Captain Sōjin Komamura of the 7th Division belongs to the Werewolf clan—a rarity in Soul Society, which is composed entirely of human souls. No wonder he always wears that enormous conical hat; it's meant to mask his appearance and help him avoid discrimination from other Shinigami now that his true form was exposed after being effortlessly slain by Aizen.
Yet not many Shinigami actually look down on him—though perhaps the nobles do—but there are few such individuals among the Gotei 13. Daniel Davis is particularly curious about this Werewolf clan, since, in theory, only human souls should exist in Soul Society.
Soul Society contains solely human souls and not those of animals. This is quite strange—after all, it's not just humans who have souls; animals do as well. According to practitioners of materialization, every being possesses a soul.
However, Daniel doesn't delve too deeply into it. After all, Soul Society was a created realm—who knows what the founders of the Five Great Noble Families, or the people of that era, did with the power of the Spirit King.
Nowadays, the world is divided into three realms: the Human World, Hueco Mundo, and Soul Society. In the era of the Spirit King, however, these divisions did not exist; everyone lived in a single world.
According to records passed down by the Kōmyada family, the earliest phenomenon in this world was Hueco Mundo—or more precisely, in those days Hueco Mundo was connected to the Human World, which caused immense suffering for humanity.
It wasn't until the birth of the Spirit King—who, single-handedly, slew countless Hollows—that the deserts of Hueco Mundo became nothing more than the remnants of spiritual particles left over from those battles.
Fearing that the Spirit King's overzealous extermination of Hollows would plunge the world back into chaos, the Five Great Ancestors established Soul Society and simultaneously severed the connection between Hueco Mundo and the Human World, resulting in the current arrangement where the Human World, Hueco Mundo, and Soul Society exist in separate dimensions.
It is precisely for this reason that Soul Society only maintains a defensive stance against Hollows rather than actively venturing into Hueco Mundo to exterminate them; indeed, even after the thousand-year Blood War ended, both the monks and Jing Le Chunshui spared the few surviving Arrancars.
As to whether any of this is truly accurate—Daniel couldn't say; after all, few know the real truth of that time.
"Shinigami… no, you're not a Shinigami—you're an Eradicator. I didn't expect that the Eradicators of old haven't been completely wiped out."
The fluctuating energy within the mirror space suddenly startled an enormous white wolf within the cavern. Its half-open, half-closed eyes swept over Daniel as he entered.
Daniel had come in using his own physical body. Even though Kamatagi originally pursued soul cultivation—and in the end, even the Ancient One abandoned his body—Daniel never considered going the purely soul-based route. Not that such a path is bad; he simply didn't need to take it at this time.
"Eradicators don't vanish that easily—but the Werewolf clan… it seems they're nearly extinct."
Daniel didn't know much about the Werewolf clan; even Tsunayashiro Tokinada of the Kōmyada family has very little information on them. Perhaps the Great Spirit Tome Corridor holds some records, but finding such data in that vast repository would take at least a century or more—if not longer.
Tsunayashiro Tokinada only cares about what interests him—namely, the sins of the Kōmyada family, the Spirit King, and so forth. For instance, his laboratory is filled with the corpses of materialization practitioners and Shinigami, but when it comes to the Werewolf clan, Tsunayashiro Tokinada shows no interest whatsoever and naturally won't investigate them.
It must be said that Toshiro Hitsugaya's luck is truly unfortunate—in the few people he considers friends, apart from Jing Le Chunshui, both Aizen and Tsunayashiro Tokinada have ulterior motives regarding him.
After all, it doesn't help that the embodiment of the immobile Spirit King's right hand, Mimihaki, resides within him.
But Hitsugaya remains oblivious to all of this; he has always believed that Tsunayashiro Tokinada is a good man—only that, within the Kōmyada family, he became the sort of villain who murdered his colleagues and even his own wife, Ge Kuang. Hitsugaya sincerely hoped that one day Tsunayashiro Tokinada might reform.
Alas, Tsunayashiro Tokinada is one of those rare, purely evil individuals. For someone like him, kindness and justice are not virtues to be embraced—they are the very things he despises and, paradoxically, envies. While most people might be drawn to such qualities, Tsunayashiro Tokinada wishes only to keep his distance—which is why he ended up killing his own wife, Ge Kuang.
If there is anyone in Soul Society who embodies pure justice, Ge Kuang is undoubtedly among them.
"Although I promised that guy I wouldn't attack the Shinigami, Eradicators aren't covered by that promise."
At these words, the enormous white wolf's eyes suddenly became razor-sharp. Its body, stretching over a dozen meters, transformed into a streak of white light and charged at Daniel, its right claw raised high as if to strike him down in a single blow.
"Kidō of Binding #81: Break Void!"
As the white wolf launched its sudden assault, Daniel seemed to have anticipated it. With a swift flick of his left hand, he conjured a transparent barrier about ten meters high that materialized in front of him.
Boom!
At the instant the white wolf's right claw collided with the Break Void barrier, a deep, thunderous sound echoed throughout the cavern. Simultaneously, numerous cracks began radiating outward from the point of impact—the barrier, despite its formidable defensive power, nearly shattered under the force of the blow.
"I really underestimated her—she must be, aside from Aizen and Captain Yamamoto, one of the strongest," Daniel thought.
The near-breakage of the Break Void barrier startled him; although casting it without incantation had reduced its power significantly, it was not something just anyone could shatter.
"Kidō of Binding #61: Six Staffs of Light Prison!"
Just as the Break Void barrier shattered under the white wolf's third strike, Daniel unleashed his next binding spell. Six beams of radiant light materialized around the white wolf, forming a luminous circle that ensnared her. However, in the very next moment, a surge of overwhelming spiritual pressure erupted from her, instantly obliterating the light circle that had bound her.
"This spiritual pressure—indeed. Let's use you to test the fruits of my training then."
Feeling the immense spiritual pressure radiating from the white wolf—a pressure even greater than what Yamamoto Genryūsai displayed against Hitsugaya previously, or what Jing Le Chunshui exhibited upon first unlocking Ryūjin Jakka—Daniel pressed on.
"Kidō of Binding #62: Hundred-Step Rampart!"
"Hadō #63: Chain Lock Bind!"
"Hadō #31: Crimson Cannon!"
"Hadō #63: Thunder Roar Cannon!"
Within the vast cavern, Daniel deftly flash-stepped to evade the white wolf's attacks while unleashing every Breaking and Binding Kidō spell he had mastered, starting with the most basic ones.
"I'm going to kill you!" he declared.
The continuous barrage of Breaking and Binding Kidō—though it did not completely shatter the white wolf's spiritual pressure defense—rendered her rather disheveled. Patches of her white fur appeared singed, provoking an enraged roar. Soon, potent spiritual particles began coalescing before her mouth.
"Is that a Hollow Flash… or the Shinigami version of a Tailed Beast Orb?" she bellowed.
"Those with strong spiritual pressure can indeed do as they please," she continued, her voice resonating with defiance.
Just as Daniel had been relentlessly unleashing various Kidō spells, the white wolf's own spiritual particle beams flowed ceaselessly from her mouth.
"But I have finished as well. Thunder's chariot, the spindle's fissure—this object gathers light and divides into six. The self-destructive clay effigy—combine, rebound, and extend to the earth; know your own impotence!
Kidō of Binding #66: Six Staffs of Light Prison, and Hadō #90: Black Coffin!"
As Daniel evaded the onslaught of the white wolf's white spiritual beams, he chanted these incantations. Just as the wolf attempted to strike once more, the Six Staffs of Light Prison sprang into effect, binding her instantly. Even if she managed to break free a moment later, it would be too late—by then, her body was already surrounded by countless black shadows.
The lengthy incantations of Kidō are notoriously cumbersome in battle—a fact well known to the Gotei 13, who have developed various countermeasures. The simplest method is to recite them silently so the enemy cannot hear, or to pre-recite them. One particularly effective technique is dual incantation, which allows two Kidō spells—a binding and a breaking spell—to be combined in seamless harmony.
Had it been anyone else, Daniel might not have resorted to dual incantation, but the white wolf's speed left him no choice; if it were just Black Coffin, she might have managed to escape first.
"Finally, it's over. Thank goodness I activated the mirror space beforehand—otherwise, these intense fluctuations in spiritual pressure would have undoubtedly alerted the Gotei 13 long ago."
Watching as the white giant wolf transformed, under the complete incantation, into a blood-colored beast, Daniel nodded in quiet relief. He had no desire to draw the Gotei 13's attention if it could be avoided.
"Really, you'll do whatever it takes to survive—well, don't blame me then."
This progenitor of the Werewolf clan is truly despicable. They say even a tiger spares its cubs, yet this creature, in order to prolong its own life, devours its own offspring. Had Captain Komamura ever crossed paths with Yamamoto Genryūsai by chance, he would likely have been devoured long ago.
They even fought over this matter. Although the white wolf was no match for the Captain, if he wished to deal with her, he would have to unleash his Bankai—a measure he only resorts to when absolutely necessary. In the end, both sides reached an understanding: if the white wolf did not attack Soul Society's Shinigami, then the Captain would refrain from taking action.
Though Daniel learned quite a bit from the progenitor of the Werewolf clan, most of it was irrelevant to him—these events took place over a thousand years ago and are long past. There is simply no need to investigate their origins any further.
"Wow, the Kidō users have been busy this time."
After emerging from the mirror space and returning to Seireitei, Daniel surveyed the damage wrought by Bawant's invasion. Compared to the destruction previously caused by Kenpachi Zaraki, Ichigo, and the others, this was like a minor disturbance next to a major calamity.
"It seems Ichigo has now completely mastered his Bankai," someone remarked.
Although Ichigo had learned his Bankai in just three days, it was only a temporary mastery—he had pushed himself desperately for Rukia's sake. After she was safe and they returned to the Human World, his Bankai became unreliable. Because of that, Kisuke Urahara even dispatched his modified souls to help Ichigo train.
A confrontation with Aizen is inevitable—Ichigo is an important asset. Even if he isn't currently eager to train, Kisuke Urahara would never let such potential go to waste. Had it not been for Bawant's sudden emergence, the Faceless Corps might already have made contact with Ichigo.
That fellow who habitually walks upside down in mid-air probably relies on the fact that ordinary people cannot see him—he's remarkably nonchalant. Daniel has encountered him several times in a single exchange.
"Is this a battle of revenge?"
While Ichigo faced Bawant's leader, Kariya Kami, Kenpachi Zaraki was confronting a Shinigami who once belonged to the 11th Division—Mashu Ichinose.
It is customary for a new 11th Division captain to ascend by eliminating his predecessor. In this instance, Zaraki eliminated the former captain—an all-too-common occurrence in the 11th Division. Mashu Ichinose, who had long admired that captain, now resents Zaraki and has come to avenge his predecessor.
Under normal circumstances, such a situation wouldn't arise; the conditions of the 11th Division are well known to the Gotei 13. Essentially, those who fear death never join the 11th Division. Once you're in, you must not be death-phobic—especially not if you're the captain.
In fact, the captaincy of the 11th Division was once left vacant for over a hundred years—during the eras of Zhicheng Jianba and Kuwo Shi Jianba (one died, the other suddenly surrendered and is now confined in Interminable Hell)—leaving only a vice-captain in charge.
Yuri Ayasegawa even concealed the true Shikai of her Zanpakutō in order to remain in the 11th Division, since its Zanpakutō are primarily geared toward physical attacks. Even though some can extend other abilities, few train in them; the focus remains on slashing.
"This outcome is truly absurd—they came here to sacrifice themselves."
After Ichigo defeated Kariya Kami and foiled their plan to destroy Soul Society, and once the exiled experimental subjects from back then appeared, Bawant's true objective was revealed.
Kariya Kami was essentially on a suicide mission—after a prolonged chase and after growing weary of prolonging his life by absorbing human souls, he no longer cared whether his plan succeeded or not.
"Ichigo, come fight me!"
Once the dust had settled and the Kidō users had cleaned up the aftermath, Kenpachi Zaraki once again challenged Ichigo. Unfortunately, this time Ichigo had learned his lesson and declined. After exchanging a few brief words with Rukia and Toshiro Hitsugaya, he returned to the Human World.
"Seems you really underwent Hollowfication training, huh? Next, we should unmask those hiding in the shadows of Soul Society."
No sooner had Ichigo, having just dealt with Bawant, returned to reality than he encountered Pingzi Zhenzi, who whisked him off to the Faceless Corps—proof that Kisuke Urahara had indeed witnessed Ichigo's battle in Seireitei.
"Hidden in the shadows of Soul Society, the Eradicators' use of spiritual particles is truly unparalleled—should we relay this news to Kisuke Urahara?"
Daniel had originally intended to locate Yuhabah and the others on his own, but he soon realized he had overestimated himself. Although Tsunayashiro Tokinada has access to a vast trove of Soul Society technology, he still cannot fully master it in a short time.
Yuhabah can hide within Seireitei for millennia—apparently even Nei Jianli hasn't been able to track him down. This ability to remain concealed is not to be underestimated.
As for Yuhabah, Daniel certainly doesn't wish to fight him when he's fully recharged. If Yuhabah can be defeated in his "Easy Mode," why opt for the harder, "Hell Mode"? After all, he isn't as battle-crazed as Kenpachi Zaraki.
"Perhaps I should seek an alliance with Aizen—he should be deeply concerned about Yuhabah. Moreover, the power of Hollows precisely counteracts that of the Eradicators."
More accurately, Hollow power not only counters the Eradicators but also the Shinigami, since the power of Hollows does not derive from the Spirit King. Even though both are cultivated by absorbing spiritual particles, their methods yield entirely different forms of strength.
(End of Chapter)
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