The Alchemist in Bleach

The crypt was closed, and not even a trace of Aizen was left. Of course, it's also possible that he was hypnotized by Kyoka Suigetsu and failed to notice those traces.

This is the terrifying aspect of the Mirror Flower Water Moon illusion. Its illusion is activated silently, hiding the illusion within reality. Unless one borrows the power of the Moon Spirit, one cannot break the Mirror Flower Water Moon illusion on one's own.

Thinking of this, Ichiro also casually released the Dream Demon Illusion Technique. Regardless of whether he was still nearby, he would release him first and think about it later. Getting him out of trouble was a win!

After casting the Dream Demon Illusion Technique, Ichiro put away the Southern Saint Venerable and concealed his form, quietly landing on the ground to carefully trace the clues.

Aizen's whereabouts are hard to find, but Kuchiki Kyouga's are not difficult. In this respect, he still lacks some experience.

Soon, Ichiro followed the remaining traces of Kuchiki Hibiki and found the basement where he had stayed.

Unfortunately, it was too late. The Rotting Wood River Man was gone, and even most of the traces of the Black Chamber's opening had been erased.

Ichiro walked slowly around the basement with a frown on his face. After a while, his furrowed brows relaxed a little.

Fortunately, the method to erase the traces of the black cavity was pre-designed and then automatically triggered, because based on the remaining fluctuations, the location that the black cavity just led to could still be pinpointed.

There is still hope!

A moment later, Ichiro opened the black chamber that Aizen had closed. Standing in front of the chamber, he glanced at Yue Ling, frowned, and without waiting for her any longer, rushed straight in.

The Moon Spirit didn't come, presumably because it had its own plans. Ichiro didn't want to interfere too much with the Moon Spirit's choices, because the Moon Spirit was too obedient and almost everything was based on him, which was not good, very bad.

Intelligence is too active, so it needs some restraint; the situation is different.

……

Suddenly, a pitch-black crack appeared in the air above the seemingly empty sandy surface of Hueco Mundo, and Ichiro rushed out from it.

Standing in the air, Ichiro squinted at the endless sand plain, his senses spreading out as he searched for any traces that Kuchiki Hibiki River might have left behind.

"Hmm? They disappeared so completely, and they even arranged for someone to contact them? With such thorough preparations, is it Urahara or Aizen...?"

Ichiro thought for a while and felt it should be Aizen, because Urahara wouldn't use Hueco Mundo as a business location. Without mobility, it's like a stagnant pool.

I'm doing alright in Soul Society, but once I leave Soul Society and officially arrive in Hueco Mundo, the desolation here will teach me a good lesson...

Especially now that Hueco Mundo is under the full surveillance of the Seireitei, it is even less suitable as a long-term development goal.

Therefore, the only one who would choose this place as a way out is Aizen.

After all, when he is fully exposed, that will be the time for his final action. Hueco Mundo is just a place for him to accumulate troops and conduct experiments. It's okay as a temporary base, but it's far from being a true base.

Ichiro lowered his head and pondered for a while. When he raised his head again, most of the emotions in his eyes had been suppressed. In contrast, his spiritual sense was greatly enhanced. Soon, Ichiro sensed the approximate location of Kuchiki Hibiki.

As he sensed his location, his emotions returned quickly. Ichiro rubbed his eyes. Why did he feel like he was using this ability much more frequently in recent years?

As a result, the effect became worse and worse...

As for the emotional loss that I was initially worried about, it did not occur.

Shaking his head, Ichiro stopped dwelling on the matter, drew his Zanpakuto from his waist again, and whispered, "Come forth, Holy Lord Nanli!"

"boom!"

The fiery and magnificent wings of flames unfolded behind Ichiro once again. With a flap of his wings, Ichiro instantly transformed into a shooting star and flew towards Kuchiki Hibiki!

The scorching heatwave tore through the few clouds in the sky, creating an unusually noticeable scene. However, due to Ichiro's terrifying yet familiar and frightening spiritual pressure, the Hollows who noticed Ichiro fled the area.

Including the few Adjuchas scattered around, they are the fastest runners!

There was no way around it; the damage that Ichiro and Urahara caused to Hueco Mundo back then was simply too great. While ordinary Hollows without much reason might not react much, the fear was deeply ingrained in the hearts of these Hollows with independent consciousness.

Not to mention, Ichiro's spiritual pressure is now much stronger than it was decades ago!

Ichiro's unbridled spiritual pressure also attracted the attention of Kuchiki Kyoga and Barragan, who were not far ahead. The two looked solemnly in the direction from which Ichiro was flying.

"Didn't you say it was foolproof and absolutely impossible to find?" Kuchiki Hibiki looked at Barragan with a grim expression and questioned him.

At this moment, Barragan's expression was not much better; his face was gloomy. Logically speaking, after everything had been handled so thoroughly, it should be impossible to find any trace. So where exactly was it exposed?

"Oh~ Isn't this His Majesty Barragan? Long time no see. You've become an Arrancar?"

Before the two could think further, the blazing fire meteor stopped instantly above their heads, the flames slowly dissipating to reveal Ichiro's ambiguous smile.

"Tenshin Ichiro... how did you find us?"

"That's none of your concern. What I'd like to ask you is, what are you doing with our Soul Society's fugitive? Don't tell me you orchestrated his defection... To be honest, I have no interest in wiping out Hueco Mundo right now."

"Ha~ How arrogant! You can try!" Faced with Ichiro's provocation, when had Barragan, the king of Hueco Mundo, ever been treated with such humiliation? Even Aizen spoke to him in a conciliatory tone!

Although Aizen is like that with everyone...

But this did not diminish his arrogance, therefore,

Faced with Ichiro's hook, he readily took the bait...

Of course, he was well aware of Ichiro's strength. Even he had to admit that Ichiro was absolutely among the top in terms of both strategy and strength, not to mention that Ichiro's spiritual pressure was now even stronger than when he attacked Hueco Mundo.

"Rot away, Skull Emperor!"

In a burst of black spiritual pressure, Barragan's face and body transformed into a skull, his feet clad in upturned boots, his entire body covered in black flames, and a long silver chain dangled from a corner of his multi-layered crown—his Resurrección form!

Barragan's rapidly expanding spiritual pressure and the heart-palpitating power emanating from him astonished Kuchiki Hibiki, who was standing nearby. This guy is so strong!

Compared to Kuchiki Hibiki, Ichiro was much more composed. He already knew some of Barragan's strength, and of course, he was also surprised. For example, the death energy flowing through Barragan's body made him take a second look.

The Barragan of the past, and even the Barragan of the original story more than a hundred years later, could not do this—perfectly control his own death power!

This means that the situation where he can no longer be killed by transferring the power of death into Barragan's body is even more troublesome.

"Hiss~~~Whoosh~~~"

After releasing his Zanpakuto, Barragan didn't give Ichiro a chance to catch his breath. He took a deep breath and then exhaled a death sigh!

A gray aura symbolizing death swept towards Ichiro. Ichiro raised the Southern Bird Sparrow in his right hand, and as his spiritual pressure circulated, the golden flames wrapped around it suddenly surged!

With a wave of his hand, Ichiro unleashed a wave of flames that directly met the gray Death Sigh!

However, what shocked Barragán was...

The blazing golden flames collided with the Death Sigh, but were not devoured by the death power within it. Instead, the two collided and canceled each other out!

His power of death has failed!

"Heh~ Surprised? You didn't think you were the only one who's improved over the years, Your Majesty Barragán~ Oh, by the way~"

"call out!"

Ichiro suddenly appeared behind Barragan and Kuchiki Hibiki, unleashing another slash while saying, "I don't mind if you two come at me together, or rather, if you come at me alone, then defeat is all that awaits you~"

Despite their quick reactions, Kuchiki Kyoga and Barragan were still blasted away by Ichiro's flames after Ichiro's "friendly reminder"!

"Muramasa!"

After blocking Ichiro's attack, Kuchiki Kyoga immediately drew his Zanpakuto from his waist and summoned Muramasa, preparing to fight with all his might!

He had no choice, after all, Ichiro's target was him.

However, when Muramasa appeared beside Kuchiki Hibiki, Ichiro was taken aback. He had seen Muramasa before at the Soul King Palace, and he remembered that Muramasa's aura was completely different then. Why was it like this now...?

Unfortunately, Ichiro didn't have time to think. While he was still in a daze, Barragan had already swung his axe at him!

"boom!"

At the critical moment, Ichiro's spiritual pressure rapidly flowed into the Southern Saint Venerable, and a blazing pillar of flame suddenly rose from Ichiro's center, knocking away Barragan's flying axe. At the same time, the almost liquid flames beside him also forced back the approaching Kuchiki Hibiki and Muramasa.

"Yan Ge~"

"Chirp~"

With a clear cry, countless fiery sword energies, resembling swallows, attacked Bailergang, Kuchiki Hibiki, and Muramasa and his spirit!

"Binding Spell Number Eighty-One: Severing the Void!"

"Binding Spell Number Eighty-One: Severing the Void - Reversing Demonic Killing Technique!"

"Bang!"

Kuchiki Hibiki stared in shock at the collapsing void before him. For a moment, his mind almost stopped. He couldn't understand what was going on.

He knew about the "anti-demon killing" technique, the signature move of the Second Division Captain Yoruichi Shihouin. In Shunko, he used his own Kido (Kido of the same quality and quantity) to cancel out the opponent's Kido. It was like filling the hole in the enemy's Kido with his own Kido, making both Kido disappear completely – a "peaceful" tactic.

It is a seemingly simple but difficult-to-operate technique that can easily lead to mutual destruction if not handled properly.

It's perfectly reasonable for Ichiro, Yoruichi's close friend, to use this technique.

but!

This is a close-combat Kido technique!

Why can it be used in chanting about the ghost path?

He didn't understand, he really didn't understand. This was completely beyond his understanding of the Ghost Path, which left him stunned and frozen in place, not even having time to dodge.

That's understandable; after all, Yoruichi almost broke down when she first saw that move...

The same quality of demonic path, and the same demonic path, are completely different...

"Xianghe!"

However, don't forget that we are in battle...

The broken void meant to block the fiery sword energy had not yet taken shape, and he was still in a state of shock. Even if it was only for a moment, countless fiery sword energies still rushed directly towards him!

On the other side, Muramasa, who had just blocked the fiery sword energy, shouted with concern upon seeing this. At the same time, he used the characteristics of the sword spirit to instantly appear in front of Kuchiki Hibiki, spread his arms, and used his body to block the attack for him!

There was no way around it; time was too tight and the distance too close. He simply didn't have time to defend himself. Even though Barragan was there to relieve some of the pressure for them, a large amount of fiery sword energy still landed on them and passed right through their spiritual pressure defenses, causing them considerable injuries.

"Don't get distracted, kid! Who do you think you're fighting!"

"Muramasa! Are you alright?" Kuchiki Hibiki ignored Barragan and looked at Muramasa, who had blocked the attack for him, with concern on his face. He supported him with both hands, completely disregarding the battle.

This scene infuriated Barragán so much that he jumped up and down, thinking, "Damn it, he's hopeless!"

Why would Aizen take a liking to someone like that?

However, no matter how dissatisfied he was, this was, after all, a task assigned by Aizen, and he had made a confident guarantee before coming. If something went wrong, where would he put his old face?

Therefore, despite his reluctance, Barragan charged towards Ichiro, unleashing his full power to block Ichiro and prevent him from continuing his attack on Kuchiki Hibiki.

"I'm alright, Kyoga, are you alright?" Receiving Kyoga's long-awaited concern, Muramasa felt a warmth in his heart, so much so that neither of them noticed that Ichiro's fiery sword aura had left tiny marks on their wounds...

"Tenshin Ichiro!!!"

Seeing that Muramasa was alright, Kuchiki Kyoga finally breathed a sigh of relief. In that instant when Muramasa shielded him from the attack, he understood the meaning of Aizen's words: Zanpakuto truly do not betray Shinigami; they are even willing to die for Shinigami...

Even though death itself treated him this way...