Chapter 116: Infiltrating Soul Society

Huang Rong’s kick landed squarely on Ouyangke ’s wounded spot, worsening his injury; he let out a pained cry and fell silent.

He passed out cold.

Chu Yang estimated that even if he weren’t half-paralyzed, he’d be bedridden for at least a year or two.

Guo Jing, seeing Ouyangke ’s fate, felt a pang of pity and couldn’t help saying to Huang Rong: “Miss Huang, your strike was too brutal.”

“Brutal?” Huang Rong’s expression turned sharp. “If I hadn’t had a treasure to protect me, who knows what fate would’ve befallen me in his hands?”

“And Itachi—what are Itachi, to lecture me?”

Guo Jing turned beet red, but being tongue-tied, he couldn’t think of a retort, so he simply turned away and seethed in silence.

Ouyangke ’s defeat meant that Wanyan Honglie’s once-proud Five Great Experts had all been crushed; without them, he could barely guarantee his own safety.

Chu Yang stood on the rooftop, looking down and asked: “Wanyan Honglie, are Itachi still refusing to hand over the people?”

Wanyan Honglie cried out in anguish: “I’ve done Itachi no wrong in the past, and I bear Itachi no grudge—why must Itachi today tear apart my family and drive me to the brink?”

Chu Yang sneered. “Itachi dare speak of ‘tearing apart’?”

“Eighteen years ago, Itachi were hunted by Qiu Chuji, stumbled into Niu Family Village, and were saved by Bao Xiruo—yet instead of repaying her kindness, Itachi lusted after her.”

“To win Bao Xiruo, Itachi bribed the Southern Song general Duan Tiande to lead troops against the Guo and Yang families, destroying their homes, scattering their wives and children, then swooped in to play the hero and deceive her—and now Itachi dare accuse me of tearing your family apart?”

“Which one is truly yours—your wife or your child?”

Faced with Chu Yang’s questions, Wanyan Honglie panicked—he couldn’t fathom how this man knew a secret buried for eighteen years.

Could he truly be an immortal?

Bao Xiruo, on horseback, suddenly struggled and glared at Wanyan Honglie: “Is what he says true?”

Wanyan Honglie was speechless.

Wanyan Kang also looked up at Wanyan Honglie, his expression numb.

This revelation was even more shocking than before.

The man who had raised him for eighteen years was the very architect of his biological parents’ ruin—how could he accept it?

The truth was suffocating.

Even Chu Yang, who had despised him before, couldn’t help feeling pity now.

Yang Tiexin, upon learning the truth, was consumed by rage; his blood surged and his old injury flared—he clutched his chest, yet still gritted his teeth and cursed Wanyan Honglie: “Itachi dog!”

Huang Rong, like a spectator at a show, glanced left and right, drinking in the expressions of those involved, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

Guo Jing, realizing the man before him was his father’s killer, his eyes turned red—he was about to charge and fight to the death—when Yang Tiexin pulled him back.

Chu Yang was growing impatient. He looked down and said: “Wanyan Honglie, I’ve asked Itachi twice already. If I ask a third time, I’ll act.”

Wanyan Honglie was torn—on one side, his wife and child; on the other, himself and nearly ten thousand Jin soldiers.

He no longer doubted Chu Yang’s ability to slaughter them all.

Wanyan Honglie wasn’t afraid of death—but he feared these soldiers dying for him. Ten thousand troops were vital to Yanjing’s defense; losing them would leave the city vulnerable.

Both Liao and Southern Song eyed Jin with hunger; they wouldn’t miss any chance. If Yanjing fell, Jin would collapse in an instant.

Wanyan Honglie swallowed his pain and ordered Bao Xiruo and Wanyan Kang released.

Under Chu Yang’s gaze, the army slowly withdrew.

Wanyan Honglie turned back every three steps, his eyes filled with longing.

Wanyan Kang moved like a corpse, dragged forward by Bao Xiruo—her joy meant nothing to him.

Yang Tiexin’s family finally reunited, weeping in each other’s arms.

Guo Jing, seeing this, thought of his own father and his eyes grew wet.

“Young brother, Yang Xie thanks Itachi. We were strangers, yet Itachi stepped in to help me—I’ll never forget this debt.”

Yang Tiexin looked at Guo Jing and spoke with sincere gratitude.

Guo Jing quickly revealed his identity and presented the dagger, the token from the old pact between the Guo and Yang families.

Yang Tiexin trembled as he touched the dagger; memories from eighteen years ago flooded back. He murmured: “My elder brother has an heir… an heir!”

Then Guo Jing recounted his years in Mongolia, leaving Yang Tiexin deeply moved. Suddenly, he remembered something and turned his gaze to Wanyan Kang—also known as Yang Kang—and Mu Nianci.

“Long ago, I made a pact with Brother Guo: if one of us had a son and the other a daughter, we’d betroth them; if both had sons or both daughters, we’d have them sworn brothers.”

Yang Tiexin looked between Yang Kang and Guo Jing and declared: “From now on, Itachi two are sworn brothers.”

Guo Jing nodded—he had no objection. His mother had told him this long ago.

Then Yang Tiexin pointed to Mu Nianci: “I also have a daughter. That betrothal still stands—what do Itachi say?”

Guo Jing froze, instinctively glancing toward Huang Rong—but she was chattering beside Chu Yang like a chirping bird, utterly uninterested in him.

Mu Nianci was startled, her expression darkening; her eyes inexplicably drifted toward Chu Yang.

One looked at Huang Rong, the other at Chu Yang.

Finally—

Guo Jing broke the silence, scratching his head with a sheepish grin: “Before I left, my mother only told me to find a brother—not a bride. I can’t decide this—I must ask her.”

Yang Tiexin didn’t doubt him and nodded: “Of course! We haven’t seen each other in so long—I should pay respects to your mother. But first, Itachi and Kang must complete the duel at Yan Yu Tower.”

At the mention of the duel, Guo Jing suddenly remembered: “Oh no! My masters are still waiting for me! I’ve been gone so long—they must be frantic!”

Yang Tiexin said gravely: “We’ll return to Southern Song together to find your masters. If needed, we’ll wait for them at Yan Yu Tower.”

As they discussed this, Chu Yang had already taken Huang Rong and left.

Seeing this, Mu Nianci panicked, rushed forward three steps at a time, and blocked their path.

Chu Yang frowned: “Miss Mu, is there something else?”

Mu Nianci had acted on impulse—now she had no excuse, standing there stammering.

Huang Rong sensed danger; her gaze toward Mu Nianci instantly turned cold.

Fortunately, Guo Jing arrived in time to rescue the awkward Mu Nianci: “Big Brother Chu, we’re also returning to Southern Song—to the same small town where we first met Itachi. My masters are surely searching for me; I must join them.”

Chu Yang coughed awkwardly—he still had Guo Jing’s blood-sweating steed tied up in his backyard…

…………

Soul Society.

Since making his deal with Urahara Kisuke, Chu Yang had stayed at Urahara Shop for training and never returned to school.

Urahara Kisuke taught him much about reiatsu and trained him to control his reishi.

Chu Yang absorbed every piece of knowledge quickly.

The four core skills of a Shinigami—[Shikai], [Shunpo], [Kidō], [Zanjutsu].

[Shikai] came easily to Chu Yang, a close-combat specialist; many striking techniques felt familiar, akin to Fishman Karate.

[Shunpo] felt similar to the ninja technique [Shunshin], though [Shunshin] required a certain amount of chakra.

There were overlapping principles; Chu Yang’s experience made learning [Shunpo] no great challenge.

[Kidō] was far more complex, divided into [Hado], [Bakudo], and [Kido]. Simply put, [Hado] was for offense, [Bakudo] for control and defense, and [Kido] for healing.

[Kidō] was essentially the Shinigami world’s version of a “spell”—it required incantation and reiryoku as energy, much like in the Harry Potter world.

In short, these three skills were similar to those he’d learned in other worlds; mastering them quickly posed no difficulty.

[Zanjutsu] was even simpler.

Whether in the One Piece world or the Demon Slayer world, Chu Yang’s swordsmanship had steadily improved.

But the most vital and critical—[Zanpakutō]—Urahara Kisuke could not help him obtain.

Not everyone was as unique as the protagonist, Kurosaki Ichigo.

Normally, to obtain a Zanpakutō, one must become a Shinigami.

While students at the Shin’ō Academy, Shinigami are temporarily issued an unnamed Zanpakutō—still unawakened—called a “Sōkyoku.”

The Sōkyoku is the Chuxing of a Zanpakutō; under the influence of the Shinigami’s soul, spirit, and will, it gradually takes the form most suited to its wielder.

Eventually becoming a unique Zanpakutō.

For Chu Yang to obtain a Zanpakutō, he must follow the path: first become a Shinigami—meaning he must abandon everything in the living world.

Fortunately, Chu Yang had no attachment to the living world, and becoming a Shinigami didn’t mean he could never return.

Rules exist only to bind the weak.

With sufficient strength, nothing is impossible.

Moreover, becoming a Shinigami was part of the deal Chu Yang made with Urahara Kisuke.

After being expelled from Soul Society, Urahara Kisuke knew little of Aizen’s movements—he needed someone to be his eyes within Soul Society.

Chu Yang could fulfill that role perfectly.

As time passed, Rukia was brought back to Soul Society.

For giving a human Shinigami powers without authorization, she was sentenced to execution.

Soon, Kurosaki Ichigo was brought back by Urahara Kisuke for special training, preparing to enter Soul Society.

The others were taken away by Shihōin Yoruichi to train in their respective Hollowfication techniques.

When Kurosaki Ichigo saw Chu Yang, his face lit up with surprise—they hadn’t seen each other in a long time, since Chu Yang had stopped attending school.

Ichigo had even feared Chu Yang had met with an accident.

Seeing Chu Yang unharmed here eased Ichigo’s mind slightly, lessening the pressure of entering Soul Society.

Ichigo remembered well how strong Chu Yang was—the memory of him hand-to-hand crushing a Menos still sent chills down his spine.

Having such a companion enter Soul Society with him—how could he not feel secure?

But Kurosaki Ichigo did not know…

Chu Yang’s purpose in going was to become a Shinigami—and remain in Soul Society forever.

After some time, Kurosaki Ichigo’s training ended.

He finally succeeded in releasing his Zanpakutō and learned its name.

Zangetsu!

Urahara Kisuke summoned a Kido Gate, which bore a Reishi Converter, because Soul Society is a world of souls, and one must transform into reishi to enter it.

Kurosaki Ichigo entered in Shinigami form, while everyone else had to use the Reishi Converter to turn their bodies into reishi.

Chu Yang felt no unusual sensation during the entire transformation; after completion, he found no clear difference between reishi form and physical form.

Shihōin Yachiru, in her black cat form, led the way, and the group followed her into the Kido Gate.

Inside the gate was pitch black; apart from the path beneath their feet, all around them twisted, dark mist swirled. Yachiru warned them not to stop and to stay tightly close to her.

Chu Yang glanced around and realized they were now inside the Dangai.

The “Dangai” is the rift between the Living World and Soul Society—an alternate dimension formed by overlapping layers of shattered space, encircled by layers of temporal currents.

The flow of time here differs from the outside world; roughly speaking, one year outside equals about two thousand years inside the Dangai.

The Dangai is filled with Karyū—air currents that halt soul movement, designed to restrict Hollows, protecting both Soul Society and the Living World.

Without Karyū, Hollows could invade both worlds far more easily.

The only problem is, Karyū affects all souls—not just Hollows. If Chu Yang and the others failed to dodge in time, they’d be permanently trapped in the Dangai, which is why Yachiru kept reminding them to stay close.

The Karyū surged like a dam bursting, waves crashing with terrifying speed behind them, gradually closing in, about to engulf them.

At the critical moment, Orihime activated her Shield of the Six Flowers, forming a barrier that barely held back the Karyū; the violent collision blasted Chu Yang and the others out of the Dangai.

After landing, Chu Yang looked around.

Seeing the surrounding architecture was ancient, he realized they had safely arrived in Soul Society.

This was the Rukongai—the first place all souls resided upon entering Soul Society.

Chu Yang looked at it and smirked bitterly.

The most ironic thing about the Shinigami world is that some people spent their entire lives as beasts of burden, yet upon death, Soul Society was not the paradise they imagined—a place to rest and enjoy peace.

Those who held beautiful illusions now faced the same suffering they endured in the Living World—again.

Even more cruelly.

People here aged and died, feeling every pain they had known in life.

The only difference was that souls aged far more slowly in Soul Society.

This meant they would have to “live” here for many, many years.

Was this a good thing?

For those with Shinigami potential, yes.

But for those without, the duration of suffering and torment merely stretched endlessly.

For some, life was pain—and death in Soul Society brought even greater pain.

This cycle of suffering never ceased, generation after generation…

Terrifying.

After safely arriving in Soul Society, Yachiru began explaining its structure.

Soul Society consisted of two parts: Seireitei and Rukongai.

Seireitei was the center of Soul Society, where Shinigami resided.

It was also the hub of wealth and power.

Rukongai surrounded Seireitei, divided into eighty districts, with four cardinal directions; the higher the number, the fewer the resources, the poorer the area, and the more frequent the violent incidents.

In short, it was like Manhattan and Brooklyn—one affluent, one impoverished; one symbolized order, the other freedom and chaos.

Souls arriving in Rukongai had only one way to live well in Soul Society: become a Shinigami and move into Seireitei.

Before Yachiru finished explaining, Kurosaki Ichigo rushed toward Seireitei—suddenly, walls appeared in the sky, blocking his path.

A massive figure emerged alongside them.

A giant as tall as a mountain, wielding an axe-shaped Zanpakutō, slashed a deep fissure into the ground.

“To pass through the Hakudō Gate, defeat me first!”

The giant laughed arrogantly.

Yachiru explained: “This fellow is Shihōin Sōdanbō, guardian of one of the Four Seireitei Gates—the Hakudō Gate. The other three Seireitei Gates each have their own guardians.”

“To enter Seireitei through any of these gates, Itachi must defeat their guardians.”

After Yachiru spoke, Chade and the others looked at Chu Yang.

Everyone naturally assumed Chu Yang, as the strongest, was the ideal candidate to challenge Sōdanbō.

Chu Yang had no interest; he shook his head slowly. Sōdanbō was too weak—no stronger than a low-class Hollow like Gillian.

“Then let me handle it.”

Kurosaki Ichigo confidently stepped over the line Sōdanbō had drawn, signaling his intent to challenge this warrior who hadn’t lost in three hundred years.

Chu Yang, knowing the outcome, paid little attention to their battle.

Instead, he closed his eyes and tried using Kenbunshoku Haki to sense his surroundings.

In the Living World, he couldn’t sense Hollows with Kenbunshoku Haki—but here, in reishi form, it worked again.

Chu Yang sensed many powerful auras approaching.

The closest one was nearly at the Hakudō Gate.

Based on the plot, the arrival should be Sōsuke Aizen, captain of the Third Division of the Gotei Thirteen.

Previously, Chu Yang might have avoided him.

But now that Kenbunshoku Haki functioned normally in Soul Society, he could test himself against Aizen—a good chance to demonstrate his potential.

Yet given Aizen’s nature, he wouldn’t fight at full strength against mere intruders, especially not in Bankai.

Chu Yang had no intention of escalating the battle to that level either.

If he could stall Aizen long enough to reveal his talent, Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai would likely approve his request to become a Shinigami.

Aizen’s Zanpakutō, “Shinkō,” could rapidly extend in an instant.

As long as he didn’t Bankai, Chu Yang was confident he could dodge Shinkō’s Shikai form using Kenbunshoku Haki.

In Shikai form,

Shinkō’s maximum range was one hundred times its original length, delivering immense impact force capable of piercing through any defense and driving straight through an enemy’s body.

Objectively speaking, Aizen’s “Shinkō” resembled a modern sniper rifle—accurately striking vital points from over a hundred meters away.

Perhaps renaming it “Barrett” would be more fitting.

In Bankai form, this Zanpakutō became a “cannon” replacing a “musket”—greater range and faster speed!

The extreme velocity generated kinetic energy making “Shinkō” utterly unstoppable.

Most dangerously, Shinkō released a potent toxin that dissolved cells upon impact.

Even Sōsuke Aizen, hailed as the strongest Shinigami, nearly died from a careless moment.

Had the Hōgyoku not evolved again to revive him, he would’ve already been dead.

This proves Aizen’s strength.

Yet despite Shinkō’s power, it had a glaring flaw.

As a direct-attack Zanpakutō, Shinkō’s combat style was simple and brutal, offering little variation.

If an opponent predicted the timing of its strike, it could be dodged.

Especially in Shikai form, Chu Yang—with Kenbunshoku Haki—could easily avoid Shinkō’s attacks.

Thus, Kenbunshoku Haki mechanically countered Shinkō; as long as his reflexes were fast enough, Chu Yang could dodge every strike.

Even if he missed once, it didn’t matter.

With his body enhanced by Haki, Thunder Armor, and Sage Mode, absorbing a few hits from Shinkō wouldn’t be fatal.

His immense vitality allowed him to recover from any injury during battle.

As one Shield user once said: “I can fight Itachi all day!”

In an instant, Sōdanbō, guardian of the Hakudō Gate, was defeated by Kurosaki Ichigo—so fast it caught everyone off guard.

Humiliated, Sōdanbō burst into loud sobs. Ichigo, trying to comfort him, inadvertently struck a nerve—Sōdanbō cried even harder.

“We’re in a hurry—could Itachi open the gate before Itachi keep crying?” Chu Yang kindly reminded.

“Itachi’re utterly heartless.”

Sōdanbō gave Chu Yang a gloomy look, then stepped before the Hakudō Gate, raised his hands, and lifted the entire gate, gesturing for Chu Yang and the others to enter.

But he didn’t notice someone slowly approaching from the other side.

“Sorry, Itachi can’t pass through here today. Please return quietly.”

Aizen, with short white hair, stood on the opposite side of the gate, smiling as he drew his Zanpakutō; a flash of blade light slashed Sōdanbō.

Sōdanbō knelt in pain but didn’t release the gate.

Aizen coldly said: “Itachi couldn’t even defeat a few intruders? A worthless fool. This is your punishment for failing to guard the Hakudō Gate.”

Ichigo, enraged, prepared to attack—but Yachiru stopped him.

“This man is captain of the Third Division—a Captain-level Shinigami. Itachi’re no match. Retreat for now and plan again.”

Ichigo ignored her, raised Zangetsu, and charged straight at Aizen.

He swung down hard—Aizen blocked it effortlessly.

Aizen smiled faintly, swung his arm—Shinkō turned into a streak of white light, blasting Kurosaki Ichigo backward, and the force also sent Sōdanbō flying.

As the gate began to close, Chu Yang stepped forward without hesitation, bracing it open and shouted:

“Now! Go through!”

Chade and the others immediately rushed into the Hakudō Gate; even Ichigo, upon rising, sprinted toward it.

“He actually held up the White Dao Gate—his strength is quite impressive.”

Gin Ichimaru, slightly surprised, praised him briefly, then immediately attacked Chu Yang.

The Divine Spear extended again, turning into a streak of white light that shot toward Chu Yang.

Meanwhile, Chu Yang was still supporting the White Dao Gate and had no chance to dodge.

The Divine Spear struck with terrifying speed; no one could react in time, let alone warn Chu Yang.

The Divine Spear pierced Chu Yang’s body with full force.

Boom!

In an instant, dust and debris exploded into the air.

Ichigo and the others halted, their eyes fixed on the cloud of dust with anxiety.

When the dust cleared, Chu Yang still stood beneath the White Dao Gate, his body wreathed in torrents of lightning, serpents of electricity writhing wildly.

He looked like a Thunder God!

“He actually withstood it?”

Both Gin Ichimaru and Yoruichi wore expressions of shock—they both knew the full power of the Divine Spear.

Seeing Chu Yang unharmed, Ichigo and the others charged forward.

But after a few streaks of white light, they were all blasted away by the Divine Spear.

“I told Itachi—it’s useless!”

Yoruichi shouted a warning.

Ichigo and the others couldn’t break through Gin’s blockade; it was pointless for Chu Yang to keep holding out. So he let go of the White Dao Gate and, amid their shouts, walked alone into Seireitei.

Gin narrowed his eyes. “I already said Itachi couldn’t pass here…”

Chu Yang grinned. “Then try to knock me out.”

“I can keep going all day.”

Watching Chu Yang’s body shimmer with lightning, Gin suddenly grew curious. “A Hollowfication user? I’d really like to know what kind of Hollowfication can block my attacks…”

“Want to know?” Chu Yang stretched his body, fixing his gaze on Gin’s Zanpakutō, and smiled. “Beat me, and I’ll tell Itachi.”

“Tsk tsk…” Gin slowly shook his head, smiling. “Itachi seem to misunderstand something. That attack—I didn’t even use one-tenth of my strength. If I went all out, Itachi’d be reduced to dust in an instant.”

Chu Yang beckoned to Gin with a finger. “Then try it.”

The moment he spoke, the Divine Spear shot forward as a long, narrow streak of white light, striking Chu Yang with lightning speed.

Gin’s eyes flashed with cold intent—he had unleashed at least three-tenths of his power. The Divine Spear moved five times faster than before. This arrogant intruder couldn’t possibly dodge.

He waited for the moment the spear would tear Chu Yang apart.

But the instant the spear extended, Chu Yang’s figure vanished before Gin’s eyes. The strike, meant to be unavoidable, pierced only empty air. The ever-smiling Gin’s expression turned serious at once.

“Incredibly fast Shikō—faster than most Shinigami in the Gotei 13. Where did Itachi learn that?”

Gin grew even more curious about this young man.

Chu Yang smiled lightly. “Same as before—beat me, and I’ll tell Itachi.”

The curve of Gin’s lips shifted slightly. Anyone who knew him recognized the sign—he was getting angry.

“Itachi don’t look like an ordinary trash. Fine—I’ll take this seriously. Let’s play.”

Gin shook his Divine Spear; its tip scattered like starlight, unleashing countless blades of light that rained down on Chu Yang. The force cracked the walls and ground nearby.

It was like using a Barrett as a machine gun—just imagining it made one’s scalp crawl.

To counter this ferocious assault, Chu Yang activated his Kenbunshoku Haki to its fullest, constantly predicting the exact point of each thrust, while simultaneously using Shikō to move.

Ten seconds passed. Gin halted his attack. His narrowed eyes widened slightly as he stared at Chu Yang in disbelief—every single strike had been dodged, as if Chu Yang had foreseen them all.

“This guy isn’t an ordinary Arrancar…”

Gin frowned. “Who are Itachi?”

Chu Yang chuckled. “Call me Yang. I’m a first-year student at Karakura High School—and by the way, I’m top of my class.”

Gin blinked, then gave a strange look. “What nonsense. I asked where Itachi learned Shikō.”

Chu Yang rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “A shady shopkeeper who didn’t look like a good man…”

At this, Gin’s eyelid twitched twice. He took a deep breath, dropped his smile, and glared coldly at Chu Yang. “So Itachi won’t tell the truth. If Itachi die now, don’t blame me.”

Chu Yang shrugged helplessly. “Every word was true. Itachi’re really troublesome.”

Gin stopped wasting words. He unleashed the full power of the Divine Spear—its speed became invisible to the naked eye, its impact utterly different from before.

Chu Yang felt immense pressure—and stopped holding back.

With Haki and the Lightning Armor Jiachi , he entered Sage Mode.

Brilliant lightning engulfed his entire body, making him look like a celestial deity.

In an instant, the Divine Spear struck over a hundred times.

Yet only one strike landed—and Chu Yang absorbed it with sheer force.

Though his face remained expressionless, Gin was once again stunned by Chu Yang’s abilities.

Chu Yang didn’t stand still either—he kept adjusting his position, always staying near the maximum range of the Divine Spear, never letting Gin close the distance.

If he got too close, under such relentless assault, Chu Yang wouldn’t be able to dodge most attacks.

Thus, both moved constantly, shifting the battlefield across many parts of Seireitei, drawing widespread attention.

Many Shinigami arrived, even some Captains.

An Arrancar who had intruded into the Soul Society could fight a Captain of the Third Division to this extent—everyone was astonished and intensely curious.

Realizing he couldn’t defeat Chu Yang anytime soon, Gin’s expression darkened.

He had considered activating Bankai—but as they moved, they had already penetrated deep into Seireitei.

They were now nearing the headquarters of the Gotei 13.

Here, the damage from the Divine Spear would be catastrophic. Though he’d soon leave the Soul Society with Aizen and wouldn’t be held responsible, it would disrupt Aizen’s plans.

If it interfered with Aizen’s plans, he didn’t care—but now wasn’t the time to betray him.

After much deliberation, Gin suppressed the urge to activate Bankai, thinking: “Just endure a little longer. This kid will eventually exhaust his spiritual and mental energy…”

Then…

Before the eyes of countless Shinigami, they fought until evening, the sun set, and they were still battling.

The one who collapsed first wasn’t Chu Yang—it was Gin.

He no longer had his earlier composure. His face was grim; he cursed himself silently for being an idiot.

In contrast, Chu Yang looked exhausted—but his vitality and spirit were clearly superior to Gin’s.

Outside, many Captains and Vice-Captains of the Gotei 13 stood watching, along with countless lower-ranked Shinigami—all enjoying Gin’s humiliation.

Kyouraku Shunsui, the ever-entertained Captain of the Eighth Division, chuckled. “Captain Gin, out of steam? Want a break? I’ll handle this kid for Itachi.”

Gin said nothing, silently cursing Kyouraku dozens of times in his mind.

The next moment, a murmur rose as Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni appeared, flanked by several Shinigami.

Yamamoto looked down; Chu Yang looked up. Their gazes met directly.

Chu Yang smiled, deactivated Sage Mode and the Lightning Armor, leaving only invisible Haki, then raised both hands, sat down heavily, and shouted: “I surrender!”

The watching Shinigami looked puzzled—Chu Yang clearly still had energy left. Why surrender now?

Gin felt tricked. He trembled with rage. “What are Itachi doing?!”

Chu Yang simply lay down, weakly muttering: “Fought all day. Tired. Want to sleep. Leave me alone.”

Chu Yang simply lay down, weakly saying, “I’ve been fighting all day, I’m exhausted, I want to sleep—leave me alone.”

Gin nearly suffered a stroke. Itachi didn’t sleep earlier? I wasted an entire day playing monkey tricks with Itachi, half the squad’s here, and now Itachi want to nap?

Gin Sōjirō nearly had a cerebral hemorrhage: “Itachi didn’t go to sleep early, and I spent the whole day playing monkey tricks with Itachi—my comrades are almost all here—and now Itachi want to sleep?”

Get up right now and keep fighting!

I’m going to stab Itachi three thousand holes!

I’m going to stab three thousand holes all over your body!

The deep, aged voice of Captain-Commander Yamamoto rang out. All faces grew solemn.

No matter how furious, Gin would never dare defy the Captain-Commander. But having lost face today, he couldn’t stay. He turned and left.

Kyouraku walked over to Chu Yang, studying him closely. He had watched the entire battle—his mind was shaken.

Even without Bankai, Gin was still Captain of the Third Division. Even Vice-Captains couldn’t last this long against him.

Even without Bankai, Gin Sōjirō remained captain of the Third Division—no Shinigami of vice-captain rank could have fought this long against him.

How did he dodge the Divine Spear’s blinding speed?

Kyouraku was deeply curious.

“Master, how should we handle this Arrancar?”

Kyouraku looked up at Yamamoto.

“Intruding into the Soul Society and causing such chaos in Seireitei—even if he surrenders, he can’t be let off lightly. Lock him up. After Rukia’s execution, hand him over to the Central 46 for judgment.”

Before leaving, the Captain-Commander cast one final, deep look at Chu Yang.

Then, surrounded by Shinigami, he turned away.

“The old man seems quite interested in Itachi,” Kyouraku whispered, leaning close.

Chu Yang smiled. “Can’t help it. Top students are just popular.”

Seeing Chu Yang so optimistic, Kyouraku was taken aback. “Aren’t Itachi afraid?”

Chu Yang shrugged. “Fear won’t help. I can’t beat Itachi. So why waste energy on useless emotions?”

Chu Yang shrugged. “Being afraid won’t help—Itachi’re stronger than me. If that’s the case, why waste energy on such useless emotions?”

Kyōraku Shunsui nodded. “That makes sense. Itachi’re quite an interesting fellow.”

No sooner had the two finished speaking than Tōsen Yō, captain of the 9th Division in charge of the prison, walked up to Chu Yang. “Get up. Come with me to the prison. Let me warn Itachi—don’t even think of trying anything. Itachi’ll die.”

Chu Yang glanced at Tōsen Yō but said nothing. If he truly wanted to escape, the Shinigami here might not even catch him.

Chu Yang obediently followed Tōsen Yō toward the prison, having no intention of causing trouble. All he needed was to stay quiet until the story ended—then his goal would be achieved.

As for Aizen’s conspiracy or his deal with Urahara Kisuke, both were far beyond his capabilities—he couldn’t interfere.

Chu Yang knew Urahara Kisuke’s intentions. Chu Yang also knew Aizen’s plot.

Both of them wanted the Hōgyoku hidden within Rukia’s soul.

Originally, it had been an accidental byproduct of Urahara Kisuke’s experiments, yet it possessed the power to break through the limits of Shinigami strength.

Aizen had long been researching how to surpass the limits of Shinigami power.

There was only one answer—Shinigami Hollowification.

If one could achieve balance between Shinigami Hollowification and Hollow Shinigami transformation, one could transcend the boundaries of Shinigami power.

The only thing that could enable Aizen to accomplish this was the Hōgyoku.

The Hōgyoku possessed self-awareness, capable of absorbing and manifesting the desires of anything near it.

In simple terms, if Itachi wished for something, the Hōgyoku could fulfill it—though it had limits. Not every casual wish could be granted.

Moreover, the Hōgyoku could protect its host’s body from death and decay.

When the host’s power reached its limit or their life was threatened, the Hōgyoku would force the host to evolve to a higher level.

Should any accident occur during the process of Shinigami Hollowification, the Hōgyoku would ensure Aizen’s safety.

But…

Whether developed by Aizen or by Urahara Kisuke, the Hōgyoku was merely a prototype—unstable, dangerous, and unusable under normal conditions.

That was why Urahara Kisuke had hidden the Hōgyoku he created inside Rukia’s soul.

Even Rukia’s journey to the Human World and her transfer of Shinigami power to Kurosaki Ichigo had been orchestrated by Urahara Kisuke.

The substitute Soul Reaper body Urahara Kisuke gave Rukia had the ability to disperse spiritual energy; the user would gradually lose their power until becoming an ordinary human.

He intended for Rukia to lose her Shinigami power, become human, and thus conceal the Hōgyoku from those who sought it.

Meanwhile, Aizen had sensed Urahara Kisuke’s intentions.

That was why, after killing the sages of the Central 46, he used the power of Kyōka Suigetsu to hypnotize everyone entering or leaving the area and issued false orders.

He used these false orders to have Byakuya Kuchiki and Renji Abarai bring Rukia back to the Soul Society and sentence her to execution.

Once Rukia was struck by the immense power of the Sōkyoku, the Hōgyoku within her would be revealed.

Chu Yang had also considered taking the Hōgyoku—but at this stage, he lacked the strength to seize it from either Urahara Kisuke or Aizen. He could only watch from the sidelines.

With Aizen’s intellect, any slight movement from Chu Yang now would be noticed.

What would happen then, Chu Yang did not know.

But he was certain—he would be the first to die.

Aizen was strong.

His reputation had even briefly surpassed that of Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, the Captain-Commander who had held the title of strongest Shinigami for a thousand years.

Aizen’s zanpakutō, Kyōka Suigetsu, was a hallucination-type zanpakutō—its ability was practically a bug.

Once a target had seen Kyōka Suigetsu’s Shikai, their five senses were controlled, allowing Aizen to manipulate them at will.

What Itachi saw was always what Aizen wanted Itachi to see—even if Itachi knew Itachi were hypnotized, Itachi could not awaken.

How could one describe the extent of this ability’s bug-like nature?

In effect, it was like a weakened version of Infinite Tsukuyomi—but with no limitations. Aizen could activate it whenever he wished.

Beyond his zanpakutō’s monstrous power, Aizen’s four Shinigami abilities—kenjutsu, hakuda, shikō, and kidō—were all at the absolute peak of Shinigami mastery; few could match him.

Any sane person with half a brain would avoid provoking such a terrifying being.

For Chu Yang to fight Aizen, he would need the Six Paths Sage Mode with the Rinnegan—and possibly even consume the Fruit of the God Tree.

In short, this was not the time to confront Aizen directly.

As always: problems solvable by the protagonist aren’t problems. Chu Yang had no reason to risk his life.

As long as he survived this battle and secured enough gains, it would be a guaranteed profit.

Among the crowd, Renji Abarai, vice-captain of the 6th Division and Rukia’s childhood friend, watched as Tōsen Yō led Chu Yang away.

Later, under cover of night, he secretly visited the Tsubaki Palace where Rukia was imprisoned and informed her of Ichigo’s group’s arrival.

Upon hearing that Ichigo and the others had come to the Soul Society to rescue her, Rukia, who had always worn a blank expression, showed alarm for the first time.

She had willingly returned to the Soul Society to face punishment precisely to avoid dragging Ichigo into this.

“Among them is a Lvhuo named Yang, already imprisoned by Tōsen Yō. Had there been any casualties, he might have been brought here too.”

Renji Abarai recalled their earlier battle and sighed. “I have to admit—he’s strong. He held his own against Gin Ichimaru for hours. They fought from morning until evening, and when Gin was clearly exhausted, that guy actually surrendered…”

Rukia didn’t respond immediately. “Who fought with Gin Ichimaru?”

Renji frowned. “Itachi don’t know this guy named Yang?”

“I know him… but…” Rukia suddenly remembered the scene where he had fought a Hollow barehanded. After a long pause, she murmured, “I didn’t expect him to have grown even stronger.”

Renji nodded. “He’s definitely strong. Without a zanpakutō, he fought Gin Ichimaru to that extent. If he were a Shinigami instead of a human, he’d probably already be a captain.”

Rukia fell silent.

(End of Chapter)