The same phenomenon—
Was happening across all corners of the Soul Society.
---
First Division, Head Captain's Office
The traditionally styled room was heavy with tension.
Before the transparent light screen, Chōjirō was drenched in sweat. His expression carried both reverence and deep concern as he gazed at the silent figure seated at the wooden desk.
Ever since the footage resumed—
The Captain-Commander's face had been as dark as a lifeless pool.
"Urahara Kisuke..."
"Kurosaki Isshin..."
"Shihōin Yoruichi..."
Each name was spoken with a deliberate weight.
But the emotions beneath were far from friendly.
Aside from a faint trace of hostility, what lingered more prominently in his voice was disappointment—and regret.
After all—
The trio in the footage—
Were once individuals he had personally placed great hopes in.
Yet in the end, every single one of them had betrayed the Soul Society!
His white eyebrows drooped like withered willow branches.
Lifting his gaze, the Captain-Commander asked sternly, "Chōjirō, do you believe the footage we just saw is real?"
First, it had been Urahara battling an Arrancar alone.
Now, the three of them had appeared together—facing an unknown yet immensely powerful enemy.
Every frame of this ranking video exuded an undeniable sense of unease.
"This… it's hard to say," Chojiro hesitated, shaking his head. "Instinctively, I want to believe that the video has been edited or fabricated."
"But!"
"Spiritual pressure perception does not lie! That immersive sensation is difficult to fake! All signs indicate that these battles must have actually happened!"
Sweat dripped down Chojiro's back.
Every syllable of his words carried an overwhelming sense of unease.
Both instances where the footage shifted—
The background had always been a cityscape filled with towering buildings.
This strongly suggested that the battle had taken place in the Human World!
And yet—
Chojiro could not recall—
Any incidents in recent years where Menos had invaded the Human World, let alone an Adjuchas-level Menos—much less a rare Arrancar!
Even if he took a step back—
If this ranking video was truly Urahara's doing—
What was his motive for fabricating such footage?
And more importantly—
The overwhelming sensation from the spiritual pressure—
That suffocatingly real sensation—
How was that explained?
For a moment—
The mind of Chojiro was riddled with far too many questions.
His thoughts were tangled into a chaotic mess.
Yamamoto stroked his beard, nodding slowly. "You are not wrong, Chōjirō. My initial reaction was similar to yours..."
"One's sight, hearing, and touch can all be deceived."
"But spiritual pressure perception—never lies!"
His eyes, sharp like burning torches, locked onto the glowing screen.
"It appears that Urahara Kisuke and the others did encounter a formidable enemy," he said gravely. "And the battle shown in the footage… is real!"
"Captain-Commander, what should we do now?" Chojiro asked anxiously.
This was the first time he had encountered something so bizarre.
He had no idea how to respond.
"Contact the Research and Development Bureau immediately— and for now, we keep watching!"
The Captain-Commander's response was decisive.
At first, he had scoffed at the so-called "Ranking" and even considered shattering the screen with his own hands.
But now—
His curiosity had been completely piqued.
On one hand, he wanted to uncover the origins of this ranking video.
On the other—
What concerned him even more—
Was the enemy Urahara and the others were facing.
That unknown figure, radiating an unparalleled sense of oppression—
Who the hell was he?
"Understood! I will contact Captain Kurotsuchi immediately!"
With that, Chojiro hurriedly left the room.
Leaving the Captain-Commander alone—
Watching the footage in complete silence.
The already tense atmosphere—
Became even heavier.
---
Hueco Mundo, Las Noches
"What the hell?! That fight ended just like that?! What kind of half-assed nonsense is this?!"
Grimmjow sat on the steps, clearly irritated.
The previous footage had ended just as Urahara Kisuke's attack detonated with Benihime's explosion of spiritual pressure.
The Espada had expected the battle to continue...
Yet the screen immediately switched scenes!
"Look closely— that Shinigami in the bucket hat has appeared again!"
The Séptima Espada, Zommari Rureaux, pointed out.
"That must be Urahara Kisuke, right?"
The Quinto Espada, Nnoitra Gilga, scoffed coldly.
"This weakling made it into the top 15? What a joke!"
The Santa Teresa was pissed.
He despised Urahara from the depths of his soul.
After all—
Nnoitra was arrogant to the extreme.
He truly believed he was the strongest of the Espada.
Even though Urahara had crushed Yammy in the previous footage, to Nnoitra, that meant nothing.
Yammy was simply trash to begin with!
"I agree," Grimmjow smirked.
"Shinigami are just a bunch of worthless garbage! If even they can make the list, then I should be in the top 10 at least!"
The Pantera bared his fangs in a wicked grin.
Just like Nnoitra, he was a battle maniac—
But his arrogance far surpassed the Quinto Espada.
Grimmjow had no doubt in his mind—
He deserved a place among the strongest.
At that moment—
The video resumed playing.
---
Shing!
A surge of spiritual pressure sliced through the air.
Opposite Urahara and his team—
The mysterious enemy, emanating an overwhelming spiritual pressure—
Finally emerged from the dense mist in midair.
A body completely encased in bone-white carapace—
Like a chrysalis, encasing a being not yet fully born.
Only a pair of glowing, piercing blue eyes were visible.
The inhuman and unnerving figure—
Immediately drew the attention of everyone present.
"…?!"
For once—
The Espada, known for their arrogance—
All fell into a rare, eerie silence.
For some reason when they locked eyes with that glowing blue gaze.
An instinctive urge to kneel...
Began to creep into their very souls.
"What the hell?! Who is this guy?!"
The silence shattered into chaos.
The Espada and their Fracción—
Faces shifting between shock and dread.
The longer they stared—
The stronger the impulse to submit became.
It was an oppression that transcended spiritual pressure.
It was soul-crushing.
"I-Impossible…! I feel like my blood is freezing!" Sung-Sun, one of Harribel's Fracción, curled into herself, trembling violently.
"What… what kind of terrifying pressure is this?! This monster… has he surpassed even Vasto Lorde?!"
One of the Arrancar stammered in terror.
After all—
There were already four Vasto Lorde-ranked Espada present.
And yet—
Even at their peak, their spiritual pressure could only suffocate.
It could not instill—
The feeling of utter annihilation.
Yet this figure—
Simply by existing—
Projected a crushing force that shattered the very heavens.
A spiritual pressure on the verge of transcending to another dimension.
Among the gathered Espada—
Even the King of Hueco Mundo, Baraggan Louisenbairn—
The undisputed embodiment of arrogance.
For the first time...
Wore a truly grave expression.
Even he—felt it.
A suffocating, absolute, and inescapable—
Dread.