The spiritual pressure emanating from 'Yoruichi' became incredibly evil, and combined with the mask on her face, she looked like a true Hollow!
Shiba Isshin immediately recalled the crimes for which Yoruichi and the others had been exiled.
Yoruichi's exile crime was kidnapping Kisuke Urahara in front of the Central 46, while Kisuke Urahara had been involved in an extremely evil experiment—
The Hollowfication experiment!
Decades ago, Kisuke Urahara had conducted this evil experiment on several Captain-class Shinigami, causing the Soul Society to lose several Captains and Lieutenants in one fell swoop!
Now, looking at the mask on 'Yoruichi's' face, he said gravely:
"Is this Hollowfication?"
"You know quite a lot." One of 'Yoruichi's' hands was still pressed to her face, and in the next moment, she appeared right in front of 'Shiba Isshin'!
Shiba Isshin was still in a state of double shock from 'Yoruichi's' appearance and the activation of Hollowfication, and he couldn't react in time to 'Yoruichi's' attack!
'Yoruichi' threw a punch, and Shiba Isshin hastily blocked, but he only managed to place the hilt of his sword against his chest.
Boom!
Reiatsu exploded, and Isshin's body was directly blasted dozens of meters away.
"In three days, at this same place, come personally to pick up Rukia. Don't worry, I won't do anything to her."
After saying that, "Yoruichi" deactivated her Hollowfication, the mask on her face disappeared, and then she vanished from the area, taking the unconscious Rukia with her.
"Damn it!"
Shiba Isshin watched 'Yoruichi' gradually disappear, unable to help but grit his teeth and curse.
This guy really seemed like Yoruichi—besides Yoruichi, who else could have such astonishing speed?
He quickly sensed 'Yoruichi's' spiritual pressure, but now, he could no longer feel any movement.
He returned to the Shinigami camp, and only when he got back did the surrounding Shinigami seem to realize what had happened.
"That was just..."
Rangiku's eyes widened, and upon seeing the Captain return, she said in disbelief: "Was that a Shinigami? I... I think I've seen her before."
Rangiku had long since become a Shinigami, after Gin arrived in the Seireitei.
So she knew about the Hollowfication incident that happened in the Seireitei back then.
She...
She seemed to have seen that woman earlier!
"I didn't expect this matter to involve her. It seems the strange Bull-Head Hollow was also their doing."
Shiba Isshin said with some regret.
He had actually let Rukia be taken by the enemy just like that!
Rukia was a subordinate that Kaien valued, and now Kaien's fate was unknown—he couldn't even protect his own subordinate!
"Who was that guy just now?"
Zaraki Kenpachi had also returned at this point, since Starrk had already left.
After Yoshio took Rukia away, Starrk had no reason to stay there anymore.
Their current position was still some distance from the ruins where Hollow White was located, and now that Rukia had disappeared, they probably couldn't accurately determine Hollow White's position.
It wouldn't be too late to appear and stop them when they actually reached the ruins.
Moreover, they might not even have any interest in investigating further now.
So, before leaving, Yoshio sent a message to Starrk, telling him there was no need to continue fighting.
Just as Yoshio expected, Shiba Isshin immediately said: "This matter is beyond our scope—it's out of the Seireitei's control. We can't pursue it any further."
"What did you say?" Zaraki Kenpachi said coldly, "I came here to cut down that Bull-Head Hollow. Don't ruin my fun!"
"Don't be stupid! This involves Kisuke Urahara. That guy is far more dangerous than any Bull-Head Hollow! No, perhaps that Bull-Head Hollow, and the strange Menos Grande that just broke its mask, were all his doing!"
"I didn't expect that after being exiled, he hid in Hueco Mundo and continued his evil research using it!"
Shiba Isshin said gravely: "He's taken Rukia now, and I don't know what he plans to do to her. If you act recklessly, you'll just get everyone killed!"
"So, is that it?" Zaraki Kenpachi said with an indifferent expression.
Isshin immediately got angry: "You really want to fight? Then when we get back to the Seireitei, I'll fight you!"
Zaraki Kenpachi's eyes lit up, showing a joyful expression, and he said loudly:
"Ha! I've been wanting to fight you guys for a while—let's see how you noble family trash differ from the rest!"
"Then come back to the Seireitei with me! We'll put the Bull-Head Hollow aside for now and report Kisuke Urahara and the others entering Hueco Mundo first!"
If it were just him and Zaraki Kenpachi, he wouldn't mind accompanying this guy to keep fighting in Hueco Mundo.
But he had brought quite a few subordinates—those Eleventh Division lunatics didn't care about life or death, but he couldn't gamble with his subordinates' lives!
"Then let's go back."
"Not yet. Wait three more days. During these three days, we won't search for the Bull-Head Hollow. Once Rukia returns, we'll head back to the Seireitei immediately!"
Of course, Shiba Isshin wasn't sure if 'Yoruichi's' words could be trusted.
Although she said she'd return Rukia in three days, who knew if she'd actually do it?
Or if there was a trap?
So they still couldn't let their guard down—they had to be ready for battle at any time.
...
No matter what they thought, Yoshio had already brought the unconscious Rukia back to the ruins.
The closer they got to the ruins, the more restless Rukia became.
It was as if some kind of power was gradually awakening.
This power was very similar to Hollow White's.
Could the original Hollow White have been stimulated by the second-generation Hollow White's reiatsu?
Yoshio's heart stirred; he felt that Dark Rukia had emerged under these circumstances.
"Your target... is her?"
At this point, Starrk had also returned, and he looked at Yoshio and asked.
Yoshio had returned to his original form. He gently placed Rukia next to Hollow White's cocoon, watching her body tremble violently at that moment.
He stared intently at Rukia, sensing the changes in her spiritual power, and unconsciously revealed a smile, saying: "She'll give you a surprise."
Boom!
As soon as Yoshio finished speaking, reiatsu erupted from Rukia's body—red reiatsu, seemingly mixed with thick black and purple!
After the reiatsu burst, Rukia's body and clothing both changed.
Dark Rukia...
Had appeared!
The originally unconscious Rukia suddenly opened her eyes, her Zanpakuto transforming into a massive scythe. She lifted the enormous scythe and slashed directly at Yoshio!