The spiritual power of Hollows is poison to the Eradicators—even those among the Star Cross Knights who wield the insatiable power of the Holy Script would never, without necessity, devour Hollow energy.
It was precisely to guard against that risk that Yuhabah, prior to launching an assault on Soul Society, sent out forces to attack Hueco Mundo and capture the then-Hueco Mundo King. Yet this very action calls into question his omniscience—if he were truly all-knowing, would he really fear Hueco Mundo?
Moreover, his intervention later prompted even the Arrancar of Hueco Mundo to join the campaign against the Star Cross Knights. Otherwise, the mutual hatred between Hueco Mundo and Soul Society would have surely led them to sit back and watch the chaos—each eagerly wishing for the Eradicators and the Shinigami to perish together.
"Nyaku—this Zanpakutō, in a way, is incredibly terrifying. No wonder the 5th Division lives up to its ancestral reputation as masters of illusion."
During training sessions with the Faceless Corps, while instructing Ichigo, Daniel Davis sometimes took advantage of mirror-space to observe the proceedings. Not to mention, there was that reputed "Shinigami-level" combat unit within the Faceless Corps known as Rokuroken Sai.
On that occasion, Daniel witnessed firsthand the Shikai of the Faceless Corps' Zanpakutō. Although each had its own unique utility, overall it was Hira's "Nyaku" that proved most practical.
While Ichigo could fend off some of the other Faceless Corps' Shikai, when confronted with Nyaku he was caught entirely off-guard.
Nyaku's ability creates an inverted world. Once its Shikai is released, the Zanpakutō emanates a peculiar fragrance that causes anyone who smells it to perceive the scene completely in reverse to reality. In battle, encountering such an effect is disorienting—even a prodigy in combat would struggle to adapt on the spot.
Although Ichigo is undeniably clever, his acumen applies only to straightforward combat. Battles requiring subtle, perceptive strategy remain his weak point—the same holds true for the likes of Naruto and Luffy.
And that was merely the Shikai of Nyaku. Its Bankai is even more horrifying; indeed, it is the second Zanpakutō in Soul Society whose Bankai use is strictly forbidden.
Nyaku's power is one of inversion. While most Shinigami use their Shikai to dispatch lesser foes and reserve their Bankai for formidable adversaries, with Nyaku the roles are entirely reversed—the Shikai is used against strong opponents, while the Bankai is meant for dispatching minions.
Under the effect of Nyaku's Bankai—"Nyaku Yaku Hachihōsai"—everyone's perceptions are flipped. Not only is spatial orientation inverted, but so is one's very understanding of friend and foe. In that domain, all combatants mistakenly perceive each other as enemies, leading to self-destruction.
It's nothing short of a battle-royale device. Hira once used it to achieve a record of one versus a hundred thousand. However, this Bankai comes with a significant drawback: no allies can be present. If any teammate employs it, chaos would ensue—and that is precisely why Hira's Bankai is banned in Soul Society.
There's also the issue that it isn't well suited for one-on-one duels, since it's designed for mass combat.
"Today is a rare honor—welcome to my little shop. If you'd like to purchase something, I can offer you a 9.9% discount."
When Daniel entered Kisuke Urahara's shop, Urahara enthusiastically introduced his merchandise. Ever since Aizen's true nature was exposed, although the bounty on Urahara and the Shihōin of the Four Winds had not been officially lifted, few paid them any heed behind the scenes.
As a result, Urahara's general store has been booming lately—selling a wide array of items and raking in a tidy profit. Many of the simple-minded members of the Gotei 13, even if duped by Urahara's silver tongue, still help him count the cash.
"Calligraphy copies of famous people, musical instruments of celebrities—do Shinigami really idolize stars?"
Daniel was quite curious about the full range of goods offered at Urahara's shop. This time he finally had a chance to take a closer look, and he must say that many of the items far exceeded his expectations.
Not only does Urahara sell talismans and items to ward off evil spirits or exorcise ghosts and Hollows to people in the Human World, but he even imports certain items from the Human World into Soul Society—and the prices aren't exactly cheap.
Some prices are so steep that even vice-captains of the Gotei 13 cannot afford them. To meet customer demand, Urahara even offers financing services. Rumor has it that the vice-captain of the 9th Division, Hisasagi Shūhei, ended up the biggest victim of his loan schemes.
"Electronic Binding Capsules—this fellow really has produced many practical items for ordinary folk."
Although most people can't see ghosts or Hollows, some individuals possess rare abilities to do so. Urahara caters to these people; his general store isn't merely a façade—it genuinely sells goods.
"I don't see any 'Proxy Bodies' or 'Proxy Soul Capsules' here. It seems he employs different strategies for different customers."
Urahara's eloquence is legendary; it's no wonder Hisasagi Shūhei was conned into taking out a loan to buy his merchandise.
Unfortunately, Urahara never offers his truly premium products for public sale—items like his Black Cloak that negates spiritual pressure or his portable Proxy Body. Although the world lacks any technique akin to shadow clones, Urahara's invention of a portable Proxy Body does grant similar functionality.
In the end, Daniel did purchase one item—a flying carpet crafted using Kidō techniques by Urahara.
"Surely, you're not here merely to shop?"
After noticing Daniel's purchase, Urahara's businesslike smile gave way to a more serious expression.
"Indeed, I have a matter to discuss. When I was at Seireitei's Rukongai, I discovered a problem. At first, I didn't pay much attention, but upon further reflection these past few days, I feel I should warn you."
"Then you should go see Ichigo. I've severed ties with the Gotei 13 now."
Urahara held a folding fan in front of his mouth and stated flatly.
"I'm just telling you what I sensed. Whether you believe me or not, it's no longer my concern. During your great battle, I detected several powerful auras hidden within nearby shadows—auras that resembled those of Ishida Uryū. If my hunch is correct, they should be Eradicators."
That statement isn't entirely unfounded. In the midst of the raging battle at Seireitei, the Star Cross Knights would not have remained indifferent; at the very least, they would have dispatched someone to investigate. Thanks to their ability to hide in the shadow world, these individuals are exceptionally hard to detect—especially when one isn't even aware of their presence.
"Eradicators… as far as I know, they're nearly extinct."
"I can't say for certain—I'm merely relaying what I felt. From now on, that's no longer my problem."
With that, Daniel turned and left Urahara's shop. Knowing Urahara's cunning, he didn't feel the need to elaborate further—after all, he wasn't Ichigo.
He'd already mentioned that there was something amiss with the shadows. If Urahara were to investigate, he'd undoubtedly uncover the truth. After all, Yuhabah's invasion hasn't taken just a few stray shadows—it's overtaken the entire Seireitei's shadow, with the Ice Palace itself built upon them.
"Eradicators… shadows… could it be them? This is going to be a real headache."
After Daniel departed, Urahara stood silently lost in thought. His folding fan fluttered in his hand until, all of a sudden, his pupils contracted as if he'd recalled something. His expression shifted dramatically, and he hurried off toward his basement.
Daniel knew Yuhabah's condition all too well. Until Yuhabah has fully recovered, he won't make a move. But Urahara and his cohorts remain unaware—if these people were to emerge during a final showdown between the Gotei 13 and Aizen, it would spell disaster.
"Have they arrived?"
After the Gotei 13 had quelled the mutiny staged by Aizen and the three rebel captains, they dispatched numerous Shinigami to the Human World. Under Jing Le Chunshui's and Toshiro Hitsugaya's investigations, it became clear that Aizen's true objective was the King Key.
Previously caught off guard by Aizen, this time the Gotei 13 intends to strike preemptively. Fortunately, the Central Forty-Six Division hasn't yet hindered them—indeed, it appears they haven't even had time to do so. At this moment, the major nobles of Soul Society are embroiled in a fierce contest for the position within the Central Forty-Six Division.
This is a rare opportunity for advancement—given the longevity of Shinigami, it is virtually impossible under normal circumstances to replace all forty-six Division members at once.
The first arrivals were a vanguard, composed primarily of vice-captains deployed around Kūza Town to set up Kidō formations. They were led by the 10th Division captain, Hibiyagatani, with only the 11th Division not sending its vice-captains—since those are usually retained by Kenpachi Zaraki—with representatives like Ikkaku Madarame and Yuri Ayasegawa transferring en masse to the high school that Ichigo attends.
Fortunately, they are aware that Ichigo's class cannot accommodate so many people at once; they're scattered across different classes.
With so many Shinigami arriving at once, Ichigo's household simply cannot accommodate them all—especially since not everyone is as diminutive as Rukia. Some of Ichigo's close classmates even had to offer up entire rooms from their homes to house these vice-captains.
"Clearly, investigations into the shadows have begun. Next up, I wonder whether the Central Captain will first deal with Aizen or with Yuhabah. After that, it's off to Hueco Mundo."
With that thought in mind, Daniel drew the Yanluo Mirror Codex from his waist and, with a swift slash into the void, tore open a black spatial rift—a "Black Void." He then stepped through.
"Heading to Hueco Mundo without encountering the usual restrictions—'Kuryū' or 'Kutotsu'—was the original intention when Soul Society was founded. Or perhaps they never expected such a situation to arise."
The Black Void serves as the gateway to Hueco Mundo—a pitch-black passage where only spiritual particles can light the way. Although it remains dangerous, it is far safer than the gates leading to Soul Society.
"It's desolate… Anyone who sees this for the first time would assume Hueco Mundo has always been like this. Little do they know, this is entirely the work of the Spirit King."
Unlike Soul Society—with its lush, verdant trees—even barren crags in Soul Society would still boast greenery. But in Hueco Mundo, the landscape stretches out as a vast, blinding white desert. Aside from that, there isn't much difference; the concentration of spiritual particles is roughly equivalent.
"What a diminutive Hollow—Hollows come in many forms. Could it be that the souls of animals mostly turned into Hollows, thus creating this state of affairs?"
As he strode through the desert of spiritual particles, observing small Hollows sporadically emerging from the sands and pondering the myriad forms of the Great Hollows, Daniel couldn't help but speculate.
He had no intention of attacking these small Hollows—they pose no real threat, nor do they even possess the ability to cross over into the Human World.
"Truly, this is the Forest of the Great Hollows. There are so many Kirian…" In the vast underground expanse of Hueco Mundo, Daniel beheld a congregation of perhaps several dozen Great Hollows. The "Forest of the Great Hollows"—which he had assumed was merely a massive woodland—turned out to be an entire underground realm in Hueco Mundo.
These Great Hollows gather in numbers ranging from several dozen to possibly hundreds.
What is a Hollow? It is a soul that clings to the Human World, unwilling to pass into Soul Society, and in the process, degrades over time. In other worlds, such beings would be considered malevolent spirits.
In an effort to satiate the void within themselves, Hollows will attack humans and devour their souls. Once they've consumed enough, they evolve into Kirian. Interestingly, while ordinary Hollows possess intelligence, once they become Great Hollows they often lapse into a muddled state and simply migrate to the Forest of the Great Hollows.
Under normal circumstances, Great Hollow Kirian do not attack each other. But as with all rules, there are exceptions—some Kirian will assault their own kind, devour them, and evolve further. Such an evolution can yield the sentient Ahuka.
If an Ahuka absorbs a large amount of spiritual energy, one of two outcomes is possible: it either ascends to become the highest-ranking Great Hollow, known as Vashitod, or—due to limited innate potential—it remains as an Ahuka, its strength unable to grow. Even Hollows, it seems, are subject to the influence of innate talent.
Over the many years in Hueco Mundo, only a handful have ascended to become Vashitod.
"The reason Kirian lack distinct consciousness is likely that they have devoured too much—each struggling for control of its awareness. Only upon seizing control can one truly ascend."
"Yet here is a Shinigami still surviving in Hueco Mundo. How unfortunate."
Arriving in the Forest of the Great Hollows, Daniel had a specific purpose. But before he could act, he noticed movement from another direction—another Shinigami had stepped in to slay a Great Hollow.
Observing a Shinigami stealthily dispatching two Great Hollows before the remaining Kirian had time to react and retreat, Daniel let out a quiet sigh. He did not know this Shinigami personally.
However, he was aware of their background. Over the years, the Gotei 13 have lost many Shinigami battling Hollows. Among them are those driven by a thirst for vengeance and a desire to eradicate Hollows once and for all—a "final solution" approach reminiscent of what Zhicheng Jianba envisioned. This Zhicheng Jianba bears a certain resemblance to Uchiha Madara in that respect.
The higher-ups in Soul Society would never disclose the secrets of Hueco Mundo. Officially, they claim it is essential for world balance and that the complete destruction of Hueco Mundo is unthinkable. Yet, calls to act are growing louder—and if nothing is done, a specialized task force will be formed to launch an all-out assault on Hueco Mundo, essentially sending those brave souls to their deaths.
In light of such circumstances, Daniel can only express regret. Even he isn't sure how to handle the situation. Revealing the true nature of Hueco Mundo and the Spirit King would cause chaos—it's not a matter to be taken lightly.
Even if the origins of Soul Society are rooted in conspiracy, one must admit that it was precisely the Shinigami who kept many people safe from Hollow attacks.
"With so many Philosopher's Stones at my disposal, it's time to go find Aizen."
Daniel harbored no hesitation about refining Great Hollows into Philosopher's Stones. After all, only those who have devoured vast quantities of souls can become Great Hollows—and that is exactly why he journeyed into the Forest of the Great Hollows.
(End of Chapter)
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