XX-level Hokage

“Already waiting at the store.” Kisuke Urahara’s gaze fell on Zangetsu. He could sense the huge change in Ichigo’s spiritual pressure, a gradually emerging power that fused different power characteristics. “However… your spiritual pressure.”

Ichigo didn't explain. He simply raised the moon, its blade pointing straight at the void. He clearly felt that the spatial barrier between Hueco Mundo and the human world was becoming fragile. He learned how to control and guide this power to tear apart the place he wanted to go.

"I will go to Hueco Mundo." Ichigo's voice was filled with unwavering determination.

Kisuke Urahara looked at him and gave him a complicated smile: "It seems you're fully prepared."

Just then, a pitch-black rift suddenly tore open in the sky above Karakura Town, as if the sky had been cleaved by an invisible blade. It was the mark left by the massive Cero tearing through space.

Immediately, several enormous phantoms surged out from the crack. They were massive in size and exuded a suffocatingly evil spiritual pressure; they were clearly Hollows of the Gillian level.

"These guys... they're here already?" Kisuke Urahara frowned, his folding fan snapping open with a bang, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes. One of the phantoms let out a piercing roar, a massive Cero condensing in its mouth, its target pointing directly at Karakura Town below.

"Hey!!" Ichigo roared, his body instantly unleashing a powerful spiritual pressure. Without hesitation, he charged straight into the sky. Release!

With a deep and powerful call, Zangetsu emitted a dazzling black spiritual pressure in his hand.

Immediately afterwards, Ichigo Kurosaki, dressed in a jet-black shihaka outfit, draped in a white cloak, and wielding a slender black moon, charged towards the several giant Gillian Hollows like a black lightning bolt.

Chapter 175: The Hollows (Part 1)

The night sky over Karakura Town was torn apart by a dark crack, from which ominous spiritual pressure surged forth. Immediately afterward, several struggling, illusory figures tore through the air, their bodies...

It was enormous, resembling a demon, and was none other than the low-ranking Hollow—Giriyan.

They let out ear-piercing roars, and with each swing of their giant claws, the air was torn apart, and a corrosive spiritual pressure pressed down on Karakura Town below.

Kisuke Urahara snapped his folding fan shut, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes. He knew this was just the beginning; Aizen's actions were happening faster than he had anticipated.

However, before Urahara Kisuke could make any move, a dark figure had already soared into the sky ahead of him, and Kurosaki Ichigo's spiritual pressure burned fiercely in the night sky like a ignited flame.

"untie!"

With a deep, powerful call, Zangetsu unleashed a dazzling black spiritual pressure in his hand. The instant the pressure erupted, Ichigo's figure was enveloped in pure black. When the pressure dissipated, he appeared in a different form. His jet-black shihachi clung tightly to his body, the sleeves and hem becoming more fitted. The white cloak draped behind him fluttered in the night wind, highlighting the Zangetsu in his hand—a slender, jet-black katana, its blade and hilt seamlessly integrated, the blade markings devoid of any decoration, only pure black.

Wielding the Jade Sword, Ichigo experienced a qualitative leap in both speed and power. Like an arrow released from a bow, he instantly charged into the Hollows, shouting, "Roar!"

A Gillian opened its gaping maw, and a massive Cero rapidly condensed within it, pointing directly at the center of Karakura Town. However, its movements appeared unusually slow to Ichigo.

"Too slow!" Ichigo's voice was low, and his figure turned into a black afterimage, appearing ghost-like in front of the Gillian before the Cero was even released.

The moon drew a sharp arc across the night sky, black spiritual pressure condensed on the blade, emitting a piercing whistle. "Crescent Moon Charge!"

The black crescent-shaped slash, like the scythe of death, carried unparalleled power, instantly tearing through the air and slamming into the face of the Kylian.

The enormous ethereal body didn't even have time to let out a scream before it was cleaved in two, starting from its head, by the impact of the black crescent moon, exploding into countless fragments that dissipated into the night sky.

Ichigo's movements did not falter for a moment. He spun around, Zangetsu swirling in his hand, transforming once again into a black streak of light as he charged toward another attacking Gillian. His eyes were sharp and resolute. The fusion of the three powers within him made each of his attacks incredibly destructive. Although this fusion was only the beginning, it had already made him no longer the boy who fought solely on instinct, but someone who was beginning to learn to control his own power.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The continuous slashing sounds echoed in the night sky, each strike accompanied by the mournful cry and dissipation of a Kyrian.

In Ichigo's unleashed state, these colossal creatures that once filled ordinary Shinigami with despair were now as fragile as paper dolls. Their massive bodies were utterly vulnerable before the black Rengetsu, turning into fragments of spirit particles one after another.

Kisuke Urahara stood on the roof of Urahara Store, gently waving his folding fan, watching Ichigo's battle in the air with a complex expression. He could sense the unstable Hollow power within Ichigo's spiritual pressure, but at the same time, the Quincy power was also lurking within it, maintaining a delicate balance.

Mashiro's special training was indeed extraordinary.

"I didn't expect him to master it so quickly," Kisuke Urahara murmured to himself, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes, but also a barely perceptible worry. This power was both a hope and a potential threat.

Just as Ichigo was slaying several Gillians, the rift in the sky widened again, and an even more powerful and malevolent spiritual pressure surged forth from it. Accompanied by a muffled footstep, a Hollow much smaller than a Gillian, but with a spiritual pressure far exceeding that of any Gillian, emerged from the rift.

It has a humanoid outline, its entire body is covered with white bony armor, there is a circular hole in its chest, and it wears half a holographic mask on its face.

That's the Arrancar!

This Arrancar had short, dark green hair and wore dark green eyeshadow. His eyes were filled with bloodthirsty excitement and a thirst for battle. "Ha...what a bunch of trash." The Arrancar glanced disdainfully at the scattered Kyrian fragments in the air, then his gaze fell upon the fragments hovering in mid-air.

On Ichigo, who was locked in combat with the last Gillian.

He revealed a cruel smile. "To actually manage to kill so many Kylian? Interesting."

He didn't immediately join the battle, but instead crossed his arms, seemingly observing Ichigo's release with great interest.

Ichigo defeated the last Gillian, the black moon still warm from its glow. He abruptly turned to face the newly appeared Arrancar. A strong sense of crisis instantly enveloped him.

This guy... is completely different from the Hollows we've encountered before! While his spiritual pressure isn't as strong as Aizen's, it carries an indescribable sense of oppression, even more so than...

The Great Void is far stronger than Heaven.

"Who are you?" Ichigo asked in a deep voice, holding Zangetsu horizontally in front of him, adopting a defensive posture.

The broken-faced man smiled, revealing sharp teeth; it was a pure, predatory smile.

"I am Grim Jojaka Jack, the sixth of the Espada!" His voice carried an arrogant confidence, and his spiritual pressure exploded instantly, sweeping towards Ichigo like a tsunami.

Ichigo's body slumped slightly under the pressure of the spiritual energy, but he quickly regained his balance, his gaze becoming even more serious. Espada... He'd heard Kisuke Urahara mention that term before; it referred to Aizen's strongest Arrancar.

"Why did you guys come to the human world?!" Ichigo roared and launched the first attack. He knew that against an opponent of this level, any hesitation could cost him his life.

With Rengetsu positioned beside him, Ichigo's body charged toward Grimmjow like a black lightning bolt.

Grimmjow merely smiled dismissively. He raised his right hand, index and middle fingers together, and flicked it lightly at Ichigo as he charged forward. "Cero (Cero)!"

A turquoise flash shot out from his fingertip at incredible speed, accompanied by terrifying spiritual pressure.

Ichigo's pupils contracted sharply. He hadn't expected the opponent's Cero to be so fast and so powerful. Almost instinctively, he twisted his body to the side and narrowly avoided the Cero.

A beam of emerald green light grazed his cheek and instantly blasted an abandoned building behind him into dust.

"Hmph, not bad reaction." Grimmjow sneered, and his figure vanished instantly. Immediately afterward, Ichigo felt a gust of wind attack from the side. "Bang!"

Grimmjow's right leg, imbued with terrifying power, struck Ichigo squarely in the side.

Ichigo's body was kicked away like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the ground in the distance, creating a long, deep trench.

"Cough!" Ichigo struggled to his feet, feeling a sharp pain in his side, and a tear appeared in his shihaka armor. This guy... is strong! He knew he was facing an unprecedentedly powerful enemy.

"Is this your power, Shinigami?" Grimmjow smiled cruelly as he walked step by step toward Ichigo, as if admiring a dying prey. "Let's see how long you can last."

Under the night sky of Karakura Town, a true contest begins.

Chapter 176: The Hollows (Part Two)

Grimmjow's voice carried a hint of disdain. He suddenly accelerated, his figure blurring in an instant, reappearing in front of Ichigo, his right fist brimming with fierce power.

A strong gust of wind struck directly at the face of the guard.

Ichigo's pupils constricted sharply; he didn't even have time to fully react, and could only barely raise his Moon to block. "Clang!"

The blade clashed with the fist, producing a piercing metallic clang.

The powerful impact passed through the moon, making Ichigo's arm go numb. His body slid backward several times, leaving two deep scratches on the ground. His arm trembled slightly, and a tearing pain came from the tiger's mouth.

“Too weak,” Grimmjow said coldly, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. “I thought it would be more interesting if you could kill Kylian.”

He gave Ichigo no chance to catch his breath, launching a barrage of attacks like a storm.

Grimmjow's punches and kicks carried devastating power, each strike making it difficult for Ichigo to breathe. Ichigo could only barely wield Zangetsu, passively defending himself. Although his Release had increased his speed, it was still insufficient compared to an Arrancar of Grimmjow's caliber. His body seemed on the verge of falling apart under the intense impact.

"Damn it!" Ichigo gritted his teeth, the Hollow power within him began to stir, a strange heat churning in his chest, feeling his reason being eroded little by little, while that wild impulse continued to rise.

On a distant rooftop, Kisuke Urahara's expression grew increasingly grave. He knew Ichigo's limits and was also aware that Grimmjow's strength far exceeded that of ordinary people.

If Ichigo continues like this, the Hollow power within him may completely go berserk. Urahara Kisuke gripped his folding fan tightly, his eyes flickering with hesitation. He hoped that Ichigo could break through on his own, but he couldn't just stand by and watch him fall into a desperate situation.

"All you know is dodging?" Grimmjow lost his patience. He suddenly grabbed Ichigo's wrist as he swung Zangetsu, the force of which almost caused Ichigo to drop the weapon.

Then, Grimmjow delivered a merciless knee strike, slamming it into Ichigo's abdomen.

"Pfft!" Ichigo felt a churning in his stomach, and a mouthful of blood gushed from his mouth. His body curled up like a shrimp as Grimmjow lifted him up. "Look closely, Shinigami!" Grimmjow grinned, his other hand gripping Ichigo's cheek tightly, forcing him to look up and stare directly at him.

He gathered a faint spiritual pressure at his fingertips and casually pressed it against Ichigo's abdomen.

"Thump!"

A searing pain erupted from Ichigo's abdomen. He felt as if his spiritual pressure had been instantly devoured by something, and he felt as if all his strength had been drained away.

"This is... Spiritual Pressure Shattering?" Kisuke Urahara's pupils shrank sharply. He knew what Grimmjow was doing. This was a unique ability of the Arrancar, capable of directly destroying the opponent's spiritual pressure and rendering them unable to fight.

Ichigo's body went limp and Zangetsu fell to the ground with a clang. He felt cold all over and his spiritual pressure was rapidly draining away, like a punctured balloon.

"Now, what do you have left?" Grimm released his grip, and Ichigo's body slumped to the ground like a rag doll.

However, just as Grimmjow was about to deliver the final blow, Ichigo's previously unfocused eyes suddenly flashed with a crimson light. His body began to tremble, and strange black patterns appeared on his skin. The suppressed Hollow power, at the extreme moment when his life was threatened, finally broke free of its restraints and began to backfire.

"Roar!

A low growl came from Ichigo's throat. It wasn't a human voice, but more like the roar of a wild beast. He struggled to raise his head, and white, bony phantoms began to grow on half of his face. One of his bloodshot eyes, filled with pure rage and bloodlust, stared intently at Grimm.

"Oh? Hollowfication?" A hint of surprise flashed in Grimmjow's eyes, followed by an even more excited smile. "Interesting! Let me see what this half-baked Hollow can achieve!"

Ichigo's body erupted with even stronger spiritual pressure. Under the impact of the Hollow power, his black shihaka became even more resilient. He picked up Zangetsu again, and under the envelopment of Hollowfied spiritual pressure, it exuded an even more ominous aura.

Then Ichigo's body flashed, his speed several times faster than before, as he rushed towards Grimmjow.

"boom!"

This time, Grimmjow's body swayed slightly as he sensed that Ichigo's attack contained a violent power, no longer the weak and powerless strike of before.

Ichigo's attacks became even more ferocious and reckless. He completely abandoned defense, each swing of his sword accompanied by a whistling sound as it tore through the air. Every strike was aimed at Grimmjow's vitals. At this moment, he was like a raging beast, only knowing how to tear the enemy in front of him to shreds.

Grimmjow's eyes turned serious as he began to carefully block and dodge Ichigo's attacks.

After becoming Hollowfied, Ichigo's strength and speed reached an astonishing level. Although he was still not as strong as a true Arrancar, he was strong enough to make Ichigo feel a bit of pressure.

"That's more like it!" Grimmjow roared excitedly, and emerald green Cero once again condensed at his fingertips.

However, this time, Ichigo did not dodge. He roared and the Crescent Moon in his hand also unleashed a jet-black Crescent Moon Slash, heading straight for Grimmjow's Cero.

"Boom—!"

Two powerful forces collided violently in mid-air, unleashing a deafening roar. The dazzling spiritual pressure instantly illuminated half of Karakura Town, and the violent shockwave swept outwards, instantly leveling the surrounding buildings.

Amidst the light and dust, the two clashed fiercely once more, exchanging blows and flashing swords, each exchange accompanied by intense spiritual pressure fluctuations.

Ichigo's Hollowfication gave him the power to fight Grimm, but this power was short-lived and extremely draining and corroding on him.

Just as the two were locked in a fierce battle, and the ground of Karakura Town was ravaged by the aftershocks of their fight, another dark crack tore open above them.

Immediately, a spiritual pressure far greater and more unfathomable than Grimmjow's surged forth from it.

"Stop, Grimmjow." A deep and authoritative voice came from the crack, carrying an unquestionable command.

Grimmjow's movements abruptly halted, a flicker of resentment crossing his face, but he ultimately stopped. He looked up at the crack, his eyes filled with anger and displeasure.

Emerging from the crack were two new Arrancar. One of them was tall, covered in white armor, and wore a horned mask; it was Ulquiorra Cifer.