Chapter 81 - 41: Birthplace of Divinity, The Pope’s Coronation Ceremony Begins! (Part 1)

Chapter 81: Chapter 41: Birthplace of Divinity, The Pope’s Coronation Ceremony Begins! (Part 1)

"God, was that move just the most basic Shikai? Is there an even stronger Bankai?"

Shihōin Yoruha’s mouth hung open in an expression of sheer disbelief.

The four newly minted Shinigamis, having witnessed Alex’s strike, felt their newfound pride from ascending to the extraordinary ranks vanish instantly. They cast aside their playful thoughts and clutched their Zanpakutō, closing their eyes in meditation. They sought to communicate with their blades, desperate to learn their true names as quickly as possible.

Ade stood to the side, lost in thought.

Alex’s demonstration had deeply affected him. The statement that "all forms of attack are merely an extension of one’s own power" acted like a divine revelation, granting him infinite inspiration.

His body trembled slightly as both of his hands flared with different lights. His right hand glowed with the spectral blue of absolute stasis, while his left hand pulsed with a dark crimson, nearly the color of blood.

The two primal laws of the world converged before him, manifesting into the shape of a longsword that constantly shifted and flickered.

The moment Ade’s fingertips touched the blade, a torrent of Reishi surged in from all directions, and dual-colored pillars of spiritual pressure—Reiatsu—soared into the sky.

As the light dissipated, a Zanpakutō appeared in Ade’s hand. The blade was entirely translucent, appearing as if it were forged from solidified light, with veins of spectral blue and dark crimson flowing across opposite sides.

"This is..."

Ade murmured to himself. He gripped the hilt and swung the blade at the empty air.

The patterns on both sides of the blade ignited simultaneously. The blue power of stasis and the red power of progression flowed along the edge, intertwining at the tip into a spiraling blade of light.

A slash of Reiatsu erupted, forming a pillar of light that carved a path in straight line!

This time, what Ade unleashed was no longer the Quincy Power, but the soul-purifying strike unique to a Shinigami!

The four new Shinigamis were jolted out of their meditation by the violent spiritual energy. They stared blankly at the massive line carved into the sand by the spiritual pressure, speechless for a long time.

Alex’s gaze held a trace of genuine admiration. As a student, Ade was far more satisfying than Hyoga had ever been. Unfortunately, fate was a fickle thing...

Just as the thought crossed his mind, the distant sand dunes shook violently. Massive amounts of yellow sand billowed into the air, blotting out the sun!

A gargantuan Void Beast, over a thousand meters tall, lumbered toward them. Though its steps seemed heavy, its speed was incredibly fast!

"It’s the King of Void Beasts!"

The youths gathered around Alex, their expressions grim and their small bodies trembling slightly.

The King of Void Beasts?

To Alex’s knowledge, the Hollows in the Bleach universe were categorized into three levels: Gillian, Adjuchas, and Vasto Lorde. What kind of power did a "King of Void Beasts" from the primordial era truly possess?

Shihōin Yoruha hid behind Alex, peeking out with only half her head, her messy hair sticking out in all directions.

"Legend says that whenever the King of Void Beasts appears, every living soul within a hundred miles will be torn from its body. Everywhere it passes becomes a domain of death..."

True to the legend, the existence of this giant Void Beast was like a black hole. Weaker Void Beasts nearby were being drawn to it, floating toward it involuntarily only to be devoured in a single gulp.

Seeing this, Yoruha’s frail body began to shake even more violently.

"We have to run! It’s too strong; we can’t possibly be its match right now!"

Ade gripped his Zanpakutō and gritted his teeth.

"We can’t leave. We could run, but the people in the village can’t. Based on its path, everyone will die..."

Tsunayashiro Kyōen stepped forward, a cold chuckle escaping him as his narrow eyes squinted into slits.

"We chose to sacrifice our lives to become Shinigamis specifically for a moment like this. I’ll find a way to lure it away. The rest of you, evacuate the villagers as fast as you can!"

Before Kyōen could take a single step, a large hand clamped down on his shoulder.

He turned back to find Alex’s face, as cold as an iceberg.

"I didn’t train you all just so you could learn how to survive by running away. If you shrink back every time you encounter a strong enemy, you will never have the chance to grow!"

"But it’s too powerful..." Kuchiki Kyō interjected, his refined face full of solemnity. "Unless... you intervene, God!"

Alex raised his head and gazed toward the sky.

His vision pierced through layers of space. In his ears, he could vaguely hear the deep, low sounding of horns from the Sanctuary—a signal that the Pope’s coronation ceremony was about to begin.

The time he could remain in this world was now down to minutes.

___

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