Chapter 136 – 136 ⥤ The Sprouting of Hatred

In the vast silvery-white wasteland, a black rift opened silently.

A head peeked out cautiously, scanning the area before nodding to someone behind. Then, he leaped from the black passage, proudly stomping the white sand while shouting.

“I, Akira Kisaragi, have returned!”

However, his triumph was short-lived—Akira discovered his body sinking uncontrollably into the sand’s surface as if being devoured.

“Damn, quicksand!”

The sinking was swift — in the blink of an eye, his figure had vanished.

Aizen followed behind, watching the predicament with a helpless sigh as he casually closed the black passage.

This guy always manages to create new troubles. After all this time, he should be used to it…

After their fierce assault on Szayelaporro, the two hadn’t returned directly to Soul Society. Instead, they’d performed a second positioning in the Dangai, relocating the black passage’s exit to Hueco Mundo. Since the pink guy might not be dead, they appeared far from the battlefield this time.

By the time Akira struggled out of the quicksand, Aizen had already determined their next target’s location.

“Northern direction.”

Akira’s Reiatsu surged, causing the white sand on his body to shoot off like bullets. Recovery techniques struck his body in succession, working to restore his optimal condition.

In Hueco Mundo, where battles could erupt at any moment, it was safer to stay at peak condition.

Soon, they detected the Reiatsu of a Gillian group across the vast sea of sand. Enormous bodies, tens to hundreds of meters tall, roamed the desert, searching for prey to devour.

After evolving into Gillians, most had their intelligence reduced to a minimum, their consciousness mixed, with their sole goal being continued consumption until evolution.

However, the intermediate-level Hollow Adjuchas naturally dominated Gillians, able to command their groups to some extent.

Within this Gillian group stood an Adjuchas resembling a porcupine. Though its body was merely the size of a battle tank — not even half the size of the surrounding Gillians — its released Reiatsu far exceeded theirs.

It had already surpassed that black Adjuchas Menos Grande they’d encountered in Rukongai.

“Deal with the Gillian group first. Keep that Adjuchas for research.” Aizen instructed, “Try to keep its body intact — it’s more valuable alive than dead.”

Akira nodded, then shot out like an arrow leaving its string.

⤫ Raikō Shunpo ⥤ Lightning Flash Steps ⤬

Thunder erupted. With sweeping air currents, his figure vanished, leaving only a straight arc of electricity that whipped the silver sand, imprinting traces emanating a scorching aura.

Crossing hundreds of meters instantly, he descended like a divine warrior into the midst of the Hollows.

Facing dozens of puzzled gazes, Akira suddenly drew his Zanpakutō, chains erupting with endless black light that covered the entire battlefield.

“Fill the Void…”

⤫ Shikai: Kūkan Mukai ⥤ Initial Release: Unbounded Emptiness! ⤬

The Gillian group was like prey caught in a spider’s web.

In the next instant, mighty Reiatsu erupted as dazzling Kidō light illuminated Hueco Mundo’s night sky. Crimson flames mixed with lightning swept across the battlefield. Wherever it passed, the Gillians’ enormous bodies shattered — some dispersing into countless Reishi particles, others bursting into gore as they fell one after another.

The Adjuchas let out a thunderous roar, “Shinigami!”

Powerful Reiatsu burst forth, transforming into howling gales that whipped up the silver sand.

It lowered its head as countless thick black spikes grew from its back, shooting out like raindrops. The spikes carved deep marks across the sand sea as they hurtled toward Akira, who was wreaking havoc among the Gillian group.

The arrow rain fell, sealing off all escape routes. There were too many — even with Kūkan Mukai blocking, black spikes broke through the defense line, heading straight for Akira’s heart.

Clang!

The blade swept horizontally, its cold gleam slicing through the attacking black spikes.

Akira had discovered by chance that his Zanpakutō could maintain two states after Shikai.

The first was pure black chains.

The second had black chains growing from the sword handle’s end, though the main body remained chains, with the front blade more like a decoration — its strength only comparable to an unreleased Zanpakutō.

Seeing this scene, the Adjuchas’s heart stopped.

Rain of Spikes was its strongest attack besides Cero, yet it had accomplished nothing. The gap between it and this demon-like Shinigami was so vast that it questioned its very existence as a Hollow.

What came next was even more terrifying.

Through the chains interwoven around the Gillians’ enormous bodies, Akira looked toward the spike-shooting porcupine Adjuchas. He flashed what he thought was a friendly smile, his lips moving in a silent greeting.

The Adjuchas’s hair stood on end, the spikes on its broad back rising straight up in terror. Without hesitation, it turned and fled.

Under its command, the Gillians twisted their enormous bodies to block Akira’s advance, their blood-filled mouths opening wide as red orbs condensed within.

Though these Gillians were subordinates it had worked hard to gather, survival now took precedence — losses no longer mattered. They could all perish; it just had to escape this Shinigami.

The bone-chilling cold, like a creeping disease, drew ever closer, seemingly right at its heels!

The Adjuchas galloped on all fours, its short limbs frantically pawing through the sand sea, kicking up dust clouds. Countless spikes sprouted in waves, continuously shooting backward as the air filled with ripping wails.

But soon, only deathly silence remained.

An indescribable cold erupted from deep within its heart. Its tank-sized body froze in place, stiffening as fear crawled like insects through its core.

Then, a demon-like voice whispered by its ear.

“Try this.”

⤫ Mugen Rensa Tsuisō ⥤ Infinite Chain Pursuit! ⤬

Black chains silently wrapped around the Adjuchas’s neck. With a brutal yank, immense power erupted, instantly halting its charge. The chains retracted as purple flames burst forth.

Then Aizen witnessed a scene that defied reality.

⤫ Kusari Shōgeki: Renzoku no Mai ⥤ Chain Impact: Continuous Dance! ⤬

Akira seized the chains and dragged the massive creature — dozens of times larger than himself — slamming it left and right. Sand waves surged skyward, building layer upon layer like ocean swells before a tempest.

The desert groaned as deep craters spread outward in concentric circles.

Through the flying silver sand, howling gales swept across the battlefield as Akira tossed aside the unconscious Adjuchas and turned his attention back to the Gillian group.

‘Can’t beat the flamboyant pink dog, but I can certainly handle you lot!

The difference between an Adjuchas and a Vasto Lorde was like heaven and earth, while Gillians were mere cannon fodder.

Despite their overwhelming numbers, their low intelligence made them little more than snacks for Adjuchas — some of whom were too particular to even consume them.

After a thorough thrashing, most Gillians fell to Kidō and iron fists, their black forms dissolving into Reishi.

Akira manipulated the chains to bind Aizen’s chosen Gillians and the Adjuchas, securing them like wrapped parcels.

Aizen methodically added several more Bakudō to suppress their Reiatsu, crushing the Adjuchas’s final hope of escape.

“That should suffice for now.” He surveyed their catch with satisfaction.

Beyond acquiring adequate test subjects, his encounter with Szayelaporro had revealed new possibilities.

The Vasto Lorde was not the pinnacle for Hollows. This discovery would allow him to verify numerous hypotheses.

He could hardly wait to return to his laboratory in Soul Society.

⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬

Seireitei. Shishinrō, Sixth Level.

Kōga sat slumped on the cold floor, withered and stripped of his former vigor. His bloodshot eyes held not even a glimmer of hope.

He had believed Ginrei would come to save him. Yet after endless waiting, his only company was the footsteps of passing jailers.

They rigidly enforced the Central 46’s orders, barring unauthorized visitors from seeing prisoners. For those in the Senzaikyū, sentences ranged from the Central Underground Prison to the ultimate punishment at Sōkyoku Hill.

As Kōga’s spirit crumbled to ash, a voice echoed through the corridor outside his cell.

“Kōga Kuchiki.”

At the sound of his name, Kōga lifted his head in bewilderment.

Through the bars stood an unfamiliar man with dark green hair, thin eyebrows, and narrow eyes bearing a faint smile.

Something about that smile sent an inexplicable chill through Kōga’s heart.

Still, he paid the stranger little mind — after all, the underground prison awaited him.

“You seem to have completely given up.” The man remarked casually, as if chatting with an old friend, “Have you lost all faith in the Kuchiki family?”

Kōga remained silent, though his eyelid twitched imperceptibly at the name Kuchiki.

“From what I understand, the Central 46 no longer bows to Shihōin influence, and the Kuchiki — as a model for Shinigami and one of the Five Great Noble Houses — wields considerable power there. Pardoning a criminal should require minimal effort. So why do you, their son-in-law, face such a tragic fate — your Zanpakutō destroyed, and imprisonment in hell awaiting you?”

The man’s words, dense and probing, stirred an irrational anger in Kōga’s previously numb heart.

“I recall a case from decades ago. A man murdered his wife — a Seated Officer in the 13th Division — along with her colleagues. When brought before the Central 46, he escaped punishment through his noble status. And he was merely a minor member of the Tsunayashiro branch family — in terms of status, worth less than a dog from the main house.”

“How ironic, Kōga. After all you’ve given to the Kuchiki, this is your reward. Does that not kindle even a spark of resentment?”

Kōga remained silent, head bowed.

He had indeed heard of such cases before. It was precisely why he had clung to hope in the Kuchiki family.

If Ginrei truly cared for him, he would never have allowed this fate.

“Well, that’s enough talk, Kōga.” The man’s smile remained unchanged throughout.

Just as he turned to leave, a hoarse voice rose from the depths of the prison.

“Who… exactly… are you?”

The man turned back, his snake-like gaze falling on the chain-bound figure, his lips curling into a slight smile.

“My name is Tokinada, Tokinada Tsunayashiro…”

Upon hearing this, Kōga’s lake-green pupils contracted sharply.

Tokinada’s visit seemed like an insignificant interlude — even the guards hadn’t detected anything unusual.

Kneeling on the cold floor, Kōga fell into silent contemplation. When he raised his head again, the despair in his eyes had vanished completely, replaced by unprecedented hatred.

That night turned dark and windy. A terrifying Reiatsu erupted from the Senzaikyū. The prisoner, though confined by Sekkiseki (Spirit Reducing Stone), broke through his cage and massacred the jailers.

Before they could raise an alarm, all lay slaughtered.

A ghost-like figure emerged from the Sixth Level of Shishinrō. Standing on the floating stone bridge, he gazed at the moon hidden behind dark clouds, his face twisted in an ice-cold smile.

⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬

Jigokuchō carrying emergency meeting notices flew to every Division.

When the Captains gathered in the 1st Division’s meeting room, they found Genryūsai sitting at the head, his expression as grim as the night before a storm.

“Latest news.” The old man’s gaze swept the room, confirming all required attendees were present. His authoritative voice rang out, “Kōga Kuchiki has defected! All jailers on the Sixth Level of Shishinrō in the Senzaikyū have been killed in the line of duty!”

Shock and confusion spread across the faces of everyone present.

Shunsui, who had overseen Kōga’s imprisonment, stepped forward with his concerns.

“I sealed Kōga Kuchiki’s Reiryoku myself, and his chains were made of Sekkiseki. With his current power, escape should have been impossible.”

Genryūsai lifted his gaze, speaking deliberately.

“Captain Shihōin and Vice-Captain Ōmaeda are investigating the cause. What matters now is that Kōga Kuchiki’s whereabouts are unknown. Given his abilities, the Gotei 13 faces a severe threat. To prevent major casualties, I am initiating Level One Alert!”

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