A Powerful Figure Hidden in the Forest of Menos / Dance, Blood-Painted Whirlwind...

The Menos Grande also sensed the threat from the darkness, abandoned Chōjirō Sasakibe, and advanced one by one into the darkness, preparing to completely devour this threat.

This also includes two Adjuchas.

But at that moment, an extremely powerful Sword Pressure swept past, splitting all the Menos Grande in two.

Despite not being the strongest, Chōjirō Sasakibe is a well-traveled young man who has seen the world and has witnessed most of the top fighters in Soul Society.

He couldn't quite judge the exact strength of the Reiatsu that had just erupted, but he felt it was no weaker than that of the Captain he had encountered.

"Who's there?" A man's voice echoed again from the darkness, eerie and sinister, like having two pounds of sand in your throat—sounding extremely uncomfortable, yet sending chills down your spine.

Chōjirō Sasakibe gripped his sword tightly. After all, he possessed the strength of Lieutenant-level, and he wasn't afraid of his opponent in a real fight.

"Clatter!"

Footsteps echoed in the darkness.

Chōjirō Sasakibe grew increasingly tense, staring intently at the dark propaganda.

"Da! Da! Da!"

The footsteps grew closer and closer, until finally, they were less than ten meters away. However, the interior of the Forest of Great Hollows was so dark that the footsteps could only be vaguely discerned by the faint moonlight.

That was a... human.

That's right.

The only way to describe them is with the adjective "human".

It was a middle-aged man over two meters tall, with a thick fur draped around his neck, his head wrapped in a thick cloth for warmth, revealing only his face and hair, wearing black gloves, and with scars on his arms.

He was tall but thin, with a long beard, a gaunt face, deep-set eyes, and a gloomy expression. Sometimes he would bare his teeth and exhale cold air, making him look extremely fierce.

A suffocating sense of oppression washed over me!

Chōjirō Sasakibe nervously spat out a mouthful of saliva. Why would a human appear here? This is clearly the Forest of Great Hollows! Why would someone be here? This doesn't make any sense!

But the truth was right before his eyes: this monstrous-looking man held a long sword in his hand and stared coldly at Chōjirō Sasakibe.

"Kid! Who are you?" the man asked.

Chapter 151: The Powerful One Hidden in the Forest of Great Hollows

Chōjirō Sasakibe gripped his sword tightly, staring intently at the man before him. This man's appearance was far too strange; not only did he live in Hueco Mundo, but he even treated Hollows as prey. Right, I've heard that the stronger a Hollow is, the smaller its size. Could this be the legendary Vastolorde?

Chōjirō Sasakibe's face grew increasingly grim as he thought about it. If he really encountered Vastolorde, wouldn't he be doomed?

"Kid, I'm asking you a question," the man said coldly. His voice was hoarse and unpleasant to listen to. Chōjirō Sasakibe forced a smile and said, "I am Chōjirō Sasakibe, the Lieutenant of the First Division the Gotei 13. What are you doing here?"

The man looked at Chōjirō Sasakibe with an extremely cold gaze. "The Gotei 13? Never heard of them, but judging from your Reiatsu, you must be a Shinigami! Why would a Shinigami appear in a place like this!"

"I came to Hueco Mundo to fight Hollows..." Before Chōjirō Sasakibe could finish speaking, the man revealed a very mocking smile.

"Defeat the Void? Save you? You'd probably wet your pants if you saw the Void!" The man strode over.

Chōjirō Sasakibe, unsure of the other man's intentions, watched him warily. The man coldly said, "Since you dared to enter Hueco Mundo alone, it means you think you're capable, right? I haven't met my match in a long time. Show me your skills, and if you can survive, I'll believe you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, lightning flashed in mid-air, and Chōjirō Sasakibe activated Flash Step, instantly appearing behind the man, his rapier aimed at the back of the man's head.

During this time, Chōjirō Sasakibe has been training with Yamabuki Chidori and Unohana. Although his Reiatsu is not at its peak, after this period of life-and-death torment, Chōjirō Sasakibe's combat awareness has greatly improved. In particular, Yamabuki Chidori once said that you should never show mercy to your enemy when fighting, or it will cost you your life.

Therefore, Chōjirō Sasakibe's first move is a killing blow. If the man doesn't notice Chōjirō Sasakibe's sudden attack, his head will be pierced in one move.

However, just as Chōjirō Sasakibe's sword was about to touch the back of the man's head, the man vanished like a ghost.

Chōjirō Sasakibe clearly sensed that his opponent had arrived behind him, and that the opponent's speed far surpassed his own!

"Hmm? You've got some skill!" The man calmly watched Chōjirō Sasakibe's sudden attack. Chōjirō Sasakibe spun around, his body turning 180 degrees, and thrust his sword at the enemy's throat. However, just as before, the enemy vanished instantly just as his sword was about to touch the enemy's throat.

"But that's far from enough." The man's voice came from behind Chōjirō Sasakibe. Chōjirō Sasakibe turned around again, his forehead now beaded with sweat. The enemy's strength was far beyond what he could currently match.

"What? Is that all the strength you have?" the middle-aged man asked, somewhat disappointed.

Chōjirō Sasakibe took a deep breath. "My strength is far more than this. If you can withstand my next attack, I will admit defeat!"

The man watched with great interest as Chōjirō Sasakibe Chōjirō Sasakibe suddenly pressed his hands to the ground and chanted in a low voice, "Bakudō #21, Sekienton!"

The underground lighting was already poor, and with the addition of the crimson smoke bombs, how could the man possibly see Chōjirō Sasakibe's figure?

Chōjirō Sasakibe clearly remembered what Yamabuki Chidori had said, "Fight if you can win, run if you can't. Strategic retreat is not shameful."

Now that it's clear that your strength is far inferior to your opponent's, why not run?

At first, the man thought that Chōjirō Sasakibe was going to launch a sneak attack, but he soon realized that it wasn't what he thought. The kid wasn't trying to launch a sneak attack at all; he was trying to escape.

The man wasn't angry at all; on the contrary, he was even happier. Being able to clearly see the difference in strength between himself and his enemy was a skill in itself.

Those who think they're brave and passionate, but actually get instantly killed by the enemy the moment they enter the fray, are the real fools.

Real combat is never about two sides standing there hacking and slashing like in Hollywood movies; it involves various calculations, probing, and finding the enemy's weaknesses.

The most perfect example is Aizen's use of the Prince of Fire Extinguishment to seal Ryūjin Jakka.

War is war, a matter of life and death. What is there to equality or inequality? If you truly want fairness, why not go to the arena and fight wild beasts hand-to-hand?

What? You want weapons? Isn't it unfair to wild animals to take weapons?

Therefore, Chōjirō Sasakibe followed the teachings and ran away as soon as he realized he couldn't defeat the enemy.

A sinister grin spread across the man's face. "Run? You think you can escape?"

The man raised his massive katana and slashed fiercely at the smoke, the powerful Sword Pressure dispersing the crimson smoke.

Meanwhile, Chōjirō Sasakibe's figure had completely disappeared into the darkness.

"My favorite game is cat and mouse, but unfortunately these idiots are too stupid!" The man laughed and walked into the darkness.

Chōjirō Sasakibe ran while searching for Yamabuki Chidori's whereabouts. "Where did Yamabuki- nii go? Why does she always mess things up at the most crucial moment?"

When he first met Yamabuki Chidori, Yamabuki Chidori gave him a very unreliable feeling.

"Found it! I know this place very well, I wouldn't get lost even with my eyes closed!" A man's voice came from not far away. Chōjirō Sasakibe knew he couldn't escape; the other man knew the terrain better and was faster. He was just trying to create distance to buy time for Chojiro to chant his Kidō.

"The thunderous carriage, the gap in the spinning wheel, after despair, the light gathers and splits into six, the Kidō #61: Binding, the Six Rods Prison of Light!"

Six blades of light instantly froze the man's body from six directions, causing his movements to pause slightly.

"We did it!" Chōjirō Sasakibe was thrilled. As expected, his brother Yamabuki was right; the weak are not necessarily incapable of defeating the strong.

Seizing this brief opportunity, Chōjirō Sasakibe Flash Step to appear in front of the man and thrust his sword towards his throat.

Just when Chōjirō Sasakibe thought he had succeeded, the smile on his face suddenly froze, because he discovered that his sword could not pierce the other's skin at all.

The man revealed a sinister smile, "Your magic is strange! I've never seen anything like it before. However, you're too weak. Even the most powerful techniques can't be fully utilized without a strong body!"

Brother Yamabuki, you're lying! How could the weak possibly defeat the strong?

"Kid, I've had enough fun, you can die now!" The man raised his greatsword and slashed down at Chōjirō Sasakibe!

Chapter 152: Let's Dance, Blood Dance

As the blade fell, Chōjirō Sasakibe felt that moment stretch out infinitely, and in a daze, he seemed to see his dead parents waving to him.

"Clang!!!"

The sound of metal clashing rang out in front of Chōjirō Sasakibe, sparks flying everywhere. Chōjirō Sasakibe was jolted to the ground by the impact of the two swords.

Opening his eyes, he saw Yamabuki Chidori standing before him, holding a knife in one hand and a skeleton in the other. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was none other than the King of Despair Baraggan! It turned out that Yamabuki hadn't disappeared; he'd gone to Baraggan!

Chōjirō Sasakibe suddenly realized.

"Such a formidable person appeared out of nowhere!" Yamabuki Chidori blocked the opponent's attack head-on, her palms burning, and she couldn't help but be secretly surprised by the opponent's strength.

The man was also very curious: that boy who ran out? How could he have blocked one of my sword strikes?

The next second, an astonishing Reiatsu erupted from Yamabuki Chidori's sword, forcing the man back with a single strike.

The man stared coldly at Yamabuki Chidori, his expression very strange, and then another one appeared.

"Sasakibe, who is this guy? Why did you get into a fight with him?" Yamabuki Chidori asked. Chōjirō Sasakibe was a good kid who rarely caused trouble.

"I don't know either, this old man started chasing a whole bunch of fakes as soon as he appeared!" Chōjirō Sasakibe said in a low voice.

Chasing after a bunch of empty shells? Yamabuki Chidori looked at the man with some surprise. He was indeed a master. Judging from the strength of that slash just now, his Reiatsu was definitely no less than that of Captain-level.

"I didn't expect it to be so lively today. And who are you?" the man asked with a sinister grin.

"Yamabuki Chidori, Lieutenant of the 11th Division of the Gotei 13." Yamabuki Chidori gave a brief self-introduction.

The man frowned. "Lieutenant? This kid just said he was also Lieutenant, so your positions should be the same, right? But your strength is far superior to his!"

"Position? The difference between people is greater than the difference between a person and a dog, let alone two different positions?" Yamabuki Chidori retorted mercilessly.

"That's right." The man stared intently at Yamabuki Chidori like he was spotting prey. "I haven't met my match in a long time. This time I can finally have a proper fight!"

Yamabuki Chidori frowned. Another battle maniac?

"Brother Yamabuki, be careful! There's something strange about this person's body; the sword can't penetrate him." Chōjirō Sasakibe warned Yamabuki Chidori while keeping a safe distance. This battle was no longer something he could interfere with.

The man gripped his knife tightly with both hands. Yamabuki Chidori noticed that the knife in his hand was very large, over five feet long, and its power when wielded must be extraordinary.

"Watch out! I'm coming!" The man's body vanished from his spot in an instant, so fast that Chōjirō Sasakibe couldn't even see him.

Yamabuki Chidori's body also vanished instantly, followed by countless sparks from clashing weapons appearing in mid-air!

The powerful Reiatsu and scattered sword energy caused the onlookers nearby to suffer greatly; those who were slightly slower to run were directly shredded by the sword energy.

Chōjirō Sasakibe directly used Baraggan as a shield, which angered Baraggan, who then cursed loudly.

"Do you know who I am? How dare you use me as a shield?! I am... Hey, hey, hey! Those two are attacking! Quick, grab me and run!" Baraggan shouted in a sorry state. He originally thought he wouldn't be discovered because he was hiding underground, but he didn't expect Yamabuki Chidori to dig three feet into the ground—no, not just three feet, but almost three thousand feet—and finally unearthed him. As the King of Hueco Mundo, Baraggan naturally wouldn't surrender easily, and the two engaged in an earth-shattering battle underground. As for the outcome...

"If I, the king, had won, how could I possibly be tied up here and used as a shield?" Baraggan thought to himself, utterly vehemently criticizing the situation.

This kid's strength has improved too fast. In less than a month, he once again Baraggan Baraggan crushed him with overwhelming force!

Chōjirō Sasakibe pulled Baraggan back, not because he was worried about Baraggan being killed, but because he was worried about being affected. Baraggan, after all, a Vastolorde- level Menos Grande with a certain level of physical strength, and taking two Sword Pressure might not kill him.

At this moment, the two on the battlefield were moving so fast that they completely exceeded Chōjirō Sasakibe's detection limits. He could only sense two powerful Reiatsu colliding continuously.

"Boom!!!"

With a loud bang, a person flew out from the battle. Chōjirō Sasakibe looked closely and realized that the person who flew out was none other than Yamabuki Chidori.

However, the man had more than a dozen wounds of varying sizes, while Yamabuki Chidori had only some torn clothes and was not injured.

Of course, it's also possible that the injury healed completely.

The man stiffly shook his arm and asked in a deep voice, "What kind of monster are you? Even Hard Skin isn't as tough as yours!"

In the brief exchange just now, the two exchanged more than ten sword blows. The man clearly felt that each of his sword strikes was quite solid, but he could only barely break through the other's skin, and could not even hurt the muscle. Moreover, the wounds were so small that Yamabuki Chidori didn't even need a band-aid, and they healed in the blink of an eye.

The man even wondered if the boy in front of him was some new species.

If things continue like this, I'm doomed to lose. This boy's strength and speed are both superior to mine, and even the physical strength that I'm so proud of is greater than mine, not to mention his abnormal regenerative ability.

"What kind of monster are you?" The man had always considered himself a top-tier creature in this area, believing that nothing, whether it was a phantom or anything else, could defeat him. But now, the appearance of this boy shattered that notion.

"The God of Death, Yamabuki Chidori."

"Nonsense. Have you ever seen a Shinigami awaken Hollow Hard Skin, and have an even more powerful force in your veins protecting you from injury? I've never seen that kind of power," the man said.

"Who says Shinigami can't evolve Hard Skin? The era of Shinigami is progressing, the era of Shinigami is developing, and today's Shinigami are different from those of the past!" Yamabuki Chidori paused mid-sentence, then added, "Hey, do you think it's possible to incorporate the technology of the Blut Vene into the Shinigami Uniform? To increase the Shinigami Uniform's defensive capabilities?"

The current Shinigami Uniform is just a black suit with not much power; as one of the basic equipment of a Shinigami, it's incredibly weak.

The man was becoming increasingly interested in the Yamabuki Chidori: "How about we make a bet?"

"I don't gamble. I never touch anything related to gambling!" Yamabuki Chidori said. Do you think I'm just saying that gambling and drugs are irreconcilable? I mean it.

The man became even more interested in Yamabuki Chidori. He knew he couldn't beat her using conventional methods, so it seemed he had to use some real skill!

The man raised his massive katana and whispered in a deep voice, "Dance! Blood Dance!"

Chapter 153: Shikkōgai Musashi

"Dance, Blood Dance!"

As the Zanpakuto Shikai, a chilling Reiatsu erupted from the man, causing Chōjirō Sasakibe to tremble even though he was far away.

The temperature around them plummeted. This cold was different from that of an ice-attribute Zanpakuto; it was more of a chilling, gloomy cold.

Throwing a person out into the freezing cold is cold, but throwing him into a morgue full of solid objects is chilling.