"Things lately really are coming one after another, aren't they?"
In the ruined Seireitei, one underground room remained undamaged. In the dim light, Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen were gathered. This was Aizen's secret laboratory, far sturdier than the buildings easily shattered on the surface.
Aizen sat before a terminal, typing in commands. Further ahead stood a container holding a humanoid organism.
Gin stood to the side, remarking, "I didn't expect even Captain-Commander Yamamoto to find an enemy troublesome. I wonder what grudge they have against the Seireitei; this is the third wave now, right?"
Aizen let out a soft chuckle, withdrawing his hands. A slight smile remained on his lips. "They don't have a grudge against the Seireitei or the Shinigami. Each time they come, they have their own objectives. Destroying the Seireitei is merely a cover for their true purpose."
"True purpose?" Tōsen asked, confused. "What purpose?"
Aizen didn't answer, simply looking at the data on the screen as the light in his eyes grew sharper.
"A success?" Seeing Aizen's expression, Gin was surprised. "It seems this time the harvest was significant."
Since the first attack by the Five Elders, Aizen had noticed these demons. Like Kurotsuchi Mayuri, he had exerted all his effort into researching the demonized Shinigami. When Harald invaded later, though Aizen wasn't on the scene, he had recorded that data as well.
But the first and second times paled in comparison to this third one. The two demons that appeared this time were incredibly strong. Consequently, the data Aizen collected was far more useful. He had integrated this data into a Hollow he had originally envisioned. He had produced several failures so far, but this one appeared to be a success.
Gin looked at the specimen in the experimental tank. It was an entirely pitch-black "Hollow." It had a mask, a Hollow hole, demon horns on its head, and black wings on its back. He remembered that in the earliest stages, this subject was supposed to have bull horns. Now they were demon horns, plus a pair of wings.
Gin's heart sank. As a mole, he didn't want to see Aizen growing stronger, but Aizen remained too cautious; he couldn't find an opening.
Aizen said with a smile, "By fusing demon factors, the first Hollow in history converted from a demonized Shinigami has been born in our hands."
"And its name?" Tōsen asked.
"Let's call it... 'White.'"
"White... Shiro?" Gin squinted and smiled. "An all-black Hollow named White. How ironic."
"That isn't the only ironic thing." Aizen's voice grew much softer. "The Gotei 13, meant to protect the Seireitei and the Five Noble Houses, was instead protected by a member of the Five Noble Houses. Isn't that an irony?"
"You mean... Tsunayashiro Keiko?" Gin thought of that woman and clicked his tongue. "I didn't expect the Tsunayashiro family to have someone that strong."
At the mention of the Tsunayashiro family, a strong killing intent radiated from Tōsen. His dear friend Kakyo had died at their hands. It was for this reason he recognized the darkness of the Seireitei and became Aizen's most loyal subordinate.
"Don't you find it more interesting?" Aizen said nonchalantly. "A member of the Tsunayashiro family possesses factors similar to those demons."
While Keiko wasn't a demon, the Age-Age Fruit she used was a power from the One Piece world. Her ability to overdraw from the future relied on it. Through data comparison, Aizen discovered that Keiko's aura was somewhat similar to that of the Whitebeard demon when he used his vibration abilities. It wasn't that they used the same power, but a similarity in a broader category—much like how Shinigami share Reiatsu similarities, and Hollows share them among themselves.
Perhaps... to figure out who those demons really are, one must start with the Tsunayashiro family. The Seireitei had searched outward for years to no avail, never considering that the truth might be held internally.
Perhaps... a contact with Tsunayashiro Keiko is necessary.
...
Beltz was unaware that Aizen had targeted Keiko. After returning to the One Piece world, he rushed to the North Blue and finally reached the battlefield. Harald and Garp were still locked in combat. Given their strength, they could fight for three days and nights without a winner. Only half a day had passed, so they were far from finished.
Sensing no issues on Rukia's end, Beltz relaxed. He reappeared on the battlefield. When Garp saw Beltz return, he was shocked.
"There's no need to keep fighting, Garp." Beltz glanced at Harald, who understood immediately. Beltz touched him, and his body vanished back to Hueco Mundo. He then looked at Garp. "I've already gotten what I wanted. Your escort mission has failed."
Garp's face turned grim. "You bastard, how did you do it?"
"Simple. My companion kept Sengoku busy. Taking the Op-Op Fruit while he wasn't looking was child's play."
Beltz then dashed toward Sengoku and Rukia, shouting intentionally, "Thank you for the Op-Op Fruit!"
Garp jumped up in a rage to give chase. But Beltz was truly flying. No matter how fast Garp was, he couldn't catch him in the air. Garp looked burly, but he was essentially a high-agility, high-attack assassin, not a tank. His speed on land was incredible, but Beltz was a high-defense, high-agility "tank support." He flew extremely fast without needing rest and soon saw Rukia.
Rukia was now quite far from Sengoku's ship, her face showing clear exhaustion. She had listened to Beltz: don't fight Sengoku head-on, just use the flight advantage to stall, as Sengoku wouldn't likely leave the transport ship.
It seemed like a long time, but it was only the duration of half a journey for Beltz. She had gone to Sphinx via Garganta, and while Erensig was rushing back, Beltz had gone to the Seireitei to find the Ōken. Beltz's actual disappearance was only half the trip between Sphinx and the North Blue.
During that time, Sengoku and Rukia were back and forth, and Sengoku never realized the Op-Op Fruit had been taken. Rukia hadn't given him the chance to leave; though she stayed far from the ship, she was always in a position to attack. No one could have guessed Beltz had not only stolen the fruit but also visited Sphinx in that time.
Sengoku saw Beltz in the sky and a bad premonition gripped him.
Beltz looked at Rukia and said softly, "Thanks for everything. Goodbye, Rukia."
Rukia knew it was time to part. She had been with him long enough. She was a Shinigami of the Gotei 13; she couldn't stay with a Quincy forever. Even knowing this was coming, she felt a surge of sadness.
"Will we... have a chance to meet again?"
"Perhaps we will." Beltz sighed. "Rukia, actually... the positions of Quincies and Shinigami are different. I took you in the beginning for my own selfish reasons. So... don't trust me too much."
Rukia lowered her head. "If there's a chance... let's meet again."
Beltz placed his hand on Rukia's head. She closed her eyes, and in the next moment, she vanished.
Sengoku's pupils dilated. The woman had disappeared instantly? What was this? Wait—Beltz had the power to make others vanish. What about himself?
"It seems you've realized." Beltz turned back after sending Rukia away. The sadness was gone, replaced by a cold gaze toward Sengoku. "Yes, I've taken the Op-Op Fruit."
"Stand still!" Garp's roar came from behind. He charged like a meteor, his fist coated in terrifying Conqueror's Haki, carving a deep line across the sea from his speed.
Having achieved his goal, Beltz had no intention of lingering. He sneered, crossed his arms, and took Garp's punch head-on!
Boom!
The blow landed squarely on Beltz's arms, the force blasting him high into the sky.
"Goodbye, Marines! Thanks for the gift!" Beltz used the momentum to rocket into the clouds and vanished.
"That bastard!" Garp tried to give chase, but Sengoku held him back.
Sengoku's face was dark. "The Op-Op Fruit is gone."
"I know!" Garp snapped. "That kid called out Harald to stall me while he slipped away and stole it!"
"Harald...!" Sengoku was stunned. "Wasn't he dead?!"
"Who knows?" Garp was frustrated. Harald had been a good man; why had he suddenly turned against the World Government? He suspected Beltz was controlling him.
"It's not just the fruit. The plan at Sphinx failed too." Sengoku delivered more bad news.
Garp was surprised. "What? They said it was foolproof. Has Whitebeard become that strong?"
"It was foolproof until Shiki got involved. And then, for some reason, everyone on the island suddenly vanished."
"Vanished?!" Garp stared. "How can everyone just vanish?!"
"I don't know, but the report came through the Den Den Mushi." Sengoku took a deep breath, his eyes filled with worry. He felt the world was accelerating toward an abyss.
They didn't know—and even Beltz didn't know—that in the New World, while the battles in the North Blue and Sphinx were raging, Kaido had found Big Mom.
"What made you think of looking for me, brat?" Big Mom said, eating while looking at Kaido. After the Rocks Pirates disbanded, they had a "honeymoon" period before going their separate ways. Both had Conqueror's Haki; they couldn't stay together forever. But since the "betrayal" at God Valley hadn't happened in this timeline, their relationship remained decent.
"The World Government has begun to move," Kaido said. Compared to his time in the Rocks crew, Big Mom had gained weight from overeating. The beautiful pirate of the past was gone.
"So? What does their movement have to do with us?"
"They went after Whitebeard." Kaido saw she didn't get it. "After they catch him, the next target might be you, or me."
"Then let them come!" Linlin said bossily. "Do you think I'm afraid of them? Or are you the one who's scared?"
"Worororo..." Kaido laughed. "Linlin, I'm giving you a chance."
"A chance for what?"
"Become a Celestial Dragon. Then you can eat whatever you want, have whatever you want!"
Linlin's eyes widened in disbelief. Her face darkened. "Kaido! What are you saying?!"
"This is my last offer!" Kaido stood up as Linlin's aura became terrifying. "Linlin, don't blame me for ignoring our friendship of the last ten years!"
"Fine! You've actually become a dog for the Government!" Linlin screamed, her aura becoming monstrous. "I'll teach you a lesson!"