After Rangiku and the others left, golden light gathered here, condensing into Kyoya's form.
"What an impressive concealment barrier!"
Looking at the empty space ahead, Kyoya couldn't help but marvel.
If he hadn't been paying full attention, he wouldn't have imagined the Oin was sealed here.
Kyoya reached out and grabbed towards the front.
Without any surprise, the space ahead was empty. Even though Kyoya knew the Oin was sealed here, he couldn't touch it.
The space in the Bleach World is very peculiar.
Conceptual spaces include the Inner World for Shinigami to communicate with their Zanpakuto.
This is a private space only Shinigami who possess Zanpakuto can enter.
Additionally, souls also hide 'spaces'. Kisuke used his Zanpakuto's ability to open a space within Miyako's soul, hiding the Hogyoku inside.
Only someone like Aizen, who also has high mastery over souls, would know how to open the space within a soul to retrieve the Hogyoku.
Shadow space belongs to the Quincies' ability.
A thousand years ago, Yhwach was defeated.
But in reality, Yhwach had carved out a massive space within the Seireitei's shadow, named [Wahrwelt], allowing all Quincies to hide within it for a thousand years without the Seireitei discovering it.
Now it is the same.
The Oin is originally a treasure that controls space. The nobles of the Seireitei naturally wouldn't simply seal it here but seal it into a deeper layer of space, which doesn't coincide with the space everyone inhabits.
Confirming that his ability couldn't touch the Oin, Kyoya didn't continue testing. Instead, he began to undo the spatial seal based on the unsealing method he had secretly observed.
The essence of Kido is the control and arrangement of Reishi.
Coincidentally, Kyoya's mastery over Reishi is something no one in the entire Soul Society can match.
As long as he knows the incantation and hand seals, this barrier sealing the space containing the Oin is no different from being unguarded for Kyoya.
As Kyoya undid the barrier, the Oin reappeared before him.
Kyoya lightly reached out and grasped the Oin.
The moment he held the Oin, Kyoya felt its 'weight'.
It was an indescribable 'weight', different from the conventional meaning Kyoya knew.
Holding the Oin, Kyoya felt as if he was holding up a space.
As Kyoya channeled his Reiatsu into the Oin, he further felt that the space of the Soul Society revealed its deepest secrets before him.
It was as if he could manipulate space through the Oin.
With a thought, Kyoya took a step forward. The next moment, his body appeared a hundred meters ahead.
This wasn't achieved using Shunpo or flash ability… it was genuine teleportation, a spatial displacement caused by directly swapping his current and previous spaces.
"Excellent. With this, my final puzzle piece is complete!"
With a thought, the Oin in Kyoya's hand began to change form, eventually becoming a Zanpakuto identical to other Asauchi, which Kyoya inserted at his waist.
All supernatural powers in the Bleach World are powers of the 'soul'.
All things in the world were given 'names' by Ichibe'e, thereby possessing a 'soul' and 'power'.
Fullbringers gain their abilities by mastering the souls of things they love.
Zanpakuto are made from the souls of Hollows and Shinigami.
Even the Bount, accidentally created through experiments, gain power by mastering their [Dolls].
Previously, when Ichigo entered the Soul Society to pursue the Bount, Kyoya, because he instructed Ichigo to re-examine Hollow White Zangetsu's existence, discerned the secret of how to craft souls into Zanpakuto.
Now, based on the way Hollow White Zangetsu became Ichigo's Zanpakuto, Kyoya forged the Oin into his own Zanpakuto.
This kind of Zanpakuto, directly forged from a powerful soul, can be considered a [Strongest] series Zanpakuto. It doesn't require a Shinigami to nurture it with their Reiatsu. As long as one knows its true name, they can attempt to call it. After receiving the Zanpakuto's response, they can use its power.
The previous 'Zanpakuto' outside Hueco Mundo, Ikomikidomoe, was like this.
After being stolen by Tsunayashiro Tokinada, it was given to Ubuginu Hikone to use.
The Zanpakuto passed down through generations of the Tsunayashiro Clan, [Enrakyoten], is also like this.
Now the Oin that Kyoya forged into a Zanpakuto is naturally no exception.
Thus, it appeared that Kyoya now had two Zanpakuto at his waist.
If Kyoya's [Borsalino] is included, that makes three Zanpakuto.
In the history of the Soul Society, aside from the God of Sword, Nimaiya, no one else has been able to wield multiple Zanpakuto.
Kyoya can wield Borsalino because he obtained the Pika Pika no Mi.
Kyoya can wield the Moa Moa no Mi because he possesses the same Davy Clan's trait as Blackbeard.
Now Kyoya can wield the Oin's power because the Oin is a Zanpakuto Kyoya personally crafted.
Patting the Zanpakuto at his waist, Kyoya's figure vanished without a trace.
That Kyoya, a Shinigami without spatial abilities, could instantly cross between the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo is enough to prove the Oin lives up to its reputation as a treasure that controls space.
Life in Hueco Mundo is simple and unadorned.
With Kyoya present, the Arrancar in Hueco Mundo simply don't dare to bare their fangs at Orihime.
In fact, even those who merely look ugly and scare Orihime get blasted away by Kyoya.
For Orihime, these two weeks truly felt like a leisure trip.
In the dim basement, the two former Hogyoku had now completely fused into one under Aizen's control.
However, in the center of this Hogyoku, there were still several black cracks.
"Inoue, the next step is up to you."
After finishing his part, Aizen smiled and said to Orihime.
As for Kyoya?
Although Aizen knew Kyoya wanted to see how far he could go after fusing with the Hogyoku, under that absolute difference in strength, if possible, Aizen would treat Kyoya as transparent.
Anyway, Aizen knew Kyoya didn't mind.
"Mmm."
Orihime nodded, came before the Hogyoku, took a deep breath, and extended both hands.
"Soten Kisshun-"
"I reject!"
Hum-
A pale yellow oval light barrier appeared, enveloping the Hogyoku. Then, the black cracks within this Hogyoku disappeared at a speed visible to the naked eye.
As the Hogyoku fused, its abilities became stronger and more perfect.
For Orihime, the difficulty of restoring the Hogyoku's condition each day increased exponentially.
The damage within the current complete Hogyoku, if it were the Orihime who had just arrived in Hueco Mundo, would definitely be impossible to repair.
This was a gap in Reiatsu level.
Just like how Yhwach in the past severed Ichigo's Zanpakuto, making 'Kurosaki Ichigo's Zanpakuto being severed' a reality, rejecting Orihime's rejection.
Unless Orihime's Reiatsu could also reach Yhwach's level, could she forcefully reject the 'past' Yhwach rewrote.
But at that time, Orihime's Reiatsu was at most Lieutenant level, far inferior to Yhwach's.
Only after Tsukishima Shukuro used his Fullbring to rewrite the 'past' of Yhwach severing Ichigo's Zanpakuto could Orihime restore Ichigo's Zanpakuto.
As for why Orihime can now restore the Hogyoku's imperfections, it's naturally because during the process of restoring the Hogyoku, Orihime also grew tremendously.
The Hogyoku's ability is to absorb the 'wishes' of surrounding living beings and then materialize them.
Before coming to Hueco Mundo, the wish for 'resurrection' was implanted in Orihime's heart.
Therefore, during the process of restoring the Hogyoku, the Hogyoku naturally absorbed Orihime's 'wishes' and materialized them on Orihime.
Orihime's ability is itself a rule-based ability that trespasses into the 'domain of gods'.
What Orihime lacks is only the Reiatsu to 'reject' phenomena.
Over these two weeks, Orihime's Reiatsu grew every day.
From barely reaching Seat Officer level (10th-class Reiryoku) to now reaching the level of 4th-class Reiryoku.
One could say that Orihime's current ability is no less than her level two years later during the Thousand-Year Blood War in Kyoya's memory.
Aizen naturally saw this situation.
But as long as Orihime could help him complete the Hogyoku fusion, no matter how much her strength improved, it meant nothing to Aizen.
Aizen was confident that once he completely fused with the Hogyoku, reaching the most perfect form, no one in this world would be able to oppose him.
Including Yamamoto, including the Royal Guard, including Kyoya...
Even including Yhwach, who would seize the world two years later!
Hum-
When the last trace of cracks within the Hogyoku completely disappeared, this Hogyoku emitted a blue fluorescent glow. Around it, a black barrier also appeared.
This was Aizen's precaution.
Although half of this Hogyoku was created by Aizen, the other half was Kisuke's work.
Aizen didn't want his final achievement to fall into Kisuke's hands.
Therefore, he added a barrier to the Hogyoku that only he could break.
After the Hogyoku completed fusion, this barrier immediately activated, rejecting anyone's touch.
Aizen stepped forward, looked at the Hogyoku floating mid-air emitting blue fluorescence, reached out, pulled his clothes aside, and exposed his chest.
"Come!"
With Aizen's call, the Hogyoku seemed to understand. It flew to Aizen's chest and began embedding itself into his sternum.
Gurgle gurgle-
As the Hogyoku embedded into Aizen's chest, large veins suddenly bulged around Aizen's chest. The physical discomfort caused beads of sweat to appear on Aizen's face.
After a while, the bulging veins slowly subsided.
Letting go, Aizen's clothes returned to normal, seemingly no different from before.
"It seems you need at least half a year to completely fuse with the Hogyoku."
Kyoya examined Aizen, estimated the speed of his fusion with the Hogyoku, and said, "Is there any way I can help?"
"You think half a year is too long?"
"If it were before, half a year indeed wouldn't be long."
"But now, who knows?"
Kyoya shook his head. "The future authority of this world has already been dispersed. Everyone wants to seize the future most favorable to them."
In the Bleach World, only the Soul King can see the countless futures of this world and possesses the ability to choose which future this world advances towards.
The current future was decided by the Soul King over a million years ago.
But as Soul King's power dispersed, a second person who could discern the future appeared.
Yhwach!
A thousand years later, Yhwach set the prophecy that he would seize the world. Although the prophecy he set is also within the 'future' chosen by the Soul King, under the Soul King's non-interference, Yhwach indeed gained a share of the authority to change the future.
As for Kyoya, the 'future' he saw is merely the 'script' chosen by the Soul King. In essence, it doesn't count as obtaining the authority over the future.
However, Kyoya obtained Haki from the One Piece World and trained his Observation Haki to the level of foreseeing the future.
By spreading Observation Haki through [Light Perception], Kyoya could even achieve things like the 'butterfly effect'… snapping his fingers in Hueco Mundo causing a tsunami in the human world.
However, this ability consumes too much of Kyoya's 'mental power'.
For Kyoya, if he wanted to cause a tsunami, he could just punch directly. There's no need to expend energy calculating all the variables of the world.
As Kyoya's influence in the Bleach World grows, he has also developed a feeling.
He has entered Yhwach's field of vision.
Although Kyoya can sense Yhwach's gaze, his development of 'light' hasn't reached the level where he can observe Yhwach through 'sight'.
However, the not-yet-fully-restored Yhwach isn't really in Kyoya's eyes either.
What Kyoya is curious about is whether the Wandenreich's Sternritter brothers, Lloyd Lloyd and Royd Lloyd, can transform into his form and obtain his power and memories?
If possible, then does Yhwach already know Kyoya's 'future'?
If Yhwach already knows, what choices and countermeasures will he make?
In the future Yhwach sees, is there Kyoya?
"Seize the future most favorable to oneself?"
Aizen glanced at his chest.
For Aizen, the discomfort of fusing with the Hogyoku in his soul is his future.
He has already seized it!