The White Incident has been resolved without incident.
I breathe a sigh of relief that the problem troubling me for so long has finally been settled, and I head to the creepily sterile research facility to thank my subordinates who helped me.
"Thank you very much, Szayelaporro. Further observation is necessary, but I believe it was a success."
"That's wonderful, Commander. My research on new powers is also progressing smoothly, so I look forward to receiving your commands once again."
"How exciting! You're coming back! I can't wait!"
The smiles of an intelligent young man and a cute young woman cross paths. It's a very picturesque scene, but the meaning behind their words is truly sinister. Also, please keep the details of that particular research to yourself; as a woman, I don't want to hear about it.
"By the way, regarding Miss Loly, would it be acceptable to continue sending her to Captain Tosen's laboratory? Her abilities have been very helpful."
"If that's what you wish, anytime. I was planning to dispose of her anyway."
"Oh, I see..."
The casual way he treats his capable subordinate might be a sign of his confidence in his new abilities. Poor Loly.
This discussion about Loly Aivirrne concerns borrowing the power of her "Anti-Hierro Thread" for our research facility. There are various interesting applications we can explore with it, so she's been hired as a research fellow at our lab.
The spiritual power transfer device we implanted into Ichigo's father's artificial body as part of the White Plan is also an application of the "Anti-Hierro Thread," designed to connect Ichigo's mother's artificial body with the device, allowing for more efficient transfer of his father's power. Since his father was originally a stronger Soul Reaper than White, his spiritual power wasn't an issue from the start. I was just a temporary solution until Urahara could create a better device. Szayelaporro referred to it as a "toy made in a day," but apparently most of that time was spent on black-boxing the design, so the principle itself is likely quite simple. I don't know the details.
"By the way, I hear that Nnoitra is making some unsettling moves. Do you know anything about that, Szayelaporro?"
I asked him out of the blue, without any context. After a moment's pause, Szayelaporro replied.
"...Yes. It seems he's on bad terms with Nelliel and is trying to eliminate her. However, that beast is bowing down to His Majesty's authority, so there's no need to worry."
Oh, that's already been discussed. So he's weighing my trust against Nnoitra's position, and ultimately his own standing as one of the Espada, and chose to trust me. Or maybe he said "don't worry" to leave his options open either way.
Damn. Nelliel is a good girl, but this is for the sake of the original story...
"It's fine if you eliminate Nelliel."
"...Hmm. I heard she was your most loyal subject?"
"The Espada are judged by strength alone. Whether it's a duel or an ambush, a weakling who makes a mistake doesn't deserve such a position."
I'll lay the groundwork to have Nel meet Ichigo. Or rather, are you all really being so considerate of me? If that's the case, just follow the original story, please.
There's no helping it. I'll have to make a slight course correction.
"Besides, the Espada are a military unit organized as Captain Aizen's forces. Nelliel, who has sworn loyalty to me instead of Captain Aizen, is... well, an inappropriate candidate..."
"...I see. A true vassal indeed, my lord. I have been mistaken."
Shut up with your sarcasm, or I'll break your glasses. "True vassal" is so cliché. I'm sorry, Nelliel, but it's all that supreme deity's fault...
At least as an apology, please be careful with this.
"Please don't kill her under any circumstances."
"I have received your mercy, my lord."
I forced a smile at Szayelaporro, who was bowing grandly to his patron, and left his laboratory.
As I walked under the clear sky, I thought about the future developments.
The superficial changes that will occur from this White Plan are actually not that many.
That Hollow soul has several modifications, one of which is the "Fang Seal." It's a grand-sounding name, but it's basically a lock and key mechanism that has been prepared in advance to make it easier to seal the power from the outside later on.
The inheritance of spiritual abilities is a fairly common phenomenon. For example, in Nanao's family, there is a curse of female dominance and male weakness, along with the Zanpakuto that causes it, which are two factors, one innate and one acquired.
I used this as a reference and worked with the intellectuals in my faction to create a seal resembling a key, which I then embedded into White's soul. Once Ichigo is born and possesses the innate keyhole, I will insert the key I created later, completing the seal.
This is where I utilized that power.
This keyhole and key are made from a single soul, a fragment of the Soul King split into two. When the two pieces are combined, they regenerate as the original fragment of the Soul King. If that fragment is extracted from Ichigo's soul, the seal is released. Therefore, Ichigo will only be able to use White's true power after the power of Fullbring is extracted from him, that is, after the Thousand-Year Blood War arc.
Therefore, in the arc involving Yhwach that I am involved in, Ichigo's state should not differ significantly from the original. The frequency of his struggles with the inner Hollow may increase slightly, but in exchange, he can draw more power, raising his overall power level. There will be no major changes to the story, and above all, as a reader, shouldn't we welcome the fact that the protagonist of a stylish manga becomes even more stylish?
...Well, there's no need to hide it, so I'll just say it: I'm a fan of the stylish power battles.
And I'm also the kind of reader who wants to raise an objection to the overpowered battles of the Quincy group who run rampant in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc. I see, Chocolate Ingles.
While I was sulking about that, Yhwach, who was supposed to trigger the events leading to the protagonist's birth, went and skipped it. If I end up having to do it instead... there's only one thing to do, right?
That's why I decided to throw a wrench into the Thousand-Year Blood War, where they're all showing off, with a "White Enhancement."
If I somehow survive even after Yhwach's defeat, I want to try a free-spirited reincarnation life where I hide in Hueco Mundo or the human world and never think about recreating the original story. When the Wandenreich advances, I'll take all the Arrancar with me and evacuate somewhere (strategic retreat).
A perfect life plan that leaves some enjoyment for the rest of my life, a model for reincarnated beings?
Anyway, the continuation of Ichigo's seal will begin after he's born.
Until then, I'll finish the remaining preparations needed for the original story and "Hinamori!"
***
Nothingness.
In the eternal darkness, life was born.
Seven dark fallen children. A pack of black beasts devouring each other, fighting endlessly.
Among them, there was one called "White."
Without teeth, tongue, or even a mouth, this "White" floated alone in the deep darkness, where the six fallen children had perished and rotted away.
Nothingness.
Suddenly, a ray of light pierced the two eyes of "White."
The end of darkness. An unknown guide. Seeking something there, "White" crawled up through the darkness.
What it reached was white.
An endless white desert floated at the bottom of the unchanging darkness.
But the tips of its fingers were covered in bone-like shell, and neither heat nor cold, nor the fine white sand that trickled through its fingers, held any meaning for the "white" being.
The only thing it saw through its two eyes was the world around it.
Yet there is no beauty, no emotion, no reason to be found there, and the "white" continues to walk endlessly across the endless white land.
Occasionally, beasts appear. They have mouths, noses, and can touch the sand, the air, blood, flesh, bones, themselves, something. The "white" sweeps them aside each time and asks them.
"With those things you possess that I do not..."
There is no answer. The beasts have no words, and even those who understand words can only scream meaningless strings of sounds befitting beasts. Meaningless, worthless, hollow existences.
That was all that existed in this world.
Nothingness.
At the edge of the white expanse, "White" sees a deep, white forest that even the darkness of the sky cannot obscure.
All around, a world of white, the same as itself.
There is no black to separate heaven and earth, no beasts, no sand, no wind to stir the air, only a hollow land.
In that forest, the closest thing to nothingness in this world, "White" lies down.
As the scenery melts away, sounds fade, and the flow of time, its own name, and even its self-awareness disappear, it sleeps in the eternal white, a fallen child of darkness.
As everything is dyed white, the "white" that lets go of everything, there, for the first time, remembers the happiness of life.
***
Pachiri.
A sound.
The 'white' dissolving into nothingness opens its eyes.
The sound of "pachiri, pachiri" grows closer. The end of nothingness echoes through the quartz forest.
And in the endless white world, it saw "black," which had once been the eternal darkness.
"I finally found you."
A person.
Not a tree, not sand, not an animal. A single "black" who gives meaning to words, finds meaning in what they touch, and sees a world invisible to "white."
Who are you?
'White' asks.
"Who are you?"
'Black' asks.
Nothingness.
"White" answers.
"It is a pleasure."
'Black' answers.
"There are many landscapes in the world. If you cannot find meaning in what you can see, then find it in what you cannot see."
I do not believe in what I cannot see.
"You can believe in it. Because hope, despair, happiness, and unhappiness, all of those things are part of the world that cannot be seen. It is the proof of humanity that only humans possess, the proof that makes humans human: the heart."
"The heart..."
'White' recalls those words in his mind. There is nothing that cannot be seen. It does not exist in this world, in one's own life. It is an empty fantasy that cannot be believed.
"Then let me teach you something else."
"What?"
"White" looks at 'Black' sitting in front of him. A human being with a mouth, a tongue, a nose, skin, and the ability to find meaning in this empty world. A human being who possesses everything that "White," who has only eyes, lacks.
"I will give you a mouth. I will give you teeth, a tongue, a nose, and skin. I will show you many worlds you do not know. This world is not a garden of black and white, but overflowing with countless happiness and unhappiness. The world is far wider than what you see before your eyes. Let us see, touch, taste, smell, and feel all of it. Until the moment you realize where your heart truly lies."
"White" opens its eyes wide. It opens up its entire world.
'Black' is smiling. A shadowless face filled with joy. It is the first smile "White" has ever seen.
"My name is Hinamori Momo. I am your guide to expand your world. May I ask your name?"
A white hand is extended before him. This white is entirely different from the white desert, it is the living skin of a human being. With his own hands, covered in claws and shell, he touches it. It does not flinch, does not bear a single scratch, and gently returns the grip.
What exists in this world? Is this "human," not a beast, showing me what the Soul Reaper has to offer?
Not nothingness, but this world...
Ulquiorra Cifer.
Thus, Hinamori Momo, after forty years of searching, found the last person, the future, and surrendered to Aizen Sosuke's army.
***
10 Advanced Chapters Available on my Patreon!
https://patreon.com/Well_being