Drip—!
Drip—!
Drip!
Within the blood mist that hung across the sky—
Illuminated by stray light, the crimson-stained blood continued to trickle down along the branches of the towering trees.
An eerie blood rain fell from above.
The battlefield—
Had truly become a bloody hell.
"Is… is the battle over?"
"All the Menos Gillian were wiped out in an instant?!"
"These massive sky-piercing trees—were they really just the Shikai of a zanpakutō?!"
"Even a legendary Bankai might not be this terrifying!"
Staring blankly at the sky dyed red—
Hisagi Shūhei, along with the other sixth-year students, stood frozen in place.
Every one of them wore the same stunned, hollow expression.
Their minds were still trapped in the aftermath of the "massacre" they had just witnessed.
It was too extreme.
Too horrifying.
Menos Gillian—creatures that only existed in legend—
Appearing in numbers close to a hundred, firing Cero simultaneously—
Had been annihilated in mere minutes.
Crushed and shredded by colossal thorned trees—
Erased without leaving a trace.
Even though the enemies were Hollows—
Even though they were undeniably evil—
What they had just seen was so bloody and brutal that it still struck directly at the depths of their souls.
It felt unreal.
And worse—
It completely overturned everything they thought they knew about zanpakutō.
"Can a Shikai… really be this strong?"
Hisagi Shūhei stared wide-eyed at the thorned blade in Bai Chen's hand.
When he sensed the endless, surging power radiating from within Wood Dragon—
Hisagi felt overwhelming admiration—
And at the same time, an unavoidable sense of inferiority rising in his heart.
Because—
His own zanpakutō, Kazeshini, had already achieved Shikai.
After release, it transformed into rotating scythe-blades—
Just like these blood-soaked thorned giants before him,
Kazeshini also relied on cutting and execution to kill.
But…
That was where the similarities ended.
In attack power.
In ability traits.
In area of effect.
There was no comparison whatsoever.
Hisagi even felt that—
Even the Bankai of his respected Ninth Division captain, Tōsen Kaname,
The zanpakutō Suzumushi—
Might not match the Shikai of Wood Dragon.
That wasn't exaggeration.
With sheer strength alone—
Bai Chen had redefined what "Shikai" meant.
"I didn't scare you all too badly, did I?"
Bai Chen turned slightly, glancing back.
He casually flicked the thorned blade, shaking the blood from its edge.
"N—No… not at all!"
"Bai Chen—thank you for arriving in time! If not for you, we'd all have been obliterated by the Cero!"
The sixth-years bowed instinctively.
Their gazes were filled with gratitude and reverence.
From the bottom of their hearts, they now regarded Bai Chen as their savior.
"Hisagi Shūhei."
"Do you remember what I told you earlier?"
"Pull yourself together and move out immediately."
"With Menos appearing, other sixth-years must be panicking as well."
"You need to gather them all as quickly as possible."
After giving his instructions once more—
Bai Chen shifted his gaze into the distance.
Toward the direction of the assembly point.
"There's no time to waste…"
"There are Hollows over there as well."
"I have to get there immediately."
"Everyone—stay safe."
Before anyone could respond—
Without any visible motion—
Bai Chen's figure vanished on the spot.
He left using extreme Shunpō.
As Wood Dragon departed—
The vast forest it had created began to collapse and decompose.
The colossal trees broke apart, regressed, and dissolved—
Returning to pure green reishi that scattered into the air.
Watching Bai Chen disappear—
Hisagi Shūhei murmured softly, his expression conflicted.
"A wood-type zanpakutō…"
"To think such a rare category could produce something this terrifying…"
"From today onward… Bai Chen's Wood Dragon will shake the entire Soul Society."
Fifth Division — Underground Base
"Aizen-taichō, Bai Chen really didn't disappoint."
"A wood-type zanpakutō… that was something else entirely."
Though Gin Ichimaru still spoke with his usual light tone—
His voice carried noticeably more weight.
Even through surveillance footage—
Even after witnessing countless conspiracies and Hollowfication experiments—
Gin had still been deeply shaken by the overwhelming brutality of Hell's Turmoil.
"Not only does it possess immense wide-area lethality…"
"But every thorned tree is condensed entirely from spiritual pressure."
"Bai Chen's zanpakutō… is extremely dangerous."
Tōsen Kaname spoke gravely.
Though blind—
Through the violent fluctuations transmitted by the monitors—
And Gin's reaction—
He could clearly imagine the slaughter of the Menos swarm.
"Gin. Tōsen."
"You're right."
"Wood Dragon has exceeded expectations."
"It's a zanpakutō whose Shikai rivals Bankai, with an extraordinarily high ceiling."
Aizen adjusted his black-framed glasses.
For once—
A rare, excited smile appeared on his face.
It wasn't only because Bai Chen's zanpakutō had been exposed—
But because its power had truly caught his interest.
In the entire Gotei Thirteen—
Very few things were worthy of Aizen's attention.
If one had to name them—
There was only:
The Head Captain's Ryūjin Jakka.
And the Hōgyoku he so desperately sought.
And now—
Another name had joined that list.
Wood Dragon.
More importantly—
The sheer violence and dominance of its techniques had genuinely thrilled him.
"Aizen-taichō… I take it you won't be content staying in this underground bunker any longer?"
Gin smiled knowingly.
As the one person who understood Aizen best—
He already knew what came next.
Using the cloaking cloak to suppress spiritual pressure—
Aizen would personally head to the Human World to observe.
To experience—
Firsthand—
The true power of Wood Dragon.
As expected—
Aizen answered without hesitation.
"Gin. Let's move."
"If we leave through the Senkaimon now, the timing will be perfect."
"Let's see…"
"What kind of surprises Bai Chen's wood-type zanpakutō will bring—"
"When faced with stronger enemies."
Moments later—
The black cloaks capable of concealing presence were drawn over their captain haori.
The three figures walked into the darkness—
And vanished completely.
Karakura Town — Assembly Point
CLANG—!!!
A violent metallic impact echoed.
Wrapped in her shihakushō—
Matsumoto Rangiku was blasted backward in a shower of sparks.
She slammed into a nearby rooftop—
Creating a massive crater.
Dust and debris exploded outward.
"A Shinigami vice-captain… that's all you've got?"
"Pathetic trash."
The mocking voice came from above.
A tall figure hovered midair—
A braid trailing behind his head.
One eye and the crown of his head were covered by a Hollow mask.
Shawlong Kūfang.
An Arrancar subordinate under Grimmjow.
Chosen personally by Aizen to lead this invasion.
The one who had injured Rangiku—
Wasn't Shawlong.
It was his companion—
Another Arrancar subordinate.
One considered among the weakest Arrancar.
D-Roy.
"Yeah…"
"I was worried Shinigami might be tough before coming here."
D-Roy sneered, his broken mask wrapped in bandages.
"Turns out that worry was pointless."
"Shinigami, captains—every last one of them is garbage!"
"Knocked down in an instant! It's hilarious!"
Compared to Shawlong—
D-Roy was far more unrestrained.
Seizing their advantage, he poured out every ounce of mockery—
As if venting years of humiliation suffered among the Arrancar.
Rangiku, already in Shikai—
Forced herself to stand.
Pain wracked her body—
But her eyes burned with stubborn defiance.
"With communications cut…"
"The limiter seal…"
"Is nearly impossible tolift…"
Is this… really the end?
She clenched her teeth.
Rangiku wasn't someone who gave up easily.
But with her spiritual pressure restricted to one-fifth—
Willpower alone wasn't enough.
Facing two Arrancar subordinates at once—
She had no path to victory.
"Vice-captain…"
"I can see it in your eyes."
"Fear. Helplessness."
"Since this fight is already decided…"
"There's no need to drag it out."
Shawlong drew his sword slowly.
Murderous intent surged.
"Die with regret."
"You should curse the title of 'vice-captain.'"
In a flash—
Using Sonído, Shawlong vanished.
Reappearing above Rangiku—
His blade descended.
"So fast…!"
"I can't react in time!"
Injured, her movements were slowed.
Even Haineko's smoke couldn't save her now.
"Die, Shinigami!"
D-Roy attacked from the other side—
A savage grin already anticipating her death.
But—
At the final instant—
Just before the blades could strike—
The sword tips were abruptly stopped—
Barely a step from Rangiku.
Blocked—
By something that appeared out of nowhere.
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