[Loading ‘Evolution Database’ function.]
[Soul: The purest form of a being.
—Current path of evolution (Hollow): Hollows are souls who materialize their Inner Heart through the corruption of sins. They lose their minds to raw instincts and animalistic desires. They have existed since the primordial tis.
Soul (Base form) -> Base Hollow (Materialization of Inner Heart and domination by raw instincts) (Achieved) -> Gillian (Fusion with Souls of similar affinity) (Achieved) -> Adjuchas (Formation of a new consciousness capable of dominating raw instincts) (Achieved) -> Vasto Lorde (Partial harmony of raw instincts with consciousness) (Achieved)
Potential Evolutions in this path: Arrancar (???) -> ??? (???)]
—Alternative path of soul evolution (Shinigami): Souls who manifest their Inner Heart by external ans…
Soul (Base form) -> ??? (???) -> ??? (???) -> ??? (???)]
[Human: A soul residing in a vessel of Kishi to interact with the World of Living.
—Potential path of human evolution (Quincy): ??
Human (Base) (Achieved) -> Quincy (???) -> ???
—Alternate potential path of human evolution (Fullbringer): ??
*Evolution Database will be constantly updated with your knowledge.
The wealth of information overwheld Kazuya. As he sifted through the options, he noticed an asterisk at the end, accompanied by an explanation for the nurous question marks scattered throughout the list. It beca clear that the status only reflected what he knew or rembered; any gaps in his knowledge or mory resulted in the mysterious question marks.
‘When did I achieve Adjuchas-Class?’
The (Achieved) marks hinted that he might have started as a simple Hollow. Sohow, those mories vanished or were discarded after he beca a Vasto Lorde.
‘They don’t matter now.’
He narrowed his eyes at the tick mark available in front of every potential evolution path. He could regress to a previous evolution and even try out the Quincy path. It was a convoluted approach compared to his desired ability to switch races at will. Well, he wasn’t going to complain about a power with plenty of potential down the line.
This also implied,
‘I can beco a Shinigami.’
His face bead with excitent. Most of the Bleach story took place in the Soul Society, and most of the intriguing characters lived there. Compared to the intriguing events of the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo felt stupidly plain.
‘I wanna et Mama Unohana and Yoruichi, and Rukia!’
Setting his interests aside, remaining in Hueco Mundo as a Vasto Lorde would attract Aizen's attention. Rather than waiting, it seed better to move to the Soul Society and grow stronger by obtaining a Zanpakutō.
He acted passively his whole life, letting others decide his fate. What did he receive in exchange? A life of ntal anguish and a lead bullet through his head.
Now, he had knowledge of the future, the power to switch races, and a ridiculously useful System. He possessed all the necessary tools to beco strong and live on his own terms. How pathetic would it be if he beca a doll dancing on Aizen’s palm?
“It won’t happen.”
Anger swelled at the possibility of being controlled like a puppet. After all, he had no control over his previous life. No freedom to decide his future or even the freedom to leave ho outside of curfew hours.
He despised such a life with passion.
His eyes behind the mask suddenly widened as an epiphany dawned on him.
He vied for control all his life. A rebel who always wished to resist his grandfather’s control. That control slowly slipped away, and he had to live under oppression — that was his life’s biggest regret.
[Aspect of Death realized.]
[Innate Ability: Aspect of Death ‘Oppression’ unlocked.]
Laughter erupted from him, as if insanity had taken hold of him. The cave reverberated with his maniacal cackles.
“Death by Oppression. Ah, this is perfect. I love it.”
Apacci wondered if the brutal nature of Hueco Mundo had shattered his sanity in a day. "O-Oi, don't lose it. You can fight it. Push down your instincts!"
He turned to Apacci with a feral grin, his terrorizing aura emphasized by his nacingly glowing eyes. “What do you an? I am a perfectly sane human being… Yes, I am.”
Apacci couldn’t help but miss his gentle, considerate voice.
‘This rowdy Kazuya sucks.’
***
Kazuya didn’t step outside the cave for the next several hours. He wasn’t looking to achieve Hikkikomori status in Hueco Mundo. To truly grasp the concept of Arrancars, he had to get acquainted with the basics of being a Hollow.
He opted for 'closed door cultivation' to hone his Vasto Lorde strength and unlock the full potential of his new innate ability. The Evolution Database provided the basic knowledge, while his own mind filled the gaps.
Firstly, Hollows weren't the mindless soul-eaters the Soul Society portrayed them as. In fact, Bleach showed they were quite different. The more he learned, the more intriguing complexities arose, complicating his intended path.
Questions swirled in his mind: Why did a Hollow have a mask? Why did they consu others to fill the void in their souls? What was the nature of the void that expanded with their craving for souls? Why did most Hollows beco more human-like after reaching the Adjuchas-Class?
And most importantly, what exactly was this Inner Heart that triggered the creation of a Hollow?
Most importantly, what exactly was the Inner Heart that triggered a Hollow's creation? He had nurous theories, but none could be confird. Eventually, he abandoned the pursuit of the Inner Heart's true purpose and shifted his focus to Hollow evolutions.
Every evolution after Gillian placed great emphasis on suppressing raw instincts. The raw instincts that turned them into hyenas for souls instead of flesh.
Each evolution beyond Gillian emphasized suppressing primal instincts, which had driven them to beco ravenous soul-seekers. Arrancars, for the most part, resembled Shinigami.
He closed his eyes, his mind swirling with countless theories.
After several minutes of contemplation, he opened his eyes, now gleaming with newfound understanding. He felt like a hermit who had achieved enlightennt.
'I see. nos don't eat others to beco strong and evolve. The primary goal is strengthening their consciousness, which suppresses their raw instincts.'
Failure to do so would result in regression to Gillian-Class.
The theory made too much sense to be false or delusional.
'Then Arrancars...'
His lips curved into a smirk as he realized the true intent of tearing the mask for Arrancarization. Aizen was right about 'separating boundaries between a Hollow and Shinigami' to create an Arrancar. But there was more to the process; otherwise, there wouldn't be natural Arrancars like Ulquiorra Cifer and Coyote Starrk.
'Let's test my theory and my new ability.'
Turning to his drowsy companion, he patted her mask. "Co with ."
"Hmm… where are we going?"
"To cause so chaos, my little friend. Let us toy with the destiny of so hapless souls."
"..."
Apacci looked at him as if he had lost his mind.
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