— — — — — —
With Saito guiding the way, it didn't take long for Lynn to reach the fifth layer of Hell.
The scenery was clearly different from the upper levels. Streams of lava flowed everywhere, casting a hellish glow on the landscape.
The colors were much more vivid now.
Saito crossed one arm and used the other to pinch her nose in annoyance. "I seriously don't get why you even want to come here."
The miasma in the fifth layer was so dense that even she could barely handle it.
Which was exactly why she hated being in this godforsaken place.
She then glanced over at Lynn, clearly frustrated.
She still hadn't won a single speed contest against him, and it was eating her up inside.
But at the same time—she had to admit: Lynn was terrifyingly strong.
...
Lynn ignored Saito's complaints and quietly examined the fifth layer's environment.
The thick, toxic air didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.
Still, he frowned slightly.
This kind of environment was terrible for any kind of long-term development.
And besides, Hell in the Soul Society universe did have a consciousness and some basic rules.
But it was still too crude. Too primitive.
There was no future in this place as it stood now.
What Hell really needed was a full-on overhaul.
And for Lynn, that wasn't a problem at all.
After all, back in his main world, he already had control over the entire Hell domain in the Japan region.
All he had to do was bring that same template over.
But before that—
He needed to figure out how to gain dominion over this world's Hell.
Otherwise, that power would just end up in Hell's own hands.
"Hmm..."
Lynn scanned the area and didn't see anything that seemed particularly tied to the core of Hell.
So how exactly was he supposed to claim sovereignty here?
He rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
Suddenly—
His crimson eyes lit up.
While he hadn't found anything physically tied to Hell's core.
The deeper he went, the more he could feel something—A vague but growing presence.
Was that… Hell's own consciousness?
Lynn closed his eyes and tried to establish communication with it.
After a while—
He could sense the consciousness clearly enough, but actually connecting with it was proving difficult.
Oh wait...
This was the Bleach world.
So naturally, he should be using Reiatsu—spiritual pressure—to reach it.
Yep, Reiatsu!
The answer clicked into place.
Ever since taking Yoruichi as a follower, Lynn had gained access to this world's unique energy system: Reiatsu.
But because of his unique nature, Reiatsu wasn't usually his default power system.
Which explained why Saito had never sensed it from him before.
As a Devil, magic was still his primary energy type. Reiatsu was just one of many forms he could convert it into.
So now, Lynn focused, channeling his energy and converting it into pure Reiatsu.
BOOM.
A terrifying wave of Reiatsu exploded from within Hell itself!
A blinding pillar of light shot into the sky—Tearing through the thick clouds of miasma!
The entire realm of Hell shook violently in response!!
Yoruichi, who had been curled up comfortably in Lynn's arms, instantly fluffed up like a startled cat.
That Reiatsu—It was even scarier than the old man's!
Saito froze in place too.
The powerful surge of spiritual pressure sent gusts of wind swirling around her, whipping her long purple hair into chaos.
Her oversized shihakushō flapped wildly in the storm.
At this point, she wasn't even concerned about why she hadn't felt any Reiatsu from him before.
Because this pressure… even Yamamoto, that grumpy old geezer, probably couldn't match it.
She'd already ranked Lynn absurdly high in her mind after those speed duels.
But still, she hadn't expected him to be this ridiculous. Stronger than Yamamoto!?
Had she been stuck in Hell so long that the world had completely left her behind?
When did such monsters start popping up in the living world!?
Lynn's Reiatsu burst didn't just shock Yoruichi and Saito.
— — —
Elsewhere in Hell—
A certain man suddenly looked up, his body trembling.
"T-That…"
"That Reiatsu...!"
His eyes widened in disbelief as he clenched both fists tightly.
---
In the Togabito base
Shuren shot up from his seat, staring in the direction of the explosion, stunned.
"What insane Reiatsu!"
It was shaking the foundations of Hell itself.
After who knows how many years trapped in Hell, this was the first time he'd experienced anything like it.
"...Hahh!"
He was practically gasping for breath.
Someone this powerful—They could probably smash open the gates of Hell without breaking a sweat, right?
Shuren was stunned for just a few seconds before his mind snapped back to his goal: Escape.
That had always been his mission.
And in his view, the only way to do that was to break the gates of Hell.
But with just their current members, it was impossible.
That was why he'd always tried to recruit Furofushi Saito.
Even then, he still wasn't confident it would be enough.
But now?
Now there was finally someone who gave him hope.
Shuren waved his hand dramatically. "Let's go. We need to meet this Lord!"
As he strode forward, the others—Gunjo and the rest—glanced at each other, hesitating.
That Reiatsu really was insane… but would someone like that really help them destroy the gates of Hell?
They had their doubts.
Eventually, Taikon broke the silence.
"Lord Shuren…"
He hesitated, then forced the words out: "Would someone that powerful really want to help us?"
"Pfft."
Shuren chuckled confidently. "Relax."
"Just leave it to me. When have I ever failed?"
Gunjo twitched at his words.
When have you ever failed? Really?
Then why had Furofushi Saito never agreed to join them?
Of course, they didn't dare say it aloud.
With resigned sighs, they followed their leader.
BOOM!
And the terrifying wave of Reiatsu still didn't stop.
— — —
Soul Society — At the gate connecting to Hell
Crack!
The usually quiet and sealed Gate of Hell suddenly creaked, a thin crack forming.
Moments later—
Thick, choking miasma began pouring out!
The Shinigami guarding the gate had been dozing off, bolted upright in panic.
"H-HOLY—!"
He scrambled back, then turned and sprinted.
"CAPTAIN! SOMETHING'S HAPPENING TO HELL'S GATE!"
---
Soon after—
Seireitei — Central 46 Compound
All the Captains had gathered.
Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto sat at the head of the room.
Once everyone had arrived, he said in a deep voice: "Something seems to be happening… in Hell."
"...Hell?"
The moment those words were spoken, the Captains exchanged looks, their faces turning serious.
They understood better than anyone just how dangerous Hell could be to all three worlds.
So they knew better than to take this lightly.
Seeing their reactions, Yamamoto's expression remained just the same, but he was quietly pleased. He continued:
"I'm preparing to send someone into Hell to investigate. Any volunteers?"
"Uh…"
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PS: As always, 2 chapters daily — and every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter!