Yoriichi Tsugikuni arrived at the Twelfth Division in a hurry.
As soon as he entered, he saw Kisuke Urahara holding a brand-new Hōgyoku, his expression filled with irrepressible joy.
It was brand-new, of course, because this Hōgyoku was different from the ones Yoriichi had seen before.
It had neither the noticeable cracks on the Hōgyoku that Aizen possessed, nor the faint, dark luster subtly emanating from Kisuke Urahara's original Hōgyoku.
After the fusion of their powers, the effect was even more pronounced, even its color deepened slightly.
Seeing Yoriichi appear, Kisuke Urahara immediately stepped forward, a smile on his face, and said,
"Yoriichi, you're here, come and see this complete version of the Hōgyoku."
"After those two Hōgyoku merged into one, all the visible flaws have been eliminated."
"We've even reduced the probability of Hollowfication going out of control to below 5%."
"To put it without exaggeration, this is the final product."
"As long as one's will is strong enough, it's almost impossible for it to go out of control."
This was undoubtedly good news.
One must know, in the past, if the Hōgyoku went out of control, Yoriichi Tsugikuni himself had to be present to control it; otherwise, a Shinigami would only face death.
Even someone as strong as Zaraki Kenpachi nearly died from his own Hollow during the Hollowfication process, let alone others.
And now…
5%?
This number made Yoriichi ponder for a moment.
Snapping back to reality, he asked, "Has it merely reduced the probability of losing control?"
"Kisuke, what about the effect level? What would happen if Shinigami who successfully Hollowfied before use this one again?"
Kisuke Urahara answered without hesitation:
"The effect level depends on what the user's own wish is."
"I said before that the Hōgyoku's power is to grant others' wishes, not merely to break the Shinigami's limits."
"That is to say, if the user has an overpowered wish, then using this Hōgyoku will have the same effect as using the previous Hōgyoku."
"Like Zaraki Kenpachi, his wish was to become stronger, so he encountered a version of himself that had mastered Shikai and Hollowfication."
"But he wasn't an opponent, so his wish became to defeat the other party, thereby seizing their power."
"This is the influence of willpower; if his willpower isn't strong enough, the wish cannot be realized."
After Kisuke Urahara explained it this way, Yoriichi understood.
No wonder the final Zaraki Kenpachi succeeded in Hollowfication; it turned out that at that time, the Hōgyoku's wish-granting effect had already begun to show its potential.
Kisuke Urahara continued:
"As for what effect it will have if a Shinigami who has used the Hōgyoku uses it again, we are not yet clear on that."
"But I imagine there won't be any problems, unless they make a wish like Aizen's for immortality."
"Yoriichi, do you want to use it?"
He looked at Yoriichi Tsugikuni with genuine sincerity, as if saying, "Feel free to use it, it's okay, you deserve it…"
Yoriichi felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze, coughed twice, and replied,
"I'll pass. I don't have any wishes I want to fulfill, and besides, even if I did, the Hōgyoku probably couldn't grant them, because they wouldn't be related to me personally."
To be precise, Shi had a wish, but that wish was not out of reach.
If he used the Hōgyoku out of eagerness, who knew what unexpected things might happen.
It would be troublesome if a monster appeared.
Kisuke Urahara was a little disappointed: "I see."
However, after speaking, he remembered something else and quickly said,
"Since Yoriichi, you don't want to use it, then so be it, but what about your team members?"
"Like that Tōsen Kaname you mentioned before."
Kisuke Urahara remembered very clearly that Yoriichi had said earlier that two people under him would most likely not resist Hollowfication.
One was Zaraki Kenpachi, and the other was Tōsen Kaname.
After Zaraki Kenpachi successfully Hollowfied, Tōsen Kaname suddenly disappeared, and Yoriichi didn't mention it, so he didn't know what was going on.
Perhaps Yoriichi had forgotten.
But he hadn't forgotten.
Hearing Kisuke Urahara mention Tōsen Kaname, Yoriichi pondered for a moment.
Considering that Aizen had been imprisoned in Hell, Tōsen Kaname had no other way, even if he wanted to pledge allegiance to Aizen…
Yoriichi nodded: "We can give it a try."
...
...
Soon after, Tōsen Kaname learned the news of Aizen's death, and his eyes inexplicably lost their focus.
At first, he refused to believe it, thinking that Yoriichi Tsugikuni was bluffing him.
Because in his eyes, Aizen could not die; he knew better than anyone what trump cards Aizen possessed.
This was also the reason he held firm to his stance.
He cooperated with the Shinigami, but that didn't mean he joined the Shinigami; therefore, Tōsen Kaname concealed some information.
He believed that Aizen's plan would succeed one day, and it didn't matter if he was misunderstood, as long as he could destroy this decaying Soul Society.
But when Yoriichi presented the evidence.
Tōsen Kaname's heart immediately turned to ash.
How could you be gone?
Lord Aizen…
Tōsen Kaname suddenly felt that his decades of effort had become an empty talk.
The overwhelming sense of loss and despair made him utterly uninterested in listening to what Yoriichi Tsugikuni was saying to him.
He remained in a daze for a long time.
Until…
"Do you want to regain your sight, Kaname?"
The two words "regain sight" deeply touched Tōsen Kaname's heart, pulling him directly out of the abyss of confusion.
He subconsciously looked up, staring directly at Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Although he couldn't see him, Tōsen Kaname still moved his lips twice, somewhat incredulous for a moment:
"What?"
He felt as if he had misheard; he yearned for sight more than anyone, yet the existing technology in Soul Society simply couldn't cure it.
Because his blindness originated from his soul.
Even if his eyes were replaced.
As long as his soul remained unchanged.
Any medical treatment would be ineffective.
This was congenital.
And now…
Yoriichi Tsugikuni gazed at him, repeating his previous words in a steady and serious tone: "Do you want to regain your sight, Kaname?"
"If you do…"
Tōsen Kaname heard him clearly and interrupted:
"Why? Why help me, Captain Tsugikuni? You should know my stance."
"I know, but what of it? Was it your choice?" Yoriichi Tsugikuni looked deeply at Tōsen Kaname,
"Previously, you said that you were influenced by Aizen to want to join the Shinigami and destroy Soul Society."
"But now that Aizen is dead… Kaname, why cling to the past?"
Although what he said was correct, still…
Tōsen Kaname's heart was filled with mixed emotions, various complex feelings intertwined, leaving him somewhat at a loss for a moment.
He slowly lowered his gaze, and after a moment of silence, he said softly:
"I apologize, please allow me some time to consider. These matters are truly a great shock to me."
"It's not that I don't understand, it's just…"
"Also, Captain Tsugikuni, I have a small request…"
...
...
Half an hour later, in Soul Society, on the outskirts.
"I am very sorry, Captain Tsugikuni, I concealed some information from you."
"Even though you treated me that way before, and yet I…"
"It's alright, Kaname, everyone makes mistakes, as long as you repent in time." Yoriichi Tsugikuni interrupted,
"Aizen is dead, what are your plans for the future?"
Tōsen Kaname was silent for a moment.
He slowly turned around, his gaze resting quietly on a blank tombstone, and sighed softly:
"Don't you already know, Captain Tsugikuni? Aizen is dead, and I have nowhere else to go."
"Even if I were to be your enemy, what could I, alone, accomplish?"
"Ichimaru Gin is also your person, isn't he?"
"Otherwise, I can't understand why Aizen would fail repeatedly."
"…" Yoriichi Tsugikuni simply stood there quietly, offering no response.
But his silence was undoubtedly the best answer, and Tōsen Kaname understood completely.
At this moment, the lingering glow of the setting sun fell upon his shoulders, some of it illuminating the blank tombstone, and the surrounding flowers swayed in the wind.
In Tōsen Kaname's pale eyes, a faint, ineffable light flickered.
The evening breeze blew gently, and at this moment, the surrounding atmosphere inexplicably became somewhat heavy.
After a long while, Tōsen Kaname seemed to have finally made up his mind, and resolutely turned around, sighing:
"Let's go, Captain Tsugikuni. From now on, I am your man. I hope you can keep your word."
"I don't want to see tragedies like Kaede's happen again, nor do I want to see scoundrels like Tsunayashiro Tokinada go unpunished…"
"Although the past cannot be changed, we can change the future through effort…"
...
...
Soon after.
Kisuke Urahara seriously asked Tōsen Kaname, "Are you ready?"
At this time, due to certain special reasons, the group had moved the Hollowfication location to the outskirts of Soul Society.
Not far away was Kaede's grave.
Komamura Sajin also rushed over after learning the news, simply because Tōsen Kaname was his close friend.
He quietly watched Tōsen Kaname, who was inside the barrier and about to Hollowfy. For some reason, his expression became exceptionally serious.
Komamura Sajin himself did not resist the idea of Hollowfication.
In his opinion, as long as it could make him stronger, as long as it could better protect Soul Society, it didn't matter if he became a monster.
He only worried about dying without value.
Tōsen Kaname keenly sensed Komamura Sajin's gaze; he knew his old friend was there.
However, having once been Aizen's subordinate, he now didn't know how to face Komamura Sajin.
He had betrayed his past beliefs, and at one point wanted to drag the whole world down, feeling inexplicably ashamed.
Taking a deep breath, Tōsen Kaname roused his spirits, gathered his scattered thoughts, and replied, "Come on, I'm ready."
...
On the other side, in a secluded dense forest, Hisagi Shuuhei and several companions were intently crouching.
Their target was a wild rabbit.
As residents of the outer districts of Rukongai, the living environment here was extremely harsh.
The surroundings were dry and waterless, with no trace of any rivers.
And for them, who possessed reishi, to survive in this difficult world, they could only obtain food through such hunting methods.
Originally, they thought this hunt would be as smooth as usual.
Just a rabbit, an easy catch.
However, things rarely go as planned.
The wild rabbit suddenly sensed a fatal danger.
Its crimson gaze locked directly onto Tōsen Kaname's location.
Immediately after, without the slightest hesitation, the animal's instinct for self-preservation burst forth.
Thump.
It took off running for its life.
The sudden movement gave Hisagi Shuuhei no time to react.
In just the blink of an eye, the wild rabbit was almost out of sight.
This sudden scene fell into Hisagi Shuuhei's eyes.
His face instantly changed, and ignoring the need to hide, he shouted loudly, "Chase!"
One must know, they had been hungry for a whole week and absolutely could not watch today's dinner disappear.
The rabbits in Soul Society were not the same as those in the Human World.
Rabbits in the Human World had very little fat content; eating them would only make one hungrier and could not satisfy the body's needs at all.
However, if a rabbit in Soul Society could eat even a tiny bit of it, the deep-seated hunger in its soul would be greatly alleviated.
Hisagi Shuuhei had no idea why this was the case.
It was like no one could understand why residents of Rukongai could sustain life by merely drinking water.
In this cruel world, for them, just being alive was enough.
Several companions heard Hisagi Shuuhei's shout and immediately followed him.
Years of hunting had made them intimately familiar with the habits of rabbits.
Using this familiarity, they quickly formed a encirclement, tightly surrounding the rabbit.
But just as they were fully convinced they were about to successfully capture their prey, an unexpected change occurred!
Rumble!
A loud bang, as if the heavens and earth were roaring in anger.
A surging reishi, like a boundless ocean, overwhelmed them with its immense pressure.
The momentum seemed to crush everything in the world beneath this endless might.
Although this reishi only existed for a brief moment, it made them feel what true "heaviness" was.
It was like a large hand clutching their throats, or a giant meteor falling from the sky, covering their heads.
Suffocating, oppressive.
Hisagi Shuuhei watched with his own eyes as several companions beside him rolled their eyes, and before they could even let out a cry, they simply fainted.
Hisagi Shuuhei himself was not spared.
It was only by virtue of his more tenacious will and his reishi, which was barely a cut above the rest, that he managed to endure this nightmarish moment.
But even so, he was dizzy and disoriented, swaying on the verge of collapse.
"What... happened?"
His heart was filled with terror and confusion.
He stumbled and turned around, ignoring the unconscious rabbit on the ground, and looked blankly in the direction from which the reishi had come.
The lingering fear, like bone-chilling ice, tightly wrapped around his heart, refusing to dissipate.
Then.
Thud.
He ultimately couldn't hold on, and the tremor from his soul caused him to fall straight to the ground.
Until he lost consciousness, his mind kept wondering if a Shinigami had appeared nearby.
This reishi was too terrifying...
...
At the same time, in a place about fifty meters away, where Hisagi Shuuhei could not see.
Affected by this powerful reishi, a Black Cavity slowly appeared.
A ravenously hungry Menos Grande stumbled out of the Black Cavity in a sorry state.
It was weak, and although a momentary surprise flickered in its heart at the change in environment, it had no strength to act.
"Damn the King of Hueco Mundo..."
It cursed silently in its heart.
Hueco Mundo was currently completely taken over by Starrk.
However, due to Starrk's laziness, the task of managing Hueco Mundo fell to Harribel and Nelliel.
Coincidentally, both of them adhered to a non-killing principle.
Therefore.
Many Menos Grande were on the verge of going berserk under their jurisdiction, but the Menos Grande had no choice.
They couldn't win, couldn't argue, and had no one backing them up...
Thus, they could only grit their teeth, suppressing their resentment, and silently endure the new rules they had set.
Although the atmosphere in Hueco Mundo had greatly improved under their governance, many Menos Grande had not adapted.
The Menos Grande believed that a fellow race member would surely appear to punish them, so that they could return to the past era of natural selection, where the fittest survived.
Unfortunately...
This was a delusion.
This was also why this Menos Grande was extremely weak.
The reishi in Hueco Mundo could only relieve their physical hunger, but not the hunger of their souls.
Having just evolved into an Adjuchas, it craved evolution and desperately needed energy replenishment.
Its eyes subconsciously scanned the surroundings, and when it saw the several souls lying on the ground, a hint of greed flashed in its eyes.
It struggled to prop up its weak body.
—Shinigami couldn't be eaten, fellow Hollows couldn't be eaten, so eating a few souls with a little reishi was a good way to satisfy its craving.
As an Adjuchas, it had fallen to such a state... This was simply too humiliating for a Hollow!
Damn King of Hueco Mundo!
...
...
"Tōsen Kaname's obsession is too deep, he even broke through the barrier."
"Fortunately, this is in the suburbs and not within Seireitei."
"Otherwise, once this reishi from a Hollow erupts, it would probably cause another considerable disturbance."
Kisuke Urahara's face was solemn.
He stared intently at Tōsen Kaname, who was within the re-stabilized barrier, his tone carrying a hint of relief.
Soon after, he looked at Yoriichi Tsugikuni and remarked, "It's a good thing you're here, Yoriichi."
"Next time, we need to be more careful not to accidentally leak these things. I wonder when Hollowfication will be accepted by most Shinigami."
"That day will come."
Yoriichi Tsugikuni stood holding his Zanpakuto and nodded gently.
As he spoke, he cast his gaze towards a certain spot, his expression slightly more serious.
"Kisuke, there shouldn't be any more surprises after this, right?"
"I sensed a Hollow's presence. I need to go and check it out."
Kisuke Urahara asked, "Do you need my help?"
Kisuke Urahara wasn't too surprised by the appearance of a Hollow; after all, a reishi burst would naturally attract Hollows.
Moreover, this was a remote area where space was extremely unstable, so the appearance of a Hollow was to be expected.
"No need, I'll be back in just two or three minutes at most."
"Hmm." Kisuke Urahara nodded. He watched Yoriichi Tsugikuni's departing back, then refocused his attention on Tōsen Kaname.
Staring at Tōsen Kaname, Kisuke Urahara's eyes showed deep contemplation.
He wondered what Tōsen Kaname would become after evolving with this new Hōgyoku...
Hopefully, it wouldn't develop in a bad direction.
Otherwise, Yoriichi's good intentions would be wasted.
Opportunities for atonement don't come around every time.
...
Near Hisagi Shuuhei, the Menos Grande slowly approached.
Its drooling eyes seemed unable to contain its inner craving.
Upon reaching the individuals, it opened its mouth wide, poised to swallow them whole.
Next second.
"Hmm?"
"Adjuchas?"
A sudden voice appeared out of nowhere, drifting down from above.
The voice was particularly abrupt in the tense atmosphere, like a sudden knock on the door in the dead of night when all was silent.
The Menos Grande was startled and instinctively looked up.
It saw a red-haired figure standing quietly on a tree trunk.
The Zanpakuto in his hand was very conspicuous.
"Shinigami!?"
Seeing this, the Menos Grande's pupils constricted, and it instinctively tried to flee.
Because one of the rules set by Harribel and Nelliel was that Shinigami must never be attacked without reason.
Although it didn't care for this rule, it still kept it in mind.
Now seeing a Shinigami, it was like a mouse meeting a cat, and an uncontrollable fear welled up in its heart.
However, then it suddenly noticed that Yoriichi Tsugikuni's presence was almost nonexistent, like those weaklings without reishi...
It paused slightly, then, forcing itself to be alert, it grinned menacingly:
"Hmph, kid, do you think you can stop me?"
"You're really overestimating..."
Just then, before it could finish speaking.
Another Black Cavity suddenly appeared behind the Menos Grande, and a solemn Gantenbainne quickly stepped out of it.
The spatial fluctuation detection machine had found traces of a fluctuation in one area, and an Adjuchas had disappeared without a trace.
As the captain of the monitoring team, he had followed the trail to investigate.
He never expected to see Yoriichi Tsugikuni as soon as he appeared.
Gantenbainne's expression changed instantly; the current scene made him immediately understand what had happened here.
Almost in an instant.
He moved like lightning, flashing to the Menos Grande's side, pressing its head down with one hand, abruptly cutting off its words.
Only half of the Menos Grande's muffled grunt, born of shock and pain, remained.
Boom!
The ground cracked, and Gantenbainne quickly said, "Greetings, Lord Tsugikuni!"
"..."
Yoriichi Tsugikuni remained silent. After a long moment, he slowly spoke:
"You don't need to address me that way, Gantenbainne. I am a Shinigami; your superior is not me."
"Yes, I understand." Gantenbainne immediately replied,
"But to me, you are like my parents who gave me a second life. It is only right to show you respect."
"Moreover, it was you who recreated the new order of Hueco Mundo, saving many Menos Grande from the torment of death."
"Even if you are not my direct superior, I should still address you this way."
Gantenbainne Mosqueda was saying these words from the bottom of his heart.
The Menos Grande, pinned to the ground with its head slammed into it, now felt dizzy and disoriented, its mind a chaotic mess.
What happened?
Why did I suddenly kneel?
Lord Tsugikuni?
Who is that?
It hurts so much!
Damn it!
It was filled with anger and confusion, desperately trying to break free from Gantenbainne's restraint.
But how could an Arrancar Menos Grande be compared to an ordinary Adjuchas?
It struggled for a long time but found that it couldn't lift its firmly held head even a little bit.
From a distance, it looked as if it were bowing in submission, a scene that made it feel incredibly humiliated.
It trembled with rage, its teeth clenched so tightly that it felt as if they would shatter.
—Hateful!
What's wrong with this Menos Grande! Why is it so respectful to a Shinigami!
Is it a spy?!
Seemingly sensing these emotions, Gantenbainne gave it a cold glance, and his hand tightened again, slightly increasing the force.
Bang.
The ground indented again, kicking up a small cloud of dust.
Composing himself, Gantenbainne lowered his gaze slightly and continued in a respectful and serious tone:
"I am truly sorry, Lord Tsugikuni."
"There are always those arrogant fools in Hueco Mundo who try to subvert the new order you created."
"I came here this time to capture these Menos Grande, to prevent them from destroying this hard-won peace."
"I hope I haven't disturbed you..."
Gantenbainne paused slightly again, his tone filled with respect and caution, as he tentatively asked:
"May I take it away?"
"Please rest assured, after this incident, I will certainly make it obedient and dare not offend you in the slightest."