Time is like a straight line, without beginning or end.
Unconsciously, five years had passed.
In those five years, Renji, Kira, Momo, and Rukia… each one had strived for their own goals, training themselves desperately every day.
Toshiro, especially, had never slackened. He knew what terrifying enemies he would face in the future.
Rukongai, outside a small village.
"Roar!"
On the ground, numerous ordinary Hollows, Menos Grande, and Gillian were roaring and rampaging, numbering no less than twenty.
From a Garganta in the sky, more Hollows continued to pour out.
"Hurry! Block them! Don't let them reach the village!"
A middle-aged Shinigami in Shihakusho shouted to his companions.
The one shouting was the current 10th Seat of the 10th Division, Takezoe Kokichiro. Short-haired with a small mustache, he was a minor character in the original work, appearing as the 7th Seat.
Today, he was patrolling the area with several subordinates when he sensed the Reiatsu of Hollows.
Upon arriving, however, he found there were far too many. It wasn't something he and his few men could handle.
Though he desperately wanted to flee, a village lay not far behind. If he ran, the villagers would certainly not survive.
So, he had to hold out until the villagers evacuated or until the combat-specialized 11th Division arrived.
Thud!
Suddenly, one of Takezoe's subordinates was sent flying by a Gillian's blow, severely injured.
"We can't do it, 10th Seat Takezoe! A few of us can't handle this many Hollows!"
Another Shinigami said, sounding afraid.
"Don't be afraid! Everyone, hold on! Third Seat Hitsugaya is leading a patrol nearby. I've already notified him. He'll be here soon!"
Takezoe shouted, beheading an ordinary Hollow before turning to reassure his men.
"Third Seat Hitsugaya? Great! Brothers, hold on! Third Seat Hitsugaya will come to support us soon!"
Hearing Toshiro was coming, everyone's morale soared. They slashed and parried furiously, momentarily holding the Hollows at bay.
Once morale stabilized, Takezoe charged towards the strongest Hollow present… a Gillian.
Though Gillian were the weakest among Menos Grande, they weren't something ordinary Shinigami could handle. Only elite seated officers could contend with them.
Takezoe, though only a 10th Seat, could manage to fight one.
For a time, they were evenly matched. Takezoe and the Gillian exchanged blows, the fight fierce and dramatic.
Suddenly, the Gillian swung its claw towards Takezoe.
Takezoe hastily raised his Zanpakuto to block the attack.
Although he blocked it, Takezoe felt no joy, only terror.
From the corner of his eye, he saw another Gillian appear to his left, then fire a Bala at him.
Takezoe's face filled with despair.
Swish!
Suddenly, a figure appeared beside Takezoe.
Then, it reached out and caught the Bala! And squeezed.
Pop!
A dull sound.
The Bala simply vanished, as if it weren't a Bala but an ordinary bubble.
"Third Seat Hitsugaya!"
Takezoe cried out in joy.
"Hitsugaya-sama!"
The others shouted as well.
"Hado #1, Sho."
Toshiro raised a finger, pointing at the Gillian that had fired the Bala.
Bang!
A shockwave released from Toshiro's finger, piercing straight through the Hollow's body.
Though it was only the lowest-level Hado, in Toshiro's hands, it instantly killed the Gillian that had nearly taken Takezoe's life.
Then, Toshiro's figure flickered and vanished from Takezoe's sight.
Takezoe suddenly felt himself stagger, nearly falling. The Gillian that had been locked in a stalemate with his Zanpakuto was dead.
Takezoe hadn't even seen how it died.
"10th Seat Takezoe, you and the others go protect the villagers in the village. Leave this to me."
Toshiro said, looking at Takezoe.
"Yes! Third Seat Hitsugaya!"
Takezoe instinctively stood straight and answered.
He gave Toshiro a look of reverence, then unhesitatingly chose to obey Toshiro's order.
He didn't question why Toshiro wasn't letting them stay to help. He simply led his men, disengaging from the Hollows and withdrawing from the battlefield.
As Takezoe was about to enter the village to protect the villagers, his pupils suddenly contracted. He shouted, "Third Seat Hitsugaya! Behind you! There's a Hollow behind you!"
Behind Toshiro, a Gillian was thrusting its sharp claw towards Toshiro's body.
Yet, Toshiro stood still as if he hadn't heard Takezoe's warning.
But the Gillian's movement grew slower and slower, finally stopping completely three meters away from Toshiro.
Crackle, crackle...
Suddenly, a cracking sound rang out. The Gillian's body began to freeze, completely encased in ice, turning into a lifelike ice sculpture.
"Thanks for the warning. But you should go protect the villagers first."
Toshiro said calmly, then turned to look at the remaining Hollows.
Gulp.
A Shinigami swallowed hard, struggling to speak. "10th Seat Takezoe... why... why did that Hollow freeze when Hitsugaya-sama didn't do anything?"
"It's his Reiatsu."
Takezoe explained with deep awe. "Although Third Seat Hitsugaya did nothing, the Reiatsu naturally emanating from his body froze that Hollow."
"Third Seat Hitsugaya's power has improved again. I truly wonder how strong he is now."
Takezoe sighed.
He withdrew his gaze and looked at the others. "Alright, let's go. The reason Third Seat Hitsugaya sent us to protect the villagers is probably because he's afraid his unconsciously released Reiatsu might hurt us. If we were here, he'd have to carefully suppress his Reiatsu during the fight."
Everyone couldn't help but glance at Toshiro before hurrying towards the village.
If they couldn't help, they shouldn't cause trouble for Toshiro.
After everyone left, Toshiro, with his hands clasped behind his back, walked towards the remaining twenty or so Hollows.
His movements seemed slow but were actually fast. Wherever he went, his Reiatsu spread, and the Hollows were all frozen.
These were just ordinary Hollows and Gillian. They couldn't even withstand Toshiro's released Reiatsu.
In less than ten seconds, all remaining Hollows were frozen.
Then, with a crack, they shattered into countless ice fragments.
Then, Toshiro frowned slightly, looking into the void.
Behind the Garganta, an Adjuchas, an intermediate Menos Grande at Lieutenant level, was maintaining the Garganta. Other Hollows were scrambling into it.
Shing!
For the first time since appearing, Toshiro drew his Zanpakuto.
Then, the turbulent Reishi within Toshiro surged towards the Zanpakuto.
A blade of pressurized energy shot towards the interior of the Garganta at extreme speed.
Schlick!
The energy slash cleanly cut the Adjuchas in two. Its power undiminished, it continued flying backwards. Whether ordinary Hollows or Gillian, it cut down everything in its path, obliterating all.