"After all these years, we've finally returned to a familiar place."
High above, several figures descended from the Gates of Hell, causing the surrounding air to grow thick and viscous. Their massive Reiatsu crashed down like the collapsing sky.
The person standing at the forefront who had just spoken was heavily built and quite rotund. He had U-shaped red markings painted on his face, and even his hairstyle formed a peculiar U-shape, with two thin, long braids hanging down his back.
"Looks like quite a lot has changed."
"The squad members are even more spirited than they were in our time. They don't seem to fear us at all."
As soon as these words were spoken, someone immediately retorted. The voice was hoarse, grating like sandpaper, enough to make one's scalp tingle.
"Idiot. That brainless Saitō was forcibly taken from Hell; she definitely leaked a lot of information about us."
"Since our juniors are mentally prepared, naturally they wouldn't be afraid."
A bald, hunchbacked old man with a face full of wrinkles and a shriveled frame stepped forward. With a mischievous, eerie smile, he narrowed his eyes at the squad members standing in strict formation below.
"That's fine too. If they are fully prepared, perhaps fewer people will die."
A man with wheat-colored skin and white hair, wearing an orange scarf that symbolized his noble status, sighed with emotion.
"Although everyone I knew has already passed away, my kind heart still doesn't wish to see our juniors die because of us."
This statement immediately drew disdainful sneers from the others.
If someone else had said that, it might have been understandable, but everyone here knew each other inside and out. Who didn't know this guy's true nature?
As the First Captain of Squad Two, finding his Zanpakutō's lethality limited, he had forcefully invented a high-end technique combining Kidō and Hakuda just so he could slaughter people more effectively.
During the war with the Quincy, a casual kick from him was enough to send a Quincy's head flying straight off.
A pure villain like him actually had the nerve to call himself kind.
It was truly laughable.
"Well, they aren't all dead. That old man under the eaves over there should be Lord Genryūsai, right?"
"How surprising. The Head Captain who once led us in a desperate battle against the Quincy has actually become almost like Senior Sakahone."
"Time truly is cruel."
The man speaking had a lazy aura about him. Among the Sinners, his appearance could be considered quite handsome and refined. He wore a straw hat and casually carried his Zanpakutō.
Just then, a slender yet well-endowed young woman holding a naginata revealed a curious expression, looking toward the distant barracks.
"But I don't see any changes in Senior Unohana."
Everyone followed her gaze. A gentle and demure woman draped in a white Captain's haori stood there quietly, meeting their eyes with a smile.
It seemed she had already recognized these former colleagues she had once fought alongside.
"It... it really is her..."
The burly man with the red facial markings said thoughtfully, "If I remember correctly, Senior Unohana was already highly active long before the Gotei 13 was even founded. Doesn't that mean she is now..."
The white-haired man beside him gasped and hurriedly stopped him.
That was a landmine they absolutely could not step on!
Compared to the fierce and terrifying Demon of the Sword, Yamamoto Shigekuni, they were usually much more afraid of that seemingly gentle woman.
The First Kenpachi, Unohana Yachiru.
"I say, everyone, don't forget the mission of this trip."
A man with a vicious and terrifying face, tall but emaciated, with hollow cheeks and sunken eye sockets, suddenly interrupted impatiently.
"If we fail to complete the mission, the price will be absolutely horrifying."
Hearing this, a burly, bespectacled man looked around. His Reiatsu blanketed the entire Seireitei without any restraint. He grinned, and the mouthful of large gold teeth set outside his lips looked particularly hideous.
"I haven't caught that brat's Reiatsu. Could he have gotten scared and run away early?"
"It doesn't matter if he ran. As long as we kill enough Soul Reapers and bolster Hell's power, it still counts as completing the mission to some extent."
"Besides, even if we don't do it, the Will of Hell will forcibly control our bodies..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the slender, well-endowed young woman:
"Look over there."
They looked in the direction she was pointing.
They saw a tall, straight figure sitting boldly on a plastic chair. Although the setup looked very simple, it inexplicably drew everyone's attention.
Seeing that Hell's invaders had finally noticed him, Naraku Sora pressed his hands against the armrests. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly. His voice wasn't loud, but carried by his Reiatsu, it echoed throughout the entire Seireitei:
"Welcome to my Soul Society."
Veins bulged on Yamamoto's forehead. "..."
'This bastard of a rebellious disciple!'
"Young people these days sure are arrogant, to actually utter such words."
The burly man with gold teeth smiled viciously, looking like some sort of evil spirit.
"Even in my prime, I wouldn't have dared to say that."
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am the First Captain of Squad Nine, Kumoi Entetsu."
"Are you ready to die?"
Naraku Sora refused to show weakness. "We'll see who ends up dead!"
Kumoi Entetsu froze for a moment, and then the smile on his face grew even more ferocious. He suddenly opened his thick palms, and his vast Reiatsu poured down instantly like a bursting flash flood.
As if signaling the start, dozens of formidable Reiatsu erupted across the massive Seireitei. Giant pillars of light shot straight into the sky, sweeping away the thick dark clouds.
The first-generation captains were somewhat surprised by the sight before them. The courage of these successors far exceeded their expectations.
Faced with the adversity of Hell's invasion, they still showed no signs of despair. Instead, their fighting spirit was surprisingly high. This mentality was much stronger than theirs had been back in the day.
"Shall we attack together?"
"No, my Zanpakutō isn't suited for group brawls. To prevent any accidents, I'll go find another opponent."
As his words fell, the hunchbacked old man lifted his foot. The moment it landed, his figure had already vanished beyond the edge of their vision.
On the frontal battlefield, before Kumoi Entetsu even had time to strike.
Another figure stepped out from behind him, wrapped in a formidable Reiatsu, and charged straight at Naraku Sora, who was sitting on the plastic chair.
Crystals sparkled brilliantly under the sunlight, colorful and dazzling, like some rare treasure.
When Naraku Sora saw this person, he was instantly amused.
"Isn't this Takeda One-Tree?"
"It's Takeda Goki, you damn brat!"
Takeda Goki let out a thunderous roar. The crystals on his arms continuously multiplied until they formed a suit of armor that covered his entire body.
"I have returned from Hell and gained the power bestowed by the Will of Hell! I am completely reborn! Today, I will definitely slay you here and avenge my past humiliation!"
Amidst the dead silence, a blinding light flashed across the sky. A sharp, ear-piercing sound of collision rang out within the sudden shockwave.
Countless crystal shards filled the roaring wind, like a sudden blizzard descending upon them.
Watching the thrilling scene unfold before him, Kumoi Entetsu couldn't help but express his admiration:
"There is no shortage of stunningly talented individuals among our juniors."
"Whether it's Reiatsu or abilities, they give off an unstoppable sharpness!"
Takeda Goki instantly dashed right in front of Naraku Sora, coldly raising his glazed Zanpakutō and slashing downward!
The sound of the blade tearing through the air was deafening, making countless people's hearts palpitate.
"Die!"
His face beneath the crystal was exceptionally ferocious. Seeing that his fierce slash was already closing in while the figure sitting on the plastic chair still hadn't made a single move, a flash of vindictive pleasure involuntarily crossed Takeda Goki's eyes.
Back then, he had been defeated by a junior due to a moment of carelessness. Now, he finally had the chance to wash away that humiliation.
This time, he absolutely wouldn't hold back in the slightest.
He would completely sever his head in one fell swoop!
Right at the moment the glazed blade was about to make contact, an utterly terrifying Reiatsu violently erupted from Naraku Sora's body!
A massive pillar of light shot into the sky, piercing the heavens and the earth. It instantly shattered the ground below, turning nearby buildings into fine dust, completely unable to withstand the intense impact.
The air let out a groan of being overwhelmed. The high-density Reishi even formed visible, distorted ripples that scattered around Naraku Sora.
Takeda Goki's expression changed drastically. Before he could even react, his entire body plummeted to the ground like a meteor, smashing viciously into the ruins and kicking up a shocking wave of dust.
Seeing this scene, Kumoi Entetsu and the others looked completely astounded.
What was this?
First-Class Spiritual Power?!
The burly man with facial markings wiped the beads of sweat seeping from his forehead, suddenly feeling the pressure multiply. "Is this kid a monster?"
As a first-generation captain, he knew very well what this level of Reiatsu meant.
Even looking across the entire history of the Soul Society, or even the vast expanse of Hell, the existences possessing First-Class Spiritual Power were exceedingly few.
In Zenjōji Uhin's memory, it seemed that only Yamamoto Shigekuni, who had once led the Gotei 13, was a monster of this caliber.
"Looks like we'll have to team up."
The burly man with gold teeth, Kumoi Entetsu, looked at the profusely sweating Zenjōji Uhin beside him and said in a low voice,
"Katori, be careful in the upcoming battle."
The slender, well-endowed young woman nodded with a solemn expression, but the fleeting excitement in her eyes betrayed her true feelings at this moment.
As a member of the assassin group that "bore the name of defending the court, but carried out the reality of slaughter," a love for killing was an unavoidable nature for every first-generation captain.
As the First Captain of Squad Eight, Katori Batsu'unsai was no exception.
*Gulp—*
Amidst the ruins, Takeda Goki stared in horror at that figure, which was both unfamiliar yet somewhat familiar. He was completely dazed by the blow.
An absurd thought subconsciously surfaced in his mind.
Could it be that one day in Hell equaled one year in the Soul Society?
It seemed like he hadn't been dead for long, but had over a thousand years actually passed?
Otherwise, how could this exaggerated Reiatsu be explained?!
Despite the extreme terror in his heart, he gritted his teeth and overcame his fear. After all, as a Sinner, he would never die.
Even if he couldn't defeat the opponent, he would at least bite a piece of flesh off that guy!
Using Flash Step to charge into the sky, Takeda Goki launched another suicidal assault.
However, Naraku Sora simply stretched his arms. His bones and muscles emitted a sound like grinding steel, and ultimate power erupted from his body.
Single Bone!
Takeda Goki's facial features twisted. He watched as that fist infinitely magnified in his field of vision, instantly replacing his entire world.
At this moment, he actually felt a terrifying pressure similar to the Will of Hell coming from Naraku Sora!
*Boom!!*
With a smile, Naraku Sora threw a punch without hesitation. The surrounding air let out overwhelming explosive sounds, echoing through the sky like rumbling thunder.
The strike landed.
The crystal-like body completely exploded, turning into countless tiny fragments that fluttered down like snowflakes.
Extraordinarily beautiful.