Chapter 61: The Barrier Of The Soul
"Fiander, how are you doing? "
At this moment, deep within the territory that Fiander governed, inside a cave, battling against the fragmented soul, Fiander perceived Tousen Kaname's voice echoing from outside the cave.
"Yes. . . what is it? You can come in."
Fiander's frail voice reached Tousen Kaname, who could feel the intensely frigid air seeping from the cave.
To protect himself from the corrosive chill, Tousen Kaname was compelled to utilize spiritual particles to breach the barrier.
As he started to step into the cave, maneuvering through the narrow entrance, he encountered massive ice formations. (No need to fret over how he perceive this; you might think of it as Observation Haki. )
Fiander's lower half had transformed transparent, like a ghost, with his upper body maintaining its form.
The extreme cold inside the iceberg preserved his upper body, preventing it from dissolving into spirit particles.
"Fiander! ! ! ? "
The sight before Tousen Kaname genuinely startled him, as he had always seen Fiander full of life.
This sight left him momentarily frozen, unable to move.
"I. . . apologize."
"To have you witness this. . . unbearable. . . state. "
"Please refrain from saying too much, Fiander. What led to this? "
Tousen Kaname rushed forward to offer comfort.
"Urahara. . . that bastard Urahara Kisuke! ! ! "
"He embedded a peculiar soul within me when I became an Arrancar. That soul contains elements of. . . Shinigami, hollows, humans, and Quincy. "
"Currently. . . multiple energies are intertwining within me. . . my body is incapable of managing these conflicting forces. "
"The disintegration has already commenced. . . "
"However. . . the power of the Quincy allows me to absorb surrounding spirit particles for sustenance, thus. . . "
"I endure the agony of my soul being torn apart while simultaneously destroying and rebuilding my body."
Fiander's voice barely resonated, infused with ultimate fragility, igniting fury within Tousen Kaname, who had shared a hundred years of companionship alongside him.
Moreover, Fiander had always shown deference to Aizen, making Tousen Kaname view this Arrancar as family.
"Urahara Kisuke! ! Unforgivable! To do this to you . . "
Without warning, Tousen Kaname quickly retrieved the Hōgyoku encased within a transparent cube and placed it upon Fiander's chest.
"Master Aizen instructed me to deliver this to you. He mentioned that you know how to utilize it, and given the circumstances, only the Hōgyoku has the potential to save your life."
Fiander harnessed his spiritual energy to draw the Hōgyoku closer to his deteriorating form, feeling a surge of warmth fill his heart as he spoke to Tousen Kaname.
"I genuinely need this here, but what about Master Aizen? Will placing the Hōgyoku here interfere with Master Aizen's plans since it will fully mature in a month? "
"I anticipated you would ask that,"
Tousen Kaname abruptly altered his tone and stated, "When Master Aizen handed the Hōgyoku to me, he warned, if you're considering using this opportunity to claim Hōgyoku for yourself...."
"Though it's with great reluctance, I will have no choice but to eliminate you mercilessly. "
"Tge Hōgyoku will remain with you until the final battle commences. Rest assured, your subordinate Reinhard will handle your duties. "
"I will keep watch at the cave entrance! "
After his conversation with Tousen Kaname, he dispelled a barrier in the cave and awaited outside.
Once Tousen Kaname departed, Fiander gazed at the stunning, vibrant colors of the Hōgyoku glowing brightly and couldn't help but smile wryly.
"Don't worry about me, Aizen. "
In truth, Fiander had not disclosed the whole truth to Tousen Kaname; if it weren't for the godhead hidden within his soul, Fiander would have succumbed to the body explosion and perished from the soul splitting.
This was also Urahara Kisuke's initial intention.
At this moment, an ice-blue rhombic crystal in Fiander's mind consistently emitted blue light, stabilizing his sea of consciousness.
Almost every moment, a fragment of his soul would split away, absorbed by the godhead and returned to Fiander himself.
Caught in a bizarre cycle in this state, while the process was agonizing, each iteration fortified Fiander's soul strength.
Simultaneously, it dismantled the barriers between the four forces.
It should be noted that when Fiander was previously in Shinigami form, he could neither unleash Bankai nor Hollow, reflecting a mere empty appearance without substance.
After Tousen Kaname entrusted the Hōgyoku to Fiander, the pace of soul reorganization sped up, though it remained gradual.
However, it was significantly improved compared to the repeated cycles at the outset, which had ultimately led to a stalemate.
"Hōgyoku.— What kind of entity are you? "
The brilliance of Hōgyoku caused Fiander, lost in thought, to experience the power of the world's laws deeply.
In this manner, Fiander's consciousness began to gradually succumb, his eyes fluttering shut as he descended into a profound slumber.
Simultaneously, outside the cave where Tousen Kaname was stationed, countless translucent icicles surged upward, encircling the cave.
An intricate pattern formed a unique formation that enveloped Fiander within.
At this moment, there was no trace of Reiatsu emanating from Fiander inside the formation, and even Tousen Kaname, standing closest, could not sense any unrest from Fiander.
If it weren't for the enormous formation still operating, Tousen Kaname might have even speculated that he was no longer alive.
Observing the towering icicles, Tousen Kaname remained still with his arms crossed. Suddenly, an unexpected voice emerged from behind him.
"Have you handed over Hōgyoku to him ? Captain Aizen is quite. . . charitable? "
Ichimaru Gin approached Tousen Kaname.
"Since he is Fiander, no Arrancar is deserving of Master Aizen's attention. "
Tousen Kaname responded with a logical demeanor.
"Really? This is absolutely fantastic! "
Ichimaru Gin squinted his eyes and suddenly beamed with a grin.
"You're not on guard at the Night Palace, so what brings you here? "
Tousen Kaname regarded Ichimaru Gin with caution as he spoke.
"Well, it's not by my own choice to be here. Captain Aizen wishes to see you and wants an in-person report on the details concerning Fiander."
"There's no need for you to remain here all the time, I believe Fiander can still fend for himself, let's go."
After saying this, Ichimaru Gin turned and walked away.
Observing the solitary figure of Ichimaru Gin, Tousen Kaname pondered, "What are you up to, Gin? "
Tousen Kaname, though blind, had a profound understanding of others' internal shifts, achieving a pinnacle level in perception.
He distinctly sensed that Ichimaru Gin had a fleeting urge to move, clearly directed at the Hōgyoku in Fiander's possession.
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