First Arrival in the World of the Living

As dawn broke, the Seireitei awoke from its slumber. Liu Hao packed his belongings, bid farewell to Unohana and Isane Kotetsu, and embarked on his journey to the World of the Living world.

Senkaimon, the Soul Reaper, who was guarding it, routinely checked the pass and confirmed the mission details. Liu Hao nodded in acknowledgment and stepped into the portal leading to the World of the Living.

In an instant, the surrounding light and shadow distorted, and the familiar scene of the Dangai appeared before their eyes—wriggling "Kōryū" walls on both sides, and a winding path leading forward in the middle. The flow of time in the Dangai is different from that in the outside world, making it an important passage for traversing the Three Worlds, but it also hides dangers.

Liu Hao walked forward at a leisurely pace, feeling the flow of a brand-new power within his body. This power was completely different from the Shinigami's spiritual pressure; it was more ancient, more restrained, yet also more... vast.

Just as he was immersed in his own perception, a low rumble suddenly came from behind him.

[Could I really be this unlucky...?] Liu Hao thought with a wry smile, [The Kōtotsu that happens every seven days, and I just had to run into it?]

He looked back and sure enough—a blinding yellow light was rushing rapidly from the depths of the Dangai. That was "Kōtotsu," the cleaner of the Dangai, which appeared once every seven days to remove all foreign objects within the Dangai. If it caught up with him, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Without hesitation, Liu Hao moved his feet and unleashed the full power of his Shunpo.

This is not an ordinary Shunpo, but a completely new way of moving after awakening the Imperial Heart and incorporating spatial understanding. Every step seems to transcend the barriers of space, so fast that it almost leaves afterimages in the Dangai.

The yellow Kōtotsu was hot on its heels, but the distance between them kept widening.

After an unknown amount of time—in this Dangai where the sense of time is already blurred—a glimmer of light finally appeared ahead—the exit!

Without hesitation, Liu Hao accelerated and plunged headlong into the light.

As the light faded, a World of the Living scene unfolded before my eyes—skyscrapers, bustling traffic, and crowds of people.

Liu Hao looked around and found himself standing in a secluded alley. The hustle and bustle of the city could be heard in the distance, and the air was filled with the unique "Kishi" atmosphere of the World of the Living.

He released his senses, which spread outwards like invisible ripples.

The density of Reishi in the World of the Living world is far lower than in the Soul Society, and the clarity of perception is also greatly reduced. However, Liu Hao quickly detected two familiar Reiatsu fluctuations—one was weak and stable, which was the mark he had left in Isshin Shiba's body; the other... was completely imperceptible.

"Where did Kaien go?" Liu Hao muttered to himself.

According to the plan, he should first meet with Isshin Shiba to understand the situation, and then look for Kaien Shiba's whereabouts.

Just as he was about to set off, he suddenly sensed another anomaly—in the air, two spiritual pressures were colliding fiercely. One was the standard spiritual pressure of a Shinigami, with an intensity roughly at the level of a Seat Commander; the other was the spiritual pressure of a Hollow, but that spiritual pressure... was somewhat strange.

Unlike ordinary Hollows that are chaotic and violent, this one has an unusual sense of "order," as if it has undergone some kind of precise adjustment.

Liu Hao frowned slightly, moved his feet, and instantly disappeared into the alley.

The next second, he was already on the rooftop of a building above the battlefield.

In a secluded corner of the street below, a Soul Reaper dressed in Shihakushō was locked in a fierce battle with a peculiar Hollow. The Hollow's appearance was similar to that of a regular Gillian, but the bone mask on its body was smoother and its color was deeper, presenting an unnatural dark purple hue.

What's even stranger is its fighting style—not the instinctive attacks of a Hollow, but rather a kind of "tactical" movement and attack, as if... someone is manipulating it from behind the scenes.

The Soul Reaper was clearly at a disadvantage, with a deep, bone-revealing wound on his left arm from which blood was dripping continuously. But he still gritted his teeth and Zanpakuto, barely managing to fend off the Hollow's attacks with his Zanpakuto.

Liu Hao did not act immediately. He stood on the rooftop, observing quietly.

The battle lasted for about two minutes. Soul Reaper's wounds multiplied, his movements slowed, and he was on the verge of collapse.

Just as Xu was about to deliver the final blow, Liu Hao made his move.

He activated Shunpo, instantly appearing beside Soul Reaper, grabbing the other's shoulder with his right hand, and retreating dozens of meters away in a flash.

The Hollow's attack missed, and it let out an angry the Roar. It turned around, its empty eye sockets "looking" at Liu Hao, and crimson Reiatsu began to gather in its mouth— Cero!

Without any charging process, the Cero instantly materialized, tearing through the air and shooting straight at Liu Hao.

Liu Hao didn't even draw his sword. He simply raised his left hand, fingers spread, to meet the Cero that was powerful enough to destroy several buildings.

An unbelievable scene unfolded— the Cero, upon contact with Liu Hao's palm, abruptly stopped as if it had struck an invisible wall. Then, Liu Hao clenched his fist, and the raging energy was directly "grabbed" by him, struggling and compressing violently in his palm before finally dissipating into specks of Reishi with a muffled explosion.

The Cero was stunned; its limited intelligence couldn't comprehend what was happening before its eyes. Cero... crushed by bare hands?

In the instant it was stunned, Liu Hao placed his right hand on his waist. The Imperial Sword was drawn, but it was no longer in its previous state of seven-colored flowing light; instead, it was an extremely ordinary-looking longsword with a dark gold body.

With a swift movement of his feet, his figure vanished, reappearing in front of Xu.

There were no fancy moves, no charged strikes, just a simple horizontal swing of the sword, the light of the blade flashing.

The ethereal body was split in two, the cut as smooth as a mirror, without even a drop of blood. The two halves fell to the sides, then began to disintegrate before hitting the ground, turning into black Reishi that slowly dissipated.

But just as the illusion completely dissipated, Liu Hao suddenly felt a cold, invisible "thing" trying to invade his soul.

It was pure "malice," a will to "occupy" and "control."

Liu Hao's eyes sharpened, a golden light flashing deep within his pupils. His aura suddenly surged, like a sleeping Emperor suddenly opening his eyes, an invisible majesty instantly filling the entire space.

"Roll."

A single word, as light as a whisper, yet as heavy as a mountain.

As the word was uttered, the invisible malice disintegrated and vanished instantly, like ice and snow meeting the blazing sun. The Soul Reaper standing next to Liu Hao was also thrown backward by the sudden burst of power, crashing heavily several meters away, his face filled with bewilderment and horror.

Liu Hao withdrew his aura and sheathed his Imperial Sword. He turned around and looked at the Soul Reaper who was struggling to get up.

At the same time, in a hidden laboratory somewhere in Soul Society.

Three figures stood silently in front of the giant screen.

Sōsuke Aizen adjusted his glasses, his eyes narrowing slightly behind the lenses, a playful smile playing on his lips, "What an interesting brat. At least this experimental subject, specially created for him, wasn't wasted."

The screen was filled with static due to Liu Hao's final, powerful attack, but the preceding battle was clear enough.

Gin Ichimaru stood beside Aizen, his foxy smile unchanged, but a hint of seriousness creeping into his eyes. "If I'm not mistaken... his Zanpakuto seems to have Shikai."

"Hmm, that's strange." Aizen nodded slowly. "His Zanpakuto wasn't in its normal Shikai state before, but now it has become Shikai. It seems his strength has increased... However, he probably still can't perfectly control it, otherwise how could he not even control his Zanpakuto?"

Kaname Tōsen, standing on the other side with a serious expression, said, "The problem is how he discovered that Hollow's final 'transfer intention,' and he seemed completely unaffected."

That Hollow is one of Aizen's latest experimental creations. It can transfer a portion of its core consciousness into the soul of its defeater the moment it is defeated, where it can lie dormant and erode the opponent's soul. This is a derivative direction of the research on "Hollow Soul Reaper-ification".

"Yes," Aizen's eyes gleamed with thought, "It seems this Squad Lieutenant of the Medical Guard Team is quite extraordinary."

"His strength increased during the time he disappeared this time," Kaname Tōsen analyzed. "He couldn't have done these things before."

Gin Ichimaru chuckled lightly, "With such strength, yet he's been hiding in the Fourth Division... Could he have some other purpose?"

"Regardless of his motives," Kaname Tōsen's voice was cold and resolute, "Those who stand in the way of justice will fall by our swords."

Aizen turned to his two subordinates, his smile still gentle, but his eyes held an undeniable authority. "Gin, Kaname, there's no need to worry. Whatever his purpose... we have no enemies ahead of us."

The three turned their attention back to the screen. Although the image had been restored, Liu Hao was already gone.

The experiment continues, and the plan is still progressing. While Liu Hao, this "variable," has attracted attention, it is not enough to shake Aizen's confidence.

After all, beneath the Kyōka Suigetsu, everything is under our control.

On the streets of the World of the Living, Liu Hao looked at the bewildered Soul Reaper and asked, "Which squad are you a member of?"

The Soul Reaper steadied himself and quickly stood up straight. "Lieutenant Liu Hao, I am Kobayashi Kenichi, a member of the Thirteenth Division."

The Thirteenth Division, Jūshirō Ukitake's team, is mainly responsible for guiding souls in the World of the Living and eliminating Hollows.

Liu Hao nodded. "Did you see your Vice-Captain?"

"Vice-Captain?" Kobayashi Kenichi aback. "Has Vice-Captain Kaien World of the Living?"

"It seems you haven't received the message." Liu Hao frowned slightly. "Your Vice-Captain came to the World of the Living a few days ago on a mission. If you encounter him, tell him I'm looking for him."

After saying that, he turned to leave.

"Yes!" Kobayashi Kenichi quickly replied, "I will definitely inform him!"

Liu Hao paused, then waved his hand without turning around. "No need to go looking for him. If you run into him, just say so; if you don't, that's fine too."

Before he finished speaking, he had already vanished from Kobayashi Kenichi's sight in Shunpo.

After escaping sight, Liu Hao didn't continue using Shunpo, but instead walked slowly down the street. He observed the scenery of the World of the Living while pondering what had just happened.

[That Hollow... it must be Aizen's experiment. The problem now is, is this thing they released aimed at me, or at ordinary Soul Reaper? This is so troublesome...]

If it's targeted at him, it means Aizen has noticed his abnormality and has begun to test him. If it's targeted at an ordinary Soul Reaper, it means Aizen's experiments have reached a stage where they can be "mass-produced."

Neither of these is good news.

Just as he was deep in thought, a figure suddenly blocked his way.

Liu Hao stopped and looked up—it was a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old, with short orange hair that shone warmly in the sunlight, a bright smile on her face, and clear, bright eyes— Masaki Kurosaki.

Liu Hao's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained impassive. "Beautiful lady, may I ask why you are blocking my way?"

"You know I can see you?" Masaki Kurosaki tilted her head and asked.

"Of course," Liu Hao smiled, "Even though I'm thinking, I'll still avoid pedestrians. If you can't see me, how can you stop me?"

"Alright, you have a point." Masaki Kurosaki smiled, then her expression turned serious. "I sense... your Reiatsu seems to have appeared on someone else before..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Hao suddenly withdrew all his Reiatsu fluctuations. It didn't disappear completely, but rather changed from an outward "presence" to an inward "latent state," like putting a blazing flame into a furnace, leaving only a faint residual heat.

Masaki Kurosaki looked at him speechlessly. "Isn't it a bit late for you to hide your Reiatsu now?"

"Oh, no," Liu Hao said innocently, "It's just that I wasn't used to suppressing my Reiatsu before. Your reminder reminded me, so I'm suppressing it to avoid affecting the World of the Living."

The explanation sounded reasonable, but a hint of doubt still flashed in Masaki Kurosaki's eyes.

"Oh, I see..." she exclaimed, then changed the subject, "Oh, by the way, are you here in the World of the Living looking for someone?"

Liu Hao nodded. "Yes, do you know the person I'm looking for?"

"I see," Masaki Kurosaki's expression became somewhat subtle, "Could you... stop looking for him? He's already lost his power."

Liu Hao understood—she was referring to Isshin Shiba.

"Oh, then you might have misunderstood." Liu Hao shook his head. "I know the person you're talking about, but he's not my target. Going to see him now is just a reunion with an old friend."

"Really?" Masaki Kurosaki stared into Liu Hao's eyes, seemingly trying to determine if he was lying.

"Really," Liu Hao replied frankly.

The two looked at each other for a moment, Masaki Kurosaki suddenly smiled, "Okay, I believe you. Let's go see him together!"

"Sure," Liu Hao smiled.

The two walked side by side down the street. Masaki Kurosaki was very talkative, asking many questions about Soul Society along the way, while Liu Hao selectively answered some unimportant questions. Most of the time, he was observing this girl—the future mother of Ichigo Kurosaki, a pureblood Quincy, and also... one of the victims of Aizen's experiments.

After walking for about twenty minutes, the two arrived at a two-story building. A simple sign hung at the entrance—"Kurosaki Clinic".

"We're here." Masaki Kurosaki pointed to the clinic. "Don't go out yet, let's give him a surprise!"

Who are you going to surprise?

The clinic door suddenly opened, and a man in a white coat with disheveled hair walked out. It was Isshin Shiba —or rather, the current Isshin Kurosaki.

He saw Masaki Kurosaki and a warm smile appeared on his face, but when he noticed Liu Hao, the smile froze instantly, and his eyes became wary and sharp.

"Oh dear, I forgot," Masaki Kurosaki stuck out her tongue, "You can't seem to see him..."

Liu Hao laughed, "No, he can see me. Although he has lost his Soul Reaper powers, the mark I left in his body allows him to see the existence of spirits."

Upon hearing this, Masaki Kurosaki's eyes darted back and forth between Isshin Shiba and Liu Hao, her face full of confusion.

Isshin Shiba at Liu Hao, his voice low and serious. "So it's Lieutenant Liu Hao. What brings you here...?"

"Just saying hello and asking a few questions," Liu Hao said casually. "Captain Shiba, there's no need to be so nervous."

"Are you friends?" Masaki Kurosaki asked curiously.

Isshin Shiba didn't answer, only looking at Liu Hao. Liu Hao shrugged. "We can only be considered colleagues. After all, Captain Shiba's status is too high, I'm just a Fifth Seat."

"Tch," Isshin Shiba scoffed, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice, "I'm not a Captain anymore."

Liu Hao smiled, a smile full of meaning, "But Captain Shiba has another identity... that's what makes him 'high and mighty' to me."

These words caused Isshin Shiba's expression to change drastically. He instantly understood what Liu Hao was referring to— Masaki Kurosaki's "fiancé," the one whose fiancé he had stolen.

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Isshin Shiba rushed forward, grabbing Liu Hao's shoulder and covering his mouth with his other hand, whispering, "I'm just an ordinary person who has lost my powers!"

Seeing the two of them like this, Masaki Kurosaki couldn't help but laugh, "Oh dear, you still say you're not friends? Alright, Isshin, aren't you going to invite us in?"

Isshin Shiba finally realized what was happening, released Liu Hao, and forced a smile, "Yes, yes, yes, come in, come in."

As he spoke, he secretly glared at Liu Hao, his eyes full of warning—don't say anything out of line.

Liu Hao returned an innocent smile and followed the two into the clinic.