Soul King Palace and the Four Divine Generals

"Hmm, it seems I'm still the first one to arrive." Looking at the Omotesandō Plaza, Kirinj was satisfied with his speed.

"You arrived quite quickly, Minister Tian."

Kirinj turned around, and a man with black punk-style curly hair appeared right behind him. He had a grinning face with his teeth showing under his wide-rimmed sunglasses, and his all-black leather outfit gave him a hip-hop and funny image.

This person is the third official, a Western divine general, and the Ōetsu Nimaiya, who is known as the Sword God. (Hi-hop, rap, and punk style; I personally don't appreciate it, but you can make do with Ōetsu Nimaiya's style.)

"Ōetsu Nimaiya, did you call us here because of that kid who fought his way up?" Kirinj asked.

Of the five members of Zero Squad, apart from the Monk, Ōetsu Nimaiya is the most senior. When the Monk show up, it's Ōetsu Nimaiya who handles the affairs of Zero Squad.

"I don't even know how many years have passed, and yet another little guy has appeared who dares to challenge the Soul King Palace. Wouldn't it be appropriate not to join in this excitement?" Ōetsu Nimaiya said with a smile.

"Again? Who was the last one?" Kirinj was a little puzzled. Since arriving at the Soul King Palace, this was the first time he had encountered someone who dared to challenge the Soul King.

"The last one was your former Captain-Commander, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. He almost burned down the entire Soul Society back then. It was terrifying~" Ōetsu Nimaiya said sarcastically.

"Could it be around that time?"

Kirinj recalled that before he was promoted to the Zero Squad, there had been an extremely hot weather event in Soul Society, which was later covered up by the Central 46 with some inexplicable reason. Now that he thought about it, that weather might have been caused by Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's full-force attack.

"What are you talking about? May I hear too?"

A woman with medium-length black hair, wearing a golden hair ornament, and with six golden skull arms on her back floated over. She was the Fourth Officer, the Northern General, and known as the Great Weaver Guardian Shutara Senjumaru.

"We were talking about someone daring to challenge the Soul King Palace," Kirinj explained.

"Huh? I'm quite surprised too, someone dares to rush up here so openly."

The thunderous roar continued unabated, and as the sound grew louder, the challenger was about to break through all the barriers and reach the territory belonging to the Soul King Palace.

"Where's Yachiru Unohana? Didn't you inform her?" Kirinj asked.

Just as Ōetsu Nimaiya was about to answer, she heard a cheerful and kind laugh, "I'm here. Something just held me up for a bit."

The first thing you see is a plump woman with purple hair, who has a rice spoon stuck in her hair as an ornament. Just by looking at her, you can tell that she has a cheerful and friendly personality.

At this moment, Aizen finally succeeded in breaking through that last barrier. A loud explosion, accompanied by five dragon roars of different tones, resounded throughout the Soul King Palace. Aizen was about to announce his arrival to everyone in the Soul King Palace in the most powerful manner.

The scene of Aizen manifesting himself before the people he had imagined did not occur. He did not even see anyone from the Soul King Palace. What came into view was a tall white wall.

Jingling Wall?

Aizen laughed dismissively. Even the 72-layered barrier had breached it; did the Zero Squad really think a mere Seireitei Barrier could protect the Soul King Palace?

Perfect! Let's use the last bit of spiritual pressure from the Goryūtenmetsu to tear the last veil of pretense from the Soul King Palace to shreds!

Aizen casually waved his hand, and five giant dragons bared their fangs and claws as they charged towards the ring of Seireitei. Breaking through the 72 barriers mainly relied on the power of the King's Key, but now it was the turn of the Goryūtenmetsu to unleash their own spiritual pressure.

After a series of intense booming sounds, a section of the circular Seireitei Barrier was blasted away by the Goryūtenmetsu, and Aizen strolled leisurely through the gap.

"Is this the Soul King Palace?" Strolling leisurely through the air, Aizen looked around with great ease, as if inspecting his own possessions.

The first thing you see is the white plaza and high steps leading to the Omotesandō. Above the Omotesandō are five floating disc-shaped towns, which are where the members of the Zero Squad live, their Zero Division's Residence.

The pestle-shaped building in the very center of Zero Division's Residence is Aizen's target: the location of the Soul King.

Having found his target, Aizen immediately set off to meet the Soul King, completely disregarding everything else.

"Are all young people this arrogant these days, Kirio Hikifune?" Kirinj's displeasure at being ignored was almost overflowing. He seemed to be questioning Yachiru Unohana, but in reality, he was using Yachiru Unohana to satirize Aizen.

Since Yachiru Unohana was the last member to be promoted to the Zero Squad, someone like Aizen, who was able to go straight to the Soul King Palace, should know some information.

"I remember your name is Aizen, right?" Yachiru Unohana asked with a smile, cupping his face in his hands. "I think it was Hirako who mentored you. He was yelling to me about finding a genius, but your temperament needs some work out."

"Oh? I didn't expect Captain Hirako to have thought so highly of me back then. I should have gone easy on him."

Aizen feigned surprise, but this expression undoubtedly angered Yachiru Unohana. Back in the Seireitei, Hirako used to follow her around, respectfully calling her "Miss Kirio Hikifune."

"Oh right, Hiyori was dragged into this mess by Hirako too. Who told them to always be fooling around together like that?"

Aizen's next words completely ignited Yachiru Unohana's anger. Despite appearing to be a kind and amiable middle-aged woman, her hair was now flying up, and she had transformed into a complete shrew!

"What did you do to Hiyori?!"

That was her favorite little Hiyori. As her Vice-Captain, Yachiru Unohana treated her like a daughter when they were in Seireitei, which indirectly contributed to Hiyori's sarcastic and confrontational style.

The furious low voice of Yachiru Unohana startled the three generals around him. They never expected that someone who usually seemed like a kind-hearted person could be so terrifying when he got angry, looking like he wanted to devour someone.

"What else could I do? I was just injecting Hollow energy into their bodies..."

Aizen only said half of what he wanted to say, leaving endless room for imagination. As the former captain of the Squad 12, Yachiru Unohana was no novice when it came to technology. Just those half-sentences were enough for her to imagine the torment Hiyori had endured.

"I'll handle this guy!"

Leaving behind a single sentence, Yachiru Unohana vanished from her spot in a flash. Flash Step appearing before Aizen, Yachiru Unohana pulled the rice spoon from her hair. The spoon instantly transformed into the size of a shovel, which she then slammed down on Aizen.

With a thud, Aizen was swatted onto Omotesandō Yachiru Unohana, just like swatting a fly.

Yachiru Unohana fiercely at Aizen, "Not only Hiyori, but you also dare to provoke the Soul King Palace. Today, I'll teach you a lesson!"

However, Yachiru Unohana's words became less and less confident as she spoke. She saw Aizen, whom she had photographed on Omotesandō, standing properly in the square, gently brushing his sleeves as if he were brushing off dust.

Slightly dirty hem?

No, not even a speck of dust touched him. Aizen was just putting on a show; Yachiru Unohana's angry attack couldn't hurt him at all.

"Kirio Hikifune, the fact that this guy can pass through 72 barriers means he also possesses the power of the King's Sword. This amount of power is not enough to kill him," Ōetsu Nimaiya said.

"Is everyone here? Let's attack together, I'm in a hurry." Aizen gently brushed aside a strand of hair from his forehead, as if he were talking about something insignificant.

"In just a few hundred years, the Seireitei has produced such an arrogant individual?" Kirinj was furious at Aizen's disdainful attitude. "Then I'll grant your wish! Flash of Heavenly Illumination, Golden Peacock!"

Kirinj pulled the scabbard off the oar, revealing the original form of his Zanpakuto. He then transformed into a golden light and flashed towards Aizen.

When Kirinj reappeared, he was behind Aizen. As he confidently sheathed his sword, a wound appeared on Aizen's shoulder.

"So the power of the imposter really isn't enough?"

Aizen reflected on himself and realized that unlike the Zero Squad, his King Key was not forged with the Soul King's Power, but was a fake created by forcibly using a large number of Reishi. It could only be used to ram into the 72-layer barrier, and it was not enough to resist the Zero Squad's attacks.

A thin stream of white liquid oozed from Aizen's shoulder, rapidly healing his wounds. To be honest, this so-called King's Key was actually not as useful as his current body, which was a fusion of Bleach and Hollow's power, as well as the Hogyoku.

"The power of a Hollow?" Kirinj, who was closest, immediately noticed the abnormality in Aizen's body. With another flash of golden light, he was back near Ōetsu Nimaiya and the others.

"This guy named Aizen is a bit strange," Kirinj said. In his mind, no one had ever been able to combine the power of Bleach and a Hollow.

"It's strange, but it's also a top-quality piece of jade..." Ōetsu Nimaiya answered softly, unaware that her eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, were gleaming with a sharp light.

Others saw Aizen as a provocateur who came to the Soul King Palace, but in Ōetsu Nimaiya's eyes, Aizen was actually a perfect embryo, ideal for forging swords.

Occupational hazard kicked in, and Ōetsu Nimaiya suddenly felt an itch in his hands. This top-quality material couldn't be allowed to die so easily. Like that Hollow from ancient times, forging it into Zanpakuto was their best destiny!

Aizen's gaze met Ōetsu Nimaiya's. Although he couldn't see the other's eyes clearly, his intuition—no, the Hogyoku— told him that Ōetsu Nimaiya was after him.

Interesting. If the throne of the Soul King weren't so tempting, Aizen would have planned to thoroughly study these so-called Zero Squad members.

Before he could even make a move on anyone else, the other party had already set their sights on him. Let's see who takes them down first.

Aizen flicked his finger, and a bolt of Byakurai shot out instantly. He didn't like the feeling of not being able to see his opponent's gaze, so he might as well smash those broken sunglasses first.

As Aizen raised his hand, the defenses of the Soul King Palace were already in action. Just as the Byakurai was unleashed, a giant in heavy armor descended from the sky and blocked Aizen's path.

The giant wore the same attire as the Soul King's Blade, only differing in size and equipment. He was the Soul King's Shield, and like the Soul King's Blade, he was a tool of the Soul King Palace.

At the same time, dozens of black figures surrounded Aizen. With his shield blocking the attacks, it was time for the Soul King's Blade to take down the enemy.