The wave of Hōgyoku's fusion struck the barrier.
It rippled outward.
This barrier had been arranged by Yuta to prevent others from noticing the disturbance, but people inside the room could still sense it.
Rukia Kuchiki rushed in with clear panic on her face.
"What happened?" she asked.
"It's nothing, now fuse with the Hōgyoku," Yuta replied calmly.
"…???"
Rukia stared at him in shock.
What? Fusion with the Hōgyoku?
"This is it," Yuta said as he glanced at her.
In his palm lay two purple-black crystalline spheres, each no larger than a fingernail. Their surfaces shimmered faintly, creating an illusion of stars drifting across a galaxy.
Just by looking at them, Rukia felt an immense spiritual pressure radiating out.
That was the Hōgyoku!
Rukia was absolutely certain.
Yuta lifted one and said, "This one is for you."
"What about you?" Rukia asked, blinking in surprise.
"Don't I still have the other one?"
"This gift is far too precious," she answered hesitantly.
At his subtle signal, Rangiku Matsumoto stepped behind Rukia, slipped her arms through Rukia's sides, and lifted her effortlessly.
Rukia was so slight that Rangiku easily picked her up despite her struggles. She kicked and waved her arms frantically like an overturned turtle, but her resistance was useless.
"What? Rangiku, you've actually reached captain-class spiritual pressure?" Rukia exclaimed in shock when she felt the immense energy radiating from Rangiku. Until now, she had only felt spirit energy of this scale from actual captains.
Rangiku smiled and said, "Rukia, you'll belong to Yuta anyway. What's wrong with accepting the Hōgyoku?"
Rukia's face flushed pink, and even the tip of her nose reddened. "You… don't speak nonsense."
Yuta pressed the Hōgyoku against her as she struggled pointlessly in Rangiku's grip.
"No… don't!"
She could not resist any further as the fusion began.
Because of her lower spiritual strength, the Hōgyoku raised her power dramatically during the fusion. Within moments, her reiatsu surged to the third level, placing her firmly at captain-class, the same as Rangiku.
Once she reached that level, the Hōgyoku ceased its active function and settled within her body, dormant but ready for future use. Its glow dimmed slightly as it went still, but compared to its vast energy reserves, that faint loss meant nothing.
Rukia quickly sensed her newfound strength, gazing at her hands with wonder as the surge of reiatsu flowed through her body. "Is this the Hōgyoku? It's incredible."
Yuta already understood the Hōgyoku's various abilities, since he had crafted them himself.
[You successfully analyzed the Hōgyoku and realized the ability "Immortality".]
Yuta understood the power clearly: true resurrection and undying existence. As long as a single reishi remained, he could regenerate completely, returning stronger each time.
Even like Aizen Sōsuke after fusing with the Hōgyoku, whose body regenerated even after Gin Ichimaru pierced his chest, his strength growing after recovery.
[You successfully analyzed the Hōgyoku and understood the ability "Manifestation of Fantasy".]
Anything that existed within imagination could become reality.
It was, in essence, a device that granted wishes-a limitless ability.
The combination of those two abilities alone told Yuta just how terrifying his potential had become.
Unlike others, his imagination was not bound to the ordinary limits of Shinigami knowledge. As someone with memories from another world, he knew of countless powerful concepts and weapons that no one in Soul Society could even conceive.
Two-way foils, sealing techniques, and legendary divine weapons-all of them could be recreated through the Hōgyoku when fueled by imagination.
With such options, the research of the 12th Division became practically irrelevant. Even without them, his single existence was enough to rival their contributions entirely. That was why Yuta had told them to rest, to work normally instead of exhausting themselves pointlessly.
Now that he had entered possession of the Hōgyoku's full capabilities, he still had the second one left in his hand. He had not yet decided who he would give it to, so he chose to keep it for now.
His thoughts drifted briefly. Could he manifest a Spirit King through imagination? Could he create one endlessly, then dismantle it to produce Hōgyoku after Hōgyoku? A perpetual cycle of creation?
It was an idea worth testing someday.
Later that afternoon, a meeting was convened.
"Since Aizen Sōsuke's target is Karakura Town in the World of the Living, I have decided to send several captains and lieutenants to garrison there. This will ensure we are not caught unprepared," Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni announced.
"Captains and lieutenants who deploy must carry 'limiters' to restrict their reiatsu, preventing catastrophic spiritual pressure from overwhelming the Living World," he added firmly.
Discussion broke out among the assembled captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13.
Rukia Kuchiki and Rangiku Matsumoto stood at Yuta's side, as they had since merging with the Hōgyoku.
When the request for deployment was raised, Yuta immediately volunteered. Rangiku followed his lead, pulling Rukia along with her. Though hesitant at first, Rukia ultimately chose not to return when Rangiku released her hand.
Rangiku stifled a laugh at Rukia's decision.
Seeing Yuta's name alongside Hitsugaya Tōshirō's among the volunteers, Yamamoto coughed before addressing him directly.
"Yuta… are you going to the Living World as well?"
"Why? Am I not allowed?" Yuta asked with a steady gaze.
Yamamoto opened his eyes wider than usual, studying him carefully. "And what of the 12th Division? You still have responsibilities there. There is much research left undone."
Yuta gestured toward Nemu standing nearby. "She can manage the 12th Division. I have already instructed her on everything."
He added, "When I return, I expect to see that network communication has been properly developed."
Nemu, expression unwavering, bowed her head slightly. "I will not fail Master Yuta's trust. I will complete the task."
Meanwhile, Renji Abarai and Ikkaku Madarame initially declined to volunteer, intending to watch over Byakuya Kuchiki and Kenpachi Zaraki while they recovered from their injuries.
Both recovering captains, however, dismissed them harshly, saying they required no caretakers. Obeying their captains' orders, the two lieutenants signed up for deployment to the Living World as well.
The fact remained clear: those captains still carried the injuries dealt by Yuta, and had not yet fully recovered.
PS GOALS: 150 PS= 5-10 extra chapter on an update.
💕💕
READ 45+ ADVANCED CHAPTER AT MY P@TREON! FOR ONLY 10$
at [email protected] /Zaneninjacat
💕💕
💀💀 gimme powerstones!💀💀