Chapter 131 - 131: The Dark
At that moment—
high above Karakura Town.
Within the fading glow of the Cero explosion, Tōsen Kaname was rapidly closing the distance.
Bai Chen had already noticed the ambush.
And instead of retreating—
he decided to counter-kill.
In fact, he deliberately waited for Tōsen to approach.
The cloaked figure slipped silently through the explosion's smoke and rain.
The distance between them shrank.
One hundred meters.
Fifty.
Ten.
The instant Tōsen prepared to draw his Zanpakutō—
Bai Chen's Reiatsu erupted.
His wrist dropped to his waist, gripping the hilt of his blade.
A cold surge of dark spiritual power burst from his body.
"Release."
With a quiet command, the flowing darkness condensed and solidified.
No longer drifting like mist—
the power became physical darkness.
Black light poured outward, carrying an aura of death that distorted the surrounding air.
Then—
Bai Chen spoke the name.
"Darkness Barrier — Dark Travel Technique!"
The black energy exploded outward in an instant.
The remaining flashes of the explosion were blown away.
Under Bai Chen's control, the darkness spread outward in perfect symmetry, swallowing the sky above Karakura Town.
A massive barrier formed—
covering the battlefield like a giant dome.
And to provoke Tōsen even further—
Bai Chen deliberately shaped it into a familiar form.
An oval-shaped darkness sphere—
almost identical to Suzumushi's Bankai.
Tōsen's Shock
The moment the barrier expanded—
Tōsen froze mid-motion.
Even beneath the cloak, his expression changed from confusion—
to disbelief—
to outright terror.
"What… is this?!"
His voice trembled.
"The spiritual pressure…"
"The structure of this darkness barrier…"
"This is the power of Suzumushi's Bankai!"
"Bai Chen… stole it?!"
If Tōsen had functioning eyes, they would have bulged out of their sockets.
His voice shook violently.
His face twisted with rage and disbelief.
He had approached intending to release Suzumushi's Bankai and ambush Bai Chen.
But Bai Chen had used it first.
And the barrier Bai Chen created—
was far more powerful.
Ten times stronger.
Ten times larger.
Ten times more oppressive.
Even the "original" Bankai couldn't compare.
That was what pushed Tōsen into true despair.
And worse—
this was a pirated version.
Yet it was stronger than the original.
Bai Chen's Mockery
Standing at the center of the darkness, Bai Chen watched Tōsen's emotional collapse.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"Did your mentality just explode from the shock?"
"I really enjoy seeing reactions like that."
In truth, Bai Chen had imagined this moment long ago.
From the moment he first obtained Dark Travel Technique, he had planned to use it against Tōsen someday.
Whether Tōsen could Hollowfy or reach Resurrección didn't matter.
What mattered was this:
Suzumushi's Bankai was Tōsen's greatest trump card.
The technique he relied on the most.
Otherwise he wouldn't have chosen a close-range ambush.
But now—
that trump card had been stolen.
And improved.
The Trap
"Your mental collapse is only the beginning."
Bai Chen's eyes turned cold.
"Next…"
"Fight Hollow White inside the darkness."
Because Bai Chen's Dark Travel Technique had been enhanced by the system.
Anyone inside the barrier would have their five senses completely sealed.
Sight.
Sound.
Smell.
Touch.
Direction.
Everything would vanish.
It didn't matter who they were.
Anyone inside the battlefield—
even Isshin—
couldn't escape the darkness.
And now—
with Tōsen standing so close to Hollow White—
Bai Chen only needed to do one thing.
Attack White once.
Make it bleed.
Stir its killing instincts.
Inside a world where all senses were stripped away—
White's uncontrollable rage would explode.
And once that happened—
Bai Chen could calmly step back and watch the show.
Because in this darkness—
Tōsen would be completely lost.
If he fought back against White—
they would kill each other.
If he tried to avoid fighting—
White's blades would strike blindly.
And eventually—
Tōsen would be cut down by his own ally.
The Curtain Falls
Bai Chen raised his head slightly.
A cold smile appeared.
"It's about to begin…"
"The grand performance of mutual slaughter inside the darkness."
As his words ended—
the enormous darkness barrier collapsed downward like a curtain.
The sky above Karakura Town vanished.
Everyone present—
Isshin.
White.
Tōsen.
All of them were swallowed by the absolute darkness.
And in that instant—
the battlefield reversed completely.
The ambush had turned into a trap.
And the stage for Tōsen Kaname's death game had officially begun.
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