Chapter 188: The Vanishing Barrier Pillars, The Mysterious Enormous Shadow
"Seal ignition."
After Urahara Kisuke lowered the brim of his hat and spoke those words with cold indifference, he began descending toward the ground. He walked past Shihōin Yoruichi and Kurosaki Isshin, leaving only Aizen's agonized roar echoing through the air and a brilliant white light flashing across the sky.
"Did it work?"
Kurosaki Isshin frowned, crossing his arms as he spoke.
"How could it be that simple? If it ended so easily, that would be far too convenient!"
Urahara Kisuke's voice remained steady, as though explaining an established fact. "If a technique of this level could destroy Aizen, then the so-called Hōgyoku would have merely created an ordinary monster. Hardly worth mentioning."
"He's coming out soon!"
"Tell me, Kurosaki." Urahara Kisuke suddenly called out Kurosaki Isshin's name.
"What is it?"
"Did you send Ichigo to that place?"
Kurosaki Isshin naturally understood what Urahara Kisuke meant. When they'd decided to confront Aizen, they had already formulated corresponding plans in advance.
"Of course. I've made everything clear to him!" Kurosaki Isshin responded with grave solemnity.
"Good. The rest depends on fate itself."
The moment Urahara Kisuke's voice fell, a violent explosion resounded through the air. From within the smoke and dust, Aizen's figure emerged slowly, gripping his Zanpakutō tightly.
His entire body remained covered by the white cocoon, but his original face could no longer be seen clearly. The chrysalis that had shattered on his face earlier had reformed completely. The Zanpakutō in his left hand appeared to have fused directly with his flesh, becoming one with his body.
Aizen emerged from the dissipating smoke and looked down at the three below. His figure flickered, and a hurricane swept past, scattering the remaining dust. Before anyone could react, Aizen's form had already materialized among them.
Aizen examined his wrists as though no one else existed, observing the two yellow halos encircling them. Then he spoke in an emotionless voice: "Using Kidō Number Ninety as bait to lure me into attacking, then employing the technique you developed to burn me from within—if the opponent were not me, no, if it were not me who has completely conquered the Hōgyoku, I'm afraid the battle would have ended just now."
"I should also thank you, Urahara Kisuke. The Kidō you used as a test allowed me to perfectly subjugate the Hōgyoku!"
With a sharp crack, Aizen removed the two halos from his wrists. With a twist of his fingers, they crumbled into powder.
"As you said, it's quite unfortunate. The Hōgyoku you created yourself has surpassed the scope of your comprehension. The techniques you devised to counter me will no longer function against me at all."
After listening to Aizen's words, Urahara Kisuke showed no surprise on his face. As a gust of wind blew past, Urahara Kisuke raised the Zanpakutō in his hand and slowly drew it from its sheath.
"If techniques don't work, are you planning to use swords?"
Aizen slowly lifted the Zanpakutō that had fused with his left hand and continued, "Very well, then all of you can come at me together!"
Before the words had fully left his mouth, Kurosaki Isshin raised his Zanpakutō from behind and chanted, "Burn, Engetsu!"
Flames condensed from Reiatsu instantly erupted along his Zanpakutō's blade. Kurosaki Isshin raised Engetsu with both hands and shouted sharply, "Getsuga Tenshō!"
The crimson crescent slash was released once more. Facing this powerful blow infused with captain-level Reiatsu, Aizen didn't even turn around. He casually raised his right hand and said, "This kind of technique means nothing!"
BOOM!
With the sound of an explosion, Aizen stood in place completely unharmed. Aside from wisps of black smoke rising from his right hand, his entire body remained utterly unscathed.
Meanwhile, following Kurosaki Isshin's instructions, Kurosaki Ichigo had arrived at the exterior of the barrier pillars. Looking at the immense darkness before him, he stood frozen in shock—because the scene exceeded anything he could have anticipated.
An enormous curtain of absolute darkness, spanning nearly one hundred kilometers in radius, shrouded what had previously been the spirit land. Recalling the conversation between himself and Kurosaki Isshin during their journey, Kurosaki Ichigo felt chills running throughout his entire body.
Rewinding to five minutes earlier, Kurosaki Isshin had dragged Kurosaki Ichigo away from the battlefield and brought his son to the exterior of the barrier pillars. This was the first official face-to-face conversation between father and son after Kurosaki Isshin had restored his Shinigami powers.
"If there's anything you want to ask, just ask."
Observing his son's dazed expression, Kurosaki Isshin spoke with profound depth, his arms folded across his chest.
To be honest, it would be impossible to say that Kurosaki Ichigo harbored no doubts about his father who was also a Shinigami. He'd originally wanted to ask why Isshin hadn't saved his mother when he was young, and why during so many crises that had threatened this world, he hadn't chosen to take action.
But during the journey as his father had forcefully carried him away from the battlefield, something within Kurosaki Ichigo's heart seemed to ease considerably. If there was anyone in this world who had most wanted to save his mother, it had to be this unshaven man standing before him.
After his mother passed away, Ichigo had once secretly witnessed this strong, cheerful man holding his mother's portrait and weeping silently. From that moment on, Kurosaki Ichigo understood just how deeply this man had loved his wife.
After Kurosaki Masaki's death, Kurosaki Isshin had never remarried. Instead, he'd raised their three children with painstaking care, pouring all the love he'd held for both himself and Kurosaki Masaki into their children. What right did Ichigo have to question him?
Therefore, Kurosaki Ichigo showed a relieved expression on his face. "No. Although I still have many questions, what I think is—if you believe you can tell me, you'll tell me eventually."
Hearing what Kurosaki Ichigo said, Kurosaki Isshin released a sigh of relief. He reached out to ruffle the hair of the boy who now stood almost as tall as himself. "Hey, my son has really grown up!"
WHAM!
Before the words were finished, Kurosaki Ichigo's fist connected with his father's face as he roared, "If you know I've grown up, then stop patting my head! And why did you bring me here?"
"Wouldn't it be better for me to stay and fight Aizen alongside you?"
Hearing Ichigo's question, Kurosaki Isshin scratched his head somewhat awkwardly, then looked at Kurosaki Ichigo once more. "Defeat Aizen?"
After pondering for a moment, Kurosaki Isshin spoke slowly, "That's impossible. The current Aizen cannot be killed. That's why I brought you here."
"Here?"
Kurosaki Ichigo looked at the massive curtain of darkness not far away and said in shock, "What is this place? Why is there such a strange phenomenon in Karakura Town?"
"If you see it for yourself, won't you know?"
Kurosaki Isshin placed his hand on Ichigo's shoulder and said, "Protect yourself. Enter the space within, reach into your heart, and find a way to learn that technique!"
"Which technique?"
Kurosaki Ichigo grew even more frustrated. His father had been speaking in riddles, which made him feel increasingly irritated.
"Only your own heart can tell you its true name. There's a special boundary within that darkness. If you can't emerge from it, then the rest can only be left to fate."
After speaking, Kurosaki Isshin didn't look at Kurosaki Ichigo again. He turned around and rushed back in the direction where Aizen was fighting.
"Wait! Don't go! You should tell me why I need to go in there!"
Looking at the retreating back of Kurosaki Isshin, Ichigo's eyes were filled with confusion. At this moment, he had far too many unanswered questions. Inoue Orihime's fate in Hueco Mundo remained unknown. Would that Espada truly save her as promised? Why had his own father brought him to this bizarre place? And why had he spoken only in vague fragments, never explaining anything clearly? All of this made Kurosaki Ichigo, who was already hot-headed by nature, feel his mind spinning.
After Kurosaki Isshin's figure vanished from his sight, Ichigo sighed. Finally, he focused his attention on the curtain of darkness before him. After a long moment of contemplation, Ichigo finally steeled his resolve and slowly extended his hand into it.
After confirming he felt no discomfort in his body, Ichigo finally stepped into the darkness completely. The moment Kurosaki Ichigo disappeared from Karakura Town, a Garganta was quietly torn open in the space above. A slender, pale arm slowly extended from within the black void.
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