"It's you..."
Ichigo Kurosaki looked at the blond man who always seemed so nonchalant, and stood up excitedly, shouting loudly.
" Ichigo Kurosaki, don't be so impatient~"
I know you have many questions for me, and I'll answer them one by one when the time comes.
The blond man smiled slyly at the agitated Ichigo Kurosaki, his lips curving upwards and his eyes filled with mockery.
At this moment, the blond man's attitude towards Ichigo Kurosaki conveyed a sense of "You used to ignore me, but now you can't afford to mess with me."
Ichigo Kurosaki naturally sensed the inexplicable sense of superiority emanating from the blond man, and he gritted his teeth, making a mental note of this incident.
Hello everyone, my name is Shinji Hirako ~
"I'm seventeen years old and I like women with big breasts."
Please continue to guide and instruct me in the future.
The blond man looked at Ichigo Kurosaki, who hated him with a passion that burned within him, yet was utterly helpless and powerless to do anything about it, and he smiled...
He gave an extremely lewd laugh, then loudly introduced himself in front of the whole class, revealing his sexual fetish without any restraint...
"Tsk~"
Ichigo Kurosaki's eyes twitched slightly as he looked at the unbridled and arrogant Shinji Hirako.
Sōgo and this man in front of me, what do they take the school, which is meant for learning, for?!
" Kurosaki-kun, do you know this strange guy in front of you?!"
"I always felt there was something very strange about him, like..."
Orihime Inoue stared intently at Shinji Hirako, scrutinizing him repeatedly. She sensed that Shinji Hirako wasn't as simple as he appeared on the surface. In a nagging feeling, Orihime Inoue sensed that there was some unspeakable secret between Shinji Hirako and Ichigo Kurosaki, perhaps some dirty, clandestine transaction.
"My beautiful lady, may I ask your name?"
Just as Orihime Inoue was quietly talking to Ichigo Kurosaki, the man named Shinji Hirako, who claimed to only like big-breasted beauties and gave Orihime Inoue an extremely strange feeling, darted in front of Orihime Inoue Orihime Inoue grabbed her hand.
"Forehead..."
Orihime Inoue hesitated for a moment as she looked at Shinji Hirako, whose eyes were filled with desire, as if he wanted to consume her completely.
My name is...
Orihime Inoue, a kind-hearted person who doesn't know how to refuse others, finally decided to tell this strange person her name. After all, they would be classmates from now on, and they would run into each other all the time. It would never be good to cause any unpleasantness.
"Hey! Hey! Hey!"
"Don't bother our Orihime! You bastard~"
Before Orihime Inoue could speak, a woman wearing glasses stepped forward, shoved Shinji Hirako aside, and carefully shielded Orihime Inoue behind her.
"Eh~"
Shinji Hirako glared at the woman who had stopped him from continuing his lewd behavior. He had just been about to confess his true feelings to that busty beauty! He genuinely liked busty women, and she shouldn't underestimate his sincerity! You bastard!
"In short, I absolutely cannot lay a hand on Orihime! Orihime... Orihime... she's mine alone... hehe... hehe... ehehehehe..."
The bespectacled woman suddenly burst into a lewd laugh. She was clearly a fifteen-year-old high school student, but she laughed like a fifty-five-year-old subway pervert.
"Alright, alright... This Chizuru Honshō- kun."
" Shinji Hirako- kun probably didn't mean any harm."
"He probably just wanted to get to know his classmates..."
Orihime Inoue waved to Chizuru Honshō and walked gracefully to Shinji Hirako.
"Hello, Shinji Hirako, my name is Orihime Inoue ~ Nice to meet you~"
Orihime Inoue stood in front of Shinji Hirako, smiled slightly, and introduced herself.
"Oh~"
" Orihime Inoue ~"
"Oh my god~ What a beautiful name~"
"Excuse my bluntness, Orihime Inoue, but the moment I first saw you, I knew I was hopelessly in love with you."
"I feel like I can't breathe if I can't see you for even a day, so I'm going to live for you, my dear classmate..."
"Please... marry me!"
Shinji Hirako knelt on one knee and proposed to Orihime Inoue directly.
"Huh?!"
Orihime Inoue stared blankly at Shinji Hirako, completely stunned by his Shinji Hirako marriage proposal. She knew she was wrong, terribly wrong...
Shinji Hirako was more than just filled with malice towards her!
Shinji Hirako had absolutely no goodwill towards her. He was filled with evil thoughts towards Shinji Hirako Orihime Inoue. His mind was filled with only the most primal desires, pure desires, the most primal urges of a living being.
"That's enough, give it to me..."
Unable to bear it any longer, Tatsuki Arisawa stood up from his seat, ready to stop this blond, lecherous old man who resembled a petty thug.
"Stop right now Shinji Hirako!"
However, someone stood up faster than Tatsuki Arisawa, came to Orihime Inoue, and shielded Orihime Inoue behind him.
Kurosaki-kun...
Orihime Inoue looked at the tall figure who had shielded her from the predicament, and her eyes softened, filled with tenderness.
" Ichigo Kurosaki ~"
Shinji Hirako glanced at Ichigo Kurosaki, who was blocking his way, and smiled gently.
" Shinji Hirako, let's go outside to talk."
Ichigo Kurosaki seemed to notice the awkward atmosphere around him. He knew he shouldn't be disrupting the other students' class, so he decided to have Shinji Hirako come out with him to explain everything.
" Ichigo Kurosaki, so you're such an impatient man?!"
"Haste makes waste."
Shinji Hirako glanced at Ichigo Kurosaki, whose brows were furrowed, and smiled slightly.
"Enough talk, come with me!"
Without saying a word, Ichigo Kurosaki pulled Shinji Hirako out of the classroom and headed straight outside.
"Eh eh eh..."
" Ichigo Kurosaki, wait a minute... don't always be in such a hurry~"
Shinji Hirako seemed to have not expected Ichigo Kurosaki to use such a method against him. Caught off guard, he was pulled out of the house by Ichigo Kurosaki.
"..."
Okay, let's continue the lesson~
The Ochi Miyu, who had been quietly observing everything, seemed completely unsurprised that Ichigo Kurosaki had pulled Shinji Hirako out.
She decided to do her job and continue teaching the class for the students. As for those strange and unusual things...
Let those weirdos handle it—it's none of her business. She's just an ordinary high school teacher.
" Shinji Hirako, what exactly are you here for?"
After pulling Shinji Hirako outside, Ichigo Kurosaki asked him.
"What am I here for?"
" Ichigo Kurosaki-kun, I remember telling you why I'm here the first time I met you~"
"Of course, if you want me to repeat it again, that's perfectly fine too~"
"Well then Ichigo Kurosaki-kun, listen carefully, I'm here to help you."
Shinji Hirako, seeing Ichigo Kurosaki's slight impatience, maintained his initial smile.
"Helping me?"
"Okay, so how do you plan to help me?"
After calming himself down, Ichigo Kurosaki asked.
"Come with me to a place~"
"Once we get there, I'll naturally tell you how to help you."
Shinji Hirako smiled faintly and began to speak.
"Good."
Ichigo Kurosaki readily agreed, and upon hearing Shinji Hirako's words, he responded without hesitation.
"Oh?"
"You answered so readily, aren't you afraid you might be a bad person?"
Looking at Shinji Hirako Ichigo Kurosaki, who had readily agreed to his request, Hirako Shinji felt a slight sense of doubt. In the morning Ichigo Kurosaki had been wary of him as if he were a thief, but how long had it been? Ichigo Kurosaki had already believed him. Something seemed amiss to Hirako Shinji.
"I don't believe you, but I believe in myself."
Ichigo Kurosaki waved his hand at Shinji Hirako. He didn't believe Shinji Hirako's words; he believed in himself. He believed that even if he fell into a trap and things turned out the worst way, he could still make those who plotted against him pay an even heavier price by completely surrendering his body to his instincts.
Ichigo Kurosaki firmly believes that minotaurs are omnipotent! Minotaurs possess boundless magical power! Minotaurs are the strongest in the world!
"I see. It seems you're quite confident in your abilities."
Shinji Hirako misunderstood Ichigo Kurosaki's intentions; he thought Ichigo Kurosaki's confidence stemmed from Ichigo Kurosaki's confidence in his own strength...
However, the reason why Ichigo Kurosaki was confident in himself was not because he was confident in his strength. Rather, it was because he was confident in the great minotaur power that was subtly at work within his body, the instinct of his Ichigo Kurosaki hair.
"The process will be cruel; you'll disappear for a long time. Do you need to tell your family and friends?"
Shinji Hirako reminded Ichigo Kurosaki that, in the end, it was really too much to Ichigo Kurosaki to bear the weight of a power that had even made the captains, who were all over a hundred years old, feel overwhelmed.
Even Shinji Hirako felt a pang of guilt. In the very end, after considering the worst-case scenario, Shinji Hirako believed that Ichigo Kurosaki should say goodbye to his family and friends. It was possible that this farewell would be the last time Ichigo Kurosaki would ever see his loved ones.
"No need. I'll explain everything to them when I get back."
Ichigo Kurosaki; he didn't want his family and friends to worry.
"Okay, I respect your choice."
Shinji Hirako nodded slightly. Since this was Ichigo Kurosaki's own choice, he wouldn't say anything more. He chose to respect Ichigo Kurosaki's decision.
That day, Ichigo Kurosaki and Shinji Hirako left the school...
Hueco Mundo...
Las Noches...
The current ruler of Hueco Mundo, Sōsuke Aizen, sat on his high throne, quietly gazing at a huge chessboard on the table before him. The chessboard resembled a Go board, composed of nineteen horizontal and vertical lines. However, the pieces standing on the board were not black and white Go pieces, but rather vivid, three-dimensional pieces that looked like chess pieces, each engraved with its own name.
However, the most fascinating aspect of this game is not just that...
If you look closely, Aizen has divided the entire game into four parts, with the central Tengen position and the surrounding areas clearly representing the Soul Society.
At this moment, the chess piece located in the center of Soul Society, occupying the Tengen position, clearly bears the words "Soul King ".
Yes, even the Soul King was nothing more than a pawn in Aizen's eyes.
Surrounding the Soul King were all the captains of the Gotei 13. As for those below the Captain-level, they were not on the chessboard. In Aizen's eyes, those who hadn't even reached the Muguruma level didn't even have the qualifications to be chess pieces.
Aside from the minor characters, what's interesting is that none of these captains Sōgo Shihoin, nor are there any of the people from the Second Division who are loyal to Sōgo Shihoin.
Perhaps Aizen considered the Second Division as a new force, so he didn't include it in the Gotei 13.
Outside the Seireitei, there was a vast expanse of darkness, dominating the squares of the Go board and encircling the square occupied by the Seireitei. Within the shadows lay a pure black Go piece, its name marked with a huge question mark, much like how even Aizen himself didn't know who was hiding in the shadows of Soul Society.
Aizen only sensed something amiss in the shadows, but hadn't had time to investigate. He had a vague feeling that a terrifying force lurked in that dark corner. While Aizen wasn't afraid of such an unknown power, leaving it unchecked was a potential threat...
Aizen's original plan was to find a pretext to lure the invincible Sōgo Shihoin into the shadows to help him scout out the enemy's situation. However, a certain cunning businessman acted too soon, causing Aizen to bring his plan forward.
Besides the Seireitei, the Go board also has a position representing Hueco Mundo, which forms Hueco Mundo around Soul Society, resembling a giant mouth desperately trying to swallow the delicious food that is Soul Society.
On this chessboard representing Hueco Mundo, there are chess pieces with different expressions and fierce expressions. These Menos Grande Hueco Mundo, Arrancar, his test subjects, and the people he uses. Among them are Kaname Tōsen Gin Ichimaru, Yushima Oko, Gosuke Yujima, and Gosuke.
Finally, the largest area encompassing Hueco Mundo Soul Society bears the inscription " World of the Living." Compared to the simpler power structures of the previous areas, this region is more complex and diverse, containing Quincy, Bounts, Bount, Fullbring... and all sorts of other gray- Visored figures who cannot survive in Soul Society, much less in Hueco Mundo, figures who are neither entirely black nor entirely white, all concentrated in the World of the Living...
Among the countless forces in this World of the Living, the most powerful is Urahara Shop, where Kisuke Urahara resides. It boasts three Captain-level — Yoruichi Shihōin, Tessai Tsukabishi —as its permanent fighting force. Coupled with Yoruichi Shihōin's relationship with the Shihoin Family, Urahara Shop Shop's Kisuke Urahara far surpasses that of other forces. Kisuke Urahara, in particular, is the World of the Living ruler of Karakura Town, a place of great spiritual energy. Anyone wishing to operate in Karakura Town must at least give Kisuke Urahara first; this is far more effective than reporting to the Gotei 13 Soul Society.
" Kisuke Urahara..."
Aizen stared at Kisuke Urahara on the chessboard, lost in thought. Aizen believed that there was only one person in the entire world who could rival him in intellect, and that was Kisuke Urahara, the creator of the Hōgyoku. However, unfortunately, Kisuke Urahara plenty of brains but lacked strength. In this world, you can lose everything, but you cannot lose power!
Urahara Kisuke, who possessed the Hōgyoku but couldn't use Hōgyoku, was seen by Kisuke Urahara. In Aizen's mind, Kisuke Urahara was not worthy of being compared to him and could only be used as a pawn on Aizen chessboard, manipulated at will by anyone with power.
We all say... we should be the masters of our own lives.
"To take control of one's own destiny and free oneself from the control of others..."
"That's easy for you to say, but how many people can actually do it?"
"Throughout the three realms, only you and I Sōgo."
Aizen sat on his throne and smiled softly. For a moment, it seemed as if on the other side of the chessboard sat a man wearing a captain's haori, with an eye patch on his cheek, who always had a grin on his face but was never serious.
"We will use the Three Realms as our chessboard, and all living beings as our pieces, to gamble with destiny and meet the master who created this world..."
"Finally... who will stand in the heavens, you Sōgo Shihoin, born by destiny?"
"Or am I... this blasphemer who refuses to accept my fate and wants to desecrate the great Creator?!"
"This is really something to look forward to!"
A blue and purple light flashed across Sōsuke Aizen's chest, and a terrifying Spiritual Pressure intimidated the entire Hueco Mundo Palace.
" Sōgo, this is my first piece. I hope you like it."
Sōsuke Aizen's lips curled slightly as he picked up a piece from the World of the Living's territory on the Go board and gently placed the Bount piece into the Soul Society's territory.
After doing all this, Sōsuke Aizen's lips curled into a slight smile. He was looking forward to the performance of the Bount, hoping that these unremarkable Bount could create some surprises for him.
Tell him what a surprise really is...
"Is this the Soul Society?"
"Such a powerful concentration of Reishi, I feel like I can't take it anymore."
Meanwhile, the Bount, unaware that they were being used as pawns and manipulated, planned to exploit the opportunity while Sōgo was still in the World of the Living to invade Soul Society. This time, he wasn't there to be a pariah; this time, he was there for revenge...
This time, he would swagger into the Seireitei; this time, he would fulfill the vow he had failed to keep before... until this body, which should have died long ago, was utterly dead...
This chapter continues with another 5,000 words~
(End of this chapter)