Leaving Shrek

Facing Zhao Wuji, Kurosaki Ichigo was the first to charge.

He drew Zangetsu, gathered Soul Power at its tip, and swung with all his might.

"Moon Fang, Heaven-Piercer!"

A crescent-shaped slash shot forth along the arc traced by his blade.

"That's a decent move!" Zhao Wuji had not dismissed his Martial Soul since the beginning. He directly used the Immovable Wisdom King Body to block the attack.

Suddenly, a sharp blade struck out. The pale-purple-haired youth, who resembled a venomous snake, narrowed his eyes as he thrust his sword.

The speed at which the blade extended and retracted was especially striking.

Clang!

Shinso struck the Immovable Wisdom King Body with a crisp ring, nearly piercing through the golden light.

"Hah!"

Zhao Wuji used Vajra Palm to seize Shinso and yank it back. Ichimaru Gin froze for a moment and was caught off guard as he was dragged over.

Seeing him flying toward him, Zhao Wuji was about to swat Ichimaru Gin away with his other palm when a green flash shot over.

"Cero!"

The impact of the flash made Zhao Wuji's Vajra Palm pause. Ichimaru Gin took the opportunity to retract Shinso and escape.

"O ruler! Mask of flesh and blood, all creation, fluttering wings, you who bears the name of man! Scorching heat and strife, roll across the sea and surge southward, advance with every step!"

"O ruler, mask of flesh and blood, all creation, fluttering wings, you who bears the name of man! Truth and temperance, stand only upon claws and fangs against the wall of dreams that knows no sin!"

Urahara Kisuke and Matsumoto Rangiku chanted at the same time.

Crimson flames gathered in the former's palm, while azure flames gathered at the latter's fingertips.

"Red Flame Cannon!"

"Azure Fire Fall!"

Kido in the thirtieth sequence was the highest sequence that this group, who outwardly appeared to be only at Soul Tier thirty, could use.

The red and blue flames were exceptionally conspicuous, and Zhao Wuji immediately understood the power of these two techniques.

He no longer acted overconfidently and tried to take them head-on with his body.

"Fifth Soul Tier, Gravity Squeeze!"

He imposed gravity on the two clusters of flame, diverting their paths. Under Zhao Wuji's deliberate guidance, the flames collided midway and canceled each other out.

"How did that happen?" Matsumoto Rangiku did not understand how he had broken their pincer attack like that.

Urahara Kisuke tugged on his hat and smiled faintly.

"This is interesting."

"Do you have any moves left? If not, I'm coming!" Zhao Wuji chuckled as he raised his fists, while revealing his third soul ring toward Aizen, who had yet to make a move.

"Third Soul Ring Skill, Positioning Tracking!"

"Kid, didn't you say you were going to defeat me? Why haven't you used a soul skill yet?" Zhao Wuji asked as he instantly closed the distance before Aizen. At the same time, his two fan-sized bear paws came crashing down.

"I already have." Aizen smiled slightly. Unconcerned by Zhao Wuji's bear paws, he raised his Zanpakuto and slashed downward.

"Tch, you're actually taking me head-on?" Zhao Wuji was a little surprised.

Aizen was the first Soul Grandmaster who had dared to confront a Soul Sage like him directly. He needed to make Aizen suffer a little.

Zhao Wuji held back some of his strength and slapped Aizen, while Aizen's blade had only descended halfway.

Crack!

The Aizen before him actually shattered. At the same time, a stabbing pain came from his back. Zhao Wuji turned around and found that Aizen had somehow moved behind him.

Looking again at the fragments, he found they were merely a pile of ice shards.

"Such a simple trick was enough to fool a Soul Sage." After finishing his slash, Aizen immediately put distance between himself and Zhao Wuji, the corner of his lips curling upward.

"Brat, say that again if you've got the nerve!" Zhao Wuji was furious. When had a mere Soul Grandmaster ever looked down on him? Everyone usually trembled at the sight of him.

"So provocation at this level is enough to make you fall for it? What an honor." Holding a long blade that radiated cold air, Aizen slowly walked toward Zhao Wuji and spoke with contempt.

"You've made me angry!" Zhao Wuji roared and directly used his seventh soul ring skill, Martial Soul Avatar!

"I'll show you the consequences of disrespecting the strong!" Zhao Wuji instantly transformed into a Vajra Bear. His powerful Soul Power made everyone feel the pressure.

Even Inoue Orihime had no choice but to use Santen Kesshun to withstand the impact of his Soul Power.

Suddenly, a fiery-red figure appeared above Zhao Wuji's head. The youth held the Grand Fire Blade, arrogant flames winding around it. As he swung it forcefully, the flames it raised connected into a blazing sheet.

"Stroke Slash!"

Yamamoto Shigekuni brought his blade down.

Golden light flared brilliantly across Zhao Wuji's body, but Yamamoto Shigekuni's blade ignored it completely and split open the Immovable Wisdom King Body in a single stroke.

"Kid, you—" Zhao Wuji hurriedly turned around, but the blade had already landed on his shoulder. The searing flames made him cry out in pain.

"Aah!"

Zhao Wuji did not remain idle either. He grabbed the flaming blade embedded in his shoulder and refused to let go, even as the smell of burning flesh rose from his hand.

At the same time, he used Gravity Squeeze to pin Yamamoto Shigekuni in place, then used his other hand to unleash Vajra Palm and send him flying.

Under Martial Soul Avatar, Zhao Wuji's strength was exceptionally great. Yamamoto Shigekuni could not withstand it at all and was blasted backward into a tree, falling unconscious.

"You're ruthless. You're far stronger than the first kid who challenged me—you wounded me with your very first strike!" Zhao Wuji praised as he looked at Yamamoto Shigekuni, who could not rise from the ground.

The battle continued. Zhao Wuji thought that after dealing with Yamamoto Shigekuni, the others would hesitate to act.

"Binding Way Twenty-Six, Kyokko!"

At some point, a youth in white suddenly appeared before him and slashed once more at the wound on his shoulder.

It was none other than Aizen Sousuke. As he delivered the strike, Aizen Sousuke did not forget to mock Zhao Wuji.

"With your level of ability, you still want to be my teacher?"

"Don't get too arrogant!" Zhao Wuji roared furiously, but the youth's blade was too fast for him to block.

The double pain made Zhao Wuji lose his reason.

Gravity Enhancement, Gravity Squeeze, Positioning Tracking!

The three skills were instantly applied to the youth in white, followed by a Vajra Palm crashing down.

Bang!

"How's that palm strike?" Zhao Wuji glared at Aizen Sousuke through gritted teeth and roared.

Aizen Sousuke raised his blade and forcibly endured the blow. The tremendous force made him spit blood, but even so, he did not show weakness.

"Lower your voice. Don't shout like that."

"Bastard!" Enraged, Zhao Wuji kicked the barely-standing Aizen Sousuke away.

In his fury, Zhao Wuji attacked whoever he saw, completely forgetting that this was only a test.

At that moment, he felt as though he had returned to the days when Spirit Hall had hunted him down.

To reduce the enemy's fighting strength as quickly as possible, he would first deal with the weakest one.

Zhao Wuji swiftly approached Matsumoto Rangiku. Faced with Zhao Wuji's overwhelming force, Matsumoto Rangiku did not know how to respond.

Her Haineko was nothing more than a tickle to Zhao Wuji.

Suddenly, a youth stepped in front of Matsumoto Rangiku and took the blow for her.

"Gin!"

Matsumoto Rangiku cried out, catching Ichimaru Gin after Zhao Wuji sent him flying. She flew off to the side with him in her arms.

Even Inoue Orihime's Santen Kesshun could not stop them from being hurled away. Instead, Zhao Wuji seized the opportunity and knocked her to the ground as well.

Only Aizen, Ulquiorra, Urahara Kisuke, and Kurosaki Ichigo remained.

Whether the four of them together could defeat Zhao Wuji was truly a question.

Just as everyone was at a loss and Zhao Wuji pressed closer step by step, Urahara Kisuke spoke.

"We surrender."