Then, as if disdaining that such speed wasn't forceful enough, Ichigo donned his Hollow mask.
With Shunpo, Sonído, Hirenkyaku, plus the newly acquired ability, in a short time, nearly fifty kilometers of distance was rapidly traversed by Ichigo!
And at the same time, Wang Zongchao and Chu An also reached their most perilous moment!
Standing back-to-back, looking at the controlled Rukongai residents surrounding them, Chu An panted heavily:
"Coach, it looks like I'm going to die with you today!"
"Hahaha, what's that? Dying with a comrade is fortunate!"
"It's just a pity we don't have a third person here. Otherwise, forming a triple-three system team, would we be beaten into this state by this rabble?" Wang Zongchao said regretfully.
"Yeah!" Chu An was very unwilling. "These things are just using Rukongai souls as expendable materials. If it weren't for these continuous life-sacrificing lunges, we'd definitely be fine!"
"Heh, there's no helping it. Who could have imagined it?" Wang Zongchao comforted Chu An.
Looking at the approaching Rukongai souls, Wang Zongchao's eyes sharpened. "Brother, the final wave!"
"Alright!" Chu An tightened his grip on his Zanpakuto.
As if also sensing the two's determination to fight to the death, the Rukongai souls around them, under control, erupted with unprecedented Reiatsu!
But just before they launched their attack.
Suddenly, all the Rukongai souls simultaneously turned their heads to look towards the Seireitei!
"Huh? What's going on?"
Seeing this, Wang Zongchao and Chu An were startled, also turning to look.
Then, the moment they saw that figure, the two were directly stunned.
"No way, what kind of god is this!!?"
Ichigo's ethereal, masked figure was like a ghost, suddenly disappearing, then suddenly reappearing across a great distance!
After several such sudden movements, Ichigo instantly arrived not far from them!
"Tch, all controlled Rukongai residents!"
Looking at the Rukongai residents who had lost their senses, Ichigo immediately understood what had happened.
Without slowing his speed, Ichigo transformed into a black afterimage!
Wang Zongchao and Chu An only heard continuous striking sounds and the sound of something shattering.
The next second!
Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud...
The Rukongai residents surrounding the two fainted simultaneously.
Apart from the Ritz dolls that had entered their bodies, whether it was the hairdryer-like Messer, or the longswords and iron fans, all were shattered by Ichigo, turning into a ground full of broken cores!
Looking at the cores that appeared after his kills, Wang Zongchao and Chu An realized.
"Wait, you're a player!!?"
"The armband has '13', you're the 13th Division's Lieutenant, you're Ling Fan?"
"Holy shit, is this the strength of the number one player?"
Seeing Ichigo firsthand, the two were greatly shocked!
In the past, they considered themselves proud, but now, seeing Ichigo's strength, they could no longer be arrogant.
"Bro, please let me ride your coattails, how did you do it?" Chu An started fawning.
His bootlicking manner made Wang Zongchao have to give him a slap.
"Calm down. Have you forgotten that even though we can't see it, we're still live-streaming? You, an official military man of stature, how can you show such an image?"
"Uh... sorry..." Chu An calmed down under Wang Zongchao's slap.
But the next moment.
"Bro, don't tell him, just tell me secretly. How did you manage it?"
Wang Zongchao leaned in with a fawning expression.
Looking at Wang Zongchao like this, Chu An was dumbfounded.
"No, didn't you say we can't show such an image that tarnishes the military's image?"
Wang Zongchao gave Chu An a dirty look. "At home facing my master, I'm even more tarnishing. And I'm about to retire soon. There's no shame in learning things!"
The two's conversation amused everyone.
"Hahaha, why didn't we notice when watching their live stream before? This Coach Wang and Captain Chu are actually a pair of jokers, I'm dying of laughter!"
At the same time, Ichigo also couldn't help but laugh.
But their words, plus the earlier attitudes of Jing Bing and Xin Na, also enlightened him.
'Current players are quite willing to learn and improve. Could I run a player improvement class within this?'
Ichigo pondered.
No one expected that this improvement class, later known by everyone as the 'Ichigo Military Academy', actually originated from an idea born at this moment!
Taking the two, and after dealing with the Dolls here, the three headed back all the way.
And sprinting from the 55th District all the way to Zaraki District could be considered thoroughly warmed Ichigo up.
In the subsequent cleanup, Ichigo went all out.
Very quickly, the Doll armies in West Rukongai were completely cleaned up, and the game announced the first wave of the event completed.
Players in the Soul Society returned to their respective homes, waiting for the second stage.
However, the Dolls arriving from Hueco Mundo had already triggered a violent reaction from the Seireitei!
1st Division, Captain's meeting hall!
Thud!
Heavily slamming the Dalk doll in his hand onto the floor, Yamamoto's beard and hair seemed to bristle.
"Who can tell me, where do these monsters that can grow by consuming souls come from?"
"Captain Kurotsuchi, report!"
"Yes, Captain-Commander!"
Mayuri stepped forward, giving a preliminary introduction to the Bount Dolls that had arrived!
"Preliminary judgment, these originate from the experiments on immortality conducted before the establishment of the Research and Development Institute."
"According to data, the group called Bounts used this kind of Doll ability."
"But why these Dolls can achieve multiple replications, that I do not know."
Mayuri reported.
At the same time, he was very displeased as he swept his gaze around:
"Moreover, I don't know who infiltrated the Research and Development Institute and encrypted this part of the data. I'm still cracking it, unable to obtain specifics."
"Captain-Commander, I suspect there's another mole within our Gotei 13!" Mayuri said sinisterly.
Hearing his words, all Captains' expressions stiffened.
The Aizen incident had just happened not long ago. No one dared guarantee there weren't hidden moles within the Seireitei.
Looking at each other, thoughts stirred.
Fortunately, sensing the atmosphere among the Captains, Yamamoto tapped his staff:
"Enough, Captain Kurotsuchi. Why mention speculations without evidence?"
"Now, what I want to ask is: where do these Dolls come from, where are our enemies, and what is their data?"
"Now, who can tell me?"
After speaking, Yamamoto released and retracted his powerful Reiatsu.
But swept by the Reiatsu, everyone became docile, like students being spot-checked by a teacher back in school.
Exchanging glances, Mayuri stepped forward first again.
"Preliminary judgment, these Dolls come from Hueco Mundo, arriving in the Soul Society using something similar to a Hollow's Garganta."
"The abilities of Bounts are preliminarily judged similar to Quincy, able to absorb external Reishi, so they should also be in Hueco Mundo."
"As for specific data..."
Mayuri paused. "I only have reports from division members and Lieutenants from all sides. These reports are detailed, but the perspective isn't very high."
"And regarding today's Bount invasion, the one who drove them away was Kurosaki Ichigo. I do not have his report."
After speaking, Mayuri fell silent. By now, his meaning was quite clear.
Yamamoto paused slightly, then said decisively:
"Summon, 13th Division's Lieutenant, Kurosaki Ichigo to attend the meeting!"
"Captain Sui-Feng, your speed is the fastest. Please make a trip!"
"Yes, Captain-Commander. Kurosaki Ichigo should be at the Shiba Residence. I will immediately go summon him!"
Sui-Feng stepped forward, accepted the order, and flash-stepped away.
Watching Sui-Feng leave, the Captains in the 1st Division meeting room fell into silence, silently waiting.