"Jie jie jie… what a wonderful battle."
From within the space rift, sinister laughter echoed.
Twelve figures emerged slowly.
Everyone's expressions darkened instantly.
To walk freely out of the space crack connecting to Hueco Mundo and speak fluently—these beings could only be a higher-class Menos Grande:
Adjuchas.
They far surpassed Gillians in intelligence and strength. Some of the more evolved Adjuchas even rivaled captain-level Shinigami. Their physical durability alone was immense. Even a captain without Bankai would struggle to defeat one in a head-on fight.
Twelve Adjuchas stepped out of the rift, each bearing a savage, bloodthirsty grin.
"Jie jie… to think you could deal with our Pathfinders so well—your strength is truly unexpected," sneered the leading Adjuchas.
The Shinigami were stunned.
Those hundreds of Gillians… were just scouts?
They were never the real threat—just a vanguard to guide these Adjuchas to the Soul Society?
Every captain's face grew grim. They had been expending so much strength, only to realize they were fighting cannon fodder.
"Hmph! So it was you who orchestrated this Menos incursion into the Soul Society?" Sui-Feng snapped coldly, her eyes sharp as blades. "Fine then. Since you've dared to invade, not a single one of you will leave here alive!"
"Jie jie… is that so?" The lead Adjuchas grinned with contempt, eyes gleaming with derision.
"I said, you bastard…" Sui-Feng began, but Adjuchas' eyes sharpened with killing intent.
"Don't look down on us!!"
In the blink of an eye, the Adjuchas leader vanished from sight.
Sui-Feng's pupils contracted.
The next moment, the Adjuchas reappeared directly behind her—claws slashing straight for her head.
"Captain Sui-Feng! Watch out!!" Ukitake shouted.
The other captains' faces shifted in alarm.
At the last second, Sui-Feng twisted her body with Shunpo.
Riiip—!!
Her feathered haori tore at the shoulder.
Though she avoided a fatal blow, the claws raked her right shoulder. Blood burst forth as her body flickered backward at full speed.
When she reappeared and stood her ground, her entire right shoulder was drenched in blood.
Everyone stared in disbelief.
The first strike—and a captain had already been seriously wounded.
"Jie jie… I told you not to underestimate us…" the Adjuchas sneered.
Blood-soaked, Sui-Feng stood upright. Her spiritual pressure surged around her.
"You bastard…"
She lifted her eyes, filled with unrestrained fury.
"I'm going to kill you!!"
"Instant Open!"
With a roar, spiritual wind exploded around her. Her arms and shoulders were enveloped in spinning gusts.
In the next flash, she lunged toward Adjuchas.
Violent clashes and shockwaves tore through the air.
"Hey, is Adjuchas really that strong?" Kyoraku Shunsui watched with furrowed brows. "That guy… he's way above average."
Ukitake nodded solemnly. "He's clearly undergone a high level of evolution."
All eyes focused on the brutal aerial exchange.
Though Sui-Feng's movements were faster, her attacks weren't doing much. Her Instant Open strikes only left faint marks on her opponent's skin.
Too tough.
Even as she pressed the attack, she could feel something wasn't right.
By all standards, no Adjuchas should be tanking her Instant Open like this.
This wasn't just strength—it was abnormal.
Bang!
A heavy punch from the Adjuchas knocked Sui-Feng backwards.
She skidded across the air, gritting her teeth.
"Oi… what the hell are you?"
"Yo-ho! You've figured it out?" the Adjuchas laughed, arms outstretched dramatically. "We're not your average A-class monsters!"
"We—are the creation of the gods!"
From the battlefield, the other Adjuchas let out deranged roars.
"Gods?" Sui-Feng frowned.
"Jie jie… sure, the gods may have only used leftovers when they made us…"
"But even scraps are more than enough to crush you!"
The Adjuchas opened its mouth. A yellowish light gathered rapidly.
Then it fired.
A Bala.
Sui-Feng's eyes widened. The compressed energy bullet streaked toward her with terrifying speed.
Boom!
An explosion ripped through the air.
Though Bala is weaker than Cero, it is vastly faster—and this one, fired by a mutated Adjuchas, was more destructive than any Cero they had faced so far.
Seeing Sui-Feng struck by it, the captains were alarmed.
But there was no time to check on her.
Because—
The other eleven Adjuchas had begun to move.
"Massacre!!" roared the lead Adjuchas. "Let the gods see that these Shinigami are unworthy of their miracles!!"
"Hey captains," Kyoraku Shunsui called out grimly, "these aren't regular Hollows. We'll need to go all out this time!"
None of them needed the reminder.
It was obvious now—these Adjuchas had been modified by some unknown force.
They had only one option.
Fight with everything.
"Shinigami below vice-captain rank—take care of the remaining Gillians!"
"Captains! Prepare for battle—these Adjuchas are ours!!" Ukitake ordered, drawing his Zanpakutō.
Until now, he had only used Kidō in combat.
But this was no longer a battle where restraint would work.
"Yes!"
Officers and seated members raced toward the battlefield, engaging Gillians again.
Jie!
Red Cero beams lit up the battlefield once more.
But this time, without the captains holding them back, the Gillians were more aggressive—ignoring the weaker attacks and charging headlong into Shinigami lines.
Meanwhile—above, in the sky—
Twelve Adjuchas now stood against eight captains.
The numbers were against them, but none of the captains flinched.
"One, two, three… I'll take these three," said Zaraki Kenpachi with a crazed grin, licking his lips.
"Ah, what a man…" Shiba Isshin muttered, smiling coldly at his opponent.
"Settle this fast… I've got sake waiting," Kyoraku Shunsui said, casually rolling up his sleeves.
"Bankai—Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."
Byakuya didn't waste time with words.
His blade dropped, and a sea of cherry blossoms filled the sky.
Twelve Adjuchas. Eight captains.
The true battle begins.