The Protected One! (1)

Orihime Inoue was taken to Hueco Mundo. Ichigo Kurosaki, Uryu Ishida, Yasutora Sado, Renji Abarai, and Rukia Kuchiki went to Hueco Mundo to rescue their comrades. Meanwhile, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto dispatched a team of captains, led by Kenpachi Zaraki, Byakuya Kuchiki, Retsu Unohana, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, to Hueco Mundo to provide support.

However, Shadow was unaware of this, and besides, he didn't care about it at the moment.

The World of the Living.

On the Transworld Junction Pillar created by Kisuke Urahara, Sōsuke Aizen, who had opened the Garganta, arrived at the fake Karakura Town with Gin Ichimaru, Tōsen Kaname, and the Espada, only to encounter the Gotei 13 were waiting in full force.

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Chōjirō Sasakibe, Iba Tetsuzaemon, Ōmaeda Marechiyo Soi Fon, Momo Hinamori Sajin Komamura Izuru Kira, Kiba Tetsuaemon, Kyoraku Shunsui Kyōraku, Hisagi Shuhei, Toshiro Hitsugaya, Rangiku Matsumoto, Jūshirō Ukitake Jūshirō, Ikkaku Madarame, Shūhei Hisagi Yumichika Ayase.

As for the battle in the sky, Shadow didn't care at all. The three-day deadline set by Kaien Shiba was now meaningless, because the war had begun, hadn't it?

The problem is that no matter how much power is used to suppress or guide him, his Reiatsu remains unchanged in the slightest.

Where exactly did the problem originate? This was a question that Shadow couldn't answer. Was it because the method of reviving Kaien Shiba was incorrect, or was there a problem with the way the power was restored? Although Kaien Shiba's body was reconstituted, his Reishi should have already possessed this power. In the end, was there something wrong with Kaien Shiba's body that he hadn't noticed?

Shadow frowned, his brows furrowing so tightly they could have trapped a fly. What had he overlooked?

Above the sky, the Reiatsu of the fierce battle was so obvious that the Shadow clearly knew that although the fight was intense, it was just the foreplay in the end, because Sōsuke Aizen, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto had not moved, and there were also Yoruichi Shihōin, Kisuke Urahara, as well as the Visored such as Kensei Muguruma and Shinji Hirako.

Wait, Kensei Muguruma, Kamen Visored??????

Suddenly Shadow seemed to realize something, and the person sitting cross-legged atop the tree vanished instantly.

Rushing to the Visored Base at full speed, Shadow finally realized what he had overlooked. The method of resurrection was correct, and the method of restoring power was correct. And just as he had guessed, the reason why Kaien Shiba could not restore his power was precisely because of his own problem.

In the battle more than fifty years ago, Kaien Shiba was possessed by a Hollow for various reasons, and his own consciousness was suppressed. Fortunately, he was killed by Rukia Kuchiki before he could be devoured. However, although his own consciousness was not devoured, his Reiatsu would undoubtedly be tainted by the Hollow's Reiatsu.

In Hueco Mundo, Gin Ichimaru collected the remnants of Reishi containing Kaien Shiba's consciousness. In fact, it should also contain the Reishi of the Hollow, but neither Gin Ichimaru nor the Shadow noticed this. It could be said that during the more than fifty years that Gin Ichimaru had preserved this Reishi, Kaien Shiba's Reishi had completely merged with the Hollow's Reishi, becoming indistinguishable from one another. Therefore, neither of them noticed this, or rather, they subconsciously overlooked this crucial point.

However, upon realizing this, even the usually unfazed Shadow couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. He had overlooked this crucial point. In retrospect, when he attempted to revive Kaien Shiba using that bit of Reishi, he hadn't thought much about it, nor had he considered that there was a 50% chance that the revived creature was actually that Hollow.

Fortunately, he was lucky; it was Kaien Shiba who woke up. Perhaps Kaien Shiba himself was just lucky.

More than fifty years ago, Kaien Shiba desperately suppressed the Hollow's consciousness with his own power, which is why he chose to run into Rukia Kuchiki's sword and die. To put it another way, if Kaien Shiba had not suppressed the Hollow's consciousness back then, then the Hollow that would be resurrected now would be that Hollow!

Whose luck is this anyway? Shadow couldn't help but smile. Oh well, there's no point in thinking about it so much. Everyone's luck is good, isn't it?

With Shadow's full strength, they arrived at the Visored Base in just four or five minutes. The warehouse's barrier seemed stronger, probably to prevent the people fighting in the sky from noticing!

He drew his Zanpakuto with Zanpakutō, inserted it into the barrier, and with a light slash, the blackness gradually stained the barrier, Shadow to easily walk inside.

Orihime Inoue was able to easily enter the barrier because she possessed similar power to Hachigen Ushōda. However, the Shadow simply forcibly fused the barrier's Reiatsu with his own Zanpakutō's Reiatsu Reiatsu, assimilating it without destroying the barrier. This method sounds easy, but it is very difficult to do. It is so difficult that no one but himself can do it. In fact, the Shadow was able to do it only by relying on the power of his Zanpakutō; his own power was insufficient.

Shadow had been here before, so he knew the way well. But then again, this open space wasn't really winding or complicated.

Pushing open the warehouse door, it was dark inside. Although it was still daytime, there was clearly no need for light here.

Kensei Muguruma, Hiyori Sarugaki, Shinji Hirako, Shiro Mashiro Kuna, Lisa Yadomaru, Rōjūrō Otoribashi, Rabu Love Aikawa Hachigen Ushōda —each of them maintained a single posture, motionless and silent. The atmosphere was oppressive and heavy, and even the usually most boisterous guys were unusually quiet.

The warehouse was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Shadow understood them; after all, those hundred years of living in darkness were no easy feat.

Shadow pushed open the door, and the blinding sunlight broke the long-standing silence. Everyone was somewhat surprised to see Shadow walk in.

"Hey! Shadow, didn't you say you were going to train your Bankai? How come you have time to come here?!" Kensei Muguruma exclaimed in surprise. "What, you didn't finish it so quickly, did you?!"

"That's not true!" Shadow grinned. "I haven't even started yet!"

"No way! They've actually started fighting!" Hiyori Sarugaki pointed to her head, her meaning quite clear.

"There are still some things that haven't been finished!"

Shadow waved his hand, Zanpakutō at his waist. His eyes, black with an eerie red glow, swept over the group before him. He spoke, "I have other matters to attend to and cannot speak further. I've come mainly to ask how to become Visored Transformation!" "Shadow!"

The group looked up in shock at the man. They knew exactly what he meant; Shadow would never have asked such a question, especially not in such a tense situation, unless there was a specific reason.

"Just defeat it???"

"Understood!" Shadow nodded and turned to leave.

"Hey!" Shinji Hirako frowned; "Who is this? Do we know each other?"

"They'll find out eventually; they'll just have to be called out when the time comes!"

Shadow waved his hand without turning his head, and his figure vanished instantly.

"What the hell?! That guy???"

??????

Dark Night Residence.

The battle between Eroding Wolf and Kaien Shiba continued. Shadow, who had rushed back at full speed, appeared between the two without saying a word, and pressed his large hand against Kaien Shiba's face with great force, so much so that Kaien Shiba could not break free.

"Shadow, what's wrong!"

Kaien Shiba asked, puzzled, knowing that Shadow wouldn't harm him.

"Hey! Kaien, why did you become the Bleach!"

Dark eyes, gleaming with an eerie red light, stared intently at Kaien Shiba blue eyes, and the Shadow figure asked.

"What do you mean, 'why'?!" Kaien Shiba shouted. "I'm the older brother, so I have to protect Kukaku, protect Ganju, and protect the Shiba Family!"

"Really?! Why bother trying so hard to become stronger?"

"Isn't that obvious!" Kaien Shiba roared. "Without power, how can I protect my family and my comrades!"

"Family, companions???"

Shadow chuckled softly; "Kaien, remember your words!"

With a forceful pull, strands of violent lightning erupted from his palm, knocking Kaien Shiba unconscious.

"Shadow??????"

In that fleeting moment of blurred consciousness, Kaien Shiba seemed to hear the voice of the Shadow, saying something.

"Look carefully! The power you seek, the people you protect, your original self, and, Kaien, don't die!"

You bastard! What do you mean?!