Naruto: Copy System#735+736: Copying Yamamoto's Power, A Sea of Gillians

"Become a vice-captain or a captain?"

Shin considered it. He wasn't exactly thrilled by the idea, but it was a solid opportunity. He figured he might as well compete for a position.

"In about three days, we'll be departing for Hueco Mundo. You should prepare," Retsu Unohana informed him.

Shin nodded. The prospect of visiting Hueco Mundo genuinely interested him.

By now, Shin had a solid grasp on the powers of a Soul Reaper, though his Zanpakutō had yet to achieve Shikai.

But Shin suspected his Zanpakutō might never achieve Shikai, and honestly, he wasn't bothered. He could always just copy someone else's. Besides, he still had plenty of Replication Cards.

Shin had exchanged all his Common and Advanced Replication Cards for Divine ones. He now had five Divine Replication Cards, which meant he could copy five Zanpakutō.

And it wasn't just about copying the swords themselves—he could replicate the wielder's entire power set.

"When we head to Hueco Mundo, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto will be there, won't he?" Shin asked Unohana.

Unohana paused for a moment at his question, then nodded.

"Yes, Captain-Commander Yamamoto will be there."

Shin nodded knowingly. This was his chance to copy Yamamoto's power—to replicate everything he had.

Yamamoto's strength was at its absolute peak right now. In fact, by the time the main story began, the old man wasn't as strong as he was in this era. It wasn't because age had weakened him—he already looked like an old man. It was because extended periods without a real fight would cause even his strength to regress. Like a boat sailing against the current, if you don't advance, you fall back.

"You're not planning something, are you?" Unohana's expression turned serious as she watched him.

Yamamoto was not someone to be trifled with. She herself had been defeated by him in the past, and he hadn't even used his Bankai.

His Bankai—Zanka no Tachi—was incredibly powerful, but its sheer power was also its greatest drawback. Once activated, even if he stood perfectly still, it would cause the very matter of the Soul Society to evaporate and could ultimately destroy the world.

The Zanpakutō Shin wanted to copy most were Ryūjin Jakka and Kyōka Suigetsu. Both were completely overpowered.

Aizen was still hiding in some corner of the world, so for now, the only one he could copy was Ryūjin Jakka.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to fight Yamamoto. And even if I did, I wouldn't lose."

Shin said to the concerned Unohana.

Hearing his words, Unohana relaxed slightly. Based on her understanding of Shin, even if he faced the Captain-Commander, he wouldn't necessarily lose. At the very least, he could escape unharmed.

After spending some time in the 4th Division, Shin left and returned to the 2nd Division.

There, Kiyotaka Shihōin also spoke to him about the expedition to Hueco Mundo.

Shin looked at Kiyotaka and shook his head slightly. Unohana had suggested he covertly eliminate Kiyotaka and take over as the captain of the 2nd Division. But Shin wasn't that ruthless. His relationship with Kiyotaka was decent enough—he decided against it.

"Shin, you're coming on the expedition to Hueco Mundo. It's extremely dangerous, and I won't be able to protect you, so you must be careful," Kiyotaka Shihōin advised Shin.

The 2nd Division hadn't seen a true genius in a long time, so Kiyotaka had high hopes for Shin. He had even taught Shin the fundamentals of Shunpo (Flash Steps) and the Shihōin Clan's Utsusemi (Cicada Shell).

The four pillars of Soul Reaper combat were Zanjutsu (swordsmanship), Hohō (footwork), Hakuda (hand-to-hand combat), and Kidō (spells).

The Shihōin Clan were the undisputed masters of Shunpo, and his pointers were genuinely useful.

Of course, Shin wasn't particularly interested in Shunpo. It was no different from the Rokushiki's Soru or the Shunshin no Jutsu from the Naruto world—they were all just movement techniques. For someone like Shin, who could freely manipulate space, they were of little use.

As for Utsusemi, it was basically a high-speed Substitution Jutsu, leaving behind clothing or another object at the last second to evade an attack. A decent trick, but nothing special.

Shin paid no mind to Kiyotaka’s offer of protection. He certainly didn't need it.

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Three days passed in the blink of an eye. The search for the intruder who had broken into the Great Spirit Book Gallery was still ongoing. Since Shin was the culprit, they were never going to catch him.

Today was the day of departure for Hueco Mundo, and Shin finally laid eyes on Yamamoto.

"System, copy Yamamoto's power."

[Consuming one Divine Replication Card. Power of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto replication complete.]

In an instant, Shin obtained all of Yamamoto's power. Besides the Zanpakutō Ryūjin Jakka, he also gained Yamamoto's Hakuda, Reiatsu, Kidō, and even his centuries of honed combat techniques.

The strength Yamamoto had spent countless years developing was replicated by Shin in a single moment.

However, Shin noticed something unique about the copied Ryūjin Jakka. For him, it felt more like an inherent ability. He hadn't received the physical Zanpakutō, but its powers had become his own. This meant he could use Ryūjin Jakka and its Bankai, Zanka no Tachi, without even needing a sword, relying solely on his own body.

He could even use his own Asauchi (blank Zanpakutō) to perform the Shikai and unleash its power.

Gripping the Asauchi in his hand, Shin noticed a slight change—faint red patterns had appeared on the blade.

He then listened to Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's speech.

Yamamoto gave a few words of encouragement, didn't drag it on, and then opened the Garganta to Hueco Mundo.

All thirteen squads of the Gotei 13, including the 1st Division, would be heading to Hueco Mundo. However, Yamamoto would not be going. He needed to remain in the Soul Society.

The 1st Division would be led by its Vice-Captain, Chōjirō Sasakibe, on this expedition.

Two thousand years ago, Chōjirō Sasakibe had become Yamamoto's right-hand man. Though only a vice-captain, his strength was immense. Even some of the other squad captains might not be able to guarantee a victory against him.

"Hueco Mundo... I wonder if I'll run into a Vasto Lorde."

The only beings Shin considered a real challenge were the Vasto Lorde, whose power surpassed that of a captain. He just didn't know if he'd be lucky enough to encounter one. After all, Vasto Lorde were a rarity even in Hueco Mundo—finding one wasn't easy.

"I'd rather we don't. Shin, you probably don't know how strong a Vasto Lorde is. A Hollow that terrifying can only be handled by the Captain-Commander himself."

Kiyotaka Shihōin said to Shin, hearing his words. If they really did encounter a Vasto Lorde, it would be a complete disaster.

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After passing through the Garganta, Shin finally arrived in Hueco Mundo. He had seen the Soul Society and the World of the Living—this was his first time in the realm of Hollows.

The first thing Shin felt upon arriving was a sense of desolation. No wonder Hollows were so aggressive. Living in a place like this would drive anyone insane.

Hueco Mundo was a complete wasteland, a desert-like expanse with a few withered trees scattered about.

The area they had arrived in was devoid of Hollows. It had been scouted and cleared by Soul Reapers beforehand. Any Hollows that might have been here had already been eliminated.

"Be careful in Hueco Mundo. You never know if a Hollow is hiding underground," Kiyotaka Shihōin reminded Shin.

Some Hollows were incredibly cunning and would ambush from below. Kiyotaka had learned that lesson the hard way in the past.

Shin nodded, accepting Kiyotaka's advice.

"We'll rest for now. Tomorrow, we'll use this as our base of operations and begin clearing out the surrounding Menos Grande," Vice-Captain Chōjirō Sasakibe announced.

Although he was a vice-captain, he was the leader of this expedition to Hueco Mundo, and no one questioned his authority. Chōjirō Sasakibe was more than qualified. He remained a vice-captain not because his strength was limited to that level, but because he never wanted to leave the 1st Division, wishing to forever follow Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.

They spent a day resting in Hueco Mundo, acclimating to the environment. They also noticed that the concentration of Spirit Particles in the air was even denser than in the Seireitei. Though the environment was harsh, Hueco Mundo was an excellent place for training.

The next day, all squads except for the 4th Division, the medical corps, along with the Soul Reaper forces already stationed here, chose a direction and began to exterminate Hollows.

'Regular Soul Reaper students would be completely useless here,' Shin observed.

Most of the Hollows in Hueco Mundo were Menos Grande. Gillians, the lowest class of Menos Grande, were cannon fodder here, but an average third seat would struggle against one. A particularly strong Gillian could even defeat a vice-captain, and they always moved in groups.

"Besides the Menos Grande, there are also ordinary Hollows. The students can handle those. It's a form of training," Kiyotaka Shihōin explained to Shin.

"Everyone, spread out. Scout for any nearby Hollows."

Kiyotaka held a device and addressed the others. This device was specifically designed to find Hollows, as their Reiatsu was different from a Soul Reaper's. It was something created by the 12th Division, the Department of Research and Development.

Shin released his Observation Haki, also scouting for any potential Hollows in the vicinity.

However, Shin wasn't looking for ordinary Hollows or even Gillians. He was searching for Adjuchas or Vasto Lordes.

If he copied a Hollow's power, wouldn't he then possess the powers of both a Hollow and a Soul Reaper?

Though it was taboo in the Seireitei, Shin wasn't a pure Soul Reaper. He was still human. He didn't care what kind of power it was. As long as it was useful, he would take it. He didn't believe Hollow powers were inherently evil.

Power itself has no morality—it all depends on how you use it.

"They're here. Everyone, be on guard."

Just then, Kiyotaka shouted.

A group of wandering Hollows appeared in the distance. They weren't Menos Grande, but a mix of powerful standard Hollows and giant ones.

Seeing these Hollows, the members of the 2nd Division drew their Zanpakutō and charged. Since there were no Menos Grande, Kiyotaka didn't make a move.

"Captain, I think we need to be careful," Shin suddenly warned Kiyotaka.

"Hmm?"

Kiyotaka, who had been observing the battle, was startled. He immediately took out the instrument, and his face suddenly changed.

"Damn it."

On the detector, countless deep-red dots appeared right beneath their position.

The more powerful the Hollow's Reiatsu, the redder the dot on the detector. Deep red could only mean one thing—Menos Grande.

"They were hiding underground. We were careless."

Seeing at least thirty deep-red dots, Kiyotaka's heart pounded. Even a captain would have to retreat from such a large group of Menos Grande.

Why hadn't they detected them before?

There was no time to think about that. The most important thing now was how to deal with these Menos Grande.

"FALL BACK, QUICKLY!"

Kiyotaka shouted to the squad members, but it was too late. They couldn't run fast enough. In an instant, the Menos Grande burst from the ground, their terrifying spiritual pressure causing some of the squad members' legs to give out.

"Bakudō #81. Dankū!"

Kiyotaka cast the binding spell without an incantation. A massive defensive wall materialized, blocking the Gillians' Ceros.

As a captain, casting an 81st-level binding spell was fairly easy for him. The transparent wall was said to be able to completely defend against any destructive spell up to number 89, and its defense was extremely strong. The Gillians' Ceros struck it but failed to break through.

"Shin, you take them and leave. Uehara, you're with me. We'll deal with these Gillians."

Kiyotaka began to give orders. Sending ordinary squad members against Gillians was a death sentence, and Kiyotaka didn't want them to die in vain.

"Then you two be careful, Captain."

Shin said to them, then led the other squad members away without offering to stay and help.

Even if Shin had wanted to stay, Kiyotaka would never have agreed. He didn't know Shin's true strength and would have seen it as a suicide mission.

Besides, as formidable as these Gillians were, as long as Shin got the other squad members to safety, Kiyotaka wouldn't need to fight. He could simply retreat. These squad members were a liability—unable to help and only slowing them down.

Shin led the Soul Reapers back to their base. The members of the 4th Division all looked over.

The members of the 2nd Division were a bit embarrassed. They had just set out, and they were already running back with their tails between their legs.

"What happened?" Unohana asked Shin.

"We ran into a few dozen Gillians, so we came back," Shin explained, not hiding anything from Unohana. In fact, he had to tell her. Chōjirō Sasakibe had given orders that if they encountered a large group of Menos Grande, they were not to engage and were to immediately notify the other squads to fight them together.

"Send a message to the other squads immediately. I'm going to provide support."

Unohana said to the Soul Reaper in charge of communications, then drew her Zanpakutō and walked out.

Shin, of course, followed Unohana. Whether Kiyotaka could handle thirty-something Gillians was still an unknown.