[Daily autonomous task completed!]
[Spiritual pressure increased, current rank: First-Class Spiritual Power!]
[Kido mastery enhanced, skill acquired: Anti-Kido Reflection, current rank: Ninth Degree!]
[Shunpo mastery enhanced, skill acquired: Flash Blossom, current rank: Ninth Degree!]
[Soul strength increased, soul density augmented!]
Pop—
Like before, a sound like the shattering of a bubble echoed from within Tokikaze's body.
In the next moment, his spiritual pressure surged, rising like an unstoppable tidal wave, one after another, reaching the heavens.
The change in his spiritual pressure caused the density of reishi in the surrounding atmosphere to sharply decrease, creating a momentary vacuum.
Pale blue winds swirled around Tokikaze, accompanied by crackling arcs of lightning.
Although the scene wasn't overly grand, it still caught the attention of Uryū Ishida.
However, with his limited experience, Uryū couldn't understand what was happening to Tokikaze and, seeing no unusual expression on his face, simply chalked it up to the uniqueness of Soul Reapers.
The breakthrough to First-Class Spiritual Power steadied Tokikaze's mind, calming his previously unsettled emotions.
Finally, he had escaped the fate of being cannon fodder.
Now, he just needed to continue growing stronger to seize control of his destiny and the Soul Society.
As for the Anti-Kido skill, Tokikaze had already learned it before. However, learning and mastering are two different things. Now, he could effortlessly nullify the Kido of captain-level Soul Reapers, much like Yoruichi Shihōin.
Flash Blossom was a unique Shunpo technique. It could easily overwhelm weaker opponents, but against equally strong opponents, it wasn't as effective.
In the original story, Byakuya used Flash Blossom to shatter Ichigo's binding and sleep seals with a single strike.
Lastly, the increase in soul strength was self-explanatory. The power of Fullbring had risen to a new level, and if he unleashed Scorching Wind of Wrath on Tsukishiro Sōya now, it would be enough to erase him from existence entirely.
Having digested the gains from Tsukishiro, Tokikaze turned his gaze into the distance.
At that moment, a fierce battle was unfolding between a Hollow and a human.
Red feathers, a griffin-like form, and a bird's beak marked with black patterns.
If Tokikaze wasn't mistaken, this creature was Abirama Redder, a subordinate of the current king of Hueco Mundo, Baraggan Louisenbairn.
Tokikaze referred to Baraggan as the "current king" instead of Aizen because Abirama was still in his original form, showing no signs of having undergone Hollowfication.
Maki Kurosaki skillfully used her reishi bow, dodging and toying with the bird-man in the sky.
As she had mentioned earlier, her strength had greatly improved when they hadn't seen each other.
The envious, almost bitter look in Uryū Ishida's eyes from a short distance away made this clear.
Countless red feathers rained like a storm, instantly riddling the sandy surface with holes.
As one of the few species in Hueco Mundo capable of flying, Abirama held a significant advantage in battle.
However, from his perspective, the human woman below was a natural counter to him.
She fired reishi arrows with reckless abandon, rapidly shooting them skyward at a speed that exceeded his Hungry Wings Cannon.
Interspersed with Sacred Arrows, she repeatedly came close to piercing his wings.
It was as if she was his natural enemy.
Maki's eyes were focused, her spiritual pressure locking onto the taunting figure flying above her. Her fingers swiftly pulled back the bowstring, sending arrows to block every possible escape route.
"Foolish human! With your pathetic aim, you couldn't hit me even if you shot for a thousand years!" Abirama taunted, his bird-like beak twisted into an arrogant grin, like a small man tasting success.
"This is enough."
Suddenly, Maki lowered her reishi bow and placed her right hand in front of her, forming a unique hand seal. Her calm voice rose above the chaos.
"Strike with the silver whip, shatter the five-handed stone bed, Five-Fold Bind!"
"What?!" Abirama realised something was wrong.
Behind him, two of Maki's reishi arrows had not dissipated.
Instead, thick reishi materialised from them, instantly forming a five-pointed star formation that trapped him inside.
"Sacred Arrow!"
Maki pulled her bow once again, raised it to the sky, and, without hesitation, released her arrow.
With a sharp whooshing sound, a blue arrow tore through everything in its path, directly hitting the immobilised Abirama.
Boom!
The intense explosion erupted in the sky, creating a brilliant burst of light that once again illuminated the dark world.
A black silhouette tumbled from the swirling smoke, crashing heavily into the sand below, creating a deep crater several meters wide.
But it wasn't over yet.
Maki raised her pale hand, and a blue pillar of light shot up from where Abirama had fallen.
A square destruction formation—Sacred Devourer!
Everything had been calculated.
The enormous reishi storm consumed Abirama, slowly wearing down his once impenetrable gryphon body.
As an Adjuchas-class Hollow, this level of attack wasn't enough to kill him.
What's more, Maki, knowing the truth behind Quincy killing Hollows, had purposely restrained her spiritual pressure, reducing the destructive power of her reishi arrows and Sacred Arrows.
A charred, smoking Abirama crawled out from the remnants when the light from Sacred Devourer finally faded.
He thought he had been spared, but when he lifted his head, he smiled warmly at a man's face.
"Abirama Redder."
Hearing the Soul Reaper in front of him casually say his name, coupled with the pain coursing through his body, Abirama panicked even more.
He didn't recall ever boasting his name to a Soul Reaper.
"I'll ask, you answer."
Tokikaze's calm voice carried a hint of undeniable authority. Behind him, Maki stood, making a slicing gesture across her neck like a loyal sidekick.
The burns on Abirama's body brought him no warmth, only an icy fear as if he were facing his enraged king.
"Who is the current king of Hueco Mundo?"
"Lord Baraggan."
"Did he send you?"
"Y-yes, because there was a massive surge in spiritual pressure here, Lord Baraggan sensed the presence of a Soul Reaper…"
Under the threat of death, this Adjuchas-class Hollow wasn't as loyal as Tokikaze had expected.
With just a little intimidation, Abirama spilled everything he knew, like beans falling from a jar.
Tokikaze didn't ask directly about Arrancar but gleaned the information he wanted by asking about the current situation in Las Noches.
The current king of Hueco Mundo is Baraggan Louisenbairn, and Las Noches's second most powerful figure is its only scientist, Szayel Aporro Granz.
Aside from them, there were countless Hollows, both powerful and weak.
Abirama wasn't trying to be vague; there were simply too many Hollows in Hueco Mundo, and with new Hollows being born and dying every day, it was impossible to keep track.
Regarding lower and mid-level forces, Hueco Mundo could easily crush the Soul Society and the Wandenreich.
But this was a world where high-end combat power mattered most.
Numbers alone couldn't make up for the disparity in quality. Numbers couldn't bridge the difference in spiritual pressure alone.
An indiscriminate spiritual pressure could instantly kill weaker beings.
Baraggan, being a hands-off ruler, had left most matters to Szayel Aporro. Even the design and construction of Las Noches were part of Szayel's plans.
However, lately, this scientist's temper has worsened and consumed dozens of Adjuchas-class Hollows.
"Bakudō #63: Sajo Sabaku!"
Having extracted all the information he needed, Tokikaze sealed Abirama with a binding spell.
Even his bird-like beak was wrapped in golden chains.
Facing Tokikaze, who had just broken through to First-Class Spiritual Power, Abirama didn't even have the right to struggle.
As one of the more violent and aggressive Hollows, Abirama had attacked them with lethal intent.
Tokikaze thought that both Yamada Seinosuke and Mayuri Kurotsuchi would find him helpful.
In the distance, Uryū Ishida had gathered the Quincy.
Though some were injured, fortunately, no one had died during the aerial assault.
Tokikaze cast a large Healing Field, and the Quincy bathed in the green light, turning utterly green from head to toe.
Far from feeling angry about this "greening," they were deeply grateful.
Compared to the arrogant Soul Reapers they had encountered in the human world, Mr. Tokikaze was practically a saint.
Not only had he kept them out of the fight, but he was now healing them after the battle.
Once everyone's injuries had healed, Tokikaze removed a portable pseudo-Garganta capsule, infused it with spiritual pressure, and opened a Garganta again.
"Here's a Garganta capsule that leads back to the human world."
He casually tossed it to Maki, who fumbled to catch it.
"Maybe we'll work together again."
He tugged on the golden chains and dragged Abirama into the Garganta.
Watching his figure disappear, Maki tightened her grip on the capsule.
"Miss Maki, I don't mean to intrude, but I have to say something," Uryū Ishida said carefully, standing beside her. "The chances of a Soul Reaper and a human being together are extremely slim."
Though he had little experience in this area, as someone with some perspective, he felt a need to offer advice.
Maki's gaze as she watched Tokikaze leave reminded him powerfully of how his father used to look at him.
After all, Tokikaze had saved her during the battle with Balk, and combined with his appearance, it was only natural that she would feel something.
Young love tends to blossom this way.
"Hmm, it's just a little slim, not impossible!" Maki smiled brightly after a brief pause, her expression as radiant as the sun, lighting up the desolate Hueco Mundo.
"Mr. Ishida, you sure have high hopes for me!"
"I won't let you down!"
...
Soul Society, Seireitei.
Twelfth Division Barracks, Technology Development Bureau, Ground Research Lab.
The pseudo-Garganta had opened in the expected location, as Mayuri Kurotsuchi's technology didn't allow errors.
This research had come at the cost of sacrificing three Senkaimon.
The space tore open, revealing a gaping black fissure in the barren field.
Kazumi, who had been monitoring the area, was about to cheer and welcome Tokikaze back when alarms suddenly blared throughout the lab.
The piercing sirens echoed across the division's barracks.
From the open pseudo-Garganta, the spiritual pressure of a Hollow spread like a toxic poison, seeping into the hearts of the research staff.
"Everyone, prepare anti-Hollow weapons!"
Kazumi fumbled with the controls, shouting, "An Adjuchas-class Hollow is about to emerge..."
Combat personnel flickered into position near the field, their Kidō chants ready to blast the Hollow to pieces the moment it appeared.
Crimson lights locked onto the portal prepared to fire.
But then, a familiar voice echoed from the darkness, and a white figure emerged, dragging a massive chain of gold from the pseudo-Garganta.
"Everyone, it's only been half a day. Is all this really necessary?"
Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Tokikaze stepped out, his gentle smile as calm as ever...