'God's Judgment' Lille Barro was furious that the two were ignoring him and chatting.
"Another Zanpakutō that controls shadows?"
"Then let the sun destroy the shadows!"
'God's Judgment' Lille Barro raised his hand, gathering a dazzling golden orb.
The next instant, the orb floating toward Sora split into golden light.
Every beam of golden light had the 'X-Axis' ability!
"But where there is light, how can there not be shadows?"
"All Manifestations Shadow Garment!"
Sora's body was instantly covered by the shadow garment. Countless golden beams passed through his body.
But after the golden light passed through, his body returned to its original state.
"It seems your 'light' can pass through the shadow, but it can't destroy my 'shadow'."
Sora laughed lightly.
After Hollowfication, his Spiritual Pressure had reached level 100.
His Spiritual Pressure had crossed a new threshold, causing his shadow ability to change significantly.
He now had a form of immortality!
After entering the 'Shadow Garment' state, normal attacks could no longer hurt him.
It would take Spiritual Pressure stronger than his to affect the 'Shadow Garment'.
Sora had a feeling that if he could break the limits of a Shinigami, even Yamamoto's flames wouldn't be able to harm the 'Shadow Garment' at all.
"Impossible!"
"All who offend the messenger of God must die!"
'God's Judgment' Lille Barro raised a finger, gathering an even larger ball of light.
Sora didn't wait for him to fire his ultimate move. Shunsui Kyōraku was still here, and Sora couldn't use the divine weapon 'Hachikyōken'.
If that attack hit, Shunsui would probably die instantly.
"Listen to God's trumpet, and die!!!"
The orb of light in front of 'God's Judgment' Lille Barro turned into a giant trumpet.
However, he was standing still, making him the perfect target.
Sora rushed him head-on, and 'Tenzui Shinkotsu' at his waist was unsheathed instantly.
"Katori Style: Senmai Oroshi!"
Clang—
A storm of sword slashes passed through Lille Barro's body.
Puchi, puchi, puchi—
"These slashes... have no... effect on me?"
'God's Judgment' Lille Barro was shocked to find that his Spiritual Pressure, and even his body, were rapidly disintegrating.
"How... My Spiritual Pressure... My body!!!"
"No—!!!"
The next instant, 'God's Judgment' Lille Barro's body shattered into countless golden Reishi particles.
"'Tenzui Shinkotsu' is also a divine weapon. You call yourself God's messenger, so how can you withstand a divine weapon?" Sora laughed lightly.
The ability of 'Tenzui Shinkotsu' is to reduce the Spiritual Pressure within an enemy's spiritual body.
Sora rarely used it before because the amount of Spiritual Pressure 'Tenzui Shinkotsu' reduces is fixed.
The blade also needs to enter the body to trigger the ability.
One cut reduces an amount of Spiritual Pressure equal to about one-third of a seated officer's.
But the enemies Sora faced in the past usually didn't live long after he cut them, so 'Tenzui Shinkotsu' never had a chance to be used.
But against an enemy like 'God's Judgment' Lille Barro, who had immortal traits, 'Tenzui Shinkotsu' finally had a chance to shine.
When Sora used 'Tenzui Shinkotsu' to unleash 'Senmai Oroshi', he stabbed hundreds of times in a short span.
Lille Barro, standing still like a target, had his Spiritual Pressure reduced hundreds of times.
His spiritual body couldn't handle such a terrifying reduction and instantly collapsed.
Sora sheathed his sword and took out the transparent box containing the Hōgyoku.
Lille Barro's bird-form ability and appearance were suspicious. It was highly likely related to a part of the Soul King.
After he took out the Hōgyoku, the golden Reishi particles that were scattering in all directions gathered and were absorbed by it.
"It really is... The Four Great Noble Families really went too far!"
Sora was amazed to see the Hōgyoku reacting to the golden Reishi.
Lille Barro was actually the Soul King's Spiritual Root!
These golden Reishi particles, floating in the air and not mixing with normal Reishi, were Soul King fragments!
Thanks to Shunsui Kyōraku still maintaining his Bankai field, the golden Reishi didn't escape.
Sora walked around, and the Hōgyoku quickly absorbed all the floating golden Reishi.
"The Hōgyoku's consciousness seems... clearer."
Sora raised an eyebrow.
The Hōgyoku's consciousness was chaotic before, with no clear direction.
Now, after absorbing Lille Barro, this Hōgyoku was complete and had a clear consciousness.
But they were still at war, so there was no time to test it.
Sora put the Hōgyoku away and walked over to Shunsui Kyōraku.
"Is it... over? Just like that?"
Shunsui Kyōraku saw the glowing golden Reishi disappear and realized Lille Barro was probably dead for good.
He couldn't help but feel emotional. An enemy he couldn't handle even at full power was instantly killed by Katori Sora. The gap was huge.
"That's how it is with specialized opponents. If your 'mechanic' is superior to theirs, you can kill them," Sora said.
A specialized opponent like 'God's Judgment' Lille Barro, when faced by Sora who had an information advantage, was maybe less trouble than a sword master like Retsu Unohana.
At least Unohana wouldn't stand still and let him stab her hundreds of times.
Shunsui Kyōraku released his Bankai. The abyss vanished, and the dark golden colors faded.
The moment he released it, Shunsui's face turned deathly pale.
He had been relying on drugs to maintain his Bankai. If it weren't for a 'Nōreitan' restoring his Spiritual Pressure, he wouldn't have lasted.
Isshin Shiba was outside. When Sora arrived, he had sent him to help the other Shinigami squad members to reduce casualties.
"Captain Kyōraku, you've used too much energy. You should rest."
...
Meanwhile, Mayuri Kurotsuchi was fighting Pernida, the 'Left Arm of the Soul King'.
"Don't you have any new tricks?"
Mayuri casually blocked the whip-like nerve tentacles from Pernida, the 'Left Arm of the Soul King'.
Even though Mayuri had just been promoted to Lieutenant, the one at a disadvantage was Pernida, the 'Left Arm of the Soul King'!
Before coming to the Wandenreich, Mayuri had already gotten intel on Pernida.
And Pernida, the 'Left Arm of the Soul King', had a record of a brief fight with Sōsuke Aizen in the World of the Living.
At the scene of their fight, Pernida had left behind some nerves.
These abandoned nerves were all collected by the staff of the Technology Development Bureau.
When Mayuri learned of Pernida's abilities, he became very interested.
He had researched those abandoned nerves.
Therefore, before coming to the Wandenreich, Mayuri had modified his own body to counter Pernida's specific traits.
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