Bleach: The Path to Transcendence

Human World, Karakura Town.

A distorted ripple flashed across the sky, immediately forming an extremely irregular crack. Behind the crack was a swirling Hueco Mundo.

A pale, centipede-like Hollow, over ten meters long, crawled out of the Hueco Mundo.

It was Yoru Chikao's Adjuchas clone.

Since this clone had not been born long, Yoru Chikao was not yet skilled in using his pure centipede form. Additionally, this was his first time entering the Human World through Hueco Mundo, so it took him several days in Hueco Mundo before finally arriving in Karakura Town.

'Yoru Chikao' carefully surveyed Karakura Town before him. To his surprise, Karakura Town had already entered modern society, with power poles visible everywhere and various detached villas. Yoru Chikao had a sense of déjà vu, as if he had returned to a small county town in his previous life.

Based on his experiences in Hueco Mundo, he estimated that there were at least a hundred years or more until the Shinigami storyline. He had expected Karakura Town to be in the Warring States period or Edo period, where people were an average of 1.4 meters tall and prone to committing seppuku at the drop of a hat.

He hadn't expected Karakura Town to have already entered modern society.

Yoru Chikao shook his head and said:

"This 'little day' is not that 'little day'!"

Then, without further thought, he eagerly began to implement his plan!

"Roar!"

The centipede clone roared towards the sky, and then the spiritual pressure of an Adjuchas-level being began to sweep over Karakura Town.

...

Somewhere in Karakura Town, a balding middle-aged Shinigami in a shi ba zhuang was wielding an Asauchi, entangled with a powerful Hollow before him.

"Trouble, it's actually a powerful Hollow. I knew I shouldn't have taken this Human World Garrison mission. I don't know why, but every time it's my turn for a Garrison mission, I encounter some difficult guys!"

The middle-aged man, Kato Koichi, was an ordinary member of the Thirteenth Division and was responsible for Garrison this area.

Originally, with his strength, dealing with those Freshmen Hollows that had just transformed was no problem, but dealing with powerful Hollows was still a bit difficult.

"Didn't they say that only Freshmen Hollows would appear in this area? How could such a powerful Hollow appear? This guy is probably not far from becoming a Giant Hollow."

Kato Koichi complained while battling the powerful, mosquito-like Hollow.

"Clang!"

The sharp proboscis of the mosquito Hollow collided with the Asauchi, erupting in sparks. Kato Koichi didn't hold on tight enough, and his Asauchi was flung away.

"Damn it, Hado Number Three…"

Just as Kato Koichi, having lost his Zanpakuto, could only unleash Kido for a desperate struggle, a massive spiritual pressure swept over him, sending chills down his spine.

The mosquito Hollow, which had been swaggering nearby, was so frightened by this immense spiritual pressure that it panicked and fled directly!

After feeling this chilling spiritual pressure, Kato Koichi picked up his discarded Zanpakuto, his face filled with terror as he looked towards the source of the spiritual pressure.

"This terrifying spiritual pressure! Is it a Menos Grande?"

Low-level members like Kato Koichi, who came from ordinary backgrounds, naturally couldn't know what an Adjuchas was. They only vaguely knew that there was something called a Menos Grande above a Giant Hollow.

"Damn Technological Development Bureau… How exactly do they detect things? How could they let a Menos Grande sneak into the Human World! If I can get back alive, I'll definitely complain about you guys!"

Kato Koichi felt a sense of powerlessness just by sensing this spiritual pressure, but he still grumbled and ran towards the source of the spiritual pressure, holding his Zanpakuto.

"Oh, did it take the bait? But this spiritual pressure is too weak, isn't it?"

Feeling a faint spiritual pressure approaching him, Yoru Chikao knew that his plan was halfway successful.

From afar, Kato Koichi looked at the terrifying spiritual pressure emanating from the massive centipede, and his hand holding the sword trembled uncontrollably.

"What level of Hollow is this…?"

This Menos Grande before him was more terrifying than any Hollow he had ever seen in his life!

Immediately after, he saw the centipede Menos Grande begin to destroy the streets, pulling up power poles, seemingly intending to completely destroy the street before stopping.

Kato Koichi could only swallow hard and charge towards the terrifying Menos Grande with his sword.

"Remarkable courage!"

'Yoru Chikao' watched as this ant-like weak Shinigami screamed and charged towards him.

Immediately, he swept his tail, sending him flying over ten meters away. Kato Koichi rolled three times on the ground before barely regaining his footing.

Of course, Yoru Chikao was deliberately holding back; if he killed this weak Shinigami now, it would likely affect his plan.

As soon as this weak Shinigami got up, he stumbled and charged towards him again.

Just as Kato Koichi, limping, once again charged at Yoru Chikao with his sword, a tall, heroic-looking young man in a shi ba zhuang with black hair and deep smoky-blue pupils suddenly appeared before him. At this moment, he had a gentle smile on his face as he stopped Kato Koichi.

"You've done very well. Leave the rest to me!"

"Kaien… Vice-Captain!"

How could Kato Koichi not recognize the young man before him? It was none other than their Thirteenth Division's newly promoted Vice-Captain, Shiba Kaien, from the noble Shiba Family!

"Oh, finally took the bait? I didn't expect the person to be Shiba Kaien."

Yoru Chikao's plan was very simple. The purpose of sending his clone to the Human World was simply to have a Shinigami kill his clone.

Because, according to the original setting, innocent souls that become Hollows will, after being killed by a Shinigami, return to human form and enter the Soul Society. Guilty ones will fall into Hell.

If deemed innocent, he could obtain a human body through his clone and enter the Soul Society.

If deemed guilty, then he would go to Hell for further training.

Either way, Yoru Chikao wouldn't lose out!

Therefore, he deliberately created a clone and then intentionally exposed its spiritual pressure in the Human World, with the sole purpose of attracting a Shinigami to kill the clone.

And a Squad Captain-level Shinigami like Shiba Kaien was enough to help Yoru Chikao complete his plan. As for a weak member like Kato Koichi, even if Yoru Chikao stood still and let him hack, he probably couldn't kill Yoru Chikao.

"Roar!"

'Yoru Chikao' let out an earth-shattering roar at the tiny Shiba Kaien before him, and then a purplish-black spiritual pressure formed before his shredder-like mouth.

A black-purple Cero formed and blasted towards Shiba Kaien.

Shiba Kaien lifted Kato Koichi with one hand and used Shunpo to dodge the Cero.

"It's an Adjuchas? Why would a Menos Grande of this level, which should be seeking advancement in Hueco Mundo, suddenly go berserk in the Human World?"

Shiba Kaien looked at the centipede-shaped Adjuchas before him with a puzzled expression.

Then he said to Kato Koichi behind him:

"This Menos Grande is very troublesome. Help me contact the Technological Development Bureau to apply for a limited release!"

As a Squad Captain-level existence, due to their excessively powerful spiritual pressure, they are restricted to 80% of their spiritual pressure before being allowed to enter the Human World.

Now, this Menos Grande felt slightly troublesome, so he had to apply for a limited release.

Then he raised his Zanpakuto and chanted:

"Let the water heavens reverse, Nejibana!"

The original long sword Asauchi instantly transformed into a trident-shaped long spear with a spiraled tip.

Then he flipped the long spear in his hand, stirring up a torrent of water. These water currents, like invisible sharp blades, attacked the centipede Menos Grande.

The next moment, a bizarre scene occurred: the centipede Menos Grande actually abandoned its defense and actively charged forward, using its face to take the full force of the powerful attack.

"Hiss, that hurts! Shiba Kaien, you can't kill me with one blow without a limited release?"

The centipede Menos Grande, which had been horribly cut by countless water currents, actually used Sonido to actively ram itself onto Shiba Kaien's spear tip.

"Ah, what?"

Shiba Kaien watched in bewilderment as the Menos Grande, which had deliberately crashed into his Zanpakuto, slowly dissipated into spiritual particles…

Kato Koichi, who was next to him, taking out a specialized phone to contact the Technological Development Bureau to apply for a limited release for Shiba Kaien, was equally dumbfounded.

At the same time, the call finally connected, and the voice of a Technological Development Bureau staff member came through:

"Moshi moshi, this is the Technological Development Bureau…"