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Hueco Mundo — the holding cells
This level of Las Noches was used to lock up unruly Arrancar who refused to cooperate.
Today, bringing Orihime Inoue with him, Ryo stepped inside and explained, "Once we're back in Little Garden, I'll set up a boundary gate so you can go home once a week."
"That sounds… really expensive," Orihime replied nervously, still trying to absorb all the Little Garden info he'd just dumped on her.
"It's fine. This whole situation is because of me anyway. Just think of it as… employee benefits."
Ryo's expression didn't change.
Originally, his plan was simple: overthrow the rotten Soul Society and prepare for Arcadia's gift games.
But once the Bleach world entered observation, creating a boundary-gate for back-and-forth travel was troublesome, but not impossible.
It only cost five thousand forum points—though it could only link to Bleach.
Still, Ryo was planning to "accidentally" let the upper ranks know he was conquering the Bleach world to qualify for the four-digit tier. A gate between the two worlds would be useful proof.
And besides, it wasn't exactly unusual.
Most upper four-digit communities managed one or more worlds exclusively.
Hell, owning and administering a world was part of the promotion requirement.
So spending five thousand points on a gate wasn't just for Orihime. It was also prepping for his community's future upgrades.
When he finished explaining, Orihime blinked in realization.
"So… does that mean I basically have a job lined up after university?"
"You could put it that way. And if you want, you can buy some basic Little Garden gifts and sell them back here for profit. A bit of side cash never hurts."
He smiled as he pointed out a potential money-making route.
"That's… allowed?" Orihime looked stunned.
"The Thousand Eyes community I told you about? They have an entire department dedicated to arbitrage—buying in one world, selling in another."
"Of course, there are rules. You can't trade anything too outrageous."
Ryo finished speaking and turned toward a small figure curled up in the corner of the cell.
Captain of the Second Division: Soifon.
Her short hair framed her face in straight bangs, and her backless halter-style shihakushō showed the sharp lines of her toned figure. But now she lay in the corner, hands and feet shackled.
Ryo glanced at the cell door. The bars opened automatically.
He stepped inside, smiling as he walked forward.
"Interesting. Your breathing, heartbeat, Reiatsu—they all look like you're unconscious. But your mind is very much awake."
"A clever hiding technique."
Even with his praise, Soifon didn't twitch.
If not for the slight rise and fall of her chest, Orihime would've thought she was dead.
Seeing no reaction, Ryo chuckled. He stopped in front of her and tossed her the Zanpakutō they'd confiscated.
"I'll give you one chance to kill me. The price is that you let me run an experiment on your Zanpakutō."
With that, he stepped under the cell's only window, looking out at the endless pale desert.
"What's your decision?"
Before he finished speaking, Soifon appeared behind him, blade raised.
"Sting all Enemies to Death… Suzumebachi."
A black butterfly pattern appeared on Ryo's back—her kill-mark.
Gritting her teeth, she struck again, the stinger-gauntlet on her finger stabbing the exact same spot.
Two hits to the same mark meant instant death.
That was Suzumebachi's ability.
"The second hit lands… and you die," Soifon warned, voice low.
"What, even the commander of the assassination corps hesitates?" Ryo said with a mocking smile.
A cheap provocation—but it made her wary anyway. She was afraid this was a trap.
Ryo then added, still smiling. "If you refuse to cooperate, my next target will be Yoruichi Shihoin."
Soifon's expression cracked instantly, panic flickering across her face. "Don't you dare touch Lady Yoruichi. If you've got a problem, come at me."
"Come at you?" Ryo gave her a slow, amused look, eyes sweeping over her before he nodded thoughtfully.
"Yeah… I'll think about it."
"You—!"
She caught the implication immediately. And like a wasp whose honey had just been stolen, Suzumebachi struck again.
Another black butterfly pattern—Hōmonka—bloomed on his back.
Two direct hits. Soifon leapt back, waiting for his body to break apart.
But of course—nothing happened.
"As expected…" Ryo sighed softly.
The Leo Sun Authority he carried simply ignored Suzumebachi's instant-kill effect.
He'd known it would—Leo's authority included the ability to nullify weapon powers. But that wasn't the main reason he let her attack.
"Ready?" Ryo asked.
The moment Soifon heard his voice, he was already beside her.
A sharp crack rang out.
He crushed her Zanpakutō with his bare hand.
"—aghh!" Soifon winced and grabbed her hand in pain.
Ryo turned to Orihime.
"Orihime, heal her. Just don't restore the Zanpakutō."
"Ok!" Orihime said, hurrying over as Santen Kesshun unfolded around her.
Soifon hesitated, briefly considering grabbing Orihime as a hostage—but abandoned the thought almost instantly.
With Ryo's speed, she wouldn't even finish the motion before she was pinned.
Next, two asauchi appeared in Ryo's hands.
He tossed one to Soifon, then held the other silently for a moment.
She caught it, confused—until the next moment, her eyes widened.
"Sting all Enemies to Death… Suzumebachi."
With Ryo's quiet whisper, a golden stinger-gauntlet formed on his own finger.
"Well now… that's interesting."
A faint, dangerous smile curved his lips.
.
.
.