Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero

Chapter 94 Soul Split

Asido also clearly felt the pressure around him decrease sharply, and couldn't help but take a few more glances at the seemingly ordinary eye mask.

This technique for suppressing spiritual pressure is indeed peculiar, but what surprised him even more was what Stark said next.

Stark, wearing an eyepatch, tilted his head slightly, his voice carrying a hint of "confession": "Actually—if you hadn't shown up just now..." Stark paused, his tone calm, but he uttered a statement that surprised Asido.

"I might try to split my soul into two."

"What?!" Ashido exclaimed in disbelief, unable to believe his ears!

Splitting the soul?! This is a taboo among taboos in all living beings, a shortcut to madness and self-destruction!

The slightest mistake could result in your soul being scattered or you turning into a mindless monster! Even if you succeed, your own power will be greatly weakened.

A mere mortal, actually considering using this method to combat loneliness?!

Stark seemed to sense Ashido's shock. He "looked" in Ashido's direction, his tone still calm, but carrying a deep-seated helplessness and determination: "Being alone—for too long, so long that—even talking to myself feels boring."

Split into two—at least then there will be someone to talk to.

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

But it's still better than—it's like this 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.

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" 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 are—comrades." 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 "comrades," an unprecedented connection was forged that transcended 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.

"Well 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 Soul King's Palace the next day: "If this Stark is truly as you say, with awakened intelligence, remaining rational, and not exhibiting extreme emotions, then keeping him by our side is indeed more prudent than letting him run wild in Hueco Mundo."

"Yanagi, since you made this decision with the responsibility 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 sensed 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 schedule.

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 in 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, his voice hoarse as he bowed to Yanagawa, his gaze fixed on Stark, especially the hollow hole in his chest. "Who are these two—?"

Yanagawa nodded slightly, his gaze quickly sweeping over Amagai Shusuke's injuries, lingering for a moment on the chaotic, corrosive spiritual energy within him. He stepped aside and calmly introduced, "Captain Amagai, 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 from Hueco Mundo."

'

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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 at 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 returned to Tenbei Shusuke, especially when he sensed the abnormally chaotic spiritual energy remnants within the other's body, which possessed strong "devouring" and "eroding" characteristics. 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 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 heavy weariness and a hint of self-mockery, "This thing—is called the Baku Yao Dao," not a Zanpakuto, but—some kind of forbidden biological weapon.

Previously, in a fierce battle against the Quincy, he was outmatched and narrowly escaped death, leaving him 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 Membrane Blade, a magical glint subtly shifting 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, "Where did you obtain the Baku-Yao Blade—this forbidden item?"

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