Fantasy Library, Ch 276-280

Chapter 276: “Espada”

“How do you want to die?”

As this sentence was uttered by that arrogant man, a terrifying Reiatsu surged out like a tidal wave, enveloping Kaiser.

It was a chaotic, disorderly, muddled Reiatsu—vastly different from a Shinigami’s.

This was definitely not the Reiatsu of a Shinigami, nor that of an ordinary spirit body. This was Hollow Reiatsu.

Only a Hollow could have such chaotic, impure, and murky Reiatsu—so much so that at the very moment it was felt, one could immediately sense the ominousness and evil within it.

“Arrancar…”

Bathed in that ominous Reiatsu, Kaiser’s expression remained calm, though his eyes flickered slightly.

Arrancar—this was the term used to refer to a special group of Hollows.

When a Hollow, under certain circumstances, obtained the powers of a Shinigami and comprehended Shinigami abilities, the mask that once signified their Hollow nature would break, and they would evolve into a form resembling a Shinigami.

Such Hollows were known as Arrancar—in other words, Hollows that had become Shinigami.

The man before him was one of them—an Arrancar, a Hollow that had obtained Shinigami power and taken on a Shinigami form.

The broken mask on his face and the Hollow hole in his body proved his Hollow identity, while his human male appearance and the Zanpakutō at his waist signified his Shinigami traits.

These were all marks of an Arrancar.

Kaiser then glanced toward the man’s lower back and saw the number “6.”

So that meant…

“You’re the Sexta Espada—ranked sixth among the Arrancar army under Sōsuke Aizen?”

Kaiser’s calm words made the man freeze slightly.

“You actually know me? You even know I’m one of the Espada?”

The arrogant man seemed somewhat surprised.

“Of course I know.”

Kaiser replied indifferently.

“Sōsuke Aizen, in order to study Hollow power and create Shinigami-like Hollows, ventured into Hueco Mundo long ago and conquered many of its denizens.”

“He united a large group of powerful Hollows and used the Hōgyoku to make them undergo the Arrancar transformation, granting them the powers and forms of Shinigami.”

“These Hollows, now wielding Shinigami abilities and forms, work under his command, forming what is known as the Arrancar army.”

Most Arrancar in that army bore numbers engraved on some part of their bodies.

These numbers typically indicated the order in which they had undergone the transformation.

Only the top ten Arrancar had numbers ranked by combat ability.

In other words, Arrancar with numbers less than “10” were among the ten strongest in the entire army.

These ten were known as the Espada. Their strength was on another level compared to the rest of the Arrancar. They also had authority over all those numbered below them and were followed by Fracción—akin to how Division Captains were ranked in the Gotei 13.

The man before him bore the number “6,” proving that he was the Sexta Espada—the sixth strongest member of the Arrancar army.

As for the one fighting Ichigo Kurosaki, the number “10” was engraved on his arm—undoubtedly the Décima Espada.

“So Aizen sent you guys to the World of the Living?”

Kaiser looked at the arrogant man and asked.

“Isn’t he worried you’ll die here, costing him two fairly decent subordinates?”

At these words, the man’s eyes instantly widened, and he released a terrifying killing intent.

“You think you can kill us?” he grinned savagely. “Just you?”

“Just me,” Kaiser nodded. “By the way, I haven’t introduced myself yet, have I?”

“I’m Kaiser, Captain of Division 3 of the Gotei 13.”

“Nice to meet you, Arrancar.”

Upon hearing that, the man’s grin froze, and his pupils shrank.

“…I see. So you’re Kaiser?”

The man’s attitude instantly changed dramatically.

If earlier he had looked at Kaiser like he was sizing up a juicy piece of meat or easy prey walking into a trap, now he was looking at him as a legitimate enemy.

“You actually know who I am?”

Kaiser mirrored the man’s earlier reaction, feigning surprise.

Except his expression clearly looked intentional—like he was faking it.

This made the man furious, his killing intent spiking once more.

“Of course I know you. After all, Lord Aizen specifically warned us to be cautious of you.” The man sized Kaiser up, then scoffed. “Now that I’ve seen you, you don’t seem like much.”

“Your Reiatsu is strong, I’ll give you that, but compared to that kid down there, you’re not much stronger.”

“With that level of strength, I don’t understand why Lord Aizen was so concerned.”

He wasn’t trying to act disdainful—he genuinely didn’t see Kaiser as a threat.

Compared to the Shinigami stationed earlier in Karakura Town, this Shinigami wearing a white Haori was certainly stronger—his Reiatsu surpassed even many lower-ranked Arrancar. But compared to a true Espada like himself, there was still a wide gap.

The Espada were the strongest Arrancar—even before their transformation, they had already been fearsome Hollows.

Take him, for example—before becoming an Arrancar, he had been among the top Adjuchas-level Menos Grande, second only to the highest-class Vasto Lorde.

Even back then, his power was already on par with Captain-level Shinigami. After becoming an Arrancar and gaining Shinigami powers, he only grew stronger.

To someone like him, ordinary Captain-class Shinigami were nothing. Ichigo Kurosaki, for instance.

The Shinigami in front of him and the brat getting pummeled below had similar Reiatsu—how could they possibly threaten him?

If the Décima Espada could beat someone like that so easily, then for him, the Sexta Espada, taking this one down would be effortless.

What the man didn’t know was that Ichigo Kurosaki was currently unstable due to internal issues.

And the Shinigami before him, whose Reiatsu only seemed comparable to Ichigo’s, was actually being suppressed by 80%.

“You sure talk big,” Kaiser said with a half-smile. “Hard to believe someone who talks that big is only ranked sixth.”

“Anyone who didn’t know better would think you were number one.”

“Wouldn’t you agree… Number Six?”

The arrogant man’s eye twitched.

“Then let’s see if a Number Six like me has the right to talk big!”

The arrogant man pulled his hands from his pockets and spoke.

“Remember my name, Shinigami.”

“I am Grimmjow.”

“Sexta Espada—Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.”

With that declaration, the man named Grimmjow suddenly vanished.

“Boom!”

With a sound like space being pierced, his figure left behind only a puff of white smoke as he appeared in front of Kaiser in an instant.

“Bang!”

The dull thud of impact followed a second later, with a shockwave bursting through midair.

Grimmjow, who had suddenly appeared in front of Kaiser, launched a lightning-fast strike toward his chest, only for Kaiser to intercept it with a sudden punch—palm and fist collided in a fierce clash.

The two of them were pushed back in the shockwave, gliding smoothly through the air as if walking on solid ground.

“Ha! Not bad!”

Grimmjow grinned in excitement after his attack failed.

“Catching my claws bare-handed—your body’s toughness really isn’t like that of a Shinigami!”

Hearing this, Kaiser remained unfazed, casting a glance at the hand Grimmjow had just used to strike him.

When their attacks collided, it had felt like slamming into steel rather than flesh. If not for his own tough body, his fist might have split open on the spot.

“That must be the Arrancar’s Hierro, huh?”

An Arrancar’s outer skin had extremely high hardness, known as Hierro.

Hierro was effectively armor for an Arrancar. Breaking through that layer was difficult—even most Shinigami couldn’t do it, even with released Zanpakutō.

“And that movement technique he just used to appear in front of me—that’s Sonído, isn’t it?”

Sonído—a high-speed movement technique only available to Hollows. It was similar to Shunpo, but fundamentally different in nature.

Shunpo was just high-speed footwork. Sonído, on the other hand, was more akin to spatial movement. In terms of burst speed and movement, it generally outperformed Shunpo and was extremely hard to track.

Typically, only higher-ranked Menos Grande could use Sonído. Some powerful ones still struggled to master it.

But judging from Grimmjow’s movements, he used Sonído with ease.

“Boom!”

While Kaiser was thinking this, Grimmjow again vanished as if piercing space, reappearing instantly in front of him.

“This time, taste my blade, Shinigami!”

Grimmjow drew the sword at his waist.

Undoubtedly, it was a Zanpakutō.

Once Hollows gained Shinigami powers, they could seal their strength into cores, forming Zanpakutō and wielding them like Shinigami.

Grimmjow’s swordsmanship wasn’t exactly refined, but he was strong. When he swung his blade, the air itself was cleaved, currents twisting along the edge and producing a piercing whistle.

“Bakudō #39: Enkōsen.”

Kaiser raised his palm and cast Bakudō, forming a spiritual shield in front of him.

“Clang!”

Grimmjow’s strike crashed into the round shield, sparks flying wildly from the clash.

“Hadō #33: Sōkatsui.”

Kaiser raised his palm again toward Grimmjow, spiritual energy surging.

“Boom!”

A blast of blue fire erupted, shattering the round shield and detonating at point-blank range on Grimmjow, engulfing him entirely.

The temperature in the air spiked like billowing smoke, lingering without dissipating.

Chapter 277: Nothing Remarkable

In the sky above Karakura Town, blue flames spread and surged, as if burning across the ground, causing the surrounding air currents to evaporate.

Many humans heard the deafening explosions, but they could not see the Shinigami, could not see spiritual beings, and certainly could not see Hollows—so they had no idea that a fierce battle was raging above Karakura Town.

Only Ichigo Kurosaki and the burly man who had been beating him sensed the commotion on the other side.

“That’s… the one from Division 3…?!”

Ichigo Kurosaki, breathing heavily and covered in injuries, looked at Kaiser, who had appeared at some point, both shocked and relieved.

“Another Shinigami?”

The burly man didn’t care much.

The Shinigami previously stationed in Karakura Town had all rushed over due to the noise, and every one of them was pathetically weak—some were blown away by him, others were swallowed whole, bones and all. Now another one had shown up—what was the big deal?

As he thought that, the burly man suddenly realized Grimmjow was nowhere to be seen.

No, that’s not right…

He had been attacked!

“What’s going on, Grimmjow?” The burly man didn’t worry about his companion; instead, he seemed irritated. “You can’t even deal with a single Shinigami? Want me to give you a hand?”

Just as his words fell, Grimmjow’s annoyed response came through.

“Don’t meddle in my business.”

Grimmjow slowly emerged from the blue flames, completely unharmed.

“On the other hand, you’re dealing with a substitute Shinigami who’s barely trained—why’s he so hard for you to handle?” Grimmjow looked down on the burly man from above and said, “If you can’t deal with him, hand it over to me. I’ll kill him instantly.”

He didn’t seem to be joking—because the killing intent he released made even Kaiser raise his eyebrows in amazement.

“You, before becoming an Arrancar, must’ve been the kind of beast that bites anything that moves.”

Otherwise, he wouldn’t exude such intense killing intent, constantly flaring outward—more intimidating than even his Reiatsu.

“Don’t talk big, Grimmjow.” The burly man let out a heavy snort. “This guy might look weak, but he’s actually hard to deal with.”

“Hmm… There’s something strange about him. Looking at this guy, I feel like I’m looking at one of my own kind.”

“Damn it, what the hell’s going on!”

As he spoke, the burly man lifted his chin and looked down at Ichigo Kurosaki with disdain.

“Hey, Shinigami, what the hell are you?”

Ichigo Kurosaki didn’t respond.

He was in tremendous pain. Inside him, a savage consciousness was awakening, fighting him for control over his body. He felt like he might lose himself at any moment and become someone—or something—else.

“What’s happening to me…?”

Ichigo Kurosaki had no idea what was going on within him, and panic began to well up.

The burly man, however, thought Ichigo was deliberately hiding something and grew visibly annoyed.

“Forget it. Whatever you are, if you’re a Shinigami, that means what I have to do doesn’t change.”

The burly man stepped forward with heavy, thunderous steps, his voice booming as he approached Ichigo Kurosaki.

“I’ll at least let you know who’s about to kill you.”

“I’m Yammy, Diez Espada—Yammy Llargo.”

“Remember that well, Shinigami.”

His fists, each the size of a boulder, came crashing down with overwhelming force toward Ichigo Kurosaki.

“Damn it!”

Ichigo Kurosaki could only curse under his breath as he raised his black sword and clashed with Yammy once more.

Watching this, Kaiser frowned slightly—then suddenly noticed something, and his frown relaxed.

He had already sensed it—his Lieutenant had concealed her Reiatsu and arrived at the scene.

She hadn’t revealed herself, probably because she was assessing the situation.

She had likely sensed that the Reiatsu of Grimmjow and Yammy far surpassed her own and was waiting for the limiter release authorization so she could fight at full power.

Given how dire Ichigo Kurosaki’s situation looked, she was likely focusing on that battlefield.

As for this side…

It didn’t warrant backup.

“That move just now wasn’t bad, Shinigami.”

Grimmjow, completely unscathed, sneered in front of Kaiser.

“Too bad—it doesn’t work on me.”

Grimmjow activated Sonído, leaving a trail of white smoke in place and appearing in front of Kaiser in an instant, slashing down.

“Clang!”

Kaiser abruptly drew his sword, deflecting the incoming strike, sparks flying.

“Hahaha!”

Grimmjow seemed to enter a frenzy—or perhaps a bloodthirsty state—as he laughed wildly and swung his blade repeatedly. His attacks were chaotic and lacked form or technique, relying purely on brute strength. Rather than wielding a sword, it looked more like he was swinging a club.

But his power was indeed terrifying. Each strike carried immense force, and every blow against Kaiser’s Zanpakutō sparked violently, causing the air itself to tremble.

If it had been someone else, under 80% Reiatsu suppression, defending against Grimmjow’s attacks would have been nearly impossible.

But this wasn’t just anyone—it was Kaiser, whose raw physical strength alone could rival average Captain-class Shinigami. So Grimmjow was destined not to overpower him.

The Reiatsu Limiter had no effect on physical strength.

So even with 80% of his Reiatsu sealed, the remaining 20%, combined with his body’s strength, was enough for Kaiser to deal with an Espada-level Arrancar.

As a result, Grimmjow’s powerful strikes were all precisely deflected by Kaiser. And not only that—Kaiser occasionally closed the distance and landed his own slashes on Grimmjow.

“Splurt!”

Kaiser’s elegant and regal Zanpakutō sliced through the air like a cold arc, slashing across Grimmjow’s face and leaving a wound on his cheek.

Grimmjow’s laughter stopped abruptly. His eyes widened slightly, then he unleashed a slash full of killing intent straight at Kaiser’s face.

“Clang!”

Kaiser casually knocked the blade aside with a swing, stepped forward, and slashed again from another angle.

“Splurt!”

Instantly, a cut appeared on Grimmjow’s chest.

The famed Hierro of the Arrancar might have offered resistance, but it could not fully defend against Kaiser’s slashes.

“You bastard…!”

Grimmjow roared in anger, clenching his empty hand tightly.

“Buzz…”

A powerful Reiatsu gathered in Grimmjow’s clenched hand, instantly condensing into a dense spiritual mass, glowing with dangerous red light and vibrating the air.

“Cero!”

Grimmjow thrust his hand forward, unleashing a red flash of destruction like a river of light—seemingly capable of vaporizing, flattening, and destroying everything in its path—as it shot toward Kaiser.

“Bakudō #81: Dankū.”

Kaiser didn’t retreat, nor did he dodge. Instead, he advanced and recited a defensive Bakudō.

“BOOM!!!”

The red beam struck the transparent wall that suddenly appeared in front of Kaiser and exploded, lighting up the sky with a blinding blast. The shockwave was massive, flattening the flowers, grass, and trees below.

“Shup!”

Kaiser stepped out with Shunpo, instantly appearing in front of Grimmjow—who had just fired the Cero. In Grimmjow’s shrinking pupils, Kaiser silently and coldly raised his Zanpakutō and slashed down.

“Splurt!”

A sharp blade of light dragged from Grimmjow’s shoulder to his side, and blood burst from his chest.

A deeper and more grievous wound than any before now marked Grimmjow’s body—a diagonal slash across his torso.

In that strike, Kaiser had poured in all the Reiatsu he could currently muster, combined with his physical strength—doubling the force and making the blow devastating.

Grimmjow’s Hierro failed to provide even the slightest defense. The attack broke through instantly and left him severely wounded.

“Grahhhhh…!”

Grimmjow screamed—or perhaps roared in fury—as he swung his blade at Kaiser despite the blood pouring from his body.

“Shup!”

Kaiser vanished with Shunpo and reappeared high above Grimmjow, looking down with a smile.

“Looks like you were right—I really am nothing remarkable. Not worth being cautious of at all,” Kaiser said in mock helplessness. “Otherwise, that last strike would’ve sliced you clean in half.”

“Ugh…”

Grimmjow didn’t reply. Covering his chest, blood dripping through his fingers, he hunched forward involuntarily.

“Grimmjow!”

Yammy saw what happened and, stunned, stopped his attack on Ichigo Kurosaki and looked up in shock.

“Opportunity!”

Momo Hinamori seized the moment and flashed into action without hesitation.

“O Ruler! Mask of flesh and blood, all creation—fluttering wings—he who bears the crown! Carve twin lotuses upon the wall of blue flame—await the abyss of blazing fire in the far heavens!”

In less than a second, Momo Hinamori completed her Incantation and extended her hand toward Yammy.

The calendula-like mark at her collarbone was fading, allowing her Reiatsu to erupt fully.

“Hadō #73: Sōren Sōkatsui!”

With a cry, Momo Hinamori released a fully chanted Hadō #73. Twin blue fire lotuses roared forth and slammed into Yammy.

At the same time, Ichigo Kurosaki—who had been holding back—also seized this once-in-a-lifetime chance and swung his sword.

“Getsuga Tenshō!”

The jet-black crescent shot forth like a blade, slicing through the air and striking Yammy alongside the twin blue fire lotuses.

“BOOM!!!”

A tremendous explosion erupted on the ground, shattering the earth.

Chapter 278: You Think You Can Escape?

“Yammy...”

In the sky, Grimmjow, bleeding profusely, lowered his head with difficulty and looked at the explosion below, clenching his teeth hard.

“That idiot is still as oblivious as ever, getting distracted during a fight—he deserved to be killed!”

Grimmjow seemed completely unconcerned about Yammy’s life or death. After glancing at the explosion on the ground, he turned his furious gaze toward Kaiser.

“Don’t look at me like that, and don’t mock your comrade. After all, you’re birds of a feather.”

Kaiser walked forward with his sword, as if descending an invisible staircase, one step at a time until he stood face-to-face with Grimmjow.

“If you had been more serious, you wouldn’t have ended up like this so quickly. At the very least, you could’ve stalled longer and tangled with me a bit more.”

“But from the very beginning, you regarded me as no different than that substitute Shinigami over there. You even scoffed at Aizen’s warning, thinking I was all name and no substance.”

“Your arrogance hurt you. Your underestimation of me also hurt you. It made you unable to properly assess the situation, and that’s what led to your downfall.”

Otherwise, with Grimmjow being the Sexta Espada, he shouldn’t have lost so quickly.

Even before becoming an Arrancar, he was among the elite of the Adjuchas, possessing strength on par with a Captain-level Shinigami. After becoming an Arrancar, his power should’ve been indisputably top-tier even among Captains.

In the original story, Ichigo Kurosaki in Bankai couldn’t even defeat Grimmjow. That’s proof enough.

At that time, Ichigo Kurosaki wasn’t like he is now, with internal problems—he was genuinely at Captain level.

And Grimmjow?

He hadn’t even released his Zanpakutō, barely even drew his blade, yet still defeated Ichigo Kurosaki in Bankai. This shows Grimmjow’s strength was indeed extraordinary.

If Kaiser hadn’t possessed overwhelming physical strength, highly refined Shunpo techniques, and masterful swordsmanship, fighting with only one-fifth of his Reiatsu, he might not have been able to win.

But unfortunately, there are no “ifs” in this world. Kaiser’s Reiatsu may have been sealed, but his physical strength and movement skills were unaffected—more than enough to handle a Sexta Espada who underestimated him.

Of course, Grimmjow was already too furious to listen to any of this.

“So what if you landed one hit? You think that means you’ve won?!”

Letting the blood flow from his chest, Grimmjow gripped his Zanpakutō tightly and, like a frenzied beast, charged at Kaiser.

“Don’t look down on me!”

Facing Grimmjow’s fierce assault, Kaiser remained remarkably calm.

“Bakudō #61: Rikujōkōrō.”

He extended a finger, pointed at Grimmjow, and instantly cast a high-level Bakudō. Six rods of light flew from all directions and locked around Grimmjow’s waist like shackles.

“What?!”

Grimmjow was forced to a halt. Looking down at the restraints around his waist, his expression shifted.

Then he saw Kaiser’s finger turn into an open palm, aimed straight at him.

From that palm, an immense surge of spiritual energy began to gather.

“Damn—?!”

Grimmjow realized the danger too late.

There was no time left to react.

“Hadō #88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō.”

The massive spiritual energy in Kaiser’s palm instantly transformed into a gigantic beam of light and blasted forth.

That beam was as thick as a pillar, dazzling like lightning, deadly like a laser, and similar to the Cero that Grimmjow had fired earlier. Even before it touched him, Grimmjow could already feel its terrifying power.

Hadō #88—one of the highest-tier offensive Kidō, second only to forbidden spells. Among Kidō under #90, it was top-tier in power, on par with a Hollow’s Cero, if not stronger.

Even without the incantation—at less than half the full power—it was still a serious threat to Grimmjow.

This strike—there was no way to dodge it.

“Thud!”

At the critical moment, a slender figure appeared via Sonído, piercing space with a strange sound, and arrived in front of Grimmjow.

“Boom!”

He swung his arm forcefully—like a steel wall—and struck the massive beam, deflecting the Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō with a loud, dull impact.

The thick beam shot skyward, piercing the clouds above and dispersing them completely.

The newcomer kept one hand in his pocket while the other maintained the pose of deflecting the Kidō. For a brief moment, his eyes turned toward his arm.

“Sss…”

With a sizzling sound, the back of that hand was thoroughly scorched, black smoke rising from it.

“Impressive attack.”

The man expressionlessly gave his assessment.

“As expected from the person Aizen-sama specially warned us to be wary of—Captain of Division 3, Kaiser.”

Upon hearing this, Kaiser showed not a hint of pride or joy.

He simply stared calmly at the cold-faced man, sighing silently in his heart.

“So even he came, huh?”

It wasn’t just Kaiser. On the ground, Momo Hinamori and Ichigo Kurosaki, who had just completed their coordinated strike against Yammy, also saw the man.

“Who… who is he?”

Momo Hinamori found her voice trembling uncontrollably.

“What… is this Reiatsu…?”

Ichigo Kurosaki seemed as if he had been hit by something shocking. His entire body trembled, and he gasped heavily, chest heaving.

No one could blame them.

Even though the man hadn’t released any Reiatsu, anyone with even a modest sense for spiritual pressure could clearly feel—it was dangerous. Extremely dangerous.

Kaiser instinctively glanced at the “4” marked on the man’s body.

“Cuarta Espada…”

That muttered phrase seemed to reach the man’s ears.

“Ulquiorra Cifer.”

The man calmly reported his name.

He was Cuarta Espada—the highest-ranked Arrancar to come to the World of the Living this time.

Although he was only ranked fourth, just two above Grimmjow, everyone present—Kaiser, Momo Hinamori, and Ichigo Kurosaki—could tell that this man who called himself Ulquiorra was on an entirely different level.

This gap wasn’t just in strength—it was in Hollow classification.

“The legendary top-class Menos Grande, stronger than even Captain-level Shinigami… Vasto Lorde.”

Kaiser smiled faintly and said those words.

“Today, I finally get to see one.”

Upon hearing this, Ichigo Kurosaki—who didn’t know much about Hollow classification—had little reaction, but Momo Hinamori was shocked.

“He’s a Vasto Lorde? A top-class Menos Grande?!”

Momo Hinamori’s gaze toward Ulquiorra carried unmistakable fear.

The rumors said that even in Hueco Mundo, Vasto Lordes were extremely rare. Just ten of them could destroy all of Soul Society…

And this man in front of them was one?

Her hand gripping her Zanpakutō began to tremble.

Ulquiorra, however, ignored all this. He merely glanced at Grimmjow behind him.

“You were too careless, Grimmjow,” Ulquiorra said coldly. “Even though Aizen-sama gave clear instructions, you still underestimated him despite knowing who he was. That’s disgraceful.”

Grimmjow showed no gratitude for being saved. Instead, his expression darkened.

“Bang!”

He broke free from the Rikujōkōrō binding himself, causing blood to spurt anew from his chest.

“Shut up, Ulquiorra!” Grimmjow swatted away the light shards of the Bakudō and snarled. “I was just about to finish him off. I didn’t need you interfering!”

Ulquiorra mercilessly replied:

“Impossible. You can’t beat him.”

The blunt statement made Grimmjow whip his head around and glare at Ulquiorra.

“You looking down on me?!”

Grimmjow radiated the aura of a beast ready to devour.

“Just stating facts.” Ulquiorra remained indifferent, pointing at Kaiser. “See the mark on his chest?”

“That’s called a Reiatsu Limiter—used to suppress the spiritual pressure of Captains and Lieutenants of the Gotei 13.”

“With that on, he can only use one-fifth of his full power.”

Hearing that, Grimmjow’s entire body trembled.

“One-fifth?” Grimmjow said in disbelief. “You’re saying he’s never even gone all-out this whole time?!”

“That’s right,” Ulquiorra said flatly. “If the limiter is removed, his Reiatsu will be five times what it is now.”

“You can’t even defeat him like this—don’t even think about defeating him at full power.”

“Besides, you haven’t released your Resurrección, and he hasn’t even used Shikai or Bankai.”

“So, with your level, there’s no way you can beat him.”

Ulquiorra’s cruel words stabbed straight through Grimmjow’s heart like blades.

His arrogance, his disdain—at this moment, they made him look like a pathetic clown. His face twisted.

Ulquiorra left Grimmjow behind and disappeared for an instant in Sonído—only to reappear holding the wounded Yammy.

“So fast…!”

Momo Hinamori and Ichigo Kurosaki both froze in shock.

They hadn’t even seen Ulquiorra’s movement, let alone realized Yammy had been taken.

“It’s time to return.”

Ulquiorra remained as aloof as ever, his tone icy.

“As per Aizen-sama’s orders: if we encounter Kaiser, we are permitted to withdraw unconditionally.”

As he spoke, Ulquiorra pointed, tearing open space.

A Garganta opened, and Ulquiorra stepped into it with Yammy, not giving Grimmjow any chance to protest.

“W-Wait…”

Ichigo Kurosaki instinctively tried to stop them.

But Kaiser moved faster than him.

“You think you can escape?”

Chapter 279: Infiltration! Total Mayhem!

“————!”

At this moment, already inside the Garganta, Ulquiorra suddenly sensed something, and abruptly drew the Zanpakutō at his waist, slashing toward the space beyond the Garganta.

“Whoosh!”

There, a figure appeared as if via teleportation—so fast it was terrifying.

“Clang!”

Ulquiorra’s slashing Zanpakutō was heavily deflected by another resplendent and noble Zanpakutō, causing sparks to light up the inside of the Garganta slightly.

After deflecting Ulquiorra’s strike, Kaiser darted directly into the Garganta and landed in front of the three Arrancar.

The distance between both sides was less than two meters.

“Captain!”

“Hey!”

Momo Hinamori and Ichigo Kurosaki’s cries followed, reaching into the Garganta.

But by then, the Garganta had already begun closing, and the entrance was rapidly shrinking.

At that moment, the Arrancar moved.

“Die!”

Grimmjow acted first, like an enraged panther. He clenched his hand, forming a red Cero, and at such a close range, pressed it toward Kaiser.

“Get… the hell out!”

Covered in injuries, barely clinging to life, Yammy wore a face full of rage, as if venting all the fury over his condition on Kaiser. His massive fist clenched, crackling with red electricity. His Reiatsu formed a sphere that enveloped his fist and then fired out as a red energy shot.

This was a Bala. Like the Cero, it was a Hollow-exclusive attack technique, essentially Reiatsu condensed and fired at the enemy. It lacked the Cero’s power but was twenty times faster.

Grimmjow and Yammy launched their respective Bala and Cero in tandem, attacking the very-close Kaiser.

However...

“Whoosh!”

Kaiser’s figure suddenly flickered—his body becoming an afterimage, as if vanishing from the spot. Both the Cero and Bala passed through him, piercing through the shrinking gap of the Garganta and shooting outward.

Then, Kaiser silently reappeared in front of Grimmjow and Yammy via Shunpo.

His Zanpakutō was already sheathed. Both hands struck out, grabbing each of their faces before they could react.

Next, Kaiser surged forward, using Grimmjow and Yammy as shields, charging straight at Ulquiorra.

Of course, Ulquiorra didn’t just stand idle. He immediately sheathed his Zanpakutō and stretched out both hands, pressing against the backs of the charging Grimmjow and Yammy.

But in terms of raw strength, how could Ulquiorra possibly compete with Kaiser, who could match ordinary Captains with just his physical might?

And so, under Kaiser’s forceful push, the four of them shot toward the opposite end of the Garganta.

Before long, the four burst out of the Garganta and arrived in another world...

…………

Hueco Mundo.

Just as described before, it was a barren wasteland.

At a glance, one saw nothing but white desert-like ground and quartz-like withered trees scattered about—an extremely desolate, eerily silent land.

Here, it was night all day. There was no daytime, nor stars—only a moon hung overhead, positioned opposite the direction of the World of the Living. Strange and grotesque Hollows occasionally wandered the land, letting out hollow howls. With the bleak scenery, it was terrifying.

If Hollows were spirits that devoured souls and tormented the living, then this place was undoubtedly Hell.

Compared to the World of the Living and Soul Society, the only advantage of Hueco Mundo was the high concentration of Reishi in the air. Even lesser Hollows could gain sufficient energy just by breathing. They didn’t need to feed on souls constantly, unlike in the World of the Living, where they starved perpetually.

In such an environment, whether Hollow, Shinigami, or other spiritual beings, their abilities would significantly increase.

High above this land, the sky was suddenly torn open, and several figures shot out from within.

“Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!”

Three figures crashed uncontrollably into the ground, kicking up clouds of white sand.

“Whoosh!”

Another figure, with ease and control, landed softly. His white Haori fluttered as he stood looking unshaken and rather stylish.

“So this is Hueco Mundo?”

Having arrived in the third of the Three Worlds alongside the World of the Living and Soul Society, Kaiser first looked around curiously. Then he noticed something unusual in the air.

“The concentration of Reishi is this high? No wonder Aizen chose to make this desolate place his base!”

Kaiser clicked his tongue in wonder, as if no one else was present.

Until, from the three craters ahead, three figures stood up one after another.

“You bastard, you actually followed us into Hueco Mundo?!”

Grimmjow’s expression was both ugly and incredulous.

“Are you an idiot?” Yammy’s forehead bulged with veins as he cursed and mocked. “This is Hueco Mundo—the Hollow’s main base! And you, a Shinigami, dared to charge in here alone?!”

In Yammy’s eyes, Kaiser was as good as dead.

“…Truly unexpected.”

Even Ulquiorra gazed at Kaiser. The usually emotionless eyes now showed a faint glimmer of feeling.

No one had expected Kaiser to charge into the Garganta alone, just to not let three Arrancar escape, and end up in Hueco Mundo.

Wasn’t that the same as walking into a trap?

Of course, in Kaiser’s mind, entering Hueco Mundo was actually a good thing.

“At the very least, in a place like this, I don’t have to hold back anymore.”

Kaiser gently wiped across the golden flower-shaped seal on his collarbone.

“Hss…”

With a sudden wave of intense heat, a purple-black slash flashed out, striking something and making the Reiatsu-limiting seal emit a sizzling sound as if it were melting.

Amidst the heat, the limiter glowed red, then gradually burned away.

When the entire limiter had disintegrated, Kaiser felt it—his previously suppressed Reiatsu had completely vanished.

“Boom!”

Terrifying Reiatsu exploded from Kaiser.

Golden Reiatsu surged like a storm across the white desert.

“!!!”

Grimmjow and Yammy were visibly shocked. Even Ulquiorra’s pupils contracted.

“Oi oi oi! Are you kidding me?!”

Cold sweat formed on Yammy’s bulging forehead.

“This Reiatsu…”

Grimmjow’s face twisted.

“What terrifying Reiatsu,” Ulquiorra said solemnly. “This Reiatsu… already surpasses mine.”

“No—even the top three can’t compare.”

This was an alarming realization.

From Ulquiorra upward, the top four Espada were all originally Vasto Lordes—the highest-ranking class of Menos Grande.

In other words, even before becoming Arrancar, they possessed power above Captain level. After becoming Arrancar, their strength rose even higher.

One among the four had even been the former King of Hueco Mundo, ruler of nearly all Hollows.

His status in Hueco Mundo, though perhaps not equal to the Soul King, could rival Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto as Captain Commander of the Gotei 13.

Even if his strength didn’t match Yamamoto’s, he certainly wasn’t someone ordinary Captains could compete with.

But now, the Reiatsu Kaiser had released was even stronger than his.

“In a place like this, I can finally fight without restraints, right?”

Surging with golden Reiatsu, Kaiser exuded the aura of a military juggernaut. He smiled at the three Arrancar.

“Aizen is in this world too, right?”

“Perfect. While I’m here, let’s stir things up.”

“And I’ll start… with the three of you.”

Saying that, Kaiser raised his Zanpakutō high.

“Heaven’s Throne, Supreme Virtue.”

“Thirty-Three Realms, Crowned Sovereign.”

Kaiser’s voice echoed across the white desert sky.

“Crown of Heavens.”

From the Zanpakutō raised high, golden Reiatsu identical to Kaiser’s radiated outward. As if calling out, countless swords descended from the distant heavens.

The swords came in all shapes and sizes, like loyal retainers, surrounding the Crown of Heavens, appearing and disappearing with a dreamlike shimmer.

“Be careful.”

Upon seeing this, Ulquiorra immediately warned:

“That is the Zanpakutō even Aizen-sama values. It possesses the strongest power in Soul Society—king among all Zanpakutō.”

“According to intelligence, that Zanpakutō’s power equals the combined strength of all other Zanpakutō in existence.”

“The one who releases that sword… becomes the strongest Shinigami today.”

The strongest Shinigami!

Upon hearing this, Yammy had no particular reaction—but Grimmjow laughed.

“In that case, once I kill him, no other Shinigami in this world will be a match for me, right?”

Grimmjow’s eyes gleamed fiercely, as if overtaken by madness.

“Perfect! If I’m going to kill… might as well kill the strongest!”

Grimmjow drew his Zanpakutō.

“Zhhng…”

His blade began to glow.

“Wait! Grimmjow…!”

Ulquiorra seemed about to say something more, but Grimmjow cut him off.

“Grind, Pantera!”

Grimmjow’s Zanpakutō turned into pure Reiatsu and instantly released.

“Boom!”

A storm immediately surged around Grimmjow, lifting layers of sand into a massive dust whirlwind.

When the dust settled, Grimmjow’s form had changed completely.

He had transformed into a sleek panther-like beastman. His body resembled a white panther; his eye markings extended to his temples; his ears had become panther ears; his hair now long and flowing to his waist; even his mask had moved to his forehead. His body was clad in tight white armor, and a segmented black-tipped tail extended behind him.

His limbs had darkened, and thick fur and claws had grown from them. His fangs were sharp—he truly looked like a feral beast.

“Roar!”

With Grimmjow’s bellow, a shockwave exploded—loud and powerful.

This was Grimmjow’s true form.

Chapter 280: Return This Move

Unlike Shinigami, the Arrancar’s Zanpakutō are actually cores formed by sealing away their original power.

When an Arrancar releases their Zanpakutō, they are actually removing that core’s seal, restoring themselves to their original form.

This process is called Resurrección. Although it’s performed the same way as a Shinigami’s Shikai—by calling the name of the Zanpakutō—the enhancement gained from Resurrección far surpasses an ordinary Shikai. Especially the power boost, which can fully be called a Hollow’s version of Bankai.

At this moment, Grimmjow had performed his Resurrección, released his Zanpakutō, returned to his original form, and unleashed an astonishing power.

At this moment, the Reiatsu erupting from his body even exceeded that of Ulquiorra beside him, who had yet to release his own Zanpakutō.

The surging power stirred up a storm, raising endless clouds of dust. The violent winds even lashed against Kaiser, causing his Shihakushō and Captain’s Haori to flap intensely.

Feeling Grimmjow’s power, Kaiser remained expressionless, even revealing a faint smile.

“Blade Array Matrix!”

The countless spectral swords surrounding the Crown of Heavens immediately flew to Kaiser’s side, circling around him repeatedly, rising and falling.

“Pantera Hook!”

At the same time, Grimmjow raised his arm, bent his elbow, and from his elbow joint popped out five emerald-green scale-like spikes. Like bullets, he fired them out. The spikes sliced through the air, whistling as they shot violently toward Kaiser.

“Bang!” “Bang!” “Bang!” “Bang!” “Bang!”

The next second, the scale-like spikes struck the Zanpakutō circling around Kaiser, actually piercing through, breaking, and shattering them one after another.

These small shards didn’t look like much at first glance, yet they erupted with enough force to shatter Zanpakutō. Anyone witnessing this would surely be shocked.

Unfortunately, five emerald scale spikes were clearly insufficient to break through the Blade Array Matrix. Even if several Zanpakutō were destroyed, there were still several thousand more waiting in line.

Without the power to destroy all of them in one blow, the protection of the Blade Array Matrix could not be breached, and Kaiser took the wave of attack completely unscathed.

“Boom!”

Right as Grimmjow’s attack ended, Kaiser suddenly swung his sword, slashing the ground. A terrifying shockwave erupted, striking the area where Grimmjow and the others were.

The white gravel was instantly blasted skyward by the forceful torrent, and that region exploded in a rumble, forming a deep crater.

“Pantera Claw!”

Grimmjow shot out from the midst of it, agile and swift, like a hunting leopard sprinting through the air. While hurtling through the sky toward Kaiser, his twin claws lashed out. From the tips of the claws stretched two giant translucent blue claw lights, like glass, slashing toward Kaiser with a savage flurry.

“Boom!”

The claw lights crashed fiercely onto the countless Zanpakutō circling Kaiser, stirring a thunderous boom, as if trying to blow Kaiser away and tear him to pieces. The strike released terrifying sharpness and force.

But Kaiser did not dodge nor retreat. He withstood the blow head-on, even charging forward into the massive blue claw lights and shattered them like breaking glass.

“What?!”

Grimmjow was stunned by this scene. His charging motion stalled for an instant, pausing midair.

At that moment, Kaiser pounced in front of Grimmjow.

“Slash!”

The noble and resplendent Zanpakutō flashed—Kaiser’s Crown of Heavens instantly sliced through Grimmjow’s tight armor, carving a vicious wound across his body.

“You bastard!”

Grimmjow roared in rage, both hands lashing out with twin claws. A barrage of long claw lights tore through the air, raking down on Kaiser.

“Clang clang clang clang clang clang clang clang clang…!”

The long claw lights collided with the Blade Array Matrix, sparks scattering amid a series of intense clashes.

The raging claw strikes Grimmjow unleashed in fury were all completely blocked by the Blade Array Matrix.

As for Kaiser, he completely abandoned defense—or rather, he placed full trust in the Blade Array Matrix’s defensive capability—and while ignoring Grimmjow’s strikes, he retaliated with dozens of sword slashes, each one cutting into Grimmjow’s body.

“Slash!” “Slash!” “Slash!” “Slash!”…

In an instant, Grimmjow’s lithe, leopard-like body was effortlessly torn open by the flurry of strikes, leaving gashes everywhere as blood gushed out in torrents.

“Gaaahhhh…!”

Grimmjow could no longer suppress his cry of pain. His assault’s frequency suddenly slowed.

“Trading injuries with me? Are you sure your brain’s working?”

Kaiser sneered, then slashed Grimmjow’s abdomen with one strike, unleashing a burst of force that sent him flying.

The airborne Grimmjow crashed into a giant dead tree—as large as a mountain—which shattered on impact, reduced to countless fragments that rained down on the white land.

“Thud!”

“Thud!”

Just then, with two spatial distortions, Ulquiorra and Yammy appeared on Kaiser’s left and right.

“Cero.”

Ulquiorra extended his finger, a concentrated mass of Reiatsu glowing with emerald light at the tip, transforming into a beam that surged toward Kaiser like a torrent.

“Take this! Bala!”

Yammy roared. Red lightning burst from both his hands, and he fired Bala like mad, unleashing red orbs that could vaporize the air, bombarding Kaiser like a crimson downpour.

However, whether Ulquiorra’s Cero or Yammy’s incessant Bala, they were all blocked by the countless Zanpakutō encircling Kaiser—Cero burst like waves crashing on rocks, and the Bala exploded one after another. None reached Kaiser within the Blade Array Matrix.

“Blade Array Annihilation!”

After withstanding the assault from two Espada, Kaiser raised his head, lifted Crown of Heavens high, and the Zanpakutō surrounding him moved as if materialized, launching like arrows toward the two Espada.

“…!”

Ulquiorra’s expression changed slightly. He vanished into the void, dodging the incoming barrage.

Yammy wasn’t so lucky.

“Slash!” “Slash!” “Slash!”…

As sounds of flesh being torn apart rang out, Yammy’s hulking body was pierced through by a barrage of Zanpakutō.

His Hierro, his physical defense, proved fragile before these attacking Zanpakutō and was easily penetrated.

“Da…mn…”

Bleeding all over, Yammy choked out bloodied words as he plummeted toward the ground.

“Boom!”

Kaiser released a sword-pressure attack resembling Getsuga Tenshō. A golden blade of Reiatsu descended from the sky and struck Yammy’s body, completely obliterating him.

The Tenth Espada, Yammy Llargo—dead.

“Buzz—”

Suddenly, from the far side of the white desert, an intense Reiatsu disturbance reached Kaiser, who had just finished off Yammy.

Kaiser turned his head and looked over.

There, Grimmjow knelt on one knee, one hand stretched forward toward Kaiser, the other clenching the outstretched arm. A fierce Reiatsu gathered at his hand.

The blood gushing from Grimmjow’s body was mixing into the Reiatsu, turning it bluish green.

That bluish green Reiatsu formed a sawtooth-glowing orb aimed at Kaiser, illuminating Grimmjow’s blood-stained face.

“This is a special Cero only Espada can use! Its power exceeds a normal Cero by several times or even dozens!”

Grimmjow growled viciously.

“With just one blast, even space itself can be distorted! That’s why it’s strictly forbidden under normal circumstances!”

Clearly, Grimmjow no longer cared about such rules.

“This power mixed with Espada blood—taste it well!”

Grimmjow bellowed.

“Take this! Gran Rey Cero!”

The jagged Reiatsu orb in his palm blasted forth, stirring a violent tempest and thunderous boom.

As it traveled, just as Grimmjow said, space itself was visibly distorted.

Kaiser could feel the terror of this strike.

In terms of sheer power, this Gran Rey Cero already surpassed even the scorching flames released from Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni’s Ryūjin Jakka.

In all his decades in this world, the strongest attack Kaiser had ever faced was this moment.

So…

“Though I doubt this strike can breach the Blade Array Matrix, as a sign of respect—let me return the favor with this move.”

The countless Zanpakutō circling Kaiser shattered.

The shattered blades turned into pure Reiatsu, converging onto Crown of Heavens in Kaiser’s hand.

“Blade Array Erasure!”

A slash infused with the power of every Zanpakutō in existence burst forth at this moment.

“BOOM!!!”

As the golden slash cleaved forth like mountains splitting and seas parting, the white desert was sliced in half.

Tidal waves of white sand erupted skyward.

Even the Gran Rey Cero that distorted space was instantly severed, erased into nothing.

Grimmjow hadn’t even reacted. Still kneeling with one hand outstretched, he was cleaved through by the golden slash. The desert before and behind him was sliced open.

“————”

Grimmjow’s body froze, never moving again.

“Pff!”

After a moment, blood burst from Grimmjow’s chest, and his body split cleanly in two, falling to either side.

The Sixth Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez—dead.

(End of Chapter)