Before one wave had even settled, the next one rose.
Just as everyone thought the situation had calmed down, dozens of crimson eyes appeared once more in the deep sea around them.
A school of Sea Kings!
Their bone-chilling roars rose one after another. Perhaps the scent of blood in the deep sea had driven them into a frenzy, because every one of them radiated violent, savage energy.
What was even more alarming was the way those berserk Sea Kings stared at the Soul Society with bloodshot red eyes. Their gigantic bodies packed the surrounding waters so tightly that the view had become unbearable.
"Damn it, where did all these things crawl out from?!" Tiger's expression shifted. In his memory, Sea King swarms of this scale were extremely rare.
Could something have gone wrong in the deep sea?
"More of them? Dozens at once? Surely they weren't all drawn here by the smell of blood alone." Gin Ichimaru swept his gaze across the surroundings, though his vision was almost completely blocked by the enormous bodies of the Sea Kings.
"Ren Kuro… what do we do?" Yachiru shrank behind Ren Kuro's back and asked in a small voice.
"Don't worry. These things aren't a threat to us." Ren Kuro rubbed her cheek gently to reassure her.
But soon after, his expression turned thoughtful.
"This is too much. If it were only the scent of blood, there wouldn't be this many." His eyes narrowed. Every Sea King here was giving off the same berserk aura. The whole scene felt deeply unnatural.
He could already smell conspiracy behind it.
"These damn beasts just keep coming. How irritating." Kenpachi snorted and was about to do the same thing again when Hitsugaya suddenly spoke first.
"Captain Kenpachi, I won't deny that crushing them with Reiatsu is effective. But if the deep sea erupts again, it could draw in even more Sea Kings. Leave this to me."
Hitsugaya drew his Zanpakutō, his voice cold and steady.
Kenpachi clicked his tongue and stepped back. "Do as you like."
Hitsugaya nodded and raised his blade in front of him.
"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyorinmaru!"
The instant the release command fell, Hitsugaya's aura surged. Vast Reiatsu churned within him, and a freezing storm of cold swept outward in all directions.
The chill spread wildly with his spiritual pressure.
In the blink of an eye, the seawater around the Soul Society froze solid—along with the bodies of the rampaging Sea Kings.
"Out at sea, Hyorinmaru really is perfect for the job." Ren Kuro nodded in satisfaction. It was no exaggeration to say that the strongest ice-type Zanpakutō was the natural nemesis of all sea creatures.
"Guncho Tsurara!"
Hitsugaya swung Hyorinmaru in a reverse arc. The Reiatsu gathering along the blade condensed into chained bursts of ice, scattering in every direction like a flock of birds.
Each icy blast that struck a Sea King's body froze it instantly from the inside out.
In moments, every last one of the raging Sea Kings had turned into frozen statues.
"So strong…" Tiger stared at the scene around them, shock flooding his eyes. If it had been any ordinary pirate crew, they would have been torn apart by the Sea Kings' fangs. But among the Shinigami Pirates, any one of them could wipe out a Sea King swarm single-handedly.
"That should take care of it. There shouldn't be any more now, right?" Ren Kuro looked around. The surrounding waters were now sealed off by layers of ice. Even if more Sea Kings wanted to rush over, breaking through that frozen barrier would be nearly impossible.
"Tiger, what do you think?" Ren Kuro was growing more convinced that something was off here.
"This definitely wasn't just a random Sea King attack." As someone born and raised on Fish-Man Island, Tiger was certain there was something more behind it.
"If I'm not mistaken… those Sea Kings must have taken some kind of drug," Byakuya said calmly. Though he had remained silent the whole time, he had been observing the Sea Kings carefully. From those bloodshot crimson eyes, he had already seen enough to suspect the truth.
"I think I know what this is." Tiger's brows drew together. "That thing should have been sealed away a long time ago."
"You mean the E.S. drug?" Ren Kuro asked at once.
Tiger nodded. "Exactly. The E.S. drug boosts speed, strength, endurance—everything. But it comes with severe side effects."
He explained in a grim tone, "It draws out that power by burning through the body's vitality. The more you take, the more lifespan you lose. The heavier the dose, the shorter the life."
"So it's a forbidden drug." Ren Kuro's expression turned serious. "No wonder they went berserk."
"A banned stimulant, huh? If Mayuri Kurotsuchi ever got his hands on that stuff, he'd be thrilled," Gin remarked with malicious amusement.
"Don't bring up that lunatic." Ren Kuro's heart twitched at the thought. "That mad scientist can even create things like Superhuman Potion. There's basically nothing too insane for him."
If Mayuri ever got summoned, there was no question he would become every pirate's nightmare.
Because unlike the others—
he would torment people in the cruelest way imaginable.
"Back to the point." Ren Kuro's gaze sharpened. "Tiger, can you figure out who leaked the E.S. drug?"
Tiger shook his head helplessly. "No. I've been away from Fish-Man Island for more than two years. I'm just as unfamiliar with what's happening there now."
"That makes things troublesome." Ren Kuro's tone grew heavier. "If someone is intentionally using the drug to stir up chaos, then Fish-Man Island could end up under constant attack from rampaging Sea Kings."
Tiger's expression hardened. "You're right. Right now, finding whoever leaked the drug is the most urgent matter."
He looked toward the distant glow of Fish-Man Island.
"Come on. I'll take you to Ryugu Palace to meet King Neptune and Queen Otohime."
Ren Kuro nodded. "Then let's move."
He guided the Soul Society toward the harbor of Fish-Man Island.
But none of them noticed that not long after the ship left, another vessel silently appeared in a nearby sector of the deep sea.
On that hidden ship stood a tall man dressed in black, watching everything without blinking.
And in his hand—
he held a special Den Den Mushi.
A red Den Den Mushi, one that could contact the Five Elders directly.
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