Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero.

"To strike the mountain to scare the tiger, so that it dares not show its face again, is one of the most important meanings of this battle."

"Yanagawa, you did a great job. You not only proved your strength but also upheld the dignity of the Zero Division."

The communication then ended.

Liu Chuan put away his communicator, turned around, and walked slowly toward the direction where Asido was.

Asito saw Yanagawa approaching, he simply stood still, his gaze behind the mask fixed on the young Grim Reaper with a complex expression.

In the dim light, the two stood facing each other.

After a brief silence, Asido spoke first, his voice still hoarse from not speaking for a long time, but his tone was much calmer:

“My name is Asido. I was a member of the Seventh Task Force of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force hundreds of years ago.”

He paused, then added, as if confirming an identity long forgotten by the outside world, “The seventh Kenpachi, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, was my captain and also… my best friend.”

Liu Chuan nodded slightly, indicating that he understood.

He had looked up the name Kenpachi Kuruyashiki in the Great Spiritual Arts Corridor. He had heard of the man who had refused the Zero Division's invitation and was later defeated by Souya Azashiro, who gave up the name Kenpachi.

The person before him was actually a close friend from the same period, and his ability to survive in this perilous place for hundreds of years speaks volumes about his strength and willpower.

"Zero Squad, Yanagawa." Yanagawa gave a brief self-introduction, then calmly looked at Asido.

"You've stayed here for so many years, hunting down Hollows. What are your plans for the future?"

He paused, then asked directly, "Do you plan to stay in this Great Void Forest, or..."

Chapter 89 Asido's Choice

Asido fell silent.

His plans? This was a question he had considered during his centuries of solitude.

But each time, it was overshadowed by a more pressing need for survival, an instinctive hunting of the unseen, and perhaps even a "delusion" that he himself had not fully understood.

What is the meaning of staying here? Initially, perhaps it was to avenge the teammates who died back then, to clean up this breeding ground for wickedness, and to prevent more tragedies from happening.

Later, cleaning up virtual groups became a habit, an instinct ingrained in his bones, and the only "reason" for his existence in this underground place.

However, just now, he witnessed a battle that was completely beyond his comprehension.

This young Shinigami, who calls himself Zero Squad, and that strange and powerful Quincy, the power they release with every move they make.

They could easily wipe out large areas, with many Void beings being affected and destroyed in the crossfire of their battles.

The terrifying crater at the center of the battlefield, along with the lingering power fluctuations, will inevitably become a "forbidden zone" in the Great Void Forest, a place that even the Void instinctively fears and dares not approach.

What is the meaning of my centuries of perseverance and fighting?

Is it really just an endless, self-comforting "guardianship" being carried out in this eternal darkness?

Asido's silence lasted longer, his eyes flashing with intense emotions.

Finally, he slowly raised his head, looked at Liu Chuan, and his voice was low, carrying a rare hint of confusion and weariness:

"I have no idea."

He gripped the knife in his hand, its blade reflecting the faint light from the edge of the distant pit.

"I've been here... for far too long, so long that I've almost forgotten what the sky outside looks like. Hunting Hollows... seems... pointless now."

Liu Chuan listened quietly, without urging or judging.

He could understand the shock and confusion in the Grim Reaper's heart at that moment.

It's perfectly normal for a person's beliefs to waver after centuries of solitary perseverance.

“In that case,” Liu Chuan stepped forward, his gaze calm and honest as he met Ashido’s, “why don’t you come with me and leave this place?”

Asido's body trembled slightly, and his gaze behind the mask suddenly focused on Liuchuan's face.

"I currently reside in the Seireitei of Soul Society, living with the Kido Clan. Why don't you join the Kido Clan as well?"

Liu Chuan continued, his tone casual, as if inviting the other person to have tea.

"Although the Ghost Path Clan mainly focuses on researching Ghost Path and Spiritual Particle Technology, it also needs members with rich practical experience and strong will."

You've lived in Hueco Mundo for hundreds of years; your understanding of Hollows, your combat experience, and your survival skills are all extremely valuable assets. And…”

He paused, looking at the ancient-looking knife in Asido's hand:

"Your Zanpakuto may also yearn to resonate once more in a wider world, facing different enemies."

It's better than... being trapped forever underground, endlessly wasting time battling with the void.

Join the Oni-do Clan?

This proposal was completely unexpected by Asido.

He had long been accustomed to being with the virtual world and keeping company with solitude, and had almost forgotten words like "team" and "mission" that belonged to the normal life of a Grim Reaper.

The Ghost Path... He remembered that it seemed to be a department that focused on research and logistics, which seemed incompatible with his pure, practical approach as a Grim Reaper.

But Liu Chuan's words subtly touched a long-dormant corner deep within his heart.

A wider world... different scenery... and leaving this hell that has imprisoned him for hundreds of years.

Can he really... return to the normal Grim Reaper sequence?

Will I be able to adapt to life in Seireitei?

Would the Ghost Path accept such a "wild man" as him, an "old relic" who has been fighting against the void for hundreds of years?

Asido fell silent again, but this time, his gaze was no longer just one of confusion, but rather one of deep contemplation and weighing of options.

He looked at Yanagawa, the young man who had just killed a Quincy with absolute power, and saw in his eyes a powerful confidence that he had never seen in a young Shinigami before.

The other party's invitation was not out of pity or a whim, but more like a recognition of his value.

“The Ghost Path…” Ashido repeated softly, as if savoring the meaning of the word.

Finally, he slowly raised his head, meeting Liu Chuan's calmly waiting gaze, and a hint of determination appeared in his hoarse voice:

"I... am not good at the Kido (demonic arts), I only know how to use a sword to kill Hollows."

"It's alright." A barely perceptible, faint smile curved the corners of Liu Chuan's lips.

"The Ghost Path Sect needs researchers, guardians, and... test subjects in actual combat."

Your experience and your sword will find their place among the demonic cultivators.

Asido remained silent for a moment, and finally, he nodded heavily, slowly putting the long, narrow blade that had been with him for hundreds of years back into the damaged scabbard at his waist.

This simple gesture seems to symbolize both a farewell and a new beginning.

"Okay." He uttered a single word, firm and clear.

As the two passed through the enormous rift and stepped once again onto the boundless, pale sea of ​​sand on the surface of Hueco Mundo, Asido couldn't help but stop and look up.

Although the sky of Hueco Mundo is always a lifeless, pale white, it is still better than the oppressive and gloomy dome of the Great Hollow Forest.

The "open" view and the much "brighter" daylight still made his eyes, which had been accustomed to the darkness underground for hundreds of years, feel a little uncomfortable.

But it also brings a long-lost, almost unfamiliar sense of "freedom".

Liu Chuan stood beside him, then looked at Asido and calmly said:

"Let's return to the expeditionary force camp first, and then we'll go back to Seireitei."

Asido nodded without saying anything more.

Now that we've decided to leave with Liuchuan, our next actions will naturally be dictated by Liuchuan.

Without further delay, Liu Chuan determined the direction and began to walk towards the location of the expeditionary force's camp.

Liu Chuan did not use high-speed movement, but walked at a normal speed. He had already achieved his goal for this trip to Hueco Mundo, so he was not in a hurry.

Asido walked with a steady and experienced gait. Although he had not been active on the surface for centuries, some of his ingrained instincts had not faded.

He would naturally avoid certain seemingly flat but actually loose sandy areas where it is easy to sink.

This survivalist attitude, which was almost integrated with the Hueco Mundo environment, made Yanagawa nod in approval.

The two left two shallow footprints on the vast sea of ​​sand, one after the other, which were soon quietly buried by the ceaseless sandstorm.

However, not long after they started walking, Liuchuan, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped without warning.

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the northeast.

Almost simultaneously, Ashido, who was following behind him, noticed something was wrong. His body tensed instantly, his right hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his sword. He looked in the direction of Yanagawa's gaze and asked in a deep voice, "What's wrong?"

Liu Chuan did not answer immediately; he closed his eyes, as if he was focusing more intently on "feeling" something.

After a few breaths, he slowly opened his eyes, with an expression of interest.

“A…powerful spiritual pressure fluctuation.” Liu Chuan’s voice was calm.

"It's radiating in that direction... continuously."

Chapter 90 Stark

The closer one gets to the source of the spiritual pressure fluctuations, the more bizarre the surrounding Hueco Mundo environment becomes—

The spiritual particles permeating the air seemed to be drawn by some invisible force field, slowly and continuously converging towards the source of spiritual pressure.

The most shocking sight was the sporadic appearance of small, ethereal corpses of various shapes along the way.

These phantoms are mostly small in size, and they remain in the posture of their last struggle or escape before death, lying stiffly on the sand or half-buried in the sand dunes.

They had no obvious external injuries, and there were no signs of being devoured or impacted by energy on their bodies; it was as if they were just wandering aimlessly.

Suddenly, it lost all its vitality, like a doll whose battery was instantly drained, frozen in place.

The corpses were rapidly weathering and disintegrating in the dry winds of Hueco Mundo, turning into the most basic spiritual dust and merging into the sea of ​​sand.

Clearly, they hadn't been dead for very long.

“It’s spiritual pressure.” Ashido crouched down, gently poking at the remnant of a small Hollow resembling a twisted lizard with the tip of his knife, and said in a deep voice.

"It wasn't an attack that killed me. It was the immense spiritual pressure emanating from it that crushed me to death."

It's like throwing plankton into the deep sea; they can't withstand the water pressure and die instantly.