Chapter 93
"Crack!"
The sturdy concrete roof was easily sliced open by the eagle's sharp talons, as if cutting through tofu.
Giant Hollow red eyes, even in daylight, were like a mirror reflecting death, reflecting Gori's image within them—
He didn't even think he could escape.
This city is clearly not a place of Jūreichi, yet three Giant Hollow have appeared at the same time... This is beyond what the Seated Officer can handle.
Even Haruto -senpai—
"Laugh!"
A strong wind blew by.
The pristine white of deep winter was instantly swept away from both the sky and the earth.
Hidden within the howling wind, a fleeting bolt of lightning instantly severed the upper half of the Giant Hollow's body—
Visored was crushed into dust, it naturally had no chance of survival.
"Boom!!"
Only after that did the explosive sound begin to echo in Gori's ears.
Thump.
In the pool of blood where the Giant Hollow had fallen, the figure of the Soul Reaper, whose Zanpakuto was not even drawn, was clearly visible.
"Haruto... senpai?"
Gori could hardly believe his eyes: the Giant Hollow, which he couldn't even scratch with his full-force attack, was instantly killed by Senior Haruto's Hadō in one move!
All the students at the Shin'ō Academy know that Haruto from Class 6-1 is very strong, but
Just how strong were they—could a high- Seated Officer in the Gotei 13 describe it so casually...? No, could they even do that?
Sorry for the delay.
Haruto's voice was exceptionally clear even in the wind and snow.
"Click."
The guard and scabbard were separated by a hair's breadth.
"Leave the rest to me."
――――
Volume 1: Chapter 59, Kidō - Bannin!
Haruto was very angry.
They were ruthless when it came to killing.
Just minutes ago, he was thinking about how to pass the next two days in the mortal World of the Living, but he never expected to be so thoroughly humiliated by the undetected Giant Hollow:
The trio from fifth grade were only seriously injured.
It wasn't that the Giant Hollow lacked the ability to kill them, but rather that these creatures were enjoying the thrill of toying with their prey.
Otherwise.
In the short time they were delayed by the Giant Hollow centipede, they would probably have been killed a dozen times over.
"Hadō #78"
"Aww!!"
The Giant Hollow let out a furious roar.
The layers of hair covering his back, like armor, stood on end, pointing at Haruto like javelins.
Unfortunately, it was far too slow to launch an attack.
"Zanka no Tachi!"
Haruto did not conceal the brilliance of the Kidō Blade.
The snowflakes falling from the sky stained the crescent-shaped sword with a dazzling white-gold hue.
"Buzz—"
The trembling echo was the sound of swords clashing and swaying.
"Puff!!"
The position is exactly in the middle.
Haruto Katakura Asuka Giant Hollow in two, including Haruto Katakura, who was pierced by its tusks.
This is why Haruto is angry:
By the time he arrived, Katakura, barely clinging to life, was beyond saving—"cut in two" was a euphemism; in reality, a third of the part where Katakura's two bodies were joined had already been chewed up and swallowed by the Giant Hollow.
The organ damage is too great; unless Captain Unohana of the Fourth Division arrives in person, she simply won't survive.
Even if they were lucky enough to survive, they would spend the rest of their lives in a hospital bed.
Since that's the case, why not let Haruto personally end this torment for this slightly arrogant junior?
"Roar!"
Seeing the porcupine Giant Hollow strength was not much different from its own, being instantly killed, the ape Giant Hollow immediately clasped its hands together, intending to kill Togakushi was being held by it—since the little snack could not serve as a hostage, there was naturally no need for it to live: for the Giant Hollow with the brutal personality, this theory was no different from drinking water and eating.
But.
Togakushi's strength was slightly better than Katakura's, and despite his body being crushed by the Giant Hollow monkey, his injuries weren't yet beyond repair.
"Bakudō #61"
Haruto stretched out his palm, his index finger pointing at the ape-gigan, Giant Hollow, at a sixty-degree angle to his thumb.
"Rikujōkōrō!"
"Call out--"
A beam of light, the same color as the Zanka no Tachi, shot out from the void, clamping the Giant Hollow's two palms, which were just about to come together, firmly in mid-air.
"Roar!!"
The Rikujōkōrō, like handcuffs, firmly sealed the ape Giant Hollow's strongest offensive and defensive capabilities; however, this guy seemed to really hate being shackled, and in his frantic struggle, even a few cracks appeared on the surface of the Rikujōkōrō.
"He's quite strong."
"But..."
Thumb retracted, middle finger extended.
"Bakudō #63"
You're overthinking it.
Hips, shoulders, and a thick neck covered in horizontal muscle.
"Sajō Sabaku!"
The chains, as thick as an adult's arm, instantly locked the ape- Giant Hollow's joints and throat, rendering it completely immobile.
"Greed..."
The chain gripping his neck prevented Giant Hollow from even uttering a complete plea for mercy.
Even if it could still speak, Haruto wouldn't give it any chance—as the palm and back of its hand flipped again, its straight fingers began to slowly bend inward; the chains locking the Giant Hollow joints also began to tighten more and more.
Until—
"Puff!!"
Armor, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, and flesh.
The embedded Sajō Sabaku, like ancient steeds clad in armor, completely cleaved the ape- Giant Hollow's corpse into six pieces.
This form of punishment has a well-known name: dismemberment by five horses.
This is Haruto's enhanced modification of the Sajō Sabaku, based on his experience with the Hyapporankan —its power is certainly not as direct as the Hadō, but it should be quite effective in torture and interrogation.
Certainly.
Haruto only used it to vent his frustrations.
"Rush!"
Aim at the giant fake object that just fell to the ground.
The word "fate" had barely uttered its first syllable when it was blasted into countless particles of light by a bullet formed from Reiatsu.
――――
Powerful...
That's incredible!!
Even though she was so weak that she could barely lift her arms, Gori still stared with her round eyes, refusing to look away from the scene before her for even a moment.
Hollows' strength is mostly proportional to their size. Below the Menos Grande, those individuals known as "Giant Hollows " or "Huge Hollow" can overwhelm their opponents with their sheer size advantage, even without considering their special abilities.
Ordinary soldiers are nothing but cannon fodder in the face of the Giant Hollow; they can only be dealt with by a team of high- Seated Officers or multiple low- Seated Officers.
In fact.
Upon discovering the threat of Giant Hollow, the Gotei 13 usually contact the captain or vice-captain directly— the Giant Hollow have a wide range of strengths and weaknesses; even the weakest of the nine seats can defeat them single-handedly, while the strongest vice-captains are no match for them.
After all, if the judgment is wrong... the loss of the Seated Officer would be quite a blow to each squad.
Gori witnessed the tyranny of the Giant Hollow firsthand. Just by looking at the cities they had ravaged, it was clear that these were definitely not the weakest Giant Hollow.
Before Haruto arrived, Gori couldn't think of anyone besides Lieutenant Kaien of the Thirteenth Division, who could save the situation.
However...
Killing chickens and slaughtering dogs.
Haruto- senpai's efficiency in eliminating the Giant Hollow was such that only this word came to Gori's mind.
Aside from rescuing Togakushi's Rikujōkōrō, Haruto- senpai killed the three Giant Hollows in just three moves.
Gori 've never seen Captain-level player make a move. Even in exhibition matches or team demonstrations, the captains usually just touch things up.
But the vice-captain is different.
Although Gori wasn't a nobleman, he had learned a lot from Togakushi and his older brother: during the Gotei 13's exchange match, Gori got to watch the whole "instruction" battle between the Tenth Division's vice-captain and the Third Division's Fourth Seat.
However...
After watching Haruto- senpai's battle, Gori suddenly realized that what she had previously thought was exceptionally exciting...
The competition, at present, seems no different from children playing house.
"Nanao!"
Nanao appeared beside the fallen Gori.
Although she was somewhat dissatisfied with Haruto's actions in carrying her all the way, she knew that now was not the time to dwell on it.
"Please look after them for a while."
Haruto grasped at the void.
Togakushi, who had just been protected by the Rikujōkōrō and had completely fainted, was gently tossed by Haruto next to Gori.
Togakushi's injuries didn't seem too serious, but the massive internal bleeding and organ displacement meant that even slight movement could be fatal.
"Good."
Nanao nodded decisively.
"Bakudō #40 —"
"Use the Tōzanshō... and yourself too."
Haruto interrupted Nanao's chanting while gazing at the vast white distance.
"... good!"
Nanao was well aware that her mindset prevented her from concentrating on the fight, and at the same time, she understood even more clearly that Haruto's arrangements were not without purpose.