After a flurry of mobilization and deployment, the emergency rescue team was assembled.
The members included: Fengqiao Lou Shi Lang, Pingzi Zhenzi, Aikawa Luo, Yabuki Maru Lisa, and Deputy Ghost Path Master You Zhaotian Bo Xuan, a total of five members.
At the entrance of the first squad, "Shangyuan Baiyu" watched the five members hurry away and secretly thought to himself:
"Just as I remember from my memories.
Three Shinigami captains, one Shinigami vice-captain, and a vice-captain of the Ghost Path with exceptional strength and proficiency.
Such a team would be sufficient for an expedition to Hueco Mundo, but unfortunately, they encountered that hair gel-obsessed Aizen."
However, Shangyuan Baiyu's shadow clone wasn't too worried.
After all, according to the original plot, although this group was forced to become Hollowfied and join the Arrancar, none of them died; they simply spent a hundred years in the World of the Living.
For a Shinigami, a hundred years is like ten years for a normal human, not a big deal. It was just a long vacation.
At that moment, Kyōraku Shunsui walked out.
His expression was unusually serious, a rarity for him.
"Shunsui, what's the matter? This doesn't seem like you!" The shadow clone of Shangyuan Baiyu pretended to be unaware, asking a rhetorical question.
He hadn't considered the possibility of being seen through.
The shadow clone technique developed by the Second Hokage, although only a B-ranked skill, was truly overpowered.
In the world of Naruto, even with the Byakugan, or even the power of the Six Paths, someone like Kaguya Otsutsuki wouldn't be able to distinguish a shadow clone from the real thing.
Kyōraku Shunsui looked up at the shadow clone of Shangyuan Baiyu.
Facing his friend Shangyuan Baiyu, the question that had been lingering in his mind for a while spilled out of his mouth:
"What do you think of Aizen?"
After saying it, he realized he had spoken out of turn and shook his head, "Never mind, I was probably overthinking it."
Earlier, Pingzi Zhenzi had expressed suspicion about Aizen.
Soon after, this terrible incident occurred in the Seireitei.
Kyōraku Shunsui couldn't help but think more about it.
"Aizen, the vice-captain? Something wrong with him? Impossible. How could someone so perfect have a problem?" The shadow clone of Shangyuan Baiyu scratched his head, feigning "confusion."
Hearing the shadow clone's words, Kyōraku Shunsui fell into contemplation. He then said, "Come with me!"
With that, Kyōraku Shunsui used Shunpo, and the shadow clone of Shangyuan Baiyu followed suit.
In no time, the two of them arrived at the fifth squad's barracks.
Then, Kyōraku Shunsui saw "Aizen" who "happened" to be passing by.
Wearing black rimless glasses and sporting an unremarkable hairstyle, "Aizen" was very polite, greeting Kyōraku Shunsui with a bow.
In Kyōraku Shunsui's eyes, this Aizen was perfect in every way, from his appearance, voice, height, Zanpakuto, to his spiritual pressure.
There was no question, this was Aizen.
But in the eyes of Shangyuan Baiyu's shadow clone, the other party was just an imposter with a similar physique to Aizen.
This was the power of Kyōka Suigetsu, absolute control, manipulation of the five senses, and even spiritual perception.
Every time the Shinigami Academy held its opening and graduation ceremonies, Aizen would demonstrate his Zanpakuto's Shikai and claim that Kyōka Suigetsu was merely a water-element Zanpakuto.
Shangyuan Baiyu, who knew the plot, naturally didn't believe a word of it.
He usually used a shadow clone to attend classes and these events.
So, he had never been caught in Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu.
At this time, Shangyuan Baiyu's shadow clone also greeted the fake Aizen as if nothing was wrong, saying:
"Vice-captain Aizen, you're still working so late. You must be exhausted."
He was going all out with the act, the devil was in the details.
Afterwards, Kyōraku Shunsui and Shangyuan Baiyu left the fifth squad's barracks.
Kyōraku Shunsui looked a bit embarrassed, "It seems there is nothing wrong with Aizen. I was overthinking things."
"When something like this happens, anyone would think more." Shangyuan Baiyu's shadow clone felt that the other Shinigami weren't thinking enough.
They had lived for hundreds of years, and yet they allowed this person to develop under their noses. In the end, they were almost completely wiped out.
It was unknown whether these captains had become slack due to a long period of peace, or if Aizen was just too powerful.
On the other side, Shangyuan Baiyu had already arrived at the scene, ready for the show to begin.
Inside the Technical Development Bureau, Urahara Kisuke donned the latest "invisibility cloak" he had developed. Under the cover of night, he hurried towards the scene of the incident.
…
Meanwhile, in the West Rukongai, District 57, Sarugaki Hiyori, who had just arrived to provide support, had already fallen into a fierce battle.
Her small childlike body was covered in wounds. Her childlike face was drenched in sweat.
Her usually imposing golden pigtails had drooped.
She looked at the badge representing the vice-captain of the twelfth squad on her left shoulder, and with a determined expression, she clenched her small tiger teeth.
At that moment, an enormous dark figure, carrying a terrifying aura, attacked.
An incredibly powerful, icy spiritual pressure swept through the entire space like a tidal wave.
Instantly, Sarugaki Hiyori felt like she was in a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
She once again sensed that ominous, cold, and ferocious spiritual pressure.
It was the spiritual pressure of a Hollow!
But the humanoid Hollow in front of her gave Hiyori a sense of chilling familiarity.
Sarugaki Hiyori didn't have time to think too much. Her instincts took over, and she released her spiritual pressure to cast a Kidō.
"縛道之三十七, 吊星 (Bakudō #37, Tsukiyo)!"
She waved her right hand, and a pale blue light formed a tight net.
It enveloped the charging humanoid Hollow.
Rip!
With a light sound, the humanoid Hollow swung its claws, easily tearing apart the blue net before it.
Then, the humanoid Hollow leaped high into the air.
Its bony-armored fists slammed down on Sarugaki Hiyori.
Even before the fists landed, the ferocious wind had already hit her.
The humanoid Hollow's enormous body, soaring in the air, blocked the cold moonlight, making Sarugaki Hiyori's small frame seem even more insignificant.
The terrifying, ominous spiritual pressure sealed off all of Sarugaki Hiyori's escape routes.
At this critical moment, Sarugaki Hiyori, who dared not unleash her full power, was caught in a dilemma, on the verge of being severely injured.
Just when the situation was desperate, a lazy, cool voice came from behind: "You're only using Bakudō against a Hollow? Hiyori, when did you become so gentle?"
As the voice fell, a flash of blade light appeared, instantly blocking the humanoid Hollow's descending fists, saving Hiyori.
After the strike, Pingzi Zhenzi unleashed his captain-level spiritual pressure at full force, forcing the humanoid Hollow to retreat.
Aikawa Luo Wu, Fengqiao Lou Shi Lang, and Yabuki Maru Lisa followed closely behind.
You Zhaotian Bo Xuan, who was skilled in Kidō but not in Shunpo, was the last one and had not arrived yet.
…
Not far away, hiding in a pocket dimension, Shangyuan Baiyu sensed the spiritual pressure of Pingzi Zhenzi and the others.
He sighed in relief.
They finally arrived!
Although Shangyuan Baiyu had set out with Pingzi Zhenzi, he had arrived long ago.
He even had time to give himself a Gao Qiqiang-style side-swept hairstyle.
In this era, it was considered trendy. Then, Shangyuan Baiyu began to ponder what kind of rewards or items he would get this time.
Super Saiyan bloodline would be great. The Rinnegan with Nine Tomoe wouldn't be bad either. If those weren't available, the Infinity Gauntlet with six Infinity Stones would work too. He wasn't picky.
…
At this time, Hiyori, having escaped death, did not, as usual, curse at Pingzi Zhenzi as a "bald-head."
Her voice was low and depressed, "I can only use Bakudō. I can't bring myself to do anything else!"
Pingzi Zhenzi and the others were stunned by these words.
Wasn't it a Shinigami's duty to kill Hollows? What did she mean by "can't bring myself to do it?"