Chapter 201: Aizen battles Kenpachi, the struggle for the title of Araki

"What are you all talking about?!"

"Is Captain Unohana not gentle enough already?!"

"She could clearly have sliced those enemies into thin strips, flesh and bone alike, one blade at a time while they were still alive!"

"But she didn't do that. She mercifully chose to kill them with a single strike, without any pain! That is the gentleness unique to Captain Unohana~"

"I imagine the reason Captain-Commander Araki has been able to live such a loving life with Captain Unohana for over a thousand years must be because, like me, he was drawn in by Captain Unohana's gentleness~"

Kotetsu Isane, the number one 'fan' of Unohana in the Seireitei, watched Unohana Retsu, who was bathed in the blood of her enemies, with a lovestruck expression, speaking with excitement.

"This person is beyond saving..."

Regarding this, Kuchiki Rukia, Abarai Renji, and the others shook their heads helplessly.

"Look at what kind of good deeds you've all done?!"

"You reckless brutes, do you really understand the significance of Menos to us Soul Reapers?"

"Every Menos corpse you destroy is of immeasurable value to our 'Seireitei'! You are truly infuriating me..."

Just as everyone was planning to continue forward, Kurotsuchi Mayuri looked at the corpses of the Menos littering the ground beside Kurosaki Ichigo and the others, and anger rose uncontrollably in his chest. In Mayuri's view, the actions of Ichigo and the others were simply a waste of precious resources; one had to know that every Menos corpse was a treasure of the 'Soul Society'! If they were all turned into mush by Ichigo and the others, they would have no research value whatsoever...

And so, Mayuri rushed directly in front of Yamamoto Genryusai, Unohana Retsu, and Yachiru. After his gaze swept across their faces, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly—very well, they were all people he couldn't afford to provoke! Given the status of Genryusai, Unohana, and Yachiru, they wouldn't pay any mind to a Director of the 'Department of Research and Development'! Therefore, Mayuri ultimately sought out Kurosaki Ichigo, who had the best temper among them all.

Even Mayuri understood the principle that one should pick the softest persimmon to squeeze~

"Kurosaki Ichigo, as Soul Reapers of the 'Seireitei', we have kindly come to 'Hueco Mundo' to help you rescue your companions; surely you wouldn't be unable to satisfy even this small request of ours?!"

As soon as Mayuri started, he chose to use moral kidnapping against Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Uh, this..."

Knowing he was in the wrong, Kurosaki Ichigo was left stunned by Mayuri's words.

"In short, from now on, you are not allowed to use those ridiculously powerful sword strikes of yours against enemies. Remember to leave me the complete corpses of the Menos!"

"I also ask that everyone else present remembers: every complete corpse of an enemy you leave behind will add a portion of strength to our 'Gotei 13'~"

Mayuri spoke earnestly and seriously, seemingly to Kurosaki Ichigo alone, but in reality, to everyone else present as well.

"What are we eating for lunch?!"

"Don't know!"

"Let's see what the Captain is eating!"

Unfortunately, Madarame Ikkaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika destroyed this serious atmosphere with just a few words, shifting the topic to a strange angle.

"I have brought bento boxes for everyone to eat~"

Unohana Retsu scanned everyone present with cold eyes and said coldly.

"We wouldn't dare eat your bento..."

Feeling Unohana Retsu's fierce gaze, Ikkaku and Yumichika shivered involuntarily.

"Then eat the roasted sweet potatoes I made~"

Genryusai gently stroked his long beard and smiled at everyone present.

"Okay! Give me a portion~"

Ichigo reserved his in advance.

"I'll have one too..."

Renji and Rukia were not to be outdone.

"Me too..."

The others also spoke up one after another, making their reservations.

"Bastards! Are you even listening to me?!"

For a moment, only Mayuri remained...

He roared at everyone present, extremely dissatisfied.

"Hahaha..."

Hearing Mayuri's roar, everyone burst into laughter.

Clearly, everyone was just teasing Mayuri on purpose~

After all, this guy Mayuri was simply too annoying in daily life. Whether it was the ordinary squad members of the 'Gotei 13' or the various organizations within the 'Seireitei'—such as the Women's Shinigami Association, the Tea Ceremony Association, the Calligraphy Association, the Flower Arrangement Association, or the Men's Shinigami Association—none of the members of these organizations, which were spontaneously organized by Soul Reapers and affiliated with the 'Gotei 13', had any good feelings toward Mayuri~

This included the Men's Shinigami Association, represented by iron-blooded tough guys. Its president, Iba Tetsuzaemon, had always intended to kick Mayuri out of the Men's Shinigami roster, always feeling that a brand-new roster should be created specifically for Mayuri...

"Alright, don't dawdle..."

"In any case, won't we just be a bit more careful when we encounter Menos next time?"

In the end, Genryusai made the decision.

"Sigh..."

"I hope you really understood what I just said~"

Hearing this, Mayuri sighed heavily. This was why he hated operating with those brutes the most; they weren't just rude, they were damnably rude!

For the rest of the road, everyone proceeded without obstruction!

After all, with Genryusai, Unohana, Yachiru, Kenpachi, and Kurosaki Ichigo clearing the way, all enemies before the five of them were nothing more than people offering their heads for the taking!

With the current strength of these five! Plus Ishida Uryu, who had been hiding in the shadows without making a move, even if they suddenly encountered Yhwach, who had not yet fully absorbed the Soul King, they would have a fight on their hands and could go head-to-head with him~

Not to mention dealing with these small-fry Menos! Even the King of this 'Hueco Mundo', the calculating Aizen Sosuke, would have to knit his brows and temporarily avoid the sharp edge of these five people after seeing this lineup...

Just as Genryusai and the others were clearing the path and about to walk out of the Forest of Menos, several pitch-black figures blocked their way.

"Hmm!?"

Genryusai and Unohana were both stunned when they saw the figures clearly.

Because the figures appearing before them were not Menos or Arrancar, but Soul Reapers...

"Former 'First Division' Fourth Squad 'Hueco Mundo' Extermination Squad Vice-Captain Ashido, bringing team members Shiba Tenjun, Kumoi Entetsu, and Kumoi Entetsu, pays respects to Lord Genryusai, Lady Unohana Retsu, and Princess Yachiru~"

Seeing Ashido, who had originally been responsible for monitoring Aizen, bring his three team members and rush over immediately after sensing the Reiatsu of Genryusai and the others, he knelt on one knee before them and spoke with a respectful expression.

"You are the people Araki sent to monitor Aizen, right?!"

Unohana Retsu looked at the four people before her, her delicate brows slightly furrowed. She clearly knew something, so she looked at the four and asked softly.

"Exactly!"

Hearing this, Ashido and the others immediately answered Unohana Retsu respectfully.

"They are the ones Araki sent to monitor Aizen. Araki once told me..."

Hearing this, Unohana turned to the side and spoke to Genryusai and the others present.

"It seems Captain-Commander Araki had already brought Aizen's movements under his control! Truly worthy of Captain-Commander Araki. Having such a powerful and steady Captain-Commander makes one feel truly at ease~"

After hearing Unohana Retsu's words, everyone spoke with relaxed expressions.

It had to be said, although Araki was incredibly powerful, he was truly too steady~

No matter what he did, it was always flawless~

"Since that is the case, Vice-Captain Ashido, and the other three squad members, you might as well join our extermination squad..."

"Our goal in coming to Hueco Mundo this time is only three things! Exterminate Aizen Sosuke, exterminate Aizen Sosuke, and exterminate Aizen Sosuke!!"

After thinking for a moment, Genryusai gripped his Zanpakuto and struck the ground forcefully, emitting a boom. After the crowd quieted down, he spoke softly to the four men. As for Genryusai's reason for letting Ashido and the others join them? It was actually very simple: if they directly killed Aizen Sosuke, the target Ashido and the others were responsible for monitoring, then Ashido and the others would no longer need to follow Araki's orders to monitor Aizen, right?!

"Understood!"

Ashido and the others naturally understood this logic as well.

After hearing Genryusai's order and receiving Unohana Retsu's nod of approval, they immediately merged into the Aizen Extermination Squad and became members of it...

For a time, the already ridiculously powerful Aizen Extermination Squad saw its strength increase even further! The current lineup of the Aizen Extermination Squad could be described as terrifying!

Genryusai, who had successfully joined the 'Zero Division' with Araki's help and was granted the power of the King Key by Ichibe Hyosube using the power of the 'Soul King', directly promoting him to a transcendental being...

'Death Sword' Unohana Retsu, who had gained a massive feedback of Reiatsu because she was bound to Araki's Fullbring ability, the Never-Withered Flower, and possessed a true immortal body, remaining unscathed even when struck by Lille Barro's The X-Axis~

Kurosaki Ichigo, who had unified the power within his body in advance and became a Soul King candidate in the 'Soul King Palace', and Ishida Uryu, whose basic Quincy abilities even surpassed the original work and who had successfully awakened his Schrift ability in advance with the help of Yhwach's blood~

Araki Yachiru, the daughter of Araki and Unohana Retsu, who fused all the advantages of Araki and Unohana Retsu and was a transcendental being by birth.

Zaraki Kenpachi, who had never performed self-sealing and had honed himself for hundreds of years with Araki's help, reaching the peak of Soul Reapers, not even a bit weaker than the old man Yamamoto at his peak in the original work~

It could be said that the top six combat powers of the current Aizen Extermination Squad were all transcendental beings or combat powers approaching transcendental beings! Following them were Byakuya, Kaien, Rukia, Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Hirako, as well as Isane, Taihu, and Sasakibe Chojiro, who had reached or even surpassed the Blood War period of the original work...

Plus the Ashido quartet, and Mayuri and Nemu, whose combat power was unknown but who were strong when facing the strong, killing gods when gods blocked and Buddhas when Buddhas blocked~ The combat power of their Aizen Extermination Squad had already far exceeded the 'Gotei 13' of the same period in the original work~

These twenty-plus Captain-level combat powers made Aizen Sosuke, who was watching the live broadcast in 'Las Noches', feel his scalp go numb~

'Las Noches'.

"I must separate these monsters..."

"Otherwise, things will be troublesome."

Aizen sat in the palace, silently watching Kurosaki Ichigo and the others, who were heading straight for him and whose combat power was constantly increasing, through the cameras he had spread throughout 'Hueco Mundo'. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. This was the first time in hundreds of years that Aizen had felt nervous...

"Interesting! Is this the feeling of nervousness?"

"On this unswerving journey of mine toward the heavens, feeling this subtle emotion called nervousness occasionally doesn't seem bad~"

Aizen muttered to himself, his gaze lingering on Kurosaki Ichigo and the others.

"Then! Let the good show begin~"

The moment Aizen's voice fell...

Kurosaki Ichigo and the others, who were galloping through the 'Forest of Menos', finally entered the sphere of influence of Aizen, which was shrouded by the sky curtain~

"Boom!"

When Genryusai and the others entered the sky curtain, the scene that came into view made the pupils of everyone present tremble slightly.

Within the range of their vision was a clear and azure sky, white clouds drifting and running in the air, and a scorching sun suspended in the sky, illuminating the earth~

It could be said that beneath Aizen's sky curtain and outside the sky curtain were two completely different worlds!

Inside the sky curtain, there were flowers, birds, fish, and insects, mountains, forests, streams, and long rivers~

This did not look at all like the dead and despairing world of 'Hueco Mundo'! This was more like the 'Human World' full of vitality, and more like the 'Seireitei' composed of order~

"What is the situation!?"

Kurosaki Ichigo was stunned by the scene before him. He looked at the world before him in shock, his expression carrying a bit of disbelief. Even though Kurosaki Ichigo possessed the power to sever everything, his basic panel strength was such that even if Yhwach came, he wouldn't be able to withstand it...

However, even Kurosaki Ichigo, who possessed such immense power, did not believe that he possessed the power to shape a world! He simply couldn't imagine that someone could open up a space like fertile soil or a paradise in a dead world~

While Kurosaki Ichigo suppressed the shock in his heart, he couldn't help but think: if there really was someone in this world who could achieve this level in this dead world, then perhaps it could only be the true God who stood high above and controlled everything, right?!

"Kurosaki Ichigo! Do not be deceived by everything you see before your eyes..."

"Everything you see now is nothing more than boring illusions that look beautiful but actually lead people to depravity! Do not fall for that guy Aizen's trick~"

"However, these illusions do fit the personality of that brat Aizen! He has indeed liked to tinker with boring tricks that lead people to depravity since he was a child~"

Compared to Kurosaki Ichigo, who had power but lacked experience, Genryusai, the 'Protector of the Court Founder' who had lived for thousands of years, saw through Aizen's trick at a single glance!

Genryusai knew that whether it was the sun in the sky or the mountains, streams, or forests before them, they were all just illusions that looked real~

"Hum~"

The moment Genryusai's voice fell...

A series of static noises, like someone testing a microphone, suddenly rang in the ears of Genryusai and the others who had invaded Aizen's sphere of influence~

"Everyone in the 'Soul Society', can you hear me?!"

"As you know, I am Aizen Sosuke, the King of 'Hueco Mundo'~"

Just as Genryusai and the others were puzzled, a huge 3D virtual projection suddenly appeared in front of them. The figure projected was none other than Aizen Sosuke, who was sitting in the palace of 'Las Noches' and looking at everyone dashingly.

"Aizen..."

With Aizen's appearance, the expressions of everyone present changed.

A group of Soul Reapers stared fiercely at Aizen's face, as if they were ready to make a move at any time! Among them, Hirako Shinji, Kuchiki Rukia, and Kurosaki Ichigo, who had been harmed by Aizen, had the most intense emotions~

"Aizen, answer me! Where did you take Orihime?"

After seeing Aizen's face, Kurosaki Ichigo couldn't care about anything else. He rushed directly toward Aizen's projection in the sky and pulled out his two Zanpakuto, clearly intending to give Aizen a hard blow...

"Idiot Ichigo! That's a trap!"

As for the others in the Aizen Extermination Army, seeing Kurosaki Ichigo rush directly toward Aizen's projection, they felt their scalps go numb! They shouted at Kurosaki Ichigo one after another.

Unfortunately, it was too late...

"Boom!"

The moment Kurosaki Ichigo made contact with Aizen's projection...

Kurosaki Ichigo's figure disappeared completely from before everyone, which made the expressions of the Soul Reapers present change.

"Truly an anxious child. I know that urgent and anxious feeling you have, wanting to rescue Orihime from my hands~"

"But no matter how you feel, you should at least listen to me finish speaking. This is a sign of good quality, am I right?!"

Aizen in the projection remained calm and dashing, not at all damaging his good mood because of Kurosaki Ichigo's impulsiveness~

No, to be precise, Kurosaki Ichigo's impulsiveness was also within Aizen's precise calculations...

All of this was just Aizen's plan~

"Aizen, where did you take Kurosaki Ichigo?!"

Abarai Renji gripped his Zanpakuto and roared at Aizen in the sky.

Although Abarai Renji felt a bit secretly pleased for some reason seeing Kurosaki Ichigo suffer! But he was not the type of person to destroy the whole for his own selfish desires!

Renji gripped his Zanpakuto, pointed at Aizen in the sky, and roared.

"Kurosaki Ichigo has gone where he should go~"

Hearing this, Aizen smiled faintly and then answered.

"Tsk~"

Aizen's answer clearly made everyone present extremely unhappy.

"Aizen! Hand over Kurosaki Ichigo and Inoue Orihime immediately, and then follow me back to the 'Seireitei' to apologize to your master! If you do that, you still have a path to survival. Otherwise, what awaits you ahead is definitely not a path of light..."

Unohana Retsu persuaded Aizen in the sky.

"Master Unohana, since no one has stood on this sky from the beginning! Then now that His Majesty the 'Soul King' has become an object, why can't the person standing on this sky be me?!"

After hearing Unohana's words, Aizen looked at Unohana Retsu and asked.

Aizen's attitude toward Unohana was polite enough, but his words were extremely tough!

Aizen's slightly confident and tough tone reflected Aizen's extremely firm and upward-striving heart at this moment~

"Aizen, do you know that Lord 'Soul King' is the wedge used to stabilize the Three Realms!"

"Without Lord 'Soul King', the Three Realms we are in will be destroyed! At that time, whether it is the 'Human World', 'Hueco Mundo', or the 'Soul Society', they will all cease to exist! Do you want to see such a world born?!"

Unohana Retsu's delicate brows furrowed slightly, and she said angrily to Aizen.

"Since the Three Realms will be destroyed! Then wouldn't it be fine if I personally created a brand-new world on the ruins of the Three Realms?!"

Hearing this, Aizen asked Unohana Retsu back.

"You are too arrogant, Aizen..."

Unohana Retsu's eyes carried a bit of sharp killing intent, and she said coldly to Aizen.

"Arrogant? If you call confidence arrogance, then you can consider it my arrogance! However, I hope you can open your eyes wide and watch how I step by step stand on the sky~"

"By the way, I have arranged some interesting little projects for everyone in 'Hueco Mundo'. I hope you can have fun~ At the same time, I wish you can find Inoue Orihime or Kurosaki Ichigo sooner..."

"Oh, right! Since some of you always ignore my rules, I will add one more thing! If you really want to find Kurosaki Ichigo and Inoue Orihime, you had better play by my game rules~"

The moment Aizen's voice fell, his huge projection standing between heaven and earth immediately dissipated before everyone's eyes.

"Boom!!"

It was also the moment Aizen's voice fell that the forest and mountains that had appeared before everyone disappeared, replaced by a huge maze rising from the ground!

The maze had five passages in total, and clearly, the places each passage could lead to were different...

"This is a maze?!"

"A huge maze that covers the entire 'Hueco Mundo'?"

"Aizen really has a big hand! It seems he had long anticipated that we would invade 'Hueco Mundo'! Also, it makes sense, after all, Inoue Orihime was captured by Aizen..."

Madarame Ikkaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika's pupils shrank upon seeing the huge maze before them, and they said in shock.

"So Aizen means for us to split into five groups?"

Renji looked at the five passages before him, his brows furrowed tightly.

"Split into five groups? Don't joke around. Watch me destroy everything here, wouldn't that be fine?! It's just a mere maze..."

Zaraki Kenpachi didn't take Aizen's game rules seriously at all. In his view, wasn't it just a mere maze? Watch him smash the maze along with Aizen and be done with it!

"Hey! Captain Kenpachi, wait a moment..."

However, just as Zaraki Kenpachi was preparing to strike with a heavy blow...

Kuchiki Rukia and Abarai Renji, who had not acted rashly, immediately hung onto Zaraki Kenpachi like monkeys, constantly hindering his attempt to swing his blade, forcing him to stop in his tracks.

"Hey hey hey! What are you doing?!"

Zaraki Kenpachi looked at the two hangers on his body and asked angrily.

"Captain Kenpachi, calm down! You must calm down!"

Rukia and Renji both persuaded Kenpachi constantly.

"Calm down? How do you expect me to calm down?!"

"The enemy is already right before our eyes. Do you want me to just watch?"

Kenpachi was very angry. As he said this, he was about to pull Renji and Rukia off his body.

"Kenpachi, just listen to what Renji and Rukia are saying!"

"After all, Ichigo and Orihime are both still missing~"

Unohana Retsu glanced at the angry Kenpachi and said helplessly.

"Uh..."

After hearing Unohana's words, Kenpachi barely suppressed his irritable mood. He slowly lowered the hand he was preparing to swing his blade with and said softly to the hangers on his body: "You can come down now, right?!"

"Uh, okay, okay..."

After hearing Kenpachi's words, Rukia and Renji both smiled sheepishly, immediately slid down from Kenpachi's body, and stood on both sides.

"What a hassle! It's all that stupid guy Kurosaki Ichigo's fault for not even being able to watch his own woman! Causing us to be played around by that brat Aizen..."

Kenpachi couldn't help but complain as he watched Rukia and Renji consciously come down.

"Uh..."

"Is this something that can be said?!"

"Is this something that can be said directly?!"

When everyone heard Zaraki's snide remark, cold sweat broke out on their foreheads one after another.

"In short! According to Aizen's meaning..."

"He wants us to split into five groups, right?!"

Ishida Uryu pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose and asked everyone present.

"It seems so."

Unohana nodded gently upon hearing this.

"Then let's play along and split into five groups, why not?!"

"As long as our speed of clearing the maze is fast enough, no matter what backup plans or schemes Aizen has, they won't be of any use, right?!"

Ishida continued to say to everyone present upon hearing this.

"So Ishida Uryu, what do you mean?!"

Genryusai seemed to understand something. He opened his eyes, which had been slightly squinted, revealing a sharp gaze, and stared at Ishida Uryu to ask.

"My meaning is actually very simple. Why don't we have a competition?!"

"Let's see if you Captains of the 'Gotei 13' can break through the maze and reach Aizen's palace first! Or if I, this Quincy, am better..."

"Or perhaps Kurosaki Ichigo, who was kidnapped by that guy Aizen to who knows where—I can't even tell if he's a Soul Reaper, a Quincy, or something else—will reach Aizen's palace first, defeat Aizen, and rescue Inoue Orihime. How about that?!"

Ishida Uryu asked the group of Soul Reapers before him.

"Uryu, now is not the time to play games, right?"

"Ishida Uryu, have you gone crazy?! Apologize to Lord Genryusai and Lady Unohana quickly!"

As Ishida's voice fell, the expressions of both Sado Yasutora and Kuchiki Rukia changed. They looked at Ishida Uryu in shock and asked.

"It's just a game, why are you getting so excited?"

Uryu shrugged, looking like the sky had cleared and the rain had stopped, and he, the 'Sasuke', was back in action. He spoke to Taihu and Rukia in his hoodlum-like voice.

"Interesting~"

"Since that's the case, let's do it~"

Who would have thought that the moment Uryu's voice fell, he didn't receive any opposition from the crowd.

On the contrary, everyone present became eager to try...

"It's been a long time since I competed with a Quincy! ~"

Even Genryusai, who was always steady, began to gently stretch his stiff shoulders and neck, which emitted crisp 'crack, crack' sounds.

"It seems everyone has no objections then~"

Seeing this, Uryu smiled gently.

"Since that's the case, I choose this middle passage!"

Zaraki Kenpachi didn't hesitate. The moment his voice fell, he had already run toward the middle passage of the maze created by Aizen.

"Captain Kenpachi, wait for us~"

Seeing this, Ikkaku and Yumichika didn't hesitate at all and followed Zaraki Kenpachi's back into the passage.

"Ken-chan, I'm going too..."

After Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Kenpachi entered the passage, Yachiru also clamored to go with Kenpachi, but unfortunately, she was blocked by Unohana.

"You are coming with me through this passage on the right~"

Unohana said to Yachiru with a gentle smile, not giving Yachiru any chance to refute.

"Uh..."

"Mom is mean! I'm going back to tell Dad~"

Seeing Unohana Retsu's gentle smile, Yachiru immediately lost her nerve.

After complaining softly, she was taken away by Unohana Retsu without any room for argument toward the passage on the far right.

"Captain Unohana, wait for me~"

Seeing this, Kotetsu Isane followed closely behind Unohana Retsu.

As for Ashido, the Kumoi siblings, and Shiba Tenjun, the four members of the investigation team who had been arranged by Araki to enter 'Hueco Mundo' first, they followed closely behind Unohana Retsu and the others like attendants. In Araki's absence, Unohana, as the matriarch, was the person they followed...

"Then I choose this passage on the left~"

Ishida Uryu said, arriving before the passage on the far left.

"Then I'll choose this side too..."

Sado Yasutora naturally followed Ishida Uryu all the way.

"Then I'll choose this side too~"

Kuchiki Rukia didn't know Ishida Uryu's true strength; she still thought Uryu had the strength she saw when she was in the 'Human World'~ She was afraid Uryu would die recklessly, so to protect Uryu and Taihu, she chose this passage of Uryu's on her own initiative...

"Rest assured, I'll clear the way on this side!"

Abarai Renji, unsurprisingly, naturally followed behind Rukia.

However, what surprised everyone present was...

Kuchiki Byakuya, Hirako Shinji, Shiba Kaien, and Kurotsuchi Mayuri all chose the same maze passage.

"Hey! I saw this one first..."

The corner of Mayuri's eye twitched slightly. He intended to monopolize all the benefits within the entire passage.

"Stupid! Your name isn't written here..."

Kuchiki Byakuya retorted ruthlessly.

"Stop arguing! In any case, let's go in first~"

Hirako Shinji persuaded the fight helplessly.

"Hirako Shinji, leave! I alone am enough here..."

Byakuya glanced at Hirako and said coldly.

"Ha?!"

As Byakuya's voice fell, Hirako Shinji, who originally had a good temper, also became annoyed. He came here with good intentions to persuade the fight, and Byakuya played this trick on him?!

"You're not going in? Then I'll go first~"

Just as Byakuya, Hirako, and Mayuri were not yielding to each other, Shiba Kaien had already bypassed the three from the sky and entered the maze.

"Can't let that guy get ahead!"

"In any case, let's argue after entering the maze! We've already wasted too much time!"

At this time, Hirako Shinji suggested.

"Good!"

Byakuya and Mayuri were not fools either. They nodded one after another and followed closely behind Shiba Kaien, who had made a head start.

"Lord Mayuri, wait for me..."

Nemu Kurotsuchi looked at the galloping Mayuri, her expression slightly stunned.

A few seconds later, Nemu Kurotsuchi, who gradually reacted, followed closely behind Mayuri and the others.

"Then this last passage belongs to me~"

After everyone present had chosen their passages, Genryusai, who had not spoken, took his Zanpakuto and walked toward the last passage that no one had chosen, with Sasakibe Chojiro following closely behind him.

Because everyone present knew just how terrifying the old man Yamamoto was when he lost his temper, following the old man wouldn't make them his help, but only a burden that would prevent him from going all out, that was all~

Just after everyone had chosen their passages...

Kurosaki Ichigo had already landed in a pitch-black space.

"Where is this?!"

Kurosaki Ichigo looked at the pitch-black sky above his head and the pale moonlight, his eyes carrying a bit of confusion. He only remembered rushing toward Aizen, and then he was teleported here.

"Are you Kurosaki Ichigo?!"

"Lord Aizen said, let us finish you off here!"

Just as Kurosaki Ichigo was puzzled, several figures emitting violent Reiatsu had already arrived near Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Are you the Arrancar created by Aizen?"

Kurosaki Ichigo looked at the newcomers, his brows slightly raised, and asked.

"Of course! We are the Arrancar created by Lord Aizen!"

"Kurosaki Ichigo, remember this: my name is Apache, and I am an officer under Lady Tier Halibel! I am also the one who will kill you..."

The Arrancar wore a white Arrancar uniform, had medium-long black short hair, and a pair of striking eyes, one blue and one red.

However, these were not what Kurosaki Ichigo was concerned about. What he was concerned about was that this Hollow before him seemed to be a woman. This made Ichigo, who had originally intended to pull out his blade, put the blade he was preparing to pull out back.

"That, I'm not interested in you! And I don't want to do anything excessive to you! So please, tell me where Aizen is, thank you..."

Kurosaki Ichigo spoke to Apache quite politely.

"Ha? Are you looking down on me?"

"Let you feel what true power is!"

Apache said, opening her bloody mouth directly, and then a Cero of strange color rushed straight toward Kurosaki Ichigo.

"..."

Kurosaki Ichigo looked at the Cero rushing toward him, expressionless, too lazy to even dodge.

"Haha! Were you scared silly by my Cero?"

Apache said excitedly upon seeing this.

"Boom!"

However, before Apache's smug expression could dissipate, Kurosaki Ichigo grabbed the Cero rushing toward him lightly, and Apache's Cero dissipated instantly in Kurosaki Ichigo's hand, turning into nothingness.

"You're lying, right?!"

For a moment, Apache was dumbfounded.

"Sorry! I really don't have time to play with you!"

After blocking Apache's attack, Kurosaki Ichigo said helplessly.

"This guy..."

Hearing this, Apache's eyelids twitched slightly, her expression carrying a bit of terror.

"Don't be surprised, Apache! The enemy is an existence that even Lord Aizen finds troublesome..."

"Next, let us Espada take over here!"

Just as Apache was at a loss, three huge Reiatsu suddenly rose! The newcomers were Tier Halibel, Lilynette, and Nelliel!

"Damn, are they girls again?!"

Kurosaki Ichigo looked at the existences surrounding him and felt it was troublesome.

At the same time, in 'Las Noches'.

Aizen quietly watched Kurosaki Ichigo, who was standing on the dome with a pale face. A faint smile bloomed at the corner of his mouth, and he said softly: "Kurosaki Ichigo, the biggest weakness in you is your sympathy for the weak~"

"If you could be a little more ruthless, there would be no opponent for you in this world~"

"What a pity! Since your weakness has been exposed, you no longer have the qualification to appear before me and swing your Zanpakuto at me~"

Aizen sat on the throne and said faintly.

"If I'm not mistaken, the first person to appear here..."

"Should be that guy Zaraki Kenpachi, right?"

"Now that my fusion progress with the Hogyoku has reached the later stage, it is time to tell Zaraki Kenpachi who is the most powerful disciple of Teacher Araki~"

Aizen said, his figure already disappearing from where he was.

"Strange, where did the enemies go?!"

Zaraki Kenpachi walked quickly all the way. Unfortunately, he didn't encounter any decent enemies. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that his journey was completely unobstructed.

Just like that, Zaraki Kenpachi entered 'Las Noches'...

And came directly before Aizen's throne.

"Welcome, my dear senior brother Zaraki Kenpachi~"

"The world says that every disciple of Captain-Commander Araki is like a dragon, but if you want to say who has the strongest combat power among them, then it must be Zaraki Kenpachi..."

"But today, I, Aizen Sosuke, want to tell the world here! They have misjudged~ Teacher Araki's strongest disciple is not Zaraki Kenpachi, but I, Aizen Sosuke~"

Aizen sat on the throne and said softly to Zaraki Kenpachi.

"Hahaha! Come! Come and let me fight! Junior brother!"

Zaraki Kenpachi roared, gripped his Zanpakuto, and slashed directly at Aizen.

"Ding!"

As Zaraki's Zanpakuto landed directly, the scene he imagined of Aizen being split by his Zanpakuto did not appear. Aizen held his blade with one hand, elegantly blocked his strike, and then chuckled at Zaraki: "Senior brother Zaraki, perhaps you never knew that among all of Teacher Araki's disciples, if we don't release our Zanpakuto abilities and only use the most basic Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hoho, and Kido of Soul Reapers to fight, my strength has always been above yours!"

"Boom!!"

Before Zaraki could think much, as Aizen exerted a little force, his figure flew backward directly. He smashed into the thick wall of 'Las Noches'.

"Haha, hahaha..."

"Good! Good! Only then is it interesting~"

However, Zaraki was not disappointed because of this. Instead, he laughed crazily. How many years had it been? He finally found an opponent he could fight with all his might again. He was simply too happy~

Ten thousand words, a big chapter~

(End of chapter) **CHAPTER 202**