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

Splitting into two... at least, there will be someone to talk to.

Even if... the power will be greatly weakened, even if... it may never be able to return to its original state, or even... it may simply perish.

But it's still better than...the way it is now.

He spoke so casually, as if discussing what to have for dinner, yet Asido felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head!

In order to combat loneliness, they are willing to split their souls, weaken themselves, and even risk the very foundation of their existence!

Asido fell silent, and his hand, which had been gripping the hilt of the knife, completely loosened.

He suddenly felt that his instinctive hostility and wariness towards Stark seemed so pale, even somewhat... ridiculous, at this moment.

He thought that his hundreds of years of watching over and fighting in the Great Void Forest had reached the pinnacle of loneliness.

But compared to the Vastod before him, who was willing to risk his soul being scattered and splitting himself apart just so that someone could speak to him, he seemed insignificant.

At this moment, Asido's perception of Stark underwent a complete transformation.

That was no longer just a powerful "enemy" to be wary of, but a "kindred spirit" also tormented by the long years and boundless loneliness.

He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and stood beside Liu Chuan, facing Stark who was wearing an eyepatch.

After a moment of silence, Asido slowly raised his hand, the one accustomed to holding a knife, and offered it to Stark.

“Stark… from now on, we will be… companions.” He paused, then added, as if speaking to himself and to Stark.

Stark looked at Asido's outstretched hand, then at Liuchuan, who stood silently to the side.

He slowly raised his hand, reached out again, and this time grasped Asido's strong and powerful hand.

“Hmm,” Stark responded. “Nice to meet you…”

Asido squeezed Stark's hand tightly, then released it.

The three figures stood quietly on the pale rocky ground of the void, creating a strange yet harmonious picture.

Death, former member of the expeditionary force, Vastod's Arrancar.

At this moment, in the name of "companionship," an unprecedented connection was forged that transcends race and position.

Looking at Stark and Asid, whose atmosphere had clearly eased after shaking hands and even seemed to have developed a subtle, inexplicable rapport, Liu Chuan smiled faintly.

“Then,” he said, breaking the brief silence, “we should return to the expeditionary camp, and then go back to Seireitei.”

The three figures stopped and turned to walk towards the expeditionary force camp.

During the journey, Liu Chuan took out the Zero Squad's exclusive communicator and contacted the Spirit King Palace.

Hyobu Ichibei's voice quickly rang out. After listening to Yanagawa's brief report about inviting Vastod Stark to accompany him, there was a moment of silence on the other end of the communication.

Contrary to expectations, Hyosube Ichibei's voice remained calm and unwavering, as if Yanagawa were merely reporting the weather at the Reiou Palace the next day:

"If this Stark is truly as you say, with a developed mind, remaining rational, and not exhibiting extreme emotions, then keeping him by our side is certainly more prudent than letting him run wild in Hueco Mundo."

"Liu Chuan, since you made this decision based on your duty as a member of the Zero Division and your personal magnanimity, I will give you this trust."

Hyosube Ichibei's reaction was exactly what he had expected; the monk's gaze was always fixed on a higher level of "balance" and "order".

He put away his communicator and looked at his two "companions" beside him. Asido seemed to have noticed something, but did not ask any further questions.

The outline of the camp gradually became clear.

The figures of sentries on the watchtower were faintly visible, and the spirit fence at the entrance had been opened ahead of time.

Several figures were already waiting outside, the leader of whom was none other than Tenbei Shusuke.

However, at this moment, Tenbei Shusuke was clearly not in good condition.

His clothes were covered with dried, dark red bloodstains, as well as numerous tears and scorch marks from energy burning.

His left arm was slinged across his chest with a special spiritual bandage, and a large piece of gauze was pasted on his right cheek.

His face was pale, and his breathing was weak and unnaturally disordered.

Clearly, although he survived the battle with Lijie Barrow by sheer luck, his injuries were far more serious than Yanagawa had anticipated, and his spiritual pressure was abnormally chaotic, seemingly mixed with some ominous sense of erosion.

Upon seeing Yanagawa return, Tenbei Shusuke visibly breathed a sigh of relief, but the seriousness in his eyes remained.

When his gaze swept over Asido behind Liuchuan, especially the last man in the gray robe wearing a single eyepatch, it was clear that he was looking at him.

His pupils contracted sharply, and his face instantly filled with surprise!

"Lord Yanagawa! It's wonderful that you've returned safely!"

Tenbei Shusuke forced himself to step forward, bowing hoarsely to Yanagawa, his gaze fixed on Stark, especially the hollow hole in his chest, "Who are these two...?"

Liu Chuan nodded slightly, his gaze quickly sweeping over Tianbei Xiuzhu's injuries, lingering for a moment on the chaotic, corrosive spiritual energy within him. He turned slightly and calmly introduced:

"Captain Tenbei, thank you for your hard work. This is Ashido, a member of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force hundreds of years ago, who has been stranded in the Great Hollow Forest ever since. I have invited him to join the Kido Clan and return to Seireitei together."

Asito stepped forward and nodded slightly to Amagai Shusuke: "Captain Amagai, excuse me."

There were no extra words, but the composure he exuded, honed by centuries of life and death, spoke for itself.

Liu Chuan then turned to Stark and introduced him briefly: "This is Koyatai Stark, Vasto Lorde, an autonomous Arrancar of Hueco Mundo."

"..."

Vastod?! An autonomous Arrancar? As the commander of the expeditionary force, he knew all too well what "Vastod" meant!

That was an absolute symbol of power and terror! And now, a living Vasto Lorde is about to enter his camp and be taken back to Soul Society?!

"Captain Tenbei, there's no need to worry." Liu Chuan's calm voice broke the almost stagnant atmosphere.

“Stark’s situation is special. He can be guaranteed to be harmless while in the camp. If anything goes wrong, I will take full responsibility.”

"...Yes, Lord Yanagawa." Amagai Shusuke didn't ask any more questions. Since it was Zero Squad's choice, there must be a reason for it.

The atmosphere remained delicate, and Liu Chuan tagged a different topic at the right moment.

His gaze fell back on Tenbei Xiuzhu, especially when he sensed the abnormally chaotic spiritual energy residue in the other's body, which had strong "devouring" and "eroding" characteristics, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Captain Tenbei, your injuries are quite serious."

"But there seems to be another force raging within you, eroding your spiritual essence and exacerbating your injuries."

This doesn't seem to be... the power of a Quincy?

Tenbei Xiuzhu's body trembled violently! He suddenly looked up at Liuchuan, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes, which then turned into deep bitterness and struggle.

He hadn’t expected Liu Chuan’s senses to be so sharp that he could even detect the backlash and erosion after he used the Mo Yao Blade!

Faced with Liu Chuan's all-seeing gaze, he knew that there was no point in hiding it anymore.

He remained silent for a moment, as if weighing his options, and finally, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes.

He slowly raised his uninjured right hand and reached into his robes, his movements slightly slowed by the injury.

When he reached out again, his palm held a long, narrow object tightly wrapped in a special spiritual cloth.

He took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and slowly lifted a corner of the curtain.

A dark, murky purplish-black color came into view.

That wasn't the cold light of a Zanpakuto, but a strange texture forcibly blended together from biological carapace, fascia, and metal.

The blade was covered with fine, pulsating patterns, and an ominous aura emanated from it.

"Lord Yanagawa." Amagai Shusuke's voice was hoarse, filled with deep weariness and a hint of self-mockery.

"This thing... is called 'Baku Yao Dao'. It is not a Zanpakuto, but... some kind of forbidden biological weapon."

Previously, in the fierce battle against the Quincy, I was outmatched and narrowly escaped death, leaving me no choice but to... use the power of this sword. However, this sword is malevolent; it frantically absorbs the user's spiritual pressure, turning against them.

Liu Chuan's gaze fell on the Mo Yao Blade, and a magical glint quietly flowed in his eyes, like the most sophisticated scanner, beginning to analyze its structure.

After a few breaths, he looked at Tenbei Shusuke with a complicated expression and calmly asked:

"The Tapir Blade...where did you get this forbidden item?"

Chapter 94 The Hidden Secret

Faced with Yanagawa's question, Tenbei Shusuke's hand holding the Baku Yao sword trembled almost imperceptibly.

He looked down at the evil blade in his hand, a blade that was both the "key" to his revenge and the "poison" that was eroding his life, his eyes churning with extremely complex and intense emotions—

Pain, struggle, hatred, resolve, and a hint of instinctive defense against the most profound secrets being touched, and... the relief of finally being able to pour out the truth.

He remained silent for a long time. Finally, he slowly raised his head, his gaze no longer darting away, as if he had made up his mind.

Now that this sword has been used, now that the injuries and corrosion have been detected by the opponent, now that the opponent is a member of the Zero Squad, perhaps...

It's time to reveal this secret that's been weighing on my heart.

"Lord Yanagawa..."

"Regarding the origin of this knife, and why I secretly studied it and even went so far as to use it..."

Behind this lies a deliberately buried past, a truth I've been searching for for countless years, and... a blood debt I must repay.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the injury aggravated by his excitement, and began to recount that long-buried past in as calm a tone as possible:

"Many years ago, my father, Ruyue Qinyue, was secretly investigating certain secrets that were deliberately obscured by the higher-ups of Soul Society, including... the 'Baku Yao Blade'."

"My father died suddenly, and the scene was disguised as an accidental spiritual incident, but there were clues left behind and his encrypted research notes."

All of this points to one fact—his death was not accidental, but rather because he inadvertently touched upon a core secret about the 'Mo Yao Blade,' which led to his demise.

Amagai Shusuke's voice began to tremble slightly, and a cold flame ignited in his eyes.

"Using the clues left by my father, I changed my name and identity, and after going through many hardships, I joined the Gotei 13 and volunteered to be transferred to the most arduous Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force."

On the one hand, it was to hone my skills; on the other hand, it was also to make it easier to secretly uncover the truth.

"I spent countless years piecing together the clues bit by bit."

Ultimately, it was discovered that the origin of the 'Baku Yao Dao' was intricately linked to the Kasumi Oji family, an ancient and prestigious upper-class noble family in Soul Society.

The Kasumi clan, second only to the five great noble families, has for generations controlled the Soul Society's most advanced weapon forging and spirit equipment research and development technologies. Their foundation is deep, and their influence is deeply entrenched.

He gripped the tapir-shaped dagger tightly in his hand:

"And all the hidden clues, after countless logical deductions, ultimately... inevitably converged on the pinnacle of power in Soul Society, the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni!"

"boom--!"