Sōsuke Aizen's purpose is known, and the date of the final battle has been set for winter. Therefore, everyone begins to train hard to improve their abilities in order to defeat Sōsuke Aizen.
Rukia Kuchiki and Orihime Inoue returned to Soul Society to improve their abilities, training at the training grounds of the Thirteenth Division. This was exactly what Yoruichi Shihōin and Kisuke Urahara, since Soul Society, guarded by Bleach, was much safer than the World of the Living world.
At the Shiba Family, Kūkaku Shiba is also in seclusion, training for revenge.
Meanwhile, in the secret training grounds located in the Sōkyoku, Ganju Shiba trained day and night on the Lightning Armor bestowed upon him by the Shadow, knowing that this would be the key to making him stronger.
Each squadron was making preparations, and the atmosphere in Soul Society was unprecedentedly solemn and tense.
The World of the Living.
In the underground training grounds of the Urahara Shop, Renji Abarai and Yasutora Sado continued their fierce battle.
Inside the underground barrier of a certain general hospital, Uryu Ishida is diligently training to reclaim his power.
The Advance Team, led by Toshiro Hitsugaya, did not neglect honing their strength while guarding Karakura Town day and night.
In the Visored Base warehouse, Ichigo Kurosaki, under the guidance of Hiyori Sarugaki and the others, learned Hollowfication and worked hard to extend the duration of his Hollowfication.
Meanwhile, at the Dark Night Residence located on the outskirts of Karakura Town, Kaien Shiba is also doing his utmost to regain his Bleach powers.
Everything, all of it, was for that moment, for that person, Sōsuke Aizen!!!
A month has passed, and the winter showdown is drawing ever closer.
······
In the World of the Living, Karakura Town, Dark Night Residence.
The weather was so nice today, it made me want to lie in bed and sleep until dark. In fact, that's exactly what Shadow did. Anyway, it wasn't his business. With Kaien Shiba Eroding Wolf.
He wondered what Lady Yoruichi was doing. Shadow sighed softly. This was the first time he had been away from Yoruichi Shihōin for more than a month. To say he didn't miss her would be a lie.
Lying on the bed, utterly bored, Shadow suddenly lost his sleepiness. As he was thinking, several chaotic Reiatsu suddenly filled the sky.
Arrancar!
How boring. Shadow snorted and ignored it, closing his eyes to rest.
"Hey! Aren't you going to check on them?!" Ran'Tao pushed open the door and walked in; "Aren't you worried about your disciple being in any danger? This level of Reiatsu is already very high!"
"It's not at that level yet..."
The Shadow figure grinned, revealing a few sharp teeth at the corners of its mouth...
······
The battle lasted until nightfall, as Ran'Tao recounted during breakfast the following morning. Shadow nodded casually, though he didn't really care. If they couldn't even defeat such minor characters, they had no chance of winning the war.
After finishing breakfast, Shadow stretched and rested his chin on his hand, watching Eroding Wolf and Kaien Shiba. However, although he was watching, his unfocused eyes revealed that he was completely distracted. In fact, he hadn't slept well at all last Yoruichi Shihōin.
Shadow hesitated, wondering if he should sneak a peek. He thought that once the thought arose, he couldn't shake it off. He sighed, realizing he'd really brought trouble upon himself.
Looking up at the sky, Shadow curled his lip. This kind of thing doesn't seem to require any hesitation at all!
Suddenly, a massive, turbid Reiatsu filled the sky. This intensity was that of Espada, and there was definitely more than one of them.
" Shadow!" Kicking away Kaien Shiba, Eroding Wolf appeared in front of Shadow in a flash; "You felt it, didn't you!"
"Um!"
"This level of Reiatsu is beyond what those few Bleach can handle!"
"Um!"
With a hum of agreement, Shadow Zanpakutō with one hand and leaped into the air.
"I'll go take a look!"
"Knew!"
······
Toshiro Hitsugaya, Rangiku Matsumoto, Ikkaku Madarame, Yumichika Ayase arrived at the scene immediately.
Meanwhile, news of the Espada appearing in the World of the Living was also transmitted to Soul Society through the Technology Development Bureau's monitoring. Rukia Kuchiki immediately headed to the Senkaimon, while Orihime Inoue had to wait a while before she could go to the World of the Living.
At the same time, in the underground training ground of Urahara Shop.
"I told you I can't!" Renji Abarai shouted. "You've overused your power. I'll go. You rest here!"
"But······"
Yasutora Sado somewhat unwilling; why did it have to happen at this time?
"Indeed!" Kisuke Urahara walked over, sword in hand, and said calmly, " Abarai is right, but you Abarai also quite exhausted. Why don't you both stay here and rest!"
"In contrast... I'll take charge!"
"Mr. Urahara!" Renji Abarai and Yasutora Sado both somewhat stunned.
" Kisuke!" Yoruichi Shihōin jumped down from the entrance.
"Oh! Yoruichi, you're awake!" Kisuke Urahara waved his hand.
"Idiot!" Yoruichi Shihōin eyebrow, delivered a chop to Kisuke Urahara's head, and sneered, "How can I sleep with such immense Arrancar Reiatsu!"
"Yes, yes!" Kisuke Urahara grimaced in pain as he rubbed his head.
"Let's go!" Yoruichi Shihōin was the first to walk outside.
"Yes!" Kisuke Urahara nodded.
Suddenly, another familiar and immense Reiatsu flashed by.
"This Reiatsu... is... Lord Shadow!"
Renji Abarai cried out in surprise, never expecting to have disturbed this adult.
"That Shadow guy!"
Yoruichi Shihōin gave a soft snort, Shunpo, and vanished in a flash.
"Hey! Wait for me! Yoruichi, why are you walking so fast!" Kisuke Urahara sighed and had no choice but to hurry after her.
"·····"
······
Carrying a knife in one hand, Shadow rushed towards the destination at top speed, but on the way, he unexpectedly saw someone.
A slender figure, wearing a gray trench coat, with short yellow hair, and a wide, zipper-like mouth on a thin face, stood on the rooftop facing the wind, holding Zanpakutō in his hand.
Shinji Hirako.
Seemingly sensing the gaze lingering on him, Shinji Hirako looked up and met eyes that shone with an eerie red light amidst the Shadow. Both of them fell silent.
"Yo! It's been a long time, Shadow!"
Tilting his head, Shinji Hirako broke the silence first.
"Hmm! Long time no see, Hirako!" Landing on the rooftop, Shadow grinned slightly. "So, you've met with Lady Yoruichi by now, haven't you?"
"I've seen it many times!"
Shinji Hirako chuckled softly. Although many people said that Shadow had changed, they didn't believe it. But now it seemed that it had indeed changed. The Shadow of the past would never have stopped. Even if it did stop, it would have been considered very lenient if it hadn't slashed at them. It would never have spoken so calmly as it does now.
"Are you rushing over there?" Shinji Hirako asked.
"Yes!" Shadow nodded. "My disciple is over there!"
"Your disciple!" Shinji Hirako was taken aback.
"I have to go right now!"
Turning around, the Shadow leaped up and quickly disappeared from Shinji Hirako's sight.
"I'll come see you tonight, goodbye!"
"Oh dear, oh dear!"
Shinji Hirako paused for a moment, then shrugged and chuckled. If he were to return with such Shadow, it would probably scare them!
······
The battle had been going on for a while now. Although I don't want to say it, the four of them —Toshiro Hitsugaya, Rangiku Matsumoto, Ikkaku Madarame, Yumichika Ayase— were still at a disadvantage even when they were fighting together. And the one who made the four of them so miserable was only one Arrancar: Ruby, who had replaced the one-armed Grimmjow as the new Espada Luppi.
Luppi, Ruby has eight thick, white tentacles behind her, each incredibly strong, agile, and versatile, making her very difficult to deal with.
After only a few rounds of fighting, Toshiro Hitsugaya's Bankai was knocked off, and Rangiku Matsumoto, Ikkaku Madarame, and Yumichika Ayase were tightly bound by tentacles and unable to move.
Fortunately, Yoruichi Shihōin and Kisuke Urahara arrived in time to save Rangiku Matsumoto from being poisoned, but the two were also entangled by Yammy and the new Arrancar Wonderweiss.
The battle has reached a stalemate.
"What great luck! Great luck..."
Compared to Yammy and Wonderweiss being overwhelmed, Luppi was having a much easier time. The tentacles that Kisuke Urahara severed grew back in an instant, and the eight tentacles once again effortlessly wrapped around the three of them.
"But one stroke of good luck is enough; this time, no one will bother me!"
Laughing triumphantly, Luppi lashed out with her free tentacles at the three of them. If they were hit, their heads would be smashed to pieces.
"Hateful!"
"······"
Suddenly, the wind stopped; no, it seemed as if the entire sky had darkened in an instant, and the immense oppressive feeling was suffocating, as if even the air itself had frozen.
The dark blade of light that descended from the sky wasn't very large, but it brought immense pressure. As it slashed down, the air seemed to be sliced apart in its path, making it impossible to dodge—no, it didn't even give the nerves time to react. By the time one realized it, all eight tentacles had already been severed. The blade struck down with a deafening "boom!" that made the earth feel uneasy, raising a huge cloud of dust.
"Ah!!!"
Ruby's eight tentacles were severed cleanly. Realizing what had happened, Luppi agony, her face deathly pale.
Looking up, I saw a man standing in front of me, carrying a knife.
He was just one person, but he gave off a feeling as heavy as a mountain.
"Master!!!"
"Lord Shadow!!!"
" Shadow!"
Yoruichi Shihōin not far away, gave a soft snort. "That guy."
"Yo! So you're Espada!"
Shadow grinned disdainfully, his sharp teeth gleaming with a chilling light.
"If someone like you is the Espada, then I'm truly disappointed in Aizen who created you..."
"Hateful!"
"······"