Bleach: Stirring Up a Storm

Logically speaking, Kōe could have sought out Szayelaporro first and used him to enter the laboratory to find Roca. This would have been the most likely choice to avoid Baraggan.

But what would doing so mean for Szayelaporro? Setting aside whether one could coerce a mad scientist with force, the very idea of making him willingly open up his own laboratory was nothing short of a pipe dream.

Even if the man were momentarily terrified of death, Kōe’s entire purpose in finding Roca was to control Szayelaporro. From Szayelaporro’s perspective, why would he help an outsider find the means to control him, only to lose his autonomy?

If Kōe thought he could pull that off, then he would be the brainless one, not Szayelaporro. A being capable of joining the Espada in the future deserved at least a basic level of respect.

Therefore, rescuing Roca was the major prerequisite for Kōe to complete his subsequent plans. To achieve this, he wouldn’t hesitate even if it meant clashing with Baraggan and Szayelaporro ahead of schedule.

However, avoidable trouble should still be avoided as much as possible. Szayelaporro’s departure had happened about a day ago, so the biggest problem Kōe faced was the Emperor of Hueco Mundo at the center of Las Noches.

Slipping in like a thief was certainly ideal, but if stealth failed, Kōe had formulated a contingency plan.

If breaking into the laboratory was guaranteed to attract Baraggan’s attention, then he just needed to create a massive commotion in another direction beforehand, or simultaneously, to lure Baraggan away in advance.

But unlike the infiltration of the Sternritter Fortress, where four Captains and Yoruichi had drawn and divided the enemy’s attention, here in Hueco Mundo, he couldn’t exactly count on someone like Resen to distract Baraggan. Even if Resen blew himself up, it might not be enough to make Baraggan get off his ass.

Currently, the only one capable of luring Baraggan away was himself—that was an absolute certainty. Unless he first sought out other future Espada who could arm-wrestle with Baraggan, or unless he knew some cloning technique, Kōe had no other way to draw Baraggan away on his own.

However, Resen’s existence allowed him to achieve a clone-like effect through another method: the Boundary-Breaking Talisman.

Compared to Hollows, who could open a Garganta at will, Shinigami had a much more troublesome time traversing space. Aside from the forbidden spatial arts hidden in the Great Spirit Book Gallery, they could only rely on tools like the Senkaimon and Boundary-Breaking Talismans. And in Hueco Mundo, especially in Las Noches, the only thing he could rely on was the Boundary-Breaking Talisman.

However, the Boundary-Breaking Talisman had two fatal flaws. First, it was a one-way teleportation, and the primary talisman responsible for opening it served as the exit. Second, when using the Boundary-Breaking Talisman, the primary talisman required a continuous input of Reiryoku; otherwise, the opened passage would close immediately.

Because of this, a single person couldn’t use a Boundary-Breaking Talisman. This was actually easy to solve: he just needed Resen to carry the other half of the Boundary-Breaking Talisman to within ten kilometers of the core of Las Noches and then open it.

But sending Resen alone to that place... well, let’s just say Baraggan’s subordinates weren’t blind. If Resen’s ability wasn’t stagnation, Kōe might have actually made him do just that, perhaps even forcing him to blow himself up right in front of Baraggan.

Because of Resen, Kōe could accomplish things beyond common sense—such as keeping the primary talisman open even when no one was inputting Reiryoku into it, or even when no one was around.

”Let the Boundary-Breaking Talisman open completely. Ten seconds later, fully release the stagnation state, and then proceed according to plan!”

Far away on the other end, Kōe’s aged voice suddenly echoed in Resen’s mind. This was a message transmitted through the Kidō Kōe had left inside his body. Things were still developing in the direction he least wanted to see.

”Y-Yes, understood, my Lord!”

Resen replied hesitantly. Although he felt quite apprehensive, he still released his stagnation ability slightly. Beneath the sand and dust, the Boundary-Breaking Talisman actually opened on its own without any Reiryoku input.

The opening of a Boundary-Breaking Talisman was fast, but it still had a process. The Boundary-Breaking Talisman Kōe had buried under the sand had actually already been infused with enough Reiryoku to open. Technically speaking, it was already open; its opening process had merely been halted by Resen’s ability. As long as the stagnation was released, it would continue its original progression.

However, without a continuous Reiryoku input, the Boundary-Breaking Talisman would still close. This was where Resen’s ability was needed again. As long as he stagnated the Boundary-Breaking Talisman at the right moment, it would remain in an open state, even without anyone inputting Reiryoku into it.

Underground, seeing the Boundary-Breaking Talisman above ground fully open, Kōe adjusted his breathing. He activated the other primary talisman he had kept on himself, placed it on the ground, and began to count down silently in his mind.

His left hand pulled the short sword, Kōki, from his robes, while his right hand grasped the pristine white hilt at his waist. Five seconds had already passed.

Because he had to avoid alerting the other Hollows prematurely, this operation hadn’t been rehearsed. He was a bit nervous, but he had to admit it was a crazy and daring move. At this thought, the corners of Kōe’s mouth curled up, his face beneath the mask filled with an excited smile.

*’Three, two, one!’*

”Bankai, Kōki Rakusen Ishō!”

The pendulum clock in his mind, set to swing only ten times, completed its task. A pitch-black robe completely enveloped Kōe. As his broad sleeves fluttered with the raise of his arm, a dazzling arrow of Reiryoku shot straight toward the laboratory doors. Almost simultaneously, Kōe’s figure vanished into the underground through the Boundary-Breaking Talisman behind him.

”What is that?!”

The sudden appearance of a massive Reiatsu caused Baraggan, who was lounging on his throne, to sit up abruptly. His eerie skeletal head turned to his right; the massive Reiatsu from just now had come from that direction.

*’No, there’s one on the left too!’* Baraggan snapped his head to the left. He could sense an equally powerful Reiatsu appearing in that direction as well, and it was getting closer and closer to him!

This Reiatsu, naturally, also belonged to Kōe. The Boundary-Breaking Talisman behind him abruptly dimmed. The scenery on both sides was speeding backward, and the dilapidated Las Noches in the distance grew from a small white dot into a defined silhouette.

What Kōe had Resen stagnate wasn’t just the opening state of the Boundary-Breaking Talisman. He had hurled this Boundary-Breaking Talisman with all his might; its speed was much faster than a missile in the World of the Living.

”Hadō #91・Senjū Kōtentaihō!”

Clusters of cherry-pink light emerged, surrounding Kōe as they sped toward Las Noches together. Along the way, some Adjuchas couldn’t even catch a glimpse of Kōe’s figure; they only saw a dense barrage of cherry-pink light beams. Was that a meteor shower?

At this moment, the other half of the Boundary-Breaking Talisman Kōe carried on him stirred again. That was the other pair of Boundary-Breaking Talismans he had given to Resen. It seemed Resen had already started to flee.

Kōe smiled and shook his head. That Baraggan was truly as arrogant as he had imagined. He had already been flying for nearly twenty seconds and was about to enter within ten kilometers of the core of Las Noches, yet the other party still hadn’t reacted.

*’Is he waiting for me to come and pay my respects?’* Kōe gritted his teeth. He wouldn’t be going in person, but he hoped Baraggan would be satisfied with this *’little gift’* of his.

Kōe reached into his robes with his left hand and tossed out the Boundary-Breaking Talisman he was carrying. As he passed through the blue gate of light, he waved his right hand forward. The beautiful stars beside him transformed into cherry-pink beams of light, shooting toward Las Noches in the distance.

Now, let the Kidō fly for a while.

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