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The stark white bone mask shattered into fragments, dissolving into the air.
Qin Yi's face was now exposed to the four onlookers, but the man before them was utterly transformed.
First, the bizarre fusion of Shinigami and Hollow energies within him created a contradictory unity, radiating an ominous aura that simultaneously repelled and compelled approach. It was as if a mysterious force tugged at their minds and souls, drawing them inexorably closer.
Second, his pupils had shifted to a blood-red hue, burning with an eerie intensity.
Finally, his body remained encased in defensive bone armor, harder than metal yet far more flexible, a testament to his enhanced resilience.
At this moment, Qin Yi seemed to have evolved into an entirely new being. His life force had transcended its previous limitations, spirit and flesh united, justice and evil fused into a harmonious whole, elevating his very essence.
Crack!
With a single step forward, Qin Yi's blood-red eyes blazed with boundless coldness and malice.
The Zanpakutō in his hand, a fusion of three colors, radiated no light whatsoever. It seemed to devour all light into its blade, leaving only an endless aura of malice and dread.
"King... of... Hell..."
Qin Yi murmured, raising the Zanpakutō before him for closer inspection.
In his blood-red eyes, even this divine Zanpakutō seemed to glow crimson.
Qin Yi had neither transformed into a Shinigami nor a Hollow; he retained his mortal body. Yet this body was no longer the same. The power of the Shinigami had fused with his soul, while the Hollow's sinister energy had also permeated his essence, creating a precarious balance. In the end, both forces had completely unified with his dying mortal body, giving birth to this entirely new vessel, the King of Hell.
He had evolved, transcending humanity to become a god, a perfect evolution.
The Zanpakutō in Qin Yi's hand had revealed its name to him the moment he grasped it:
"Control the Netherworld, wield the Blade of the Underworld!"
This blade possessed terrifying power, its Ability inspiring dread and causing even the gods to fear it. The instant Qin Yi held the Zanpakutō, he knew it was the strongest blade in the entire Soul Society.
For it represented the origin of all Zanpakutō, the primordial blade itself!
"No Shikai, no Bankai! Because from its very creation, it exists in its fully released form!"
The Zanpakutō manifested its full power the instant it appeared in the air. Unlike other Shinigami who must cultivate step by step to unlock their radiant power, this blade needed no such training.
Crack! Shatter!
A few breaths later, the bone armor encasing Qin Yi shattered piece by piece, revealing his original form beneath.
The malevolent, demonic robe faded into crimson and black, vanishing from Qin Yi's body.
With the King of Hell state dispelled, Qin Yi reverted to his original form.
Yet, to the astonishment of the four observers, his aura remained undiminished, even the grievous wounds that had nearly claimed his life had already healed.
Now shirtless, Qin Yi stood tall and imposing, his eight-pack abs sharply defined beneath tattered pants. His blood-red eyes locked onto each person, radiating the terrifying intimidation of a savage beast that sent chills down their spines.
"Your Majesty!"
Li Yuanli swallowed hard. He realized that in every world they visited, this King of theirs always managed to shock them, accomplishing the seemingly impossible.
Having only just arrived here, Qin Yi seemed to understand this world better than Li Yuanli himself, achieving a perfect fusion of Shinigami and Hollow.
"He... he's alright now, right?" Kenpachi Zaraki asked anxiously, his right hand gripping the hilt of his Zanpakutō at his waist.
"I think... he should be fine?" Urahara Kisuke replied uncertainly, his gaze fixed on Qin Yi, unable to say for sure.
Though Qin Yi's aura had calmed, no longer as savage, malevolent, or ominous as before, it still sent chills down their spines.
"I must thank you all!"
With a single stride, Qin Yi materialized before the four.
Whoosh!
A violent gust of wind swept through the air, whipping their black hair backward and distorting their faces.
Just one step, yet the wind it generated was so ferocious.
What kind of joke is this?!
"I never expected to achieve the union of spirit and flesh here, and to fully integrate the Yin and Yang aspects of my soul," Qin Yi murmured, his blood-red eyes exerting immense pressure on the group.
Among Shinigami, some could transcend the boundaries of their race and touch the Cultivation Realm of Hollows. Conversely, at their apex, Arrancar could also connect with the Shinigami. These inherently opposing beings, like Yin and Yang, intertwined and separated, yet ultimately capable of merging.
What set Qin Yi apart was his inherent grasp of this duality from the beginning.
"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Li Yuanli asked, his voice trembling with concern.
"I'm fine. It's you who had me worried sick," Qin Yi said sternly.
"I... I was careless and got discovered!" Li Yuanli lowered his head.
"Just being alive is enough." Qin Yi reached out and patted Li Yuanli's shoulder, a smile flickering in his eyes.
This was truly a remarkable surprise. Qin Yi had believed Li Yuanli was dead, yet here he stood before him again. Li Yuanli's resurrection was practically a victory over death itself! This further solidified Qin Yi's determination to completely dominate this world.
In the Shinigami Realm, death wasn't the end. Souls could transform into Shinigami or Hollows, continuing to exist in different forms. Even if neither transformation was possible, they could still become souls in the Soul Society, awaiting reincarnation.
This perfect system was truly miraculous, awe-inspiring, and deeply coveted by Qin Yi.
"Mm!" Li Yuanli nodded emphatically, hearing Qin Yi's warm words. Remembering how His Majesty had nearly died for him, tears welled up in his eyes once more.
The immense gratitude and overwhelming emotion were beyond words.
Urahara Kisuke, observing Qin Yi closely from the side, spoke up, his voice tinged with suspicion.
"Your Majesty?"
"Did you experience anything unusual just now?"
Every Hollow Mask, forged to shatter the boundary between Shinigami and Hollow, forces its wearer to confront the darkness within their heart, to stare directly into the wild, instinct-driven Hollow self. The peril they face surpasses even the dangers Shinigami encounter when battling Hollows.
One wrong step could lead to their minds being seized by evil, their sanity lost, and their transformation into beasts driven solely by slaughter and combat.
"Unusual encounter?"
Qin Yi's blood-red eyes locked onto Urahara Kisuke, sending a chill down the latter's spine.
"Are you referring to the other me?"
Urahara Kisuke's pupils constricted, his tension mounting.
"I saw the King of Hell!"
Qin Yi's crimson eyes blazed with light, his voice icy and merciless.
"King of Hell!!"
Urahara Kisuke gasped, his eyes fixed intently on Qin Yi as he murmured in disbelief, "I never imagined... I never imagined your King's Aura would become so dense that it could touch the Cultivation Realm of the King of Hell!"
To be precise, the King of Hell didn't actually exist. It was merely a simple concept he had once conceived.
When Shinigami and Hollows reach their respective limits and merge into one, the world will give birth to a King who controls life and death, shattering all barriers and boundaries!
He is the shared King of the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and all living beings!
The King of Hell!
(End of Chapter)