Fantasy Library, Ch 196-200

Chapter 196: Tearing Up Someone Else’s Umbrella

The World of the Living, deep in a forest.

As sunlight streamed down from the sky, piercing through layer upon layer of branches and leaves, casting light upon the ground covered in fallen leaves, a classical sliding door suddenly appeared here without warning—and opened automatically.

No one knew that this door was called a Senkaimon, the gate used by Shinigamis to travel from the Soul Society to the World of the Living or vice versa. It connected to the Dangai, and was an important gateway linking the two worlds.

Led by a few pitch-black Hell Butterflies, students from Shin'ō Academy began to pour out of the Senkaimon one after another, gathering in the forest and adding a touch of liveliness to the otherwise desolate woodland.

Unfortunately, neither the birds and beasts in the forest nor the falling leaves from the dense canopy above could touch these people—nor could they perceive their existence.

Because they had no physical bodies—they were Souls, Soul, invisible and imperceptible to the living.

“So this is the World of the Living?”

“How amazing. I can’t believe we actually came to another world like this.”

“What? You mean you weren’t sent to the Soul Society from the World of the Living?”

“Of course not. We’re native to the Soul Society.”

“That explains it.”

“Yeah, we’re among those who were sent from the World of the Living.”

“Though it’s been nearly fifty years since we left.”

“It really brings back memories.”

The students began whispering to each other, excitedly chatting. The native Soul Society students, in particular, were all curious, listening intently to those who had come from the World of the Living bragging about their experiences—it all felt so new and interesting.

“Back here again.”

Kaiser didn’t find it that novel. He just felt a bit odd recalling what happened when he first arrived in this world.

Back then, he had already died and existed only as a Soul. Before he could even react, he was Konsō’d by a Shinigami, and in a complete daze, sent off to the Soul Society—specifically to the lawless Zaraki District.

So even though he technically had been in the World of the Living, it hadn’t even been three seconds. He didn’t get a chance to see his surroundings, nor even figure out where he was, before being whisked away.

Thinking back on it now, Kaiser still felt a bit irritated.

“I didn’t even get a clear look at the Shinigami who performed my Konsō. By the time I realized what was happening, it was already over. Who am I supposed to complain to?”

If he ever found out who that Shinigami was, he would be sure to “thank” them properly—and show them just how difficult this job could be.

Kaiser silently vowed this in his heart. Whether he’d get the chance to do so was another matter.

“All right, everyone pay attention.”

At that moment, Shūhei Hisagi appeared before the students, accompanied by his two teammates.

“From now until this time tomorrow, we’ll be stationed in the World of the Living to carry out Konsō and Hollow extermination practice.”

“First is Konsō. This portion of the exercise will last until sunset. You are to return here at dusk to regroup.”

“After night falls, we’ll take you to the designated area where simulated Hollows have been deployed for actual combat training. That training will last until tomorrow morning.”

In other words, this practical assignment for Class 1 consisted of two parts: the first half was Konsō, and the second half was combat practice. The exercise would last the entire day and end at the same time tomorrow.

“Let’s start with Konsō.”

Shūhei Hisagi distributed maps to everyone.

“The Konsō exercise areas are several towns surrounding this forest.”

“We sixth-years have already conducted preliminary investigations. This region has recently seen unrest, and many people have died. As a result, there are a large number of Souls needing to be sent to the Soul Society. Those Souls are your targets for this training.”

“Technically, with so many Souls gathered in one area, it wouldn’t be strange for Hollows to show up. But recently, Division 13 Shinigamis were deployed here and have already exterminated a number of Hollows. At present, you’re unlikely to encounter any more.”

Division 13 was the Purification Squad within the Gotei 13, responsible for Konsō and Hollow purification in the World of the Living.

Since Shinigamis from Division 13 had already been here, it was indeed possible the Hollows had been eliminated.

As for the Souls, there might still be too many left for the Division 13 Shinigamis to handle all at once.

That was why this area had been chosen as the Konsō training site.

“Remember, you are only to operate within the designated towns. Do not wander around aimlessly,” Shūhei Hisagi said sternly. “If you go off on your own and encounter a Hollow outside those areas, don’t say we didn’t warn you.”

At those words, several students who’d been thinking of sneaking off to explore visibly stiffened, instantly standing up straight. Those who had been harboring thoughts of revisiting places from their past life also gave up the idea, afraid to act rashly.

“Konsō isn’t dangerous, so you’ll operate alone this time,” Hisagi added once he saw that his warning had had the desired effect. “Just remember not to leave the designated areas, and be sure to return here before dusk.”

“Yes!”

The Class 1 students answered in unison, then dispersed, running off toward their chosen towns.

“Kai, which direction are you heading?”

“Want to come with us?”

Renji Abarai and Izuru Kira called out to Kaiser. It looked like the two of them had chosen the same town and planned to go there together.

“No, I’ll go the other way.”

Kaiser noticed they had picked the largest and farthest town, so he shook his head.

“It’s just Konsō training—no need to overthink it. I’ll just pick the closest town.”

With that, Kaiser turned, and his figure flickered—he vanished.

This scene shocked the students who hadn’t left yet.

“…Was that Shunpo just now?”

“It was.”

“Whoa, so he can already use Shunpo proficiently?”

“He was hiding that well, huh?”

The students looked at each other in surprise, then let out wry chuckles.

“As expected of him.”

Izuru also chuckled bitterly, though his tone was filled with admiration.

“What’s so great about that?” Renji Abarai pouted. “I’ll master Shunpo too, sooner or later.”

With that, Renji turned and tried to imitate Kaiser, attempting to use Shunpo—only to trip over his own feet and almost fall flat on his face.

Not far away, the three sixth-years had also seen the scene and exchanged glances.

“That’s the rumored Second-Class Spiritual Pressure holder, isn’t it?” the only female among them said first, her voice tinged with awe. “He can already use Shunpo so proficiently… Truly the strongest genius in a thousand years.”

“He really is impressive,” said another male student in a deep voice. “Even among us sixth-years, many can’t use Shunpo that well. He’s only been enrolled for half a year, and he’s already mastered it. No wonder even the Captain who visited was so impressed.”

Shūhei Hisagi also looked deeply in the direction Kaiser had gone.

Even before graduation, he had gained the recognition of many seniors and was already slated to join the Gotei 13—hence his fame and status as a role model at Shin'ō Academy.

But in terms of raw talent, he could never match Kaiser.

He had failed the entrance exam twice and only reached this point through sheer persistence and effort.

Compared to Kaiser, his talent wasn’t worth mentioning—at least that’s what Hisagi himself believed.

Now, he’d finally seen a glimpse of Kaiser’s abilities for himself, and realized just how much he had underestimated him before.

“He’ll probably graduate early and join the Gotei 13.”

Maybe, they would even become rookies in the Gotei 13 together.

With that thought, Hisagi looked once more in the direction Kaiser had left, then turned to his two teammates.

“Let’s go. We’ve got our own tasks to take care of.”

His two teammates nodded, and the three of them departed.

……

Shff!

In the town closest to the forest, Kaiser had already arrived, stepping into the town’s interior.

“Pretty retro.”

Looking around at the scene that wasn’t much different from the Rukongai in the Soul Society, Kaiser blinked.

“We should be in the Shōwa era now, right? Somewhere around the 20th year of Shōwa?”

Because it was still several decades before the original plot began, the World of the Living hadn’t yet entered its era of high-rise buildings and skyscrapers. Though samurai no longer walked the streets, the unrest mentioned by Hisagi just now made it clear this wasn’t yet a time of peace like the modern day.

Shff! Shff! Shff! …

Kaiser used Shunpo several times in quick succession, his figure darting forward like teleportation. Soon, he arrived in the town center and spotted a Soul wandering the street.

Kaiser originally intended to greet the Soul and chat briefly—but suddenly changed his mind.

“If I’ve been caught in the rain… I might as well go tear up someone else’s umbrella!”

With a mischievous grin, Kaiser activated Shunpo again and appeared right in front of the Soul.

“Eh?”

The wandering Soul saw a blur, and before he could react, his forehead was struck hard.

Kaiser had appeared before him using Shunpo and, with a speed faster than the eye could follow, drawn his Zanpakutō and struck the Soul’s forehead with the butt of the handle.

By the time Kaiser retracted the blade, a circular mark with the word “魂” had already appeared on the Soul’s forehead.

“Ahhhhhhh…!”

With a panicked cry, the Soul vanished—sent to the Soul Society.

“Next.”

Kaiser, as if discovering a new hobby, turned and left.

That day, dozens of Souls arrived in the Soul Society—each one grumbling curses nonstop…

Chapter 197: Will You Make a Move?

The Konsō training was indeed just as Shūhei Hisagi had said—there was no real danger.

With the Hollows already purified by the Shinigamis of Division 13 of the Gotei 13, Konsō had become quite simple. All it required was finding the wandering Souls in the World of the Living and tapping them on the forehead with the hilt of a Zanpakutō.

As long as one had a Zanpakutō and didn’t encounter any Hollows, anyone could easily complete a Konsō.

In fact, purification duties were the same—as long as one had a Zanpakutō, they could be carried out.

Because when a Hollow was slain by a Zanpakutō, it would be purified and revert to a Plus, then be sent to the Soul Society. Therefore, Hollow purification could be performed as long as one had a Zanpakutō.

Of course, Hollows were different from Pluses. They were monsters that devoured souls. Killing them was no simple matter without a certain level of strength.

Only after receiving a Zanpakutō could one begin performing Konsō and purification. That was why, upon receiving an Asauchi, students at Shin'ō Academy began Konsō and combat training courses.

Now, the Konsō practical had proceeded extremely smoothly. With no incidents, all students had returned to the forest by dusk and gathered in front of Shūhei Hisagi and the others.

“Very good.”

Shūhei Hisagi felt relieved that the Konsō training had gone so well, nodding as he addressed everyone.

“This concludes the Konsō portion of the practical. Next is the combat training using simulated Hollows.”

“We sixth-years have already selected the location, and members of the barrier class have set up a barrier there. No one will accidentally wander in.”

“However, unlike Konsō, combat comes with risk—even simulated Hollows can lead to unexpected situations.”

“Therefore, in the combat training, you’ll form teams of three and engage in joint operations.”

One of Hisagi’s companions brought over a box for drawing lots and passed it around to the students.

“Teams will be decided by drawing lots. Each of you will draw once. Those who draw matching symbols will form a team.”

At this point, Shūhei Hisagi made an announcement.

“Because of the team format, one of you will be left unpaired.”

“We’ve discussed it, and decided to leave the choice to that person.”

“Whoever draws the blank lot can choose to withdraw from the training and stay with us, or choose to join one of the teams.”

Upon hearing this, the students began whispering among themselves.

“Of course you’d want to join a team, right?”

“It's a rare chance to do combat training—who would give that up?”

“I… I kinda want to pass…”

“No way, the opponents are just simulated Hollows!”

“But I’m still kind of scared…”

Everyone was exchanging opinions—some unwilling to miss the opportunity, while others hesitated, clearly nervous.

Shūhei Hisagi ignored the chatter and prepared to begin the drawing.

However, at that moment, a voice rang out.

“Senpai, can I take the blank lot?”

The moment that voice rang out, everyone froze.

“You…”

Shūhei Hisagi furrowed his brow, about to say something—but upon seeing who had spoken, he fell silent.

“Kai-kun?”

“What are you trying to do?”

Izuru Kira and Renji Abarai both cried out in shock.

Indeed, the one who had spoken was Kaiser.

“…You don’t want to participate in combat training? Or is there someone you want to partner with?”

Shūhei Hisagi paused for a moment, then asked.

“No, neither.” Kaiser shook his head and said calmly, “I want to act alone. Is that okay?”

“Alone?”

Shūhei Hisagi was momentarily stunned.

“A-Are you saying you want to act alone?”

The others were even more stunned.

To think someone wanted to go solo in their very first combat exercise?

Should they say he was brave, or just plain reckless?

If it had been anyone else, the students probably would have said just that.

But because it was Kaiser, they found themselves at a loss for words.

“Very well,” Shūhei Hisagi said after a brief moment of contemplation, nodding. “If it’s you, I suppose acting alone won’t be a problem.”

It was, without a doubt, a recognition of Kaiser’s strength.

Even though Shūhei Hisagi had never seen Kaiser fight, just the Shunpo Kaiser had displayed earlier was enough for him to believe that—even in an emergency—Kaiser could easily withdraw.

Besides, he’d heard plenty of rumors about Kaiser.

Like how, in Kendō class, he’d never lost a single match—his highest record being twenty-four consecutive victories in a single day.

And in Kidō class, how his progress always outpaced everyone else, his scores always ranked first.

The only area where he was seemingly unimpressive was Hakuda, where his performance was just average—not as outstanding as in the other subjects.

But among the four arts of Zankensōki, even the Captains of the Gotei 13 weren’t necessarily proficient in all of them. For Kaiser to master three out of four was already exceptional.

Add to that his Second-Class Spiritual Pressure, and it didn’t seem unreasonable for such a genius to act alone during a simulated Hollow training session.

If anything, acting alongside others might hinder him.

After all, others couldn’t keep up with him.

Perhaps that was exactly why he made the request.

With that thought, Shūhei Hisagi had no reason to refuse.

“Then you can act alone. With you excluded, the remaining students divide evenly into groups of three.”

Having made his decision, Hisagi allowed the students to begin drawing lots.

After exchanging glances, the students stepped forward silently to draw their lots. No one objected.

Their thoughts aligned with Hisagi’s—it didn’t seem unreasonable for Kaiser to act solo.

“Seriously, trying to show off again…”

Only Renji Abarai grumbled under his breath, but didn’t object out loud.

After all, this was only a mock battle. The opponents were simulated Hollows that wouldn’t devour souls. At worst, one might get a bit banged up.

As he thought this, Renji had no idea that Kaiser was gazing up at the darkening sky, thinking to himself:

“If something unexpected happens, it’ll most likely be during the upcoming combat training.”

Not teaming up with anyone was for the sake of moving freely.

“Will you make a move…?”

Kaiser murmured softly to himself.

Thus, with the drawing completed, the students of Class 1 formed their teams and, under Shūhei Hisagi’s lead, headed to the combat training site.

……

It was an abandoned industrial area.

The zone was near the coast, and seemed to double as a warehouse district. Buildings beyond the factories were filled with all kinds of clutter.

The sixth-years from Shin'ō Academy had arrived earlier—some erected barriers, while others stood guard at various locations, ensuring the training would proceed smoothly and no unexpected events would occur.

Simulated Hollows had already been released. They wandered through corners of the area, letting out hollow cries.

Their appearances were bizarre and varied—some humanoid, some beastlike, and others somewhere in between. Their “skin” came in all colors, with some looking like they were encased in shells, their entire bodies exuding an inorganic feel.

Though the forms of Hollows were diverse, they shared two universal traits.

A hole in their chest—symbolizing the emptiness of their hearts and the loss of their souls.

A mask on their face—representing the erasure of their true identities, hiding their original features from life.

These two traits defined all Hollows.

The simulated Hollows wandering here were no different. Some were large, some small, some grotesque, and others more acceptable in appearance. But all without exception had hollow holes in their chests and grotesque masks on their faces—clearly marking them as monsters, as evil spirits.

Shff!

Kaiser’s figure appeared on the rooftop of one of the buildings, landing atop the roof.

“Roar!”

A simulated Hollow hidden in the shadows suddenly leapt out, letting out a hollow cry as it lunged at Kaiser.

Its speed wasn’t fast—in fact, it could be called slow—well within the reaction time of a first-year student.

In Kaiser’s eyes, it was moving so slowly it may as well have been crawling. He didn’t even glance at it, didn’t draw his blade. He simply extended a finger toward its head.

“Hadō #4: Byakurai.”

In an instant, lightning burst from Kaiser’s fingertip.

Boom!

A lightning bolt shot from his finger, piercing the simulated Hollow’s head in an instant, shattering its mask and skull.

“————”

The headless Hollow stopped moving, staggered in place, then slowly toppled to the ground.

Whoosh…

As the wind blew gently, the Hollow’s headless corpse turned to dust and vanished—leaving not a single drop of blood.

“So weak…”

Kaiser stood silently for a moment before commenting.

“Things like this… forget the current me—even back when I was still in the Seidukan Academy, I could’ve casually wiped out a whole bunch.”

And he wasn’t even talking about after he’d obtained the Ser-Veresta.

He meant back when he’d just acquired supernatural power and had only just become a Genestella.

Back then, even in Seidoukan Academy, he was merely average. But facing something like a simulated Hollow? He probably could’ve taken them down in one blow.

“And this is what they call ‘combat training’? Are you sure this isn’t just play-pretend?”

Kaiser grumbled.

“Might as well go spar with Renji using wooden swords…”

Right now, Kaiser actually wouldn’t mind an unexpected development.

At the very least, that way he’d get a proper fight in—and shake the rust off this body of his.

Chapter 198: Can’t Win? Then Hurry and Run?

At the same time, the others participating in the combat training just like Kaiser weren’t having it as easy as he was.

Clang!

In a dim alleyway, a simulated Hollow taller than a human swung its sharp claw downward, striking against a raised Asauchi, letting out a crisp clash that echoed through the moonlit night.

Renji Abarai gripped the hilt of his blade with one hand and braced the back of the blade with the other, holding it horizontally to block the simulated Hollow’s claw, entering into a deadlock of strength.

“Damn it!”

After a moment, Renji began to lose strength and couldn’t help but give a strong shove, pushing the Hollow’s claw away.

“Roar!”

The pushed-back simulated Hollow let out a hollow roar, then suddenly climbed up the wall beside it, attempting to launch an aerial attack on Renji.

“Kira! It’s coming your way!”

Renji didn’t panic but shouted toward the top of the wall.

“I got it!”

Izuru Kira jumped down from above, raising his Asauchi high as he fell, slashing toward the simulated Hollow.

Clang!

The Hollow raised its claw to block the attack, but was struck hard enough to fall from the wall and crash to the ground.

“My turn!”

Renji rushed forward, taking advantage of the Hollow’s fall, and struck two slashes at its claws.

Squelch! Squelch!

With the sound of two slashes, the simulated Hollow’s two claws were severed.

“Roar!”

The Hollow let out a wail of pain, blood spraying from the stumps of its limbs.

“Now! Hinamori!”

Kira, who had landed steadily on the other side, shouted toward the direction he had jumped from.

There, Momo Hinamori still had her Asauchi strapped on her back and hadn’t drawn it yet, but her slender hand was extended toward the Hollow, reiryoku gathering in her palm.

“Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of man! Truth and temperance, upon the sea barrier, strike the southern sky and advance!”

With fluent and practiced cadence, Momo Hinamori chanted the spell.

“Hadō #31: Shakkahō!”

The reiryoku gathered in her palm instantly turned fiery red, flaring with scorching heat, transforming into a blazing fireball that shot toward the simulated Hollow.

Boom!

The high-speed fireball struck the Hollow directly and exploded on its body.

The scorching heat and blazing flames surged up, engulfing the simulated Hollow and burning it to ashes on the spot.

“We… we did it!”

Momo Hinamori shouted joyfully.

“Nice job!”

“That was amazing, Hinamori-san!”

Renji and Kira cheered together, then ran forward to high-five Momo as she landed.

“Finally took one down.” Renji grinned. “It hasn’t even been half an hour since the combat training started. We might be the fastest team.”

“Not necessarily, other teams may have encountered enemies earlier,” Kira replied with a soft smile, then turned to Momo with praise. “That Shakkahō just now was excellent. Hinamori, you should be able to cast without incantation by now, right?”

“Mm.” Momo blushed slightly, nodded, and said a bit bashfully, “I can cast without chanting, but the power is less than a third of the full incantation version. I was worried it wouldn’t be strong enough to finish it, so I used the full chant.”

“Truly impressive.” Kira seemed to enjoy praising Hinamori—or perhaps was simply charmed by her blushing expression—and said with a bit of cheer, “Among us first-years, you’re probably the only one who can cast mid-level Hadō above #30 without chanting. The rest of us can only look up to you.”

Hearing this, Renji wanted to retort, but thinking about his terrible performance in Kidō, he immediately shut his mouth.

Hadō #31—this level of Kidō—Renji could cast it, but not consistently.

Worse, sometimes when he cast it, it would just explode in his face—harming no one but himself.

Back when they were learning low-level Kidō, he could still keep up even if he lagged behind a bit. After a few extra tries, he could learn it. But ever since the class moved into teaching mid-level spells above #30, he’d fallen behind completely, unable to catch up—becoming the class’s undisputed deadweight.

Even Rukia in Class 2 was more skilled with Kidō than him. As a supposed elite of Class 1, he had thoroughly fallen off…

This made Renji realize that maybe he really didn’t have much talent for Kidō.

In contrast, Momo Hinamori—this gentle-looking girl—had a Kidō talent that could be said to outshine everyone else in Class 1.

So at this moment, Renji really couldn’t find a reason to argue with Kira’s praise.

“No worries. I’m still better than her in Kendō.”

Renji consoled himself like that.

In Kendō class, Renji’s performance was on par with Hinamori’s in Kidō class—almost peerless.

As for Kira, while he was weaker than Renji in Zanjutsu and weaker than Hinamori in Kidō, he had solid skills in both areas, making him the best in terms of overall balance.

That’s not even considering Hakuda and Shunpo.

In Hakuda, none of the three were particularly skilled, and as for Shunpo—well, none of them had even managed to use it successfully once.

“No, that’s not true. I’m sure I’m not the only one who can do it.”

At this point, Hinamori began to wave her hands and shake her head, denying Kira’s words.

“Kai-san should be able to as well. His performance in Kidō class has always been better than mine. The Kidō teacher often seeks him out privately—I heard he’s been taught a lot of material not even covered in class…”

Speaking of this, Hinamori actually felt quite envious.

That Kidō teacher was said to be from the Kidō Corps, extremely skilled in Kidō. It was said they could even use high-level spells with ease. Anything short of spells above #90 was supposedly within their capability.

To be tutored privately by such a teacher—who knows how many secrets one could learn?

So every time she heard people talking about this, Hinamori couldn’t help but feel envy.

“Kai-kun, huh…”

Kira scratched his head and muttered weakly.

“He’s probably an exception. Comparing ourselves to him is just too discouraging.”

That comment made Renji think of his repeated defeats in Kendō again, and he suddenly felt a little depressed.

“Wonder how that guy’s doing right now,” Renji muttered subconsciously. “Acting alone—will he really be okay?”

Kira and Hinamori couldn’t help but worry a little too.

The three of them had teamed up and only just managed to defeat one simulated Hollow. Kaiser was on his own—was he really going to be alright?

Hopefully, if he can’t win, he’ll just use Shunpo and escape instead of forcing a fight…

……

“Hadō #31: Shakkahō.”

With a chantless cast, a high-speed fireball tore through the night sky, shooting straight toward a fleeing simulated Hollow.

That simulated Hollow looked like it had been terrified, running frantically—only to be struck from behind by the fireball and blown apart on the spot.

“Roar!”

“Waugh!”

Two more simulated Hollows were drawn by the commotion. They arrived and immediately froze in place when they saw what happened.

Shff!

A figure suddenly appeared behind them like a teleport, both hands extending to press against the backs of their necks.

Boom! Boom!

Two Shakkahō fired simultaneously, blasting both simulated Hollows’ heads clean off.

With smoke rising from their neck stumps, the two simulated Hollows toppled to the ground—disappearing into ash before they could even hit the dirt, not even leaving behind corpses.

“…How many is that now?”

Kaiser shook off the smoke from his hands, muttering with boredom.

“Twenty-first?”

“Or twenty-third?”

“Eh, doesn’t matter.”

Unaware that others were still worrying and praying for his safety, Kaiser looked thoroughly uninterested.

“If I keep killing them like this, won’t there be no targets left for the others to train on?”

He was already starting to worry about that, which showed just how bored he was.

“Guess I better stop wasting time on these toys.”

Kaiser made a decision—he wouldn’t kill any more simulated Hollows for now.

Shff!

With a flash of Shunpo, Kaiser disappeared from the spot and reappeared on top of a tall tower, taking up the high ground in the training zone.

“……”

Looking over the vast training field, Kaiser closed his eyes and began sensing the reiatsu of others.

“Renji, Kira, Hinamori… those three are together. They must be teamed up.”

“Hisagi-senpai’s reiatsu is over that way…”

“These must be the sixth-years who arrived ahead of us.”

Kaiser sensed one by one, clearly detecting everyone’s reiatsu.

Thanks to his exceptional reiatsu control, his originally lacking detection ability was now greatly enhanced. Even the faint reiatsu of a group of first-years couldn’t escape his perception.

“Too bad, I can still only sense this much. I can’t detect anything else.”

Kaiser opened his eyes and frowned.

“If something unexpected does happen, I still won’t be able to pick it up in time?”

What to do, then?

Kaiser pondered silently.

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, Kaiser sensed something abnormal.

“Just now… several reiatsu signatures suddenly weakened?”

He quickly turned his head and looked in a certain direction.

“Over there?”

His figure immediately vanished, flashing repeatedly as he dashed toward that direction.

Before long, Kaiser arrived at his destination—and caught a whiff of something in the air…

The scent of blood.

Chapter 199: A Hollow Without Reiatsu

——

In the silent space, the glaring blood was spreading across the ground like a lake, filling the air with a thick stench of blood that continued to diffuse.

Kaiser’s expression shifted slightly as he looked upon the horrific scene before him.

In front of him, several Academy Students wearing the uniform of the Shin’ō Academy lay in pools of blood, barely clinging to life.

“Sixth-years…”

Kaiser immediately recognized them as the sixth-year students assigned to guard and monitor this area. Now, however, each one was gravely injured, with blood gushing from their bodies as if it were free, the sheer volume of blood loss so exaggerated it felt like a sick joke.

Kaiser stepped forward at once, crouched beside the nearest person, quickly examined him, and swiftly came to a conclusion.

“There’s no doubt they’ve sustained fatal injuries. If left like this, they’ll die within a minute.”

This situation had already reached a critical level of urgency.

“They must be treated immediately.”

Kaiser frowned.

“But I don’t know any Kaidō.”

Kaidō was the one branch of Kidō that Kaiser had yet to explore. The Academy also didn’t offer a dedicated course on Kaidō—at least not in the first year.

“If only Asia was here.”

Kaiser thought of the Sacred Gear Twilight Healing. If he had that artifact, so long as the person wasn’t already dead, they could be saved.

Unfortunately, Kaiser didn’t have Twilight Healing.

“No choice then.”

Helpless, Kaiser stood up and clenched his hand, gripping a long spear that appeared out of thin air.

It was the True Longinus.

Hum…

His reiryoku flowed into the spear like running water, and it responded to the influx with a divine resonance as the spearhead opened up, releasing sacred waves.

“As I thought, reiryoku can also activate Sacred Gears.”

Kaiser nodded, showing a look of no surprise.

Sacred Gears had always had varied power sources. They could be powered by stamina, by devil power, by aura, even by angelic or fallen energy—they accepted all, indiscriminately.

So although he had never tested it before, Kaiser had always believed that reiryoku from a spiritual body could also power Sacred Gears. He was merely confirming that belief now.

“I’ll have to test it with an Orga Lux sometime too, see if reiryoku can fuel those as well.”

As that thought crossed his mind, Kaiser raised the spear.

“‘O spear! True Holy Spear that pierces through gods!’”

With a voice sacred and solemn like a hymn, the incantation rang out.

“‘Draw upon the ideal of the supreme ruler slumbering within me, pierce the gap between blessing and destruction!’”

“‘Thou shalt proclaim thy legacy and become radiance!’”

The spear in Kaiser’s hand flared fully open at the tip, the sacred waves rapidly expanding, and in a blink, they enveloped the entire space.

“Truth Idea!”

Kaiser activated Truth Idea, invoking the will of God within the spear and bringing forth a miracle.

Zheng…

The sacred wave spread across the wounded sixth-years, and the blood beneath them began to flow back into their bodies in reverse.

Their wounds, too, began to close visibly, healing completely in mere moments.

Truth Idea responded to Kaiser’s will, releasing a healing effect and resolving his crisis.

“You really are the most reliable.”

Kaiser exhaled in relief and smiled at the spear in his hand.

Hum…

Suddenly, the Zanpakutō at his waist vibrated.

Kaiser blinked, then gave a wry smile and said:

“I never said you weren’t useful. Don’t be so petty.”

At his words, the Zanpakutō at his waist finally ceased its trembling, leaving Kaiser half amused, half helpless.

After putting away the spear, Kaiser walked forward and moved the now-recovered sixth-years to a corner.

“Well then… where’s the culprit?”

Kaiser turned back toward the scene, his eyes narrowing.

He opened up his full reiatsu-sensing ability—only to sense nothing.

Not just here, but throughout the entire training ground, there was no reiatsu other than that of the Academy Students and simulated Hollows, as if the one who attacked the sixth-years had already vanished.

“Left…”

A feeling of foreboding suddenly rose in Kaiser’s heart.

“Don’t tell me…”

Sensing something was terribly wrong, Kaiser didn’t hesitate. With a flash of Shunpo, he disappeared.

……

As it turned out, Kaiser’s premonition was right.

While he was heading toward the location of the injured sixth-years, in another part of the training grounds, the first-years were in full retreat.

“Aaaaahhhhhhh——!”

Cries of terror rang out from all directions, plunging the area into chaos.

“Rooooooaaaaar——!”

In answer to those screams came a hollow roar that shook the air—and a towering figure as large as a building.

It was a Hollow.

A Hollow of absurd size.

Its body radiated a chaotic frenzy, warning everyone present that it was anything but harmless. It was most certainly not a simulated Hollow meant for training—yet strangely, it emitted no reiatsu at all. Because of this, no one had reacted in time when it appeared.

By the time everyone realized what was happening, many had already fallen to its assault, staining the ground red with blood.

“What the hell is going on…?!”

Shūhei Hisagi stood with his back to the fleeing students, facing the roaring Hollow, his expression as dark as it could get.

“Why is there a real Hollow here? And such a massive one at that?!”

He had already tried to contact the barrier class, but received no response.

He had also tried to reach Soul Society—but there was no reply there either, leaving him with a growing sense of despair.

“At the very least, we need to get the first-years out of here…!”

Clinging to that hope, Hisagi roared in defiance, drew the blade on his back, and charged toward the massive Hollow.

Boom!

The giant Hollow, as if swatting a fly, casually swung its enormous limb and smashed Hisagi away.

Gah…!

Hisagi crashed against the wall of a nearby building, spitting out a huge mouthful of blood as the impact shattered the wall behind him.

“So strong… This thing isn’t something Academy Students can deal with at all…!”

Hisagi’s face contorted in pain.

The Hollow’s strength was immense. Even regular Gotei 13 squad members might not be able to handle it.

To take on a Hollow of this level, you’d need at least a Seated Officer—perhaps even one ranked higher than Tenth Seat.

“Damn it!”

Hisagi gritted through the pain, staggering to his feet and raising his blade.

“Rooooar…!”

The Hollow, seeming to take this as provocation, ignored the fleeing first-years and barreled toward Hisagi with its massive frame.

“…Is this the end?”

As the giant form blotted out his vision, Hisagi found himself seeing his own death flash before his eyes.

At that moment—

“Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of man! Truth and temperance, upon the sea barrier, strike the southern sky and advance!”

A loud and urgent chant suddenly rang out.

Three voices—rushed, panicked, but none faltering—overlapped in unison, echoing through the battlefield.

“Hadō #31: Shakkahō!”

In the next instant, three fireballs shot forth, tearing through the air with red light, striking the giant Hollow all at once.

BOOM!!!

The explosions erupted on its body, causing it to stagger backward, creating space between it and Hisagi.

Before Hisagi could react, three figures rushed toward him.

“What are you standing there for, Senpai?!”

Renji Abarai shouted at Hisagi angrily.

“Run!”

Izuru Kira looked completely pale, clearly overwhelmed with fear. His hands were visibly shaking.

“Excuse us, Hisagi-senpai!”

Momo Hinamori’s expression wasn’t much better. Seeing Hisagi still frozen, she shoved him hard, pushing him away.

“ROOOOOAAARRR——!”

A massive limb came crashing down where they had been standing, pulverizing the ground.

Instantly, smoke and debris filled the air, spreading outward.

Renji, Kira, Hinamori, and Hisagi burst out of the smoke just in time, fleeing desperately into a nearby alleyway.

The enormous Hollow let out another roar and gave chase in their direction.

“That’s a real Hollow, right?” Renji growled as he ran, biting his lip. “Why the hell is there a real Hollow here?!”

“…I don’t know.” Hisagi had finally snapped out of it. Running with the others, his face was grim as he said, “It appeared out of nowhere. We couldn’t sense any reiatsu from it. The barrier class isn’t responding. Soul Society isn’t responding either. None of this makes sense!”

“Wh-why is this happening?!” Hinamori nearly cried out, her voice trembling. “Even Soul Society can’t be contacted?”

“Are we just going to die here?!” Kira’s voice shook with raw terror. “I don’t want to die!”

“For now, just run!” Hisagi had finally regained his composure and barked, “The farther the better, the faster the better! Once Soul Society realizes they’ve lost contact with us, they’ll definitely…”

He didn’t finish his sentence.

Because true despair—

Had just arrived before their eyes.

Chapter 200: So Noisy. Shut Up.

Tonight’s moonlit sky was exceptionally beautiful—a crisp and clear night, the kind rarely seen in the modern era, with a radiant full moon hanging high above.

But beneath that moonlight, despair and death loomed—imperceptible to ordinary eyes.

“Roar…”

“Roar…”

With faint, echoing hollow cries, a number of Hollows larger than buildings gathered beneath the moonlight, appearing before Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira, Momo Hinamori, and Shūhei Hisagi.

Seeing this scene, the four of them unconsciously slowed their frantic fleeing steps and stopped in place, dumbfounded as they stared at the towering Hollows. At some point, their Asauchi had slipped from their hands and fallen to the ground.

Their hearts were trembling.

Their instincts were wailing.

The shadow of death manifested in the most direct way before these students who hadn’t even graduated yet, to the point that they couldn’t even feel despair anymore—they could only feel absurdity. Could only feel how ridiculous it all was.

Why were there so many Hollows?

Why were all of them so big?

Why did not a single one of them emit any reiatsu?

If what lay before their eyes was reality—not an illusion, not a nightmare—then why hadn’t the Soul Society noticed such an enormous anomaly, and allowed a group of yet-to-graduate Academy Students to come here for so-called “practical training”?

One question after another surfaced in their minds, yet none could be answered. And none of them could even muster a normal human reaction.

The four of them simply stood there blankly. That was all they could do.

“…Damn beasts.”

Even Renji Abarai, who was usually fearless, seemed to have lost his fighting spirit. He barely managed to lift his sword-holding hand, and the expression on his face was as forced as could be.

“Why…”

Tears streamed down Momo Hinamori’s cheeks at some unknown point, wetting her delicate face.

“Clack clack clack…”

Izuru Kira couldn’t even speak a word. His teeth just kept chattering.

As for Shūhei Hisagi, he couldn’t help but recall the experience of his childhood.

Decades ago, when he was still young, he had been attacked by a Hollow.

At that time, the Captain of Division 9—an individual with “69” carved on his side—had arrived in time and saved him.

To honor the one who saved his life, Hisagi had also carved “69” on his cheek and resolved to join Division 9 upon graduation.

Even though that man was no longer the Captain of Division 9, Hisagi still decided to carry through with that youthful vow.

But now, it seemed… he no longer had the chance.

There was only one thing left for him to do now.

“…You all, run.”

Hisagi gripped his sword tighter, then slowly stepped in front of Renji and the others, shielding them with his body.

“Hisagi-senpai!”

“Senpai…!”

Renji Abarai and Izuru Kira both shouted out at once.

“Run!”

Hisagi didn’t respond to them. He only roared, then charged straight into the jaws of death.

The only thing he could do now was offer his life in exchange for time—time for the juniors to escape.

That way, at least his death wouldn’t be in vain.

“No!”

Seeing Hisagi charging forward without hesitation, Momo Hinamori let out a scream and rushed after him.

“Momo!”

“Momo!”

Renji and Izuru first cried out in panic, and then their voices became filled with terror.

Because at the moment Momo Hinamori dashed forward, a giant Hollow descended from above—landing right in front of her.

It was the very same giant Hollow that had been chasing them earlier.

“ROOOOOAAAAAAARRRRR——!”

The giant Hollow unleashed a roar so powerful it shook the air. The sound was so terrifying that Momo froze on the spot, unable to move.

Its massive, grotesque forelimb was already raised, swinging down toward her without mercy.

——

In that instant, time seemed to slow.

All sound receded from Momo Hinamori.

Shūhei Hisagi appeared to hear something behind him, but it was already too late for him to turn around.

Renji Abarai and Izuru Kira seemed to be shouting something—one face full of rage, the other full of fear—but they couldn’t reach Momo’s side.

Momo Hinamori heard nothing. She only stood there, stunned, watching that grotesque forelimb fall slowly toward her.

And then… a figure appeared before her.

BOOM!!!

The giant Hollow’s monstrous forelimb slammed down with thunderous force, splitting the ground beneath it.

Dust clouded the air. Stones flew. The atmosphere seemed to explode violently, and time resumed its normal flow.

But the Momo Hinamori who should have become a casualty—hadn’t even lost a single strand of hair.

“…You lot really know how to hide. Not leaking even a hint of reiatsu. If it weren’t for the commotion you caused, I wouldn’t have found you.”

Such a voice sounded right in front of Momo Hinamori, reaching everyone’s ears.

Just like Renji and the others, the boy who wore the Shin’ō Academy uniform and bore a Zanpakutō at his waist had appeared before Momo, raising one hand to stop that mountainous forelimb.

Yes.

He simply raised one hand—and with just that hand, he stopped a blow that could crush mountains and shatter buildings, all from a Hollow many times his size.

……

Momo Hinamori still stood there, unmoving, but what lay ahead of her was no longer despair and death.

What she saw now—was the small hope like a break of dawn.

A boy’s back.

“Kai!”

“Kai-kun!”

Renji Abarai and Izuru Kira both widened their eyes and called out his name.

“Is… is it you?”

Shūhei Hisagi also stopped his charge, staring at the scene behind him in shock.

Kaiser didn’t respond to anyone. He only looked at the giant Hollow before him.

“ROAR——!”

The giant Hollow seemed to only now realize what had happened and bellowed with fury.

“ROAR!”

“ROAR!”

That one roar triggered a chorus. All of the giant Hollows present began to roar as well.

Wave after wave of hollow wails overlapped and echoed, stirring the deepest fear within everyone’s hearts.

And yet—

“So noisy. Shut up.”

The terrifying wails that had driven Renji and the others to despair were reduced to mere barking in the face of the boy’s casual words.

BOOM—

The air roared.

It was as if it had grown immeasurably heavy, weighing down upon the entire space.

Renji and the others felt their heads jolt violently, and the space before their eyes seemed to shudder and sway. The world lost its color, becoming monochrome. Black and white. Roaring.

The overwhelming pressure originated from Kaiser, who stood before Momo Hinamori.

That terrifying force seemed as if it could overturn the entire world.

The massive Hollows all stiffened, unable to even cry out.

“This is…?!”

Shūhei Hisagi dropped to one knee, his entire body trembling.

“…Reiatsu?”

Renji Abarai collapsed flat on the ground, dumbfounded.

“W-what an overwhelming reiatsu…!”

Izuru Kira also fell to the ground, staring up at Kaiser as if looking at a god.

Momo Hinamori, though the closest, seemed to be the least affected. She simply stood there, dumbfounded, staring at Kaiser’s back, unresponsive for a long time.

Kaiser had released the reiatsu he had always kept hidden.

For the first time since entering the Academy—he revealed his true power.

The last time he had done so was back in the Zaraki District, when he competed with those ruthless killers over food.

Back then, just releasing his reiatsu alone had broken his enemies’ spirits, rendering them helpless lambs to slaughter.

A Second-Class Spiritual Pressure—Reiatsu of the Second Spiritual Pressure—a level even some Captains in the Gotei 13 had not reached.

With that level of Spiritual Pressure, Kaiser’s reiatsu was Captain-class—and even among Captains, it was one of the stronger ones.

The reiatsu of a Captain-level Shinigami, once released, could heavily suppress even Lieutenants.

At this moment, the reiatsu Kaiser released completely paralyzed Renji and the others—people destined to become future Lieutenants—and shattered the will to fight of all the giant Hollows, forcing them to retreat.

Unfortunately for them, Kaiser did not allow them to retreat.

“Hadō #58: Tenran.”

With this calm incantation, Kaiser extended one hand and released the chantless #58 Hadō.

BOOM!

A massive whirlwind erupted from Kaiser’s palm, howling as it swept across the land and charged toward the group of giant Hollows.

Those colossal Hollows—larger than buildings—could not even resist. No struggle was allowed. They were picked up by the raging wind and hurled into the sky.

“Scatter across the stars, beasts of bone—spires, rubies, wheels of steel. Motion begets wind. Stillness begets void. Resounding clash of spears, echo throughout the Hollowed City.”

Kaiser raised his hand slowly, aiming toward the sky where the giant Hollows had been carried.

And began chanting.

“Hadō #63: Raikōhō.”

A blast spell of lightning and thunder.

#63—this was truly high-level Kidō, far beyond what was normally taught in Shin’ō Academy.

Kaiser had learned it only through the private instruction of the Kidō instructor—and now, he finally used it in battle.

With full chanting, at 100% power.

The fully-chanting high-level Hadō was unleashed by Kaiser, transforming into a lightning-infused cannon that shot toward the airborne group of Hollows.

BOOOOOOM!!!

In the next moment, a brilliant explosion erupted in the night sky. Lightning-laced destruction unfolded just as expected, instantly reducing all of the massive Hollows to dust.

Not a single one remained.

(End of Chapter)

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Author's Note: Good day!