Boom!
The ruins exploded outward, and a long-haired man in black and white armor rushed out from the debris. His armor resembled a skull, giving him a sinister, almost demonic appearance.
Kūgo Ginjō had entered the second stage of his Fullbring, his Bankai state.
As the first Substitute Shinigami, he was like Ichigo Kurosaki, someone who possessed multiple powers. His Zanpakutō, Cross Gallows, and his Fullbring, the Cross Necklace, gave him strength that surpassed some Shinigami captains.
At that moment, the hilts of his two greatswords had transformed into long, curved, spiraling horns. The front of each hilt became jagged and sharp, while the rear section resembled a spine.
He looked extremely evil, like a villain who had finally revealed his true form.
Just as everyone thought he was about to fight back with everything he had, Ginjō abandoned every member of Xcution and fled alone.
Ulquiorra immediately gave chase.
However, the members of Xcution, despite their despair, actually stepped forward to block Ulquiorra for the sake of the leader who had betrayed them.
Giriko Kutsuzawa activated his Fullbring, Time Tells No Lies, transforming into a yellow-green giant as he fearlessly blocked Ulquiorra's path.
Jackie Tristan activated Dirty Boots and entered her fully armed state, charging forward.
Riruka and Yukio glanced at the fleeing Ginjō with complicated, disgusted expressions.
Even so, they had no choice but to fight desperately. They were not fast enough to escape.
The two of them also joined the effort to stop Ulquiorra.
Unfortunately, Yukio's Intruders Must Die was useless against an enemy whose spiritual pressure was far stronger than his own. The same was true for Riruka's Dollhouse.
They could only activate their Fullbring transformations and unleash what little combat power they had.
The other Espada and the Five Sinners of Hell immediately chased after Ginjō. He was Lord Brook's target, and none of them dared to slack off.
However, the ten Shinigami captains and their vice-captains, together with the eight powerful Visoreds, Kisuke Urahara, and Yoruichi Shihōin, seemed to have reached an agreement. They actually stopped the Espada and the Five Sinners of Hell together.
The two sides immediately entered a tense standoff.
Seeing that the enemy outnumbered them, the Espada and the Five Sinners of Hell became wary and did not act immediately.
The Shinigami and Visoreds also dared not move rashly, fearing that they might provoke the Lord of Hueco Mundo.
In truth, none of them wanted such a massive war to break out in the human world.
A battle between so many powerful monsters would destroy the entire city.
Kyōraku Shunsui had already sent someone back to Soul Society to inform Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, urging the Captain-Commander to come quickly and help deal with this terrifying Lord of Hueco Mundo.
"This is troublesome. You can't even handle one task properly."
Brook kicked the Hell Sinner Kokutō into the Shinigami alliance.
The crazed Kokutō immediately began fighting recklessly.
The 11th Division Captain, Kenpachi Zaraki, instantly locked onto him and engaged him in an exciting one-on-one battle.
Seeing Brook make a move, the Espada and the Five Sinners of Hell had no choice but to grit their teeth and charge toward the combined forces of the Shinigami and Visoreds.
Brook casually glanced at the battling crowd, then looked toward the fleeing Ginjō.
"The Soul King's power has quite the useful effect in this world."
[Soul King's Power: Teleportation.]
Brook smiled and reached out with his right hand.
Ginjō, who had already fled far away, suddenly appeared right in front of him.
Ginjō's face twisted in horror.
Suppressing his fear, he swung his greatsword at Brook, trying to seize even the slightest chance of survival.
"The Fullbring power inside you comes from the Soul King. I'm taking it back. Don't get in the way."
Brook blocked Ginjō's ferocious Bankai Zanpakutō with a single finger.
Then he snatched it away and extracted the Shinigami power and the Soul King fragment power from Ginjō's body.
Afterward, he tossed Ginjō aside like a beaten dog, right next to Aura Michibane, whose power had also been drained.
Seeing the powerful Ginjō crippled so easily, Kyōraku and Urahara both wore grave expressions.
"When will Captain-Commander Yamamoto arrive? If he doesn't get here soon, we'll have to retreat!"
Urahara shouted anxiously at Kyōraku.
He could feel it clearly. This Lord of Hueco Mundo was far too terrifying. Without the Captain-Commander, or even the Zero Division, they had no way to deal with him.
"I've already sent someone back to inform him. He should be on his way!"
Kyōraku was also deeply shocked by Brook's terrifying strength.
Ginjō possessed power at the mid-to-high captain level, yet Brook had crippled him as easily as plucking a leaf.
The Shinigami and Visoreds immediately began tightening their formation. They no longer dared to continue fighting the Espada and the Six Sinners of Hell recklessly.
They were afraid Brook could kill a captain-level comrade with a casual wave of his hand.
Brook waved again.
The Shinigami and Visoreds were startled, but they breathed a sigh of relief when they saw a member of Xcution appear beside him instead.
As expected, the Lord of Hueco Mundo's target was these Fullbringers.
"An ability that can hack into networks and turn them into games. Not bad."
Brook had captured Yukio Hans Vorarlberna, the wealthy shut-in of Xcution.
Yukio's Fullbring was Intruders Must Die, and its medium was a game console.
Brook drained the power of the Soul King fragment from him, tossed him aside, and let him reunite with his leader, Ginjō.
Brook's actions terrified the remaining members of Xcution.
Soon, Giriko, who possessed Time Tells No Lies, and Jackie, who possessed Dirty Boots, were captured by Brook as well. Their abilities were extracted, and they were thrown aside.
"These two abilities are a little useless."
Brook casually commented before grabbing the last one, Riruka Dokugamine, and extracting the Soul King fragment power from her body.
"Shrinking people and turning them into toys? That one isn't bad."
Brook casually tossed Riruka aside as well, finally reuniting the members of Xcution.
Seeing Brook instantly defeat the Fullbringers, Ulquiorra immediately joined the battle against the Shinigami alliance.
The moment he appeared, it took two or three Shinigami captains working together just to barely hold him back.
"Looks like there are two more."
Brook's eyes seemed to pierce through every building, instantly spotting the two Fullbringers hidden in the shadows.
"Since you're already here, don't leave."
[Spirit King's Power: Teleportation.]
Brook chuckled and grasped at the empty air.
Two figures fell out of the void.
They were none other than Shūkurō Tsukishima, the former leader of Xcution, and his follower, Moe Shishigawara.
Amid their terrified expressions, Brook directly extracted the power of the Soul King fragments from their bodies.
"The Book of the End and the Fist of Gambling. One of them even involves luck. It seems this power deserves to be strengthened."
Brook accepted these powers and abilities with satisfaction.
The power of the Soul King within him became even more complete.
From this moment on, Xcution, the organization that possessed the power of the Soul King's fragments, was wiped out.
All of these Fullbringers had become ordinary people who had lost their powers.
In a sense, Brook had fulfilled their original goal.
They had returned to being normal humans.
------------
Seeing how swiftly the Lord of Hueco Mundo dealt with the Fullbringers, and with Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni still nowhere in sight, Kisuke Urahara made a decisive choice.
He immediately led Yoruichi Shihōin and the eight Visoreds away.
He had no intention of staying to fight such a monster and throwing his life away for nothing.
The moment they withdrew, the Shinigami captains were forced into a disadvantage.
Kyōraku Shunsui had no choice but to order an immediate retreat back to Soul Society.
The Espada and the Six Sinners of Hell immediately attacked the retreating enemies with even more frenzy, hoping to kill one or two of them and return to Brook for credit.
They all desperately wanted to become like Ulquiorra and obtain a third stage of Resurrección.
After all, among the Espada, the others only possessed one stage of Resurrección.
Ulquiorra was far too lucky. He had been the first to find Lord Brook's target and had received such a huge reward.
What they did not know was that Ulquiorra had awakened his second stage, Segunda Etapa, on his own. Even Aizen had never known about that transformation.
He had only used it for the first time after his fierce battle with Aura Michibane, a powerful Fullbringer.
Brook had just finished dealing with Xcution when that slippery eel, Kisuke Urahara, had already escaped.
As expected of a former Shinigami captain whose intelligence was comparable to Aizen's.
His insight, judgment, and decisiveness were all top tier.
However, running away did not mean he could hide forever.
Brook would definitely come knocking sooner or later.
Karakura Town, right?
They could not escape.
It seemed the protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki, was also training with him, preparing to become stronger so he could enter Soul Society and rescue Rukia Kuchiki.
Unfortunately, Rukia was now in Brook's hands, and Brook had already obtained the Hōgyoku.
"Kenpachi Zaraki, retreat!"
Kyōraku shouted at the 11th Division captain.
That battle maniac was still fighting the Hell Sinner Kokutō. Did he have a death wish?
The other captains, vice-captains, and officers had already evacuated quickly.
The Lord of Hueco Mundo's strength was unfathomable. They were simply no match for him.
However, Kenpachi acted as if he had not heard a thing.
His eyes were filled with madness and bloodlust as he continued clashing with Kokutō.
The Hell Sinner had just slaughtered his own hometown and was now overflowing with killing intent and violent tyranny. He was locked in a brutal death match with Zaraki Kenpachi.
"Hey, if someone wants to fight, don't interfere."
Brook's mocking voice suddenly rang beside Kyōraku's ear.
The Shinigami captain, who already had one foot in the void portal, felt a chill crawl down his spine.
He immediately stopped worrying about Kenpachi and tried to flee.
"Don't run away. I'll give you something to bring back with you. I hope you like it."
"Hollowfy, Shinigami captain."
[Hōgyoku Power: Hollowfication.]
Brook laughed darkly, and a surge of Hueco Mundo's power flowed into Kyōraku Shunsui's body.
This was the captain of the 8th Division, the future Captain-Commander, and one of Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's most outstanding disciples.
A white bone mask slowly formed over Kyōraku's face.
The Shinigami power within him was no longer pure. It was now mixed with Hollow power.
Kyōraku Shunsui had become a Visored.
This promising Shinigami captain had become the same kind of being as Hirako Shinji and the others.
Because of that, he would also be judged and eliminated by Central 46.
Seireitei did not need a Hollowfied Shinigami captain.
"No!"
Kyōraku returned to Soul Society wearing a Hollow mask, vanishing through the portal with a desperate cry.
He was about to become a wanted criminal in the very Soul Society he had dedicated his life to protecting.
He could not accept it.
He did not want to stand against his former comrades.
At that moment, he finally understood the despair and resentment of the Visoreds.
He, too, would become a rat hated by everyone.
"To casually create a powerful Hollowfied Shinigami captain. What terrifying strength."
The Segunda Espada, Barragan, stared wide-eyed in horror.
"No wonder he could so easily grant Ulquiorra a third-stage Resurrección."
"Lord Brook is a true god. The master of Hell, the ruler of Hueco Mundo, and the future ruler of Soul Society!"
The Hell Sinner Shuren spoke fanatically.
"We all saw Lord Brook devour the guardians of Hell. Some of them were powerful enough to rival the Zero Division."
At that moment, a blazing power erupted.
The Shinigami captains had returned to the human world once again, as if they had found their strongest support.
Kisuke Urahara, who had been fleeing with the Visoreds, sensed the terrifying spiritual pressure of Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni and immediately stopped. Then he secretly returned to witness this earth-shaking battle.
When Urahara saw the desperate Kyōraku Shunsui standing beside Yamamoto, he froze.
Kyōraku Shunsui had become a Visored.
Hirako Shinji and the others felt a faint sense of bitter satisfaction.
They had been hunted by the Shinigami captains for over a hundred years, and their hearts had long since filled with resentment.
"Who are you? Change him back!"
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni drew his Zanpakutō, Ryūjin Jakka, and roared at Brook.
His eyes were filled with killing intent.
Any enemy who posed a great threat to Soul Society had to be eliminated.
And Brook had turned the student he regarded almost like a son into a Visored.
That rage was enough to burn the entire world.
"Impressive spiritual pressure. You've ruled Seireitei for more than a thousand years, and your spiritual power has reached an incredible level."
Brook chuckled softly.
"But every spirit particle you absorb represents the lives of countless wandering souls in Rukongai who could not survive."
"The distribution of power in Soul Society is even worse than a two-to-ninety-eight split."
Two percent of the Shinigami living in Seireitei possessed ninety-eight percent of the spiritual power in Soul Society.
And among that spiritual power, Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni alone occupied an overwhelming share.
Yamamoto could make a vice-captain-level Shinigami faint from fear just by releasing his spiritual pressure.
The spiritual pressure of his Shikai was comparable to the Bankai of other captains.
Just how many spirit particles of Soul Society did he occupy?
Once this Captain-Commander activated Bankai, the entire Seireitei could sense the shift in his spiritual pressure.
When enraged, his spiritual pressure could spread across all of Soul Society.
That was terrifying.
If spirit particles were the wealth of Soul Society, then Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni was the richest man known to the public, second only to the hidden Zero Division.
The spiritual particles accumulated by Yamamoto and Seireitei had left many regions of Rukongai without even enough spirit particles in the air.
Countless souls in Rukongai had lost even their chance to survive.
Furthermore, because Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's spiritual pressure was too powerful, his soul could not return to Soul Society as spirit particles after death.
In other words, even if he died, not a single bit of the spiritual wealth he had taken would return to Rukongai.
Most importantly, these Shinigami had always claimed to represent justice.
In truth, it was nothing more than absolute rule.
In this world, power still reigned above all.
Only souls born with the talent to absorb more spirit particles could become stronger and earn the right to live with dignity.
.....
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