The thin layer of snow on the road in the clouds resembled a spectral entity, drifting like a ghost through a hunting ground, relentlessly claiming the lives of isolated noble children.
Meanwhile, we remained vigilant, our gazes darting around. The combined effects of the weakening forces and the overwhelming shock from all directions left us momentarily paralyzed, unable to move.
"Is this Makoto Ito's Zanpakuto ability? Fascinating!"
"You are... Kisumi, head of the family!"
A group of noble children huddled together ahead, their expressions shifting from despair to elation as they noticed the approaching snowfall.
"Kisumi-sama, what's going on with this barrier? This isn't what we were told! We can't get out!" the leading youth exclaimed, his voice laced with panic.
"No need to worry. I'll open the barrier and let you pass," Kisumi replied with a soft chuckle.
With a fluid motion, she swung her silver-white longsword. Instantly, a surge of liquid mercury unfurled from the blade, expanding across the landscape, enveloping an area of several hundred meters.
The moment the mercury spread, everything within its reach—noble heirs, the accused Gillian even the tiniest gravel displaced by the storm—froze in eerie stillness.
Kisumi strolled leisurely toward them, as if the world itself had been paused. Her serene expression remained unchanged as she methodically drove her silver-white sword into each of their chests. From the hilt, countless tendrils of flesh-like granulation pulsed, greedily devouring the spiritual pressure and vitality of her victims.
Once the last noble child had been consumed, the eerie granulations retracted, and the sword returned to its tranquil state.
"So much rich, true blood... My dear, take your time and savor it," she murmured, caressing the blade with a hungry gleam in her light purple eyes.
Simultaneously, Makoto Ito was locked in a "battle" with Wonderweiss, who had just broken free. In reality, he was leading him straight toward the black cavity fissure where Fleur awaited.
"Please, Kisumi-sama, let me go! I swear I won't say a word!"
A petite girl, pale as death, stumbled ahead, desperately fleeing. Behind her, Kisumi pursued with the same eerie composure, her silver-white sword gleaming, mercury swirling around her like a living entity. She resembled a cat toying with a helpless mouse.
Of the original hunting party of over a hundred nobles, only this single girl remained. The rest had been slaughtered at Kisumi's hands.
"Poor little child... Stop struggling. Wouldn't it be better to let your true blood nourish my beloved sword?" Kisumi's delicate features contorted with madness.
Qianhui, the girl who had faithfully followed Yano Masahiko, ran frantically, glancing back in terror. But her efforts were in vain. In mere moments, the mercury overtook her, swallowing her whole. All that remained was a set of lifeless garments drifting to the ground.
Just as Kisumi reveled in her rampage, she suddenly found herself face to face with Wonderweiss and Makoto Ito, who had just emerged from the steel portal.
"ROAR!"
Upon spotting Kisumi, Wonderweiss let out a feral howl. Behind him, dozens of massive white hands erupted forth, striking toward her in unison.
Yet,Kisumi remained unfazed. With a mere flick of her sword, the airborne mercury expanded and encased the incoming hands. The giant appendages slowed, then froze completely in place.
The mercury then condensed into a single razor-sharp blade. With a sweeping slash, she severed all of Wonderweiss's outstretched limbs in one fluid motion.
"ROAR!"
Wonderweiss shrieked in agony, his body writhing. Yet, in an instant, his grotesque wounds pulsed and began regenerating at an accelerated rate. Though his arms reformed completely, his spiritual pressure had clearly weakened.
"Is this the power to manipulate time?" Makoto Ito mused, observing the brief but decisive clash between Kisumi and Wonderweiss.
Her spiritual pressure had originally been on par with a strong vice-captain. Yet, when wielding this sword, she exuded an aura exceeding even that of a seasoned captain. In fact, she seemed to momentarily surpass Makoto Ito himself—even though he had borrowed 30% of his own body's spiritual pressure.
A dangerous force had just revealed itself.
Just as the mercury surged toward Wonderweiss like an omnipresent serpent, Makoto Ito hesitated no longer. He drew upon 30% of his own spiritual pressure, and in an instant, his aura exploded to the level of a captain.
"Second Style of the Annihilation God—Split the Forbidden!"
With a deft flick of his blade, thick gray-black mist poured from its tip, coalescing into three interlocking circles of shadowy fog. The rings spun violently before colliding head-on with the advancing mercury.
Ito Makoto could not allow Yamamoto's title-sealing device to be destroyed by the crazed woman before him.
"Boom!"
The two forces clashed with a cataclysmic impact. The sheer force of the collision obliterated everything nearby—those already subdued and immobilized were reduced to mere dust in the wake of their battle.
Kisumi narrowed her eyes, momentarily stunned by Ito Makoto's intervention. A flicker of admiration crossed her face—his power was formidable. Her previous attack had been enough to annihilate any being below captain level, yet Ito Makoto had deflected it with startling ease.
"Ito Makoto, as a Shinigami, you dare to collude with the Arrancar? Are you not afraid of judgment from the Central 46?" Kisumi declared righteously, as if she were the staunchest defender of order in the Soul Society.
Makoto scoffed. "And what of the great Kisumi head, who deliberately lured the Arrancar here to devour noble heirs shouldn't you, too, fear the judgment of Central 46?"
A smirk played on his lips. "I'm just a mere commoner, but to share a cell in the Muken with you, Kisumi-sama, would be an honor."
For a brief moment, Kisumi's self-righteous expression faltered. Then, she burst into laughter, covering her mouth with delicate fingers.
"I must say, Ito Makoto, I didn't expect you to know so much about my Kisumi family... and even about the Matsuyao Blade."
Seizing the opportunity, Ito Makoto turned and hurled Wonderweiss toward Fleur, who hovered in the air. Fleur's massive mandibles parted, releasing a beam of light that enveloped Wonderweiss, lifting him upwards.
In mere moments, Wonderweiss and Fleur vanished into the black cavity, which sealed shut with a final pulse.
When the two finally emerged on the other side, back in Hueco Mundo, they landed in the barren sands—only to find a lone figure already waiting for them. A humanoid Arrancar with black eyes and jet-black hair stood in their path.
With a smirk, the figure spoke.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ren...From this day forward I shall be your king."
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