Above the throne in Las Noches, the dark-golden pillar of Reiatsu still pulsed, stretching toward the sky.
"Crack… crack…"
At this critical moment of evolution, the sound of bones fracturing and reconstructing echoed from within. Raizen Kō's body was reshaping itself, adjusting every fiber, tendon, and bone in accordance with his newly evolved form.
This process lasted for nearly an hour. As time passed, the dark-golden pillar gradually thinned, finally dissipating into the desert air.
A burly figure slowly emerged from the dissipating light.
Raizen Kō stood at roughly two meters tall, his body broad and powerful, entirely encased in black keratin armor, with a pale centipede-like carapace on his back that extended down to his chest. The chest armor was adorned with dark-golden patterns, giving him a commanding and fearsome presence.
The mask that had previously covered his head now lay gone, exposing his face. Short, dark hair fluttered in the wind, and his pupils had returned to their intense re-darkened hue.
He casually shook his hands and stretched his legs, stirring a gale that whipped sand and stones around him.
Raizen Kō could immediately feel the difference in his new body: his limbs were more proportionate, more flexible, and far stronger. Whereas his Gillian form had been nearly a hundred meters tall, he had relied on constant shrinking techniques to maintain a "human" size.
Now, as an Adjuchas, his true height stabilized at just over two meters, yet his Reiatsu surged to unprecedented levels.
Prior to this evolution, Raizen Kō's Reiatsu had already exceeded peak Third-Class levels, slightly surpassing the spiritual pressure displayed by Komamura Sajin or Tosen Kaname when they had first appeared in the original timeline.
After his advancement, his Reiatsu alone was comparable to that of centuries-old, top-ranking Captains such as Kyōraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jūshirō a genuine Second-Class Reiatsu.
Even at this stage, as a non-Arrancar Adjuchas, the raw magnitude of his Reiatsu was terrifying. One could scarcely imagine how powerful he would become upon ascending to Vasto Lorde, and eventually, full Arrancar.
After briefly acclimating to his enhanced form, Raizen Kō transformed into a bolt of dark-golden lightning, shooting skyward. He needed to move quickly Aizen and his companions were undoubtedly approaching Las Noches, and he could not risk an encounter.
As expected, not long after Raizen Kō departed, Aizen Sōsuke and his two companions arrived via Shunpo.
Surveying the ruins of Las Noches, devastated by the Lightning Sea Domain, Ichimaru Gin's eyes narrowed in disbelief:
"The King of Hueco Mundo lives in a place like this?"
At the same time, Baraggan Louisenbairn returned with a contingent of Adjuchas. His gaze fell upon the main hall, which had been intact upon his departure, now reduced to rubble. Baraggan's skeletal features twisted with fury as he roared at the intruders:
"You are Shinigami?"
"Despicable invaders! How dare you destroy my palace! You deserve death a thousandfold!"
Ichimaru Gin, as always, smiled subtly, his eyes narrowing:
"Oh my, Aizen…"
"It seems we're taking the blame for someone else's mischief!"
Aizen calmly drew Kyōka Suigetsu from his waist, the blade gleaming as he slowly approached Baraggan:
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Aizen, Aizen Sōsuke. And you… must be Baraggan, the King of Hueco Mundo."
"I wish to invite you to witness my blade… Kyōka Suigetsu."
…
Meanwhile, not long after Raizen Kō had departed, he sensed three distinct Reiatsu signatures approaching Las Noches.
Despite their subtle concealment, his Camo ability made him exquisitely sensitive to Reiatsu.
"These are not Hollows… these are Shinigami."
Raizen Kō's pulse quickened.
"Did I just pass Aizen and his two companions?"
A surge of apprehension ran through him.
Far above the desert, the Strange Grand Fisher and Red Mountain Goat, Perke, floated idly under the dim Hueco Mundo sky.
"The King said he'd return, but it's been three days. Should we still wait, Puck?" the Strange Grand Fisher complained, swaying lazily in the void.
"The King said wait, so I will wait!" replied Perke, muffled as usual.
"Forget it… useless talking to you," Barnes muttered.
Suddenly, both Hollows stiffened. An enormous Reiatsu approached, so massive that it surpassed even the Reiatsu of their own King.
A golden flash heralded the arrival of Raizen Kō. The figure before them was fully black, the body encased in bone armor with dark-golden luster. His black eyes and hair gleamed under the dim sun, a long blade at his waist identical to that of their King.
"King… you are… my King?" Strange Grand Fisher asked, hesitant.
"It is I."
"Ah… is this really the King?" Perke's disbelief was evident.
"You two good-for-nothings… can you not recognize my Reiatsu?" Raizen Kō scolded, a faint smile on his lips.
Snap!
He snapped his fingers, and the lightning spheres within the two Menos Grande reacted immediately, the familiar lightning coursing through their forms.
"Ah… this domineering and familiar lightning… it is indeed our King!"
As the energy spread, the two Menos Grande confirmed without a doubt that the human-like Adjuchas before them was their sovereign.
Once the lightning dissipated, Strange Grand Fisher bowed deeply, fawning over Raizen Kō:
"My King, congratulations on your evolution!"
Clearly, they understood that Raizen Kō had ascended again, gaining strength far beyond their comprehension. For Barnes and Perke, the only explanation was simple: My King is truly awesome!
"Alright, stop flattering me…" Raizen Kō muttered, uninterested in wasting more words on these two.
He found a secluded cave nearby, sitting cross-legged to familiarize himself with his new power. Previously, he had left Las Noches in haste, leaving no time to test his evolved abilities. The two Adjuchas remained outside to guard him.
With his Zanpakuto resting across his lap, Raizen Kō entered his inner world.
"Aside from strengthening all existing abilities, this evolution doesn't appear to grant any new combat techniques."
Testing each ability, he confirmed that Flash Lightning, Camo, and others were considerably enhanced. His lightning control had become far more precise, and his Camo had undergone a revolutionary upgrade:
Now, Camo could conceal not only Reiatsu, but also his physical form, achieving near-total invisibility. Every aura, every motion, even the presence of his body could be hidden from detection.
However, this invisibility had limits:
It could only be activated once every three hours.
Each use lasted a maximum of half an hour.
Any offensive action or being struck would immediately break the effect.
"This… this is the ultimate tool for assassination and stealth operations!" Raizen Kō muttered.
"I could activate invisibility, approach my target, then strike with a Thunderclap Slash… an absolutely invincible first strike!"
But the most shocking discovery for Raizen Kō was yet to reveal itself…