Clang!
The blades collided, throwing off a shower of dazzling sparks.
Muten Natsu drove his arm forward and forcibly pushed Hiyori Sarugaki back.
He raised a hand and made a grasping motion across his face. Black mist gathered into a skull mask that covered his cheeks.
"You're too slow!" Hiyori Sarugaki barked as she swung her sword. "Hollowfication has a time limit. You have to finish what you need to do in the shortest time possible, or you'll leave openings for the enemy!"
Ink patterns flowed across the Hollow mask. Muten Natsu flashed aside, swung Myōki, and sent ink blades slashing toward Hiyori Sarugaki.
It actually felt smoother than when he used Bokukō to release them.
Looks like Myōki's analysis was right.
[Database updated]
[Hollowfication ability analysis complete]
[New combat style generation complete]
[Specific changes as follows]
[Through communication with the Hollow within]
[No Zanpakutō is currently required as a medium]
[The power of Bokukō can now be used directly]
Hiyori Sarugaki let out a low growl, and the sound waves shattered the ink blades.
From the broken ink blades, fins emerged. Ink patterns drifted across Muten Natsu's Hollow mask, split off into a streak of black, fell into his palm, and swelled into the shape of Bokukō.
His body spun lightly, both blades dancing as a relentless chain of attacks swept toward Hiyori Sarugaki.
"Tch!" Hiyori Sarugaki clicked her tongue in obvious irritation and swung her sword to block.
Myōki was stopped by her Zanpakutō, but Bokukō passed straight through the blade and slashed at Hiyori Sarugaki's body like a phantom.
Though it still retained Bokukō's shape, the Bokukō created from spirit ink had fundamentally changed and now possessed the ability to ignore physical collisions.
Muten Natsu had always been skilled with dual blades. Now, with Myōki and Bokukō in his hands, one real and one unreal, he was almost impossible to guard against.
"Myōki's attack power is extremely high, and with its unusual arc, every strike carries heavy force," Shinji Hirako said, watching the fight the whole time. "Bokukō ignores defense and has corrosive properties. One hit and you'll be miserable for a long while... With one real and one unreal mixed together like that, normal combat turns incredibly awkward. No wonder Hiyori's so annoyed."
"Bokukō's raw attack power is limited. Even if it hits you, Reiatsu defense can still hold off the corrosion." Love Aikawa stroked his chin. "The real problem is that move. It's way too troublesome."
Hiyori Sarugaki's Reiatsu flared, and her speed surged. She knocked Myōki aside, avoided Bokukō, and slashed at Muten Natsu.
Clang—!
Pitch-black ink bloomed in front of Muten Natsu, then twisted at astonishing speed, sketching out complex characters.
[Connection with Bokukō established]
[Editing corresponding Kidō module]
[Hadō module test failed]
[Kaidō module test failed]
[Bakudō module test successful]
[Currently available: Bakudō #1. Sai]
The intricate characters scattered through the air, and Hiyori Sarugaki's arms bent backward against her will.
Bakudō #1. Sai, the most basic of binding spells, could seal an opponent's arms and restrict their movement.
Hiyori Sarugaki broke free with only a slight exertion of force.
But in battle, even a single second of delay could be fatal.
[Control over active Reishi enhanced after Hollowfication]
[Konpaku-stealing strengthened]
[Iaijutsu charge time shortened]
[Iaijutsu destructive power increased]
Muten Natsu shifted slightly to one side. Ink rose from the Hollow mask and ignited into pitch-black flames.
The Reishi, driven wildly active by the karmic flames, rushed frantically toward Myōki. A deep black light flared, and a piercing shriek suddenly rang out.
Then it cut off abruptly as Muten Natsu's mask shattered.
Hiyori Sarugaki, who had been about to release her Zanpakutō, let out a lingering breath of relief and then shouted furiously, "Why'd you cancel your Hollowfication, baldy?!"
"It's not like I wanted to cancel it..." Muten Natsu felt the weakness inside his body, dismissed the Reishi beneath his feet, and dropped to the ground. "And besides, I have hair."
"When I call you baldy, I'm not talking about your hairstyle. I'm talking about your state of mind!" Hiyori Sarugaki snapped. "Even when you can't keep going, you keep going anyway, then keep breaking through your limits. That's what training is!"
"Wasn't I trying my hardest to throw out that last strike?"
"Try harder!"
Hollowfication gave Muten Natsu a major boost, but it did not come without a price.
According to Myōki's analysis, Hollowfication was essentially a process of using the Hollow mask to simulate a Hollow's form, creating a passage at the boundary of the soul and releasing the power within it.
That kind of excessive release would inevitably increase consumption.
Once the drain became great enough, the Hollow mask naturally could no longer be maintained, and Hollowfication would be undone.
Even if it could only be sustained for a short time, Hollowfication was an enormous help to Muten Natsu.
The increase in combat strength was one part of it. More importantly, it allowed Muten Natsu to understand his own abilities more clearly.
The disappearance of Bokukō's Zanpakutō form was the best proof of that.
Previously, Muten Natsu had needed the Zanpakutō as a tool to bring out Bokukō's power.
But after directly coming into contact with Bokukō and gaining a deeper, clearer understanding of his own power, once his level rose, he no longer needed the Zanpakutō as a medium.
It felt a lot like writing.
When you first learn calligraphy, you need a good brush, good paper, a flat desk, a comfortable posture, and copybooks from famous masters before you can write beautifully.
Once you've learned enough, you can scratch a few lines in the sand with your finger and still make them look good.
When you truly master calligraphy, any brush will do.
Once he had mastered his own power, it no longer mattered whether Bokukō was a blade in his hand, spirit ink attached to Myōki, or ink flowing across his skin. In any form, Bokukō's abilities could still be brought out.
In fact, that freedom of form allowed them to be used even better.
Freed from the constraints of form, Myōki was able to connect more effectively with Bokukō, turning spirit ink into editable material and using text in place of incantation to cast Bakudō.
During Hollowfication training, Myōki had collected a large amount of data and used it to complete a major overhaul of Muten Natsu's fighting style.
At the same time, by reasoning backward from the results, it arrived at a conclusion that left Muten Natsu with very mixed feelings.
[Bokukō's ultimate goal is slacking off]
Muten Natsu's response was simple.
"Huh?"
[You appear to be experiencing unexpected emotions toward your own fundamental nature]
"...Bokukō seems pretty energetic to me."
[That is acting]
"I'm acting as myself?"
[You have always been talented at deceiving yourself]
"...Skip."
[Ignore the process and look at the result]
[If you had not mastered Hollowfication]
[Bokukō would need to continue existing in Zanpakutō form]
[When you face danger]
[Bokukō would need to be released]
[When faced with danger that release alone could not handle]
[Bokukō would need to take control of your body and fight in your place]
[Now that you have mastered Hollowfication]
[Bokukō no longer needs to exist in Zanpakutō form]
[When necessary, you can use the corresponding abilities yourself]
[The power boost brought by Hollowfication]
[Can greatly reduce Bokukō's workload]
Muten Natsu: "...As expected of me."
[I have recently been researching Hollowfication of Zanpakutō]
Muten Natsu: "...As expected of you."
Compared to Muten Natsu's mixed feelings, Rukia Kuchiki's mood was even more complicated.
"Some no mai, Tsukishiro!" Rukia Kuchiki called out softly, and a faintly glowing circle appeared beneath Orihime Inoue's feet.
"Sōten Kisshun!" Orihime Inoue released Shun Shun Rikka, spreading a barrier over the glowing circle. The cold air that had already begun to gush out drew back, and the light on the ground dimmed along with it.
"Tsugi no mai..." Rukia Kuchiki turned her wrist, about to drive the tip of her blade into the ground, when sudden inspiration struck. She swept Sode no Shirayuki sideways, sending four ice crystals drifting up from the light, then thrust her sword straight ahead. "Hakuren!"
Avalanche-like cold surged forward, forming a wall of ice crystals that spread at high speed.
Orihime Inoue dodged aside and raised Santen Kesshun to block the aftershock. "That's amazing!" she said, looking at Rukia Kuchiki. "Your release speed got so much faster."
Rukia Kuchiki put away her Zanpakutō, her expression complicated.
Just as Orihime Inoue had said, the release speed of her "Tsugi no mai" had improved by leaps and bounds compared to before.
Part of that was due to her own continued effort.
But there was another reason as well.
And that was exactly what made Rukia Kuchiki's feelings so complicated.
Sleeping with Muten Natsu really did make you stronger.
To be exact, sleeping together with Orihime Inoue and Muten Natsu really did make you stronger.
Rukia Kuchiki's strength had already increased on the day Muten Natsu Hollowfied.
It was just that the situation had been so urgent then, and all Rukia Kuchiki could think about was Muten Natsu, so she had not noticed the change in her own strength.
Only after Muten Natsu mastered Hollowfication, and the three of them slept together again, did Rukia Kuchiki wake up and realize just how obvious the increase in her strength had been.
That made no sense...
Orihime Inoue could grow stronger just by sleeping alone with Muten Natsu.
So why did Rukia Kuchiki only improve when she slept with both of them together?
Even Muten Natsu, using Myōki, had not managed to analyze any reliable conclusion.
Still... getting stronger was always a good thing, so lately everyone had gotten used to sleeping together.
After all, the situation was urgent now.
"About that thing you mentioned before..." During a break, Muten Natsu asked Shinji Hirako, "What exactly is going on with the Hōgyoku's awakening period?"
"The seal Urahara placed on the Hōgyoku is highly unusual. Even without your body, it still can't be completely unsealed in a short amount of time," Shinji Hirako explained at length. "The Hōgyoku, after opening the seal within the soul, is currently in a deep sleep. To fully awaken it, it will take at least four months."
"No wonder..." Muten Natsu had heard Yoruichi Shihōin talk about the Hōgyoku's abilities before. If it really could make wishes come true, then everything should have gone exactly the way he wanted.
But in reality, the Hōgyoku had not fulfilled his wishes all that well. The seal Kisuke Urahara placed on it, combined with the seal on his own soul, kept the Hōgyoku from fully exerting its power, so the help it could provide Muten Natsu was naturally very limited.
Put simply, this Hōgyoku cheat...was on, but not fully on.
Only a tiny bit of it was working.
"As long as the Hōgyoku hasn't fully awakened, Aizen won't be able to gather all his subordinates." Shinji Hirako's lips curved downward. "He's the type who likes to hold everything in the palm of his hand and stand above it all, making everyone perform for him. If he wants to move against Soul Society, he'll definitely wait until the Hōgyoku is awakened, his subordinates are assembled, and he's built up enough power."
"Four months..." Muten Natsu murmured. "So that means winter."
...
"Winter?" Renji Abarai had been sprawled on the ground, but the moment he heard Kisuke Urahara's words, he flipped over and sat upright. "So we only have four months left?"
"Well... that's the preliminary judgment, yes." Kisuke Urahara fanned himself with his folding fan. "But we still need to prepare in advance."
Ichigo Kurosaki took a deep breath and stood up. The white bandages that had only just disappeared wrapped themselves around him again. "Looks like we need to pick up the pace!"
"That's right!" Renji Abarai got to his feet and swung Zabimaru. "Bankai. Hihiō Zabimaru!"
During this period, Renji Abarai had been sparring with Ichigo Kurosaki to temper himself.
At first, worried he might injure Ichigo Kurosaki, Renji Abarai had held back and not used his still-unpolished Bankai.
But as the training went on, he gradually came to understand Ichigo Kurosaki's potential and started using Bankai without hesitation.
Together with Kisuke Urahara's specially designed training regimen and the supporting medicine that came with it, Renji Abarai once again experienced the thrill of his strength advancing by leaps and bounds.
For that, he had even given up the happy time he could have spent reuniting with Muten Natsu.
"I was originally thinking of taking you around the World of the Living properly..." Renji Abarai pictured Muten Natsu's lazy, laid-back face in his mind. "Sorry, Muten. I'd still rather shock you with how much stronger I've gotten!"
Watching the training ground grow lively again, Kisuke Urahara silently turned and walked toward a distant corner.
Four months...
Did they really have four months?
...
The white gate before Ulquiorra slowly opened, and he heard that man's summons.
"So you've come..." Sōsuke Aizen turned his head. "Ulquiorra."
"Aizen-sama."
Several figures stood gathered nearby as Ulquiorra looked toward Sōsuke Aizen at the center.
Before Sōsuke Aizen, inside a cubic, semi-transparent barrier, knelt a humanoid figure wrapped all over in bandages.
It was naturally not a human, but a high-level Menos.
Above that translucent barrier was another, smaller barrier, and inside it floated the Hōgyoku Sōsuke Aizen had taken from Muten Natsu's body.
At this moment, the Hōgyoku had already lost the polygonal shield it had before and was floating soundlessly within the cubic barrier.
Compared to how crystal-clear it had been at first, it now clearly held something denser within it.
"You came at the perfect time." A smile rose at the corner of Sōsuke Aizen's lips. "I was just about to finish."
Ulquiorra asked, "How far has the Hōgyoku's awakening progressed?"
"According to Soul Society's expectations, it should be around fifty percent." The smile on Sōsuke Aizen's face deepened. "In reality... it's eighty percent."
"Because of... those flames?"
"Exactly. The burning of the Hell Flames made the Hōgyoku awaken faster." Sōsuke Aizen sounded almost regretful. "If we had killed Rukia Kuchiki before extracting the Hōgyoku, then by now it should have fully awakened. But that would have created even more trouble. As things are now, this is just right."
"Soul Society's estimate was based on information from Kisuke Urahara, but... some things can only be understood through direct contact with the Hōgyoku itself." Even after leaving Soul Society, Sōsuke Aizen still seemed to retain the habit of a teacher, explaining things with patient care. "Even Kisuke Urahara, who developed the Hōgyoku and then immediately sealed it, probably had no way of knowing..."