Chapter 6: Kill the Shinigami

"Howl, Inumaru!"

Locked onto by Yu Mikami's killing intent, the middle-aged Shinigami showed no fear, drawing his Zanpakutō with a low shout!

"Damn! I actually ran into someone who knows Shikai..."

Seeing the middle-aged Shinigami's Zanpakutō transform into something resembling a dog's fang, Yu Mikami internally cursed. A Shinigami who knows Shikai is at the level of a Seated Officer! Yu Mikami hadn't expected that the Shinigami responsible for this area would have the strength of a Seated Officer!

"No matter where you came from! It's your bad luck to encounter me today. Remember the name of the one who kills you before you die!"

After the Shikai of his Zanpakutō, the middle-aged Shinigami's aura changed immediately. With confidence, he declared with pride, "I am the Third Seat of the 10th Division of the Gotei 13! Koizumi Taro!"

With that, Koizumi Taro gripped his Zanpakutō with both hands and charged at Yu Mikami!

Clang—an instant later, Yu Mikami drew his dark red Zanpakutō to block Koizumi Taro's attack, using sheer strength to force Koizumi Taro back!

"What immense strength!"

Koizumi Taro thought with alarm, momentarily forgetting that a Hollow's strength naturally surpasses that of a Shinigami!

In a flash, Koizumi Taro charged at Yu Mikami again, employing his sword techniques with multiple slashes aimed at Yu Mikami, as fierce and relentless as a wild dog!

"Damn! I can't be stalled here for too long!"

Yu Mikami cursed internally, knowing he lacked skill in swordsmanship, and soon two new wounds appeared on his arms!

Boom—with brute force, he again forced Koizumi Taro back to create distance. Yu Mikami then pointed his sword to the sky, as a violent surge of Reiatsu erupted from his body!

"Destroy the living, rend space and time! Descend, Thunder Emperor!"

Yu Mikami's voice, full of killing intent, rang out coldly. A dark red pillar of light shot up into the sky from him, with dark crimson lightning swirling violently around it, unleashing a Reiatsu several times greater than before!

"Who on earth is this? His Reiatsu has instantly reached the level of a Lieutenant," Urahara wondered in astonishment as he hurried along, quickening his pace even more!

"Damn it! Who is it? Why are they fighting the Shinigami of this city? And why is Masaki there…"

Ichigo Kurosaki felt increasingly anxious due to the release of Yu Mikami's Zanpakutō.

"How… how is this possible…"

As he stared at Yu Mikami's Reiatsu, which had shot up to the level of a Lieutenant, Koizumi Taro shifted to a cautious state, deeply shocked by Yu Mikami's Zanpakutō release. He had never seen a Hollow undergo such a transformation!

When the towering lightning pillar dissipated, Yu Mikami's wildly powerful figure emerged. His long, pitch-black red hair reached his waist, and dark crimson lightning flickered ominously along each strand! Around Yu Mikami, bolts of dark crimson lightning of varying thickness twisted and coiled. Yu Mikami's eyes had transformed into a fierce, lightning-like glare. Just his mere appearance in this released state greatly stunned Koizumi Taro and even Kurosaki Masaki, who was still trapped by the Soul Chains from a distance!

"You… you… what kind of monster are you…"

Koizumi Taro gaped, unable to express how bizarre and unfamiliar Yu Mikami's changes seemed to him!

"For a Shinigami close to death, you don't need to know!" Yu Mikami replied coldly. This was the first time Yu Mikami had released his Zanpakutō after evolving into the Thunder Emperor as a Hollow, and he didn't realize it could look so cool! Even his outfit had transformed into something akin to a dark red Shihakusho! The outside was black, while the inside was dark red, making Yu Mikami appear even more imposing! Additionally, being able to maintain his human form after release was the happiest aspect for Yu Mikami, despite his hair now being dark crimson lightning and having a Hollow hole in his chest!

As soon as the words left his mouth, Yu Mikami's figure transformed into a dark red lightning bolt, moving without Shunpo or any Hohō. His speed was as swift as lightning, and he instantly appeared behind Koizumi Taro!

The dark crimson lightning swiftly enveloped Yu Mikami's right hand after he halted. Currently, Yu Mikami didn't know any techniques; he could only purely control the dark crimson lightning for focused, compressed attacks!

Squeak—hearing the sound of crackling electricity behind him, Koizumi Taro felt a chill run down his spine, cold sweat instantly covering his body as he focused his mind to the utmost!

Boom—Yu Mikami's right hand slammed down hard onto Koizumi Taro's Inumaru Slash. At that critical moment, Koizumi Taro pulled back his blade and turned to block Yu Mikami's attack! However, even so, Koizumi Taro was still sent flying backwards by Yu Mikami's strike, with dark crimson lightning piercing through Koizumi Taro's Inumaru Slash, entangling and intertwining around him!

"Damn it! Watch my Inumaru Slash!"

Suddenly stopping, Koizumi Taro exclaimed loudly, and his Inumaru Slash sliced through the air toward Yu Mikami. A yellow, fang-like blade shot out from Koizumi Taro's Inumaru Slash, aiming to cut down Yu Mikami!

Whoosh—Yu Mikami's figure transformed into a bolt of lightning again. He didn't want to clash head-on with Koizumi Taro's techniques; his Reiatsu was stronger, and his speed was faster. Yu Mikami could easily toy with him! In a flash, he appeared again behind Koizumi Taro!

Boom—Koizumi Taro's Inumaru Slash cut through the space where Yu Mikami had just been, crashing violently into the ground behind him and creating a wide, thirty-meter-long crack in the earth!

"Die!"

Yu Mikami smiled cruelly and swung his fist again toward Koizumi Taro, dark crimson lightning gathering once more around his hand!

"Damn..."

Seeing Yu Mikami's shamelessness in refusing to take his signature technique, Koizumi Taro cursed under his breath. Just as he was about to move, his expression suddenly froze!

"No... don't..."

Before Koizumi Taro could finish his words, he felt Yu Mikami's lightning-empowered fist crash into him. Koizumi Taro never expected that Yu Mikami's attack would carry a paralyzing effect. After striking with his Inumaru Slash, he failed to notice the danger, making it impossible for him to evade Yu Mikami's assault!

Thud—Yu Mikami's fist, surrounded by dark crimson lightning, pierced through Koizumi Taro's back and into his heart. Koizumi Taro's eyes widened in disbelief as he died, his Inumaru dropping from his hand and reverting to its Zanpakutō form!

This was Yu Mikami's first kill, and it was a Shinigami at that. He felt no aversion; perhaps his other half had already committed too much slaughter!

After discarding Koizumi Taro's lifeless body, sensing a powerful Reiatsu approaching him, Yu Mikami quickly turned around to go to Kurosaki Masaki, wrapping his arms around her slim waist and leaping into the Hueco Mundo portal!

"Mom... Mom..."

At the moment the Hueco Mundo portal closed, Ichigo suddenly awakened and saw his mother lying in a pool of blood, immediately shouting out loud!

Then Urahara and Kurosaki Isshin rushed in one after the other, stopping at a distance and staring fixedly at Kurosaki Masaki's lifeless body and Koizumi Taro's corpse!

"Masaki..."

Kurosaki Isshin let out a pained cry and rushed towards Ichigo. He couldn't accept that Kurosaki Masaki was dead like this!

Urahara, too, glanced with sorrow in his eyes, unable to bear witnessing Kurosaki Isshin's anguish. Shaking his head with a sigh, Urahara then turned to Koizumi Taro's body, squatting down to examine it!

"He's dead..."

Urahara could only sigh inwardly!…