Bleach: The Invincible Slacker from Rukongai

The news of Uehara Shiroha slaying fifty Hollows in a single strike spread through the Soul Society like wildfire.

In the blink of an eye, his name, once only recognized by a few, became a legend.

Whether they had heard of him before or not, now everyone knew who Uehara Shiroha was.

The Seireitei was abuzz with chatter.

"Did you hear? That Uehara Shiroha is a monster!"

"Killing fifty Hollows with a single attack… Isn't that captain-level strength?"

"A captain at only twenty years old?!"

"When I was twenty, I was still playing in the mud…"

"They say Uehara's Zanpakutō is a permanent Shikai, just like Captain Zaraki's…"

"Wait… so are all permanent Shikai this terrifying?"

"The ability to freeze fifty Hollows instantly… This might be the strongest ice-type Zanpakutō in history!"

"Another monster has joined the Gotei 13!"

Meanwhile, Uehara's growing group of admirers could be heard shouting in unison:

"So handsome, Lord Uehara!"

Inside the tea room of the First Division, the usually composed Okikiba Genshirō took a sip of his tea, only to spit it out in shock—right onto Chōjirō Sasakibe's face.

For a moment, Sasakibe didn't react. His mind was still processing the battle report in his hands.

"…This…"

He blinked, still too stunned to wipe the tea from his face.

Both men stared at each other in silence before turning their attention back to the report, their expressions filled with disbelief.

"A captain-level Shinigami under thirty?"

They had seriously underestimated Uehara Shiroha. They had thought of him as merely "captain-worthy," but now it was clear—his strength was far beyond just barely reaching captain level.

In the Technology Development Division, Mayuri Kurotsuchi wasted no time acquiring battle footage of the incident.

Inside his private laboratory—cluttered with bizarre, grotesque equipment—he replayed the footage over and over, staring at the fifty frozen Hollows trapped in unyielding ice.

After several minutes of intense observation, he slammed his fist against the control panel.

"Damn it! This makes no sense!"

His voice echoed in the dimly lit lab.

"Why can't I collect the residual Zanpakutō Reiatsu?!"

His golden eyes flickered with irritation as he muttered to himself.

"Permanent Shikai… just what are these strange Zanpakutō…?"

He tapped his long, sharpened fingernails against the table, deep in thought.

"Looks like I'll have to go there personally and gather a few 'samples' for research… and perhaps… prepare some spare organs for [Sleeping No. 5]…"

A twisted grin spread across his face as he formulated his next move.

In the Sixth Division barracks, a young Kuchiki Byakuya stood before his grandfather, gripping his Senbonzakura tightly.

"Grandfather," Byakuya said, his voice firm, "I want to go to Hueco Mundo."

His grandfather studied him carefully.

"Why?"

Byakuya's fingers tightened around his Zanpakutō.

Uehara Shiroha's achievements had shaken him to his core.

He had always believed himself to be a genius, destined for greatness.

But now?

Uehara Shiroha had single-handedly rewritten the definition of genius.

His grandfather sighed.

"Byakuya, there is no doubt—you are indeed a genius," he said calmly. "If your desire to go is based on duty, then I will not stop you. However…"

He met Byakuya's gaze.

"If it is simply for competition, then there is no point."

Byakuya remained silent, his mind filled with conflicting emotions.

For the first time… he was unsure of himself.

The Expedition's Temporary Headquarters

By the time Uehara Shiroha and Ise Nanao returned to the temporary headquarters of the expeditionary army, the atmosphere had completely changed.

Before, the Shinigami soldiers had been wary of him—skeptical, even dismissive.

Now?

Their gazes were filled with shock, admiration, and respect.

The weight of his strength had silenced any lingering doubts.

This was the power of raw, undeniable strength.

Yet, despite the shift in attitude, Uehara remained completely unaffected.

He walked at his usual unhurried pace, as if strolling through a festival, utterly relaxed.

It was as if killing fifty Hollows had been nothing more than a trivial task.

That was when a booming, familiar voice greeted him.

"Our great hero has returned!"

Kyōraku Shunsui sauntered toward them, his wide-brimmed hat tilted slightly.

When his gaze landed on Ise Nanao, his smile grew even wider.

"Incredible," he mused. "You were gone for just a little while, and yet Nanao-chan has transformed from a rookie into a seasoned Shinigami."

He chuckled, clearly proud.

Then, with a dramatic flourish, he handed Uehara a small wine jar.

"The conditions here aren't great, but… I hope you'll forgive me."

Uehara took the jar, his eyes lighting up.

"Good wine!"

Without hesitation, he took a deep sip—draining it in one go.

A warm, potent sensation spread through his body as pure reishi and spiritual energy surged within him.

Even the fatigue lingering in his muscles vanished instantly.

This wasn't ordinary wine.

This was an extremely rare spiritual wine, produced in limited quantities every year.

Even among the nobles and captains, obtaining a jar was considered a luxury.

Kyōraku turned to Nanao.

"Nanao-chan, you've fought hard. You should go rest."

Nanao hesitated, then glanced at Uehara, who nodded.

With a polite bow, she left to recuperate.

Once she was gone, Kyōraku exhaled dramatically.

"Brother Shiroha, you're full of surprises… A twenty-year-old captain. I wonder if the Old Man was this strong when he was young…"

As the Commander, nothing was more reassuring than having an invincible trump card under his command.

He felt the pressure on his shoulders lighten significantly.

But before he could start rearranging battle strategies, Uehara casually put down the empty wine jar and burped.

"Brother Kyōraku," he said lazily, "I know you're thinking of adjusting plans… but I regret to inform you—I'll be moving independently from now on."

Kyōraku blinked.

"…Why?"

Before they had come here, they had agreed to advance and retreat together.

Hueco Mundo was full of dangers, but with the two of them working together, the expedition had minimal risk.

Uehara shrugged.

"Plans change," he replied. "I plan to charge into the Forest of Menos and contain the Menos-class Hollows. If we don't, our soldiers will suffer too many losses."

Kyōraku sighed dramatically, pulling out another jar of wine with a pained expression.

"Brother Shiroha… you really don't hold back."

Uehara immediately snatched the jar without hesitation.

With their strategies aligned, the war's outcome was already set in motion.

In the end, it wasn't a question of if the Shinigami would win.

It was a question of how big their victory would be.

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