With a final surge of determination, Yuichi unleashed his full power reiatsu in a single burst, aiming to disrupt the beams of light and free himself. The release of his spiritual power was accompanied by a blinding flash, and the beams of light wavered for a moment.
It was a small window of opportunity, but Yuichi didn't hesitate. He pushed his body to its limits, using all of his strength to break free from the weakened beams. As he stumbled forward, he knew that he had to act quickly.
As Yuichi attempted to flee, he ran straight into an unexpected barrier, one that encased the area, preventing him from escaping. The realization that he had fallen into a trap began to sink in, and a sense of unease washed over him.
His thoughts raced as he considered who might be behind this elaborate setup. The use of a barrier and the precision of the attack hinted at a skilled opponent, one who was likely familiar with Soul Reaper tactics. The possibility that it could be Kaname Tosen crossed his mind, but he couldn't be certain.
Yuichi's immediate concern was the fact that he was now trapped within this enclosed space, with hollows closing in on him. He knew that he couldn't afford to let his guard down. His injuries were far from fully healed, and he had expended a significant amount of his reishi earlier.
'If it is Tosen I wonder if he's inside the barrier or watching from the outside? Looks like I've been targeted and I can't fake my way out of this. This is bad I might get attacked by a hidden enemy with captain-level strength.' thought Yuichi as he glanced around to count more than 15 hollows trapped within the barrier with him.
Yuichi stood his ground, his Zanpakuto at the ready, as the horde of hollows charged at him simultaneously. The adrenaline surged through his veins as he prepared to defend himself against this overwhelming onslaught.
With a swift and precise motion, Yuichi swung his Zanpakuto, releasing a wave of energy from his incomplete Getsuga Tenshō, that cut through the first of the hollows. Their body disintegrated into ash as they were struck, but more were already closing in. He attempted to defend when he noticed a spike projectile heading for him causing him to dodge.
Although the spike missed he was unable to react when a frog-like hollow stretched its tongue grasping his leg. The hollow then pulled its tongue towards it slamming Yuichi into the ground hard, then tossing him at a tree breaking it.
Yuichi struggled to get up covered in dirt and blood. Even now the hollows rushed to attack him. Having no other choice he recited an incantion, "Yake ochiru kage, kaze ni mau hai, genwaku to inboku no jutsu, Hai no Gen'ei. (Shadows that burn away, ashes dancing in the wind, art of illusion and concealment, Ash Mirage)"
Nothing happened when the incantation was recited, and before Yuichi could even do anything a large hollow with massive fists, punched down crushing him. When the hollow lifted up its fist, Yuichi's damaged body turned into a cloud of ash and floated away confusing the hollows.
A few meters away Yuichi reappeared battered and bruised. His failed kido attempted had worked. This spell was called Hai no Gen'ei (灰の幻影, Ash Mirage) a deceptive Kidō spell of Yuichi's creation that creates an illusory mirage of the caster while rendering the caster themselves invisible to the naked eye. When the spell is cast, it envelops the caster in a shroud of mystical energy, making them imperceptible to normal sight.
This had been a trump card he wanted to keep hidden, but it wouldn't matter if he ended up dead. With his body battered and bruised, Yuichi knew that he had to act quickly to tend to his injuries before the hollows could track him down. He focused his reiatsu and began to cast healing Kido on himself. The soothing energy of the healing spells enveloped him, slowly mending his wounds and alleviating the pain. It was a delicate process, but he had to ensure that he was in the best possible condition to continue evading the pursuing hollows.
As he healed himself, Yuichi couldn't help but reflect on the situation. It was clear that he had fallen into a well-planned trap, but he felt this was excessive even by Aizen's standards.
As Yuichi silently moved deeper into the forest, he remained vigilant for any signs of the pursuing hollows. The healing Kido had done its job, and his injuries were now more manageable. He knew that he couldn't stay in one place for too long, especially since the hollows would eventually pick up his scent. So he used this opportunity to dispatch a hollow or two while they were still distracted searching for him. At the very least he needed to kill the frog and the one that shot spikes.
He spotted the frog-like hollow that had ensnared him earlier, its grotesque tongue lashing out in search of prey. With his Zanpakuto at the ready, Yuichi approached the creature stealthily, taking advantage of the distraction caused by his illusory mirage. With a swift strike, he severed the tongue, causing the hollow to emit a screeching cry of pain.
Before the frog-like hollow could react, Yuichi followed up with a powerful Zanjutsu technique, slicing through its mask and dispersing it into ash. One threat was eliminated. The other hollow rushed at Yuichi, but before they could reach him a spike sped past them and impaled him. Yuichi's body once again turned to ash, causing the hollows that rushed at him to roar in frustration.
Next, he focused his attention on the hollow that had shot spikes at him earlier. He remembered the danger it posed, and he couldn't afford to underestimate it. Yuichi moved quickly, his Ash Mirage concealing his presence, and found the creature preparing to launch another spike projectile.
With precise timing, he unleashed another incomplete Getsuga Tenshō, his Zanpakuto releasing a wave of energy that cut through the air and struck the hollow, disintegrating it into ash before it could launch its attack.
This, however, had drained his remaining reishi leaving him with no other way of evading and attacking from afar. Yuichi breathed heavily as he raised his zanpakuto preparing to clash with the remaining hollows.