Confronting the Menos Grande Attack

After everyone made their decision, Liu Hao followed Ryūken Ishida to the Ishida Family. It was late at night, and the streets of Karakura Town were deserted, with only a few cars occasionally passing by, their headlights piercing the darkness before quickly disappearing into the distance.

The Ishida Family is located in a quiet neighborhood, a spacious Japanese-style garden building. As Liu Hao followed Ryūken Ishida through the heavy gate, he couldn't help but exclaim, "As expected of a large family, it's truly impressive."

The courtyard is exquisitely laid out, with artificial hills, ponds, and stone lanterns arranged in a harmonious manner, and a corridor connecting several main buildings. Even at night, one can feel the solemnity and historical atmosphere of the place.

Ryūken Ishida smiled modestly, "This is just an old house passed down from my ancestors. Mr. Liu Hao, please come with me; I've already had a room prepared."

Liu Hao was led to a neat Japanese-style room. The room was not large, but it was tastefully decorated—tatami floor, paper sliding doors, and a traditional Chinese landscape painting hanging on the wall. Outside the window was Ikkaku of the courtyard, where the sound of flowing water could be heard.

"Please excuse the simple conditions," Ryūken Ishida said politely.

Liu Hao waved his hand. "It's already very good. I'll be troubling you from now on."

"Not at all, it's our honor that Mr. Liu Hao is willing to help us."

After settling into his accommodations, Liu Hao quickly tidied his luggage and began setting up security measures inside and outside the Ishida Family. He placed Reiatsu Sensing Talisman in several key locations; these talismans could detect abnormal Reiatsu fluctuations and issue an alarm immediately.

Days passed, and everything inside and outside the Ishida Family remained peaceful. Liu Hao assisted in reinforcing the defenses during the day and patrolled the courtyard at night, maintaining a high level of vigilance. He gradually became familiar with the members of the Ishida Family, especially Sōken Ishida —the serious but wise old patriarch, who showed Liu Hao a rare level of trust.

However, the peace is always short-lived.

One late night, Liu Hao was preparing to rest when he suddenly sensed several unusual Reiatsu fluctuations rapidly approaching the Ishida Family. The Reiatsu was filled with violence and chaos, and was undoubtedly the aura of a Hollow—and not just any ordinary Hollow.

Liu Hao immediately got out of bed, quickly removed his Gigai, and reverted to his Soul Reaper form. He grabbed the Imperial Sword placed beside his pillow, rushed out of the room, and happened to encounter Ryūken Ishida, who had rushed over after hearing the news, in the corridor.

"Mr. Liu Hao, what happened?" Ryūken Ishida was wearing pajamas, but he already had a specially made Spirit Bow in his hand.

Liu Hao said briefly, "Ishida, some ghosts have come outside. I'm going out to check. You all stay home and don't go out. Be on guard."

After saying that, he took out the specially made black cloak from his storage space and put it on—this cloak could conceal the user's Reiatsu and figure to the greatest extent. Then, he leaped out of the corridor window and disappeared into the night.

Arriving outside the Ishida Family, Liu Hao hid in the shadow of a large tree, carefully observing his surroundings. The pale moonlight spilled onto the street, and all was silent, but this silence concealed a deadly danger.

His perception was correct—at least four Menos Grande and a dozen or so ordinary Hollows were approaching the Ishida Family from different directions. What was even more unsettling was that these Hollows were moving with unusual coordination, completely lacking the individualistic and chaotic characteristics of ordinary Hollows.

Liu Hao's gaze fell upon an exceptionally powerful Hollow. It was a Menos Grande approaching the level of Gillian, its massive body appearing and disappearing in the night, the Reiatsu emanating from it distorting the surrounding air. Its mask was covered with intricate patterns, clearly indicating that it was not an ordinary Menos Grande that had just evolved.

Liu Hao thought to himself: Is this an attempt to wipe out the Ishida Family? Making such a big fuss in the World of the Living, aren't they afraid of causing trouble?

He took out his phone and dialed Kaien Shiba's number. The call was quickly answered, and Liu Hao lowered his voice, saying, "Kaien, at least four Menos Grande and some ordinary Hollows have arrived from the Ishida Family. Their strength is not to be underestimated."

A serious voice came from Kaien Shiba other end of the phone. "Do you need my help?"

"No need," Liu Hao said decisively. "Contact the Seireitei and have them freeze the space around here. I'm worried it might affect the spirits nearby when we make our move."

"Okay," Kaien Shiba replied, "But don't go too far. After all, we're in the World of the Living; making too much noise will attract unnecessary attention."

After the call ended, Liu Hao put away his phone and began his operation. He first targeted the nearest Menos Grande, a massive monster with numerous tentacles. In the moonlight, its shadow stretched long across the ground, making it appear particularly ferocious.

Instead of launching an attack directly, Liu Hao first released several low-level Kidō to clear out a few ordinary Hollows around him. Golden Reishi light flickered in the night, instantly purifying the Hollows.

However, this action also revealed his location. The tentacle- Menos Grande immediately spotted Liu Hao, let out a low the Roar, and several tentacles lashed out at his location like whips.

Liu Hao leaped lightly, dodging the attack, when another Menos Grande suddenly unleashed a crimson Cero from the side. The light traced a blinding trajectory across the night sky, shooting straight towards Liu Hao.

Liu Hao sidestepped, Cero grazed past his body, striking several ordinary Hollows behind him who had no time to dodge. Those Hollows didn't even have time to scream before they were reduced to Reishi and dissipated by the power of the Cero.

After dodging the attack, Liu Hao unleashed a bolt of Byakurai. The blinding white light shot out like lightning, accurately striking one of the tentacle Menos Grande's arms. Although the Menos Grande reacted quickly and dodged to the side, the end of its arm was still struck by the Byakurai and instantly exploded.

To Liu Hao's surprise, the Menos Grande's wound began to heal at a visible speed, with new tentacles growing from the broken ends, and it was restored to its original state in the blink of an eye.

"High-Speed Regeneration?" Liu Hao murmured. "It seems the only option is to use an even faster speed to kill you before you can regenerate."

He decided to change tactics, creating distance between himself and the Menos Grande, preparing to unleash a more powerful attack. However, these Menos Grande seemed to possess excellent combat awareness; whenever Liu Hao attempted to concentrate his power on one of them, the other Menos Grande would interfere with him using Cero or tentacle attacks.

Liu Hao retreated again, raised his hand and pointed, muttering, "Hadō #33, Sōkatsui!"

A blazing blue pillar of fire erupted from his hand, shooting straight at the nearest Menos Grande. The Menos Grande tried to dodge, but the range of the Sōkatsui was too wide, and it was still hit head-on. The flames instantly engulfed half of its body, and the part of its body beneath the mask began to burn and disintegrate.

But at that moment, the Menos Grande in the distance simultaneously fired Cero, attempting to disrupt Liu Hao's attack. Liu Hao immediately unleashed a defensive Kidō: "Bakudō Thirty-Nine, Enkōsen!"

A circular Reishi shield unfolded in front of him, blocking several Cero attacks. The shockwaves from the energy collisions spread outwards, shattering the windows of nearby buildings and causing the streetlights to flicker.

Although Sōkatsui's attack severely injured the Menos Grande, its body began to regenerate at an astonishing speed because its mask remained intact. Seeing this, Liu Hao immediately used Shunpo to rush forward, preparing to deliver a fatal blow.

However, the other Menos Grande seemed to have anticipated his actions. Just as Liu Hao approached the Menos Grande, the three Menos Grande simultaneously fired Cero, targeting not only Liu Hao but also the Menos Grande —they were willing to sacrifice their comrade to ensure that they could hit Liu Hao.

Boom! Three powerful energies exploded at the same location, blasting a huge crater in the ground. Smoke and fragments of Reishi filled the air, obscuring visibility.

Several Menos Grande stared intently at the epicenter of the explosion, awaiting the outcome. Their behavior was completely unlike that of ordinary Hollows—there was no infighting, no chaos, but rather they fought as well as well-trained soldiers.

As the smoke and dust gradually dissipated, only a charred crater remained on the ground, but Liu Hao was nowhere to be seen. Several Menos Grande cautiously looked around, trying to find any trace of the enemy.

Just then, a dark shadow flashed out from the side, and the cold light of the Imperial Sword flashed past in the moonlight. A Menos Grande being on guard to the side didn't even have time to react before it was cleaved in two by the sword, its body split in two and dissipating into Reishi.

Liu Hao appeared where the Menos Grande had been standing, his black cloak swaying gently in the night wind. He had used Shunpo to leave the center of the explosion, circled around to the side, and quickly eliminated one of the enemies while the Menos Grande's attention was focused on the blast.

The remaining three Menos Grande reacted immediately and launched an attack simultaneously. Tentacles, claws, and Cero came from different directions, forming a dense web of attacks.

Liu Hao remained unfazed and once again unleashed the Enkōsen. A circular Reishi shield unfolded in front of him, blocking all attacks. The light generated by the energy collision illuminated the surrounding streets as if it were daytime, and the shockwave continued to spread. Fortunately, the residents in this area had been evacuated in advance; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

After blocking the attack, Liu Hao took the initiative. He charged towards the nearest Menos Grande, which swung its huge Menos Grande at him, while another Menos Grande wrapped its tentacles around him from the side.

Liu Hao swung his sword, severing the tentacles, and dodged the punch. The Imperial Sword in his hand drew a perfect arc, accurately striking the mask of the Menos Grande. The blade pierced through the mask, destroying the core inside. The Menos Grande let out a shrill scream, and its body began to disintegrate.

But in that brief moment, the last Menos Grande fired a Cero from behind. Liu Hao sensed the danger, turned around, and Cero. Powerful Reiatsu condensed on his fist, forming a protective barrier.

"Damn it," Liu Hao spat, "How can these Menos Grande coordinate so well? It's like they've rehearsed their teamwork!"

"Who told you to suppress your strength so much?" A gentle female voice sounded beside him, and the Imperial Princess stood invisible beside him. "You didn't even need to use some powerful ranged attacks, otherwise you would have finished it off in no time."

Liu Hao sighed helplessly, "Alas, if I don't suppress my power, it will cause irreversible damage to the souls in the World of the Living. Especially those powerful ranged attacks, their impact is too wide."

Seeing another comrade killed, the remaining two Menos Grande cautiously retreated. They seemed to realize that they were no match for Liu Hao in a direct confrontation, so they switched to using Cero to launch ranged attacks from a distance, attempting to wear down Liu Hao's power.

Liu Hao used Shunpo to move quickly through the streets, skillfully dodging Cero. The Cero buildings, blasting large holes and sending debris and dust flying everywhere. The entire neighborhood was in ruins; if the Seireitei hadn't frozen the space in time, the aftershocks of this battle would likely have affected the surrounding residents.

Seizing an opportunity, Liu Hao unleashed a slash at one of the Menos Grande. The sword energy formed from Reishi tore through the night sky. The Menos Grande dodged to the side, but was still sliced in half by the sword energy.

The Menos Grande began to regenerate, but at a noticeably slower pace. Liu Hao seized this opportunity and unleashed his Kidō: "Hadō #31, Shakkahō!"

A massive fireball shot from Liu Hao's hand, striking the Menos Grande wounded Hollow with pinpoint accuracy. The mask shattered and crumbled under the intense heat, and the Menos Grande's body dissipated into Reishi.

Seeing this, the last Menos Grande immediately realized the situation was dire. It stopped fighting and began tearing through space, attempting to open Garganta to escape.

But Liu Hao wouldn't give it that chance. He raised his Imperial Sword, the tip aimed at the Menos Grande, complex patterns of light appearing on the blade. "Trying to escape? Too late."

A thin, yet extremely refined sword light shot out from the tip of the sword, its trajectory almost invisible in the night sky. Before the Menos Grande could even react, the sword light had already pierced its head, shattering both its mask and core simultaneously.

The Menos Grande froze, his body began to disintegrate, and finally turned into Reishi, dissipating into the night sky.

At this point, all the Menos Grande and ordinary Hollows had been eliminated. Liu Hao sheathed his Imperial Sword and looked around. The streets were littered with traces of battle—craters, scorch marks, and shattered buildings. Fortunately, no one was injured or killed; this was the best possible outcome.

He took out his phone and contacted Kaien Shiba again. "Kaien, it's resolved. There were four Menos Grande and some ordinary Hollows, but these Hollows seem unusual. Each one has the strength of Vice-Captain and even knows how to cooperate. If an ordinary Soul Reaper or Quincy encountered them alone, they would surely die."

Kaien Shiba's voice was serious on the other end of the phone. "Okay, I understand. I'll report to the Seireitei. How are things on your end? Are you injured?"

"I'm fine," Liu Hao replied, "But this area has been severely damaged, and the Seireitei needs to send someone to deal with it."

"Understood, I will arrange it."

After the call ended, Liu Hao put on his black cloak again and quietly returned to the Ishida Family. As he crossed the courtyard, he saw Ryūken Ishida and Sōken Ishida standing in the corridor of the main house, clearly observing the battle outside.

Sōken Ishida stepped forward with an approving smile, "Mr. Liu Hao, thank you for your hard work."

Liu Hao waved his hand. "It's nothing. However, these avatars seem to be trained. Even a regular Vice-Captain could get injured if they're not prepared, so it's a bit troublesome to deal with."

Ryūken Ishida said thoughtfully, "Mr. Liu Hao's strength is truly unfathomable. He was able to handle the attack from four Menos Grande with such ease."

Liu Hao smiled and said, "You all have Captain-level strength, so you shouldn't have any problem handling this. But for safety's sake, if you absolutely have to go out recently, it's best to bring more people with you, preferably someone with keen senses."

Sōken Ishida nodded. "Mr. Liu Hao is right. Ryūken, did you hear that?"

"I understand, Father," Ryūken Ishida replied respectfully.

"I'm going to rest for a bit," Liu Hao said to the Ishida father and son. "We may need to reassess our defense plan after daybreak."

Sōken Ishida nodded understandingly. "Mr. Liu Hao, please get some rest. Leave the rest to us."

Liu Hao returned to his room, took off his black cloak, and put his Gigai back on. Although his body wasn't tired, the mental strain was considerable. He lay on his bed, closed his eyes, and the battle scenes kept replaying in his mind.