Chapter 286: Shatter...
As someone who knew the original work well, Kaiser naturally understood the truth of this world better than most.
It was said that countless years ago, the world was nothing but chaos where life and death did not exist—there was no advancement, nor regression. Even becoming a Hollow was simply a part of the Reishi cycle, rather than what it is now, where only evil spirits become Hollows.
But gradually, Hollows began devouring humans, and this Reishi cycle was forcibly interrupted, causing the world to lose its balance.
If this trend were to continue, all humans would surely be devoured by Hollows, and as Hollows devoured each other, they would eventually become one unified entity, resulting in all souls in the world becoming a single, massive Hollow, plunging the world into complete stasis.
It was under such circumstances that the Soul King was born.
He was a being brought forth by the world itself to reject chaotic development. Born with power equal to that of a god—omniscient and omnipotent—his very existence was for the purpose of solving the problems caused by the world's chaotic evolution.
Thus, he used his power to eliminate the Hollows and restored the cycle of the world.
However, the founders of the Five Great Noble Clans, who were created as his close attendants, did not accept this version of the world.
Their motives varied, but their goal was the same: to divide the world into three realms, allowing each to perform its function and establishing order and balance.
To achieve this, they sealed the Soul King, using his omnipotent power as a wedge to split the chaotic world into three: a world of Reishi, a world of matter, and the desert world into which Hollows—born of the other two—would be cast.
That became Soul Society, the World of the Living, and Hueco Mundo—the current Three Worlds.
And the Soul King, who used himself as a wedge, whose omnipotent power formed the basis of the Three Worlds, was placed in the Soul King Palace, guarded by the Royal Guard, while the Five Great Noble Clans remained in Soul Society to maintain the balance and order of the Three Worlds.
Such a state of affairs lasted for at least a million years.
Over such a long time, the Five Great Noble Clans became Four, and Soul Society experienced many upheavals, eventually forming into its current structure.
Yet no one knew that the Soul King—sealed and fashioned into a living stake—had already foreseen all of this with his omniscience. He knew what would happen to him and did not resist. Instead, he chose self-sacrifice.
Though sealed and turned into a living stake, the Soul King continued to use his power through the flow of time to guide the world's development.
He was born for the purpose of solving problems caused by the world's chaos, and his very existence was destined to offer everything—his self, his life, and his power—for the world.
If such a being discovered Kaiser, a presence from beyond this world, and witnessed the emergence of various powers that were never meant to exist here, what attitude would he take toward Kaiser? What action would he choose? It was truly unpredictable.
At first, Kaiser hadn't considered this. But as he grew, as he gradually deepened his understanding of the power system of this world, he had no choice but to think more carefully.
There was no helping it. This world was built on a very fragile balance. Any interference using powers not of this world could easily cause serious consequences.
For example, if Kaiser were to kill Hollows using his Sacred Gears—would that be a good thing?
It would not.
Because while Hollows are evil spirits, the Shinigami do not destroy them merely to protect humans or maintain Soul Society and the World of the Living. They do so to purify them.
When Hollows are slain by Zanpakutō, they are not erased—they are purified into Plus souls.
If Hollows are killed using powers foreign to this world, they are truly destroyed. They cannot be purified, and this would disrupt the operations of Hueco Mundo and Soul Society.
And as for souls in Soul Society—when they die, they decompose into Reishi and merge back into the realm.
Reishi is the basic unit of all spiritual beings and materials. Any spiritual entity, creature, or object with a soul will typically break down into Reishi upon death, becoming part of the spiritual world.
The main substance of Soul Society is Reishi. Therefore, souls who die in Soul Society become Reishi used for constructing buildings. Even many small Hollows in Hueco Mundo survive just by breathing in the Reishi in the air.
If Kaiser used his Sacred Gears to kill these souls, would they still turn into Reishi to serve as the foundation of Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, or even the World of the Living? That was uncertain.
In the original work, the Quincy tribe was hated by the Shinigami precisely because they eradicated Hollows without purifying them. This prevented the rebirth of souls and blocked Soul Society's ability to replenish its Reishi reserves. That's what led to the irreconcilable conflict with the Shinigami, culminating in large-scale war—until the Quincies were defeated and faded from history.
With that precedent, Kaiser naturally had to be more cautious, doing his best to avoid upsetting the world's balance, lest he draw the Soul King's attention and become the enemy of all Three Worlds.
For that reason, when living in Soul Society—closest to the Soul King—Kaiser was extremely restrained.
Otherwise, with the power of his many Sacred Gears, he had no need to fear Sōsuke Aizen at all.
That last time in Soul Society, he let Aizen escape precisely because of this concern.
This time, after arriving in Hueco Mundo, he finally decided to let loose a little.
"Hollows are a very special kind of existence."
"They existed before the Soul King was born, and they nearly drove the primordial chaotic world to a standstill."
"The Soul King's very reason for being was to eliminate Hollows, proving that to some extent, Hollows are also his enemies."
"So Hueco Mundo should be the most unique of the Three Worlds."
"In this world, Reishi is most abundant and most active. Yet the Soul King's ability to interfere here might be the lowest."
With these considerations in mind, Kaiser felt he could finally act more freely.
Otherwise, if he kept holding back—when would he ever be able to deal with Aizen?
He definitely didn't want a repeat of what happened last time, when Aizen escaped in Soul Society due to his restraint.
"This is also a test," Kaiser said to himself, "a test to see if the Soul King will respond to me—and take action."
If not, then all the better.
If so, then at least he'd be prepared.
Worst case scenario, they'd go head-to-head. Even if the opponent was the god who created the Three Worlds—so what?
It's not like he hadn't fought gods before!
With the True Longinus in hand, Balance Breaker activated, and the Power of God-Slaying unleashed—there was no being he couldn't slay!
After all, this time in Hueco Mundo, he wasn't going to let the cunning Sōsuke Aizen keep living comfortably.
The longer things dragged out, the more likely Aizen was to hatch some grand scheme. So the best way to deal with him was a swift, decisive strike—don't give him time, and certainly don't give him a chance to set the board.
Otherwise, even Kaiser might get played to death.
"Running into me… that's your misfortune, Aizen."
Kaiser said this to the Sōsuke Aizen standing within arm's reach.
"Of course, even if it weren't me, someone else would've stopped you."
For example, Kisuke Urahara.
Or Kurosaki Ichigo.
Both were people who could bring Aizen to ruin.
"Cough cough…"
Aizen could no longer speak. Coughing up blood, he reached out and tightly gripped the spear that had pierced through his abdomen.
"You think… you've already won?"
Blood had stained Aizen's chin red, and his face twisted for the first time, revealing madness and obsession.
"I haven't… lost yet!"
Shouting this, Aizen pulled something from his robe.
It was the Hōgyoku.
The crystalline shell had already been removed. It now appeared as it truly was—completely transparent on the outside, with a flowing dark-blue light inside.
"As long as I have the Hōgyoku… I still have hope!"
Without giving Kaiser time to react, Aizen thrust the Hōgyoku into his own chest.
Blood spurted, and the Hōgyoku was pushed deep into his body.
"Though it's incomplete… Hōgyoku—grant my wish!"
Aizen roared while vomiting blood, the Hōgyoku embedded in his chest glowing brightly.
And yet, Aizen failed to notice that at that moment, Kaiser was looking at him with pity.
"Shatter…"
Kaiser's calm voice drifted into Aizen's ears.
"Kyōka Suigetsu."
Kyōka Suigetsu, now entirely inscribed with golden patterns, released its true form at that moment—silently and completely.
"Crack!"
As if an invisible mirror shattered, the entire world shed its illusion.
"What…"
Aizen's face, twisted with obsession and madness, froze. His eyes widened slowly.
Looking closely, the chest he thought he had pierced—there was no Hōgyoku there.
Even the spear Aizen had supposedly been clutching had vanished without a trace.
Kaiser, at some point, had already pulled away—holding a Zanpakutō in one hand and a gemstone in the other.
The Zanpakutō had a pale green hilt and a leaf-shaped guard.
It was Kyōka Suigetsu.
The gemstone was transparent with blue-black inner light.
It was the Hōgyoku.
"You've fooled others with Kyōka Suigetsu for so long—it's about time you were fooled by it once."
Kaiser said with perfect calm.
"After all, no one's seen Kyōka Suigetsu's Shikai more times than you… right?"
Hearing this, Aizen's lips moved, but he couldn't utter a single word.
After a moment, drenched in blood, Sōsuke Aizen slowly collapsed to the ground…
Chapter 287: The Legend of Soul Society
Soul Society, Seireitei.
It had already been a month since the incident of Sōsuke Aizen's betrayal.
After a month's time, Seireitei had basically returned to its original appearance. Except for the abyss that split Seireitei in two still existing, and the Sōkyoku Hill having completely disappeared, now there was hardly a trace of the previous chaos to be seen.
The Three Worlds had also largely returned to peace, because the culprits—Sōsuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen—had all been apprehended and brought back to Soul Society by the Gotei 13.
Although the incident had passed for some time, the Shinigami living within Seireitei were still enthusiastically discussing it.
"Truly unexpected. Captain Kaiser actually charged into Hueco Mundo all on his own—not only did he crush that so-called Arrancar army and defeat all those Espada stronger than most Captain-class Shinigami, but he even brought back the three of them, Aizen and the others, and escorted them back to Soul Society."
"Still feels unbelievable. Is this really something one person could accomplish?"
"I also think it's unbelievable, but… it's Captain Kaiser we're talking about."
"That's right, the very same Captain Kaiser who even defeated the Captain Commander."
"He split Seireitei in two. Compared to that, invading Hueco Mundo is nothing."
"Well, even so, our Captain was still sighing about it recently."
"Our Captain too…"
"You guys as well?"
The Shinigami across Seireitei conversed like this, and though their wording may differ, their topic was nearly identical.
Many Shinigami still remembered vividly how, at the time, the entire Gotei 13 had been thrown into disorder due to Kaiser's solo incursion into Hueco Mundo. The Captain Commander had even urgently convened a captain's meeting, urging the captains to leave the hospital and assemble in front of the Senkaimon, preparing to storm Hueco Mundo as backup.
But before the captains even set out, Kaiser returned from Hueco Mundo alone, bringing back Sōsuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen, shocking the entire Gotei 13 with the news.
Later, during another captain's meeting, Kaiser briefly explained the situation. He told everyone that the crisis had been resolved—not only had he brought the three back alive, but he had also slain more than half of the Espada, leaving only a few survivors, greatly weakening Hueco Mundo's forces.
The Shinigami all remembered the dazed expressions on the captains' faces when they emerged from that meeting—like they couldn't believe they weren't dreaming. It was rather comical.
Given all this, no matter how unbelievable it seemed, the Shinigami had no choice but to acknowledge the monumental feat Kaiser had accomplished.
He had conquered all of Hueco Mundo single-handedly, brought judgment upon three heinous criminals, brought great glory and reputation to Soul Society and the Gotei 13, and even resolved a crisis that could have affected all Three Worlds, even the Soul King. It was an extraordinary achievement.
Now, discussions about this legendary captain could be heard across all of Soul Society—including in Rukongai. No one dared say they didn't know the Captain of Division 3, Kaiser.
Kaiser's fame had soared to its peak, surpassing even that of Captain Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.
The Four Great Noble Clans gave him official commendations on behalf of the nobility, and the newly reconstituted Central 46 also publicly praised his accomplishments.
It could be said that Kaiser was now recognized as the strongest, youngest, and most prestigious Shinigami in Soul Society.
Many believed that when Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto eventually retired, the one to inherit the mantle of Division 1 Captain—and Captain Commander of the Gotei 13—would undoubtedly be this young, already-legendary captain: Kaiser.
Thanks to all this, whenever Kaiser walked the streets, it was like a global superstar showing up to meet his fans—he received universal attention.
"Captain Kaiser!"
"Captain Kaiser!"
While walking on the road toward the Division 3 barracks, Kaiser was greeted with salutes and cheers from countless Shinigami. Numerous reverent and admiring gazes fell upon him, and the entire street cleared to both sides, creating a wide path for him to pass through.
Kaiser had long grown accustomed to all this. He walked confidently down the path others made for him, his lavish Zanpakutō hanging at his waist, his Haori draped over his shoulders. He looked no different than before—no one could imagine that not long ago he had been using powers that didn't even belong to this world in Hueco Mundo.
Momo Hinamori followed behind Kaiser, watching the scene unfold with a sense of shared honor, and also cast a gaze full of admiration at him.
However, she did not forget the matter she had just been reporting to Kaiser.
"…In any case, the fact that you brought back Captain Ichimaru alive—Rangiku-san is really grateful. She kept asking me to thank you on her behalf."
That was what Momo had just informed Kaiser of.
"And also Captain Komamura and Lieutenant Hisagi—they're very thankful that you brought Tōsen back alive. They specifically asked me to tell you that, when they have time, they'll come personally to thank you."
It had to be said—Aizen and the other two were truly lucky. Even after suffering such heavy blows, none of them actually died. They barely managed to cling to life.
After Kaiser brought them back, the three were immediately imprisoned, with layers upon layers of seals and prohibitions placed upon them. They were no longer capable of stirring up any trouble.
Central 46 sentenced each of the three, but not to death. Rather, their punishments were tantamount to life imprisonment, and they were sent to different, isolated locations.
Among them, Sōsuke Aizen received the harshest sentence—twenty thousand years of incarceration, locked away in the deepest prison beneath Division 1, the Eighth Level: Muken, where he would never see the light again.
Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen's punishments weren't as severe, but they too were sent to extremely harsh environments.
Matsumoto Rangiku, Sajin Komamura, and Shūhei Hisagi had already visited them. After long conversations, each seemed to have found some measure of closure, which was why they asked Momo to express their thanks to Kaiser.
To this, Kaiser responded rather indifferently.
"I didn't deliberately spare them. They just happened to still be alive and incapacitated. That's the only reason I didn't finish them off."
It was the truth—not some act of false humility.
At the time, he had not held back. His strikes were aimed directly at vital points with lethal intent.
The fact that the three survived and made it back to Soul Society to face judgment was simply because they were tenacious enough.
If their injuries had been slightly worse—or if they had struggled a little harder—they absolutely would have died. There would've been no chance of returning alive.
"But Rangiku-san really is grateful. She even prepared a gift for you." Momo cautiously asked, "Will you accept it, Captain?"
"I'll accept the gift," Kaiser said decisively. "But they don't need to come in person…"
After all, he had nearly beaten their childhood friends, beloved companions, or revered captains to death—and now those very people were supposed to visit and thank him? Wouldn't that be a little strange?
Kaiser certainly thought so, so he'd rather avoid it.
"But you—rumor has it you met Kisuke Urahara in the World of the Living. Is that true?"
Kaiser was referring to events that occurred after he entered Hueco Mundo.
Momo had apparently been so worried that she nearly lost her mind after he went missing. After passing the news to Soul Society, she had immediately prepared to return, trying to find a way to assist Kaiser.
But before she left, she encountered someone that even Kaiser hadn't met yet.
That person was Kisuke Urahara—who, like Kurosaki Ichigo, lived in Karakura Town and had been hiding behind the scenes all this time.
"I only found out afterward that he was the former Captain of Division 12—Kisuke Urahara."
Momo seemed a bit confused as she spoke of this.
"He wasn't actually coming for me—he was there for Kurosaki-san."
"Kurosaki-san's body seemed to be having some issues. After you left, Captain, he almost lost control."
"That was when the rumored Kisuke Urahara appeared and took Kurosaki-san away. It seems he has a way to help him."
Hearing this, Kaiser nodded while silently thinking to himself.
"So, Kurosaki Ichigo has already begun touching upon Hollow powers."
Kurosaki Ichigo was a child born from a union between a human and a Shinigami—his father being Isshin Kurosaki.
However, since his mother, Masaki Kurosaki, had been attacked by a Hollow before giving birth, it triggered Hollowfication. As a result, Hollow power also existed within Ichigo's body.
Sōsuke Aizen once said that the way to surpass the limits of a Shinigami… was through Hollowfication.
A Hollow becoming more like a Shinigami, and a Shinigami Hollowfying—those were the two methods for transcending limits. Aizen had pursued the former.
Ichigo, on the other hand, was born with both Shinigami and Hollow powers. His potential was extraordinary.
After activating his Shinigami powers and becoming a Shinigami, the Hollow within him had already started awakening and merging with his Shinigami powers—forming a ticking time bomb.
This time, during his battle with the Hollowfied enemies in the World of the Living, it seemed to have stimulated that power, and the Hollow within tried to take control, nearly causing him to go berserk.
During his fight with Yammy, his pain and unusual behavior were likely due to the chaos caused by his inner Hollow.
Kisuke Urahara, being fully aware of this, was now undoubtedly helping Ichigo learn to control Hollowfication.
"Unfortunately, Aizen has already been dealt with—so this original protagonist has lost his stage."
With such thoughts, Kaiser returned to the Division 3 barracks and entered the captain's office.
Momo excused herself, leaving Kaiser alone, sitting on the tatami mat.
Once alone, Kaiser closed his eyes.
"Zheng…"
From within his body, a gemstone radiated a faint glow—quietly reshaping his body…
Chapter 288: Getting Stronger Just by Lying Down
[You have reached a critical node of this fantasy world. Life experience stage complete.]
[The Librarian may choose to return to the Fantasy Library to settle this life experience.]
After Kaiser defeated Sōsuke Aizen and obtained the Hōgyoku, such a thought suddenly descended upon him, received by his mind and transformed into a familiar message.
Having stayed in this world for several decades, Kaiser had finally arrived at an important node in this fantasy world, completing the life experience, and now had the option to return to the Fantasy Library.
But Kaiser didn't choose to return immediately—instead, he first brought the three of them—Sōsuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen—back to Soul Society.
Because he was waiting for the completion of the Hōgyoku.
"After obtaining the Hōgyoku developed by Urahara Kisuke and merging it with the Hōgyoku he created himself, signs of fusion had already begun to appear."
"However, these were only signs. For the Hōgyoku to fully merge, it still needed more time."
"Aizen Sōsuke's original plan was to wait until the Hōgyoku was completely perfected before proceeding."
Unfortunately, due to Kaiser's intervention, Sōsuke Aizen didn't live to see that day.
In Kaiser's explosive outbreak after abandoning concealment, Sōsuke Aizen failed before his ambitions could be realized—defeated by the True Longinus and his own Kyōka Suigetsu—and was rewarded with a 20,000-year sentence.
In that situation, the Hōgyoku also fell into Kaiser's hands as his spoils of war.
And—
"As I expected, the Hōgyoku is also a type of 'Armament' and can be bound by my authority."
Kaiser's authority was the Ultimate Authority Over Weapons. Any entity that possessed the concept of "weaponry" could be affected.
Whether it was a weapon, armor, or even an item, as long as it carried the concept of "armament" and provided benefits to the wielder, it was subject to Kaiser's authority.
The Hōgyoku, as an item that allows Shinigami and Hollows to break through their limits, naturally fell under Kaiser's jurisdiction.
So Kaiser immediately bound the Hōgyoku, turning it into his exclusive weapon. At the same time, through his authority's complete control, he accelerated its fusion.
Now, the Hōgyoku was finally complete.
"Swish!"
With a flick of his hand, the Hōgyoku that originally resided in his body was summoned into his palm.
Unlike when he first obtained it, the Hōgyoku now, while still appearing as a transparent gem, had its inner blue-black glow replaced by a radiant golden hue.
This, of course, was not the Hōgyoku's original appearance—it only looked like this after being bound and empowered by Kaiser's authority.
Holding this new Hōgyoku, Kaiser could clearly sense the will within it.
That's right, the Hōgyoku was also an item with a will of its own.
Kaiser didn't know whether it originally possessed consciousness or developed it after fusing two Hōgyoku together, but it didn't matter to him. The Hōgyoku's will was absolutely loyal to him—completely subservient.
Through communication with it, Kaiser also learned its true power.
"Aizen created the Hōgyoku to surpass the limits of Shinigami. Kisuke Urahara believed the Hōgyoku he developed was meant to break the boundary between Shinigami and Hollow. But in truth, the Hōgyoku's power is far from that simple."
After acquiring and binding the Hōgyoku, Kaiser confirmed—it was absolutely not something that could be created merely by infusing hundreds of Shinigami and Hollow souls.
"The true core of the Hōgyoku is actually a fragment of the Soul King."
The Soul King, who had been made into a lynchpin, had fragments of his body scattered into the lower realms, becoming various substances.
The Hōgyoku's core material was one of those very fragments left behind by the Soul King. The hundreds of Shinigami and Hollow souls were merely nourishment for it.
Sōsuke Aizen and Kisuke Urahara created their Hōgyoku only after acquiring these Soul King fragments.
In Aizen's case, the fragment was extracted from Rangiku Matsumoto's body, nearly killing her when she was a child.
Gin Ichimaru's reason for entering the Shin'ō Academy, joining the Fifth Division, and siding with Aizen was to take revenge for Rangiku and retrieve what had been stolen from her.
But—once again, due to Kaiser—Gin lost his chance to appear.
His grudge, his century-long patience, could only end in failure.
"So, the Hōgyoku's true power is actually the power of the Soul King."
Breaking the boundary between Hollow and Shinigami? That was merely the result Aizen and Urahara desired.
"In reality, the Hōgyoku's power is to absorb the hearts of things around it and manifest them—to realize the scenery people wish to see in their hearts, and let things develop as desired."
Aizen hoped to transcend the limits of Shinigami—the Hōgyoku enabled him to do so.
Urahara wanted to break the boundary between Hollow and Shinigami—the Hōgyoku developed that ability.
As long as the wielder had the strength or potential to realize a wish, the Hōgyoku would fulfill it—allowing them to evolve continuously.
It could protect the host's body from death. When the host reached a limit or faced fatal danger, it would evolve the host to the next stage. That was the true power of the Hōgyoku.
Of course, this evolution was relative—it merely guided potential. If the host had limited talent and potential, the evolution would eventually stop.
In other words, the Hōgyoku couldn't allow infinite evolution. At the very least, it couldn't make one evolve to the level of the Soul King.
After all, it was merely a material formed from the Soul King's fragments—how could it let someone evolve to his level?
"However, that limitation doesn't apply to me."
Kaiser smiled.
Because the Hōgyoku was now bound by his authority. It had become a personal weapon that could grow and evolve with him.
As long as Kaiser grew stronger, the Hōgyoku would grow stronger.
The stronger the Hōgyoku, the more evolution it could provide, and the greater Kaiser's potential would become.
Through such a cycle, both Kaiser and the Hōgyoku effectively gained infinite future and limitless potential.
"Swish!"
Kaiser absorbed the Hōgyoku back into his body, letting it reconstruct him.
Under its transformation, Kaiser already sensed notable changes in himself.
First, his Reiatsu had broken through, stepping into the realm of true First-Class Spiritual Pressure.
Now, in terms of Reiatsu alone, even without using the Boosted Gear to multiply it, he was no weaker than Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.
Secondly, Kaiser discovered that he had gained powers he previously didn't have.
For example—
"Buzz…"
Spinning Reiatsu condensed at his fingertip, forming a crimson orb of light, bathing the area in a red glow.
If anyone had seen it, they'd be shocked.
Because… that was a Cero!
A Cero only Menos Grande and above could use!
"Boom!"
Kaiser's figure suddenly disappeared—like slipping into a twisted space—reappearing in a different location.
That was Sonído!
"Zzzzt!"
Kaiser clenched his fist, red electricity crackling around it.
That was Bala!
Undoubtedly, with the Hōgyoku's assistance, Kaiser now possessed Hollow powers!
Though he hadn't tested it, Kaiser knew he definitely had Hierro now—and likely even High-Speed Regeneration.
What's more, even the legendary Gran Rey Cero—said to be a space-warping move that only Espada-level Hollows could use—was within his grasp.
"And this is just the beginning."
"As the Hōgyoku stabilizes, it will continue reshaping my body, drawing out my potential, making me stronger—evolving me."
"From now on, even if I do nothing, as long as I retain the will to grow stronger, I'll continue to grow—just by lying down."
At this thought, even Kaiser couldn't help feeling genuinely delighted.
Originally, the Hōgyoku's power to manifest hearts came with a flaw: if the wielder's heart wavered, its power could temporarily vanish.
After all, it was materialized will—if the will faltered, its power would fail.
However, that probably didn't apply to Kaiser.
No matter his emotional state, as long as he gave the command, the bound Hōgyoku would carry it out with 100% loyalty. Its power would not falter due to his hesitation.
This was a wishing machine!
Though it only granted wishes for Kaiser himself—allowing him evolution and guidance—it wasn't a device for summoning dragons and making wild wishes.
"Even without any weapons, I probably already have the power to fight Demon Kings."
Kaiser touched his chest, sensing the Hōgyoku embedded within, and couldn't help but smile.
"And this is just for now. The Hōgyoku is still drawing out my potential, evolving me. I'll keep growing—until I'm invincible."
The very thing Aizen had been chasing had now become a gift to Kaiser.
"Wonder how Kisuke Urahara and the Captain Commander will react."
Those who knew about the Hōgyoku probably already suspected it was now with Kaiser.
Would the noble clans know too?
What about Central 46?
Would they… covet it?
"Well, I guess it doesn't matter anymore."
Kaiser silently removed his Captain's Haori, even changed out of his Shihakushō, and dressed in modern civilian clothes. He even retracted his Zanpakutō into his body.
"The Hōgyoku is complete. I have no more reason to remain in this world."
Now—it was time to return to the Fantasy Library.
"I wonder what kind of reward I'll get this time."
Something to look forward to.
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Author's Note: This volume ends. Next one is Campione.
Have a nice weekend everyone and drop some powerstones if you'd like :)
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