Second Unlock

The Crimson Fire Serpent twisted its body, carrying searing waves of heat as it gnawed at the Pig-faced Hollow's already mangled wound!

Even under such an attack, the Pig-faced Hollow still had room to resist. As if it had gone mad, it twisted its neck a full one hundred and eighty degrees, opened its fang-filled jaws, and viciously bit down on the giant serpent formed by the Shakkahō. Its immense bite force even dimmed the Shakkahō's dazzling light!

Watching this, Asano Kiyoshi let out a soft breath. With some difficulty, he stood up again, his voice slightly hoarse. "Lord! Mask of flesh and blood, myriad things, wings that soar high, bearer of the name of man! Scorching heat and strife, roll back across the sea toward the south—step forward!"

As the Post-Chanting ended, the Shakkahō, which had dimmed somewhat, swelled once more. The fire serpent spewed searing waves, tearing open the Pig-faced Hollow's abdomen while part of its body violently drilled into the Hollow's open mouth. Amid the surging crimson heat, blood, bones, and flesh cried out in agony, and the pale mask was stained with its owner's blood.

Miyako Shiba and the others, who had rushed over to provide support, witnessed this scene.

On the ink-black battlefield stood a young man in a Black-Red Robe, his face smeared with blood and his hair clumped together by thick, sticky gore. Not far from him lay a massive charred corpse, giving off the stench of burnt flesh. Beneath the enormous red tower, white bones wrapped around one another surrounded the boy like fanatical worshippers on a pilgrimage.

Every member of the Gotei 13 who saw this scene felt shock nearly overflowing from their hearts. The boy's figure would be etched into their memories for the rest of their lives, impossible to forget.

Miyako Shiba was the first to react and immediately issued orders to everyone. "Notify the Medical Corps to treat the wounded. Notify the Disposal Corps to inspect the surrounding building damage and dispose of the corpses. Have the Records Corps contact the Twelfth Division and submit a report summarizing the situation. The Combat Corps will search the surrounding area for any other accomplices. Eliminate them on sight!"

Under Miyako Shiba's precise command, everyone in the Gotei 13 swiftly sprang into action.

Asano Kiyoshi watched Miyako Shiba rush toward him, and his taut nerves finally gave out. His entire body went weak, his vision went black, and he lost consciousness. Before he collapsed, he only felt himself being caught in a warm, soft embrace.

Aizen stood in the sky, looking at Asano Kiyoshi in Miyako Shiba's arms. A trace of interest flickered in his eyes.

Gin Ichimaru's voice came from nearby, carrying poorly concealed surprise. "What a genius. He actually managed to use Post-Chanting on a Hado during battle, combine Hado and Bakudo at the same time in combat, and even cast several Kido simultaneously in multiples. That kind of Kido Mastery... tsk, tsk, tsk. He's a monster, isn't he, Lord Aizen?"

Aizen did not answer Gin Ichimaru directly. Instead, he said to Kaname Tōsen, "Create a separate file for Asano Kiyoshi. I'll dictate. You record it."

Kaname Tōsen immediately nodded, taking out paper and pen and beginning to write on a specialized tool.

Once Kaname Tōsen was ready, Aizen's faintly smiling voice rang out. "File Name: Asano Kiyoshi. File Record: The strongest Reishi Control Ability in the Soul Society to date. His Kido Mastery is not inferior to that of the Chief of the Great Kido Corps. Extremely high combat aptitude, extremely high talent. His Zanpakuto ability should provide roughly a twenty percent enhancement to Kido such as Bakudo, and it appears that he has not yet achieved Shikai."

After saying that, Aizen drew Kyoka Suigetsu from his waist. With a single slash, he cut open the void and stepped into the Dangai, paying no attention to Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen's astonishment behind him.

After hearing Aizen's words, Gin Ichimaru looked toward the unconscious Asano Kiyoshi and opened his eyes once again. He seemed to want to carve the boy's face into his memory. Excitement appeared on his snake-like face for the first time as he muttered, "Even that wasn't Shikai? A Dual Form Asauchi? Interesting. Very interesting!"

Kaname Tōsen remained silent, but his slightly trembling hand faintly revealed the unrest in his heart.

Aizen stepped into the Dangai and looked at the desolate world that contained nothing but purple rubble. A rare smile appeared on his face as he recalled the battle from earlier and murmured, "Asano Kiyoshi... an interesting Zanpakuto."

At that moment, Asano Kiyoshi had no idea that Aizen had already deduced most of his Zanpakuto's abilities. However, he had never thought he could conceal everything from everyone. Before those old monsters who had lived for thousands of years, his shallow experience was hardly worth mentioning. Rather, he had long been prepared for most of his abilities to be inferred.

Lying in his hospital bed, Asano Kiyoshi looked at Captain Jushiro Ukitake beside him with a helpless expression and said painfully, "Teacher Ukitake, I really can't eat anymore. I'm basically healed already. If you don't believe me, I can get down and walk around right now!"

But Asano Kiyoshi's plan did not succeed. Jushiro Ukitake directly pressed him back onto the bed, then pulled out all kinds of tonics and snacks from his Fourth-Dimensional Pocket and stuffed them all into Asano Kiyoshi. He stayed beside him and watched him consume more than half the tonics before leaving in satisfaction. Before he left, Jushiro Ukitake deliberately said, "Little Kiyoshi, your health is always the most important thing. You must remember that. Head Captain Yamamoto and I both hope that you can stay healthy, so, cough cough cough, remember to eat more."

Asano Kiyoshi's gaze was complicated as he watched Teacher Ukitake leave. Ukitake really was as gentle as he had been in the original story, yet someone so gentle had been tormented by illness for over a thousand years.

After witnessing his mentor's tragic death, he could only grieve helplessly from the side. When faced with immense pressure, he could only stand behind his Close Friend, unable to share even the slightest burden.

For a Captain like Ukitake, someone so gentle, such things were probably ten thousand times sadder than illness itself...

Thinking of Captain Ukitake's final death, Asano Kiyoshi looked out at the clear sky beyond the window and suddenly thought that, if possible, he wanted to change the fates of those gentle people, even if only a little...

Ukitake, the Captain-Commander, Hisana Kuchiki...

Familiar and unfamiliar faces surfaced in his mind one after another. Asano Kiyoshi looked at the Soul Society, then at the fruit baskets by his bed sent by Granny Hana, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Shunsui, Old Man, Jushiro Ukitake, and the others, as well as Sister Hana's personal treatment. Suddenly, he felt that he had gained something indescribable toward this land.

The Scroll in his mind faintly emerged, and this time, the area unlocked upon it was no longer limited to just the Gate of the Underworld...