Infinite Anime [324-325] (Patreon)

Chapter 324: Cleaving the Vasto Lorde King

Amid the thunderous roar, Baraggan was struck by Szayelaporro's Gran Rey Cero and blasted from the smoke, his body tattered and torn.

"Damn it… Traitors—every last one of you is a traitor!"

Baraggan rose in a fury, unable to fathom how things had come to this.

Just a month ago, he still basked in Hueco Mundo's supreme authority, surrounded by a silver-tongued favorite. How had he fallen so low?

"Shinigami… Why do you obey that Shinigami? Where is your pride as Hollows!?"

Baraggan roared, glaring viciously at Gusion. "To take orders from a feeble worm—do you deserve to call yourselves Vasto Lordes!?"

"How ugly…"

Gusion stepped out of the sand-laden gale. "Baraggan, that's not how a king should speak. Die quietly, and you might keep a shred of dignity."

"Mr. Gusion."

Ulquiorra drifted back through the storm and landed at Gusion's side, as if sensing his intent.

"Pathetic Shinigami. I don't know how you bewitched them, but you're nothing more than a bug I once crushed underfoot."

Standing in place, Baraggan used his reiatsu to mend his wounds. Thanks to Gusion's command, the other Hollows had paused their assault, giving him space to breathe.

"You seem to be mistaken."

Gusion raised a hand, signaling Starrk and the others to fall back. "When we fought last time, I never considered you my top threat."

As he said, when he first heard Baraggan was coming, the pressure had felt immense. But upon meeting him, Gusion discovered Baraggan wasn't as overwhelming as imagined.

And according to the Radar from his Pioneer quests, the Soul Singer had already entered Hueco Mundo—likely lurking nearby. There was no way Gusion would reveal all his trump cards then.

So he'd limited his output while staying wary of the Soul Singer.

Later, after opening the Eight Gates, Baraggan's aging mist no longer frightened him; with powerful blade aura he could force it back and carve out space to survive.

Baraggan's ability concentrates closer to his body, so killing him while only at Six Gates was difficult—but that didn't mean Gusion had no way to deal with him now.

This past month, Gusion hadn't just been sightseeing and playing cards in Hueco Mundo. He'd grown quite a bit.

"Boast all you like! If not for that Quincy meddling, I would have crushed you long ago!"

Baraggan bellowed. He no longer aimed to slaughter all his enemies—but he would kill the Shinigami who had cursed his existence. Since this man appeared, nothing had gone right.

He was even grateful the other Hollows were obeying Gusion; while Gusion faced him alone, they held their hands. Whatever came next, at least he had a chance to kill Gusion.

Once Gusion was dead, the Hollows would be headless. He just might bring them to heel and remain Hueco Mundo's king.

"Is that so…"

Gusion braced a hand behind his neck, rolled his shoulders with a series of popping bones, and felt lighter. "I'll probably get an earful from Aizen after this—but I can't just let a prize like you go."

He locked eyes on Baraggan, battle intent rising. "Starrk, please take everyone farther back and shield Las Noches' structures."

"What a pain. Make it quick, will you?"

Starrk wore a troubled look, but he was curious about Gusion's true upper limit.

So was Harribel. Though she'd joined them, she hadn't seen Gusion go all-out. On the surface, he seemed merely a somewhat stronger Shinigami—hardly on par with a Vasto Lorde like her.

"Hey, Gusion, you're not going to gamble your life again, are you? Trust our strength."

Nel wasn't pleased. From a knightly standpoint, a one-on-one duel might be fairer—but against a fiend like Baraggan, principles were optional.

They'd rallied allies to fight side by side and take Las Noches the safe way. Yet now Gusion wanted to handle this alone again—how could she not be mad?

"Woman, be silent. Mr. Gusion isn't the same as before."

Ulquiorra raised a hand, stopping three inches from Nel's lips. He'd seen Gusion train; he was certain today's Gusion was far beyond last month's.

"Shatter your chains—Mazuko."

At Gusion's murmur, his Zanpakutō released. Violet mist spread from his feet like a quiet river.

His robes billowed, muscles standing out sharply. Dark-red scales climbed his exposed skin, stopping at his cheeks.

Arcs of lightning wrapped him, hair bristling into dark-red strands crackling with thunder.

With Raijin Form and Dragon-Transform active, his temporary stats reached 89. The steady swell of his aura even made Harribel and Starrk take notice.

But if this was all, they didn't think he could beat Baraggan.

"It's still the same tricks. What about that form you used against the Quincy?"

Baraggan sneered. He didn't feel threatened; even that earlier state seemed short-lived.

"Gate of Death… open."

Gusion's aura surged again—yet unlike the berserk, unwieldy power from his last Eight Gates.

Dark-violet flames rose from him, weaving with crimson lightning—eerie yet imposing.

His knotted muscles swelled again, but held right at the brink—no skin splitting, no bones crushed by their own tension.

His Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan turned slowly. In super-reflex mode, his mental stat rose by 1 more, making his reiatsu feel even heavier.

He exhaled a breath of dark-violet mist. Locking eyes with Baraggan, a tyrant's pressure rippled outward, stunning everyone present for an instant.

This was a new composite technique he'd forged in his inner space, integrating his powers and insights from Aizen's notes—the perfect overdrive for himself.

He fused his earliest Demon God Mode concept with Eight Gates, Lightning Release Chakra Mode, and external reiatsu coating, creating a skill that was uniquely his.

It was still unstable. Used raw, the cost was massive. Judging from soul-source and bodily strain, he couldn't have maintained it for more than ten seconds.

But after completing it, the ability was recognized as a new skill he'd created. Once stored in his Origin Soul Seed, it stabilized and became usable without cost, stacking stably with the Dragon-Transform Dragon's Sage Mode.

With the soul burden gone and the body optimized, Gusion could now fight in this state for hours.

His composite stat had reached 93!
And with reiatsu coating boosting offense and defense, it worked much like Armament Haki.

Layering Ryou and reiatsu together, his attack and defense rose to a new tier.

As dark-violet sigils threaded between the dragon-scale seams on his face, Gusion moved.

A light step seemed to brush the earth—yet sand billowed skyward, tides reversed, and gales howled.

Crimson-violet light streaked across the battlefield in an instant. When Mazuko swept out, a domineering blade glow slashed for dozens of meters, and the blade aura surged like a tide into the distance.

Faced with this ruthless slash, the King of Hueco Mundo's aging mist was parted with ease. The hunter's fangs bit into a former monarch for the first time.

Boom—

Baraggan's body went tumbling, bone fragments scattering in the air. He stared up in shock and rage at Gusion descending from above, unable to believe this was the ant he'd chased a month ago.

"I wanted to try you at full strength—but judging by that last cut, it probably won't matter."

Gusion's words frayed Baraggan's nerves to the breaking point.

"Shinigami!"

Baraggan charged, wrapped in boundless decay.

A dark-red blade light fell like an axe cleaving heaven and earth, surrounded by ominous, dark-violet reiatsu—the radiance of death.

The aging mist was carved apart like surf. Before absolute power, even the mechanism of decay faltered.

With a thunderous boom, dark-violet reiatsu rippled outward, making the Adjuchas who'd fled Las Noches tremble.

The gray sea of sand heaved aside like a tsunami, traveling over a dozen kilometers before subsiding.

"Seriously? Weren't you the one who said to protect the ruins of Las Noches? Are we going to have to fix all this after?"

Starrk sighed helplessly. He had shielded one side of the structure and the others near him—but he hadn't expected Gusion's aftershock to be this vast.

"Gusion… you've gotten this strong?"

Nel stared at the crater under Gusion's feet in shock. This level of power was fully Vasto Lorde tier; even the king's aging ability had been overpowered.

"So this is the power brought by a heart?"

Ulquiorra was thoughtful again, wondering if he'd understand heart after becoming a Vasto Lorde.

"What a terrifying man… Are all Soul Society's Shinigami this strong?"

Harribel was shaken too. Frankly, even in perfect condition, she wasn't sure she could take that brutal strike head-on.

Gusion slowly descended from the sky, looking down at the ruined Baraggan in the pit.

This wasn't a fight against Baraggan at his peak. But even at full power, Baraggan would only have made Gusion work harder.

Ultimately, Baraggan's mechanism was strong, but his raw numbers kept him from being top-tier in Bleach's world.

And he relied too much on his ability. Used to crushing lesser Hollows, his combat technique was poor.

As a caster-type powerhouse, his best approach was to harass from range with aging and drag things out for an opening.

But enraged, he'd charged straight in and took Gusion's strongest strike head-on. Of course that ended badly.

"Shinigami…"

At the bottom of the pit, Baraggan's voice was weak, still laced with spite and unwillingness.

"My name is Gusion."

Gusion spoke, swung once, and took Baraggan's head—ending the former king's humiliation.

A side-quest prompt chimed: 10 Inheritance Crystals received. A pity no treasure chest dropped. Given Baraggan's strength, Gusion had expected at least a top-notch dark-gold chest.

In value, those ten crystals were only worth three to four hundred thousand End Coins. Baraggan was worth more—but side quests are repeatable, so single payouts are modest.

"Ulquiorra, Nel, devour him."

Gusion called them over. Seeing Nel hesitate, he added, "Once you swallow Baraggan's power, you should evolve into Vasto Lordes. Then you'll never have to cannibalize again."

Thinking it through, Nel no longer balked. She hated Hollows devouring their own. If this cruel tyrant could be the last she ever consumed, she welcomed it.

"A splendid fight. No wonder so many powerhouses are willing to walk with you."

Szayelaporro approached, praising Gusion's strength. "Mr. Gusion—allow me to call you that—I'd like to discuss rebuilding the laboratory."

"Your old master is dead, and you feel no need to mourn?"

Gusion teased.

Szayelaporro shrugged. "Baraggan was a fool. I knew this day would come. I only worked with him to secure a quiet, stable research environment. He couldn't grasp science's importance to the world."

He looked at Gusion. "You're a smart man. You know what I want. I hope we can work well together."

"Mr. Gusion, this one looks dangerous. Are we really cooperating with him?"

Harribel eyed Szayelaporro warily. She disliked Baraggan—but held even less regard for someone who turned on his master in a heartbeat.

Chapter 325: Evolution, The Right Way to Use Wood Release

"Personally, there's probably no way to win his sincere respect, in any sense."

Gusion rubbed his chin.

His words made Szayelaporro tense for a moment. Wearing a practiced smile, he said, "You jest, Mr. Gusion. You slew the former king of Hueco Mundo. You're our new ruler—how could I not respect you?"

"No need for the act. We'll keep a relationship of interests. I can't absolutely suppress you—but your real collaborator will teach you humility."

Gusion knew Szayelaporro was full of schemes. He didn't care.

As long as Starrk and the others stood with him, Szayelaporro wouldn't dare oppose him. As for trickery, Gusion wasn't the one grading the research—Aizen would handle him.

"The real collaborator? The Shinigami friend you mentioned?"

Szayelaporro was intrigued. What kind of Shinigami would research with Hollows?

"Mm. You'll like him."

Gusion smiled, confident Aizen would educate this one well.

While they spoke, pained sounds rose nearby—Nel's strained voice and Ulquiorra's low growl.

Gusion hurried over to find both had changed after devouring Baraggan's power.

The white mask on Ulquiorra's originally two-eyed face receded, like an elastic plastic film pulled taut, revealing clear features beneath.

Both he and Nel had the aptitude to evolve into Vasto Lordes. After days of hunting and devouring—topped with a Vasto Lorde's power from Baraggan—they crossed the threshold and began their final metamorphosis.

Evolution is painful. Even stoic Ulquiorra couldn't help a low, pained roar, clutching at his face as if to tear off his mask.

Gusion caught his wrist. "Endure until the metamorphosis completes."

On the other side, Nel's changes were more drastic, and her pain greater. Her lower body twisted and contracted—far more than Ulquiorra's—driving her to thrash and even try to sever it.

Gusion had to signal Starrk to help press her down with reiatsu. He glanced at Starrk and Harribel, puzzled. "Were your evolutions to Vasto Lorde like this?"

"I don't remember."

Starrk shook his head. He'd been a Vasto Lorde for ages, wandering in solitude, memories of Adjuchas days long faded.

"It hurts, but not this much. They likely devoured above their tier. That's why the metamorphosis is so extreme."

Harribel analyzed. She'd evolved within the last hundred years and remembered well.

"No need to fuss. Baraggan's power is just too strong for them. Since they're evolving, they'll be fine—only pain."

Szayelaporro came over, watching with great interest. He pulled out an injector. "I can ease their pain, you know."

Gusion eyed the suspicious syringe and shook his head. "Thanks, but save it for yourself."

Szayelaporro shrugged. "So little trust. My new drug is quite effective, I'll have you know."

After a while of howling, Ulquiorra finished first. His facial mask vanished beneath the skin—not Arrancarization, just natural evolution.

As a Vasto Lorde, he didn't look too different from his canon Arrancar form—except the helmet-like headpiece now covered fully, sprouting two horns.

In terms of style, Gusion considered this a downgrade.

Half-helmet on one side? Stylish.

Both sides covered like a pot lid? Kinda dopey.

Still, there was room to improve. Once Aizen had the Hōgyoku, Ulquiorra and the others could undergo Arrancarization—more human forms would follow.

"So this… is Vasto Lorde power."

Ulquiorra rose, touched the hollow hole in his chest, and felt the new strength—yet remained lost.

He'd become a Vasto Lorde, but gained nothing for the emptiness within.

What is a heart?

"This is your power."

Gusion corrected him, then added, seeing the look in his eyes, "And there's no need to be lost. Power can't fill the hole in you. What can fill it—you already have. When you awaken, you'll understand what a heart is."

Ulquiorra listened, still confused, but nodded. He felt he'd grasped some key.

Nel took longer, her changes greater.

When the panting and cries ceased, she stood, sweating, and accepted the large cloak Gusion offered. "Thanks, I'm fine."

She draped it over her, covering a graceful figure. Unlike Ulquiorra's simple facial change, Nel's evolution was drastic.

Her antelope lower half was gone, replaced by a human's long legs—no longer something to leave exposed to the air. Even Nel, with her thick-skinned nerves, felt a trace of shyness.

She stretched her limbs; under the cloak, those long legs flashed in and out of view. The new skin looked dewy and delicate—but as a Vasto Lorde, her Hierro was anything but soft.

Gazing at her new body, Nel's heart leapt. As a Hollow who leaned toward reason and humanity, she wanted to move away from bestial features.

As a Vasto Lorde, she'd never need to devour her kind again. Even if she did nothing, she wouldn't regress and lose herself.

…

Far away, Chaos Space explorers who had fled before the battle felt the two fresh powerful reiatsu and sucked in cold breaths.

"That's five Vasto Lordes now. Who'd dare go head-to-head?"

"This world instance is nuts. One month in, and Hueco Mundo's blown wide open?"

"Forget Las Noches. Head to the Forest of Menos—grab what we can in the time left."

"I'm not crossing that Shinigami. True Bone's gone without a corpse."

"…"

With hushed chatter, the explorers dispersed, giving up Las Noches as a base.

Gusion's Observation Haki had already noted their presence. But they'd withdrawn before the war—they didn't want a fight, and he had no interest in hunting them down.

The only violator in Hueco Mundo was True Bone. His task here was largely complete. Once Las Noches was rebuilt and Aizen's fun-house lab set up, he could consider returning to Soul Society.

His Gate of Death still felt like a rough fusion chimera. He had optimizations in mind—he needed Soul Society for collisions of thought and inspiration.

"Gusion, how will you rebuild Las Noches?"

Nel was curious. The original ruins had been almost completely wiped out in the battle.

Truth be told, Las Noches was Baraggan's personal playground—desolate, with only his so-called main hall as a single open structure. Everything else was buried ruins under gray sand.

What remained had suffered Starrk's unlimited Cero wash, Baraggan's creeping decay, and Gusion's domineering strike. The place was essentially a flat plain now.

"That's easy. House-building? I'm a natural."

Gusion grinned, then looked at Szayelaporro. "Where do you want your lab? How big? I can raise the shell; you handle outfitting and interiors."

"My choice?"

Szayelaporro perked up.

"Plan it. I'll see."

Szayelaporro swept a hand, his long tail segment sliding behind him. Pink reiatsu traced a boundary on the ground.

"Hey, Szayelaporro—don't push it."

Harribel's tone chilled. She already disliked him; now she was irked.

His lines encompassed the entire former footprint of Las Noches.

"Mr. Gusion said I could decide. Muscle-for-brains, do you grasp the importance of research? Frankly, I'd make it twice as large."

On research, Szayelaporro stood firm, meeting Harribel's glare head-on.

She wasn't great with words. Her temper flared and reiatsu surged—on the verge of throwing hands.

"Don't fight."

Gusion stepped in, laying a hand on Harribel's shoulder, and looked at Szayelaporro. "The lab's size is fine. I can build it. But apologize to Harribel first."

Szayelaporro was ready with a retort, but seeing Gusion's serious look, he swallowed it, stepped back politely, and bowed slightly. "Ms. Harribel, I apologize for my earlier words."

Harribel snorted and suppressed her reiatsu. She hadn't forgiven him—she was giving Gusion face.

"Enough. We're co-rulers of Hueco Mundo now. Don't bicker or draw blades at every turn."

Gusion was beginning to feel the pain of managing problem children. Only Aizen's absolute might later could keep the Espada in line; left alone, they'd be at each other's throats by morning.

Fortunately, most around him were Vasto Lordes—reasonably rational. Szayelaporro was the odd, prickly one; the rest got along.

He glanced at the drawn boundary. "You said twice the size would be better, right?"

"Of course—but that's a massive project. I can consider the group, you know." Szayelaporro flicked a look at Harribel—point made.

"Then we'll build to double. Don't worry about the footprint. The old Las Noches was too small. A restored palace should fit a king's scale."

Gusion spoke, then—in the Hollows' astonished gazes—stacked his states to the max.

He clapped his hands. "Wood Release: Birth of the Tree World!"

The earth trembled. Trees thrust through the sand sea, twisting to displace it, clearing an expanse and condensing a foundation.

Then the forest surged upward. Under Gusion's control, it shaped itself into a colossal structure—twice the area Szayelaporro had marked.

Five Vasto Lordes stared, stunned, as the megastructure rose. Szayelaporro's eyes shone. "Subarashii!"

"How tall? What do you want up top? How do we partition the interior?"

Gusion asked as he worked. This would be their core lab in Hueco Mundo—not just for Szayelaporro. Aizen would visit too. Bigger was better—within a reasonable lab layout.

"Please partition along the trajectories of my reiatsu markers."

Given the prompt, Szayelaporro set aside his awe and excitedly guided with beams of pink reiatsu, and Gusion sculpted accordingly.

This wasn't Gusion's first time with Wood Release. He'd practiced in his inner space. With a Sage Body, he could control it freely—if not at the First Hokage's sheer might.

With his temporary mental stat high and soul-source plentiful, creating a huge building wasn't hard.

These Wood-Release structures differed greatly from normal wooden houses. In sheer toughness, they rivaled or exceeded most stone builds.

Soon, under Szayelaporro's direction, Gusion completed the initial plan and construction of the lab.

"Phew… Let me rest. I'll raise the new Las Noches after."

He exhaled. The soul-source cost was secondary; handling the countless details was mentally taxing.

With Baraggan down, he was effectively Hueco Mundo's ruler. Once Las Noches was rebuilt and the research base ready, his mission here would be done.

Who knew how far Aizen had gotten? Gusion could hardly wait to return to the long-absent Soul Society.