Shiba Kūsei was the first to discover that Zero had escaped, mainly because the Zanpakuto stored in their Tenth Division had gone missing. Kongqing then began to report the situation and rushed to the Central 46.
First, they saw Tokinada Tsunayashiro and his two companions outside the Central Council Chamber, and then quickly entered. When they encountered no obstacles On the Road, Kongqing already had an ominous premonition.
When they entered the room, the sight of corpses filling the entire space made Kongqing's eyes widen in disbelief. He couldn't believe that the Central 46, the pinnacle of power in Soul Society, had been completely slaughtered.
Hikosei was instructed to relay the message via 'Tenteikūra', Kongqing was already rushing towards the Ninth Division. He deduced that Zero might be taking Seigen and his Vassal away...
The Ninth Division's prison holds many Soul Reaper have committed offenses. Some have genuinely done wrong, while others have offended nobles and been framed and imprisoned there.
When Maki went to release a large number of prisoners, Zero also stood in front of Seigen's prison cell, holding the Hand Chicken he had just stolen to contact Hueco Mundo. The Menos Grande there were ready to take him and Seigen away.
Zero is going to challenge the Captain-Commander, so he has prepared various escape routes. He's not arrogant enough to think he can easily defeat Yama-jii; this is just to test his firepower...
At that moment, three powerful spiritual pressures appeared outside. Zero recognized them: Sora Ao, Kensei, and Kensei's current vice-captain, Kunan Shiro...
"Gentlemen, is there anything I can help you with?"
Zero stepped forward to face the three directly. His strength was already at the world's top level, and even the three of them together were no match for him.
"What's wrong? Oh, I see. You didn't feel anything was wrong about killing the Central 46?"
Kongqing's voice was tinged with coldness. As the head of Great Noble and one of the ruling class, he would definitely side with the Central 46.
"They want to strip me of my Reiryoku and then imprison me for 2500 years. Isn't that just blatantly trying to kill me in prison? Isn't it perfectly normal for me to resist?"
Ling smiled faintly and replied that, according to his logic, it was indeed quite normal.
"But you've committed no crime, so why would they execute you? You're just making excuses."
"Captain Shiba, calm down..."
Kongqing could no longer hold back and began to roar, while Kensei tried to calm him down... Kensei knew Zero's strength too well. Kensei didn't know how strong Kongqing really was; he only knew that the three of them together had no chance of winning.
"Soliciting excuses? Interesting. You saw the corpse of the Tsunayashiro Clan, didn't you!"
Zero's smile turned chilling. He continued, "Leaving aside the fact that he was only ordered to stay home after killing his wife, how was he able to swagger out right under the noses of the Central 46 after being ordered to stay home? Answer me, Shiba Kūsei!"
"..."
Kongqing was speechless for a moment. He had naturally seen Tokinada Tsunayashiro's body, and he knew how the case of the Great Noble beating his wife to death had been judged.
The status of ordinary people is vastly different from that of nobles. Even among Captain-level, there is a difference in status. Noble Captains may at most show some respect to Captains of commoner origin, but they will deliberately maintain a distance from them.
The Shiba Clan is alright. Shiba Kūsei sets a good example by not looking down on anyone, and members of their family can even be friends with ordinary people.
But families like Kuchiki, Shihoin, Tsunayashiro, and even Kasumioji are different; they don't deliberately befriend commoners... Even Yoruichi, who is already quite carefree in the current era, is not like that; her status prevents her from lowering her stance too much.
"Let me tell you why. Their status is too high. The Central 46 and the nobles jointly rule Soul Society. They can't easily offend their colleagues, don't you agree?"
Zero chuckled coldly and continued, "Therefore, the rules are only made for the weak commoners, while the powerful nobles can disregard them, especially the Five Great Noble Clans at the pinnacle of nobility."
"You're just trying to exonerate yourself. Enough said. Come on, Nangong Ling, let me see if you have the power to challenge the rules of Soul Society."
"Captain Shiba!"
Kongqing roared and drew his Zanpakuto, charging forward. There was no other way but for Kensei to follow, as did Mashiro Kuna beside him.
"Tch, you guys should... use your Bankai before charging at me..."
When Zero's faint voice fell, the world seemed to fall silent. Blood blossomed from the bodies of the two Captains and the Vice-Captain.
"What?"
"How is that possible!"
Kongqing was puzzled, as was Kensei, who couldn't see Zero's movements at all; and Mashiro Kuna was completely stunned, unable to even express his confusion.
To the two who were still conscious, Ling Lianjian had not drawn his sword; the red Greatsword was still strapped to his back.
The sudden surge of Reiatsu from Zero just now left the two of them feeling bitter: without Bankai, they couldn't even touch his blade?
"Out of consideration for this past relationship, I'll spare your lives! So you can witness the New World I'll build!"
Zero slowly walked away, heading in the direction of the First Division. Maki and the others had just opened the Garganta and were heading directly to Hueco Mundo.
"It's time for a real match with you. I've long heard of Ryūjin Jakka's reputation, but in all my more than a hundred years as a member of the Gotei 13, I've never truly witnessed it!"
Zero's objective is clear: he is the Captain-Commander. If things go wrong, he can also escape.
Before the Captains' Meeting could even begin, after giving the Captains the order to apprehend Zero through the Inner Court Squad, Yama-jii stood in his office gazing out over the entire Seireitei.
The moment Zero defeated Kongqing and the other two, a powerful Reiatsu erupted. The Captains locked onto Zero in that instant and rushed over.
Logically speaking, at Zero's speed, he should be able to reach Yama-jii in a minute at most, but he was stopped halfway. Looking at the new Captain of the Shihoin in front of him, Zero was also slightly surprised.
Zero didn't have much interaction with Yoruichi, because the Great Nobles always deliberately kept their distance from him, probably because he had killed Captain-level Great Noble in the past.
Yoruichi's Shunpo is incredibly fast, not because of Reiatsu, but because she has a unique understanding of Shunpo, which is why she was able to stop Zero...
The two didn't exchange many words, just as they had never had much interaction.
Yoruichi was the first to move. She also had Zanpakuto, but she had shrunk it to the size of a dagger and held it in a reverse grip.
She was more like an assassin, appearing behind Zero with lightning speed and stabbing him in the throat before he could draw his sword.
Boom!
Zero didn't swing his sword either, but instead released his Reiatsu. He concentrated the Reiatsu at his throat and directly withstood Yoruichi's piercing attack.
Zero used his hand as a knife to pierce Yoruichi's abdomen, but in the next instant, all that Yoruichi was left with was a Captain's Haori — 'Utsusemi'.
'Such powerful Reiatsu can cover his skin? Is this Nangong Kenpachi's strength?'
Yoruichi's Reiatsu could reach 2.3 Three Carriages, but unfortunately she held back three-tenths of her strength just now, otherwise she wouldn't have been unable to even pierce through the skin.
"Your methods Stealth Force assassinations, always striking once and then fleeing. With that mindset, you'll never win against me!"
Zero smiled faintly as he gripped the Blood Drink. His Reiatsu was already formidable, and coupled with the overwhelming aura he exuded, Yoruichi found it difficult to break through his defenses.
"That's not necessarily true..."
Thump!
Yoruichi was about to continue her attack when a deep voice came from behind her, like an air cannon. Yoruichi reacted immediately and dodged with Shunpo.
The Greatsword swung, dripping blood, leaving a gruesome sword wound on Yoruichi's back. She was shocked: 'This isn't Shunpo, this is Menos Grande's movement technique!'
Not wanting to waste any more time, Zero continued to Sonído, raising his sword to strike with force Yoruichi, affected by her wounds, was no longer as fast. She dodged the sword's strike but was hit by Zero's heavy kick.
Yoruichi nearly fainted after crashing through several walls. The wound on her back opened up even wider, and she was panting heavily. She had basically lost her speed advantage, and even Zero standing in front of her was unable to move.
Yoruichi had considered that there might be a difference in strength, but she hadn't expected the difference to be this great; mainly because that footwork, which only Menos Grande could use, was similar to teleportation, allowing him to evade her gaze while moving.
"Boring!"
Just as Zero was about to finish her off with his sword, a golden Reishi Chain snaked through the air. Zero swung his sword and shattered it, then turned to look at the guy who had released the Bakudō 'Chain Binding'.
That's Yoruichi's adjutant, the Second Division's Vice-Captain, Marechiyo Ōmaeda... This guy is way better than his son...
Sensing something, Zero turned around and saw that Yoruichi had already been rescued by Kisuke Urahara and was far away from here.
"Lady Yoruichi, are you alright?"
"Idiot... Do I look okay?"
"Let's leave the rest to the Captains!"
Kisuke Urahara was relieved to see that Yoruichi was still in the mood to joke. As if to prove his point, one by one the Captains appeared out of thin air.
The Captains of the Sixth Division, Seventh Division, Eighth Division, and Twelfth Divisions have arrived, and even the sick cat's Thirteenth Division Captain, Jūshirō Ukitake, arrived shortly after.
Kasumioji Yakumo didn't come because he was suppressing the prisoners released by Maki, while Hana-nee was treating Kensei and Kongqing.
"Wow, what a big fuss! Wouldn't it be better to let me go and fight Yama-jii? I might just get killed by him!"
Ling chuckled and joked, "Since we've been stopped, we'll just have to take them down first before going to challenge the Captain-Commander to a duel."
"Nangong Ling, you have nowhere to run. Surrender now!"
Kenpachi Kuchiki Ginrei addressed Zero by his given name, believing that Zero was no longer worthy of the title Kenpachi.
That's a title for the strongest Soul Reaper. Zero has become a thief; how can he still use such a prestigious title?
"Escape? So, were you not listening to me properly, or are you just getting senile? Everyone said I was going to duel with Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, but you insisted on saying..."
Zero sneered at Kuchiki Ginrei, but the cunning Kyōraku had already launched a sneak attack. Kyōraku knew that with the Central 46 killed, there was no point in continuing the negotiations.
The moment he made his move, Ukitake was also muttering to himself, preparing for the Kidō.
Clang!
"As awful as ever!"
"It's better than abandoning your honor as Soul Reaper — Zanka no Tachi!"
The two clashed first. Kyōraku used Kidō to force Shikai of the fight, then immediately unleashed his Shikai, loudly reminding everyone, "Everyone, give it your all! Otherwise, we might not be able to defeat him."
The Captains present looked grave upon hearing this. They knew Zero's strength well, and they all activated their Shikai...
As for Bankai, in a multi-against-one situation, it's difficult for them to guarantee that their Bankai won't affect others, so no one uses Bankai.
A bright yellow Kidō barrier rose up around him. Ukitake's Kidō was complete. He set up Kidō Barrier here, completely isolating this space, preventing Zero from escaping while minimizing damage.
"If no one wants to go first, then I'll be the first!"
Love Aikawa slammed his enormous club down on Zero's head, the Tengumaru still covered in flames, blasting out a huge pillar of fire with a diameter of over thirty meters.
To avoid the pillar of flame, Zero leaped into the sky, only to be met by Kyōraku wielding twin swords. "Demon-Slaying!"
His Zanpakuto, 'Katen Kyōkotsu', Shikai ability that consists of five games that children often play, treating life-or-death struggles as child's play... However, this also aligns with Kyōraku's carefree attitude towards life.
The immense force slammed Zero into the ground, but Zero steadied himself, using Shunpo to move behind Kyōraku and slash down fiercely. Kyōraku Shunpo again to dodge.
Just as Blood Drink was about to touch Kyōraku, a Zanpakuto resembling a spatula shoveled towards Zero's nape, aiming to sever his head. Zero had no choice but to abandon his attack and parry with his sword.
... This is Kirio Hikifune's Zanpakuto. After its Shikai, it becomes a straight, large spatula, similar to a shovel for digging. At this time, her concept of ' Modified Soul) was not yet fully developed, and her fighting style still relied on her Zanpakuto...
With that one block, Kyōraku seized the opening in Zero's chest and swung his sword down fiercely, shouting, "White!"
Zero is wearing Captain's cape, and Kyōraku is also wearing Captain's cape; currently, the most common color on both of them is white...
This is one of the five games he Zanpakuto: guessing colors. The player with the most identical colors between the two players can say it before hitting the target and the damage will be doubled.
If that blow had landed, Zero would have been severely injured, if not killed. Fortunately, a transparent barrier rose up in front of him, blocking the blow.
Zero Release Bakudō Number 39: Enkōsen!
Get out of the way!
Kuchiki Ginrei shouted and unleashed three terrifying high-pressure whirlwinds with her Zanpakuto. Kyōraku and Kirio Hikifune immediately Shunpo to get away upon seeing this.
The high-pressure cyclone accurately hit zero in the air, then exploded, scattering intense wind pressure and making this Kidō space somewhat unstable.
"Did it succeed?"
"It's not that simple. Don't forget, he hasn't even released the seal or Bankai yet."
Kyōraku answered Kirio Hikifune's question, and sure enough, a terrifying Reiatsu surged into the sky as Zero broke the seal on his hands...