Chapter 111: Bring Up My Kidō Cannon!
The eternal night of Hueco Mundo made it impossible to feel the passage of time.
Nevertheless, by early the next morning, Takeru and the others still gathered punctually in front of the central command camp's tents.
"I never thought this year's New Year's Eve wouldn't just be missing Toshikoshi Soba, but I'd also be fighting in this desolate desert…"
Ichigo looked at Kyōraku and the others, already prepared to move out, and couldn't help feeling a wave of emotion.
Beside him, Takeru spoke when he heard that. "Temples in the Human World ring the New Year's Eve bells 108 times at the turn of the year. It's an ancient ritual to dispel evil and purify the soul. Even if we can't hear the bells, what we're about to do is the same."
"Dispelling evil, maybe." Ichigo grimaced. "But purifying the soul? I don't think anyone can calm down right now."
"If we wipe out all the enemies, won't we calm down?" Takeru replied.
"…" Ichigo was momentarily speechless.
So the rituals of the Human World worked on that kind of logic?
"Ah, Old Man Yama originally wanted to wait until everyone finished the New Year and grabbed some luck before setting out," Kyōraku said as he strolled over, clearly having caught the conversation. "But who would've thought things would turn out like this."
He lifted the brim of his hat slightly, smiling. "Not just you, Ichigo. I've never spent the New Year outside either. But with so many colleagues around, I won't be lonely. I almost feel like laughing out loud."
"Hey, Kyōraku!" Ukitake protested with mock displeasure. "Now's not the time to gloat."
"It's only the thirtieth. We definitely won't make it back for tomorrow's New Year's Eve, but if we work hard and put in some effort, we can still make it for the New Year!"
"Hahaha, you're right." Kyōraku chuckled. "Old Man Yama must be getting anxious too. He won't blame us for being slow. He'll just be annoyed at his own miscalculation. But once we get back, he'll definitely tighten up. And when he disciplines himself, his discipline of others won't be lax either."
Kyōraku sighed dramatically. "In that case, my days of slacking off openly will never return."
"Those days never existed in the first place," Nanao said flatly.
Kyōraku, critically struck, went quiet.
"Everyone…"
As the frontline commander, Takeru swept his gaze across the group. With so many eyes on him, he was about to speak when he suddenly looked up, as if sensing something.
Ichigo and the others followed his gaze.
Four small winged Hollows flew over the camp. They arranged themselves into a quadrilateral in the air, resonating with each other as they released reishi and constructed a giant light screen, like a hovering monitor.
"Hey hey, can you hear me?"
A familiar voice, and an even more familiar face, appeared on the screen.
Ichimaru Gin adjusted the perspective, calmly pulled back, and sat on a chair. With an easy smile, he said, "First, let me represent all members of Las Noches in welcoming everyone from the Gotei 13 to Hueco Mundo."
"Second, thank you for doing me the honor of accepting the invitation. I am most honored."
"So I've decided to host a banquet at Las Noches to entertain everyone from the Gotei 13. And while we're at it, we can sit down and have a good talk."
"Interesting." Takeru's eyes flickered. No one could tell what he was thinking. "What do you want to talk about?"
"The future of the world, of course." Ichimaru answered calmly. "Other than that, is there anything worth going to war over?"
He spread his hands slightly, still smiling.
"Take Hueco Mundo, for example. It looks desolate, like it has nothing. But the Soul Society of a million years ago probably wasn't much better, was it?"
"And yet the current Soul Society and the Human World are so prosperous."
He leaned forward just a little.
"Is that prosperity really a good thing? Those buildings, the clothes on your bodies, the swords in your hands, the techniques you've mastered, all of it was formed through historical evolution."
"They are, in essence, countless rules and regulations."
"Now, the current Three Worlds are simply a structure. It looks stable, but it's actually rigid and dull, built from endless rules."
"Everything appears prosperous. Everything seems normal. But there's no longer any hope. It's just waiting to be destroyed, step by step."
His smile widened.
"So we want to reshape the world. Not to destroy it, not to break it, but to reshape it on the foundation that already exists."
"Of course, we also know the old guard will counterattack. Words alone won't work. Even so, it can still be done through negotiation in a relatively mild way."
He raised a finger.
"For example, each side chooses eleven people for one on one duels, fought for their long cherished wishes. How about it? Quite fair, isn't it?"
"Las Noches will serve as the arena. We'll be waiting for the Gotei 13's contestants to arrive and take up the challenge at any time."
Ichimaru's words sent a shock through the camp.
"As expected." Aizen shook his head. "Wild ambitions."
"Did I hear that right?" Ōmaeda's eyes lit up as he muttered to himself. "A request for duels? Then I don't have to fight those terrifying Hollows?!"
"Everything our ancestors painstakingly built is called unbearable by him." Byakuya lowered his eyes. His hand slowly tightened on his sword's hilt, a faint killing intent swirling around him. "Heartless. Ungrateful. Pathetic."
"Captain Ichimaru…" Kira stared at the man on the screen with a complicated expression. He seemed like a stranger. Yet also like he hadn't changed at all.
"Gin…" Rangiku's chest felt heavy. "What are you really trying to do? Reshaping the world… is that truly what you want?"
"The other side has spoken." Kyōraku pressed down the brim of his hat, his tone unreadable. "What should we do, Captain Shimiya? Choose eleven people and go to Las Noches to accept the challenge, like he said?"
"No," Komamura rumbled. "There must be a trap."
"I agree with Captain Komamura." Suì Fēng, rarely in agreement with others, nodded once.
"This is quite difficult…" Ukitake's expression turned grave.
"In any case…" Ichigo muttered, "that guy's not coming with good intentions. Be careful, Takeru."
"You're mistaken."
Takeru curled his lips into a half smile that looked chilling in the dim light.
"We are the ones who came."
Those words stunned everyone.
Then Takeru swung his arm decisively.
"Kidō Corps, hear my command! Bring up my souvenir!"
"Yes!"
As the Kidō Corps pulled back a massive tent, a cylindrical bundle at least fifty meters high was revealed. Layer after layer of incantation seals were undone, until a colossal four edged halberd, nearly fifty meters tall, finally emerged in full.
It looked like something only a monster with Jidanbō's physique could even dream of lifting.
"What is that…?" Even on the light screen, Ichimaru Gin's smile froze slightly.
"Didn't I say?" Takeru replied. "A souvenir. We've come from afar. Courtesy demands a gift."
He snapped his fingers.
The Kidō Corps immediately adjusted the base. The great halberd tilted like a cannon, its direction aligning precisely with Las Noches.
Those two hundred plus Kidō Corps members were not here just to stabilize the Garganta passage. That would be a waste of talent.
The two Kidō Grand Masters were gone, but the Kidō Corps they trained was anything but weak. Over a hundred years, elites became veterans, and veterans forged new elites. They were steady, reliable, and terrifyingly consistent.
They had almost never failed.
How could Takeru underestimate them?
For this expedition, he hadn't brought any squads from the Gotei 13.
He brought the Kidō Corps.
And their hidden trump card.
Its name was the Kidō Cannon.
A strategic weapon comparable to the Sōkyoku.
Its power was enough to erase Las Noches from the desert.
The Kidō Corps began chanting in unison, hands weaving seals as they activated the Kidō Cannon. The great halberd started to glow, visibly entering an accumulation phase.
"Hey, hey! Wait a minute!" Ichimaru's voice sharpened, the first real edge slipping through his smile. "How can you bring something like that to Hueco Mundo? That's cheating!"
Takeru didn't care whether he was truly panicking or performing.
"What are you talking about?" Takeru said casually. "Speaking of cheating, you were the ones who used schemes first to seal our strongest general. Now that he's absent, we can only use this to make up the numbers."
"By the way, this is war. Not a child's game." Takeru's gaze hardened. "Even if we sit down to negotiate, it will be after you surrender. That is, if any of you are still alive by then."
The Kidō Cannon's charging disturbed the atmospheric reishi.
The four small Hollows wobbled midair. The light screen became unstable, then the connection severed as it flickered out.
Ichigo's mouth twitched. "Are you really going to fire? The old man is still inside."
Takeru pointed at the great halberd. "Let me ask you. What is this?"
"The Kidō Cannon."
"What attribute?"
"…Fire type."
"Then what's there to fear?" Takeru said simply. "Maybe when it destroys Las Noches and shakes the seal around the Captain Commander, it'll even replenish his energy. He must be starving after not eating or drinking for so many days."
"What do you take him for? Godzilla?" Ichigo shot back.
"You said that. It has nothing to do with me."
Nearby expressions turned colorful.
Kyōraku leaned toward Ukitake and whispered, "Young people's thinking is so flexible."
"Indeed," Ukitake murmured. "We're getting old."
Suddenly, a voice as soft as a cicada's wing slid into their conversation like a blade.
"You two, if you feel your minds aren't flexible enough, why not visit the Fourth Division more often in the future?"
"?!" "!?"
Kyōraku and Ukitake stiffened, then slowly turned.
Unohana stood behind them, smiling like a blooming flower.
"Uh…" Kyōraku forced a laugh. "Thank you for Captain Unohana's kindness, but I think a dull mind doesn't really have anything to do with age."
"Right, right!" Ukitake nodded quickly. "For a Shinigami, there's no young or old, only power, and the strength of one's heart!"
Not far away, Hitsugaya clicked his tongue. "It's a good plan, so why does it sound so ridiculous when they say it?"
"Yes." Aizen wasn't stingy with praise. "Instead of going deep into enemy territory, using a strategic weapon like the Kidō Cannon for long range strikes can destroy the enemy's base, dismantle traps and hidden measures, and eliminate effective forces."
He continued calmly, as if outlining a textbook.
"At the same time, it can shake the Captain Commander's seal and help him break free. It kills three birds with one stone. As expected of Takeru. He has completely neutralized the home field disadvantage."
"Hey, part of the credit belongs to me," Mayuri said with dissatisfaction.
"Don't tell me you built that thing," Ichigo muttered, looking it up and down. "If you did, I actually have to praise you. It's… surprisingly good looking. Not like those weird machines."
"Does little Kenpachi want to build one for the Eleventh Division?" Yachiru asked cheerfully.
"Ah." Kenpachi nodded. "I do."
Mayuri's eye twitched as surprised looks stabbed into him, as if to say, So you can make something like this?
"You idiots!" Mayuri snapped. "It's weirdly shaped precisely because it's called a Kidō Cannon but looks like a melee weapon!"
Kenpachi's contemptuous gaze landed on him. "What? Then you didn't build it. Why are you taking credit?"
"I built the base!"
"Oh." Kenpachi tilted his head. "No wonder something felt off. If the base were removed, it would probably look much better."
"?!"
Mayuri's rage spiked so hard he looked ready to have his Zanpakutō sprout claws and shred Kenpachi on the spot.
Then the Kidō Cannon finished charging.
Dense reishi light wrapped the entire halberd. Arcs of energy snapped and danced across its surface, radiating a power that made the air itself feel heavy.
"Even if we won't make it for Toshikoshi Soba," Ichigo muttered, staring, "watching fireworks isn't bad, I guess…"
Under Ichigo's speechless gaze, Takeru gave the order without hesitation.
The glow transformed into a violent flaming torrent, condensing at the crystal like blade of the halberd before erupting outward.
Dozens of blazing streams tore across the sky like lightning beasts. Midway, they fused into a crimson Divine Bird, extremely similar to the Kikōō.
Watching the spectacle, Takeru even had time to think, "So the Kidō Cannon was modeled after the Kikōō. And the firepower surpasses the original."
He treated it like a display.
Las Noches did not.
Neither did Ichimaru Gin and Tōsen Kaname.
On the palace roof, Apache stared, dumbfounded, at the enormous Divine Bird.
"What the hell?! Can they even do that?"
"Apache, you jinx!" Mila Rose cursed angrily.
"What does that have to do with me?!"
"Didn't you say unless they leveled Las Noches, we could wear them down using the home field advantage and the palace traps?" Sung Sun looked at Apache with disdain.
Apache's face twisted with grievance and indignation. "Who knew they'd actually do it! Besides, it's not like it happened because I said it! If I had that power, I'd curse you two to death first!"
"Both of you, be quiet." Harribel's fingers hooked into the ring of the hilt on her back, her posture shifting as if she were about to draw. "No matter what, we cannot sit here and wait to die."
The three took a deep breath.
"If Lady Harribel is going, we go together!" Apache snapped. "We'll shoot it down with Ceros!"
They fired one after another, trying to cancel out the Divine Bird.
It didn't work.
Even Harribel's Cero only caused a small splash against it.
As for Apache and the other two, their attacks were erased before they even reached the Divine Bird, neutralized by the overwhelming spiritual pressure radiating from it.
It felt like a breeze.
Just as Harribel was about to perform Resurrección, multiple powerful Reiatsu signatures flared. Ceros of every kind rose into the sky, turning it into a dazzling storm.
"That is…?" Apache's eyes widened.
"The other Espada?" Mila Rose muttered.
"Who else could it be?" Sung Sun replied, voice steady. "No one wants to be burned to ash by that thing. Even those who were eliminated, and other Fracción, joined in."
Apache and the others spoke quickly, almost excited despite the terror.
Harribel's lips curved into a faint, nearly imperceptible smile.
Even if these scattered Ceros did little against something powerful enough to punch through space, the fact that they chose to stand and fight instead of fleeing eased something in her chest.
"Temperaments differ," Harribel murmured under her breath, hand tightening on her hilt. "Many do not get along. Yet in crisis, they chose to join forces and fight alongside comrades."
She looked up, eyes sharpening.
"Such battle… such war… reflects the value of sacrifice."
Her voice softened, then hardened again.
"But if possible, I don't want anyone to sacrifice themselves. Even if the enemy commander's strategies surpass ours."
Harribel's gaze turned razor sharp.
"Even a firebird can have its neck bitten off by a shark leaping from the water. Subjugate it. Hmm?"
Before she could release Resurrección, someone moved first.
Ichimaru Gin stepped through the air, heading straight for the Divine Bird. In the reflection of endless flames, he produced a mirror and absorbed the Divine Bird's spiritual power, neutralizing the attack with ease.
"Even if the Espada join forces, they could block it," Ichimaru murmured, tone mild. "But they would be exhausted. So it's most appropriate for me to act."
His smile turned ambiguous as he glanced at the blazing water mirror in his hand.
"If I say that, will Captain Aizen believe me?"
Then his expression shifted slightly as he looked into the distance.
"No way. The cooldown is that short?" Ichimaru's eyes narrowed. "I wanted to use this chance to collect spiritual power… but if the firing frequency is too fast, won't I be stuck here defending, unable to do anything else?"
Meanwhile, at the Gotei 13 camp.
"The blazing water mirror that absorbs spirit energy." Takeru's expression didn't change at all. "It really was recovered."
There was no disappointment at having their strike neutralized. Takeru looked calm, composed, as if everything was unfolding exactly as intended.
"Continue firing. Don't stop."
The Kidō Corps answered in unison. Some chanted. Others adjusted the base. Energy began to accumulate again, and the atmosphere rippled with unusual reishi fluctuations.
Mayuri snorted lightly. "Now you understand how capable I am."
The base he created wasn't only for transport and angle adjustment. It also functioned as a reishi converter.
It shortened charge time.
It increased firing frequency.
And Hueco Mundo's reishi density was higher than Soul Society's.
As a result, it could fire once every ten minutes.
"Captain Kurotsuchi's invention is indeed impressive," Kyōraku praised. "Increasing the firing frequency without consuming our own power greatly raises its strategic value."
The others shared the same calm. Like Takeru, none of them looked shaken.
"Kyōraku is right." Ukitake's voice was heavy. "What matters is strategic value."
"The original Kidō Cannon was powerful, but too cumbersome. It couldn't fire many times a day, so it didn't pose enough threat to the enemy headquarters."
"Because they have Kisuke Urahara." Ukitake's eyes narrowed. "And they have our teacher trapped. That means they possess ways to restrain power at this level."
"So it's unrealistic to destroy Las Noches with one shot, or a few."
"But it's different if we bombard it at high frequency."
"That can produce real results."
"Even if we already knew a divine tool like the blazing water mirror exists, and we even knew who held it, it would still be difficult to deal with once we encounter it."
"So if the Kidō Cannon pins down the holder of the blazing water mirror, the enemy loses a combatant and a trump card that can swing the battle."
"And if they don't use the blazing water mirror," Ukitake continued, "we continuously wear down the Espada's power."
"Or destroy Las Noches and try to shake the teacher's seal."
"Either way, it benefits what comes next."
Ukitake looked to Takeru. "So, Captain Shimiya, when do we move?"
The moment he asked, everyone's eyes focused on Takeru.
As the frontline commander, he clearly had a full plan.
The Kidō Cannon was only step one.
And step two…
"Judging by the Reiatsu," Takeru said, eyes burning like torches, "the blazing water mirror is in Ichimaru's hands. That matches my expectations. In that case, we begin."
"Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Kotetsu, stand by."
"The rest of you, split into ten squads."
"Squad One: Suì Fēng, Ōmaeda."
"Squad Two: Byakuya, Abarai."
"Squad Three: Captain Komamura, Lieutenant Iba."
"Squad Four: Captain Kyōraku, Lieutenant Ise."
"Squad Five: Captain Hitsugaya, Lieutenant Matsumoto, Hinamori, Third Seat Madarame, Fifth Seat Ayasegawa."
"Squad Six: Captain Zaraki, Lieutenant Kusajishi."
"Squad Seven: Captain Kurotsuchi, Nemu."
"Squad Eight: Captain Ukitake, Kira, Hisagi."
"Squad Nine: Brother Kurosaki, Rukia."
"Squad Ten: Teacher Aizen."
"Those called, take the reitō pillars and teleport in batches to your assigned positions. Surround Las Noches."
With his command, the camp moved instantly.
Beyond the massive Kidō Cannon, there were other large objects stacked like building materials and covered in cloth. The Kidō Corps pulled the cloth away, revealing ten rectangular stone pillars, each about twenty meters long.
The reitō pillars.
Devices capable of shifting all of Karakura Town into Soul Society.
Each squad was assigned one. The Kidō Corps worked together, activating the forbidden technique of Spatial Transfer to send people and objects to the ten directions around Las Noches.
Just as Takeru said, they surrounded it from the perimeter.
Boom!
The stone pillars slammed into the sand, kicking dust high into the air as they embedded themselves deep like nails.
Hinamori couldn't help sighing. "I thought I'd be able to fight alongside Captain Aizen."
"It can't be helped." Hitsugaya glanced around. "Aizen said himself his Zanpakutō is suited for fighting alone without fear of being surrounded. He can manage by himself. Rather than keeping you at his side, it's better to strengthen other squads. That's why Takeru assigned Hisagi elsewhere too."
Hitsugaya's brow twitched. "But then again, isn't our squad's headcount excessive?"
Other teams had two or three.
His had five.
"Isn't more people better?" Rangiku said smugly, gesturing at the stone pillar. "If the enemy attacks, it'll be easier, and we won't have to worry about this thing getting destroyed."
"I never imagined an offensive battle would turn into a defensive one." Ikkaku scratched his head.
"It's not entirely defensive," Yumichika said, eyes on Las Noches.
"According to Captain Shimiya's plan, if the Kidō Cannon can't destroy Las Noches for now, we use the reitō pillars produced by the Technical Development Bureau to surround it, then activate spatial transfer."
"Even if we can't move it to Soul Society, moving it to any random position, or even keeping it in place, can continuously interfere with the space time inside Las Noches."
"Seals and barriers have spatial properties," Yumichika continued. "Being affected is almost inevitable."
"Even if it's only a sliver of influence, it can create an opening for the Captain Commander to break free."
"Then we coordinate with him from inside and out and annihilate the enemy."
Hitsugaya nodded, voice low and focused. "We only fight in the open desert, with clear visibility. That minimizes the disadvantages of fighting away."
"Now we wait for the enemy to come to us."
"It looks like defense, but it's actually turning passive into active. We're forcing them to leave their headquarters."
Hitsugaya continued, eyes sharp.
"Our forces are scattered, which makes it easier for them to pick us off one by one. But that's also good. As long as at least four reitō pillars remain, they can still function."
"If they also split up, we fight positional battles to protect the pillars."
"And even if the Captain Commander still can't break free, we stall for time and find other ways."
"So Captain Shimiya can exploit the moment the enemy moves out in force, break into Las Noches, find the Captain Commander, and rescue him."
"Then everyone regroups for a final showdown."
Yumichika and Hitsugaya's analysis made Rangiku and Hinamori's hearts surge.
One marveled at how someone's brain could be that sharp.
The other marveled that he truly lived up to being Aizen's protégé.
"That's all true," Ikkaku said, sitting down cross legged with a bored look. "But it still doesn't explain why only our side has so many people."
He pointed at the others. "Does Captain Shimiya think only if the five of us stick together can we match the other squads?"
"Maybe that's exactly it," Rangiku teased.
"Hey!"
Ikkaku bristled, but Hitsugaya suddenly barked, "Enough. They're here."
The four of them felt multiple Reiatsu signatures and looked up instantly.
The next moment, five figures appeared in the sky.
Leading them was a young man with light blue, messy hair, wild and untamable even at a glance.
Behind him followed five Arrancar.
"Yo." Grimmjow grinned like he'd found prey. "Been waiting long?"
"I picked the place with the most people. Higher chance someone worth killing shows up." His excitement flared. "Looks like I wasn't wrong."
He tilted his head, eyes locking on Hitsugaya.
"One Captain… no, two?"
"Sorry, Captain Hitsugaya." Ikkaku stood, expression turning serious. "I didn't think it through."
"Save the apology for Shimiya." Hitsugaya's gaze didn't leave the enemy. "Hinamori, get ready to call Captain Unohana for backup."
"I understand!" Hinamori answered immediately.
Hitsugaya drew a deep breath, eyes fixed on the five Arrancar and their leader.
"Madarame…" His tone tightened. "To be honest, I also didn't consider this thoroughly. I didn't expect an Espada who brings five Fracción."
"I don't know his number, but there are six of them. We only have five."
Hitsugaya's mouth twitched faintly. "Forget thinking we have too many people. I'd be happy if the pillar could stand up and fight."
"Don't crack jokes now." Ikkaku lowered his voice. "Captain Hitsugaya, what do we do? Captain Shimiya didn't specify tactics for direct contact."
"If he were that considerate, I'd be troubled." Hitsugaya's eyes sharpened with pride. "I'm a Captain too."
He pointed slightly with his chin. "Madarame, I'll leave their leader to you. Once I finish one, we swap."
"…Got it." Ikkaku grinned, teeth flashing. "Yeah, I knew I couldn't hide it anymore once the Zanpakutō rebellion happened, but I still didn't want to use it in public."
He rolled his shoulder, eyes meeting Grimmjow's.
"Oh well. As long as you don't make me a Captain, I don't care. That kid Renji uses his happily enough."
In that instant, both sides felt it.
The same type.
The kind who lived for battle, who craved the strong, who chased victory to become stronger.
"Here I go." Hitsugaya surged upward, a massive cold current of spiritual pressure exploding around him. "Bankai…"
And he charged straight toward Grimmjow's group.
.....
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