At this time, within the world of Reaper.
After a long month of investigation.
The situation in the Soul World had grown graver by the day. Not only were residents disappearing, but the entire Death Organization had lost all morale.
They couldn't find the enemy.
No matter how quickly they rushed to the scene of each incident—
There was never any trace of the Eternal God's followers to be found.
The only witness to the disappearance of the Eternal Gods in space described a figure wearing white feathers and holding a blade of flowing ice flame.
---
Conference room.
Old man Yamamoto's eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion. His repeated failures had stripped him of all authority as captain.
Now the gathered elders dared to openly impeach him.
"Captain, do we need to gather everyone and march into the Virtual Circle? If there's no trace to be found in the Soul World, the Virtual Circle should be our only lead."
The speaker was, naturally, Aizen.
He hadn't been in his laboratory for the past half month.
The reason was very simple—
There weren't enough people.
In order to investigate the Eternal Religion, old man Yamamoto had lost his mind.
All the Death Gods had halted their duties to search day and night.
And yet, after a month, they still had nothing.
This had thoroughly demoralized every God of Death.
Mutual suspicion became the order of the day.
Everyone was holding back, afraid to act.
Kuchiki Byakuya said coolly: "Although there was only one witness, it would still be far too dangerous to enter the Virtual Circle rashly.
And—if all our combat power is gone, what happens if the Soul World comes under attack?
The enemy clearly possesses extremely covert space-transfer technology.
That's something we simply cannot match!"
"Then—if this stalemate continues, the world won't be able to hold together. The number of souls that have returned to the world over the past month has dropped by forty percent compared to the previous month."
Shattered Bee read the report aloud, word by word.
They had arrived at the edge of a cliff.
If it wasn't handled properly, the consequences would be catastrophic.
For one thing—Captain Yamamoto couldn't leave. Otherwise, if the enemy attacked, the Soul World would have no one to stop them. But the other Gods of Death might not be a match for the enemy.
The disappearances of Uozhihualie and the others had already proven that.
Gengmu Jianpachi stood up and said: "Then let me lead the team into the Virtual Circle. I'll organize the manpower and ensure the space can be stabilized. If we don't explore it, we'll never find anything!"
The enemy wasdark and we were bright. Being nibbled away little by little was no solution at all.
Moreover, the power of the Eternal Religion was growing stronger by the day. It was entirely possible they'd accumulate enough strength to launch a full attack.
At that point, the Death Gods would want to resist—but they wouldn't be able to do a thing.
Old man Yamamoto glanced at Aizen, then finally said: "Then Shattered Bee, Kendauki Kenpachi, Byakuya, and Tosen will go with all the deputy captains.
Find the location of the Virtual Circle and explore it. I will hold the line here."
"Good!"
After the battle plan was decided—
Action began that very day. In addition to the deputy captains, all the noble children of Seireitou also joined the operation.
The staging ground was set in the wasteland south of Liu Street.
Around evening, all the devices were successfully installed.
With the pouring of spiritual power, the gate to the Virtual Circle was fully opened.
Aizen stood atop the high tower, gazing at the departing troops with a look of contempt.
"Enjoy the power of God to your heart's content, trash…"
He knew Yamamoto didn't trust anyone. By assigning the noble soldiers to assault the Virtual Circle, Yamamoto was essentially using them as a test.
The real hidden card—
Was the concealed mobile squad.
That was a Grim Reaper force of thousands.
Though individually weaker than the deputy captains—
The advantage lay in overwhelming numbers.
Sure enough—shortly after Gengmu Jianpachi and the others left, thousands of Grim Reapers, their faces painted with ritual markings, surged through the space gate.
Captain Yamamoto watched the departing army and asked the figures around him: "Any changes among the remaining captains?"
"Not yet."
"Where is Aizen?"
"He is walking the tower—not an illusion…"
"Then it seems the inner ghost is among this group of people. Tell the follow-up troops: as soon as the inner ghost is found, kill them!"
"Yes."
This concealed mobile force—
Had done no covering at all.
In order to identify who the inner ghost was, it was a scheme to kill two birds with one stone. If nothing happened to the remaining Death Gods, then the group that must have the problem was Shattered Bee's unit.
Jingle Chunshui received the order.
He spat out the toothpick from his mouth and said coolly: "Is there really a traitor? Then don't blame me…"
He drew his twin blades and hid himself within the mobile squad.
Moving toward the Virtual Circle—
What none of them expected was that the originally cold and desolate Virtual Circle now teemed with towering buildings.
Its prosperity exceeded even that of Liu Street.
Though there were no tall structures as such—
In the water of a small river, flowers still bloomed on the opposite bank.
These things were all created by Uozhihualie's mark, to ensure the Virtual Circle was fit for the habitation of souls.
Uozhihualie and the other believers had put in tremendous effort.
And when the group of Death Gods saw this scene before them, someone said coolly: "Hehe… So they're really here? Truly worthy of the Eternal Religion!!!"
Gengmu Jianpachi coldly snorted: "Just watch me raze this place to the ground!!!"
"Don't be impulsive, Mr. Kenpachi! Let's find Uozhihualie and the others first!"
Shattered Bee's interjection stopped Gengmu Jianpachi. Her spirit was locked onto the surrounding environment at all times.
Before they set out again, Captain Yamamoto had told her: there might be ghosts appearing.
So she had to stay vigilant.
At that moment, the figure they had glimpsed before appeared above their heads without anyone noticing.
The other party's attire was most glamorous, and the ice flame blade in his hand quivered like a living thing.
"Enemy attack! Everyone, be careful—"
Kuchiki Byakuya locked onto the figure above his head in an instant. The Zanpakutō in his hand released its Shikai!
*Boom!*
In the next instant, a devastating slash came raining down from the sky.
Everyone dodged.
Looking at the flames of ice that scorched the ground wherever they landed, each and every one of them showed terrified eyes.
What kind of ability was this?
Fire within ice?
At that moment, Shattered Bee was about to direct the counterattack when she heard a slicing sound.
She was shocked through her entire body. She turned her head to look at her deputy leader, Omaeda Nozomi—
A cold blade had just cut into her waist.
"No!! Chiyo—"
Shattered Bee howled in anguish.
With the murder of Omaeda Nozomi, the traitor finally revealed his true colors.
Dongxian Yao.
"Oh—so it was you!"
Jingle Chunshui led the troops and rushed over quickly from the rear. Looking at Omaeda Nozomi, who was already beyond saving—
His eyes went cold with fury.
Dongxian Yao curled the corner of his mouth into a smile: "So what? With the trash you lot, he's not even my opponent…"
No sooner had the words fallen—
Twenty noble children of Seireitou were all shattered into fragments.
"Do you know why you're no match for me? Because you lot only want to enjoy the power that luck brings—and my power was bestowed by God!"
He said lightly.
His own Zanpakutō shattered into pieces!
No one had ever experienced anything so bizarre.
At that moment, Tōsen had transformed into an insect-like monster within the black smoke. Though his body still maintained a human shape, his exterior was wrapped in a carapace.
"Hi… are you ready to be hunted?"
Dongxian Yao smiled strangely—and vanished from the spot in an instant.
The next moment, Jingle Chunshui only felt a cold sensation in his abdomen. He looked down—only to see a tentacle from some creature stabbing into his abdominal cavity.
"Swift speed!"
His eyes widened. The twin swords in his hands swung instinctively toward the front.
Even wounded, he had to wound the opponent in return.
But what was despairing was that his body simply refused to obey!
"This is the gap, trash… Come down obediently. You are the gift that our Chief Priest named!"
What?
Chief Priest!
Was there a ghost within the Death Gods themselves?!
Jingle Chunshui was both frightened and furious. His entire body was paralyzed by the toxin and he couldn't move at all.
At that moment, the figure standing in the sky also joined the battle.
Kuchiki Byakuya, who had completed his Shikai release, launched his ultimate technique at precisely the right moment!
"The Profound Yi·One Bite Thousand Blade Flower!"
Tens of thousands of blades pierced through the figure wearing a haori and a mask.
This indiscriminate wide-range technique—
Was absolutely impossible to evade.
The reason Kuchiki Byakuya had been selected as a designated candidate was old man Yamamoto's trust in him, and the suppression of the control situation.
"The White Bones of the Sky, the Purgatory Red Lotus!"
A cold voice stunned everyone.
The voice was clearly Hisagaya Toushiro.
Could it be that he had betrayed the Soul World?!
As the words fell—
Kuchiki Byakuya's technique was directly shattered by endless ice flames.
Huh.
Bai Ying stepped toward Kuchiki Byakuya, and the blade pierced his abdomen.
Just as Dongxian Yao had said—the strength of the two sides was simply not on the same level!
After dealing with Kuchiki Byakuya, Hisagaya Toushiro turned in an instant and locked onto Kendaki Kenpachi. His speed was unimaginable—
Almost like teleportation.
And every time he settled—
Ice flames would ignite on the ground.
Ise Nanao said furiously: "You traitor! Why would you kill your own comrades? Is the Eternal Religion really that good?"
If Hisagaya Toushiro had betrayed them—
Then Matsumoto Ranpo must have betrayed too.
Think carefully—all the people who disappeared in that incident were suspects! So—Uozhihualie was also a betrayer?
This was the thought of every God of Death. Their suspicion was soon confirmed.
Because just as Hisagaya Toushiro was preparing to seal Kendaki Kenpachi, a clear voice came from the distance.
"Leave him to me, Xiao Bai…"
That gentle voice, that crisp tone—
Only Sister Uozhihualie could have it.
Hearing the voice, Dongxian Yao also ceased his attack. The noble soldiers had already been killed anyway. He couldn't be bothered to lift a finger for the rest.
Later, Tōsen guided Hisagaya Toushiro to come before Uozhihualie.
The two knelt together.
"See the Preparation Goddess!"
"Very well, rise… I had previously tested Kenpachi with Gengmu, but the opponent left a scar on me.
Now I want to see how much he's progressed."
Uozhihualie was dressed in a white dress. Her hair was no longer braided.
It hung softly behind her.
She wore no blade, nor any weapons.
Only a half-scarf across her face.
———
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