"Hoo—"
Ishikawa exhaled lightly and casually patted his dust-covered black work uniform. As he patted, he vibrated it slightly with his Reiatsu, and a layer of dust immediately spread out, making the originally dingy black work uniform look as good as new.
Nearly a week had passed since Ishikawa arrived in Hueco Mundo.
During this week, Ishikawa had primarily been engaged in the reconstruction of Las Noches, and when resting, he expanded his social circle.
After Ishikawa's diligent work and arduous struggle, the rewards were extremely bountiful.
Current EXP: 961480.
In just one week, Ishikawa had gained over 120,000 EXP from the female Arrancar in Hueco Mundo, which even gave him the impulse to stay in Hueco Mundo indefinitely.
Of course, it was just an impulse...
Ishikawa sat on a raised spot, looking at the busy Arrancar and Hollows around him, and then at the canopy above, which had already changed from a night sky to daylight. He couldn't help but marvel at the power of technology. If he hadn't known beforehand that it was fake, he might have believed that the sky of Hueco Mundo was truly like this.
"Ishikawa is truly wonderful."
Urahara Kisuke's voice came from behind Ishikawa. He stopped beside Ishikawa, admiring Las Noches, which had already regained its original appearance, and praised, "To be able to restore it to this extent in just one week, I'm tempted to ask Ishikawa to redecorate my small shop."
Urahara Kisuke pulled out a folding fan from somewhere and fanned himself while saying, "But, speaking of which, shouldn't we discuss my compensation?"
"Huh?"
Ishikawa looked at Urahara Kisuke with a bewildered expression: "What compensation? Weren't you here voluntarily?"
"..."
Seeing Ishikawa's bewildered look, Urahara Kisuke's eye twitched slightly.
Voluntary?
A hand suddenly extended from a Black Portal, pulling someone into it without a word, and then bringing them to Hueco Mundo. If that was "voluntary—" then the word "forced" could be deleted.
"Besides, do you even have the nerve to ask me for compensation?"
Ishikawa glared at Urahara Kisuke in annoyance: "We agreed on a mutually beneficial cooperation, but every time I'm fighting desperately in the front, and you're tinkering with all sorts of messy things in the back, and you only show up when it's almost over... Also, calculate how much you've ripped me off..."
"That's enough!"
Urahara Kisuke hurriedly interrupted Ishikawa: "Free, free. This time, for Ishikawa's sake, I'll assist you in restoring Las Noches for free."
"That's more like it."
Discuss compensation with me?
What a joke. Before he left Soul Society, that scoundrel Kurotsuchi Mayuri was still hounding him for compensation for the damages caused to the Human World.
Due to Ishikawa's battle with Aizen, the Shinigami Research and Development Institute had incurred enormous costs to clean up the battlefield. It was said that to restore the Human World to its pre-war state, Kurotsuchi Mayuri's personal research funds were heavily invested, so he had always hoped to recover them from Ishikawa.
Compensation for damages was naturally impossible. Even if Kurotsuchi Mayuri reported it to the Central 46, Ishikawa would absolutely not pay that money.
Although years of work had given Ishikawa a small fortune compared to other Shinigami, and even Captains, it was actually only enough for Ōmaeda to treat a group of Vice-Captains to a dozen meals, which was nowhere near enough to cover the compensation.
Moreover, Commander Yamamoto also said that the Gotei 13 would be responsible for this money, but it would be paid in installments by increasing research funds...
Of course, Ishikawa also proposed a solution.
That was what he told Cirucci and others: using Hueco Mundo's unique materials as commission payment, and then selling these materials at a low price to the Shinigami Research and Development Institute.
At the same time, the Shinigami Research and Development Institute would also be allowed to use Everything Store's channels to collect and purchase from Hueco Mundo.
Regarding the collection of materials, even without Ishikawa's Everything Store, Kurotsuchi Mayuri could completely achieve it, as his research over the years had already harmed many weak Hollows.
However, every time he collected materials, he had to personally come to Hueco Mundo, because if he let the one who transformed his chest into a projectile fist... Picaro lead the collection Squad Members to Hueco Mundo, they could easily be eaten by a passing Adjuchas.
The Everything Store passage that Ishikawa opened with Harribel's permission was different. It would be specially maintained by Arrancar. Although the area was restricted and only allowed access to the Everything Store outside Las Noches, safety was sufficiently guaranteed.
It's worth mentioning...
Harribel had already become the new King of Hueco Mundo. The other Espada had no objections to this, nor would they. Although this new King was actually more like a grand steward creating a more habitable environment for the Espada... Cirucci and others also expressed that they would definitely obey Harribel's commands.
Ishikawa's Everything Store in Hueco Mundo had also been built, not within Las Noches, but outside it. This was something Ishikawa voluntarily requested to put the Arrancar of Las Noches at ease.
"I saw you talking to Miss Yoruichi earlier."
Ishikawa turned to Urahara Kisuke: "How's the Human World doing?"
"It's basically stable now. The memories of Karakura Town residents, which were missing for over a week, have all been filled in with memory replacement devices." Urahara Kisuke finished, then chuckled: "But, I think you're asking about Kurosaki's situation, aren't you?"
Ishikawa gave Urahara Kisuke a look that said, "You're stating the obvious."
"He is still in a coma. The time reversal caused by the training in the Dangai is a terrifying situation for the human body. It is estimated that it will take another week or so for this 'time reversal' phenomenon to disappear from Kurosaki's body."
Ishikawa nodded. He wasn't asking about Ichigo out of concern for him, but because he had seen a proposal in the Central 46 before coming to Hueco Mundo. This proposal was submitted by the Gotei 13 and concerned Ichigo.
Ishikawa wasn't particularly surprised by this proposal, because it was precisely a proposal to supervise Ichigo, who had lost his Shinigami abilities, and use him to lure out and eliminate Ginjō Kūgo, the 'former Substitute Soul Reaper' who had slaughtered many Shinigami.
Ishikawa had no objections to this. Moreover, Urahara Kisuke had also received news about this matter.
His receipt of the news meant that Isshin would also know the details. Since they hadn't warned him, but instead treated 'Ginjō Kūgo' as a trial for Ichigo, why should he meddle?
The only thing Ishikawa was interested in was…
Women!
Although he had no interest in Ginjō Kūgo, Ishikawa was very interested in the female Fullbringers.
And, most importantly...
The Gotei 13's plan would likely be difficult to achieve.
Although the specifics were unknown, Ichigo, who hadn't experienced battle, was said to be recovering very well. In other words... unless Urahara Kisuke deliberately delayed his recovery, Ichigo's recovery of his Shinigami abilities might happen much earlier than he remembered.
Of course, it's also possible...
Urahara Kisuke might have already mastered the method to restore Ichigo's Shinigami abilities, but chose not to act in order to cooperate with Soul Society's plan, because the timing of Ichigo's recovery of his Shinigami abilities in his memory was simply too coincidental.
As soon as Ginjō Kūgo appeared with his people, he brought Isshin to infuse Reishi into the Reishi blade, and sent the Reishi blade to Soul Society, where Rukia ultimately helped Ichigo regain his Shinigami abilities using the same method as when they first met.
Ishikawa had no interest in delving into the details of this. Anyway, the Gotei 13's 'backstabbing' wasn't a one-day or two-day affair; it could be said to be an old tradition since ancient times.
Urahara Kisuke looked at Ishikawa, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, and suddenly spoke:
"Are you really determined to help the remaining Espada undergo transformation?"
He paused, then continued: "Although I don't know the specifics, the limit of your transformation shouldn't just be the Second Cero, right?"
Urahara Kisuke had analyzed the battles of Cirucci and others in the Human World, especially Cirucci. What Aizen could see, he naturally could too. Putting the other two aside, the form Cirucci displayed was indeed an evolution at the life level.
If the transformation from a regular Hollow to an Arrancar was the first stage of evolution, then Ishikawa's reorganization of Cirucci's spiritual nucleus could be said to be the second, or even third, stage of Hollow evolution.
Normally, this kind of evolution was absolutely impossible for humans to achieve, otherwise he and Aizen wouldn't have researched the Hōgyoku.
But Ishikawa had achieved it, and very easily at that. His existence seemed to be naturally destined to make Hueco Mundo stronger.
And most importantly...
Cirucci was not the special case he had previously thought. In Hueco Mundo, there were also others who exhibited the same characteristics.
That group of kids called 'Picaro'! In other words, it wasn't Cirucci's special existence that brought about this change, but rather, over time, Arrancar whose spiritual nucleuss were reorganized by Ishikawa would all undergo similar evolution.
If all the remaining Espada accepted the transformation, the potential impact could be immeasurable.
"Limit?"
Ishikawa shook his head: "I don't know either."
He wasn't lying. After all, the Hollow Marks he initially created were only to help Arrancar reorganize their spiritual nucleuss, making them stronger on the basis of their original First Cero. But the changes in the Hollow Marks after integrating into his flesh and blood, plus his fusion of Hollow Marks with Development Spiritual Marks to form Reiatsu Crest, which made his connection with the Arrancar he transformed even closer...
These factors combined caused the changes in Cirucci and others to completely exceed Ishikawa's control.
Urahara Kisuke frowned slightly upon hearing this: "For a researcher, uncontrollable changes do not necessarily mean a good thing."
"Like the Hōgyoku?"
Ishikawa glanced at Urahara Kisuke: "On this point, you are not qualified to speak to me."
"Hehe, Ishikawa's words really hurt."
Urahara Kisuke chuckled, then changed the subject: "Are you really not going to take control of all of Hueco Mundo like Aizen did?"
"So, do you hope I'm like Aizen, or do you not?"
"Before I came, I didn't hope so, but now..."
Urahara Kisuke paused, then said with a complex tone: "I actually have some hope now. After all, compared to letting them develop freely, it's clearly better to have someone control them."
"No matter what you're thinking, I will never control Hueco Mundo like Aizen did."
Ishikawa shook his head: "As for what you're worried about, it doesn't exist at all. The Reiatsu Crest was created for my Reiatsu, and only I can use it. It won't spread because more Arrancar accept my transformation."
"Moreover, if we start from what you all love to talk about, 'balance,' transforming them will only benefit the balance between the Three Realms."
"Aizen gathered the ten strongest individuals from all of Hueco Mundo, and more than half of them died in this battle, which has made the so-called 'balance' incredibly fragile. If someone capable of completely eradicating souls were to appear at this time... they wouldn't even need anyone else. As long as Ishida Uryū carried out a large-scale massacre of Hollows in the Human World, the balance would instantly collapse."
"What the Gotei 13 would do then, you should know better than I, right?"
Ishikawa chuckled: "Don't forget, from beginning to end, I have always been a member of Rukongai, not Seireitei. This has never changed."
Even within the Central 46, Ishikawa's position as a Sage represented the entirety of Rukongai. It was precisely for this reason that his convenient older sister was able to overcome all opposition and send Ishikawa into the Central 46 on the grounds of 'if Ishikawa does not become a Sage, Rukongai will completely break free from control.'
Not only had this not changed, but putting individuals aside, Ishikawa's dislike for the Gotei 13 as a whole had also not changed.
It was just that the increasing number of individuals completely offset Ishikawa's inner resistance towards the Gotei 13.
Urahara Kisuke remained silent, because what Ishikawa said could indeed happen, and with a high probability.
If the balance were broken, the effort required to restore it might not be enough even if all six thousand-plus Squad Members at the bottom of the Gotei 13 were sacrificed. Therefore, this massive number could only be chosen from Rukongai.
Seireitei had always done this. Although they had the moral high ground, there was no fairness.
Because the victims were always the residents of Rukongai, while the long-standing noble families and residents of Seireitei never suffered losses because of it.
"Sometimes, I truly find Ishikawa quite terrifying."
Urahara Kisuke shook his head slightly, giving up on persuading Ishikawa, because just as Ishikawa said, strengthening Hueco Mundo's power would only benefit the balance, not harm it.
The only drawback was the potential threat to Seireitei.
However, this point wasn't too much of a concern. Rather than a threat, it was more about a desire for control.
After all, many years ago, Hueco Mundo's power was far greater than Soul Society's, but the two had always coexisted peacefully, with virtually no disputes.
It was just that unlike Soul Society's harmony, Hueco Mundo had always been in a state of constant internal strife. The internal strife in Hueco Mundo had even reached a point where even a young Commander Yamamoto could only stand by and watch. At that time, it would not have been difficult for Hueco Mundo to attack Soul Society.
But throughout history, although there had been records of certain Hollows attacking Soul Society due to certain grievances, there had been no records of full-scale war, except for the war led by Aizen, a Shinigami.
Strictly speaking...
Hollows and Shinigami are inherently part of a cycle.
Shinigami kill Hollows, purifying them into Fresh Souls. Fresh Souls are sent to the Human World to become humans, and some of them then turn back into Hollows due to certain circumstances.
If there were no Quincy, no matter how much the two sides fought, the total number of souls would actually not change. It's just that the balance between them would tilt, causing this fragile world, supported by a single 'person' or 'god,' to collapse and return to its original state.
But even so, the total number of souls remained unchanged.
"I, on the other hand, find you quite terrifying."
Ishikawa chuckled: "You tampered with the reconstructed canopy quite a bit, didn't you?"
"Mm."
Urahara Kisuke nodded directly.
Ishikawa was stunned. Good heavens, was this guy not even bothering to pretend anymore?
"You really are shameless."
"Hehe, even if I said I didn't tamper with it, Ishikawa-sama wouldn't believe me."