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Within the Fifth Division.
Aizen listened with a smiling expression to the report brought by the newly transformed Shinigami before him, a faint glint flashing beneath his glasses.
"One million? I thought Captain Chengdui's fifty thousand troops were already his entire force. That's not a small number at all!"
Aizen said this in a tone of surprise.
He truly was surprised, almost shocked, in fact. Behind this Kenpachi Chengdui, there was actually enough power to gather such an enormous fighting force. Just those fifty thousand elite combatants had already made him cautious, though it was still somewhat acceptable, considering the other party claimed to be the supreme ruler of a major world-power nation.
However, the additional one million troops genuinely left Aizen somewhat stunned.
A military force of that scale could only be described as massive.
"Perhaps Captain Aizen still has yet to fully understand the might and influence of my king. But please believe that this one million is merely a colorful corner of His Majesty's military strength."
The Shinigami who had come to deliver the message said indifferently.
"Is that so?"
"Then that truly is good news."
The gleam beneath Aizen's glasses faded, and he replied with his usual smiling expression.
"By the way, I heard Captain Chengdui has already found Urahara Kisuke and his group, correct?"
"Then what about news of the Hōgyoku?"
"After all, transforming Shinigami on such a massive scale absolutely requires relying on it."
Aizen valued the Hōgyoku immensely. Years of research had made him understand its powerful properties even better than Urahara Kisuke did. It was the supreme treasure necessary for him to ascend to the heavens and become the king beneath the dome of the sky.
Kenpachi Chengdui perhaps had hidden his true strength, and Aizen still had no clear idea how vast and dangerous the forces under him really were. But using such an expert only made Aizen feel even more stimulated and excited.
If he could maneuver freely amidst beings this powerful, sit back and watch tigers fight from the shore, and in the end catch both fierce tigers in one net, what an amusing scenario that would be!
"My king has already located the Hōgyoku and ordered his subordinates to seize it."
The Shinigami with a sword hanging at his waist said calmly, glancing at Aizen.
"Please rest assured, Captain Aizen. With my king's elite forces taking action, there will be no problems."
Aizen still wore his harmless and benevolent smile.
"Then I am relieved. I must say, I am very much looking forward to and feel reassured by this cooperation with Captain Chengdui."
Since the message had been delivered, the Shinigami turned and left.
"One million troops, fully assembled in merely a few days… Kenpachi Chengdui. Just how vast and formidable is the power behind you?" Aizen muttered, his eyes narrowing into slits.
"This is truly exciting."
…
In the World of the Living, inside Urahara Shop.
"Shopkeeper, this is bad, the Hōgyoku is gone!!" A panicked voice suddenly rang out.
Urahara Kisuke, who had been sitting in the shop playing cards with Kenpachi Zaraki, Li Yuanli, and the others, immediately threw his hanafuda cards to the ground and shot to his feet.
"What did you say?"
"The Hōgyoku is gone!"
Tessai Tsukabishi shouted loudly.
"How is that possible? No one has come here at all!" Urahara Kisuke said in shock.
At this moment, several experts were gathered in the shop. Who could possibly steal the Hōgyoku under such circumstances?
Suddenly, Li Yuanli's pupils contracted. With a flick of his long blade, he viciously slashed toward the top of Urahara Kisuke's head.
"Hey!"
Kenpachi Zaraki was startled and roared, grabbing the Zanpakutō beside him.
Urahara Kisuke's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly ducked.
Whoosh!
The wind from the blade brushed across his scalp, causing goosebumps to rise all over his body.
At the very next moment, ripples spread through the air.
Clang!
A dull metallic clash rang out.
Li Yuanli stood gripping his Zanpakutō, his gaze grave and icy.
At the same time, opposite him appeared a white-browed Shinigami, also holding a Zanpakutō hilt, but one with no blade.
This horrifying scene startled Urahara Kisuke so badly that he quickly retreated several steps.
"H-He… how did he get out?!"
"There was somehow an extra person in the room without anyone noticing!"
"Who are you?!"
The others all shouted in shock.
"Unexpected. Someone actually managed to detect me, you're quite unique!" The white-browed Shinigami tilted his head and said this to Li Yuanli.
"You're not from this world." Li Yuanli said in a deep voice.
His Zanpakutō trembled in his hand, unleashing a powerful vibration force that immediately blasted the white-browed Shinigami backward.
The latter twisted midair, planting both feet against the wall behind him, then kicked off and charged forward again.
"Oh? Now I'm surprised. You're actually a King. No wonder you were able to detect my movements."
As the white-browed Shinigami closed in on Li Yuanli, the two exchanged a rapid clash of blades.
Shock flashed through his eyes, and his expression turned serious.
A King was fundamentally different from subordinates like them. He knew very well the many incomprehensible powers possessed by such powerful beings.
"It's time to retreat. A King is still not an opponent I can handle."
It wasn't that the white-browed Shinigami was cowardly, he simply understood the power of a King too clearly. If it had been Kenpachi Zaraki or Urahara Kisuke instead, he would not have been afraid in the slightest.
His figure flickered, then twisted sharply.
To everyone's astonishment, his body began disappearing bit by bit before their eyes, dissolving like particles.
Li Yuanli was also inwardly shaken.
He lunged forward and swung fiercely, but this slash hit nothing but empty air.
"Memories from the Past!"
His eyes blinked as he activated his innate ability.
A few moments later, an additional trace of gravity appeared in Li Yuanli's expression.
He quickly turned around and spoke sternly:
"Quick, get ready, we need to evacuate immediately!"
"Evacuate? Xiao Lili, have you gone crazy?"
Urahara Kisuke asked in surprise.
"Kenpachi Chengdui's people are coming. I saw the scouts they've been using to survey this place over the past few days."
Li Yuanli said in a deep voice.
"Kenpachi Chengdui? Just his people? As long as it's not him personally, I, Kenpachi Zaraki, won't be afraid!" Kenpachi Zaraki shouted sharply.
"But his people are not from your world, and there are far too many of them. We can't handle this."
Li Yuanli glanced at everyone present, his voice extremely serious.
"Hurry. Stop hesitating!"
"But the Hōgyoku…" Urahara Kisuke hesitated.
"We'll think of another way later. If we stay here, we won't even keep our lives!" Li Yuanli shouted loudly, his tone already becoming urgent.
That shout made everyone realize the severity of the situation.
They immediately began evacuating, quickly heading toward the entrance.
"I'm curious, that Shinigami just now mentioned your identity as a King, Xiao Lili. What exactly did he mean by that?" Urahara Kisuke asked doubtfully.
As he spoke, Kenpachi Zaraki slashed open the front door with one stroke.
Then, the scene that entered their eyes caused everyone who was about to step outside to freeze, their pupils shrinking violently.
"Y-You've got to be kidding…"
Tessai Tsukabishi's whole body trembled.
"So these are Kenpachi Chengdui's people?"
Kenpachi Zaraki's voice became incomparably solemn as he tightly gripped his Zanpakutō.
Ahead of them were black-clothed Shinigami stretching as far as the eye could see, Zanpakutō hanging at their waists, surrounding Urahara Shop layer after layer, inside three rings, outside three more, until the place was completely sealed off.
Their numbers were impossible to estimate.
(End of Chapter)
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