Win It for Me, Iori!

Hold head high!

Hold head high!

Hold head high!

Large mounds rose from the sand dunes, from which black fluid emerged, twisting and merging to form towering giants that continued to grow and gather, eventually forming the Forest of Menos that stretched as far as the eye could see, resembling a sea of trees.

"Lament, fear, despair, and regret your weakness and misfortune!"

Your path ends here, and your future will be ended by me Lord Jack!

At this very moment, the world reveals its cruelest side to you, the Grim Reapers!

Rows of jet-black Gillian stared at the numerous Grim Reapers, letting out irritating roars.

"All of this is to pay tribute to our great king!"

"Sweep away the remnants of Soul Society and usher in the new world our My King has long awaited!"

Rumble!

A series of crimson Cero across the sky, illuminating the eyes of the people beneath the cloaks.

Iori, Zaraki, Unohana, Soujun, Saito, Kangen, Tousen Kaname, Tenkai...

Suddenly, the smug Jack Crowley lost consciousness!

Without warning or any power to resist, without even understanding what was happening, their consciousness sank into boundless darkness...

"Hmm!"

After an unknown amount of time, Jack Crowley, tattered and emaciated like Insects, suddenly awoke, his eyes meeting the rock-covered ceiling of the Forest of Menos.

"Is this... below the Great Whirlpool... the Forest of Menos? How... was I knocked down here?!"

He felt completely paralyzed, and even with his "super-fast regeneration" ability, he couldn't repair his body. It seemed he had reached his physiological limit and barely managed to save his life.

"How... how is this possible!"

Chapter 430 Win, Iori!

The Decapitation Squad's operation went extremely smoothly. With so many Bankai-level experts working together, even an Adjuchas-class Arrancar could not withstand their onslaught. They swept through several lines of defense with unstoppable momentum.

Whether it's the countless Forest of Menos, the Beast Menos whose fighting abilities have been specialized by stripping them of their rationality, or the massive synthetic beasts, they are all as weak and feeble as sand in front of the Shinigami Captain.

However, once they entered the towering tower, the quality of the enemies suddenly increased by more than one level. The mastermind behind the scenes also used Spirit Particle Technology to create traps to hinder everyone's actions and even tried to divide them up and defeat them one by one!

Zaraki Kenpachi was the first to fall behind. No one knows exactly which battle he went missing in. By the time they realized it, he had already run off to some unknown place with Yachiru Kusajishi.

The process was so smooth that it was impossible to tell whether it was an enemy trap or simply that they had gotten lost...

Afterwards, the Arrancar Sklaverei the Zodiac began to appear, using the "Anti-Membrane Bandit" to forcibly separate the Shinigami squad. At this point, the Shinigami didn't care about advancing or retreating together; in pursuit of efficiency and out of trust in their comrades, Iori and the others continued upwards.

Ultimately, the Tower of Babel split into five or six battlefields, turning into a chaotic free-for-all with two or three groups of enemies. The three most troublesome "Vastolorde" were unexpectedly defeated by Kurotsuchi Mayuri and Iori working together.

Another one encountered Kenpachi while wandering around (actually, it was Iori's clone who actively sought him out).

However, the remaining Zodiac also include at least one Voidwalker, leading a powerful Arrancar army. On paper, the Decapitation Squad is even at a disadvantage!

However, no one felt fear. Even when facing the unfathomable Vastolorde Arrancar, they did not retreat a single step, but did their best to hold them off and create opportunities for Iori.

Of all those who fought alongside Iori to the very end, only Saitō Fuyōfushi one, remained.

On the road leading to the top floor, a group of Menos Grande known as the Royal Guard are in charge of guarding it.

"Bankai!"

Thanks to the help of Unohana and the others, Iori had preserved his strength throughout the journey, allowing him to unleash his full-power spiritual pressure at this final stage, which immediately unleashed a fierce wind that swept across the entire floor.

"Mirror Water Heavenly Cluster Eight-Headed Raging Waves!"

The ultimate technique, capable of sweeping away thousands of troops, shattered the barrier restricting the spirits with overwhelming power, crashing into the guards like a flood. In the midst of this chaos, Saito Shunpo rushed into the battlefield, using his sharp swordsmanship to kill the enemy.

Iori displayed incredible battlefield dominance, single-handedly suppressing the entire Royal Guard by relying on the area-of-effect of her Zanpakuto and Kido. She and Saito worked together, with one taking the lead in attack and the other moving around, and quickly broke through the defenses of this layer.

"Careful!"

In the midst of the fierce battle, Iori's eyes turned cold, and she suddenly raised her head to look at the immortal being slaying enemies not far away.

He rushed over quickly, grabbed the immortal's wrist, and pulled her into his arms.

"Hmm?"

Saito's eyes showed Flash Step of panic. He wanted to resist, but knowing that Iori would never do such a thing on the battlefield without reason, he let him do as he pleased.

As expected, Iori did not do anything drastic; he simply pulled her over and then Shunpo left the spot.

The next moment, a "meteor" fell from the sky and crashed down on the spot. The explosive wind pressure blew like a heavy hammer over Iori and Saito, pushing them back several meters.

"Who is it!"

Iori barely managed to stand firm, then suddenly looked up at the point where the "meteor" had fallen, her right hand quietly tightening its grip on the Mirror Water.

No one answered his question; instead, a tall, thin figure rose from the dust and mist.

"Careful..."

Saito narrowed his one eye slightly. "They've arrived!"

Clang~

At the instant of her intuitive warning, Iori raised her right hand without hesitation, Zanpakuto, which had drunk countless bloodstains that day, slashed with an unpredictable trajectory toward the empty space in front of her.

Clang!

It seemed as if it had collided with something invisible, and the powerful impact surged up the blade, causing Iori's arm muscles to tense up suddenly.

The figure draped in a tattered coat seemed to emerge from the darkness before quietly appearing. A jet-black longsword clashed fiercely with Mirror Water, their blades constantly gnawing at each other, sparking a series of intense flashes.

"It's you!"

Although they had never met before, Iori remembered the other person the moment she saw them.

"This time, please state your names!"

"Empty!"

Beneath the hood that fluttered like a shadow, the Humanoid Vastolorde raised his head, his face covered not with a white mask, but with a black veil that obscured the lower half of his face.

He didn't give a specific name, but instead used his race name, as if he alone was qualified to represent the entire race.

"As expected... that spiritual pressure!"

Although its appearance has changed somewhat, this is undoubtedly the Menos Grande that once wreaked havoc in Seireitei!

Throat!

As his spiritual pressure surged, Iori forcefully pushed his enemy away, and almost simultaneously, large, crimson fireballs appeared in front of him.

Instant multi-cast!

Fireballs with the power of small missiles struck the void one after another, engulfing it in intense Kakkō.

However, Iori did not stop there. The Mirror Water was switched to her left hand, and her free right hand immediately lit up with a blazing, pale Reishi light—

"Ice Fang Conquest Storm!"

The torrent of frost condensed and took shape, instantly creating a massive glacier that swept away everything in sight. The entire floor entered an ice age, and endless coldness rushed out to the outside. From the outside, it looked like a six-pointed Ice Flower blooming on the top floor of the Tower of Babel.

"Not bad, so this is what they call 'the Kido'? I didn't observe it properly last time, I didn't realize it was so powerful."

A calm voice sounded from behind. Iori's expression remained unchanged, but Saito felt his hair stand on end and glanced back.

Iori calmly turned around—trying to maintain a serious expression.

He now possesses both his own and the "Menos Grande's " perspectives simultaneously, and they also share the same consciousness. It feels like he's fighting with both hands simultaneously, or playing house by himself... It's quite strange.

The Humanoid Hollow wasn't even covered in dust. He stood there calmly, holding a sword in one hand. Although his expression wasn't visible, it felt like he was smiling as he sized up Iori.

"The Shinigami's Kido is different from the Hollow's power; I'm very interested in it."

"..."

Saito quietly tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword. She knew very well the Hollow's strength. It had easily defeated multiple veteran captains at the same time. It could be said that apart from Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni and Iori, no one in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads could compare to it.

Even if Unohana Yachiru to wield her sword again, it would still be the same.

Saito stared intently at his opponent's every move. Although he was confident in himself, he knew that Resurrección's speed was superior to Shunpo's. Even if he had mastered both techniques to their limits, Resurrección still stronger.

"Is the information about [Las Noches] wrong... or has Ku been plotting against us from the very beginning?"

"Both possibilities exist, but there's no point in thinking about it now."

Iori remained calm and said softly, "I never really considered Las Noches to be a reliable partner. It's not surprising that they're hoping to hurt both us and Shitan."

But no matter what, this Menos Grande is someone I must overcome, and in terms of the outcome, it makes no difference—you're in charge of protecting my back; the Imperial Guard is yours."

At this point, the man tilted his head slightly and said, "Now, let us entrust our lives to each other."

"...snort!"

Saito felt greatly at ease, Flash Step clearing away all his worries and anxieties, and a confident smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

"I bet my soul that we will be the victors!"

"Having self-confidence is a good thing."

The enemy said with a smile.

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu raised his tattered coat with his right hand, which swung like a cloak.

Meanwhile, a brilliant flash of light erupted from the inside—

Saitō Fuyōfushi, suddenly narrowed his eyes. His Zanpakuto horizontally in front of him, but he was struck by the blade's light and sent flying dozens of meters away.

Just as Hollow took a step, his pursuit was interrupted. Iori's Flash Step, and her chilling Zanpakuto struck Hollow before the air could even groan in despair.

However, it failed to break through the opponent's defense. The unique Hierro of the Arrancar was strengthened to the extreme by the Hollow. When it was slashed, it produced a sound of metal clashing, but it could not produce even a trace of blood.

"It turns out!"

In the instant that Iori's face showed astonishment, Utsuro had already switched hands with the longsword and tore Iori's body apart from bottom to top—

Laugh!

The haori bearing the words "Third Division" was cut off, and the Shinigami hidden inside vanished without a trace.

Xu never expected that his sudden attack would be so easily neutralized, and he quickly turned his gaze to find his opponent.

However, Iori's Shunpo technique was so advanced that even his powerful sensory perception failed to detect it, and he was once again Zanpakuto.

But this time the Hierro couldn't stop it. The spiritual light attached to the blade was the Kido called "Blade Dance," which greatly enhanced the power of the slash, piercing through the Hollow's coat and side waist on the spot!

"Good!"

Despite his injury, Xu paid it no mind. With a flick of his wrist, he slashed out from below like a scorpion's stinger, the black blade parting his cloak as it hurtled towards the Grim Reaper behind him—

"Clang!"

Iori managed to deflect the attack by turning her blade back in time and immediately counterattacked.

The two figures disappeared at the same time and reappeared a hundred meters away. In just the blink of an eye, the injuries on Xu's body disappeared.

Ultra-high-speed regeneration!

"You... I've heard that when Arrancar evolve, they selectively enhance their abilities, often sacrificing some things in the process. But you... could it be that you've developed all your talents to the limit?"

Iori rarely showed a slightly ferocious and competitive expression, and continued to exert force and engage in feints.

Hollow laughed loudly, "You're one to talk! You're also proficient in all four combat skills of a Shinigami, aren't you?!"

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Iori displayed a strong offensive desire, and Hollow was briefly suppressed in the ensuing slashing duel.

Saito didn't let the opportunity pass. After quickly dealing with the remaining guards, he joined the battle with his Zanpakuto in hand. The two long swords worked in perfect coordination, slashing at the Hollow time and time again!

Although the two had fought side by side before, this was the first time they had truly teamed up against the same person—after all, it was Saito who had been the one to come to Iori's rescue.

It's strange, Saito was the First Generation Captains and should have experienced a lot of battles, but ever since he met Iori, the frequency with which he was forced into a desperate situation seems to have suddenly increased... But let's not talk about that!

"Iori!"