Chapter 330: Is This Baraggan?
Welcome to Hueco Mundo?
Hearing Aizen's words, Shinji Hirako froze for a moment.
Then, his heart sank.
Had the worst-case scenario he had predicted finally come to pass?
This guy Aizen had actually joined forces with Hueco Mundo!
Now, the situation had truly taken a turn for the worse.
Although he had always been wary of Aizen over the years and hadn't allowed him access to too much classified information, Aizen was very close to Satoru. As the captain of the Eleventh Division, Satoru had access to just as many secrets as he did.
Given Satoru's br—ahem.
Given Satoru's personality, he had likely been completely taken advantage of by Aizen, to the point where even the color of his underwear was no secret.
Who knew how much classified information about the Seireitei Aizen had obtained and how much of it he had sold to Las Noches.
While Shinji Hirako was rapidly processing these thoughts, Aizen had already led him to the front of a large gate.
Creak—
The massive white gate swung open, and daylight poured in.
Shinji Hirako frowned.
As he saw the scene outside, he couldn't help but widen his eyes in disbelief.
In his memory, Hueco Mundo should have been an endless night, with desolate, boundless sand dunes.
But outside the gate lay a land bathed in sunlight.
A sleek, massive white castle stood at the center.
Outside, the ground was paved with neat, hardened roads.
On either side of the roads, tall trees, shrubs, and various flowers and plants had been planted.
Anyone unaware would have mistaken it for a European garden.
On the roads, figures in white uniforms hurried back and forth.
At first glance, they could easily be mistaken for Shinigami.
But upon closer inspection, it became clear that these individuals had remnants of various masks on their faces, and the Reiatsu they emitted was unmistakably that of Hollows.
In a distant square, many humanoid Hollows in white uniforms were practicing swordsmanship under the guidance of a ram-horned Hollow.
Their synchronized movements exuded an astonishing aura.
Shinji Hirako couldn't help but wonder if he was dreaming.
What was going on... Since when had Hueco Mundo become like this?
Why were these Hollows taking on forms similar to Shinigami?
Where was the sunlight in the sky coming from?
Why did the notoriously disorganized and undisciplined Hollows possess such strong coordination?
As Shinji Hirako questioned his reality, several passing Arrancars spotted Aizen and quickly halted their steps.
"Lord Aizen!"
The two Hollows bowed their heads respectfully in unison.
"Hmm."
Aizen nodded to them. "Perfect timing... You two, push Captain Hirako and follow me."
"Yes!"
Without hesitation, the two Hollows immediately ran to the back of the tank cart and gripped the handles.
Shinji Hirako: "..."
The attitude these two Hollows showed toward Aizen was clearly not feigned.
This guy held no small status in Hueco Mundo...
Under his worried gaze, Aizen walked ahead, introducing various facilities to him along the way.
"Captain Hirako, look, this is the residential area where the Arrancars rest."
"This is the cafeteria, opened by some Arrancars who enjoy tasting delicacies."
"This is the passage to the laboratory building, which leads directly to the tower we were just in..."
Listening to Aizen's introduction, Shinji Hirako keenly caught one word.
Arrancar.
So that's it... These Hollows with broken masks are called Arrancars.
Quite a fitting name.
I wonder, how strong are these guys?
Shinji Hirako wanted to sense the strength level of these Hollows, but all his released Reiatsu was being absorbed by the tubes on his body, making it impossible.
Seeming to notice his movement, Aizen turned to look at him.
"Captain Hirako, no need to rush. Next, I'll let you see their strength."
Having his thoughts guessed by Aizen, Shinji Hirako felt somewhat annoyed.
But considering his current situation, he wisely chose to remain silent.
Leading Shinji Hirako, Aizen entered a large hall.
There were already quite a few people waiting here.
All of them were Arrancars.
Unlike the ordinary Arrancars outside, every Arrancar here gave Shinji Hirako an intense sense of danger.
Two of them, in particular, made him feel exceptionally threatened.
One was a man lazily sprawled across the conference table, looking utterly drowsy.
The other was a burly old man sitting in a large chair, playing a video game.
Instinct told Shinji Hirako that even without these tubes attached to him, even in perfect condition, he likely wouldn't stand a chance against those two.
And the others in the room weren't much weaker.
Though they didn't possess the same overwhelming pressure as those two, more than half of them were fighters whose strength was no less than his own.
When had Hueco Mundo produced so many high-level combatants?
As a captain, he had been completely unaware of this.
Didn't this mean these Hollows could launch a surprise attack on Soul Society at any time, causing catastrophic damage?
With Aizen, the defector, acting as their guide, the situation was probably truly critical!
He had to do something... How could he escape from here?
Just as Shinji Hirako was growing anxious, he suddenly saw, to his astonishment, that every Hollow in the room stood up upon seeing Sōsuke Aizen.
Even the old man playing the video game, though somewhat reluctantly, rose to his feet as well.
"Lord Aizen, as per your instructions, the Three Great Generals have all assembled!"
"The Privaron Espada, except for Ulquiorra who is on a mission in the human world and Zommari who is patrolling the desert, have all gathered as ordered!"
Tier Harribel reported to Aizen in a calm voice.
"Well done, Harribel."
Aizen nodded.
Shinji Hirako was somewhat taken aback.
These Arrancars... weren't their attitude toward Aizen a bit too respectful?
For a defector acting as a guide, was this really necessary?
Their demeanor toward him was almost like that toward a genuine leader.
Could Baraggan Louisenbairn, the King of Hueco Mundo, tolerate such a thing?
As Shinji Hirako was wheeled in, everyone turned curious eyes toward him.
A few of them even flashed provocative smiles.
One with blue hair grinned and stepped closer.
"Hey... isn't this the captain who was chasing Ulquiorra? I remember him."
"Aizen, let me fight him!"
As he spoke, his Reiatsu began to surge.
Sensing the Reiatsu emanating from Grimmjow, Shinji Hirako couldn't help but feel startled.
So strong!
This guy was even more powerful than he had initially estimated!
Could it be that this guy was the strongest in Hueco Mundo, second only to those two earlier?!
"Grimmjow, you are too insolent."
Tier Harribel's expression turned icy as she spoke sternly.
"Lord Aizen is Lord Mikami's close friend. How dare you address him so informally?"
"Apologize to Lord Aizen."
"Hah? Woman, what foolishness are you spouting?"
Grimmjow raised an eyebrow.
"I pledge loyalty to Lord Mikami, not Aizen. Why should I use an honorific for him?!"
Looking at Grimmjow, Tier Harribel's expression grew even colder.
"I said, apologize."
BOOM!!!
The moment her words fell, a terrifying Reiatsu enveloped the entire room.
Even through the container, Shinji Hirako could clearly feel how horrifyingly powerful that dense, almost tangible Reiatsu was.
This woman named Tier Harribel was actually stronger than Grimmjow!
What in the world was going on with Hueco Mundo?!
"Hmph."
A cold snort suddenly rang out.
Along with it came an unstoppable wave of Reiatsu.
Harribel's Reiatsu was instantly dispersed, vanishing into the air.
The burly old man set down his game console.
"Harribel, how could you display such disgraceful behavior in front of an outsider?!"
Harribel was momentarily stunned.
Only then did she remember that Shinji Hirako was also present.
As someone who always considered herself the executor of Satoru's will, she couldn't help but show a look of shame.
The old man turned his gaze to Grimmjow.
"Kitten, will you admit your mistake yourself, or shall I help you?"
Grimmjow frowned.
He wasn't one to shy away from trouble. Under normal circumstances, even if Baraggan spoke up, he would dare to resist.
But considering his reckless behavior today and the real possibility of being punished by Satoru afterward, he clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Sorry, Lord Aizen."
He gave a perfunctory bow toward Aizen.
Then, looking to the side:
"Harribel, Baraggan, I'm only doing this for Lord Mikami's sake. Don't think either of you are anything special!"
"Hmph."
Baraggan sneered and sat back down to play his game.
If Harribel had said that, he might have been angered, even to the point of taking action.
But Grimmjow... merely one of the Espada. Before him, he was just a little kitten. Getting angry at him wasn't worth his status.
Harribel completely ignored this childish provocation meant to save face.
Grimmjow couldn't help but grit his teeth.
Meanwhile, inside the container, Shinji Hirako's mind was in turmoil.
What had Grimmjow just called that old man?
Baraggan?!
That old man was the King of Hueco Mundo, Baraggan?!
After a brief shock, he realized it made sense.
The overwhelmingly dense Reiatsu, the superior kingly aura, and the large chair behind him that resembled a throne, different from everyone else's...
Everything proved this guy was extraordinary.
So that's it... Baraggan had also completed his "Arrancar" transformation.
It was said that Baraggan had been the King of Hueco Mundo since ancient times.
Countless Shinigami had died by his hand. Rumor had it even Captain-Commander Yamamoto couldn't defeat him in his youth.
Such a legendary existence actually bowed to Aizen?
No... not to Aizen.
Judging from Harribel and Grimmjow's words earlier, the reason these people were so respectful to Aizen was because of Satoru...
Suddenly, a terrifying thought occurred to Shinji Hirako.
Could it be that Aizen hadn't surrendered to Hueco Mundo, but rather...
"Just as you've guessed, Captain Hirako."
Aizen's voice suddenly spoke up.
"Hueco Mundo is completely under mine and Satoru's control."
"Even Baraggan, who once left the Seireitei helpless, is now merely Satoru's subordinate."
Hearing Aizen's words, Baraggan frowned but said nothing.
He just pressed the buttons on his game console with more force.
Inside the container, Shinji Hirako's eyes widened.
"How is that possible?!"
Never mind that the Soul Society had existed for millions of years—the Gotei 13 alone had been established for over a thousand years.
The Gotei 13, with Yamamoto, Unohana, and so many other captains, hadn't been able to conquer Hueco Mundo. How could these two accomplish it?
Aizen slightly raised his head, the smile fading from his face.
"Incompetent individuals, upon seeing others accomplish what they themselves cannot, often resort to 'impossible' as self-comfort to preserve their dignity."
"However, reality does not change simply because someone closes their eyes."
"Captain Hirako, the current reality is precisely this."
"Hueco Mundo is already within our grasp."
"Half of the Gotei 13 has aligned with Mikami's faction."
"Four of the Five Noble Clans support Satoru."
"Even your most trusted and relied-upon Zero Division has at least two members standing on Satoru's side..."
"Do you think you can overturn all this with your meager strength alone?"
"You are indeed more perceptive than most to detect my anomalies. Unfortunately, in the end, you're merely someone trying to swim against the tide, unable to see the bigger picture."
"I could even release you right now, let you return and report everything you've witnessed to Captain-Commander Yamamoto and Hyōsube Ichibe'e."
"But do you think that would accomplish anything?"
"Setting aside how much the Captain-Commander dotes on this disciple, or what interests the Zero Division shares with Satoru... even if these two were to oppose Satoru as you wish, do you think that would change anything?"
"The era demands change, and now is the moment to pull the trigger."
"When you understand this, your perspective will no longer be limited to those pitiful power struggles within the Seireitei."
As he listened to Aizen's words, Shinji Hirako's pupils kept trembling violently.
He couldn't help but exclaim:
"You... no, both of you, what exactly are you trying to do?"
"Merely to change this world, that's all."
"Bastard, how can you say that so lightly?!"
Shinji Hirako erupted in fury.
"You know how many sacrifices this will cause?!"
Upon hearing this, Aizen revealed a smile.
"Sacrifices?"
"Since you brought it up, let me ask you, Captain Hirako."
"Without Satoru, how many sacrifices would there have been during the rebel uprising?"
"Without Satoru, how many sacrifices would the Quincy have brought upon Seireitei?"
"Without Satoru, how many sacrifices would occur when hell descends?"
"Taking a step back... how many innocent sacrifices has the current noble system created?"
"You've never considered any of this."
"Not because you're foolish, but because you're already a beneficiary of this shameful system."
"As a captain, you complacently enjoy the respect of your squad members and the provisions from Rukongai's commoners."
"With all your needs satisfied, you long ago turned a blind eye to the blood hidden behind it all."
"This is the choice made by you, and countless other clever people like you."
"Satoru isn't as clever as you—he can't pretend not to see these things."
"And this is where you can never surpass him."
Aizen took out a crystal-like gem emitting a faint glow and walked toward Shinji Hirako.
As the latter stared in astonishment, he curled his lips.
"It's alright, Captain Hirako."
"Though your vision has been limited by yourself to a narrow framework, I can help you break free."
Saying this, he slowly extended the gem forward.