Kisuke Urahara had a sudden realization, and for a moment, even the way he looked at Yoriichi changed.
In just a few words, he seemed to understand that his previous deductions were mostly incorrect.
To this day, no one had ever fully understood the true power of Yoriichi Tsugikuni's Zanpakuto.
What he had displayed was merely the tip of the iceberg.
Hiss…
Kisuke Urahara gasped, astonished by his own thoughts.
As a researcher, he frequently made associations, as this helped keep his mind active.
But clearly, Yoriichi was unaware of these things.
He could only see Kisuke Urahara's expression and eyes gradually shift from surprise to disbelief, eventually showing a hint of being utterly defeated.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni slightly furrowed his brows, recalling his own words, and found no issues.
But why did Kisuke Urahara react this way?
The feeling he gave off was similar to Kyōraku Shunsui's change last time…
Incomprehensible.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni shook his head slightly, ultimately attributing this change to Kisuke Urahara's limited understanding of Hell.
In his view, imprisoning criminals in Hell and then pulling them out was a perfectly normal act.
After all, Hell was not a dead end; if one truly couldn't get out, then the Hell Gate wouldn't exist.
A gate implies passage.
As for the First Generation Captains of the Thirteenth Division mentioned by Kisuke Urahara, Yoriichi Tsugikuni believed they should still be alive.
After all, only a thousand years had passed since their demise.
And the stronger the reishi, the longer one could maintain self-awareness within Hell.
It was just that he had never ventured deep into Hell, so he had never seen them.
Hell was truly vast and boundless.
With their differing thoughts, Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kisuke Urahara left the Forest of Menos.
As they left, they annihilated all the Menos Grande in the vicinity.
Venturing deeper into the Forest of Menos was something to be done later.
Currently, Harribel had been found; although her lack of strength meant she could only be a backup plan, the plan was steadily progressing.
Aizen's group had lost two.
...
At the same time, deep within Las Noches.
Aizen gazed at the Hōgyoku in his hand.
Its dreamlike, star-like brilliance was clearly reflected in his eyes.
He quietly felt the powerful energy emanating from the Hōgyoku.
The corner of his mouth slowly curved upwards, forming a smile.
He stared intently at it:
"It's not perfect, but it's enough to induce Menos Grande to become Arrancar…"
"Everything is just as I expected."
"A Hollow's soul combined with a Shinigami's soul, that is the true Hōgyoku."
"It's a pity I only realized this now…"
"Of course, it's not too late now…"
"Gin."
Aizen's voice was not loud, yet it seemed to possess an invisible penetrative power.
As the last word fell, Ichimaru Gin slowly emerged from a dark corner of the hall.
He wore simple white clothes, moving silently like a ghost.
His eyes, narrowed like crescent moons, held his usual smile, making it impossible to fathom his thoughts as he asked, "Is something the matter?"
Aizen quietly looked at him.
His tone was solemn and full of authority: "Go and summon Baraggan and those Menos Grande I've branded."
"From today, I shall grant them new life."
"I shall become the true King."
...
Baraggan and the others' transformation was swiftly completed in a solemn atmosphere.
The most significant change was Baraggan.
Previously, he was merely a hollow skeleton.
But now, he had transformed into an extremely burly, majestic old man with the demeanor of a king.
His skin was slightly dark, like aged bronze.
His pale beard and eyebrows, like frost and snow, spread across nearly half of his face.
The crown of white bone sat squarely on his forehead, exuding a chilling dominance, truly possessing the grandeur of an emperor.
Unfortunately, in the face of Aizen's unfathomable aura, this majestic appearance instantly paled in comparison.
"Whoosh!"
Baraggan suddenly raised a gigantic axe and swung it a few times.
The resounding whooshing sounds were like rolling thunder, as if declaring his unparalleled power to the world.
He could clearly feel every cell in his body brimming with surging strength.
His ancient and stern voice slowly spoke:
"This is Arrancar, then."
"So that's it."
"So this is the ultimate form of a Hollow."
To be honest, if he hadn't been completely unaware of Aizen's trump cards, Baraggan would have truly wanted to take his place at this moment.
Because the thing that granted him an easy Arrancar transformation was in Aizen's hands.
As long as he seized the Hōgyoku, he would still be the King of Hueco Mundo, and Aizen would only be able to return to Soul Society like a loser.
But unfortunately, this was merely an unrealistic fantasy.
He knew full well that he was no match for Aizen, even now after becoming an Arrancar.
Moreover, Aizen had several other subordinates who were extremely loyal to him.
Baraggan was unsure if these Menos Grande had also been granted the ability to become Arrancar; he dared not gamble, as the consequences would be unimaginable if he lost.
After a moment of silent contemplation, Baraggan decided to continue enduring for now.
Because only then could he wait for Aizen to make a mistake.
It wouldn't be too late to act then.
Harboring these complex thoughts, his gaze swept over the surrounding Menos Grande one by one.
In his opinion, these Menos Grande were all weak.
After all, they had all evolved from Adjuchas, and some of them were even his former subordinates, but now they all served Aizen.
Baraggan slightly narrowed his eyes, silently assessing how many such Arrancar he could handle.
Just then, Aizen slowly spoke,
His elegant and gentle voice resonated, like a spring breeze:
"Gentlemen."
"Congratulations, you have now undergone a complete transformation…"
"In your human forms, you stand at the pinnacle of Hollows."
"Even if you were once Adjuchas, you can now exert combat power exceeding that of a Vasto Lorde."
"I name it, Resurrección form."
At these words, some of the Menos Grande exchanged bewildered glances.
Soon, they keenly noticed that they each had a sword on their person.
Slowly drawing it, they discovered it was a Zanpakuto…
A clamor immediately erupted, as if a pot had boiled over.
"Quiet." Aizen extended his hand, signaling everyone to calm down.
Then, he had Ichimaru Gin explain the Resurrección form.
In essence, it meant sealing the Hollow's original abilities within the sword.
Once the sword was drawn, they could return to their original Hollow form, and their power would also increase even further.
Also known as "Sword Release."
Baraggan looked at the axe in his hand, a hint of confusion rising in his heart.
Then, he had a sudden realization.
Because he could clearly sense the power he once possessed within the axe.
That ability called "aging" was actually a highly corrosive reishi.
It was by virtue of this ability that he had become the King of Hueco Mundo even before becoming an Arrancar.
No Hollow, no Shinigami, no substance could withstand the erosion of aging.
Everything that came into contact with this ability would decay and dissipate under the erosion of time.
If not for Aizen's overwhelmingly powerful reishi, he should have continued to control Hueco Mundo for thousands upon thousands of years.
Alas, due to Aizen's appearance, all of that had turned into an ephemeral dream.
Now, with his power further enhanced, Baraggan's ambition grew even stronger.
He tightly gripped his axe, his rough palm rubbing against the axe's texture.
Just as he was envisioning the future, a Hollow rushed through the door, its urgent footsteps breaking the brief silence.
The Hollow ran to Aizen and reported a piece of news to him.
Aizen's expression subtly changed; although it was only a slight shift, that momentary gravity clearly indicated it was not good news.
Baraggan thought to himself.
Then, he saw Aizen clench his fist and cough twice, the faint cough sounding exceptionally clear in the silent space.
He gestured: "Companions, two intruders have appeared in Hueco Mundo…"
"It can be confirmed that Ulquiorra Cifer, and Yammy Llargo, both these Menos Grande, died at their hands."
As his words fell, a renewed clamor erupted among the crowd.
Yammy aside, they recognized Ulquiorra Cifer.
He was a true Vasto Lorde, one of Aizen's confidants, and once the third strongest Hollow in Las Noches on the surface, second only to Baraggan.
And now he was just dead? It was too sudden!
Some Hollows couldn't believe it, as the death of a Vasto Lorde was quite rare, even in the million-year history of Hueco Mundo's existence.
What was the cause of death? Who were the opponents? They knew nothing.
Even after becoming Arrancar, their hearts remained unsettled.
Two intruders… could it be that Yamamoto Genryusai of Soul Society had invaded?
Some Hollows whispered amongst themselves; Aizen watched their murmuring but did not interrupt, merely giving Ichimaru Gin a faint glance.
The latter immediately understood.
Then,
"Shoot him, Shinsō."
Shinsō suddenly unsheathed, cutting through like a flash of lightning, instantly piercing a Hollow's chest.
This sudden change caused some Hollows to snap back to reality. They held their breath, not daring to speak further.
Only then did they understand that if Aizen could give them hope, he could naturally turn that hope into despair.
Even a seemingly ordinary Shinigami beside him possessed such formidable strength, so what had Aizen himself become during his time in Hueco Mundo?
No one knew.
Shinsō retracted, and the Menos Grande fell, coughing blood.
After two coughs, feeling the solemnity of the surrounding environment, he decisively silenced himself.
Aizen felt some disappointment. The Hōgyoku had granted them power, but not the corresponding wisdom… It was indeed incomplete.
Even some Arrancar, despite having human forms, still acted with the mindset of beasts…
But fortunately, these were just cannon fodder.
Just send them out. After all, the Hōgyoku's power is inexhaustible.
Even if the Shinigami of Soul Society knew he possessed this power, they would be unable to destroy it.
Because every Arrancar possesses combat power above the Vice-Captain level…
How many Vice-Captains are there in Seireitei?
And how many Adjuchas are there in Hueco Mundo?
The disparity is obvious.
Since the Hōgyoku's birth, he had already won.
The remaining time was merely preparation for ascending to heaven.
Aizen ordered Baraggan to take thirty Arrancar out to encircle Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kisuke Urahara.
He, meanwhile, returned to the laboratory with Ichimaru Gin to continue perfecting the Hōgyoku.
As he moved, Aizen reached up and slicked his hair back, a composed gesture, as if everything was under his control.
…
On the other side,
Harribel's cool voice slowly echoed in the desolate desert:
"So…"
"You came to me just to ask if I had any intention of becoming the King of Hueco Mundo?"
To be honest, Harribel found this hard to believe.
The King of Hueco Mundo, that represented the face of the entire Hueco Mundo.
Baraggan was one thing, after all, he was a Menos Grande who had lived since ancient times.
Even if some Hollows thought he wasn't qualified, they were ultimately a minority.
But what about herself?
She truly didn't understand what was wrong with these Shinigami, to come and ask her if she was willing to become the King of Hueco Mundo.
This was as absurd as asking a Shinigami who had just become a Seat Officer if they were willing to govern Seireitei.
She didn't believe she possessed that kind of strength.
Harribel, full of helplessness, said, "Did you perhaps come to the wrong person?"
"I personally have no thoughts on the title of King of Hueco Mundo."
"Even if I did, what makes you think I could become the King of Hueco Mundo?"
"Do you Shinigami want to occupy Hueco Mundo, and so you're looking for a proxy?"
Harribel could only think of this possibility.
Kisuke Urahara coughed twice and slowly said, "Miss Harribel, you can't say that."
"The King of Hueco Mundo is not just a symbol of strength, but also a responsibility and an identity…"
"You love peace, and therefore, you have the potential to become the King of Hueco Mundo."
"I've already heard about your situation from Yoriichi."
"You dislike killing other beings, believing it will lead to backlash from the sacrifices you cause."
"But have you considered that your individual persistence has little effect in the face of the entire Hueco Mundo?"
"Only by becoming the King of Hueco Mundo will those Menos Grande comparable to you revere you, fear you, and thus emulate you."
"We are here precisely for this reason."
"Only by reducing slaughter, and reducing the number of Hollows flowing to Hell Gate, will the Three Realms not fall out of balance."
At this moment, the wind in the desert gently picked up, rustling Harribel's hair.
She listened quietly to Kisuke Urahara's words, but her heart was still full of doubts.
Kisuke Urahara continued:
"Actually, there's a saying in Soul Society now: that souls once consumed by Hollows will return to Soul Society after the Hollow is slain by a Shinigami, due to the purification of their reishi."
"However, Menos Grande of Third Division spiritual pressure level and above are an exception; the souls they consume will be reincarnated into Hell Gate with them."
"Every time one dies, the circulating souls in the Three Realms decrease by hundreds of thousands, or even millions."
"Accumulated over time, this is a truly terrifying number."
"It is only because new Freshmen are constantly being born in the Human World that this balance is barely maintained; otherwise, the Three Realms would have collapsed hundreds of thousands of years ago."
"This is also why Shinigami in the past launched an extermination plan against the Quincy."
"Quincy attacks completely kill Hollows, and no matter what level a Hollow is, the souls they devoured cannot be reincarnated into Soul Society."
"Every time a Hollow dies, thousands of souls disappear from the Three Realms' cycle, accelerating the imbalance of the Three Realms by dozens of times."
"Now, there is no trace of the Quincy, but the threat posed by Hollows has never disappeared."
"It's certainly impossible for you to govern yourselves; Hollows with a sense of justice are quite rare, so external intervention is necessary."
"This is the meaning of our appearance."
Harribel was silent for a while. Although the reasons they gave were quite sufficient, she ultimately shook her head:
"I'm sorry, but I'm powerless."
"I am just an ordinary Vasto Lorde."
"This plan is far too grand; I am not capable of it and it should be given to a more powerful Vasto Lorde."
"Thank you for today's events. We will certainly repay your life-saving kindness, but regarding this matter, let's just drop it."
Kisuke Urahara raised an eyebrow: "Won't you reconsider?"
"Actually, you don't need to possess immense strength; you only need a kind and just heart."
"With us here, there won't be a single voice to question you."
Harribel frowned: "In that case… how will you deal with Baraggan?"
"The prerequisite for becoming the King of Hueco Mundo is the death of the previous King of Hueco Mundo, right?"
"I am not his opponent, and I don't believe you will be his opponents either…"
"I already told that Shinigami named Yoriichi Tsugikuni before that Baraggan possesses a power that ignores defenses."
"Any substance, including your Shinigami's Bankai, will be easily disintegrated before him."
"Shinigami, I appreciate your good intentions, but please seek someone more capable."
Harribel gently exhaled, and after speaking, she glanced at her three companions, adding:
"Of course, I understand your intentions. If you are willing to tell me why those two Menos Grande pursued us, perhaps I will consider it."
"The reason you appeared here in time must also be due to certain information, right?"
Harribel didn't think all of this was a coincidence.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni looked at her quietly and asked, "You don't know?"
"Should I know? After you left, I immediately moved my base to prevent encountering Shinigami like you again."
"I thought life would return to peace afterward, but unexpectedly, these two Menos Grande suddenly appeared and almost killed Sung-Sung…"
"What happened after you left?"
"Also, why did that Vasto Lorde recognize you?"
This was what Harribel most wanted to know.
She felt she had suffered an undeserved calamity.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kisuke Urahara exchanged glances, then quickly informed Harribel of everything they knew.
Upon hearing this, Harribel took a deep breath, her emotions extremely complex.
It truly was an undeserved calamity; she had done nothing, yet was inexplicably wanted by Aizen…
Also, who was Aizen?
The King of Hueco Mundo, Baraggan, had actually been replaced without a sound…
When did the Shinigami's reach extend so far?
Over there, someone replaced the King of Hueco Mundo, and over here, they want her to become the King of Hueco Mundo…
When did the King of Hueco Mundo become such a trivial title?
A myriad of words wanted to be spoken in her heart, but in the end, all the words condensed into a single sigh.
Harribel slowly raised her eyes, gazing at the two:
"Although, in the final analysis, all of this resulted from your Shinigami's internal strife, there's no point in saying these things now…"
"Since you are here to subjugate Aizen and his subordinates, then, as a Vasto Lorde, for the sake of a peaceful life, I am willing to help you."
"However, it's only for this one time."
"Follow me."
"I might know where that Coyote Starrk you mentioned is."