XX-level Hokage

“Yes…yes, Captain,” Kira Izuru replied somewhat hesitantly. “However, regarding the allocation of combat supplies, and joint training with other squads…”

Every training plan requires your personal review and approval.

"That's a small matter; you can decide for yourself." Mashiro waved her hand dismissively. "I believe in your abilities." "But, Captain, this is, after all..."

“Izuru,” Mashiro interrupted him, her gaze deepening as if she could see into Kira’s heart, “Remember, don’t just prepare for the battle at hand. Sometimes, how to survive a Pyrrhic victory is far more important than how to win.”

Kira Izuru's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. Mashiro's words were like a fog, unfathomable to him, yet seemingly containing some profound philosophy.

Reason made him fall into deep thought.

Mashiro watched his earnest expression, a subtle smile playing on her lips. This was exactly the effect she wanted. She stood up, stretched, and looked up at the sky again.

"Three days... Fine, let's build this stage a little higher." She murmured softly, "Aizen, Ichigo... please don't let me down."

As the storm brews, the entire Seireitei is making its final preparations for this fateful war in its own way. This moment of tranquility, therefore, seems all the more precious and eerie.

On the second day of preparations, the Seireitei's high-speed war machine had shifted from its initial roar to a steady, efficient hum. The initial shock and commotion following the issuance of orders had subsided, replaced by a deep-seated, methodical tension. The Kidoshu soldiers continuously reinforced the defensive barriers around the Seireitei's walls, the light of their spiritual pressure flickering in the morning mist. The number of patrol members in each squad had increased several times over; their steps were steady, their eyes sharp, vigilant for any possible disturbance.

The entire Seireitei is like an ancient fortress being awakened, with every brick and every inch of land gathering strength for the upcoming decisive battle.

Squad 12, Technology Development Bureau.

The atmosphere here is more chaotic and more frenzied than anywhere else in Seireitei.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi was suspended in the center of the laboratory, his ghostly figure surrounded by countless holographic screens.

On the screen, massive amounts of data were being refreshed at an astonishing speed—analysis of Halibel's spiritual structure, models of spiritual pressure fluctuations after her Resurrection, and complex calculations involving secret communication with Kisuke Urahara to jointly construct a replica of Karakura Town.

"Not enough! The data is still not enough!" Mayuri Kurotsuchi screamed, his face, painted with black and white varnish, filled with a morbid excitement and dissatisfaction. "That woman! That bastard Mamoru! She actually dared to hide such a perfect sample and only gave me some incomplete data!"

On the main screen in front of him, Mashiro's face with a languid smile was clearly displayed; she seemed to be lying on some unknown...

Enjoying tea and snacks leisurely by the hot spring.

"Oh dear, Captain Necrophos, you can't say that." Mashiro's voice came through the communication device, tinged with a hint of teasing, "Heribel is..."

How can I just hand over my important research materials to you to be dismantled into pieces?

"You!" Veins bulged on Mayuri Kurotsuchi's forehead. He knew that Mashiro was deliberately keeping him in suspense.

“However…” Mashiro changed the subject, casually sending over an encrypted data packet, “This contains detailed data on the flow of spiritual particles within Harribel's body after her Resurrection. I think, with Captain Nemu's abilities, you should be able to analyze some interesting things from it, right? Like… a special toxin targeting the Espada's core?”

Mayuri Kurotsuchi's breath hitched. He stared at the data stream on the screen that was instantly being analyzed, his eyes gleaming with a greedy and fanatical light. He knew that Mashiro was feeding him, using the most irresistible bait to drive him to serve this war.

"Hmph, you're smart to know what's good for you." Mayuri Kurotsuchi snorted coldly, cut off the communication, and ignored everything else. His hands began to dance rapidly on the control panel like a mad artist.

A new "creation" is about to be born. Squad 2, Underground Training Grounds.

This was one of the most secret training grounds in Seireitei, but now it had become Ichigo Kurosaki's personal proving ground. "Not ready yet, Ichigo-kun?" Mashiro's voice echoed in Ichigo's mind like a ghost.

Ichigo sat cross-legged in the center of the training ground, his eyes closed, with Tensagetsu lying horizontally on his lap. He was practicing "sword Zen," trying to enter his inner world once again.

After the first day of training, he had gained a basic understanding of the source of his inner "false fear." He knew that what he needed to do was not to eliminate it, but to conquer it.

“Take a deep breath, relax,” Yoruichi’s voice rang out beside him, guiding him. “Sink your consciousness into the depths of Zangetsu, face him, Ichigo, that is also yourself.”

Ichigo's breathing gradually became steady. When he "opened his eyes" again, the scene before him was no longer the training ground, but that familiar inner world made up of countless crooked skyscrapers.

The sky has cleared, and the oppressive gray rain is gone.

Not far in front of him, a figure in pure white, exactly like him, was holding a white Tensuo Zan Yue and looking at him with an arrogant expression.

"Yo, Your Majesty." White Ichigo grinned, a smile full of wildness and provocation. "What? You finally have the guts to come see me in person?" This time, Ichigo did not feel fear as usual; his eyes were unusually calm.

"I didn't come to see you," Ichigo said in a deep voice. "I came to tell you who truly owns this place."

"Huh?!" Ichigo exclaimed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. "Master? You coward who doesn't even dare to unleash your full power? Don't forget, whose power did you rely on for every battle and every victory you won!"

White Ichigo's figure vanished instantly, and the next moment, he appeared in front of Ichigo, his white Zangetsu sword slashing down with a sharp whistling sound that tore through the air!

Ichigo's pupils contracted, and he immediately raised Tensa Zangetsu to block. "Clang!"

The blades clashed, sending sparks flying. A tremendous force emanated from the blades, forcing Ichigo to stagger backward.

"See that? Your Majesty!" White Ichigo grinned, his attacks like a raging storm. "This is instinct! This is battle! Your weak defenses..."

In the face of such pure power, it is utterly worthless!

Ichigo gritted his teeth, struggling to hold on. He knew that what White Ichigo said was true; all along, he had been subconsciously relying on this violent instinct.

Chapter 225: The Calm Before the Storm (Part 2)

Just then, Mashiro's languid voice suddenly rang out in this inner world. She was sitting on the top of a skyscraper, watching the battle below with great interest.

"Ichigo-kun, what are you still hesitating about?" Her voice carried a hint of mockery. "He's teaching you how to fight, yet you're still afraid of hurting yourself? How ridiculous. He's your instinct, your desire to win. Are you going to let your fear control your instincts?"

Mashiro's words exploded in Ichigo's mind like a thunderclap. Fear...controlling instinct?

Ichigo stared at the white figure attacking wildly before him, and felt a sudden jolt in his heart as he saw the pure, burning desire for battle in the figure's eyes.

Yes, what am I afraid of? Am I afraid of losing control? Am I afraid of turning into a monster?

No... what I fear is losing the power to protect others.

But if I can't even conquer myself, how can I talk about protecting myself?

"Shut up!" Ichigo roared, abandoning his passive defense and actively meeting White Ichigo's attack.

The black Tensagetsu and the white Tensa Zangetsu clashed wildly in mid-air. This was no longer a simple contest of swordsmanship, but a battle of wills.

White Ichigo's attacks are wild and deadly, each strike filled with a destructive desire. Ichigo's attacks, on the other hand, carry a resolute determination to protect, unwavering and indomitable.

"It's no use! It's no use!" Ichigo laughed wildly, "Your will will eventually be devoured by me! I am the king!" "No..." Ichigo's eyes grew sharper and sharper in the fierce clash, "You are not the king."

He suddenly unleashed his spiritual pressure, knocking Ichigo back. Then, instead of swinging his sword again, he planted Tensa Zangetsu into the ground.

"You are merely my power, a part of me." Ichigo stretched out his hand, looking directly into White Ichigo's mischievous eyes. "And I am the one who controls this power."

A powerful...king!

Bai Yihu was stunned. Looking at the unwavering determination in Yihu's eyes and the unprecedentedly strong willpower, the arrogance on his face wavered for the first time.

Ichigo took a step forward, showing no fear, and walked directly in front of White Ichigo. "Give me your strength," Ichigo's voice was calm yet full of power.

White Ichigo instinctively gripped Zangetsu tightly, but under the pressure of Ichigo's powerful will, his hand began to tremble slightly. Finally, he let out a low, unwilling roar and handed the white Tensa Zangetsu to Ichigo.

As Ichigo grasped the White Moon Sword, his figure transformed into specks of white light, merging into his body. An unprecedentedly powerful force awakened deep within Ichigo's soul.

When Ichigo opened his Sharingan again, he had returned to the real world. He felt exhausted, but his mind was clearer than ever before.

He slowly raised his hand, and a black spiritual pressure condensed in his palm. Then, a complete Void Mask, without the slightest crack, slowly emerged.

"Not bad." Mashiro's voice came from ahead, a hint of approving smile on her face. "At least it's starting to look good. Don't disappoint me for another day."

Third Division, Captain's Office.

As night fell, Kira Izuru finally finished dealing with the mountain of documents. He leaned back wearily in his chair, gazing at the deep night outside the window. He was all alone in the large office.

The seat that should have belonged to the captain remained empty, and he recalled what Mashiro had said to him during the day.

"Don't just prepare for the battle at hand. Sometimes, how to survive a Pyrrhic victory is far more important than how to win." A Pyrrhic victory?

?

A strange chill ran through Kira Izuru's heart.

With such a powerful force assembled by the Gotei 13, and Captain-Commander Yamamoto personally leading the expedition, could it be... that even so, they can only expect a Pyrrhic victory? What kind of future did Captain Shinji foresee?

This fear, born of the unknown, clung to his heart like a bone, preventing him from sleeping. On the last day before the decisive battle, dawn was breaking.

The air in Seireitei was as taut as a bowstring stretched to its limit.

Yesterday's efficient preparation rhythm has turned into a deeper, more somber silence, like the calm before the storm.

The soldiers were no longer in a hurry; their steps became steady and solemn, and on every face was the resignation of an impending final battle. The light of dawn could not penetrate the thick, leaden clouds, casting a grim gray veil over this final calm.

Mashiro's figure, like a wandering ghost, moved through this desolate scene. Her leisurely demeanor, so out of place with her surroundings, was itself a...

A silent declaration. She is both a player and a spectator, examining the chessboard she herself has set up with a detached attitude.

Second Division, Hidden Mobile Headquarters.

Soi Fon's figure blurred into a series of afterimages on the training field.

Sweat had already soaked through her shihachi outfit, but her movements were even more fierce and swift than yesterday, as if she were squeezing out every last bit of strength from her body.

The white wind pressure generated by "Instant Roar" gathered behind her, emitting a low hiss. Every move she made was filled with unreserved killing intent. "Pfft, you're really hardworking, little bee."

That familiar yet unsettling voice rang out from behind her again, without warning.

Soi Fon's movements suddenly froze. She quickly stopped, turned around, and saw Mashiro leaning against the door frame of the training ground with that playful smile on her face.

"What...what brings you here again?" Soi Fon's voice trembled slightly.

After yesterday's reflection, her inner struggle not only did not subside, but intensified.

"Let's see if you've ruined yourself with this training." Qi Bai slowly stepped forward, her gaze like the most precise ruler, sweeping over Soi Fon's body, which trembled slightly from extreme training. "Still so tense, so strained. If you keep going like this, you'll break before you even reach the battlefield."

Mashiro walked up to Soi Fon, reached out, and gently brushed away a bead of sweat from Soi Fon's cheek with her fingertips. The gentle touch sent a jolt through Soi Fon's body as if she had been electrocuted.

"Don't be so tense." Mashiro leaned down and whispered in Soi Fon's ear, her warm breath brushing against her sensitive earlobe. "A warrior who has forgotten pleasure is vulnerable. Do you remember... what I taught you?"

Soi Fon's cheeks flushed bright red instantly. Mashiro's words were like a key, unlocking those deliberately sealed-away nighttime scenes from the depths of her memory.

“In the battle to come,” Mashiro’s voice carried a hint of seduction, “try to trust your instincts, not the rules and regulations in your head. Sometimes, the body is far more honest than the mind.”

After saying that, Mashiro withdrew her hand, turned and left, leaving Soi Fon alone, her mind in turmoil.

Chapter 226: The Expedition (Part 1)

The Shihōin family residence.

In stark contrast to Soi Fon's tension, Yoruichi lay relaxed on the courtyard corridor, enjoying the tranquility of her last day.

"What? You missed me so soon?" Yoruichi didn't turn around, but her languid voice indicated that she had noticed the person who had come. Shinji sat down beside her, picked up the teapot on the stone table without any ceremony, and poured himself a cup of tea.

"Come see my little wildcat, see if he's been scurrying around because he misses me too much." Mashiro's tone was slightly teasing; their conversations were always full of playful banter.

This was filled with a subtle, almost imperceptible exchange.

Yoruichi snorted softly, turned over, and looked at Mashiro with her golden, feline-like eyes: "You're quite carefree, leaving the entire Third Division to that lousy vice-captain Kira, while you wander around aimlessly."

"That child needs training," Mashiro said casually, as if everything was within her calculations. "But you, instead of spending time with your precious child..."

"Students, are you here to slack off?"

“That kid Ichigo doesn’t need me to teach him anymore.” Yoruichi sat up, her loose kimono slipping down to reveal a few ambiguous red marks on her bronze skin. “You’ve already helped him open the most crucial door. How far he can go from here is up to him.”