Bleach: No cheat codes, he joined Aizen's side.

Chapter 107, Question 106: Have you ever seen ghosts or gods? (6k)

"Double swastika??!"

Ukitake Jushiro looked at Higashino Shuichi, who, with an overwhelming spiritual pressure, casually dispersed the black wind created by Kuchiki Ginryu's Zanpakuto Bankai ability with a single slash, and said in disbelief.

Throughout the many years of Soul Society history, this is the first time that Jushiro Ukitake has seen a Shinigami who can perform a second Bankai in addition to their own.

Furthermore, is this spiritual pressure, which far exceeds Higashino Shuichi's original strength, truly something that Higashino Shuichi's current body can withstand?

You should know that the Grim Reaper is not someone you can necessarily use just because you have that kind of spiritual pressure.

You have to be physically strong enough to do it.

Otherwise, rashly releasing excessive spiritual pressure will only cause one's own body to collapse, without harming the enemy in the slightest.

So what's the answer?
Of course you can.

Unlike Shikai, Bankai is a power that cannot be used after it has been activated.

Shuichi Higashino's Bankai abilities can coexist. Before he used the Tree Blossom technique, he used the foundation that ensured his dual Bankai abilities: self-inflicted injury.

Rewind to the moment when Yoruichi Shihouin asked Shuichi Higashino for help, and Higashino agreed. As Yoruichi removed the bandages and released the seal on Higashino's Zanpakuto, Higashino felt an invitation from his own Zanpakuto to his inner world.

Close your eyes, and you see a familiar world, a familiar thatched hut, a familiar man, and familiar conversations.

This time, the ability that Higashino Shuichi unlocked is obvious.

By voluntarily becoming Hollowfied in exchange for the trust of Yoruichi Shihouin and the others, what else could it be but a self-inflicted injury scheme?

The ability to suffer the consequences of self-inflicted injury is simple and brutal, with the cost being delayed.

However, this delay is not indefinite. With Higashino Shuichi's current abilities, he can only postpone this time by a year at most.

In other words, as long as the price that Higashino Shuichi bears is within the total amount that he can theoretically bear over the next year, Higashino Shuichi can maintain his peak performance.

So, is Higashino Shuichi strong in his current state?
Of course it's strong, it's something you get by trading your unarmed strength for the next year.

"First layer of evil spirit, release! Powerful demon!"

Higashino Shuichi took a step forward, surrounded by ghostly shadows.

Slay him!

The terrifying spiritual pressure, like a tsunami, swept across the ground. Kuchiki Ginryu didn't even dare to touch its edge; the aftershocks alone tore apart the black wind surrounding his body.

Seeing this, Chojiro Sasakibe on the other side didn't dare to hesitate and immediately released his Zanpakuto.

"Swastika, Huang Huang Yanling left the palace!"

Above Chojiro Sasakibe, layers upon layers of gray clouds instantly gathered. The spiritual pressure accumulated on the sword flew into the clouds, transforming into eleven bolts of lightning that fell down, and then the lightning returned to the sword.

However, before Chojiro could even use one of his signature moves, Higashino Shuichi had already arrived in front of him, accompanied by Ghost Shadow.

Divide into monthly slices!
When Higashino Shuichi is in battle mode, he never wastes time talking.

"Why so fast?!"

Chojiro Sasaki could not believe that Higashino Shuichi, who had been some distance away from him just moments before, had suddenly appeared right in front of him.

There are no signs.

The knife flew, and the man fell.

Only Jushiro Ukitake, who was observing the situation from a distance, noticed something amiss.

That is, although Higashino Shuichi only talked about a first liberation, in reality there were four ghostly shadows wandering and tearing at his body.

"A little linguistic trick?"

Jushiro Ukitake recalled that when Yoruichi Shihouin was chatting with him, she had jokingly mentioned that when Shuichi Higashino was sparring with her, he would occasionally use such verbal tricks to mislead her into making wrong judgments.

At the time, he thought it was just some underhanded tricks that Higashino Shuichi used when he was weak.

It now seems that even at their level, information asymmetry can still produce good results.

However, we can no longer let Higashino Shuichi continue like this.
Jushiro Ukitake originally thought he wouldn't need to intervene, but now it seems that if he doesn't, this operation, in which so many captain-level Shinigami are surrounding and attacking Shuichi Higashino, might very well end up as a joke.

Then, an immense spiritual pressure, in no way inferior to that of Higashino Shuichi at this moment, was released.
"All flowing waves become my shield, all lightning becomes my blade, Pisces's Logic!"

Two Zanpakuto connected by a chain appeared in Ukitake Jushiro's hands.

At the same time, Kuchiki Ginrin also rushed towards Higashino Shuichi.

"Binding Spell Number Sixty-Two: Hundred-Step Railing!"

While advancing, he used binding techniques to try to restrict Higashino Shuichi's movements.

On the ground, Kenpachi Zaraki, who had just regained some mobility thanks to Jushiro Ukitake's temporary treatment, picked up his Zanpakuto again and ran towards Shuichi Higashino.

Faced with this situation, Shuichi Higashino remained calm and composed.

He was risking his life and time this time, and he felt he would be doing himself a disservice if he didn't leave an indelible impression on these people.

"The unruly dragon, the filthy land, the unstoppable rage, the primordial source awakened from its dreams, the gale, the flames, the ice, the thunder, the earth, breaking free from karma, returning without hindrance, all is destroyed, all things return to the beginning."

"The Ninety-Ninefold Destiny of the Demonic Path: The Five Dragons Annihilate!"

He was already a top-tier Hado in Soul Society, and now he has Shuichi Higashino's spiritual pressure.

One strike from him would be enough to cause the heavens and the earth to tremble.

Unfortunately, Jushiro Ukitake joined the battle. His Pisces weapon, the one on the left, represents absorption and can absorb all energy.

Unless Higashino Shuichi's spiritual pressure can overwhelm Ukitake Jushiro, no matter what moves Higashino Shuichi uses, he will only be absorbed by Ukitake Jushiro.

Even with the double Bankai buff, Higashino Shuichi at present cannot overwhelm Ukitake Jushiro in terms of spiritual pressure.

"At the edge of a thousand hands, the revered hand cannot reach the darkness, the archer of the heavens cannot reflect the light. The path of radiance falls, the wind that ignites the sparks, gather together without confusion, follow my instructions, light bullet, eight bodies, nine strips, heavenly scripture, swift treasure, great wheel, gray turret, draw the bow into the distance, and vanish in a bright light."

"Hado #91, Thousand-Armed Kyoten Taipa!"

Under the cover of Jushiro Ukitake, Ginryu Kuchiki, as if in response to Shuichi Higashino's Kido, also chanted a Kido of number ninety or higher in retaliation.

Countless beams of light, imbued with Kuchiki Ginryu's Bankai ability, shot towards Higashino Shuichi, but were blocked by the ghostly figure on his surface that was constantly chuckling.

The special effects carried by the black wind vanished without a trace, like a stone sinking into the sea.

"No effect at all?"

Seeing this, Kuchiki Ginryu frowned.

He remembered something: Higashino Shuichi had been missing for five years.

Kuchiki Ginryu didn't know where Higashino Shuichi had gone during those five years, but what he did know was that as soon as Higashino Shuichi returned, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni ordered Shihouin Yoruichi to use a sacred weapon passed down through generations to seal away his Zanpakuto.

What kind of power could make Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, the strongest Shinigami in the history of Soul Society, feel wary?
So much so that it has to be sealed away and cannot be used without permission?
Douma's house...

I think this is the only possible answer.

"Kisuke Urahara, you really picked a good candidate."

The memory of Kuchiki Ginryu in his heart added another sin to Urahara Kisuke's list.

Compared to Kuchiki Ginryu's caution, Zaraki Kenpachi is much more direct.

He had not fully recovered at this moment, and because he could not sense the spiritual pressure, he had no idea that Higashino Shuichi was now far beyond the level he had faced earlier.

With a thought, Higashino Shuichi appeared beside Kenpachi Zaraki's rushing figure, raised his sword, and swung it down.

This is a very troublesome guy, especially since he has the golden finger talent of becoming stronger the more he fights. Considering that even without Kenpachi Zaraki, it shouldn't affect Ichigo Kurosaki's ability to deal with Yhwach, Shuichi Higashino doesn't plan to give Kenpachi Zaraki any more chances.

But when Higashino Shuichi was unwilling to give up his chance, Ukitake Jushiro said he really wanted to.

Seeing that Ukitake Jushiro had caught his charged attack along with Kenpachi Zaraki, Higashino Shuichi did not hesitate and immediately used Shunpo to create a distance of more than a thousand meters between himself and Ukitake Jushiro.

But the power inherited from his own strike still followed.

Higashino Shuichi knew that it was the power of the other one of the two Zanpakuto in Ukitake Jushiro's hands.

It can release all the energy that was previously absorbed.

It's similar to Higashino Shuichi's own "smiling with a hidden knife," but there are also many differences.

For example, Higashino Shuichi's own "Hidden Dagger in a Smile" is said to return as is, but it cannot be given any special effects. Moreover, this counterattack is passive and immediate and cannot be stored.

However, Jushiro Ukitake's Zanpakuto Shikai ability not only possesses all the unique features that Shuichi Higashino's Bankai ability lacks, but Jushiro Ukitake can also actively change the spiritual pressure fluctuations, speed, and power of the absorbed energy through the several divine tablets hanging on the chains between the two Zanpakuto, and unlike Shuichi Higashino, he doesn't have to take the hit himself first.

Difficult.

This was the only feeling that Higashino Shuichi had when facing Ukitake Jushiro.

Although this man's performance in the original work was not particularly outstanding, that does not mean that his Zanpakuto ability was weak.

On the contrary, the fact that Jushiro Ukitake was able to stand up to Captain-Commander Genryusai Shigekuni head-on in the original storyline shows how strong Jushiro Ukitake is.

Fortunately, at this crucial moment in the battle, good news finally arrived from Matsumoto Rangiku's side.

The portal has opened. Now, as long as Urahara Kisuke and Tessai Wakihishi can buy some time to transfer Hirako Shinji and the others, Higashino Shuichi's mission will be complete.

"Have you come to terms with reality?" Jushiro Ukitake asked, looking at Shuichi Higashino who had suddenly stopped moving.

If possible, he still hoped to resolve this matter peacefully. Otherwise, given Higashino Shuichi's current spiritual pressure, if they were to engage in a decisive battle to the death, destroying most of Seireitei would not be a big problem.

At the same time, Chojiro Sasaki, who had just been knocked down by Higashino Shuichi, staggered to his feet. In the sky, the dazzling Bankai, "Kōhō Genryō Rikyuu", which was like a noble canopy, reappeared.

Kuchiki Ginrin, shrouded in black wind, also silently arrived behind Higashino Shuichi, her spiritual pressure beginning to gather.
On the ground, Kenpachi Zaraki charged toward Shuichi Higashino with the same fearlessness as before. Yachiru Kusajishi, who had been watching the battle, finally saved Soi Fon from the brink of death, and two humanoid creatures appeared on either side of her.
The weakened Soi Fon barely opened her eyes and saw Hideaki, whom she had once admired, standing in mid-air, his ghostly form wailing.

"Let me ask you a question: Has any of you ever seen a real ghost or spirit?"

Feeling all eyes on him, Higashino Shuichi suddenly laughed.

"Changing the subject and diverting attention won't buy you much time."

Jushiro Ukitake did not answer Shuichi Higashino's question.

At the same time, Chojiro Sasakibe moved. Having gathered his strength, he swung his sword at Shuichi Higashino, unleashing a strike imbued with endless lightning.
Kuchiki Ginryu also moved. The black wind that had been entangled around his body, carrying seemingly endless spiritual pressure, rushed towards Higashino Shuichi, like a divine wind that was saving the world, wanting to tear Higashino Shuichi apart and devour him.
Kenpachi Zaraki slowed down a step for the first time in a long time, because his injuries were not enough to support him to maintain the previous high-intensity movements. However, he could still unleash a slash containing the purest spiritual pressure at Shuichi Higashino.
Ukitake Jushiro himself pointed his Zanpakuto downwards with his right hand, and the Ninety-Nine Hado, Goryū Genmie, which Higashino Shuichi had previously absorbed and released with all his might, roared out from the ground beneath Higashino Shuichi's feet.

Soi Fon, clutching her chest, looked at the center of the storm, at the seemingly isolated and helpless Shuichi Higashino, and couldn't help but call out, "Shuichi-sama!"

Meanwhile, Higashino Shuichi, who was at the very center, closed his eyes.

Recalling the day he first unlocked the ability to make flowers bloom on trees, he discovered that the final level of Yukisa Ikeda's Zanpakuto, the Demon, was not fixed.

Yukisa Ikeda didn't want to die; he wanted to enjoy fighting and killing forever. Therefore, his final demonic ability was protection.

And what about Higashino Shuichi?
He himself didn't know what he really wanted, but the power of that final evil spirit seemed to provide an answer.

"Bankai, resurrection through possession"

In an instant, all the "corpses" that Higashino Shuichi had been placing over the past few decades were activated in the entire Soul Society, and then all the spirit beings that Higashino Shuichi had released when dealing with Kuchiki Ginrin possessed them.

then,

"Double Bankai, Fivefold Demon"

Higashino Shuichi opened his eyes, and at that moment, he resembled a supreme emperor.
"Hundred Ghosts Night Parade!"

In an instant, deep within hell, a pair of eyes snapped open, their gaze fixed on Ikeda Yukisa, who was located in the surface level of hell.

Countless layers of hellish power surged through his body, and then in Soul Society, all the resurrected "corpses" were covered with ghostly shadows.

The only color in Seireitei tonight is the pitch-black wailing.

"What exactly did you do?"

Jushiro Ukitake was utterly astonished to see Higashino Shuichi, who was surrounded by dozens of little devils like stars around the moon, yet remained unscathed despite the combined attack of these captain-level Shinigami.

no reply.

Higashino Shuichi merely glanced indifferently at the surrounding Shinigami, his gaze finally settling on Soi Fon on the ground. He didn't say anything, just looked at her a few more times before hastily using Shunpo to leave.

Jushiro Ukitake and the others wanted to give chase, but they found that they were already overwhelmed just dealing with the "demons" created by Shuichi Higashino.

Although these demons have the drawback that their spiritual pressure weakens rapidly with continuous battles, their initial spiritual pressure is still genuinely at the level of an ordinary captain.

Even if each demon can only use a normal captain-level attack once at most, it is still something that ordinary Grim Reapers cannot withstand.

Not to mention that these demons have exceptionally high defense and speed, and are even immune to Jushiro Ukitake's Zanpakuto Shikai abilities.

Therefore, each of these "corpses" protected by the ghosts actually has a combat power that is somewhat excessive.

However, this is quite normal, after all, it is the result of decades of accumulation by Shuichi Higashino.

It's a bit of a waste to use it all at once, but it's not a big deal.

After all, once Kisuke Urahara develops a portable portal, Shuichi Higashino will have plenty of opportunities to sneak back to Soul Society and reset it.

But in reality, if Ukitake Jushiro and his men had truly been willing to persist in the pursuit, Higashino Shuichi estimated that the outcome might have been even better.

Because Higashino Shuichi's overdraft time is also about to expire, without him, it won't be an easy task for Urahara Kisuke, Shihouin Yoruichi, and Tessai Tsukabishi, whose forbidden technique is sealed, to safely escape from Soul Society to the real world with Hirako Shinji and the others.

Unfortunately, Jushiro Ukitake and the others had no idea about Shuichi Higashino's physical condition.

They dared not gamble with the safety of the entire Soul Society, even though Shuichi Higashino had actually intentionally controlled these demons to minimize their harm to civilians.

The reason wasn't that Higashino Shuichi suddenly developed a saintly heart, but rather that if Soul Society suddenly lost a large number of souls, it would inevitably cause an imbalance in the three realms.

Shuichi Higashino didn't want to rashly disrupt this balance because of his own reasons.

After all, his initial intention was simply to live a better life, not to destroy the world.

Even someone as powerful as Aizen is restrained when killing.

Only a madman like Yhwach would disregard the balance of the three realms.

On his way to the Transcendental Gate, Higashino Shuichi also took the opportunity to visit the Second Division's barracks. Through the demon's vision, he saw Kisaragi Shusuke, who had been sent to stop the Tenth Division's captain, but was defeated because his Zanpakuto was shattered in Bankai state.

"Lord Shuichi, I'm sorry, I..."

Amidst the pool of blood, Kisaragi Shusuke, barely able to open one eye, stared at the man who had suddenly appeared before him.

He hates it.

He hated himself for not only failing to complete the task assigned to him by Lord Hideaki, but also for causing Lord Hideaki to have to spare energy to save him.

He's so useless!

If saving him leads to Lord Shuichi's arrest, even dying ten thousand times wouldn't be enough to atone for this one mistake.

"Hideichi Higashino?!"

Standing opposite, Captain Nagisa Sora of the 10th Division stared at the man who had suddenly appeared, wearing a mask, with a Zanpakuto stuck in his chest, and whose spiritual pressure revealed both the aura of a Shinigami and a Hollow. Only one name could be matched with him in his mind.

"You've done very well, Xiuzhu. Now leave the rest to me~"

Unfortunately, Higashino Shuichi, who was still in a state of dual Bankai and had only slightly reduced his spiritual pressure, did not take the captain of the 10th Division seriously at all.

Or rather, in this state, in the entire Soul Society, apart from those few Shinigami with abnormal combat power, Higashino Shuichi fears no one.

"You're being far too arrogant, Shuichi Higashino!"

Feeling ignored, Nagagi Sora said angrily.

It was one thing for this Shinigami kid who appeared out of nowhere and could use Bankai, but when did a mere vice-captain dare to be so arrogant in front of him?

Is it that his sword is no longer sharp, or that his Bankai is no longer strong?
It's just that it became intangible, and its spiritual pressure increased a tiny bit, right?
"A faint, murky emblem reveals an untamed and arrogant talent; a surge of negation, paralysis, a fleeting moment, hindering eternal slumber. The crawling Iron Princess, the self-mutilating clay doll, combines, rebounds, and extends to the ground, knowing its own powerlessness."

"Hado #90, Black Coffin!"

Nagaki Sora decides to make Higashino Shuichi pay the price for his arrogance.

Although he didn't know why Higashino Shuichi suddenly appeared here, the 90th Badō he chanted was a powerful Kidō that even the former captain of the 9th Division, Kensei Muguruma, almost couldn't withstand.

A mere, nominally deputy captain-level officer
Hum
Watching Higashino Shuichi and Kisaragi Shusuke being swallowed by the black coffin, Nagaki Sora happily hummed a little tune.

"It's your honor to be defeated by this move of mine!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Nagaki Sosaku's expression suddenly changed.

Because he saw something that he found incredibly incredible.

In less than two seconds, his black coffin was cleaved in two by Higashino Hideichi's sword.

Even Kisaragi Shusuke, who was being held in Higashino Shuichi's arms, appeared to have suffered no injury whatsoever.

"This is absolutely impossible! This is the ninth level of my Hado, which I chanted in full! You're just a mere vice-captain, how dare you!"

Nagaki Sora raised his Zanpakuto, preparing to unleash it.

But then Higashino Shuichi said calmly, "I almost forgot, you were transferred from the original expedition team to become the captain of the 10th Division after I disappeared, so it's normal that you don't know me."

Before the words had even faded and before Sora Nagaki could utter his declaration of liberation, Shuichi Higashino had already appeared in front of him.

"Now let me introduce you to myself."

A stab into Nagisa Sora's chest, the pure spiritual pressure infused, brought with it the purest form of strangulation.

Then he turned and left.

Behind him, all he could hear was the sound of Nagaki Sora falling to the ground, and the screech of the little devils.

In the last moments of Nagaki Sora's consciousness remaining in this world, he seemed to hear Higashino Shuichi's subsequent words.

"The demon god who single-handedly created the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons in Soul Society, Higashino Shuichi."

"Ghosts and spirits, huh?"

Nagagi once imagined the scene he would see at the end.

That pitch blackness was like hell itself.

It really is a ghost or a god.
Meanwhile, near the Fifth Division's barracks, after casually killing a demon created by Higashino Shuichi, Aizen picked up the demon's corpse with a smile and examined it carefully.

This was a new ability that even Shuichi Higashino had never shown to him before!
"How many secrets are still hidden?"
"You're making me look forward to this more and more, Shuichi!"

Thank you to Uncle Bug (30 years old) for the 500-point reward.
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(End of this chapter)