Trader In The World Of Pirates!!!

"It's a Hollow! And it's an Adjuchas!!!" 

The accompanying instructors, who had been slower to react, finally noticed the anomaly. Their expressions shifted dramatically. 

Hollows are the greatest enemies of Shinigami. 

When humans die, their souls often remain as 'Pluses', lingering in the human world. However, if they linger too long or harbor strong resentment due to a life of sin, they risk being corrupted by the malevolent influence of the afterlife, transforming into Hollows—monstrous beings marked by their bone masks. 

Newly formed Hollows are generally weak but retain some degree of human intelligence. 

Some Hollows migrate to Hueco Mundo, while others remain in the human world, growing stronger by consuming other Hollows. 

Although staying in the living world offers a quicker path to power, such Hollows are often eliminated swiftly by Shinigami. 

Meanwhile, Hollows that venture into Hueco Mundo continue to grow stronger by preying on their own kind. However, consuming too many of their own results in the loss of intelligence, transforming them into mindless 'Gillian'—the first stage of Menos Grande, driven only by their instincts to kill and devour. 

If a Gillian evolves further by devouring others of its kind, it becomes an 'Adjuchas', a higher-tier Hollow. 

And now, it was such an Adjuchas that stood before the students of the Shin'ō Academy. 

Adjuchas possess exceptional cunning and can command Gillians. Under normal circumstances, only a captain-level Shinigami is capable of defeating one. 

"Why is an Adjuchas here!?" 

The accompanying instructors were visibly panicked. 

With their abilities, they could easily handle lesser Hollows, but against an Adjuchas, they were nothing more than fodder. 

Fortunately, there was a captain-level presence among them. 

"Captain Aizen!" 

One of the instructors called out urgently. 

It was obvious that they were no match for the Adjuchas, but that didn't matter. 

They had Captain Aizen! 

"Leave this to me," Aizen said reassuringly. 

Without further ado, he drew his Zanpakutō, which transformed into a mist-like shroud, and positioned himself in front of the group. 

His solemn expression exuded confidence and valor, inspiring admiration. 

Surely, after this, many of the students would change their ambitions, opting to join Aizen's Fifth Division upon graduation. 

However… 

In the face of Aizen's resolute stance, the Adjuchas floating mid-air sneered mockingly. 

"Heh heh heh heh… Shinigami, do you really think I'd ambush you alone?" 

"Come out, my underlings!" 

"Kill to your heart's content!" 

BOOM! 

A thunderous wave of spiritual pressure erupted in the sky. 

The oppressive force instantly overwhelmed the students, forcing them to their knees on the spirit-infused ground, drenched in cold sweat. 

The next moment, a massive black void opened in the clear sky. 

From this black hole emanated an eerie and chilling presence, as though a monstrous horror lay in wait. 

Then came the guttural roar of a beast from within the void. 

"What… what is happening!?" 

Among the students, Renji, Kira, and a few others—stronger than most—struggled to raise their heads and peer at the black hole above. 

What they saw filled them with sheer terror. 

Emerging from the black hole, one after another, were towering figures nearly a hundred meters tall. 

Clad in black forms resembling witches' robes, their bony faces featured grotesque, sharp noses. 

These unmistakable beings were none other than Gillians, the first stage of Menos Grande! 

In mere moments, five Gillians had emerged, standing behind the Adjuchas and radiating an ominous, cursed aura. 

"Damn it! Five more Menos Grandes?!" 

Rukia, trained by the esteemed Kuchiki family and possessing a broader perspective than most, felt a chill run through her entire body. 

It was said that the strength of a Gillian, the lowest class of Menos Grande, was roughly equivalent to that of a third-seat officer in the Gotei 13. 

The power of an Adjuchas, however, varied widely. Some were no stronger than a vice captain, while others could rival even captain-class Shinigami. 

Although Rukia couldn't gauge the exact strength of the Adjuchas before her, she couldn't help recalling rumors in the Seireitei that Captain Aizen's abilities were mediocre. 

Her unease deepened as she looked at the five towering Gillians opposing Aizen. She instinctively gripped her Zanpakutō. 

At this moment, she was the only student able to move freely under the oppressive spiritual pressure radiating from the Menos Grandes. 

As she hesitated, unsure of what to do, Captain Aizen, standing at the forefront, appeared visibly distressed. 

He roared, his voice filled with urgency, "This is too much! I'll hold them off as best I can. Teachers, get the students out of here immediately! Contact the Seireitei for reinforcements!" 

"Captain Aizen, please be careful!" 

The four accompanying teachers, understanding the severity of the situation, wasted no time. They used their spiritual energy to create a foothold and began guiding the students down toward the ground below. 

"Heh heh heh… Do you think you can just leave?" 

High above, the green Adjuchas let out a sinister laugh. It waved its hand and commanded the Gillians behind it: 

"Go! Capture them all! I haven't savored the taste of Shinigami in far too long!" 

A grotesque, saliva-dripping tongue slithered out from the Adjuchas' skeletal mask. 

In response, the five Gillians immediately moved, their massive forms stirring powerful gusts of wind as they pursued the fleeing students like mountains toppling in their wake. 

But just then, Aizen stepped forward, his Zanpakutō gleaming as he held it aloft. Determination burned in his eyes. 

"How dare you… prey on those innocent children who haven't even fully experienced life!" 

"Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu!" 

'Shhh…' 

As Aizen's voice echoed, a surge of mist-like water erupted from his blade, spreading outward like a roaring river. 

The watery tendrils transformed into long, sinuous whips, weaving through the air and aiming to bind the Menos Grandes from all sides. 

It seemed as though Aizen's attack would succeed… 

Until a scarlet claw tore through the water whip, shattering its hold. 

"Heh heh heh… Shinigami, did you really think you could forget about me?" 

'Boom!' 

A crimson light surged from within the Adjuchas' hollow mask, releasing an overwhelming wave of bloody spiritual pressure that engulfed the sky. 

Two of the Gillians broke free from the binding mist and resumed their pursuit of the students below. 

"No!" 

Aizen's face contorted with regret and panic as he turned, trying to stop the rampaging Gillians. 

But the Adjuchas struck again, forcing Aizen to defend himself. 

Left with no other choice, he shouted, "Protect the students!" 

Aizen then engaged the Adjuchas and three of the Gillians, his water-based Zanpakutō clashing fiercely with their monstrous attacks. 

The sky above Karakura Town was like a battleground for the apocalypse. Crimson Cero blasts collided with roaring torrents of water, creating explosions that resounded like thunder. 

Meanwhile, on the ground below… 

"Damn it! Two Menos Grandes are coming after us!" 

The teachers and students had just landed when the pursuing Gillians descended upon them. The teachers immediately recognized the danger. 

"What do we do? There are so many students here!" 

"We have no choice. We must hold them off until reinforcements arrive." 

"Have we sent an emergency signal to the Seireitei?" 

"Yes, the message has been sent!" 

"Good. Then we'll hold these two Menos Grandes at bay for as long as we can. Seireitei's support will arrive soon!" 

The four teachers quickly reached a decision after a brief exchange. 

Without hesitation, they drew their Zanpakutō, chanted their incantations, and launched themselves toward the two Menos Grandes hovering in the air. 

Though their strength fell short of matching the two Hollows, they could at least delay them for some time. 

The teachers held firm in their belief that Seireitei's reinforcements would arrive soon. Their trust in Seireitei's swift response was unwavering, as it was one of the main reasons powerful Hollows typically avoided causing trouble in the human world or the Soul Society. 

However... 

what these four teachers did not know was that Seireitei itself was in chaos at that very moment. 

---

Meanwhile, in the Soul Society 

At the Technology Development Bureau of the 12th Division, chaos reigned. 

Alarming sirens blared across the division's headquarters as Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi sat slumped in his chair, beads of sweat dripping from his forehead. His expression was grim. 

Behind him, several captains had gathered, their gazes sharp and impatient. 

In truth, the moment the Adjuchas had appeared in the living world, Seireitei's monitoring system had detected the anomaly. 

However, when Captain Gin Ichimaru of the 3rd Division, along with his squad, prepared to deploy as reinforcements, they made a shocking discovery—the passageway between Soul Society and the living world had been destroyed! 

The news sent shockwaves throughout Seireitei, and an air of conspiracy quickly thickened. 

An urgent order was issued to the 12th Division: repair the passage as quickly as possible. 

But Mayuri Kurotsuchi was not Kisuke Urahara. 

While his expertise leaned heavily toward biological research, resolving the technical malfunction of the passage proved beyond his immediate capability. 

Although the passage itself was unusable, the monitoring system remained fully functional. As a result, everything happening in the living world was being broadcast live on the massive screen within the 12th Division's control room. 

This was why several other captains had convened. 

At this moment, the screen displayed Aizen engaging in combat with the Adjuchas and three Gillians. 

Among those gathered, only Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen—who were privy to the full truth—remained composed. The others were visibly tense. 

Aizen, having risen from vice captain to captain after the defection of his predecessor, Shinji Hirako, had served as captain of the 5th Division for less than fifty years. 

To most of them, Aizen was synonymous with mediocrity. 

One Adjuchas alone was already concerning, but the addition of three Gillians made the situation dire. 

Many captains present feared Aizen might lose his life battling the Hollows. 

"Captain Kurotsuchi, isn't it ready yet?!" 

Tōshirō Hitsugaya, known for his icy Zanpakutō but fiery impatience, demanded. 

"Almost... almost..." 

Under the intense scrutiny of the gathered captains, Mayuri dared not slack off. His hands moved at an inhuman speed, frantically adjusting and operating various instruments. 

But despite his best efforts, the root cause of the passage's malfunction eluded him. 

This only added to his mounting frustration. 

As precious time slipped away, the situation grew ever more dire. 

---

Back in Karakura Town 

On the battlefield, the four teachers were beginning to sense that something was amiss. 

Under normal circumstances, Seireitei's reinforcements would have arrived within a quarter of an hour. 

Yet now, nearly half an hour had passed, and there was still no sign of any Shinigami. 

Their battle with the Menos Grandes dragged on, and a growing unease settled over the teachers. 

"Could it be that… something's happened in Seireitei?" 

The unsettling thought crept into the hearts of the teachers like a cold mist. 

Just then— 

A Gillian seized the moment, unleashing a Cero directly at one of the disoriented teachers. 

"Ahhhh!!!" 

A piercing scream echoed above the heads of the students below. 

When the Cero dissipated, a charred body plummeted from the sky, its condition uncertain—alive or dead. 

"Mizutani!!!" 

"Teacher Mizutani!!!" 

The other three teachers, along with the students below, cried out in alarm. 

As Mizutani's lifeless body fell, panic overtook the remaining teachers' faces. 

After an extended battle, their spiritual energy was nearly drained, leaving them struggling to maintain their defense. 

Mizutani was only the first to fall, but he wouldn't be the last. 

What deepened their despair was the knowledge of who stood behind them—nearly a hundred students from the Shin'ō Spirit Academy. 

Among these students were Rukia, Renji, and others who were regarded as "the most promising group" to ever attend the academy. 

But now, should the teachers fall, these unarmed students—many of whom had yet to wield a Zanpakutō—would become nothing more than a feast for the Menos Grande. 

"No matter what happens… we must ensure these students scatter and escape!" 

"Whether they can survive until Seireitei's rescue will depend on their fate!" 

A teacher, gripping his Zanpakutō tightly, spoke through a bitter smile, his gaze shifting toward the others. 

Though despair flickered in the eyes of the other two teachers, they exchanged a solemn nod of agreement. 

One of them raised his voice, shouting toward the students below: 

"Listen to me, all of you!" 

"Scatter immediately! Run as far as you can, leave markers, and wait for Seireitei's rescue!" 

"No matter what happens—no matter what you see here—do not stop!" 

"Now go!!! RUN!!!" 

The teacher's desperate cry rang out with the last vestiges of his strength. 

Dodging a Hollow's attack, he clenched his blade and charged back toward the Gillian with a determined swing. 

Below, nearly a hundred students stood frozen in silence. 

Their eyes shimmered with fear, but after a moment, one of them bit their lip, tears streaming down their face, and began to run. 

It wasn't an act of cowardice—they all understood that staying behind would do nothing to change the outcome. 

After all, they had only been at the Shin'ō Spirit Academy for three months. Many couldn't even perform basic Kidō(Demon Arts), let alone face the Menos Grandes. Staying would only mean waiting for death. 

As the first student fled, the others quickly followed, dispersing in all directions. 

Among them, one student, known as Linlin the Sixth, was among the swiftest. 

Using her heightened spiritual awareness, she detected hidden presences across Karakura Town. 

The allure of such a peculiar world filled her with curiosity and ambition. 

Now, with the group scattered, she found herself free from prying eyes. 

It was the perfect opportunity to leave her own mark on this realm—a hidden trump card for the future.

Meanwhile, elsewhere— 

"Rukia, we have to run!" 

Renji and Kira, preparing to escape, noticed Rukia standing frozen at the front of the group. 

They rushed to her, with Renji grabbing her arm in an attempt to pull her along. 

His face was tense, his voice filled with urgency. 

What had started as a simple training exercise—a day that felt like a spring outing—had devolved into a nightmare. 

Now, all Renji wanted was to take Rukia and escape this chaos.

They had survived the harshness of Rukongai; there was no way he would let them perish in such a senseless way. 

However— 

Despite Renji's urging, Rukia remained still. She even broke free from his grasp, her gaze fixed on the sky. 

Her dim eyes watched as the three teachers continued to fend off the relentless Gillians, using their bodies to buy precious time for the students to flee. 

Slowly, Rukia raised a trembling hand to her chest, feeling the pounding of her heart. 

She spoke softly, her voice heavy with newfound clarity: 

"Renji, I think…" 

"I think I finally understand what it means to be truly enlightened…"