Inside a solemn, mysterious white laboratory.
Aizen and Yhwach stood facing each other, their gazes colliding as a dangerous aura seeped out from their bodies.
Ulquiorra and Haschwalth both felt an overwhelming pressure and couldn't help but look at the two with grave expressions.
These two were far too strong. Just the unconscious momentum leaking from them was already suffocating.
At that moment, the Gillian lying on the experimental table let out a dying wail. After its body struggled one last time…
It went completely still.
It had been crushed to death by the sheer presence the two of them were releasing.
Sensing what happened behind him, a cold glint flashed beneath Aizen's glasses. He lightly adjusted them.
"It seems we can't end this peacefully."
After learning the truth of the world, he'd been extremely interested in what Ichibei had called "the world-devouring Hollow."
Because according to that explanation, once the Soul King collapsed, the world would return to chaos.
In the end, an unprecedented, world-sized Hollow would be formed devouring all matter across all realms.
At that time, Soul Society, the Human World, even Hueco Mundo—everything would be destroyed.
Even Hell wouldn't be able to escape.
So, he re-examined the Hollow race. After various lines of research, he finally set his sights on the Gillian.
Not the intelligent Gillian…
But the mindless Gillian.
Because he discovered that among the various Hollow tiers, only Gillian possessed the most violent and bottomless urge to devour.
Under normal circumstances, as long as a Gillian maintained its level…
It could devour endlessly and grow endlessly.
But throughout Hueco Mundo's past, a Gillian that grew strong enough would usually be swallowed by an intelligent Hollow.
Therefore, in his view…
A Gillian—an "upgraded" path from fodder Hollows—was the most likely existence to become the Hollow that devours the world.
Yet he hadn't expected Yhwach's sudden arrival to kill the carefully selected test subject he'd picked out.
Threads of savage reiatsu erupted from Aizen's body.
Even the floor and walls of the facility couldn't withstand it—countless cracks spread outward, and shattering sounds rose one after another.
Even space itself trembled at that instant.
It was as if this Dangai space couldn't bear Aizen's reiatsu.
Haschwalth sensed something was wrong and immediately stepped forward, trying to stop him.
"Aizen-dono, we came this time"
Before he could finish, Ulquiorra coldly raised a finger.
"Black Cero!"
In an instant, deep-green reiatsu erupted and fired like a laser toward Haschwalth.
Haschwalth's eyes sharpened. He drew the longsword at his waist and met the terrifying Cero head-on, chopping down hard.
Boom!!!
A violent explosion rang out.
A powerful shockwave spread, and the white ground was torn apart like a storm sweeping through. The surrounding walls also exploded with a roar—stones flew everywhere, revealing the fractured space within the Dangai.
And within the dust…
Haschwalth showed no sign of injury at all.
Ulquiorra wasn't surprised. He could also sense how formidable Haschwalth was.
So he gripped his zanpakuto and spoke slowly.
"Don't disturb Aizen-sama."
"Third-Stage Resurrection: Black-Wing Great Demon!"
Not a second-stage resurrection—he leapt directly from his initial form into a third-stage resurrection, merging with a half-finished Hōgyoku.
In an instant…
Even the sky dimmed.
A suffocating reiatsu like an abyss spread outward. Black wings unfurled, and the Hōgyoku at his chest flashed with light.
Haschwalth's expression changed on the spot. He stared at Ulquiorra in disbelief.
"What… is this form?!"
Just moments ago, he'd believed he could crush Ulquiorra easily.
But now, Ulquiorra's strength had skyrocketed by hundreds of times. Just looking at him felt like staring into the abyss.
His reiatsu had even become stronger than Haschwalth's.
Watching his subordinates clash like this, Yhwach's face grew extremely ugly.
In the future he had seen, Aizen did indeed become his subordinate and helped him ascend the throne of the heavens.
But the problem was—he couldn't see how he actually subjugated Aizen.
That was the limitation of The Almighty.
He could only see scattered fragments.
Yhwach narrowed his eyes.
"Aizen… I heard you were defeated by a human. Don't you feel even a hint of humiliation?"
"As long as you follow me, I'll avenge you. I can even let you rule Soul Society. Isn't that your goal?"
"If you're willing, I can even make you the king of the Wandenreich."
Aizen slowly shook his head and countered:
"Yhwach, I don't understand. Why are you so arrogantly self-important?"
"Do you truly think you can defeat me with ease?"
After fusing perfectly with the Hōgyoku and evolving repeatedly he had practically become immortal in the literal sense.
Now, the only possibility was sealing him.
But killing him was nearly impossible.
And he didn't believe Yhwach possessed the strength to forcibly seal him.
If they truly fought, even if Yhwach were stronger, Aizen would still carve a heavy wound into him.
What's more, in danger, Aizen's body might evolve again into an even higher dimension.
At that moment, Haschwalth saw they really were about to fight, and could only speak in a deep voice:
"Aizen-dono, within our Wandenreich, there isn't only His Majesty as a powerhouse."
"We also have a Corps Commander of the Military Police."
"If you insist on resisting, once His Majesty and the Corps Commander join forces… even you will be killed."
It was something he said only because he had no choice.
Because just now, from Yhwach, he had learned Aizen's condition.
With the Hōgyoku perfectly fused and multiple evolutions completed, even if Yhwach acted, it would be difficult to truly bring Aizen down.
And this was the Dangai—if a battle happened here, all of them would be in danger.
Yhwach said nothing.
He didn't want to rely on others to threaten someone, but he truly didn't know how he should make Aizen submit.
But none of that mattered.
Because the future he had seen would inevitably happen.
That was The Almighty.
In other words, Aizen would certainly become his subordinate.
Only the process would be a bit more bumpy.
"Corps Commander of the Military Police…?"
Aizen paused, then spoke slowly.
"A corps from a thousand years ago… the one that was completely buried beneath the Captain-Commander's zanpakuto?"
In records from a thousand years ago, there was little information about how to kill Yhwach.
But there was plenty of information about the Military Police.
Because this was the only Quincy corps that dared to fight the Captain-Commander head-on.
And it was confirmed they were all incinerated in a sea of fire—so thoroughly that even their souls became puppets within Ryūjin Jakka.
"That's right!"
"Corps Commander Cole-sama's strength is not inferior to His Majesty right now. Do you think you have any chance of victory?"
Haschwalth stared at Aizen seriously, trying to make him back down and abandon unrealistic thoughts.
"Cole…"
Aizen's eyelid twitched.
Now he had "Cole Syndrome." The moment he heard the name Cole, an ominous premonition would rise in his heart.
Damn it!!!
Was it that his knowledge was lacking?
Why did he have no idea that the name Cole was so common?
One in Soul Society.
One in the Wandenreich.
Bastard…
Could it be the same person?!
Aizen's expression shifted uncertainly. After a long silence, he pushed up his glasses and said calmly:
"Fine. I can go with you to the Wandenreich and take a look… but I won't guarantee I'll help you."
Yhwach nodded slowly, but inwardly he finally relaxed.
If the two of them had fought, with his current power—even if he could win, it would be a miserable victory.
Still, this alone made him trust The Almighty even more. The scenes he'd seen in the future would certainly become reality.
"Then come with me."
"To the Wandenreich!"
Yhwach spoke with natural authority. He lightly stomped the ground, and black shadows spread out beneath his feet.
Aizen and Ulquiorra did not resist the power within the shadows.
The two sank into it just like that.
"…"
"Wait—this reiatsu…"
Inside the Wandenreich, within the Military Police, Yoruichi suddenly widened her eyes.
"Aizen!!!"
Rukia sucked in a cold breath as well.
Aizen wasn't concealing his reiatsu at all. That violent pressure was like a sun—anyone could sense it with ease.
Retsu, Soi fong, and Sode no Shirayuki all wore grave expressions.
Ryuken's gaze also turned heavy. Even though he hadn't personally participated in the Karakura Town battle, he had seen the course of that war.
Aizen… was absolutely a powerful enemy.
If Aizen and Yhwach joined forces, the consequences would be terrifying.
Something extremely bad might happen.
Cole, however, showed a smile and looked toward the direction of the Ice Palace.
"Impressive. Truly worthy of Zenchi Zennō (The Almighty). Even I don't know where Aizen is… yet he was actually able to find him."
Seeing Cole still cracking jokes at a time like this, Yoruichi was about to explode.
"You idiot, Cole! How can you still be calm right now?! That's Aizen! Maybe he's teamed up with Yhwach already!"
Cole chuckled, rubbed Yoruichi's hair, and comforted her.
"Relax. Aizen can't possibly team up with Yhwach. Their goals are completely different."
As Aizen's opponent, Cole understood very clearly what Aizen's goal really was.
Not ruling Soul Society.
Not destroying Seireitei.
From beginning to end, Aizen's goal had been to reform Soul Society's rotten system.
That was why he'd targeted the lofty Soul King, even betraying Soul Society for it—modifying Hueco Mundo and launching the Karakura Town battle.
And once he learned the truth of the Soul King, he already understood it:
Aizen couldn't kill the Soul King.
Because the consequence of killing the Soul King wouldn't reform Soul Society at all—it would instead cause the Three Realms to collapse.
The original story proved it well.
Aizen clearly could have joined forces with Yhwach, yet he still chose to oppose the Wandenreich…
And was imprisoned again afterward.
Yoruichi was furious, glaring at Cole. She didn't believe Aizen was that noble.
If those two teamed up, Soul Society truly might not be able to stop them.
Cole didn't bother explaining further.
It didn't matter.
Even if, worst-case scenario, Aizen really did join forces with Yhwach, Cole still wouldn't fear it.
At most, he'd just fight both of them alone.
Anyway, once he absorbed the Wandenreich, his strength would soar again.
As the natural ruler of spirit particles, the Wandenreich—built by countless Quincy over more than a thousand years—
Its total spiritual power was a terrifying number.
Time passed, second by second.
Soon, another day went by.
And on that day, two uninvited guests arrived at the Military Police headquarters—Aizen and Ulquiorra.
Looking at the black-haired youth seated on the throne, Aizen took a deep breath and sighed with emotion.
"Quincy… you really are arrogant."
(End of Chapter)
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