XX-level Hokage

After saying that, she ignored Soi Fon, who was frozen in place, turned around, and disappeared into the shadows of the courtyard with leisurely steps.

In the training ground, only Soi Fon remained. She leaned against the cold wall, her body slowly sliding down. Mashiro's words echoed in her mind like a spell.

Loyalty, awe, desire, and the forcibly implanted doubt... a complex mix of emotions intertwined within her, causing her unwavering beliefs to crack for the first time.

As Mashiro left, she looked up at the sky above Seireitei, at the leaden-gray sky. It seemed heavy, as if it were hanging down.

Chapter 217: The Endgame (Part 1)

In the present world, Karakura Town.

The sky was no longer the familiar azure, but was shrouded in an eerie, pale moonlight belonging to the Hueco Mundo.

The air was thick with the smell of dust and gunpowder, the streets were deserted, and the entire city resembled a giant, silent tomb. This was not the real Karakura Town, but a replica meticulously arranged by Kisuke Urahara and moved entirely to the outskirts of Tokami City.

However, for the battle that is about to unfold here, the line between reality and illusion has long been blurred, and every inch of land could become a battlefield that determines the fate of the three realms.

Tia Harribel, one of the Espada, was leading her three subordinates—Apache, Laila Rose, and Sun Sun—facing another group of enemies. Harribel wore a revealing yet powerful white Arrancar outfit, her long golden hair swaying slightly in the wind of spiritual pressure, and her icy blue eyes...

Her eyes were calm as still water, as if nothing in the world could stir the slightest ripple in her heart.

Before her stood Ichigo Kurosaki, Uryu Ishida, and Chad, who had just returned from Hueco Mundo, still recovering from their injuries but brimming with fighting spirit.

"Oh? This is the Kurosaki Ichigo that Aizen-sama specifically mentioned...?" Apache, with his long, dark green hair, licked his lips, his eyes filled with bloodthirsty excitement. "He doesn't look so good, does he? He looks half-dead."

"Don't be careless, Apache." The tall, long-haired Mi-Rhodes scoffed. "To survive Ulquiorra's clutches..."

This guy does have some skills, after all.

"Hehehe." Sun Sun, who had a green bob haircut, covered his mouth and chuckled, his narrow eyes flashing with a dangerous light, as if he were sizing up an interesting prey.

Ichigo ignored their chatter, gripping Zangetsu tightly, his gaze fixed intently on Harribel. He sensed a profound spiritual pressure emanating from her, comparable to Ulquiorra's.

"Ishida, Chad," Ichigo said in a low voice, "Those three women are yours." "Understood." Ishida Uryu adjusted his glasses, his spirit bow already in hand.

Chad nodded silently, his armored right arm radiating a steady and powerful strength.

"They're courting death." Seeing this, Apache behind Harribel let out a disdainful sneer and launched the first attack! She, Mira Rhodes, and Sun Sun moved in a blur, turning into three afterimages, and attacked Ishida Uryu and Chad from different directions.

"Watch out!" Ishida Uryu shouted, and his spirit bow instantly fired several spirit arrows in an attempt to block their attack.

Chad roared, his massive right arm slamming with immense force towards Mi Rhodes, who was charging at the forefront. The battle erupted instantly!

Although Apache, Mi Rhodes, and Sun Sun are only subordinates, their strength far surpasses that of ordinary Arrancar, and their teamwork is seamless.

Although Ishida Uryu's arrow was accurate, Apache skillfully dodged it, while Chad Yasutora's powerful punch was cleverly deflected by Mira Rhodes.

Sun Sun appeared behind the two like a ghost, attempting to launch a sneak attack.

Although Ishida and Chad had increased their strength in the battle in Hueco Mundo, they were caught in a tough fight when faced with the siege of three powerful subordinates. They could only barely defend themselves and were completely at a disadvantage.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, the duel between Ichigo Kurosaki and Tia Harribel also unfolded.

Ichigo didn't hesitate for a moment. He knew that against an opponent of this caliber, any probing would be a waste of time. "Release!"

With a low shout, his spiritual pressure exploded instantly, his jet-black shihaka armor clung tightly to his body, and the Zangetsu in his hand transformed into its slender, jet-black final form.

"Charge at Crescent Moon Pass!"

Ichigo swung Zangetsu down fiercely, unleashing a massive black crescent-shaped slash with the power to tear everything apart, heading straight for Harribel!

However, Halibel simply stood there calmly, not even drawing her sword, but slowly raising her right hand. "A command—"

The moment the black crescent-shaped celestial strike made contact with the front of her palm, it was as if it had crashed into an invisible wall. It was instantly shattered by a powerful spiritual pressure and dissipated into countless spiritual particles.

"What?!" Ichigo's pupils shrank sharply. He hadn't expected that his all-out attack after he had unleashed his power would be so easily neutralized by his opponent.

"Is that all?" Halibel's voice was cold and devoid of any emotion. "It seems Ulquiorra's assessment of you is somewhat exaggerated." Her words pierced Ichigo's heart like ice picks.

"Damn it!" Ichigo roared, his figure vanishing instantly. When he reappeared, he was already beside Harribel, his Zangetsu sword whistling as it slashed down again!

However, Halibel was faster than him. She simply turned slightly to the side and easily dodged Ichigo's attack. At the same time, her seemingly slender right leg kicked out with tremendous force, striking Ichigo hard in the abdomen.

"boom!

Ichigo felt an irresistible force, and his body was kicked away like a cannonball, crashing heavily into a building in the distance and creating a huge dent in the wall.

"Cough." Ichigo struggled to his feet from the rubble, a trickle of blood escaping his mouth. Strong, too strong!

The woman before him was far superior to him in terms of spiritual pressure, speed, and strength, even more powerful than Grimmjow before his Resurrección.

On the edge of the battlefield, atop a tall building, Kisuke Urahara quietly observed everything. He gently waved his folding fan, but his eyes, hidden beneath the brim of his hat, were exceptionally sharp.

"Manager, aren't you going to intervene?" the weary Wo Mai Tiezhai asked in a deep voice. "Mr. Kurosaki and the others are about to collapse."

Kisuke Urahara shook his head, his gaze deep: "It's not the right time yet." "Not the right time?"

“That’s right.” Kisuke Urahara’s gaze fell on Ichigo, a complex look flashing in his eyes. “Kurosaki’s power is far more than that. Ulquiorra’s attack almost killed him, but it was also like a key that unlocked a deeper layer of locks within him. Now, what he needs is not assistance, but pressure to completely transform that power into his own in a desperate situation.”

Kisuke Urahara knew that this battle was both a crisis and an opportunity for Ichigo.

Only when facing a life-or-death battle with a powerhouse like the Espada can the triple power within him, which combines the strengths of a Shinigami, a Hollow, and a Quincy, be truly unleashed.

His inaction wasn't out of cold-bloodedness, but rather a cruel trust, because he believed Ichigo Kurosaki could overcome this obstacle. On the battlefield, the situation was increasingly unfavorable to the Shinigami.

Shi Youyulong and Chadu Taihu were already badly injured and gradually weakened by the attack of their three subordinates.

Ichigo, faced with Harribel's overwhelming power, was utterly powerless. Every attack he launched was easily neutralized, and every counterattack resulted in an even heavier blow.

“Give up, Death,” Halibel’s voice remained calm. “Your power is meaningless before me.”

Chapter 218: The Endgame (Part Two)

"I... will never give up!" Ichigo gritted his teeth, struggling to his feet, his eyes burning with an indomitable flame. He knew that if he fell, Karakura Town, his family, and his friends would all face destruction.

Taking a deep breath, a violent spiritual pressure erupted from Ichigo's body! "Hollowfication!"

The black spiritual pressure instantly covered his face, forming a writhing Hollow mask!

Ichigo's aura instantly became wild and powerful, and he charged towards Harribel again, several times faster than before!

"Oh?" A strange glint finally flashed in Halibel's eyes. "Is this your trump card? Interesting." She finally reached out and grasped the uniquely shaped Zanpakuto at her waist—Tiburon. The blade was wide and hollow, like the spine of a shark.

"Then let me see just how far your borrowed power can go."

As Harribel's voice fell, she swung her Royal Shark Sword out fiercely, unleashing a massive azure slash wave that, like a roaring tsunami, instantly engulfed Ichigo in his Hollowfied state!

"boom--!"

A massive explosion resounded throughout Karakura Town, and a violent shockwave of spiritual pressure spread outwards, leveling everything around it.

As the light faded, Ichigo's figure tumbled out of the dust, his Hollowfication mask cracking open with a long fissure, and his body swaying precariously.

He stared at Herisher in shock. Her casual strike had almost shattered the gap in his ethereal power, a gap that was utterly despairing.

Ishida and Chad also witnessed this scene, and their anxiety and resentment reached their peak.

Just then, Apache, Mira Rhodes, and Sun Sun seemed to lose their patience. They exchanged a glance and simultaneously unleashed powerful spiritual pressure. "We've played with you long enough!" Apache sneered. "Now we'll show you our true power!"

The three women's bodies began to change. They simultaneously unleashed their Zanpakuto, and the three powerful spiritual pressures merged together to form a gigantic, terrifying monster with the combined characteristics of a deer, snake, and lion—"Quimera Parca"!

"Roar--!"

The Beast God let out a deafening roar, carrying an aura of annihilation, and charged fiercely towards the already severely injured Ishigaki Yuryu and Chad. "Not good!" Ichigo's expression changed drastically upon seeing this. Ignoring his own injuries, he forcibly gathered the last of his Hollow energy, preparing to unleash Getsuga Tensei.

rush.

However, Harribel's figure appeared before him like a ghost, and with a gentle wave of her royal shark scythe, she completely shattered the spiritual pressure he was about to gather.

"Your opponent is me." Harribel's voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.

Ichigo watched as the beast god charged toward his friend, then looked at the insurmountable mountain before him.

Despair, like the eternal night in Hueco Mundo, coldly and mercilessly enveloped the entire Karakura Town battlefield. "Boom—!"

Amidst the deafening explosion, Ichigo Kurosaki's figure was sent flying backwards through the billowing smoke and dust like a kite with a broken string. His Hollowfication mask, under the massive azure slash wave, cracked like fragile porcelain with a "crack," eventually shattering completely and dissipating into the air.

"Pfft..." Ichigo fell heavily to the ground, the blood spurting from his mouth staining the rubble beneath him. He struggled to get up, but his body felt like it was falling apart, and every breath brought excruciating pain to his entire body.

So competitive.

Only one thought remained in Ichigo's mind. The thirtieth Espada before him, Tia Harribel, had almost shattered his Hollowfication with a single, casual strike.

The gap in power was so overwhelming that it was even more disheartening than when facing Grimmjow.

Is this... going to be the end of it?

Just as everyone was plunged into the abyss of despair, and the shadow of death was about to devour everything—an icy chill descended without warning!

It wasn't the chilling cold brought by Hueco Mundo's spiritual pressure, but a pure, biting cold that seemed to freeze even the soul.

The temperature in the air plummeted, and fine ice crystals began to condense on the ground, among the rubble, and even in the swirling dust. "Hmm?" For the first time, a slight ripple appeared in Halibel's icy blue eyes as she subconsciously looked up at the sky.

The beast god that was about to be captured suddenly stopped in mid-air with its huge claws, and a thin layer of frost spread across its body at a visible speed!

"What...is this?!" The Beast God roared in astonishment, feeling its body stiffening.

The next moment, a colossal ice-blue figure, like a divine dragon descending from the sky, with earth-shattering power, suddenly plummeted down! "Release! Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"

With a clear and majestic call, the enormous frost dragon roared forth, instantly crashing into the colossal body of the Beast God! "Boom—!"

The collision of ice and spiritual pressure unleashed a deafening roar.

The Beast God's body, which had fused three powerful spiritual pressures, was instantly frozen into a giant ice sculpture by the extreme cold of the "Great Crimson Lotus Hyorinmaru." Then, under the impact of the ice dragon, it shattered with a roar, turning into countless ice crystals that dissipated into the air.

Apache, Mi Rhodes, and Sun Sun tumbled out of the ice crystals, staring at the sky in horror, completely unable to comprehend what had just happened.

A petite figure draped in a white captain's haori slowly descended from the sky. He had short, silver-white hair, and his emerald eyes flashed with a sharp, cold light. His huge ice wings flapped slowly behind him. He was none other than Toshiro Ichibanya, the captain of the 10th Division of the Gotei 13!

"Hitsugaya... Captain?!" Ichigo stared in shock at the figure before him, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Are you alright, Kurosaki?" Hitsugaya Toshiro didn't turn around; his gaze, sharp as a sword, was fixed on Harribel in the distance. "Honestly... you always get yourself into such a sorry state." His tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction, but more than that, it was undisguised concern. Harribel looked at the suddenly appearing Hitsugaya Toshiro and the powerful ice-type spiritual pressure emanating from him. Her previously calm face finally showed...

A hint of seriousness appeared on his face.

"The captain of the Grim Reaper...?" Herisher's voice remained cold, but she had already gripped the Imperial Shark tightly in her hand. "It seems that the Seireitei has finally decided to send some decent combat power."

Hitsugaya Toshiro ignored her words, simply staring coldly at her and the powerful spiritual pressure emanating from her that belonged to an Espada. Another troublesome fellow!

His presence here was not due to orders from Captain-Commander Yamamoto. Just hours earlier, in the Seireitei, at the First Division barracks.

After the captains' meeting, Hitsugaya Toshiro returned to his squad, but the anxiety in his heart burned like an unquenchable flame. The information Mashiro brought back, Aizen's conspiracy, the power of the Hogyoku, and the crisis Ichigo and the others faced in the human world... all of this made him restless. "Captain, are you still worried about the situation in the human world?" Lieutenant Matsumoto Rangiku entered with tea, looking at Toshiro's furrowed brows, and asked softly. "Rangiku..." Toshiro looked up, his emerald eyes filled with seriousness. "I have a bad feeling. Since Aizen dared to use Karakura Town as..."

The stage for the final battle must be one where there is absolute certainty of victory; Kurosaki and his group are... in too much danger.

"But didn't the commander-in-chief already order us to gather our forces and await further instructions?"

"Wait?" Toshiro suddenly stood up. "By the time the order comes down, it will be too late! We can't repeat the same mistake!"