After that brief commotion, Rukia had gained not only two old friends, but also the power of Hollowfication.
Still, Rukia sincerely bowed to everyone and apologized. Homura and Shizuku were her Hollow powers now, which meant that, in a sense, she herself had delayed everyone.
Seeing that Rukia was being so sensible about it, even Mayuri Kurotsuchi, who had the most complaints, did not criticize her. The group returned to the state they had been in when they had first left the Menos Forest.
They prepared to set off again. The original six-person seating was no longer quite enough, but that was not a problem. After Benihime's modifications, another seat was added to the back of the sled.
Knowing full well that he did not get along with anyone, Mayuri very consciously took the final seat at the rear.
What no one expected was that Ashido actually chose to sit with Rukia.
From Ichigo, Ashido had learned that Ichigo and Tsunayoshi, both of whom possessed Hollow powers, were humans from the World of the Living rather than traditional Shinigami.
Now that he saw Rukia accepting Hollow power as if it were the most natural thing in the world, Ashido was genuinely curious. He wanted to know what Rukia, as a traditional Shinigami, thought of Hollow power.
After learning why Ashido had approached her, Rukia asked, "Mr. Ashido, are you still uneasy about possessing Hollow power?"
Ashido gave a bitter smile and said, "Ichigo did explain it to me, but in such a short time, I truly find it difficult to accept that the Captain-Commander, who hated Hollows as if they were mortal enemies, would choose to accept Hollow power."
"Did Ichigo not explain it clearly to you?" Rukia asked strangely.
"Ichigo's ability to express himself is… somewhat abstract," Ashido said. "I only roughly understand that Soul Society will face an extremely powerful enemy in the future."
That was already the result of him refining the scattered bits and pieces Ichigo had thrown at him into something coherent.
"Ichigo, huh… Yes, that makes sense." Rukia pinched her chin and nodded in agreement.
"Hey! That sounded like an insult, and I'm not pretending I didn't hear it!" Ichigo, sitting in the front row, turned around and shouted at Rukia. The way Rukia had said it made him sound like an idiot.
Ignoring Ichigo's impotent rage, Rukia pulled out a small notebook from who knew where and began making her abstract drawings in it while explaining things to Ashido.
"Our future enemies are the Quincy. A thousand years ago…"
"To the Quincy, everything about Hollows is poison. This time, our trip to Hueco Mundo may very well include the intention of joining forces with the Hollows here."
When she finished, Rukia wiped the sweat from her forehead. Speaking and drawing at the same time was surprisingly exhausting, but fortunately, she had finally managed to explain the whole situation clearly to Ashido.
Ashido closed his eyes as he processed Rukia's information. The main reason was that Rukia's drawings were truly an eyesore and would affect his judgment. It was far more efficient to simply listen to her speak.
"I see. I never imagined that Hollow power, something despised by everyone, could one day become a pillar of battle." A red light flashed across Ashido's hand, and an antelope-like Hollow Mask appeared there.
As Ashido took out his mask, Rukia also lit up the scythe mark on the back of her hand. She repeated firmly, "It is an extremely important power."
While Rukia was explaining things to Ashido, someone at the very front kept twitching his little ears, taking in every word of their conversation.
A panther's ears were very sharp. Grimmjow was not stupidly running with his head down the whole time. He also made time to listen in and see whether those bastards behind him were plotting against him.
In case these people tried something like killing the hound after the hare was caught, Grimmjow could still look for a chance to drag one of them down with him.
As for running away? Grimmjow had given up on that. The X-BURNER Tsunayoshi had used after activating Bankai had not only shocked Homura and Shizuku; it had also shaken Grimmjow to his core.
Against that kind of terrifying long-range attack, no matter how far he ran, he would still be caught, right?
With that thought in mind, Grimmjow had not said another word ever since Rukia returned to normal. He had simply carried out his task obediently. This way, that guy named Tsunayoshi might perhaps spare his life.
As he was listening in on the conversation behind him as usual, Grimmjow unexpectedly picked up a huge piece of information. Soul Society's attitude toward Hollows had changed? Hollows were no longer the Shinigami's number one enemy? Even Shinigami had begun using Hollow power?
When Grimmjow heard that Tsunayoshi and the others had even come this time for the Arrancar among the Espada, he nearly performed a flat-ground faceplant for everyone.
If Tsunayoshi and the others had no intention of killing the Arrancar, then did his act of personally leading them to the World of the Living to offer up their heads not seem a little stupid?
No. That was not right. Grimmjow did not think he should believe in the mercy of Shinigami. How could the overwhelmingly powerful Lord Aizen possibly be willing to hand over the Espada he had spent so much effort organizing?
He definitely would not.
Right?
For the entire journey, Grimmjow's head felt somewhat muddled. Fortunately, Hueco Mundo had no real obstacles, and with his Reiatsu signature, no blind Hollow dared approach them. All he had to do was keep running straight in the direction of Las Noches.
Was the information about the Shinigami's attitude toward the Arrancar important?
To the Arrancar in Las Noches, it was extremely important. But to Lord Aizen, it did not seem quite so significant. Tsunayoshi's group was heading there precisely for this purpose, which meant Aizen would find out sooner or later.
Reporting this information held no meaning for Aizen. At the same time, Grimmjow did not dare share it with the other Arrancar. How could he prove that the Shinigami's attitude toward the Arrancar was friendly? By gambling with the lives of every Arrancar?
Grimmjow could not do that. After all his Fracción had died, there was no one left in Las Noches whom he could trust. This information was destined to remain buried in his own heart.
Their driver spent the entire journey in a daze. Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and there were no accidents like the sled overturning.
With Grimmjow leading the way, after roughly a day, Tsunayoshi and the others finally saw something different in this world of endless white desert.
It was an entirely white structure. At its center stood a massive hemispherical building, while towering cylindrical pillars surrounded and guarded the main structure.
In this unchanging scenery, there was only one isolated building. Originally, it had been the fortress of Baraggan, the former Segunda Espada. Later, Aizen had built it into an enormous and intricate labyrinthine complex.
Las Noches.
"Hey, I've already brought you to your destination. Whatever happens next has nothing to do with me!" Once they arrived near Las Noches, Grimmjow seemed to regain some confidence, and even his voice perked up.
"Yeah, that's fine. Thanks for the hard work, Grimmjow ."
Tsunayoshi calmly waved goodbye. Urahara smoothly removed the rope that had been attached to the sled.
Their reaction instead left Grimmjow stunned. Back in the Menos Forest, he had heard these two talking about going to make some kind of deal with Aizen.
But deep down, Grimmjow had not believed it at all. That all-powerful, domineering man actually needed to make a deal with these two?
Also, why could these two say Aizen's name so calmly? Ever since challenging Aizen, Grimmjow had known that Aizen was not someone he could surpass.
Just as Lord Aizen often said, he would stand above the heavens. What could Lord Aizen possibly lack?
Grimmjow did not understand, nor did he want to. He always had the feeling that Aizen and Hollows like them had never truly stood on the same side. The rank of Number Six was just right. That faint sense of distance allowed him to better preserve a Hollow's wild nature.
Since Tsunayoshi did not continue forcing him to stay, Grimmjow casually waved his hand and headed toward the interior of Las Noches. As for whether Tsunayoshi and the others lived or died, that no longer had anything to do with him. He had to prepare himself to be punished.
"Tsunayoshi, you're just letting him go? We haven't even found Aizen yet," Ichigo said in confusion.
"Our condition with Grimmjow was only that he bring us to Las Noches. He still has to survive in Hueco Mundo, so there's no need to push him too hard." Tsunayoshi smiled at Ichigo. "Besides, do you really think Aizen doesn't know we're here?"
"What?"
"When Aizen was monitoring the World of the Living, he could use surveillance Reikūchū. What makes you think he doesn't have eyes and ears in Hueco Mundo? He is a man capable of controlling the whole board."
Tsunayoshi's words made Ichigo draw his blade on the spot. He was already prepared to guard against an ambush from Aizen at any moment.
"Don't worry. From the moment he revealed his true intentions, he stopped playing petty tricks like sneak attacks. That is a man who intends to stand above the heavens. With his bearing, even if he uses Kyōka Suigetsu, he will do it right in front of you."
"Before we go in, let's greet the master of this place first."
Tsunayoshi's eyes suddenly widened. The Reiatsu of the four powers within him—Shinigami, Hollow, Quincy, and Fullbring—erupted all at once and pressed down upon Las Noches.
In that instant, every member inside Las Noches felt a tremendous pressure bearing down on them. Aside from the Espada and Aizen's group, the Fracción were all forced to bow under that terrifying Reiatsu, unable to straighten their backs.
Who was so bold as to dare challenge the strongest organization in Hueco Mundo?
Every Arrancar had the same thought. Several Espada closer to the main gate charged directly toward the source of the Reiatsu. No matter what, such an arrogant intruder deserved to be cut down.
Unlike the Arrancar, Aizen sat upon the highest throne in Las Noches. He raised his head and looked at the lone moon in the sky, an excited smile appearing on his face. The only pity was that he lacked a glass of red wine in his hand, which made him look somewhat less elegant.
"You've finally come, Sawada Tsunayoshi."
After sighing softly, Aizen turned his head toward a shadowed corner and said, "Your friend has arrived. Are you not going to welcome him?"
Sora Inoue's figure emerged from the shadows. Just as Tsunayoshi had said, Aizen had known all along that Sora Inoue was passing information to Urahara.
And Aizen had never stopped Sora Inoue. Or rather, an Arrancar with the background of an ordinary office worker like Sora Inoue was simply too useful. He always managed everything in Las Noches in perfect order, and even the relationships among the Espada were mediated by Sora Inoue.
Toward such a useful subordinate, Aizen had endless tolerance. Besides, in Aizen's eyes, the information Sora Inoue had passed along was not worth mentioning at all.
It was fine to let Kisuke Urahara and Sawada Tsunayoshi know his progress. Adding one or two bits of scenery to this lonely road was not a bad thing.
Ignoring all petty villains, openly and honorably defeating everyone who stood in his way—this was Aizen's path to ascending the supreme throne.
His royal road.
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