Safe Withdrawal

After the pillar of fire from the Imperial Flame dissipated, Nnoitra Gilga fell onto the crystallized ground like a dead dog. His charred body was still twitching slightly, proving that he was barely alive.

But this Fifth Blade clearly didn't learn his lesson.

Just as Liu Hao turned his gaze to Sōsuke Aizen, preparing to end the battle, Nnoitra, who was lying on the ground, suddenly opened his mouth, and crimson Reiatsu once again condensed in his mouth.

Cero!

This Cero was more violent and unstable than before, clearly indicating that Nnoitra had given it her all. The red beam tore through the air, shooting straight at Liu Hao's back—it was a sneak attack, a last-ditch effort in a death throes.

Liu Hao didn't even turn around.

He simply stood up unhurriedly, casually reaching his right hand behind him.

An unbelievable scene unfolded—the Cero enough to destroy several mountains, was caught by him with his bare hands, as if he were catching a struggling venomous snake. The red energy twisted and compressed wildly in his palm, finally dissipating into specks of Reishi with a muffled thud.

"It seems it's time to end this battle."

After Liu Hao finished speaking, he smiled and looked at Sōsuke Aizen the distance. His smile was calm and confident, as if to say: Your pawn has already lost.

Then, he turned his gaze to Nnoitra on the ground. The Imperial Sword in his hand began to emit a dazzling light, and the golden patterns on the blade seemed to come alive. On the ground, the cooled magma began to boil again, bubbling up huge bubbles, as if something terrible was about to burst out from underground.

Kaname Tōsen frowned deeply. As the Captain of the Ninth Division, who championed "justice," he could not tolerate the continued existence of such a "variable" as Liu Hao.

"Lord Aizen," he said softly, his hand already on the hilt of his Zanpakuto, "Let me take care of this unstable element."

Sōsuke Aizen adjusted his glasses, his gentle smile still on his face, "You might not be his match. But... it wouldn't be bad to eliminate him here."

These words were both a reminder and tacit approval.

Just as Liu Hao was about to deliver the final blow and completely end Nnoitra —a sudden change occurred!

Kaname Tōsen suddenly vanished from his spot, reappearing behind Liu Hao. His Zanpakuto, its blade slashing diagonally towards the back of Liu Hao's neck at a tricky angle and with incredible speed—clearly a premeditated sneak attack.

However, just as the blade was about to touch Liu Hao's skin, a transparent barrier appeared out of thin air and accurately blocked the attack.

Clang--!

A crisp collision sound rang out. Kaname Tōsen's pupils suddenly contracted—he hadn't expected Liu Hao to still have the strength to defend against a sneak attack from behind.

Even more unexpectedly, dozens of golden blades suddenly appeared behind Liu Hao, all pointing at him, and then shot out like a rainstorm.

Kaname Tōsen to retreat, but the blades were too fast and the angles too tricky. He managed to parry with his sword, but several blades still tore through his Shihakushō, leaving several wounds on his body.

Just as he was preparing to attack again, something even more shocking happened.

On the distant sand dunes, Sōsuke Aizen was about to take a step when a slender hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

That hand was as white as jade, with long, slender fingers. It seemed delicate and weak, yet it made Aizen's movements freeze instantly.

He turned around abruptly, his eyes flashing with a sharp, dagger-like light as he looked at the owner of the hand.

She was a woman dressed in a long dress adorned with stars, her long hair flowing like the Milky Way, her features exquisitely beautiful beyond compare. She stood there quietly, her hand gently resting on Aizen's shoulder, a gentle yet undeniable smile on her face.

Imperial Princess.

"Who are you?" Aizen's voice was deep, carrying a hint of barely perceptible wariness.

He could feel that the seemingly casual hand was actually locking onto all his movements. The slightest movement would bring a storm of attacks.

"Me?" The Imperial Princess smiled, a smile as deep as the starry sky. "You'll know later. But right now... you'd better not make a move. Although I know my attack won't kill you, and might only cause you minor injuries at most, I think you wouldn't want to end up in such a sorry state, would you?"

These words, spoken calmly and confidently, caused Aizen's expression to darken.

He could sense that the Imperial Princess was telling the truth—she couldn't kill him, but she had the ability to injure him and make him look bad. And at this crucial moment, any unexpected event could affect his carefully laid plans.

Aizen remained silent for a moment, but ultimately made no move.

Kaname Tōsen what he saw. He knew that Lord Aizen's strength was unfathomable; someone who could make him so wary...

Meanwhile, taking advantage of Liu Hao's attention being drawn to Kaname Tōsen, Nnoitra, despite his injuries, managed to get up from the ground and use Sonído to retreat to a distance. Although he was in a sorry state, he had at least saved his life.

Liu Hao reluctantly withdrew his attack stance, turned to Kaname Tōsen, and said with obvious sarcasm, "I knew Captain Tōsen wouldn't be able to hold back. But couldn't you say something before you acted? Is this the justice that Captain Tōsen has always championed?!"

Kaname Tōsen's expression remained unchanged. "Eloquent words and a flattering demeanor. For the sake of justice in my heart, I can do anything. A mere sneak attack does not violate the justice in my heart."

"Looks like this is the end of today." Liu Hao smiled.

Kaname Tōsen narrowed his eyes. "Oh? Since you know you can't escape, why are you still resisting?"

"It seems Captain Tōsen didn't understand what I meant." Liu Hao shook his head. "I said today's battle is over. I should leave now."

"How are you going to leave?" Kaname Tōsen's voice was filled with obvious doubt.

Liu Hao didn't answer him, but turned to the Imperial Princess in the distance. "Imperial Princess, we should leave. If we delay any longer, we'll really have to stay here."

The moment the words left his mouth, the space behind Liu Hao suddenly began to twist and rotate, forming a black vortex. The vortex continued to expand, its interior so deep it seemed to lead to another world.

Then, to everyone's astonishment, Liu Hao gently fell backward, his body disappearing into the whirlpool as if falling into water.

"Wait--!" Kaname Tōsen to step forward to stop him, but the vortex shrank rapidly the moment he rushed in front of it, and finally disappeared completely, as if it had never existed.

At the same time, the Imperial Princess released her hand from Aizen's shoulder, smiled slightly at Aizen, and her figure vanished like smoke, leaving only starlight drifting slowly in the void.

On a distant sand dune, Gin Ichimaru stood with his hands tucked into his sleeves, watching all this with that sly smile on his face.

He muttered to himself, "You really managed to leave so easily... What an amazing brat."

Emerging from the black vortex, Liu Hao found himself in a completely unfamiliar environment.

All around were twisted and towering trees, their bodies pale white like petrified skeletons, their branches reaching menacingly towards the sky. A dense and chaotic Reiatsu permeated the air, and the Roars of Hollows could be heard intermittently in the distance.

"This seems to be the Forest of Menos Grande." Liu Hao looked around, a hint of helplessness in his voice. "Imperial Princess, which way do you think we should go next?"

As starlight converged, the Imperial Princess's figure appeared beside Liu Hao. She maintained her composed and elegant demeanor, as if her confrontation with Aizen just moments before was a trivial matter.

"Who knows?" the Imperial Princess asked with a smile. "Where do you want to go?"

Liu Hao pondered for a moment, "Let's take a stroll and see. Maybe we can find the Expeditionary Force and explain things to Shūsuke Amagai. After all, a Captain-level figure is a force that Soul Society cannot ignore."

"Are you lacking confidence in handling future matters, so you want to prepare more?" the Imperial Princess asked the crucial question.

"No." Liu Hao shook his head, his tone serious. "Just like I told Gin Ichimaru, I simply don't want too many tragedies. After all, with my current strength, I'm confident I can fight even Aizen."

After saying that, he began to stroll through the Forest of Menos Grande.

The forests of Hueco Mundo are completely different from the forests of the World of the Living or Soul Society. There is no life here, only death; no greenery, only paleness; no birdsong and fragrant flowers, only the Roar of Hollows and the howling of the wind.

Liu Hao walked casually, as if he weren't in the perilous Hueco Mundo, but rather strolling in his own backyard. Occasionally, a Hollow would rush out from the shadows, attempting to attack this seemingly lone Soul Reaper, but Liu Hao would simply wave his hand, a flash of sword light, and those Hollows would dissipate into Reishi.

The Imperial Princess stayed by his side without uttering a word, quietly observing everything around her, including Liu Hao.

Day after day passed.

The sense of time in Hueco Mundo is very vague; there is no alternation of day and night, only an eternally unchanging pale sky. Liu Hao can only roughly judge the passage of time through his internal biological clock.

On the third day, Liu Hao suddenly stopped.

He sensed a large amount of Reiatsu gathering ahead—not just one or two Hollows, but dozens, or even more.

"It seems quite lively up ahead," Liu Hao said softly, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes.

He used Shunpo to silently leap onto a tall, petrified tree, hiding among the twisted branches, and looked in the direction where Reiatsu was gathering.

It was a clearing in the forest. About thirty Menos Grande —mostly Gillian, with a few Adjuchas mixed in—formed a semicircle, facing the cliff in the center of the clearing.

Three figures stood on the cliff.

The most striking figure was the one in the middle—a toddler who looked only three or four years old, with short pink hair and a broken ram's horn-shaped mask on her head. She wore a simple white dress and had an innocent and confused expression on her face, seemingly completely unaware of what was happening.

Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck.

The former Third Espada suffered amnesia and regression after being ambushed by Nnoitra, and is now just an innocent child.

On either side of her stood two equally peculiar-looking Arrancar. One was tall and thin, wearing an insect-like mask; the other was short and stout, with a mask covering most of his face.

Pesche Kadishe and Dondochakka Bielstan, Nel's Fracción and friends who have protected her since she lost her memory.

Liu Hao watched the scene below with great interest.

Pesche stood on the edge of the cliff, waving his arms at the Menos Grande below and exclaiming in an exaggerated tone, "Everyone! Everyone! Listen to me! We three are 'Hueco Mundo Inspectors' personally appointed by Lord Aizen! We are specifically responsible for checking the work of you Menos Grande!"

Dondochakka nodded in agreement, making a "doncha doncha" sound.

The Gillian below listened blankly, clearly lacking the intelligence to comprehend such a complex lie. Only the few Adjuchas had a flicker of doubt in their eyes.

"Now," Pesche continued, "We're going to patrol the next area! All of you back to your posts! If I find anyone slacking off... hmph, they'll face the consequences!"

After saying that, he turned around and winked at Nel and Dondochakka, and the three of them prepared to leave quietly.

But just as they were about to escape the Menos Grande's sight, a gigantic Adjuchas suddenly burst out of the forest and blocked their path.

It was an Adjuchas that resembled a scorpion, with a deep purple carapace and a venomous stinger on its tail that gleamed dangerously.

"My Arrancar," its voice was hoarse and full of mockery, "Where do you think you're going?"

Pesche and Dondochakka immediately Nel behind them. Pesche tried to remain calm. "What do you want to do?!"

"Nothing much," the scorpion-shaped Adjuchas slowly crawled forward, its tail hook swaying gently, "It's just that seeing such weak Arrancars is a bit hard to believe. How could Lord Aizen appoint such trash as inspectors?"

A greedy glint shone in its eyes—clearly, it saw through Pesche's lies and sensed the weakness of the three men.

A battle is about to break out.

But just as the scorpion-like Adjuchas was about to launch its attack, a voice suddenly came from above its head:

"Let me see just how far you, this 'powerful' Adjuchas, are capable."

Scorpion-shaped Adjuchas suddenly raised his head.

It saw a figure appear on the branch above its head, looking down at it with a half-smile on its face.

Soul Reaper?!

Adjuchas's pupils suddenly contracted. It hadn't even noticed when this Soul Reaper had appeared, which meant...

It tried to dodge, tried to retaliate, but it was too late.

Liu Hao raised his right hand and pointed at it with his index finger.

"Hadō #4: Byakurai".

A bolt of pure white lightning shot out from the fingertip, faster than Adjuchas's reaction speed. The lightning struck its head precisely, piercing through it and leaving a charred hole.

Adjuchas's enormous body froze in place, then slowly collapsed, beginning to disintegrate and dissipate.

The whole process took no more than two seconds.

The open space was deathly silent.

All the Menos Grande —both the Gillian and the remaining Adjuchas —stared in disbelief. Their limited intelligence could not comprehend how a seemingly ordinary Soul Reaper could so easily kill an Adjuchas.

The three people on the cliff were also stunned.

Pesche and Dondochakka swallowed hard. Nel looked at Liu Hao with curiosity, her eyes filled with pure curiosity, not fear.

Liu Hao jumped down from the tree branch and landed beside Adjuchas's dissipating corpse, gently patting non-existent dust off his hands.

"Tch, that's nothing special," he commented. "One Byakurai and it's done."

Then, he turned and looked at the three people on the cliff.

Pesche, Dondochakka, and Nel took a step back at the same time.

Pesche spoke cautiously, his voice filled with reverence. "Sir... thank you so much for saving us. We'll leave now and make sure we don't bother you."

After saying that, the three of them carefully backed away, preparing to slip away.

"Etc."

Liu Hao's voice froze them in place.

He turned around, looked at the three of them, and gave them a gentle yet firm smile, "The three of you, come with me. Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you."

The three of them stood frozen in place, looking at each other in bewilderment.

Pesche lowered his voice and said to Dondochakka and Nel, "What should we do? It seems we're no match for him. That Adjuchas just now was taken down by him with a casual strike..."

Dondochakka nodded, making a "donchadoncha" sound of agreement.

Nel blinked her big eyes, looked at Liu Hao, then at her two companions, and finally asked in a low voice, "Is he... a bad person?"

This question left both Pesche and Dondochakka stunned.

They looked at Liu Hao —the Soul Reaper who had just saved them and was now demanding that they "go with him."

His smile was gentle, his eyes were calm, and he didn't look like a bad person...

But they are definitely not to be trifled with.