XX-level Hokage

He recalled the lesson of how the initial formation team had been plunged into a fierce battle and nearly wiped out due to spiritual pressure limitations. He didn't want to experience that feeling of helplessness again.

“I must go to the real world.” Toshiro’s tone left no room for argument. “Even if it means disobeying orders, I must go and check on Kurosaki and the others’ safety.”

He knew how impulsive his decision was, and that he might even face severe punishment, but as the captain of the Gotei 13, protecting the world and his comrades was his inescapable responsibility.

Captain Matsumoto Rangiku, seeing the resolute look in Hitsugaya Toshiro's eyes, finally sighed and gave a helpless yet supportive smile. "Really, if you can't do anything about it, Captain, then I'll go too. I can't let you go on this adventure alone."

Thus, before Captain-Commander Yamamoto could give any specific instructions, Toshiro, filled with anxiety, took Matsumoto Rangiku and went through the Transcendental Gate to the human world ahead of time.

That's why he was able to appear like a divine intervention at the most critical moment, rescuing Ichigo and the others from their desperate situation. On the battlefield, cold air and moisture intertwined and collided in the air.

The appearance of Toshiro Hitsugaya completely changed the course of the battle. The immense spiritual pressure he unleashed after his release forced Harribel to take him seriously. "Your opponent is me," Toshiro's voice was cold and resolute, his Hyōrinmaru pointing at Harribel. "I will never let you hurt him again."

Not a single penny.

Halibel stared at the imposing young captain before her, a chilling killing intent flashing in her icy blue eyes. "Then let me see just how much weight your so-called protection truly carries."

As Herisher's voice faded, her spiritual pressure began to rise steadily. A powerful aquamarine spiritual pressure erupted from her center, fiercely clashing with Toshiro Hitsugaya's icy spiritual pressure in the air.

Battle is imminent.

On the rooftop of the high-rise building, Kisuke Urahara watched Toshiro Hitsugaya arrive, gently waving his folding fan, a subtle yet meaningful smile playing on his lips beneath his hat brim.

"Oh my? It seems things are getting more and more interesting."

Chapter 219: The Endgame (Part 4)

Under the night sky of Karakura Town, the atmosphere fell into an eerie stillness due to Toshiro's arrival.

The shock of the Beast God being frozen and shattered by a single blow had not yet completely dissipated. At this moment, the confrontation between the two captain-level powerhouses made every spiritual particle in the air seem to be frozen, filled with an oppressive feeling that was hard to bear.

The battlefield was invisibly divided. On one side were broken rubble and ruins, where Ichigo Kurosaki, supported by his companions, struggled to breathe. He looked at that familiar, petite figure, and a complex mix of emotions welled up inside him—a sense of relief at being saved, but also a deep resentment at his own powerlessness.

Why do I feel like my strength is lacking something? At this moment, the scene at the center of the battle is completely different.

The extreme cold emanating from Toshiro's disintegration caused the ground to freeze into a chilling frost; while Tia Harribel opposite him was surrounded by rising...

Although the spiritual pressure was calm, it carried a sense of heaviness and dampness like the deep sea. The two completely different forces collided in the air, creating visible ripples.

"Rangiku!" Toshiro didn't turn around, his voice cold and decisive, "Protect them!"

"Yes, Captain!" Matsumoto Rangiku responded. She put aside her usual laziness, took her Zanpakuto, and quickly came to Ichigo and the others, protecting them behind her. Her charming eyes were now warily watching Apache, Mira Rose, and Sun Sun, who were struggling to get up from the ice crystals not far away.

Although the three female Arrancars were wolfish, the ferocity in their eyes did not diminish in the slightest.

High up on the building, Urahara Kisuke gently waved his folding fan, his eyes under the brim of his hat slightly narrowed, as if he were calculating something.

"Oh? The Soul Society's support is faster than expected," he murmured to himself. "But this was probably within Miss Mashiro's expectations, which makes things even more interesting."

In the center of the battlefield, the two who were locked in a standoff finally moved.

Toshiro was the first to strike! He knew that when facing an enemy of the Espada level, any hesitation could be fatal. He had to eliminate the threat completely with the fastest speed and the strongest power!

"Dragon Shot!"

With a flash, Toshiro transformed into a cold afterimage and instantly appeared in front of Haribel. The Hyōrinmaru in his hand was like a poisonous dragon emerging from its cave, carrying a bone-chilling coldness, and aimed straight at Haribel's heart!

However, Halibel's reaction speed far exceeded his expectations; she merely shifted her body slightly, narrowly avoiding the fatal blow. The cold force grazed past her ribs, and he could even feel the chill that seemed to freeze his very soul.

"Not bad speed." Herriel's voice remained calm, as if she were praising an interesting work of art. Then, with a backhand strike, she slammed a heavy blow into Toshiro's chest.

Toshiro immediately sheathed his sword and returned to defense, while his icy wings flapped violently behind him, quickly creating distance between him and Harribel. "Thousand-Year Ice Prison!"

The moment he created distance, Toshiro unhesitatingly launched another killing move. He plunged Hyōrinmaru into the ground, and countless huge ice pillars rose from all directions, like a giant cage, instantly surrounding and closing in on Harribel, attempting to completely seal her inside!

However, just as the ice pillar was about to completely close, a beam of emerald green light burst forth from the crack! "Cero!"

The massive Cero, carrying terrifying destructive power, shattered several enormous ice pillars. Harribel calmly emerged from the blast, her white ravaged suit untouched by even a speck of ice.

"Your ice, though pure, is not quite there yet," Heribel coldly commented. She could sense that although the young captain before her possessed great power, his combat experience and control over that power were far too immature compared to hers.

"Is that so?" Toshiro's eyes sharpened further, it seemed that ordinary moves were ineffective against the woman in front of him.

Taking a deep breath, Toshiro concentrated all his spiritual pressure on Hyōrinmaru. "Then let me show you the most magnificent form of my immature ice!" "Hyōten Hakukazō!"

As Toshiro shouted, the sky seemed to be stirred by his spiritual pressure, and countless crystalline ice and snow flowers began to fall.

Each ice flower carried an extreme chill and deadly intent, like the sharpest blade, spreading outwards and enveloping Harribel.

And go!

This is one of Daiguren Hyōrinmaru's strongest techniques. Once touched by these ice flowers, life will be frozen and withered instantly.

However, faced with the deadly ice flowers flying everywhere, a change finally appeared on Halibel's face. She no longer simply dodged or countered with a Cero, but slowly drew the sword from her waist, which resembled a shark's spine—"Shoujin."

She held the broad blade horizontally in front of her chest, and a powerful azure spiritual pressure erupted from her body!

“Your ice and snow are indeed beautiful,” Heribel’s voice rang out amidst the swirling ice flowers, “but in the face of absolute power, even the most beautiful scenery will eventually melt away.”

With a sudden swing of her imperial shark fin, a massive azure slash wave, like a monstrous wave rising from the deep sea, shot into the sky and collided violently with the swirling ice flowers!

Ice and water, at this moment, engaged in the most direct and primal contest! "Sizzle—"

A piercing sound echoed through the sky, and the cold air and moisture clashed and intertwined wildly in the air.

The countless ice flowers melted and evaporated the moment they came into contact with the azure blue slashing wave, turning into a misty spray. Toshiro's "Ice Gate White Flower Burial" was utterly and brutally defeated head-on by Harribel!

"What?!" Toshiro's pupils constricted sharply as he felt a tremendous force of recoil emanating from Hyōrinmaru, causing him to stagger backward. Just then, a fierce clash erupted on the other side of the battlefield.

"You guys, how dare you look down on us!" Apache roared angrily, and she, along with Mira Rhodes and Sun Sun, launched another attack on Matsumoto Rangiku.

"Honestly, not cute at all." Matsumoto Rangiku scoffed, lightly swinging her Zanpakuto. "Mutter, Gray Cat!"

The Zanpakuto instantly transformed into a cloud of gray dust, like living quicksand, completely enveloping Rangiku's figure and sweeping towards the three female Arrancar. The gray cat's attack range was extremely wide, perfectly countering the advantage of the three women attacking together. In an instant, dust filled the battlefield, and the clash of blades and claws continued unabated.

Despite facing three opponents alone, Rangiku managed to stabilize the situation temporarily thanks to her rich combat experience and the characteristics of the Grey Cat.

However, on the main battlefield, the situation began to deteriorate rapidly.

After defeating "Ice Heaven Hundred Flowers Burial", Harribel did not give Toshiro any chance to catch his breath. She moved with astonishing speed and rushed towards Toshiro. With the force of breaking through the sea, she slashed down fiercely with the Imperial Shark Queen in her hand!

Toshiro immediately raised his Hyōrinmaru to block. "Clang!"

The blades clashed, producing a piercing metallic clang.

A tremendous force, far exceeding Toshiro's imagination, surged from the blade. He felt a numbness in his hand, and Hyōrinmaru almost slipped from his grasp! Harribel's attacks were heavy and relentless, like a raging tsunami, wave after wave.

Toshiro could only barely parry, his body forced to retreat step by step. His speed, which he was so proud of, seemed somewhat inferior in front of Harribel.

"Damn it!" Toshiro gritted his teeth. He knew he had to find a way to turn the tide. He suddenly unleashed his spiritual pressure, and the ice dragon behind him condensed again, roaring as it charged toward Harribel, trying to buy himself a chance to catch his breath.

However, Harribel merely glanced at it disdainfully, then swung the Royal Shark in her hand again, a high-pressure water jet like a sharp blade, instantly slicing the ice dragon in two!

"Is this all the power you have, Captain Death?" Harribel's voice was cold, tinged with disappointment. She seemed to have lost her patience. "Then I'll show you what true...sacrifice is."

As Harribel slowly raised the royal shark in her hand, an even greater and more unfathomable spiritual pressure erupted from her body without reservation! The replicas of Karakura Town all seemed to tremble slightly under this spiritual pressure.

"Ute-"

"Tiburon, the Queen Mermaid!"

As her unleashed incantation resounded, a dazzling aquamarine light instantly engulfed her figure!

As the light faded, Halibel's appearance had undergone a complete transformation; the illusory face on her face had vanished entirely, replaced by a covering...

His body was covered in white bone armor resembling sharkskin, and his right hand was fused with his Zanpakuto, transforming into a massive, twisting blade like a shark's tooth.

One by one, they are released into their blades! Empress Shark!

After her release, Haribel's spiritual pressure was several times stronger than before! A powerful current of water began to swirl wildly around her, forming a...

A massive whirlpool seemed poised to drag the entire battlefield into the deep sea.

Toshiro stood still, and he could clearly feel that the spiritual pressure emanating from Harribel at this moment had completely surpassed his own—it was an absolute and suffocating power.

Now, let me tell you the meaning of "sacrifice," Captain Death.

Halibel's voice came from the swirling water, cold and tinged with sorrow, as if announcing an inevitable death. The battle had entered its most brutal phase.

Chapter 220; The End (Part 5)

After her release, Halibel's power completely surpasses that of ordinary captains.

The entire replica of Karakura Town seemed to be dragged into a deep sea, where the powerful water pressure and violent whirlpools completely suppressed Hitsugaya Toshiro's "Daiguren Hyōrinmaru".

Cascada (waterfall)!

Harribel raised her enormous shark-tooth blade high, and a massive column of water, powerful enough to shatter mountains, descended from the sky, crashing down on Toshiro with unparalleled force.

Toshiro's expression was solemn. He held Hyōrinmaru horizontally in front of him, and a huge phantom of an ice dragon roared out, attempting to freeze the waterfall.

However, the instant the ice and water came into contact, a violent burst of steam erupted, and the ice dragon was shattered piece by piece by the enormous impact. Toshiro's body...

The body was also sent flying backward by this brutal force.

"LaGota (water droplet)!"

Halibel gave him no chance to breathe. She aimed the tip of her Shark Tooth Blade at Toshiro, and a series of high-pressure water bullets fired with pinpoint accuracy.

The bullets blocked all his escape routes.

Toshiro could only dodge in mid-air, but he was still hit by several water bullets. His captain's haori was easily pierced, leaving several deep wounds that exposed the bone.

"Damn it!" Toshiro gritted his teeth. He could feel his spiritual pressure being rapidly depleted by the endless water attacks from his opponent.

Ice and water are of the same origin, but the spiritual pressure contained in Harribel's "water" far surpasses his in both quality and quantity. This is an absolute suppression in terms of attribute, making his proud ice and snow power seem so pale and powerless.

On the edge of the battlefield, Matsumoto Rangiku's "Grey Cat" had temporarily trapped the three Apache members, but it was difficult for them to win in a short time.

Meanwhile, Ichigo, supported by Chad and Ishida, watched Toshiro struggling to protect them, his resentment and anger rising like a volcano about to erupt.

Why...why can I always only watch helplessly as my comrades fight for me? Why is my strength always insufficient at the most crucial moment?

"I... I can't go on like this anymore!" Ichigo clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. He struggled to his feet and, ignoring Chad and Ishida's attempts to stop him, unleashed the remaining spiritual pressure within him without reservation.

That innate protective instinct once again became the spark that ignited his power. "Hollowfication!"

With a low growl, the tattered Hollow Mask reappeared on Ichigo's face. Although the mask was covered in cracks and seemed to shatter at any moment, the violent and powerful spiritual pressure instantly filled his tired body again!

"Ichigo!" Kisuke Urahara watched this scene from a distant high-rise building, a knowing smile playing on his lips beneath his hat brim. He knew that Ichigo Kurosaki could only unleash power beyond his limits when protecting something. "Kurosaki?!" Toshiro also felt the familiar spiritual pressure behind him. He turned around, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "Hitsugaya! Now!" Ichigo's voice came through his Hollowfication mask, slightly hoarse but filled with determination.

He raised Zangetsu high, black spiritual pressure swirling wildly around the blade. It was no ordinary Getsuga Tenshou, but a new attack that combined all his will and power at this moment, a gamble with everything!

"Crescent Moon Sky Slash!"

A crescent-shaped slash, darker and more concentrated than ever before, like a black lightning bolt tearing through the night sky, hurtled straight toward Harribel with unstoppable momentum!

A flicker of surprise crossed Heribel's eyes. She hadn't expected that the dying Grim Reaper's agent could unleash such a powerful attack. She could feel the violent power contained within that attack, a power that was enough to threaten her.