You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

Iori coldly looked down at Barragan's head: "I don't want to ask another question."

die?

Like just now?

Let that immense despair engulf your entire being, as if all your value has been negated, making you as insignificant as a grain of sand scattered everywhere...

No!

That was the only ending he couldn't accept!

The only thing I can't do is die at the hands of this man!

"Then... I will... pledge my loyalty to you!"

At that moment, Barragán felt that his dignity and soul had been trampled into the mud!

However, what humiliated him even more was that after saying those words, he felt incredibly relaxed and relieved...

Is this feeling... "reassuring"?

Just as small animals may feign death in the face of a predator, it is easier to accept one's fate and let the predator prey on one's unmatched power than to fight against an opponent that cannot be defeated.

The mighty King of Hueco Mundo has actually fallen to this state...

"In that case, I'll keep you." Iori casually pointed. "You can keep the crown yourself."

"Ugh... Ahh!"

The intense heat, distorting light and shadow, engulfed the crown, melting it into flowing molten gold, and poured the skull of Barragán into a golden vessel.

"Well!"

Are you afraid of death, Barragán?

Amidst the shocked and awe-inspiring gazes of the many Adjuchas, Iori ascended the high platform and sat majestically on what he considered a rather simple throne.

"If that's the case, you can rest assured."

Because from this day forward, your 'deaths' belong to me!

Chapter 281: Kuchiki's Family Letter (4K)

[Respectfully yours]

Father, it has been some time since we last met. I wonder how you are doing. Although you are in the prime of your life and have always been in good health, I still hope you will take good care of yourself. Please delegate most of the matters at home and in the court to your subordinates and avoid overworking yourself.

The sky above the ellipse is always unchanging, with neither sunrise nor sunset, only a starless night hanging high above, with only a crescent moon to be seen, which is truly lonely.

We, the dead, are different from the living; we are quite insensitive to the passage of time, especially here where there is no distinction between day and night, no change of seasons, and no change of worldly affairs, yet we are completely unaware of it.

However, military affairs proceeded smoothly, and the Hueco Mundo campaign was on track, making promising progress.

Captain Aizen possesses a gentle yet ruthless nature, acting decisively and boldly, yet always managing to balance both military and civilian affairs with ease, displaying both boldness and meticulousness. He treats his subordinates with fairness and impartiality, without discrimination based on background or personal preferences affecting official duties. He treats everyone with sincerity and does not govern the army with empty words, thus earning the respect and obedience of his subordinates.

Such a person is like water, yielding to both gentleness and strength, thus being compatible with all regardless of social status, blending together peacefully, and employing both the good and the bad.

I believe that if anything changes in the future, this person will be the one to bring peace to the Soul Society!

I have gained a great deal under his tutelage. He is knowledgeable, worldly-wise, and gifted. Being his friend is like drinking fine wine; though I am in a prestigious position, I do not feel lonely. If I had remained in the court, I would certainly not have had such an experience. My father's profound thinking is admirable.

I am well, don't worry.

another:

Please convey my regards to my wife and younger sister. As a husband, I have many shortcomings, but we will meet again someday. I have not forgotten our promise to admire the cherry blossoms. Please do not worry.

[Rotten Wood, Pure and Unyielding]

...Using cotton yarn to absorb the excess ink, Cang Chun carefully placed the brush on the brush holder, reviewed the letter from beginning to end again, nodded slightly, and after the ink dried, folded it up and sealed it in an exquisite lacquer cylinder, hanging a talisman with the family crest of the rotten wood clan on it.

While people in Hueco Mundo cannot send letters back at any time, the portal connecting the two worlds opens periodically. The Soul Society sends supplies to this side and also sends back battle reports from that period.

When that time comes, someone will naturally take the letter away for Kuchiki Sojun—this level of convenience can hardly be called a privilege, let alone for the Kuchiki family, the head of the nobility.

He placed the cylinder down, smiled slightly, and then shook his head:

He actually wanted to greet his father, wife, and other family members in a more casual tone, but he also knew that as a nobleman, he had to maintain elegance and propriety at all times and could not reveal his true feelings without reservation, as that would make him seem less reserved and tactful.

Moreover, the Kuchiki family was known for its serious (old-fashioned) family tradition. His father, Ginryo, was actually a very easy-going person, but after succeeding as the head of the family and becoming the captain, he had lived with that serious demeanor for hundreds of years... Cang Chun couldn't even remember the last time his father smiled.

If I were to express too much emotion in the letter, my father would surely think I was immature and cause me unnecessary worry.

Cang Chun was not afraid of being questioned, but she did not want her father to worry about it, so she wrote the letter with considerable restraint.

He was going to write a more private letter to his wife later... but naturally, it would be sent separately from this one.

As a result, while writing the letter just now, because I had too many emotions to express, I unconsciously focused on Captain Aizen, and before I knew it, it took up most of the page, which was quite embarrassing.

However, there wasn't a single false statement in the letter, nor was he deliberately trying to comfort his father or praise Iori; ultimately, it was all his true thoughts:

In Kuchiki Sojun's opinion, Iori was an exceptionally outstanding, even "perfect", Shinigami!

As a commander-in-chief, the most important qualities are undoubtedly combat effectiveness and leadership ability. Iori has proven these qualities to others more than once, so there is no need to doubt them. During this campaign against Hueco Mundo, Kuchiki Sōjun also witnessed firsthand how Iori subdued a group of unruly rūon, how he instilled awe in the spoiled noble youths, and how he made the best use of them by placing them in the most suitable positions.

Precise, calm, and efficient, it feels like a machine issuing instructions.

Besides that, what Cang Chun admires most is his decisiveness and ability to act!

Having just arrived in Hueco Mundo and established a camp, Iori ordered the continued maintenance of the portal connecting to Soul Society, preparing to retreat to Hueco Mundo at any time. He himself, accompanied by two trusted confidants, and referring to the combat records of the previous expeditionary general (Saito Futabashi), went almost alone to the lair of the Menos Grande!

The lair known as Las Noches is estimated to contain at least dozens of Adjuchas, and the one who reigns supreme and commands the entire Hueco Mundo is known as "The Emperor," Vasto Lorde.

What kind of fighting force is this?

According to the historical records of Soul Society, Vasto Lorde is a being that surpasses even the Captain-level!

Of course, as the saying goes, "historians rarely understand military affairs," meaning that those who record documents often only look at data or results and cannot perceive the true gap in strength.

A more accurate way to put it is:

Vastod's spiritual pressure surpasses that of ordinary captains, and only a few elite captains can rival him.

Just think of him as a veteran captain. It might not sound like much, but you should know that this "Emperor" almost took down the first captain, Saito!

It can only be said that spiritual pressure is one thing, and supernatural ability is another. The King of Las Noches is obviously an extremely special individual and cannot be generalized.

If we consider Adjuchas as a vice-captain or a high-ranking officer, then Las Noches' strength surpasses that of any of the Thirteen Divisions, and may even exceed that of two or three divisions combined.

Faced with such a dangerous Hollow Nest, Captain Aizen disregarded his personal safety and personally went to confront the King of Hueco Mundo, engaging in a fierce battle witnessed by countless monsters!

In the end, Death had a slight advantage, but fearing the opponent's ability to age and destroy all things, he was unable to kill him...

Even so, it made the other side fully aware of the power of the Shinigami and successfully concluded a non-aggression pact—which was also Captain Aizen's original goal.

The King of Hueco Mundo's power is "absolutely and overwhelmingly strong" for ordinary Shinigami. Apart from him, no one in the entire expeditionary force can match him. Moreover, since his last duel with Saito, he has known about the existence of the expeditionary force, so it is hard to guarantee that he will not also become interested in this new force.

Therefore, Iori decided to intimidate the King of Hueco Mundo before the two sides clashed!

Of course, the "non-aggression pact" here does not refer to a treaty between Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, but merely a tacit understanding between the Expeditionary Force and Las Noches.

It doesn't mean that Iori and the others can't fight against the Hollows. In fact, this only reduces the potential threat to the expeditionary force, but it won't affect the mission.

Because Hueco Mundo is extremely vast, and the number of Hollows living there is as numerous as grains of sand, not to mention the various miscellaneous Hollows and Gillians, even the Adjuchas are numerous. Those gathered in Las Noches probably make up less than one-twentieth of the total number, but because they are scattered throughout Hueco Mundo, they appear very rare.

(The title of "King" of Barragan is actually quite exaggerated, because he did not dominate the entire Hueco Mundo, but rather there was no stronger Vasto Lorde within his "known sphere".)

In reality, the strongest among the Hollows right now is probably the wandering lone wolf, Stark.

Iori only promised not to attack Adjuchas belonging to Las Noches, but all other wild Menos Grande are free targets to be hunted.

In this way, Aizen Iori subdued the entire Las Noches with his own power, making the ruler of Hueco Mundo yield and eliminating the biggest security threat to the expeditionary force.

From then on, Kuchiki Soujun and the others would only face wild Adjuchas at most, and there would be no organized Hollow attacks, nor would the "Emperor" take the initiative to invade.

What courage! What methods!

And to make this decision, one must possess immense confidence!

Kuchiki Sojun received a rigorous and serious aristocratic education from a young age, which discouraged overly daring attempts. He had never seen anyone as arrogant and unrestrained as Iori!

Of course, such a risky action would be labeled as foolish if it failed, but Iori was clearly not a reckless man with mere courage, but had foreseen the outcome and was fully confident.

This undoubtedly impressed Kuchiki Sojun so much that he praised him extensively in his letters home...

Unfortunately, with his frail body, he couldn't even withstand Bankai, and he didn't know if he would ever reach Captain level in his lifetime. As for wanting to penetrate enemy territory and subdue the enemy leader like Iori, it was practically impossible.

Therefore, even as the heir to the Kuchiki family, one of the great noble families, Sou Chun couldn't help but sigh:

"How admirable, Captain Aizen~"

-

It's a pity Iori didn't hear Aojun's inner thoughts, otherwise she could have given him a famous quote and added a CG to enhance the art style.

A few days ago, he led Esdeath and Tosen to Las Noches and defeated Barragan, successfully crushing the Vasto Lorde and using the golden skull as proof to subdue all the Adjuchas except for a few die-hards.

Subsequently, when the second Vastod, also known as Szayelaporro, the chief science officer under Barragán, came to pay homage and pledged his loyalty to Iori without any reservations, this expeditionary general had already conquered Las Noches and become the new "King"!

Of course, this is just a title for now. The current Hueco Mundo is just a facade. When Iori gathers five or six Vastodes, three-digit Adjuchas, or develops Arrancar technology, then he will be the true "King of Hueco Mundo"!

As for now?

He was impatiently processing various documents, occasionally putting them down and gently rubbing his temples...

Unfortunately, he now holds two positions: not only must he handle various matters as the general of the expeditionary force, but he must also review Szayelaporro's research findings as the King of Hueco Mundo... This enormous amount of information makes him extremely irritable.

While the Third Law's constitution allows him to not need rest, physical strength and mental fortitude cannot be generalized...

"The work on the expeditionary force side can be handed over to Cang Chun... um, the patient... or some can be given to Tian Bei."

As for the Las Noches, only my trusted confidants can examine it, but Tosen... uh, Esdeath... even if she were willing, she probably wouldn't understand it, right?

Iori suddenly felt an urge to facepalm: "I really should have brought Sera instead of this Queen. If Sera were here, she could probably learn the local writing and spiritual energy system in two or three days with the help of the 'crown'... Too bad, now it's just me~"

Even so, there's no need to be too pessimistic. After all, he doesn't have any editors or bosses pressuring him to the brink. Since there's no time limit, he can just take it one step at a time.

He shook his head slightly, and with a wave of his hand, he "pulled" open a crack in the void, sending all the documents on the table into it and making them disappear—these things couldn't be seen by people like Cang Chun.

This technique is a storage magic from "Uncle in Another World". It was originally a secret technique of the elven royal family, but Iori learned it from the tsundere lady. Because the spatial structure and fluid properties of different worlds are different, it has only been adapted to the world in the last two days.

Having concealed the "evidence," Iori calmly took out paper and pen, sat upright in her large tent, and began to write something down:

He is making plans for his "future".

The mission assigned by Seireitei for this expedition to Hueco Mundo is actually not much, as Iori, who has already conquered Las Noches, can complete it at any time.

In other words, at this time he was "above everyone else" in Hueco Mundo, had a lot of free time, and did not have the invisible pressure of his teacher, Captain-Commander Yamamoto. It was a good opportunity for him to develop his strength quietly!

Upon closer reflection, he does indeed need some time to smoothly transition and further enhance his strength.

The worlds of "Shadow Reality," "Uncle from Another World," and "Type-Moon" still have untapped potential, and the Dragon Veins in "Akame ga Kill!" also need further evolution.

In the Bleach series, there are two projects that need in-depth research: Hollowfication and Arrancar. Although there is Szayelaporro who can replace Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Iori doesn't want to rely on him too much and prefers to do things herself if possible.

As for her own strength, Shunko and Hado Zero can still be improved, and it's time to speed up the training of her Zanpakuto's Bankai. After all, Iori's foundation is still the power of the Shinigami, and she can't abandon the most basic power.

...As the various items were listed one by one, Iori initially frowned, but gradually relaxed.

It's okay, he has plenty of time!

If one year isn't enough, try two. If two years isn't enough, try ten!

Let alone the Third Law of Immortality, even for an ordinary Shinigami, several years is just a small segment of life.

"call……"

Iori stretched, then reached out and pulled out a notebook from the void belonging to Szayelaporro, which contained an alternative understanding of the hierarchy of Hollows. He began to read it carefully.

Iori knew that these notes were most likely just Szayelaporro's "old belongings" and definitely not part of his current research. However, he did not intend to usurp Apollo's research results, but rather to start from scratch and gain a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the "Void" species.

Only in this way can we truly understand the source of power for Hollowfication and the Arrancar!

"Phew...looks like things are about to get busy, heh~"

Chapter 282: Chaldea's Wrong Method of Time Travel (4K)

“Ichoos Chuila…”

As the obscure and difficult incantation was uttered, Iori's body began to change gradually. His handsome white trench coat turned into a jet-black cloak, and the handsome young man seemed to have spent thousands of years in an instant. His skin and muscles withered, and his eyeballs and internal organs disappeared one by one, leaving only a pure white skeleton.

—Barragan, the King of Hueco Mundo!

The Vastod-class Hollow, resembling the Grim Reaper, exuded an extremely terrifying sense of oppression, causing the blonde girl who witnessed it all to grip the Magic Sword in shock.