Within a certain range, even if someone nullifies their pressure, as long as they harbor malice toward Angra Mainyu, he can sense it.
This ability is more convenient than sensing spiritual pressure.
When targeting someone, you can hide your pressure, but not your malice.
Perhaps a very few can be as calm as still water—killing without malice—but such people are rarer than those who can null their pressure.
For example, Zaraki Kenpachi: sometimes even if he wants to fight you, he bears no malice—he just wants a fight.
Or Aizen: given his view of others as ants, he likely wouldn't feel malice toward those he looks down on. Even when killing them, it's trivial to him—no malice needed.
But such people are rare. Yoruichi hadn't reached that state, nor had that temperament.
So even though she used the Onmitsukidō art to nullify her pressure, Yoshio detected the flicker of malice in that split second.
Thus he knew someone was tailing him.
"Looks like Kisuke Urahara was right. Compared to other Arrancar, your completion is indeed higher," Yoruichi said, approaching in cat form. "Can you tell me how you became an Arrancar?"
"What's in it for me?" Yoshio said coolly. "People act with purpose. If you want my secrets, bring something of equal value."
"…Come meet someone," Yoruichi said. "If you see him, you might find common ground."
"That would be this 'Kisuke Urahara,' right?" Yoshio said softly. "He created so many Arrancar?"
"In short… it's related to him," Yoruichi turned, though her head remained angled toward Yoshio. "Didn't you say you wanted to trade with Shinigami? Follow me, and you'll get Arrancar-related intel."
"And… you'll get more."
"Is that so?" Yoshio was noncommittal. "Perhaps. But who knows if it's a trap? If he wants to see me, have this 'Kisuke Urahara' come in person."
Gazing into the black cat's golden eyes, he said coldly, "You seem mistaken. I'm not asking you for anything—you're the one who plainly needs me."
"Stow your arrogance, whatever its source, you Shinigami-in-cat-form."
"…," danger flashed in Yoruichi's eyes. A palpable menace surged from her.
"What if I insist you come with me?" her voice edged with threat.
In that instant, a tremendous spiritual pressure seemed to pour from her. The world's colors faded; a colossal, sky-blotting demon seemed to extend from the small black cat, ready to swallow Yoshio.
But Yoshio was unmoved, turning his back to her. "You can try. Don't think you're so great. The world isn't short on fools who overrate themselves."
He walked away, growing farther and farther.
Yoruichi narrowed her eyes, watching him recede, then withdrew her aura.
"This guy…"
"Maybe he'll be a turning point."
She turned and headed in the opposite direction, vanishing into Hueco Mundo's white desert.
…
After routine study and finally finishing his first experimental product, Yoshio happily picked up a thermometer-like device from the bench.
A memory–reishi separation device. With it, Angra Mainyu could devour only spiritual power from other souls while filtering out any memories that might affect him.
It was his first independent gadget—marking a notable rise in his research ability.
Pleased, he weighed the device in his hand and, humming, left the lab.
He noticed Grimmjow waiting in the hall…
Waiting for someone?
Grimmjow's Souls Ability was "Destruction."
"Destruction: designate an area or individual to undergo 'destructive' phenomena."
A solid offensive power, somewhat akin to Yoshio's prior Destructive Death Ray.
But while the Death Ray ignores defenses with piercing power, this destruction ability is an area-type annihilation without defense-ignoring. It's more like the Shiba family's Earth Magic—Ganju's sandification—though Ganju's only works on inanimate matter.
Think of reishi as atoms in the Human World; everything in Soul Society and Hueco Mundo is composed of reishi.
Disrupt the bonds between reishi, and you disrupt life's basic structure—as if your attack penetrates to the atomic level.
So even without defense-ignoring, it's strong. Ordinary Shinigami couldn't withstand it; even a captain-class caught directly might not endure.
Of course, such power demands a price—especially anything directly affecting reishi. But Yoshio was far from obtaining it, so he wasn't in a rush.
He looked at Grimmjow and greeted him. "Oh, if it isn't Grimmjow. What is it? Something up?"
Clearly he'd come looking for Yoshio.
Hearing Yoshio's voice, Grimmjow glanced over, impatient. "When do we move? Shinigami are close."
"What, are you scared?" Yoshio smiled faintly. "Afraid they'll come knocking?"
"I feel insulted!" Grimmjow raised his voice. "Being ambushed by Shinigami on our home ground—this is your approach as the interim King of Hueco Mundo?"
"Don't rush, Grimmjow," Yoshio said, stepping up to him. "If you're really itching to act, maybe pair up with Baraggan."
When Yoshio arrived earlier, Baraggan had said he'd clear out nearby Shinigami. Yoshio couldn't be bothered with the old man.
So his order was: if you are a Vasto Lorde, you may act freely.
If you are not, you stay in Las Noches.
Grimmjow was not a Vasto Lorde yet.
On the timeline, he'd only recently met Shawlong Koufang and the others.
By the time he met them, he was a very strong Adjuchas.
After Hōgyoku-induced Arrancarization, he'd be at least as strong as a non-Arrancar Vasto Lorde—but mid-tier Menos is mid-tier Menos. If he wasn't a Vasto Lorde, he wasn't leaving Las Noches.
If Yoshio formed the Espada now, Grimmjow probably wouldn't make the cut—maybe he'd be "No. 12" by sequence at best.
Before Grimmjow could speak, Yoshio paused, thought, and said, "If you want to put on a show, it's not impossible."
"Here's a task."
"What task?" Grimmjow stared coldly.
He had joined Las Noches only because he bowed to Aizen's power—and Aizen promised a new world.
He had no interest in this seemingly powerless Yoshio.
"When you leave, open a Garganta to Karakura Town."
…
"Captain…"
In Hueco Mundo, on the reishi sands, Kyōraku Shunsui bent down and picked up a white bone.
Nanao approached.
"How is it on your side?" she asked gravely.
"Not good," Shunsui said softly. "This is the thirteenth white bone. No corpses—just these nearly weathered bones."
After arriving in Hueco Mundo, they had been searching for Arrancar. But three days ago, Shinigami began to be killed.
When they reached each scene, they saw only near-weathered bones, as though a breeze would turn them to dust.
By analysis, these people seemed to have died tens of thousands of years ago.
"An ability of a Hollow?" Ise Nanao guessed. Only an ability could explain the absurd.
"Perhaps," Shunsui said, adding, "Captain Kurotsuchi is setting surveillance bugs around. That might help."
Nanao nodded.
Most in Seireitei didn't have a good impression of Mayuri, but on the battlefield, his presence was reassuring.
Of course…
If he put bombs in their bodies, that was unacceptable!
At least for now, without some of Mayuri's tech, holding ground in Hueco Mundo would be hard.
"Oh… Captain Kenpachi is back too."
Shunsui sensed Zaraki's reishi. For the captain who had gone missing for days shortly after arrival, they weren't worried—Zaraki was the "strongest Shinigami."
How could the "strongest Shinigami," the "Kenpachi," die so easily?
If he'd returned, did that mean he'd found clues?
"Let's go, Nanao, we—"
He didn't finish. He sensed another reishi rapidly approaching.
Shunsui's face darkened. He shielded Nanao. "Have our squad members pull back."
Nanao didn't know what, but seeing Shunsui's face, she knew it wasn't good.
She hurried to evacuate another Shinigami, but in a flash, an old man appeared behind that Shinigami.
The old man's right eye seemed blind. He wore a white crown-like headpiece, his frame was brawny, muscled, robed.
The moment he appeared, more than thirty men before them began to age and rot at terrifying speed. Flesh shriveled, leaving only pallid bones.
Then the old man's gaze fell on Nanao.
Her pupils dilated. She felt death closing in.
The old man stepped forward and appeared before her. As with the others, a deathly aura rushed at Nanao to turn her into a skeleton too.
Yet in that instant, Shunsui appeared in front of Nanao, and the two vanished from the old man's sight the next moment.
"The report said a captain was here. So it's you."
The prey had been snatched, but the old man wasn't angry, only arrogant. "Shinigami dare set foot in the domain of Hollows? How impudent."
"Looks like a big shot," Shunsui said as he and Nanao reappeared in the distance. He eyed the old man. "Judging by your pressure, are you… a Vasto Lorde?"
"Vasto Lorde?"
Baraggan said coolly, "How narrow your Shinigami vision is."
Menos Grande are classed as Gillian, Adjuchas, Vasto Lorde—but Baraggan did not consider himself of the same order as other Menos.
He was the King of Hueco Mundo—the strongest Hollow.
Normally, Baraggan would not deal with Shinigami personally.
But because of Aizen, his hatred of Shinigami had grown—even if he wasn't Aizen's match.
Learning Shinigami had come to Hueco Mundo, he had ordered his subordinates to purge them. Once they were slain, he would stride forth, bringing absolute death, sweeping all into the torrent of decay.
This time, hearing there was a captain nearby, he decided to do it himself.
These wretched Shinigami should die painfully before his absolute power of death—especially…
Aizen Sōsuke, the one who stole his power!
"So not a Vasto Lorde?"
Shunsui was surprised. Had a higher class than Vasto Lorde emerged in Hueco Mundo?
"Nanao, get the others out—and don't let anyone approach."
Kyōraku Shunsui—strictly speaking, his imaginary body—said softly, "I'd like to have a good talk with this Arrancar."