"Only three Adjuchas-level Hollows?"
Although Kyoya's Reikaku had already sensed the number and level of the Hollows appearing here, seeing only three Adjuchas-level Hollows before him still made him shake his head.
'Aizen, how much do you look down on me...?'
Kyoya knew the Hollows Aizen had placed here were meant to restrain him.
But not even deploying a single Vasto Lorde?
That was something Kyoya couldn't quite comprehend.
Kyoya's appearance was quickly noticed by the three Adjuchas-level Hollows. After letting out high-pitched howls, the three Adjuchas swiftly charged toward him.
"Swish!"
"Swish!"
The claws of two Adjuchas passed through Kyoya's body, while the third Adjuchas fired a red Cero that pierced straight through him.
However, their attacks didn't deal any damage to Kyoya.
Flecks of golden light scattered, and as the Adjuchas' bodies and Cero passed through him, the light particles seemed to reverse time, gathering back onto Kyoya's body.
Elementalization!
While it was true that in the Bleach World, Reiatsu-infused attacks could harm Kyoya even in his elemental state, one must not forget that Kyoya also mastered his Observation Haki that he obtained [Future Sight].
All he needed to do was selectively turn the parts of his body that were about to be hit into light, dodging the attacks and making it seem as though he was completely immune.
"Gentlemen... have any of you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
After the three Adjuchas finished their attacks, Kyoya raised his head and spoke these words to them.
Before Hiyori could even react, the three Adjuchas were sent crashing to the ground.
Amid the dust, the three heavily wounded Adjuchas roared again, struggling to stand back up.
Their injuries were visibly healing… this was the innate ability of Hollows: High-Speed Regeneration.
As long as there was sufficient Reishi's density in the environment or the Hollow itself had strong enough Reiatsu, it could absorb surrounding Reishi or consume its own Reiatsu to recover.
As Adjuchas-level Hollows, their High-Speed Regeneration might not allow them to regrow lost limbs in a short time, but ordinary injuries could be healed fairly quickly.
"Bakudo #63: Sajo Sabaku!"
Seeing this, Kyoya casually waved his hand. Instantly, golden Reiatsu condensed into six chains of light, coiling downward and tightly binding the three Adjuchas.
While Kyoya's greatest strengths were his swordsmanship, known as the World's Strongest Swordsman, and his physical prowess, his mastery of Kido was nothing to scoff at either.
In fact, because Kyoya wielded the strongest light-based Zanpakuto, any Kido related to light saw a tremendous boost in power when cast by him.
Even an incantation-less Bakudo #63 was enough to completely immobilize three Adjuchas under Kyoya's control.
"This guy... is ridiculously strong!"
Hiyori's eyebrows twitched violently.
No matter how much she disliked Kyoya, she couldn't help but be shocked by his strength.
In her eyes, dealing with three Adjuchas-level Hollows wouldn't be easy even for Kisuke. Yet, Kyoya had effortlessly crushed them.
"Why didn't you kill them?"
Hiyori flew to Kyoya's side and asked curiously.
"Aren't you the least bit curious about how they got into Seireitei in the first place?"
Instead of answering her question, Kyoya countered with one of his own.
"How the hell would I know that?!"
Hiyori reflexively snapped back.
"Then, Lieutenant Sarugaki, what exactly do you think you're here for?"
Kyoya lowered his head, the smile fading from his face.
This situation gave him a strange sense of nostalgia.
In all of Seireitei, Sarugaki Hiyori might be the only person he could look down on… literally.
As for everyone else…
Well, Kyoya figured it would take at least another thirty years for his body to grow past 180 cm.
"Huh? Wasn't I just supposed to guide you guys and act as a liaison?"
"And what are you doing right now?"
Kyoya shook his head and sighed, "I've already captured the Menos Grande that invaded Seireitei. Instead of reporting the situation to your Captain, checking for residual spatial distortions from a Garganta, or interrogating these three Adjuchas about how they breached our defenses, you're asking me why I didn't kill them..."
Hiyori's face paled, but she couldn't muster a retort.
In fact, if Kyoya were malicious enough, he could even accuse her of trying to silence witnesses by eliminating the evidence.
Realizing her blunder, Hiyori quickly closed her eyes and began relaying the information that Kyoya had captured the three Adjuchas via the Hell Butterfly on her fingertip.
She also requested the 12th Division to scan the area for traces of a Garganta.
It can't be helped. While Hiyori is the Lieutenant of the 12th Division, she was no researcher.
In fact, saying she was 'clueless about research' wouldn't be an exaggeration.
And since she didn't carry any equipment capable of detecting spatial anomalies, all she could do was fulfill her role as a 'liaison' to the best of her ability.
…
"Captain Kyoya!"
Ten minutes later, before Hiyori had even received a response from the 12th Division, Isshin and Tessai arrived, "I was wondering why the spiritual pressure of these three Hollows was still lingering even after you got here."
Isshin said, scratching the back of his head, "I thought you might've been struggling, but turns out you just captured them alive. Hahaha..."
He laughed heartily, showing no embarrassment over his earlier assumption that Kyoya might've been in trouble.
Kyoya didn't mind.
Isshin had always been a straightforward, easygoing man.
Besides, three Adjuchas weren't exactly pushovers for most Captains.
In fact, it wouldn't be strange for a Captain to lose their life against such foes.
After all, in terms of Reiryoku, Adjuchas had 2nd-class, far surpassing the average Captain's level.
"Captain Shiba, I would've loved to kill them outright."
"But this incident… something about it feels off."
Kyoya then repeated his earlier explanation to Hiyori, detailing his suspicions to Isshin and Tessai.