Soi Fon had vanished into the depths of an undeveloped forest on the edge of town, a dense woodland where many elusive spiritual creatures tended to slip through the cracks of the local barriers.
Kaito moved smoothly through the thick foliage. Whenever a rogue Hollow crossed his path, he didn't even bother turning his head; he simply relied on his spatial awareness to casually toss out a chantless Shakkaho, blowing them to pieces.
Ding! Template integration progress increased by 0.6%!
Ding! Template integration progress increased by 0.4%!
Ding! Template integration progress increased by 0.3%!
These low-level entities offered practically zero combat resistance. Kaito kept his pace steady, focusing his mind on locating Soi Fon and determining whether Grand Fisher was actually part of this anomaly.
With such a concentrated gathering of Hollows in this isolated sector, Kaito suspected that Aizen's grand experimentation phase had officially begun. This massive outbreak was likely the opening move—a controlled breeding ground where Hollows were driven to devour one another until a sufficiently dominant specimen emerged. Once a subject reached the level of an Adjuchas or a Vasto Lorde, Aizen would use the power of the Hogyoku to trigger their Arrancar transformation, systematically building his specialized army.
However, Kaito had always believed that given Aizen's absolute strength and calculating nature, the creation of an Espada army wasn't just about military might. It was a byproduct of his relentless research into breaking the boundaries of spiritual power. Aizen sought the ultimate peak of existence, which was why he confidently declared that he would stand atop the heavens.
It also explained why Aizen had spent years secretly monitoring the Kurosaki family, allowing Ichigo to grow without direct interference. It wasn't out of an appreciation for raw talent, nor was it the classic cliché of a lonely god creating a rival to cure his own boredom.
According to Kaito's deductions, Aizen coveted the theoretical perfection of Ichigo's lineage—the fusion of Shinigami, Quincy, and Hollow traits existing within a single vessel. Masaki held the legacy of the Quincy and the residual trace of the Hollow known as White, while Isshin provided the pure lineage of a Shinigami. Their union created a perfect convergence of three distinct spiritual forces, unlocking boundless potential.
Following that logic, Karin and Yuzu technically possessed a similar baseline potential, but Aizen was a deeply arrogant individual; he disdained micro-managing ordinary lives unless they served a direct purpose. That was why his gaze remained locked firmly on Ichigo.
As for Grand Fisher's historical attack on the family, it likely hadn't been orchestrated by Aizen at all. The creature had simply been drawn to the irresistible, unrefined spiritual pressure that the young Ichigo couldn't properly conceal. To a predatory Hollow, encountering a high-density spiritual presence was like a starving man stumbling upon a lavish feast; the primal instinct to consume took over completely.
"Help! Is anyone there?!"
A sharp, terrified scream shattered Kaito's train of thought. He turned his gaze toward the source of the noise.
A massive, towering Hollow had lifted a man entirely off the ground. The victim was wearing a thick hooded jacket, oversized headphones, and a secure blindfold, and he was currently flailing his arms in absolute terror.
Kaito extended his palm, aiming directly at the creature's mask.
"Hado #88, Hiryu Gekizoku Shinten Raiho!"
A massive torrent of concentrated blue lightning erupted from his hand, tearing through the air at a precise angle and vaporizing the Hollow's upper torso instantly. As the giant creature dissolved, the hooded man plummeted toward the forest floor.
"Bakudo #37, Tsuriboshi."
Kaito casually released a defensive spell. A large, flexible net woven from blue spiritual energy materialized in mid-air, catching the falling man perfectly.
The stranger bounced lightly off the glowing mesh and landed on his feet with surprising grace—a fluid movement that immediately told Kaito this person was no ordinary civilian.
"Thank you so much, master! You saved my life!" the man exclaimed, pulling his headphones down around his neck and bowing with deep gratitude.
'If you really want to show your appreciation, you can foot the bill for my next trip to Kabukicho,' Kaito thought idly.
The man scratched the back of his neck and offered a sheepish smile. "I'm deeply sorry, sir. While I would love nothing more than to repay your kindness, I'm completely broke. I don't have the funds for that kind of establishment."
Kaito's blindfolded eyes widened slightly. "Well, you're the first person I've met who sounds entirely proud of being broke."
But a second later, Kaito's brow furrowed. Something was off. Wait a minute... how did he just answer my internal thought?
Before the question could fully form in Kaito's mind, the stranger spoke up again. "Ah, please forgive me. Due to a rather unique condition of mine, I frequently find myself reading the active thoughts of anyone nearby without meaning to." He puffed out his chest slightly. "And besides, being financially poor isn't a tragedy; my inner world is incredibly rich."
'Fine, you're arrogant enough to sound convincing,' Kaito amused himself.
He observed the man more closely. An involuntary mind-reading ability like that would be an cheat code if someone wanted to run rampant through the entertainment districts.
After a brief exchange, the stranger introduced himself as Saburo Houo. He revealed that he was actually a former Shinigami who had once served in the 11th Division. Years ago, after witnessing his closest comrade fall in battle, the severe emotional trauma had triggered the forced release of his Zanpakuto. His weapon possessed a highly unorthodox illusion-type ability centered on emotional perception and telepathy.
However, during that chaotic awakening, a permanent backlash had transferred the blade's sensory traits directly into his own soul, leaving his mind-reading ability permanently active twenty-four hours a day. The physical price for that empathy was the total loss of his eyesight.
Worse still, because he could constantly see the unfiltered truths inside people's hearts, he occasionally suffered from an uncontrollable compulsion to speak those secrets aloud. Needless to say, that specific quirk had made him an menace to live with.
For instance, he had inadvertently blurted out that Ikkaku Madarame secretly used a ridiculously cute mascot name for his private communication accounts. On another occasion, he had accidentally revealed that Kenpachi Zaraki had once confidently wandered into the women's barracks restrooms after losing his way.
Ostracized by his peers and viewed as a walking liability, Saburo had eventually slipped away from the Seireitei entirely, choosing to live a quiet, isolated life in exile within the World of the Living. Today, he had sensed the unusual gathering of Hollow forces and crept into the woods to ensure the town wasn't in immediate danger, only to be ambushed by a giant Hollow the moment he arrived.
When Kaito inquired if he had crossed paths with Soi Fon, Saburo shook his head, confirming that Kaito was the first spiritual pressure he had encountered in this sector.
Kaito's frown deepened. This didn't add up. The edge of this forest bordered the boundary of Karakura Town's jurisdiction. Had Soi Fon pursued her target entirely out of the region?
Boom!
Just as the thought crossed his mind, two massive, conflicting explosions of spiritual pressure erupted from the southeastern quadrant of the forest without warning.
Kaito turned sharply toward the blast radius. "Get out of these woods right now," he commanded over his shoulder.
Before Saburo could even respond, Kaito vanished using a Shunpo.
Deep within the southeastern valley.
Soi Fon stood her ground, her stealth uniform marred by a dozen small cuts and splatters of blood. Facing her across the cleared clearing was a humanoid Hollow radiating the heavy, oppressive spiritual pressure of a Vasto Lorde.
She had marched into this forest fully expecting to corner and execute Grand Fisher. Instead, she had walked right into a calculated ambush. The entity standing before her wasn't Grand Fisher at all, but a specialized creature possessing highly volatile spatial distortion abilities.
We severely underestimated the variance of this outbreak, she realized, her breathing tight.
Vasto Lorde-class Hollows naturally possessed combat capabilities that rivaled or exceeded standard captain-level parameters. Falling into a tactical trap specifically designed to counter her high-speed movements was a natural consequence of her aggressive pursuit.
However, the Hollow wasn't escaping unscathed either. Stamped clearly onto its dark torso was the distinct, black butterfly crest of her Zanpakuto's initial strike—the Nigeki Kessatsu mark. If she could manage to drive her stinger into that exact coordinates a second time, the creature would drop dead instantly regardless of its resilience.
"Well, well, Soi Fon taicho. You're looking a little worse for wear."
Just as the standoff reached its absolute peak, a lazy, mocking voice echoed through the trees.
Soi Fon's expression hardened, and she barked out a warning without breaking eye contact with her opponent. "Stay back! Don't get careless! This Hollow's spatial manipulation is incredibly erratic; normal sensory tracking can't accurately predict its trajectory!"
Though Soi Fon maintained an notoriously strict demeanor with her subordinates, she possessed a fierce, underlying loyalty to her fellow Shinigami. Even if she and Kaito frequently rubbed each other the wrong way, she had no intention of watching a squad member get slaughtered due to a lack of situational awareness.
"Too late, I'm already here," a voice murmured right beside her ear.
Before her eyes could even trace the motion, Kaito materialized seamlessly at her side, his hands tucked casually into his pockets.
"Ha! Two of them now!" the Vasto Lorde hissed. Observing Kaito's sudden arrival, the Hollow showed no sign of hesitation or caution regarding a two-on-one disadvantage. Instead, it let out a raspy, echoing laugh.
"I wonder... if I devour two captain level Shinigami back-to-back, will it finally be enough to push my evolution to the next stage?"