(send power stones please)
"Die, Shinigami!!!"
With a burst of Sonído, Shawlong Kūfang flashed directly in front of Matsumoto Rangiku, killing intent surging.
The razor-sharp edge of his blade expanded rapidly in her vision—
And at the same time—
To completely cut off Rangiku's retreat—
D-Roy lunged in from the side with a feral grin!
From both directions.
The tips of their swords needed only to advance a few more inches—
And Rangiku would be cut down on the spot.
But at that very moment—
Without any warning—
"Shield—Wooden Spindle Wall!"
A sharp shout rang out from the distant horizon.
In the next instant—
Right in front of Matsumoto Rangiku—
The empty air seemed to perform a magic trick.
A ring of thick, solid wooden pillars materialized out of nothing!
"What… the hell?!"
The sudden change froze Shawlong's expression.
"Wood…? Is this some kind of Kidō?!"
Before he could even process what was happening—
The wooden pillars bent and interlocked at extreme speed!
Forming a massive, dome-like wooden barrier!
It perfectly enclosed Rangiku inside—
Providing absolute, 360-degree protection—
And simultaneously blocking the twin slashes from both directions!
CLANG—!!!
The blades struck.
Apart from a dull, heavy impact—
They left nothing more than shallow white marks on the surface of the Wooden Spindle Wall.
"Th-This is impossible!!!"
Shawlong's face twisted in shock.
"Even my full-power strike… couldn't break wood?!"
But what truly terrified him—
Wasn't just that the attack failed.
It was that—
The rebound force from the barrier kicked back his blade!
If his reaction had been even a fraction slower—
His sword would have been knocked clean out of his hand!
"Look over there!!!"
"There's another Shinigami?!"
"No—wait… he's wearing a white academy uniform!"
"Then why the hell is he holding a thorn-shaped zanpakutō?!"
While Shawlong was still reeling—
D-Roy suddenly snapped his head toward the source of the shout.
And what he saw made his blood run cold.
At some unknown moment—
Bai Chen had appeared.
Standing calmly in the distance.
A playful smile on his handsome face—
Like a hunter examining prey—
His gaze locked directly onto D-Roy.
"Thank goodness… it's Bai Chen!!!"
"I knew it—when things got desperate, you'd show up and turn everything around by yourself!"
Peering through the narrow gaps in the wooden barrier—
The moment she saw Bai Chen again—
Every trace of fear and despair inside Matsumoto Rangiku vanished instantly.
All that remained—
Was relief after surviving disaster—
And absolute trust.
"Good…"
"It's a good thing Wood Release techniques can be activated from long range…"
"Another second later… and Rangiku would've been seriously hurt."
Bai Chen swept his gaze over her quickly.
After confirming her injuries were nothing more than superficial—
He shifted his attention away—
And fixed his eyes on the two Arrancar subordinates.
"D-Roy…"
"Shawlong Kūfang…"
"They're Grimmjow's subordinates, aren't they?"
"To think they'd invade the Human World so recklessly…"
"Did Grimmjow lead this himself?"
The thought flickered through Bai Chen's mind.
To avoid any further surprises—
He cautiously expanded his spiritual perception.
Only after confirming that no other Arrancar were hiding within several kilometers—
Did the playful curve return to his lips.
"So Grimmjow isn't here…"
"Then this sudden invasion is obviously Aizen's handiwork."
"If I'm not mistaken…"
"Aizen and his little trio are either spying from the Fifth Division…"
"Or they're cloaked nearby with the black mantle, watching everything unfold."
As a transmigrator—
Bai Chen knew Aizen far too well.
Those were exactly the methods Aizen loved most—
And the most likely scenarios.
But—
Even knowing that Aizen might be watching—
Bai Chen didn't care.
He didn't bother guarding against it—
He simply ignored them entirely.
Right now—
His priority was simple.
Kill these two Arrancar subordinates.
And wipe out the remaining Menos Gillian in the area.
Only then would this Hollow invasion be truly resolved.
While Bai Chen was thinking—
Shawlong and D-Roy exchanged a glance.
They quietly moved closer—
Positioning themselves to Bai Chen's left and right.
The same pincer tactic as before—
Only this time, they kept their distance, wary of his power.
"Trying to flank me? Smart move."
Bai Chen's gaze remained calm as he looked at them.
Then he offered a piece of advice:
"But…"
"I'd suggest you use it now."
"Otherwise…"
"You won't get another chance."
His tone was utterly calm—
Like a death sentence spoken casually to the weak.
Those words instantly provoked them—
And made both Arrancar's faces darken sharply.
"What?!"
"You didn't hear wrong just now…"
"You even know about Resurrección?!"
"How the hell do you Shinigami know so much about Arrancar secrets?!"
Shawlong finally lost control.
Veins bulged beneath his long mask as his expression twisted into something feral.
The killing intent in his eyes mixed with deep unease.
Yes—
He was panicking.
Bai Chen's wood-type zanpakutō.
And Bai Chen's casual display of intimate knowledge about Arrancar—
Both sent chills crawling down Shawlong's spine.
He couldn't help but suspect—
That this entire invasion might be a trap.
Otherwise—
How could everything be explained?
Not to mention—
That white academy uniform Bai Chen wore.
There was no way this man was anything like ordinary sixth-years.
"Surprised?"
Bai Chen watched their reaction with interest.
Then he spoke coldly, almost regretfully:
"I already gave you a chance."
"If you won't release…"
"Then you'll just become nourishment for Wood Dragon—along with all the Menos."
The moment his words fell—
"Forest—Riot!"
With a single thought—
The thorned blade in Bai Chen's hand erupted with blinding green light!
A colossal wave of spiritual pressure surged—
Like a natural tornado tearing through a primeval forest—
Carrying catastrophic destructive force!
As the green radiance spread outward—
What had happened earlier—
Happened again.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—!!!
The streets of Karakura Town trembled violently.
The ground split apart—
And from thethe fractured earth—
Towering trees burst upward one after another!
In an instant—
A vast, sky-covering ancient forest took shape!
"What kind of ability is this?!"
"Tearing the earth apart—creating forests out of nothing?!"
To avoid being skewered by the thorned branches and vines—
The two Arrancar scrambled frantically.
But no matter how they ran—
They couldn't escape the forest's domain.
They were completely lost among the towering trees.
Their Hierro-hardened bodies—
Reduced to desperate,scramble away in disarray figures.
"How about it, Arrancar?"
Bai Chen clapped his hands lightly.
"Never seen scenery like this in Hueco Mundo, have you?"
He casually reversed his grip on the thorned blade.
"Don't worry…"
"You're about to become fertilizer anyway."
"You'll be buried here forever—"
"Reduced to nothing more than soil and dust."
This time—
Bai Chen's voice was no longer calm.
It carried unmistakable, chilling killing intent.
He had no interest in dragging the fight out.
Just like always—
He intended to end it instantly.
"Soar—Wood Dragon!!!"
His spiritual pressure exploded at full power.
The ground shook.
The forest roared.
Dust and shockwaves swept outward!
BOOOOM—!!!
Before the Arrancar's dead-silent eyes—
From the torn earth below—
Soil surged and reshaped itself.
A massive, monstrous form rapidly took shape.
The same being that had once appeared within Bai Chen's inner world—
That heaven-piercing, earth-shaking existence—
The colossal Wood Dragon—
Rose once more.
Descending upon Karakura Town with apocalyptic might!
The Wood Dragon roared.
Its cry thundered like divine wrath.
Its massive wooden body coiled through the forest canopy—
Radiating tangible, crushing pressure.
So overwhelming—
That even the clouds in Karakura Town's sky were forced apart—
As if unable to withstand its presence!
"Arrancar…"
"It's over."
"Be swallowed by the Wood Dragon—"
"And become part of its power."
Bai Chen raised his hand.
The thorned blade pointed toward the two Arrancar subordinates from afar.
In the next instant—
Responding to its master's command—
The colossal Wood Dragon lunged forward!
Claws and fangs bared—
Roaring as it dove straight at the two Arrancar—
Ready to devour them whole.
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