"Did you call for reinforcements?" Bōga Ichiki shouted.
The Shinigami who had been slammed into the wall earlier responded, "I sent out the call for help a while ago."
As he looked at Naruto, who was standing in the center of the gymnasium, Bōga Ichiki's expression grew complicated. He had to admit that his earlier words had been a bit too confident. Saying things like "Don't let him get too badly hurt" now seemed laughable.
Facing someone of this "terrifying level," they were already struggling just to protect themselves. It wasn't that Naruto's strength had completely surpassed that of several senior officers working together. Rather, it was because his fighting logic was entirely different from anything they had encountered before—be it Shinigami or Hollows.
After Naruto's initial attack, he abandoned his high-mobility advantage and rooted himself in place. This was not a wise decision, making him an easy target. However, this didn't give Bōga Ichiki and the others any real advantage. The sword Naruto wielded provided a massive power boost, and the red spiritual energy cloak was not just for show—it had immense defensive power.
Even lower-level Hadō below number ten couldn't penetrate the red cloak, and even Hadō below number thirty without incantations could only cause minor cracks. Only higher-level Kidō with full incantations could inflict the slightest damage, which was the result Bōga Ichiki had initially hoped for. But even these minor injuries healed almost instantly, leaving no trace.
Moreover, despite standing still, Naruto's attacks were still formidable. He would plunge his hand into the ground, and the entire gymnasium seemed to become his domain. Red hands formed from spiritual energy would erupt from unexpected places, attacking with devastating force. The lava-like nature of the spiritual energy wasn't just for show either—it had a highly corrosive, burning effect.
After realizing this, Bōga Ichiki and the others tried to dodge as much as possible, avoiding serious injuries, but the gym was left in ruins, with pits and holes everywhere.
"I can't hold back anymore," one of the Shinigami said heavily, drawing his sword. "If this continues, it'll endanger the other students." He was preparing to unleash his Shikai, knowing that without releasing their Zanpakutō, it would be difficult to suppress Naruto in this state.
"Reinforcements are too slow," another Shinigami complained. "It's been almost five or six minutes already."
Bōga Ichiki was about to agree when a voice, steady in tone but casual in content, came from above the gym. "Ugh, this is such a pain. When is the 10th Division going to pick a captain so I don't have to deal with stuff like this?"
Bōga Ichiki looked up sharply, a wave of relief washing over him. "Captain Hirako!"
The speaker was a man with long blond hair, wearing a captain's haori with a bow tie under his kimono. He had a disdainful and restless expression as he slouched slightly. Behind him stood a brown-haired man with plain black-framed glasses, who appeared harmless.
"Aizen Vice-Captain!" Bōga Ichiki exclaimed.
Hirako Shinji clicked his tongue. "This place is a mess. So, that rampaging student is the fox monster? His spiritual pressure is… quite terrifying."
He raised his hand. Inside the gym, Naruto, in his berserk state, also sensed the threat from above. Instinctively, he knew that both the blond man and the brown-haired man were extremely dangerous.
With a swift movement, two lava-covered red tails shot upwards.
"Captain, be careful!" Aizen Sōsuke quickly moved forward, forgoing the incantation.
"Bakudō #39: Enkōsen!" A rapidly spinning yellow shield formed in his palm, intercepting the tail attack. The impact shattered the shield, scattering fragments coated in the corrosive red spiritual energy that emitted a sizzling noise as they disintegrated.
Aizen observed the scene thoughtfully. "Interesting ability."
The tails continued their assault, surging towards the two captains.
Hirako Shinji sneered. "Sōsuke, this guy's almost on your level. Take it seriously and don't embarrass the 5th Division."
With a flash of his Zanpakutō, he sliced through the tails, disrupting the spiritual energy.
"Captain Hirako, be careful! Naruto's spiritual energy is corrosive!" Bōga Ichiki warned.
Hirako Shinji shot him an irritated look. "You think I'm blind? I noticed that already! His spiritual pressure isn't strong enough to damage my sword."
As he spoke, Aizen raised his hand again, chanting another incantation. "Hadō #33: Sōkatsui!" A ball of pale blue fire shot towards Naruto, exploding on impact and sending up a cloud of smoke. The red spiritual energy cloak around Naruto cracked, revealing raw, bleeding flesh beneath. But even these wounds began to heal rapidly before their eyes.
"Strong defense, and impressive regeneration," Aizen noted. "This ability… it's very similar to a Hollow."
His eyes gleamed with interest.
The minor injury only fueled Naruto's rage further. His four tails flailed wildly, tearing through the ground and reaching up like chaotic demons.
"Don't state the obvious," Hirako Shinji muttered, raising his hand. He forwent the incantation. "Bakudō #62: Hyapporankan!" Dozens of purple rods of spiritual energy rained down, pinning Naruto's tails and limbs to the ground. Although the rods began to corrode and emit smoke, the process was slow, requiring a significant amount of time to break free.
"He's not as tough as I expected," Hirako Shinji smirked, mockingly. "I thought this would be a bigger hassle. I even requested permission from the Central 46 to release my Zanpakutō. Cut off his spiritual energy flow, and this form should collapse."
But before he could finish speaking, the red spiritual energy cloak around Naruto began to bubble and churn. Lifting his head, Naruto's mouth opened wide, almost unnaturally so. Spiritual energy poured out from within, forming a massive black sphere at his mouth, drawing in nearby spiritual energy as it grew.
"That's… a Cero?" Bōga Ichiki gasped, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Aizen adjusted his glasses. The concentration of spiritual energy, the spherical shape, the black color… it all matched the characteristics of a Cero, a technique only Menos-class Hollows could use.
"Interesting!" Hirako Shinji grinned. "But this isn't a Cero. Has all that sauerkraut you've been eating messed with your senses? Still, its power… Good thing I got that permission."
He released his grip on his Zanpakutō, letting it float in front of him. "Collapse, Sakanade." The blade transformed, with a ring expanding from the hilt. With a metallic ring, the sword began to spin, releasing a strange fragrance that quickly filled the gymnasium.
In that instant, the world turned upside down.
The Bijūdama (Tailed Beast Bomb) Naruto had been preparing veered off course, shooting skyward before exploding far above. The resulting shockwave and spiritual energy blast were so powerful that the already damaged gymnasium finally gave in, collapsing under the strain.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Hirako Shinji raised his hand. "Bakudō #4: Hainawa!" A golden rope of spiritual energy shot out, binding Naruto's head tightly.
Aizen moved to act, but Hirako Shinji was quicker, sealing Naruto's *Sekienton* and *Hakufuku*, two vital spiritual points. Damaging or sealing these points wouldn't kill a soul, but it would completely disable their spiritual energy. Without his spiritual energy to sustain it, the red cloak slowly dissipated, revealing a blond-haired boy beneath.
Exhausted by the battle, Naruto's young body succumbed to sleep, drained of both energy and consciousness.
"Captain Hirako, what should we do with him?" Aizen Sōsuke asked with a smile.
Bōga Ichiki quickly spoke up, "I'm the one who encouraged him to try Shikai."
Hirako Shinji glanced at them both, then grabbed Naruto, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Are you out of your mind? We're taking him to the 4th Division. His spiritual energy is massive, and the nature of it could have caused who knows what kind of damage to his body. Or did you want to send him to the 2nd Division instead?"
(End of Chapter)