinforcement.
"Tch."
Hirako sliced it cleanly in half.
As the light from the split Cero flared across his vision, he raised Sakanade.
"Fall down, Sakanade—"
"Fall my ass."
Sombravida vanished again.
During the earlier clash, he had marked Sakanade's spiritual signature.
Anchor established.
He reappeared within arm's reach.
His right hand seized Hirako's sword wrist.
His left blade descended.
Shhk!
Blood sprayed across the night sky.
Hirako instantly used Shunpo to retreat, grimacing.
His right arm had been severed cleanly below the shoulder.
The cut was precise.
No damage to the spiritual core.
Intentional.
Sombravida did not pursue.
Instead—
His eyes glowed faintly.
He unleashed large-scale spatial tremors across the entire mountain range.
Air warped.
Stone fractured.
Trees split apart.
But the distortions were unfocused.
They were not aimed at Hirako.
They expanded outward in all directions.
Scanning.
Probing.
If Aizen Sōsuke were concealed nearby—especially if Kyōka Suigetsu had already been activated—such instability might provoke reaction.
Nothing responded.
No concealed high-level reiatsu.
No illusion distortion pattern.
Good.
Sombravida withdrew the tremors after nearly a minute.
He exhaled slowly.
The technique consumed significant spiritual pressure.
"What are you doing?" Hirako demanded, gripping his bleeding shoulder.
"I told you," Sombravida replied calmly. "I needed to confirm your lieutenant wasn't nearby."
Hirako's eyes sharpened.
"You… what else do you know?"
Sombravida raised the severed arm slightly.
"Your arm will serve as leverage in our negotiation."
He glanced at Sakanade still in his other hand.
"I'll return your Zanpakutō when we leave. But listen carefully—if you do not use Bankai, you are no match for Aizen."
Hirako's expression changed instantly.
"So you do know Aizen."
"I know enough," Sombravida replied calmly. "You distrust him. You keep him close because you suspect him."
Hirako said nothing.
Sombravida continued.
"Aizen Sōsuke is far more dangerous than you think. If you hesitate, he will destroy you. Not just you—others as well."
"What exactly are you trying to say? Explain yourself!"
"Some things," Sombravida said evenly, "are better left unsaid."
He released a short, sharp reiatsu pulse.
Moments later, Nel returned.
"Master."
She had remained nearby the entire time, monitoring the fluctuations of Sombravida's spiritual pressure. Since it had never dropped, she had not intervened.
"Are you alright?" she asked instinctively.
Sombravida tossed her the severed arm.
"Absorb it. Stabilize fully."
Nel nodded and immediately activated her absorption ability.
Captain-level reishi flowed into her.
Her spiritual pressure stabilized completely.
Hirako stared.
"So from the beginning, you intended to take my arm?"
"What else?" Sombravida replied flatly. "Take your head?"
He tossed Sakanade back.
"I avoided core damage. The Fourth Division can restore your limb."
Hirako caught his Zanpakutō with his remaining hand.
"Ace Sombravida…" he muttered, repeating the name Sombravida had given earlier.
Sombravida stepped back.
"Remember what I told you about Aizen."
Before Hirako could respond—
A ripple in the air shifted.
Sombravida fired a Cero without turning.
The blast struck empty space—
And forced a figure into view.
Urahara Kisuke appeared, dusting off his haori.
"What a headache," Urahara sighed lightly. "You're quite difficult to observe quietly."
He used Shunpo to appear beside Hirako and immediately began applying advanced Kaidō to stabilize the bleeding.
Sombravida looked at him.
"Urahara Kisuke. I had considered making a deal with you."
"Oh?" Urahara's eyes sharpened slightly beneath the shadow of his hat. "And what would you want?"
"Technology," Sombravida replied without hesitation. "Seireitei's research. And certain things you've created privately."
Urahara smiled faintly.
"That's priceless. Your life wouldn't be enough."
"That's why I said I don't currently have suitable bargaining chips," Sombravida replied calmly. "In exchange for my freedom to act tonight, I will provide information."
He paused.
"I will take human technological blueprints from the city. I will not harm humans. I will not devour wandering souls. You will not interfere with my actions unless I violate those terms."
Urahara studied him carefully.
"If you keep your word," Urahara said finally, "we will observe but not interfere. However, you remain within our sight until you depart."
"Agreed."
Hirako remained silent.
"So," Urahara said lightly, "what intelligence do you offer?"
Sombravida's gaze locked onto him.
"The Hōgyoku."
Urahara's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.
"I'm not sure I understand."
"There is more than one Hōgyoku," Sombravida said calmly.
"What?!"
Visit patreon.com/ShiroTL for more chapters.