Abarai Renji never expected that this tall guy would be so fast.
He had only stolen a jar of water, so how did it turn into this situation?
Do Shinigami now intervene in such trivial matters?
It was too unexpected, yet even so, Abarai Renji instinctively pleaded for mercy, hoping to gain a chance at survival.
Living in the back areas of Rukongai, he deeply understood that as long as he could survive, everything was possible.
Behind him, Komamura Sajin frowned deeply, his voice low and heavy:
"Why are you running? Why are you stealing these things? Where are your adults?"
In his opinion, this child looked about ten years old and possessed some reishi, but not much.
Perhaps he needed water to survive.
But for just a little water, how could he resort to such a despicable method as stealing?
Even Komamura Sajin, despite being a werewolf, no matter how barbaric or impoverished, had never thought of doing such a thing.
This child in front of him, so young...
"I don't have adults at home."
Abarai Renji's anxious voice rang out again. He tried to struggle, but he couldn't break free from Komamura Sajin's large hand.
If it were someone else, he might have been able to poke their eyes with his fingers.
But Komamura Sajin was wearing a mask... Damn it, does this guy have no weaknesses at all?
Was Abarai Renji going to die here?
Even if he didn't die, he would probably be thrown into prison.
Thinking of this tragic outcome, Abarai Renji's eyes instantly dimmed.
Knowing that he was telling the truth, Komamura Sajin was silent for a moment before slowly putting him down.
Komamura Sajin was well aware of the conditions among the Rukongai residents.
No adults meant he was an orphan, and too young to work... Moreover, it was hard to say if there were any job opportunities in District 78.
In other words, stealing water was a last resort.
However...
"Take this old man to where you live and let me see."
As soon as Abarai Renji landed, before he could recover, he heard these words.
He turned sharply, looking at Komamura Sajin, the wariness in his eyes undiminished:
"What do you want to do?"
"I warn you, don't think that just because you're a Shinigami, you can force me to betray my companions. Whatever it is, just come for me alone!"
"You have companions?" This sentence made Komamura Sajin raise an eyebrow.
He had originally thought it was a desperate situation, but it was a group crime?
This kid...
His blood pressure rose.
"Ah?" In his haste, he accidentally let it slip, and Abarai Renji immediately panicked.
He quickly denied, "No, no, you heard wrong."
"Hmph." Komamura Sajin snorted, "This old man's hearing is excellent; there's no need to deceive me."
"Whether you have companions or not, I order you now, take me to see."
The Eleventh Division was not busy at the moment; the Hollows had been temporarily driven away, so it wouldn't affect him, the Captain, to take some time off.
However, these seemingly ordinary words made Abarai Renji's face change drastically:
"I just stole a jar of water. This is a common occurrence in District 78."
"Is it necessary to be so ruthless?"
"You Shinigami meddle too much."
He vaguely felt that this guy wanted to round up their entire group.
It was already extremely difficult for their group of orphans to survive in these chaotic times...
Why did they have to suffer this too?
Komamura Sajin looked at him:
"This is this old man's personal action, unrelated to the Shinigami."
"It just so happens that this old man also wants to understand what life is like for those of you living in the remote areas."
"Don't you want to change your current situation?"
"How despicable is stealing."
"Don't you want to live openly and honestly?"
Of course they wanted to, but they were just a group of orphans. If adults couldn't change things, what could a group of orphans do?
Abarai Renji fell silent.
Observing his expression, Komamura Sajin let out a faint snort.
The plight of these orphans reminded him of Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
If he remembered correctly, the place where he lived since childhood was even more remote than here.
However, Yoriichi Tsugikuni managed to change all of that through his own strength.
Although he was an exception, it was enough to prove that Rukongai residents without reliance could change their circumstances through their own strength.
Yet, this group of orphans clung together, not striving for progress, believing that just surviving was enough...
Living in District 78, what good was merely surviving?
Without moving forward, no matter how much they did, they would only be circling in place.
Without giving Abarai Renji much time to hesitate, Komamura Sajin picked him up again and walked in one direction.
Abarai Renji's expression remained unchanged.
It wasn't until they changed direction and he saw a subtle change in his face that he knew the direction they were heading was correct.
Using this method, even though Abarai Renji didn't say a word, Komamura Sajin successfully found the orphans' dwelling.
It was an extremely crude wooden shack, housing at least twenty orphans.
Most of them had been abandoned by their parents because they possessed reishi and couldn't be afforded.
Possessing reishi didn't mean one could become a Shinigami. Ultimately, if the standard for becoming a Shinigami was a hundred, even a little reishi still required food.
This food became a meaningless consumption, adding to the burden of living.
Abarai Renji was one of them; he had the strongest reishi among these children.
After assessing the surrounding environment and understanding their living conditions, Komamura Sajin developed the idea of changing the circumstances of these orphans.
His sense of justice would not allow him to ignore them.
Of course, his own strength alone was far from enough.
His foundation was too shallow; even if he became a Captain, he didn't have enough money or a place to house them...
He could only wait for the right moment. Perhaps Captain Tsugikuni could help him?
It was no wonder that Yoriichi Tsugikuni was the first person he thought of.
He wasn't familiar with the other Captains.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni was the only Shinigami he knew who was righteous, held a high position, and was born in Rukongai.
South Rukongai District 78 was also close to where he was born...
Exhaling heavily, inside the crude wooden shack, Komamura Sajin turned around and looked outside, his mind filled with thoughts.
He heard that Captain Tsugikuni had gone on a mission, and he didn't know when he would return, so he could only wait patiently.
But before that...
He turned back again, looking at the group of orphans inside. Seeing them huddled together in fear of him, he said in a low voice:
"Now, all those who can move, gather for this old man. Bring your sincerity and apologize to those residents. No matter your situation, stealing is wrong."
"With this old man here, they won't do anything to you, but this old man hopes you will remember one thing: do not commit evil, however small."
"Also, do you want to leave here?"
...
Leaving aside Abarai Renji's current change in circumstances for now.
In Hell.
Led by Kenpachi Kuruyashiki, everyone soon saw the "Oni."
These Oni were surrounded by magma that spread across the ground, covering a hundred meters around them.
Some tried to escape, but then their flesh would be burned through, and they would lie on the ground, rolling in agony, wailing incessantly.
Normal Sinners would die instantly in such an environment and then revive elsewhere, but these Oni would not.
Their strong self-healing ability caused their flesh to regenerate quickly, only to be burned through again just as quickly...
This resulted in continuous pain, often lasting for several hours or even days.
Even Kenpachi Kuruyashiki, who had seen much, slightly frowned at the piercing wails.
He secretly marveled that these guys were truly unique; despite not being strong, they carried monstrous sins.
At the same time, their regeneration speed was even faster than that of a Vasto Lorde.
It was too abnormal.
Of course, he didn't ask where Yoriichi had obtained these creatures, as everyone had their secrets.
He only needed to know that these creatures posed no threat.
Kenpachi Kuruyashiki sighed deeply, his tone drawn out:
"This is the place. Because these guys bite anyone they see, and possess extremely strong regenerative abilities, some even release wind, fire, lightning, and ice."
"To prevent them from disturbing our lives, some of the predecessors captured and sealed them all here."
"This is also the entrance to the Seventh Layer."
"No one wants to go to the Seventh Layer, so they serve as guards and deterrence."
"It seems to be working well now."
Neither Shinigami nor Menos Grande would approach after witnessing their misery. Yoriichi nodded lightly and walked forward.
Kenpachi Kuruyashiki originally wanted him to be careful.
But unexpectedly, as soon as Yoriichi approached, those evil spirits, as if seeing a plague god, endured the pain and struggled to crawl up, gathering inwards.
Some, even without legs, desperately tried to crawl with their hands, showing a terrified expression of "Don't come near me!"
"..."
"What's going on?"
Kenpachi Kuruyashiki's eyes widened slightly.
Was the deterrence Yoriichi had on these Oni really so immense?
What exactly did he do?
Even if he had killed their entire family, it wouldn't lead to such an expression.
That would instead show an expression of hatred...
To Kenpachi Kuruyashiki, it felt more like Yoriichi Tsugikuni had severely tortured their souls and bodies.
Like a neutered cat.
He couldn't understand, but then he thought that there were many things he didn't understand, so he simply stopped delving deeper and let it fade from his mind.
After the evil spirits retreated, they smoothly entered the Seventh Layer. Yoriichi didn't even glance at the evil spirits.
In fact, with just a quick glance, he knew that Kibutsuji Muzan was not among them.
Considering Kibutsuji Muzan's actions over the past thousand years, he should be in a deeper part.
No gods? No divine punishment?
Now that divine punishment had descended, he wondered how he had fared over the past few years.
Probably living a life worse than death.
But there was no need to worry.
Because with time, he would understand that this short one or two years of torment was nothing compared to being tormented for thousands or tens of thousands of years.
...
The Seventh Layer was a dim space, similar to the misty twilight before dawn, where faint, mournful wails could be heard.
This was due to the great distance and obstructed vision, making it impossible to see clearly.
To be cautious, Kisuke Urahara did not enter this time. A Third Grade spiritual power could barely withstand Eight Cold Hells for long, let alone this deeper layer.
The authority of Hell could protect him for a while, but not forever. Ultimately, no one knew what this authority truly was.
Considering that Yoriichi could use reishi to alter the structure of the communicator, allowing it to function in Hell.
So the two temporarily separated.
The three Captains did the same.
Kenpachi Kuruyashiki followed beside Yoriichi, his brows tightly furrowed.
Just as he was pondering where this place truly was...
Suddenly, Yoriichi stopped.
"What's wrong?"
Kenpachi Kuruyashiki also stopped, looking at him, "Did you find something?"
He looked around, still unable to see anything clearly, still no changes.
Yoriichi slightly frowned: "Something's wrong. We're moving backward."
"Moving backward?" Kenpachi Kuruyashiki didn't quite understand the meaning of this phrase; he instinctively thought they had returned to where they started.
But then, a figure stumbled out of the mist.
This figure was extremely weak, as if suffering from a severe illness, even breathing with great difficulty.
Although his aura had changed, Yoriichi still recognized him.
Kibutsuji Muzan—Kibutsuji Muzan in his human form.
Sensing someone ahead, Kibutsuji Muzan barely managed to raise his head. When he saw Yoriichi Tsugikuni, his pupils first visibly contracted.
Then, he fell weakly to the ground, laughing feebly:
"Hahaha, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, I didn't expect you to come in too. How interesting."
"Kill me. I give up. Erase my soul too. I've had enough of the torment here."
Yoriichi could hear deep despair in these words. Kenpachi Kuruyashiki, not understanding, asked:
"What did you encounter? Do you know Yoriichi?"
"Know him, of course I know him! It's him who made me fall to this state!" Kibutsuji Muzan bit his teeth fiercely.
But then, as if he remembered something, his movements seemed to give up resistance, saying,
"Never mind, talking about these things is meaningless now. Just kill me quickly, from my soul."
Kenpachi Kuruyashiki's brows furrowed deeply:
"I'm sorry, we can't do that. Hell is inherently the realm where the dead truly die. There is no concept of death here, so how can we make you die?"
"What exactly did you encounter?"
These words plunged Kibutsuji Muzan back into despair. Knowing that he would still suffer torment day after day, his voice suddenly rose:
"Can't you feel it?!"
This sudden increase in volume made him cough up blood repeatedly. He covered his mouth, his voice weak,
"Damn it, if I had known this, I wouldn't have eaten so many people... Our time is flowing backward. This cursed place is stripping everything from us."
"I don't know how much time has passed outside, but every once in a while, I return to infancy and then re-experience my tragic life."
"Yoriichi Tsugikuni, all of this is because of you!"
...
"Time reversal!?"
Kenpachi Kuruyashiki's face instantly changed upon hearing this.
He quickly checked his own body.
Although he didn't detect anything unusual, due to Kibutsuji Muzan's words, he instinctively felt as if he was truly shrinking.
Just like sand in an hourglass, constantly falling grain by grain.
"How is that possible?" Kenpachi Kuruyashiki knew very well that time reversal was a forbidden power.
Even Yoriichi Tsugikuni could only indirectly change individuals.
Let alone time reversal covering an entire world...
Is Hell that powerful?
"Why is it impossible?" Kibutsuji Muzan's face showed a desperate smile.
Even when he learned he was about to die years ago, he had never shown such an expression.
The next moment, his gaze fell on a certain spot, his lips moving slightly, muttering:
"He's coming, he's coming, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, I won't let you off even as a ghost! If it weren't for you, how would I have fallen so miserably..."
With a whoosh, as soon as he finished speaking, as if a storm had swept through, Kibutsuji Muzan instantly shrunk.
He transformed from a sickly human male in his twenties into a human infant in an instant.
His loose clothing fell away with him.
His previously clear words instantly turned into an infant's cries.
However, from his eyes, it was still clear that he possessed normal thought and intelligence.
It was as if an adult had been sealed within a child's body.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni calmly surveyed everything.
Beside him, Kuruyashiki couldn't help but exclaim loudly,
"It's changed! My wounds are gone!"
"This place is indeed making our time flow backward."
"Yoriichi..."
His gaze fixed on Yoriichi, who appeared as calm as ever.
"Has it changed?"
Perhaps so; Yoriichi could vaguely feel that his physical state had indeed regressed a short period, but not too far back.
Logically speaking, since he controlled Hell, he should be completely immune to such a situation...
Yet, he was still affected.
If that were the case, there was only one possibility.
That is, the thing causing time to flow backward here did not originate from Hell itself, and its rank seemed to be subtly higher than Hell's.
Considering the development of the Three Realms...
Backward flow...
Stasis...
A conjecture gradually formed in Yoriichi's mind, and before he could verify it, he suddenly heard Kibutsuji Muzan's cries growing louder.
Kibutsuji Muzan's eyes were fixed on Yoriichi Tsugikuni, his gaze seemingly screaming, 'This is impossible!'
Because in his line of sight, Yoriichi's body hadn't undergone any change whatsoever.
This regression was decades long!
Even Kuruyashiki had changed.
How could Yoriichi Tsugikuni not change?!
Kuruyashiki also noticed these things; he carefully scrutinized Yoriichi Tsugikuni, his heart filled with confusion, but he didn't speak.
Again, everyone has secrets, and he knew what to ask and what not to ask.
Yoriichi noticed their vastly different attitudes.
He nodded slightly, not bothering with the malice in Kibutsuji Muzan's eyes, and calmly said,
"If nothing unexpected happens, I probably already know what's causing time to flow backward here."
"Sazoku, can you still hold on?"
Kuruyashiki thought seriously for a moment.
Although he wasn't sure if this state of time regression could be reversed, from the current situation, he felt he could hold on for a while longer.
After all, he was very old.
"No problem."
Kuruyashiki replied, then asked, "What did you find?"
Yoriichi stepped forward, slowly saying, "Do you know about the Soul King?"
"In East Rukongai District 76, Gyakukotsu, there's an indigenous god who has existed since ancient times, named Mimihagi."
"He appears to be an indigenous god, but in reality, he is the Soul King's right hand, controlling the power of stasis."
"The current Thirteenth Division Captain, Jūshirō Ukitake, obtained this power of stasis from him, which allowed his diseased organs to remain in a three-year-old state."
"No method can heal it, and at the same time, no method can worsen it."
"Absolute stasis."
"Now, combining this with the time regression phenomenon here, what can you infer?"
Kuruyashiki's expression changed again: "The power of regression? Are you saying there's also a hand of the Soul King here?"
The older he was, the more he knew, especially since he and Kyōraku Shunsui were friends, so he naturally had a vague understanding of those past events.
Yoriichi looked back and said, "Not necessarily a hand; it could be some other part."
"Ultimately, of the Soul King's limbs, only one right hand has been found so far."
"Where did the left hand, left foot, right foot, and those organs go?"
"No one knows."
The more Yoriichi spoke, the more Kuruyashiki felt alarmed.
The Soul King's abilities were simply too numerous; if death didn't exist in Hell, then any Shinigami would probably fall before the mighty power of time.
Furthermore, was the rule covering this place merely time regression?
He carefully recalled what Kibutsuji Muzan had just said, and one sentence instantly caught his attention.
—Every once in a while, he would return to infancy and then re-experience his tragic life.
Re-experience...
Just as Kuruyashiki was deep in thought, the corner of his eye suddenly caught sight of Kibutsuji Muzan in the distance, abruptly turning into sand and vanishing.
Clearly, he had been annihilated by time.
And he himself had now shrunk by several decades.
Considering the interval between these two events...
It was approximately...
Two minutes...
"There's a problem, Yoriichi, this is too fast!"
The two-minute interval made Kuruyashiki speak immediately.
"Every minute, the body regresses by ten years. Even with an age of two thousand years, one can only stay here for three hours."
"It's unclear if lost reishi will return..."
"And it's even more unclear if the regression of time is affected by the level of reishi..."
"Considering everything, I can only stay here for thirty minutes. Once it exceeds thirty minutes, my reishi will drop."
After all, a ten-year regression per minute was merely his subjective judgment based on the current situation.
He didn't know how many years Kibutsuji Muzan had actually regressed.
After all, for Shinigami or other long-lived species, it was impossible to judge their age by their appearance.
If the drop in reishi would accelerate the time regression, then the time he could stay here would be further shortened.
The information currently at hand was still too little; Kibutsuji Muzan's few words only allowed them to infer that a limb of the Soul King might exist here.
As for where the limb was and whether it could be approached, they knew nothing.
Hearing this, Yoriichi Tsugikuni nodded slightly: "You're right, that's why I asked you beforehand if you could hold on."
"But from the current situation, apart from the Soul King himself, this place is probably a forbidden zone for any living creature."
The power of Hell made his state regress one day per minute.
Given that he hadn't been a Shinigami for long, he could only stay here for about two or three hours.
In this misty environment, Yoriichi pondered for a few seconds, then spoke:
"I'll send you out first. This regressive power is truly unsolvable. I'll probably explore here for another half an hour."
"A month ago, my power was almost unchanged from now, because I was resurrecting several First Generation Captains at that time."
...
He had never thought that not having time for cultivation could actually be a blessing.
If he had been cultivating diligently before, then upon entering this place, all his efforts would have been in vain.
Losing a day's worth of effort every minute... and this was even with 99% of the regression power's influence blocked.
It was hard to imagine what a desperate and tragic sight it would be if ordinary Shinigami stepped into this place, regressing ten years every minute.
It was utterly unreasonable.
But...
This was the Soul King.
Yoriichi softly exhaled, and as soon as his words fell, Kuruyashiki instantly fell into deep silence.
He had wanted to refuse this suggestion, because it went against his resolve; he had originally intended to follow Yoriichi to atone, but who would have thought...
He had become a burden dragging the other party down?
A burden of First-Grade Spiritual Pressure... this was probably a first in the Three Realms.
Alas... how did it come to this?
After more than ten seconds, seeing the next minute about to arrive, Kuruyashiki reluctantly spoke:
"Yoriichi, are you truly alright on your own?"
"I'm sorry for causing you trouble."
"The Soul King's limb... how could this thing exist in Hell?"
It was not impossible that the Five Great Noble Families had scattered the Soul King's limbs across the Three Realms back then, and someone picked it up and brought it into Hell.
After all, millions of years had passed, and only one right hand had appeared, which was enough to explain everything.
Although the left hand was with Yhwach, Yoriichi was currently unaware, so after a brief thought, he sent Kuruyashiki out of Hell.
Some things were difficult for him to explain, but existence had its reasons.
No one could explain why the Soul King's right hand had fallen for so many years and no one had moved it.
Ultimately, Jūshirō Ukitake got a bargain.
When only Yoriichi remained in the Seventh Level of Hell, he continued to move in a certain direction.
He used Shunpo, raising his speed to the limit, to avoid regressing in position and wasting his time.
As long as his Shunpo was skilled enough, crossing dozens or even hundreds of kilometers in an instant was not an issue.
...
At this moment...
Sixth Level of Hell.
As soon as Kuruyashiki appeared, he saw several people sitting on the ground, forming a circle, waiting and conversing.
The surrounding Hollows had all been completely sealed by their Kido.
To prevent their roars from disturbing their peace.
Upon seeing Kuruyashiki appear, Kisuke Urahara slightly raised his eyes and immediately asked,
"How is it? What did you encounter in the Seventh Level of Hell?"
"Why are you the only one out? Where's Yoriichi?"
He didn't think Yoriichi had met with an accident, because given Yoriichi's strength, he could probably overcome any danger.
He merely guessed that the two must have encountered something quite tricky.
Kuruyashiki couldn't solve it, so he came out to get help, right?
Indeed, no matter which level of Hell, one still needed a highly intelligent person like himself.
A faint smile involuntarily appeared on Kisuke Urahara's face.
But the words Kuruyashiki immediately followed with made the smile on his face vanish instantly without a trace.
Soul King's power?
Time regression?
This was bad.
He knew very well that Yoriichi was not very old.
If a normal Shinigami could stay in there for several tens of minutes, Yoriichi might only be able to last a few minutes...
What if he turned into an infant?
Kuruyashiki seemed to have noticed Kisuke Urahara's concern and explained:
"About that, you don't need to worry."
"Yoriichi said that although the power of Hell is not as strong as the Soul King's limb, it can still immunize against most of the effects."
"He also asked me to ask you if you can contact the Soul Society?"
"To find a Captain named Jūshirō Ukitake."
"If nothing goes wrong, the power of stasis he possesses should be able to effectively restrain the power of regression."
In reality, Yoriichi wasn't entirely sure if it could be restrained.
The power of stasis and the power of regression were like an incredibly sharp spear and an unbreakable shield.
Could the spear pierce the shield, or could the shield withstand the spear?
Before actually conducting the experiment, the result could not possibly be known.
However, there was no harm in being prepared.
If there was indeed danger, the plan could be paused in time.
Yoriichi would never risk the life of a Captain.
Upon hearing these words, Kisuke Urahara suddenly understood.
As a Captain, he was quite familiar with Jūshirō Ukitake's situation.
Because after the Red and White Hot Springs came into existence, among those in the know, the secret about Jūshirō Ukitake was no longer a secret.
He had once, for a period, specifically gone to East Rukongai District 76 to investigate Mimihagi's condition, but ultimately found nothing.
Any instrument could only detect that it was an ordinary stone statue.
Perhaps only the fated could perceive its special qualities...
Thinking of this, Kisuke Urahara immediately pulled out a communicator, attempting to contact the Twelfth Division.
However, due to the immense distance between the Sixth Level of Hell and the Soul Society.
No matter how he adjusted the machine, the signal simply could not be transmitted.
In helplessness, he could only give up this attempt.
Without Yoriichi, it would take him at least a week to return to the First Level of Hell.
Moreover, even if he returned to the First Level, going out to find someone and returning would also take a week.
Going back and forth would be half a month...
Considering the time, he could only passively wait for Yoriichi to appear, and a rather worried expression involuntarily appeared on his face.
Indeed, he deeply believed in Yoriichi's strength, but unfortunately, this time they were facing the Soul King...
Even if it was just a limb of the Soul King, the power it contained was not to be underestimated.
Just one right hand could block all Shinigami's healing methods...
Kisuke Urahara dared not imagine how high the upper limit of this regressive power was.
What's more, from Kuruyashiki's words, he also vaguely perceived another kind of rule power.
Reset.
Or it could be other similar powers, in any case, it could make things return to their original state...
No wonder, after so many years, the Sinners in Hell had never been able to find it.
Even if they could withstand the passage of time, returning to the starting point after a period was still futile.
Did Yoriichi know about this situation? Perhaps he did, which was why he sped up his actions.
Returning to the starting point was fine; it saved him the trouble of having to go back himself.
This way, the opportunities for trial and error also directly increased.
At worst, they could try again after some time; they would eventually find the source of that power.
...
It was difficult to judge the passage of time in Hell; Yoriichi Tsugikuni could only silently count by his own method.
After about ten minutes, Yoriichi's vision suddenly blurred.
Although the scene before him seemed unchanged, Yoriichi knew full well that he should have returned to his original starting point.
Reset... Sure enough, regressing ten years every minute, and returning to the starting point every ten minutes, under such frequent changes.
Even if there were hundreds of thousands of Sinners in this Hell, the hope of finding the Soul King's limb was probably slim.
And this place was located in the Seventh Level of Hell...
Yoriichi's contemplative gaze inadvertently swept over his Zanpakuto, and a flash of inspiration suddenly struck him, making him remember certain things.
Immediately after, his figure flickered, instantly disappearing from his spot, and the next moment he had already appeared in the Sixth Level of Hell.
At this time, nine minutes had passed since Kuruyashiki left, and everyone's mood still appeared quite worried and frustrated.
As soon as Yoriichi appeared, he immediately drew many concerned questions, everyone worrying if he had encountered any unexpected situations.
As for the matter of the Soul King's limb, it was subconsciously put aside by everyone for the time being.
In their opinion, ensuring their own safety was the most crucial thing at the moment.
Yoriichi patiently responded to everyone's concerns one by one, then turned his gaze to the group of Hollows completely sealed by Kido.
Kisuke Urahara keenly noticed Yoriichi's action and couldn't help but ask,
"What's wrong, Yoriichi, is there a problem?"
"I have a plan," Yoriichi Tsugikuni said slowly, turning his gaze to Kenpachi Kuruyashiki.
"Kuruyashiki, you mentioned earlier that these demons came from the Seventh Layer, right?"
"Before, since we didn't know what the environment of the Seventh Layer was like, we naturally assumed that it was quite normal for these demons to escape."
"However, after what just happened, I understand that the Seventh Layer is inescapable."
"If that's the case, then how did they get up here? Have you asked about that?"
Kenpachi Kuruyashiki was stunned when he heard this; he really hadn't asked about it.
Not just him, even Kisuke Urahara was momentarily stunned for several seconds after hearing Yoriichi's words.
However, Kisuke Urahara quickly recovered and responded swiftly: "Yoriichi, are you suggesting that they can help us find the Soul King's limbs?"
"Perhaps there's a possibility, but it's still a chance, isn't it?"
Yoriichi Tsugikuni slightly turned his face, looking at Kisuke Urahara, and then said: "No matter what, the Soul King's limbs are ultimately foreign objects to Hell."
"Only now do I finally understand why Hell needs me to manage it."
"Because Hell's own power is much weaker compared to the Soul King's body."
"So, facing the Soul King's limbs located in the Seventh Layer, Hell simply cannot interfere with them."
"This is also why I can only send those Sinners to the lowest layer of Hell."
"The current Seventh Layer has already been transformed by the Soul King's power; in a sense, it is no longer part of the original Hell."
"This is like a foreign organ suddenly appearing in a human body, which will inevitably trigger a significant rejection reaction."
"Hell's current chaotic and disordered state is probably due to this reason, with time being wantonly manipulated…"
"As the saying goes, 'pull one hair and the whole body moves.' Without external intervention, how could it return to normal?"
Yoriichi's words made Kisuke Urahara fall into deep thought.
Thinking carefully, such a possibility truly exists.
After all, before Yoriichi Tsugikuni appeared, their understanding of Hell had never exceeded fifty percent.
Only after Yoriichi appeared did they realize that even the fifty percent they previously thought was still an overestimation.
One must know that Shinigami had only explored up to the Second Layer of Hell in the past.
They had no idea about anything beyond that, let alone the Seventh Layer.
Take the Fourth Layer where Hibasa stayed; that was already considered a deep area of Hell.
Thinking of this, Kisuke Urahara pondered for a moment, then nodded knowingly: "Understood."
With that, he turned and removed the Kido sealing the demons.
He then began to ask them why they were able to escape from the Seventh Layer.
After getting the answer, regardless of whether they could resist the effects of the reversal force or not,
Yoriichi directly sent all of them into the Seventh Layer, telling them to do their best to find the Soul King's body.
At the same time, Yoriichi found another group of Sinners and also sent them into the Seventh Layer.
There was no need to worry about them being unable to return after entering.
As long as the chains were wrapped around them, Yoriichi could always pinpoint their location.
Thus pulling them out when necessary.
The Seventh Layer being beyond Hell's control did not mean that the Sinners were beyond Hell's control.
Perhaps they thought that by staying put, they could avoid danger, but Yoriichi had not forgotten the reward and punishment system.
Those who were lazy would remain in the Seventh Layer; if they didn't find it for a day, they would be affected by time, constantly reliving past tragic events.
From Muzan's condition, it was understood that even the injuries he had suffered would resurface one by one.
Find it... then everyone would be happy.
Their sins overhead were as black as storm clouds; if a lightning bolt didn't strike them into charcoal, it would be too kind to them.
And speaking of lightning... perhaps the Seventh Layer could be transformed into a lightning storm Hell?
They say humans act, and Heaven watches; how could it be without divine retribution?
…
It was unknown how much time had passed, but it was certainly less than half a year.
The previously stagnant search for the Soul King's limbs suddenly saw some new developments.
During this period, because the Sinners were diligently working to atone for their sins, Yoriichi occasionally left Hell to reunite with his family.
Just on this day, Yoriichi received a message from Kisuke Urahara and immediately returned to Hell.
Near the scorching magma, Yoriichi approached Kisuke Urahara and asked, "What happened?"
He looked around but didn't notice any particularly obvious changes.
However, a figure that appeared next caught Yoriichi's attention.
Nakime…
Kisuke Urahara chuckled, beckoned Nakime over, and introduced her: "Yoriichi, I have to admit, you were truly prescient to bring those demons here."
"This little one named Nakime possesses a spatial ability called Infinite Castle."
"Although she is also affected by the reversal force."
"But within the Infinite Castle, she can instantly teleport most people hundreds of kilometers away."
"With this ability, after a long and arduous effort of about five months."
"Crossing a distance of nearly three million kilometers, we finally approached the Soul King's body and determined its approximate location."
"However, the closer we get to the Soul King's body, the more severe the reversal force becomes."
"Even those demons who have lived for over three hundred years would instantly turn into infants when they got close."
"Therefore, we had no choice but to seek your help."
As he spoke, Kisuke Urahara's eyes slowly lowered. He looked around, making sure no one was eavesdropping, before continuing: "According to the last message received, it's the Soul King's lung and the Soul King's left foot."
"The Soul King's lung governs the restart of circulation, and the Soul King's left foot governs reversal…"
"Your previous guess was not wrong."
"The current Seventh Layer has been completely eroded by the Soul King's lung and left foot; the powers of both are in a strange state of fusion."
"However, since it's a fusion, I think if we can just separate them, it will most likely return to normal."
…
Kisuke Urahara's words were within Yoriichi Tsugikuni's expectations; after all, the Soul King's body could only function when present within a life-like entity.
Being transformed and then forming a fusion was also reasonable.
He nodded understandingly: "I'll try. After these days of communicating with Hell, I've discovered a situation."
"Differences in form lead to different effects."
"I can probably delve deeper now."
As for the specific differences, Yoriichi did not explain them in detail to Kisuke Urahara, simply because the explanation would be quite complex.
In short, the bone armor covering his body indicated the amount of Hell's power.
Kisuke had never seen those bone armors, so he naturally wouldn't understand the deep meaning contained within them.
But it was enough for Yoriichi himself to understand.
Moreover, even if Hell wasn't doing it for itself, for its own existence, it would certainly do its best to expel the Soul King's power.
On this point, their goals were consistent.
"It's good that you're confident. In reality, whether it can be removed doesn't matter much. Ultimately, few can control the Soul King's power."
"And being in Hell won't affect the Soul Society."
"But…" Kisuke Urahara raised his eyes and sighed, "But who knew that Hell has now become part of the Three Realms' soul cycle."
"It's all up to you, Yoriichi. What we can help you with ends here."
They had already done their utmost; just locating it took a long time. Lacking the authority of Hell, even approaching was extremely difficult, let alone seizing it.
Looking across the entire Three Realms, only Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Jūshirō Ukitake could undertake this task.
But Jūshirō Ukitake's situation was peculiar; no one could predict what would happen if he rashly approached the Soul King's lung and the Soul King's foot.
In desperation, this heavy responsibility could only be borne by Yoriichi.
Unconsciously, a hint of worry appeared on Kisuke Urahara's face.
Yoriichi calmly surveyed him, expressing his understanding, and then he returned to the Seventh Layer, with Nakime following closely behind.
Soon, Nakime used the Infinite Castle to take him to the approximate location.
Here, the influence of time was already extremely severe.
Fortunately, there were situations like time loops, occasionally allowing them to return to their demon form and use Blood Demon Arts to transport people, otherwise, once they went deep, they might never return.
Three million kilometers from the Sixth Layer—what kind of concept was that?
Even with Shunpo, it would take about a week of frantic full-speed running.
Nakime did not leave; she dispelled the Infinite Castle, and Yoriichi landed on the ground.
Under her gaze, Yoriichi swiftly flashed forward.
During these five months, much of the malice in Nakime's heart had been worn away.
After all, there was no longer the oppression of Kibutsuji Muzan, nor the myriad trivialities of her human life.
Hell was indeed terrifying, but under Yoriichi's influence, she had not suffered too much hardship.
Compared to Kibutsuji Muzan, it was undoubtedly much better.
Differences were revealed through comparison, and because of this, her heart was filled with gratitude towards Yoriichi.
Seeing Yoriichi delve deeper, she called out loudly: "The changes here occur every thirty seconds, Mr. Tsugikuni, you must be careful."
Yoriichi heard her words but made no response. Thirty seconds, huh… it was likely some kind of self-preservation mechanism.
However, whether it was thirty seconds or a minute, it didn't matter much.
Under his lightning-fast Shunpo, it wasn't long, about five seconds later, when he saw the Soul King's lung and Soul King's foot, bizarrely fused with the Seventh Layer.
Bankai was activated smoothly. Since he was in Hell, the domain no longer existed; only a set of bone armor and black burning karmic flames appeared on his body.
At this moment, Yoriichi felt his control over Hell had greatly increased.
He quickly approached the Soul King's lung, just as the Soul King's lung repeated a breath.
In an instant, everything in front of Yoriichi seemed to be wantonly manipulated by an invisible large hand.
Spatial positions were instantly pulled away, and the scenery became distorted and blurry.
However, he did not return to the starting point, indicating that the idea was feasible.
Without caring whether Nakime had disappeared at this moment, he once again rushed forward.
This sudden intruder made the Soul King's lung sense a hint of danger.
Over these millions of years, it had developed some consciousness, just like Mimihagi.
The reason it remained here was that it could not move and was waiting for a destined person to appear.
It possessed a trace of the Soul King's The Almighty power.
However, this power was ultimately incomplete, so it did not know whether Yoriichi was the destined person.
But for its own safety, it ultimately sped up its breathing frequency.
Unfortunately, that meager trace of consciousness was simply not enough for it to quickly think about this sudden situation.
By the time it made a decision, Yoriichi had already approached it.
"Soul King's lung… Soul King's foot…"
"I'm sorry, this is not where you should stay."
With the authority of Hell, Yoriichi effortlessly stripped them from the Seventh Layer of Hell.
It could be clearly seen that they still had a lingering connection with Hell beneath them, like lotus roots whose fibers remain attached even after being broken.
Those wisps of aura seemed to be the last bonds.
After Yoriichi neatly severed all these thread-like "bonds."
Whoosh.
The thick mist pervading the air instantly vanished without a trace.
Even time seemed to slow down—this might be an illusion, as time here was originally chaotic.
Staying in a whirlpool for too long, then returning to normal waters, even normalcy would become abnormal.
The Soul King's lung resisted unwillingly, but it was ultimately futile.
Moreover, it couldn't speak, so it was naturally packed up and taken away by Yoriichi.
…
The speed was so fast that the Soul King's lung had no time to react…
This kid was definitely not the destined one; it had never seen a Shinigami dare to treat them like this.
It was just that the Soul King's foot had no consciousness… When the Soul King was dismembered back then, his feet were the last to be stripped away.
Without the life force provided by the heart, miracles naturally could not occur.
When Yoriichi reappeared, Nakime had already returned from her original spot.
Seeing Yoriichi unharmed and having taken such a short time, she couldn't help but widen her mouth in astonishment.
This was too fast; as expected, he could instantly kill them, and even in another world, he could display performance beyond ordinary people's imagination.
Before she could speak, Yoriichi spoke first: "Let's go back."
The items were already in hand; the remaining matter was to discuss how to use them.
Having spent nearly half a year and wasted a large amount of manpower and resources to achieve this plan, it was naturally impossible to simply put it aside and let it go to waste.
But, speaking of use… how to use it?
Surely not find someone to fuse with it…
It could only depend on how deeply those Shinigami had researched the Soul King.
If he remembered correctly, Jūshirō Ukitake suffered from a lung disease, so…
A thought emerged in Yoriichi's mind.