Bleach [76-79] (Patreon)

Chapter 76: The New Espada

Looks like he wants to send me away again.

Yoshio figured Aizen had some plan, but there was no need for him to get involved.

Fine—then I won’t. Playing tower defense or farming games in Las Noches doesn’t sound bad either.

Since Aizen handed over all permissions for Las Noches to me, I’ll assemble a brand-new Espada.

Well, maybe not the strongest, but definitely stronger than the original Espada.

At least, in Szayelaporro’s case—this Vasto Lorde-class Menos Grande is way stronger than the original Espada.

…

Yoshio didn’t return to Las Noches immediately. He stayed in Seireitei for a day to see whom the Thirteenth Division would send to Hueco Mundo.

Back with his squad, Yoshio saw Tōshirō Hitsugaya in training.

He walked over to greet him. “How’s your training lately?”

Seeing Yoshio approach, Hitsugaya was a bit surprised. He sheathed his Zanpakuto, didn’t answer Yoshio’s question, and instead asked, “Did something just happen?”

“You already know?” Yoshio raised a brow, then admitted, “Yeah. Seireitei will probably make a big move tomorrow.”

“But that has nothing to do with you. Just keep being the prodigy kid in your squad.”

“You…”

Tōshirō Hitsugaya looked at Yoshio as if he had something to say.

“What is it?” Seeing his hesitation, Yoshio couldn’t help asking, “Got something to say?”

“...No, it’s nothing.” Hitsugaya shook his head.

“What an annoying brat.” Yoshio ruffled Hitsugaya’s hair. Only after Hitsugaya broke free did he turn to leave.

As Yoshio walked past him, his face darkened; behind him, Tōshirō Hitsugaya watched Yoshio’s back.

A flicker of doubt flashed in his eyes, but in the end he shook his head and returned to training.

“This kid…”

Yoshio thought to himself: though Tōshirō Hitsugaya is young, he’s very perceptive, and he knows me well—seems he’s noticed some discrepancies.

Originally, Aizen used Kyōka Suigetsu to have others impersonate people. For Kyōka Suigetsu, disguising someone isn’t hard, but perfectly playing the role is very difficult.

You need to know that person’s habits and personality. Even with a dedicated stand-in, over time cracks will appear.

For example, when Aizen “died” in the story and used his Zanpakuto as a corpse, Retsu Unohana gradually noticed inconsistencies.

Without close contact, those flaws don’t get noticed.

Beyond appearance details, personality and behavior matter too.

Another example: Aizen had some bald guy impersonate him to tail Hirako Shinji. If Hirako knew Aizen well, he could catch subtle tells in the bald guy’s movements and tone.

So when Aizen used Kyōka Suigetsu to have someone impersonate Yoshio, he tried to keep that person at a distance—best not to interact with acquaintances.

Normally that would work. I’ve only been in Hueco Mundo for a month; if the squad’s busy, being less social for a month is normal.

Aside from Rangiku, the other Lieutenants don’t seem to have time to drink every day.

Even so, that fake Yoshio still seems to have aroused Tōshirō Hitsugaya’s suspicions.

Tōshirō is now in the Fifth Division. No matter how the fake Yoshio hides, he has to come to the Fifth, and that means contact with Tōshirō is inevitable.

So Yoshio finding the fake suspicious now is only natural.

What can I say—Hitsugaya’s observation skills are sharp. Otherwise, in the original, Aizen and Ichimaru Gin wouldn’t have picked Tōshirō Hitsugaya as their audience while acting.

Yoshio entered Aizen’s office and told him about it.

Aizen seemed to have anticipated this, and said calmly, “You don’t need to worry about that.”

“I plan to transfer Hitsugaya to the Thirteenth Division.”

“Hm?” Yoshio said in surprise. “You think Tōshirō is no longer useful?”

“On the contrary, he’s certainly still useful,” Aizen said coolly. “He’s just too easy to control. As long as you and Hinamori remain in the Fifth Division, wherever Hitsugaya goes, he won’t escape our influence.”

“I see…” Yoshio thought, then said, “Sending him to the Thirteenth—are you having him replace Shiba Kaien, or even Jūshirō Ukitake?”

“You’re ready to move on Shiba Kaien?”

Of the twenty-two and twenty-eight people sent out, all were positioned for high posts to facilitate his later plans.

Take Ichimaru Gin going to the Third as Captain, with Kira currently in the Fourth and later transferring to the Third. That way, both the Captain and Lieutenant of the Third are his people—basically Aizen’s unit.

Hitsugaya should be the same.

It’s well-known that the Thirteenth’s Captain, Jūshirō Ukitake, is frail and even thinking of retiring—just waiting for Shiba Kaien to grow up so he can hand over the Captain seat.

But now Shiba Kaien is stuck in Hueco Mundo; as long as he doesn’t return, the Thirteenth will have a Lieutenant vacancy.

If Hitsugaya can become the Thirteenth’s Lieutenant, he’ll likely succeed Ukitake as Captain.

That would put another squad under Aizen’s control.

But that would also throw the Soul Society plot into chaos.

Yoshio narrowed his eyes slightly.

If Tōshirō becomes Captain of the Thirteenth, then who becomes Captain of the Tenth?

Don’t tell me… me?

No! Absolutely not!

He could never be Rangiku’s Captain. She’s lazier than he is. If both Captain and Lieutenant don’t work, it all falls on the 3rd Seat?

In short, Yoshio had decided—if the Tenth has a Captain vacancy, he will never take it!

“It’s not that I want to move against Shiba Kaien.”

Aizen said softly, “But Hollows have already made a move.”

The Hollows have acted…

Yeah, Hueco Mundo is a mess. A wounded Shinigami separated from the main force not getting targeted by Hollows—that would be the real surprise.

In Hueco Mundo, a Shinigami who can last thirty seconds is a god.

Chapter 77: Rukia Joins the Hueco Mundo Dispatch Team

Although Shiba Kaien was clearly in trouble, Yoshio was powerless to help.

He didn’t know where Shiba Kaien was, so he couldn’t save him.

And he’d already obtained Shiba Kaien’s “Appearance Mimicry”…

Forget it; it’s fine.

Just as Yoshio had said long ago—and as his awakened Zanpakuto, Yoshio, had acknowledged—though he makes friends everywhere, he…

He only pretends to be friends.

He doesn’t give genuine feelings; he only seeks others to give. He approaches friendships with utilitarian motives from the start. In that case, it’s hard to invest true emotion.

So he can only fall into Lonely Hell. Lonely Hell is his Souls Ability, and also his predicament.

If anything, spending time together does create some feelings—Renji, Hinamori, Hitsugaya, Rangiku, and so on…

But for someone like Shiba Kaien—a tool he deliberately used to raise Souls Ability favorability—he didn’t feel anything special.

If he could save him, he would.

If he couldn’t, then so be it.

Thus he remained in the Fifth Division, waiting for the final selection.

Based on the thirteen Captains’ opinions, it was decided that the Tenth and Eleventh Divisions would head to Hueco Mundo together.

Because the members of the first Hueco Mundo Dispatch Team were connected to those two squads.

The first team was mainly composed of Shiba Kaien and Shinigami from the Eleventh. So this time they would send those connected to Shiba Kaien: Shiba Isshin and the Eleventh’s Captain, Zaraki Kenpachi.

Teaming up with Zaraki Kenpachi would be painful, but Shiba Isshin should be able to handle it.

Yoshio silently mourned Shiba Isshin—or rather, Rangiku—for a second, then asked about Rukia.

…

“What? Both Captain Kuchiki and Captain Ukitake agreed to let her go to Hueco Mundo?”

Yoshio’s eyes widened.

At the time, he was drinking with Rangiku, Shūhei, Iba, and others, seeing Rangiku off.

From Rangiku, he learned that Rukia was actually part of the second Hueco Mundo Dispatch Team.

This was unexpected to Yoshio.

“I heard Captain Ukitake went to plead with Captain Kuchiki. As for why Captain Ukitake agreed, I don’t know,” Rangiku said casually, showing none of the dread of entering that hellish place, Hueco Mundo.

Her only pain was that once in Hueco Mundo, she couldn’t often come out to hang with Yoshio and the others.

For Yoshio, that actually made things easier—without Rangiku around, impersonating him in Seireitei would be much easier.

But will “Rukia” really become “Hueco Mundo”?

That would be interesting.

Aizen might take advantage of Rukia leaving Seireitei to probe Dark Rukia. Right now, Aizen’s interest in Rukia should be higher than ever.

Not just Aizen—Yoshio was interested too.

After leaving the restaurant together, Yoshio prepared to return to Hueco Mundo.

Next, the Tenth and Eleventh Divisions just had to wait for the Twelfth Division’s coordinates; once set, they’d head to Hueco Mundo.

If he was going to participate, naturally he needed to go early to prepare.

“I’m heading out, Captain Aizen.”

Yoshio returned to the Fifth Division, informed Aizen, then went to the secret lab, used the hidden passage Aizen left, and headed to Hueco Mundo.

…

“Back already?”

He emerged in Las Noches and heard Starrk’s voice.

“I just got here and you appear—were you waiting for me?”

Yoshio rolled his eyes.

It was a bit startling to have someone pop up right after stepping through a Garganta.

“I really want to see the power of your Hollow mask transformation.”

Starrk said bluntly, “Can you show me?”

“Uh…” Yoshio thought, then said, “I call that power Hollowfication, but it’s not fully matured yet. Once it is, I’ll come find you, how about that?”

“All right.” Starrk didn’t insist. Time meant nothing to him.

He’d existed for countless years; waiting a hundred more wouldn’t matter.

“Actually, I need a favor.” Seeing that Starrk didn’t press for a spar, Yoshio relaxed. “Can you help me find some people?”

“Who?”

“A large antelope-shaped Menos Grande named Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. The rest are Shinigami. I want every trace of the Shinigami.”

Starrk frowned. One Vasto Lorde Hollow, and the rest are Shinigami?

“I’ll find them. I’ll leave Lilynette with you.”

“You idiot, Starrk—what are you saying?”

Lilynette suddenly jumped out, kicked Starrk, and said, “How can you leave me behind and go off alone?!”

“There’s really no need to go alone,” Yoshio reminded him. “Soul Society is sending two squads to Hueco Mundo, which means there will be two Captains. If you go alone, it could be dangerous.”

Two Captains…

Hearing this, Starrk’s expression didn’t change—still the same listless look.

He had no impression of Soul Society’s Captains; he rarely left Hueco Mundo and had almost never gone to Soul Society or the Human World, so he didn’t care much about their Captains.

“Once you find the Shinigami’s traces, don’t alert them—just remember their locations.”

“When you get back, I’ll tell you a new story.”

He said that last part to Lilynette.

“Yeah! But you haven’t finished the story of the Shinigami Hokage yet!”

“Of course—once that story’s done, I’ll tell a new one.”

Yoshio teased Lilynette like a child, then said, “Before long, you’ll have more companions.”

“You’re going to create more Arrancar?” Starrk asked.

“Not me—Captain Aizen.” Yoshio shrugged.

Hearing the name of the mysterious Aizen, Starrk said no more.

Starrk had a deep impression of Aizen. When Aizen first appeared before him, Starrk saw at a glance he was a strong one.

And…
He was a strong, lonely man.

He was…
Terribly lonely.

Though Aizen had never shown such an aura, Starrk—equally lonely for countless years—could still sense that loneliness.

Because he saw Aizen’s strength and solitude, Starrk decided to follow the Shinigami the moment he met them.

He believed that if he followed them, he would no longer be alone.

Chapter 78: The White Cocoon

“They’ve arrived…”

Yoshio checked the time.

Based on what Rangiku said while drinking, they should be entering Hueco Mundo around now.

Their arrival meant Yoshio had to act too.

These people were here to deal with Hollow White; Yoshio certainly couldn’t let them kill Hollow White.

Because his favorability with Hollow White hadn’t reached eighty yet, he hadn’t permanently acquired the [“Cocoon Transformation”] ability—so he absolutely couldn’t let the Shinigami take it down.

While in Las Noches, he’d been searching for Hollow White’s whereabouts.

According to Soul Society intel, Hollow White clashed with the Hueco Mundo Dispatch Team, and the battle attracted more Menos Grande.

Although those Menos were enemies of the Shinigami, they also didn’t welcome Hollow White, so it became a three-way melee—pure chaos.

Hollow White’s whereabouts were unknown.

Based on past experience, Hollow White would return to Las Noches within a week at most, but seven days had passed this time—implying its condition wasn’t great.

So Yoshio had been sending people out to search for Hollow White, and occasionally went himself.

Sensing the arrival of the Dispatch Team, Yoshio left Las Noches again.

Standing under Hueco Mundo’s pitch-black sky, on the white reishi sands, Yoshio stretched out his hand to feel the reishi and murmured, “This environment seems to speed up my Hollowfication progress.”

Shinigami and Hollows are reishi-based beings; different environments affect them.

Hueco Mundo’s reishi concentration is denser than Soul Society’s; if a Shinigami adapts to it, they gain power surpassing what they’d have in Soul Society.

But the environment also affects the soul.

Ordinary Shinigami are fine, but because Yoshio had triggered Hollowfication before, his soul had Hollow traits, making him better adapted to Hueco Mundo.

Such an environment would make the Hollow nature in his soul more active.

“This is getting annoying. I’m leaking Hollow spiritual pressure and there’s still a bunch of things fixating on me.”

Yoshio stopped and looked around.

Several Gillian-class Menos Grande had appeared, eyeing him greedily.

If there were other tiers present, maybe; but if it’s just a bunch of lowly 9-stars, he had zero interest in subduing them.

Yoshio raised a finger; a Special Beam Cannon gathered at his fingertip.

Against small fry like this, the best approach was the simplest—wipe them out.

He’d repeated this motion a dozen times.

Couldn’t be helped—walking alone in Hueco Mundo really was too dangerous, especially with that strange aura seeping from him.

Shinigami souls attract Hollows more because Shinigami are complete souls; Hollows—those with incomplete hearts—crave to devour the whole, as if that would fill their emptiness.

Yoshio aimed at the Hollows, but before he could fire, they suddenly self-destructed!

As if crushed by immense pressure, they toppled, their bodies warped, and—boom!—they exploded!

…

Seeing this, Yoshio withdrew the Special Beam Cannon and brushed back his hair.

“Your entrances are always so striking, Starrk.”

Yes—only Starrk could create such a scene in all Hueco Mundo.

His reishi was too powerful; he could only be alone.

Even Gillian-class Menos Grande were crushed under Starrk.

“If possible…”

With Lilynette at his side, Starrk walked over slowly. “I don’t want this ability.”

“That’s the arrogance of the strong. I can’t stand it,” Yoshio sighed. “Did you come to me because you found the targets?”

“I did locate some Shinigami, but that’s not why I came.”

“Oh?” Yoshio grew serious. “So that means…”

“I found White, but… he can’t see you right now.”

Starrk said quietly, “So I want to ask if you want to go see him. Maybe… you’ll be surprised.”

“That so…” Yoshio narrowed his eyes slightly and said slowly, “I wouldn’t mind seeing something surprising.”

Starrk turned and headed south.

Yoshio followed. After several hundred kilometers, they stopped before a peculiar complex of buildings.

“This is… where White is.”

Looking at the architecture wholly unlike Las Noches, Yoshio was surprised.

While most of Hueco Mundo was reishi sand, there were occasional landforms.

Adjuchas often nested on rocky hills.

But large structures like Las Noches were rare.

Now, before Yoshio stood something like a palace built by a civilization—but it was dilapidated. Many structures were brick, with proportions and shapes close to human scale.

Seeing such buildings made one wonder if a civilization had once existed in Hueco Mundo—and not an ordinary one—likely a civilization formed by Vasto Lorde.

Only Vasto Lorde would require architecture suited to human-like gaits.

“Negal Ruins?”

Yoshio looked around with interest. “I wonder who used to live here.”

“It’s been too long; there’s not even any point in investigating.”

Starrk continued forward; after climbing the final steps, he stopped.

Yoshio followed—and saw Hollow White.

No…

He saw a “cocoon” encasing Hollow White.

It was a spherical cocoon wrapped in some kind of thread, two to three meters in diameter, radiating an especially unique reishi pulse.

“This guy…”

Seeing it, Yoshio thought of Hollow White’s Souls Ability, “Cocoon Transformation.” Was it undergoing Cocoon Transformation on its own?

Had its battle with the Shinigami reached a certain threshold?

No wonder it hadn’t returned to Las Noches—must have found a safe spot nearby to evolve.

What would Hollow White become after evolving?

“Thanks.”

Yoshio said to Starrk, “Next time I’ll bring you something nice from Soul Society—as payment for this.”

Starrk ignored that and simply said, “I don’t know what exactly is happening to him, but I know the reishi pulse he’s emitting will attract nearby Hollows and Shinigami. Do you need my help?”

Chapter 79: Death Descends

“I do need your help.”

Yoshio thought it over. Hollow White wasn’t restraining itself at all—its reiatsu was flaring as it evolved.

The location was somewhat hidden, but if it kept broadcasting like this, it would eventually draw Hollows or Shinigami.

He wondered: if he experienced Cocoon Transformation and gained Souls Abilities, would it be like this for him too…

If too many Menos Grande or Shinigami were drawn in, he couldn’t handle it alone—best to have Starrk stay.

Starrk nodded and, looking at Hollow White, asked, “What is this state?”

He’d never heard of a Hollow changing like this.

Hollow White was already strange—its spiritual pressure clearly indicated it was a Hollow, yet its combat style was very Shinigami-like, which was odd.

But transforming into this state was still beyond Starrk’s understanding.

He could feel Hollow White’s spiritual pressure increasing in both quality and quantity.

“Just like Menos Grande evolve from Gillian to Adjuchas to Vasto Lorde, White’s evolution is even more diverse.”

“Beyond those major leaps, he can also evolve within each tier. Each evolution massively enhances all his abilities.”

Yoshio explained to Starrk, “If he keeps evolving, he might surpass you.”

“Is that so…”

Hearing that White might surpass him, Starrk showed no displeasure. He simply asked, “How long will it take?”

“I’m not sure. We’ll see.” With that, Yoshio walked back to the cocoon to examine it closely.

Waves of spiritual power kept radiating from the white cocoon, each stronger than the last.

If he gained this ability in the future, and his own evolution caused the same phenomenon, he would need to find a secluded place to evolve.

Otherwise, wouldn’t it be a public execution?

Not knowing how long it would take, Yoshio simply sat and continued telling stories to Lilynette.

Three days passed in a flash. Hollow White was still inside the cocoon, with no sign of hatching.

But the ruins were not peaceful—today Yoshio sensed a Shinigami’s spiritual pressure.

Some weaker Hollows had appeared earlier, but Starrk’s spiritual pressure scared them off. Now Shinigami were here; they wouldn’t retreat easily.

Hollow White’s reiatsu, combined with Starrk’s—two overlapping signatures—might as well be a proclamation: an incredibly powerful Hollow is here.

If nothing else, that guy Zaraki Kenpachi would surely come.

“If I’m not mistaken, the one coming is the Eleventh Division’s Captain, Zaraki Kenpachi—the guy with the eyepatch. Just stall him. Remember: absolutely do not truly fight him.” Yoshio saw Starrk moving and hurriedly warned him.

“?” Starrk frowned. “What do you mean?”

Not fighting him for real—what did that mean?

“It’s hard to explain in a few words. In short, Zaraki Kenpachi is weird, and fighting him brings no benefits.”

Battling that guy only makes him stronger. Unless you can outmatch him after fully unleashing yourself, there’s no point fighting him to the death.

Though puzzled, Starrk didn’t press. With a single Sonido, he vanished from Yoshio’s sight.

Yoshio needed to prepare as well.

No one could be allowed to recognize him.

After arriving in Hueco Mundo, he hadn’t worn the Shinigami uniform; he’d changed into Hueco Mundo’s future uniform: white trench coat, long pants, black boots.

But clothing alone wasn’t enough. Not wearing a Shinigami uniform doesn’t make you unrecognizable. If only.

Yoshio had Appearance Mimicry—he could transform into others at will, even muddle his spiritual pressure—and he had Hollowfication.

Either ability could help hide his identity.

His Hollowfication duration wasn’t long yet, but in a pinch he could don the mask to hide.

Plus, the reiatsu permeating the ruins from Hollow White and Starrk would keep anyone from sensing his presence.

Unless he chose to reveal himself—inevitable, this time. He wouldn’t just spectate.

After Starrk and Lilynette left, he leapt upward and looked down toward the Shinigami.

“Aren’t those Ikkaku and Yumichika? Looks like they made it back.”

From above, Yoshio could see clearly—he spotted Ikkaku Madarame and Ayasegawa Yumichika among the Eleventh Division.

But he hadn’t seen Renji yet.

Which made Rukia in the squad look a bit worried.

“I need to find a way… to separate Rukia.”

Curious about what this Dark Rukia was like, Yoshio focused more on her.

But even if Starrk could stall Captains Zaraki Kenpachi and Shiba Isshin, snatching Rukia from the remaining Shinigami would not be easy.

“Troublesome…”

Yoshio pondered whom to mimic with Appearance Mimicry.

There were conditions to trigger it: he had to have seen the target with his own eyes and even touched them—not something he could conjure from imagination.

Hmm…

He couldn’t turn into a Seireitei Shinigami—people would quickly realize something was off.

Aizen, Ichimaru Gin, Tōsen Kaname were even less possible. Well… Aizen might not be completely impossible.

Aizen had Kyōka Suigetsu; he could re-trigger it and freely alter his own appearance.

They were all already under Kyōka Suigetsu’s sway; using Aizen might be feasible.

But that would drain an absurd amount of reiatsu.

He’d have to maintain Appearance Mimicry while continuously sustaining Kyōka Suigetsu’s illusion—his transformation time would be far too short.

So he could only think of people outside Seireitei—and the target had to be strong…

Baraggan?

Szayelaporro?

Nelliel?

Those three were formidable, Vasto Lorde-class Menos Grande—more than capable of abducting Rukia.

Just as he was about to pick Baraggan, he stopped—because he suddenly had a more interesting idea.

“I’ll borrow your name, ‘Goddess of Flash’—Yoruichi…”

With a mischievous smile, he activated his ability: Appearance Mimicry.