"Gillians are actually participating in this hunting conference? This is the perfect opportunity to test the initial solution I just mastered!"
A nobleman, clad in an imposing tyrant's attire, attended the hunting party. His eyes gleamed with eagerness as he spotted the sudden appearance of the Gillian group in the field. Without hesitation, he unleashed his Zanpakutō and charged forward.
"No! These Hollows don't have soul-lock marks, their spiritual pressure is unrestricted, and they aren't captive!"
Realizing the danger, some noble children instinctively retreated. However, these young nobles, long removed from battle formations, were no match for the untamed Gillian.
One of the noble children who had boldly stepped forward to test his Zanpakutō was instantly torn apart—half his body sent flying backward, while the other half remained clutched in the jaws of a Gillian.
"No!"
A middle-aged man, dressed in aristocratic robes, stood in the courtyard, his face contorted in horror as he watched the noble children struggle in the hunting ground. Their bodies, now incomplete, twitched helplessly.
Above the hunting ground, the nobles spectating from the stands finally realized something had gone terribly wrong.
"Captain Yamada, save my son!"
The middle-aged noble, seeing his descendant reduced to half a body, turned anxiously to Yamada Kiyonosuke, pleading for help.
Though Yamada Kiyonosuke was the vice-captain of the Fourth Division, known for healing, his combat ability rivaled that of the other squads. Just as he unsheathed his Asauchi and prepared to rush into the barrier, he sensed someone had moved even faster.
Makoto Ito had already charged into the hunting ground, cutting down the Gilllian before him with swift precision!
From the distant attic, Kisumi observed the chaos below with an eerily calm expression. Only when she saw Makoto Ito enter the battlefield did a flicker of astonishment cross her beautiful face. Without hesitation, she shed the ornate robes symbolizing her status as the head of the Kisumi family, revealing the battle-worn shihakushō beneath. She leaped into the barrier, calling out:
"Ito-sama, I'm coming to assist you!"
Unnoticed by all, as she entered the barrier, a talisman in her hand quietly floated toward its edge.
Meanwhile, Yamada Kiyonosuke led a group of Death God soldiers who had been guarding the perimeter, preparing to enter the barrier to suppress the rampaging Gillians. But as they approached, they realized something was amiss—the barrier was impenetrable from the outside.
"Hadō 31: Shakkahō!"
"Hadō 33: Sōkatsui!"
"Hadō 3…"
Despite their best efforts, none of their attacks made even the slightest impact. Since the moment Kisumi entered, the barrier had become sealed. To make matters worse, an ominous fog obscured their view of the battlefield.
"This hunting conference was prepared by the Fifth Division. Someone, go summon Captain Aizen!"Yamada Kiyonosuke turned to a fellow Death God, his voice filled with urgency.
Inside the barrier, Makoto Ito quickly assessed the battlefield. The sheer number of the Gillians was overwhelming. Realizing he needed to act fast, he gripped his blade tightly and muttered:
"All evils and monstrosities shall be erased, and gods and saints shall turn to dust—Annihilation God!"
"The Secret Art of the Annihilation God—Fourfold Realm!"
A massive gray-black barrier expanded outward, nearly merging with the original hunting ground's barrier, stretching for several kilometers. The moment the Fourfold Realm took hold, hundreds of Gillian were instantly slowed, their movements becoming sluggish and restrained.
"One Art of the Annihilation God—Shock!"
Makoto Ito swung his blade, unleashing a devastating shockwave. Due to the expansive coverage of the Fourfold Realm, the force of the attack was slightly diluted. Moreover, he intentionally held back, avoiding the full extent of his captain-level strength to maintain his secrecy.
Even so, the impact was sufficient—hundreds of Gillians howled in agony, paralyzed by the overwhelming force.
That was all he needed.
Without the Gillian obstructing his path, Makoto Ito made his way directly to the last of the dozens of steel portals. A powerful spiritual pressure radiated from within—a presence both immense and restrained.
In a blur of movement, he rushed forward, only to find himself stepping into a different world beyond the portal—a long, narrow corridor. At the corridor's end, a colossal humanoid Hollow loomed, its massive form restrained by countless steel needles infused with ghostly energy.
Standing approximately five meters tall, the creature possessed an almost anthropomorphic shape, its entire body cloaked in an eerie black-blue hue. Its head was disproportionately large, and behind it, dozens of pale, monstrous hands stretched outward—each one pinned to the wall by ghost-powered restraints.
Thick iron chains bound its body, a black cloth obscured its eyes, and its mouth was tightly wrapped in ghost-infused bandages. The creature's spiritual pressure surpassed that of the newly ascended Grimmjow yet fell short of Halibel and the pre-Resurrección Ulquiorra—clearly a being at the peak of Adjuchas, teetering on the brink of Vasto Lorde.
"Roar!"
A muffled howl of rage escaped from beneath the bandages as Makoto Ito approached the Hollow.
"Wonderweiss Margela," he murmured, testing the waters.
"Who are you? How… do you know my name?"
A soft, almost childlike voice rang out—a stark contrast to the terrifying presence before him.
"So it's true."
This bound Hollow was indeed Wonderweiss. He had not yet undergone Aizen's transformation, had not yet been broken and reshaped into an Arrancar. He retained thought ,language and identity.
Initially, Makoto Ito had suspected Aizen's handiwork, but upon reconsideration, he realized that Aizen had already seized control of Las Noches and had little need to conduct such experiments outside Hueco Mundo. That left only one possibility—this was Fleur's doing. And if anything could draw Fleur's attention, it would be his friend and master, Wonderweiss.
"It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that I can free you. Don't resist—just follow me."
"Okay."
With Wonderweiss's affirmation, Makoto Ito swiftly slashed through the ghostly chains binding him, then unraveled the bandages covering his face.
"ROAR!"
Unexpectedly, the moment the restraints were lifted, Wonderweiss lunged at Makoto Ito with an ear-splitting howl.
"A beast is still a beast."
Without hesitation, Makoto Ito drew upon 30% of his spiritual pressure, instantly elevating his strength to captain level. Augmented further by the Fourfold Realm, he moved with such blinding speed that Wonderweiss couldn't even comprehend what had happened—Annihilation was already pressed against his throat.
"You have two choices: behave, and I'll take you back to Hueco Mundo. Or resist, and I'll send you straight to hell. Your call."
Faced with Makoto Ito's "gentle persuasion," Wonderweiss finally stilled.
—
Outside the steel portal, Kisumi did not bother killing any of the immobilized Kili'an. Instead, she strolled leisurely through the barrier, her expression unreadable.
"Kisumi… Family Head… save me…!"
The noble child who had been severed in two still clung to life, his remaining half reaching desperately toward Kisumi, as if she were his savior.
"Alright, Sasakura, hold on. I'll save you now."
Kisumi's steps were slow, deliberate, as she approached the dying noble.
Schlkk!
Without warning, a long, slender blade of silver-white metal—intricately engraved with eerie patterns—materialized in her hand and plunged mercilessly into Sasakura's chest.
A sickening, slurping sound followed.
"You…"
In the blink of an eye, Sasakura's remaining half was reduced to a lifeless husk.
Gently caressing the strange, silver-white sword, Kisumi's lips curled into a twisted, sickly smile.
"Don't worry, my dear. There's plenty of real blood here for you to feast on today. I'll make sure you eat your fill."
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