After chatting for a while, they arrived at Masatsuki Aozaki's temporary laboratory.
The entire room was shrouded in a solemn atmosphere.
Masatsuki Aozaki stood at the center, surrounded by the Arrancars and nos under his command. Among them, Harribel, who held a slightly higher status than the others and was acknowledged as a "companion," sat quietly at his side.
Masatsuki Aozaki slowly rose to his feet and stepped forward toward the Reishi mbrane before him.
Inside the translucent barrier, a figure knelt, completely wrapped in tight bandages. Though concealed, the outline of a human form was still faintly discernible.
Raising his hand, Masatsuki Aozaki extended his fingers into the mbrane.
In an instant, a brilliant white Reiatsu flared at his fingertips, radiating such an intense glow that those nearby instinctively narrowed their eyes.
With a sharp, crystalline crack—like shattering glass—the Reishi mbrane ruptured.
At the sa ti, the bandages wrapped around the figure unraveled like brittle porcelain, falling away in fragnts.
Amidst the scattered remains, a man clad in half a helt knelt motionless, his hands slowly dropping to his sides.
"Welco back, my companion—Ulquiorra."
Masatsuki Aozaki's lips curled into a genuine smile as he extended his palm toward the kneeling figure.
Ulquiorra Cifer, now officially recognized as a "companion," lifted his head slowly.
His erald eyes, vacant and clouded with uncertainty, fixated on the outstretched hand before him.
"Loly, give him his clothes."
Masatsuki Aozaki let out a light chuckle and withdrew his hand, his tone casual and unconcerned.
"Yes!" Loly responded imdiately.
Hearing Masatsuki Aozaki call her na, she hurried forward, carrying a set of pristine white garnts in her arms.
In a short mont, Ulquiorra had changed into his new attire, his appearance completely renewed.
His Zanpakutō, Murciélago, now rested at his waist. He stood tall and composed, his sharp features and slender build exuding a cold elegance—an image of refined aloofness.
Yet, despite his striking presence, when standing next to Masatsuki Aozaki, he sohow seed unremarkable.
As a result, the others' attention was drawn more to his defining trait—the remnants of his Hollow mask, the undeniable mark of an Arrancar.
Masatsuki Aozaki observed him carefully, a flicker of satisfaction flashing through his eyes.
Ulquiorra's Reiatsu in his current form was nearly identical to when he was a Half-Arrancar—at the level of an ordinary Second-Class Spiritual Power, slightly below Harribel's.
As for his other abilities, further testing would be necessary to assess them.
"You may leave for now. I will personally test your strength later."
"Yes, Masatsuki-sama."
Ulquiorra gave a slight nod, showing no resistance to the command.
As he stepped out of the laboratory, he cast a brief glance toward Harribel, who remained seated nearby.
He knew that soon, it would be her turn to undergo the Arrancar transformation.
Recalling his own experience of becoming an Arrancar, he nodded slightly to himself, as if sothing had beco clear to him.
Though he didn't fully understand the reason for avoiding the process, he followed Masatsuki Aozaki's instructions without hesitation, carrying them out with unquestioning obedience.
"Everyone here has just witnessed the state Ulquiorra achieved," Masatsuki Aozaki said in a low voice.
"This proves that even a Vasto Lorde-class nos can undergo perfect Arrancarization."
For a brief mont, silence filled the room.
Then, a flicker of excitent flashed in the eyes of Sung-Sun, Apacci, and Mila Rose.
"Harribel, co to my side. It's ti for your Arrancarization experint. Once you successfully transform, you will gain even greater power."
Masatsuki Aozaki's gaze swept across the gathered Hollows before finally settling on Harribel. His tone carried both encouragent and anticipation.
"I've been waiting for this mont for a long ti, and I believe you have as well. Let us witness it together."
Harribel t his gaze, her eyes unwavering, conveying a silent promise.
Then, she nodded firmly, signaling that she was ready.
The other won in the room exchanged smiles, each harboring different thoughts.
Sung-Sun, Apacci, and Mila Rose sincerely hoped to see Harribel grow stronger.
Loly and noly, however, were more concerned about their own survival.
Though they had been captured as test subjects, they couldn't deny that Arrancarization had elevated them to a higher form of existence.
But evolution brought more than just power—it also carried imnse risks.
After all, within Las Noches lurked a terrifyingly powerful and deranged scientist.
If that madman were to discover them, there was no doubt he would personally capture them and subject them to further cruel experints.
According to Harribel, this scientist was not only ruthless but also one of the strongest Vasto Lordes, with unfathomable power.
They all knew Masatsuki Aozaki wouldn't remain in Hueco Mundo for long. He frequently left, often disappearing without a trace.
This left them feeling vulnerable and uneasy in the face of potential threats.
Harribel had beco their leader, their protector.
If she could successfully beco an Arrancar, then even in Masatsuki Aozaki's absence, they would have soone strong enough to ensure their safety.
However, Harribel did not smile.
Lowering her head, she gently placed a hand over her chest, feeling the rapid beat of her heart.
"During the Arrancarization process, I will use a special white cloth to wrap your body and deploy a Reishi mbrane around you. This will stabilize your spiritual particles and prevent external interference during your transformation," Masatsuki Aozaki explained.
Then, with a playful tone, he added,
"I wonder—are you afraid of the dark? If you are, don't worry, I'll be right here with you the whole ti."
"Let's begin."
Harribel had long since made up her mind. Without hesitation, she steadied her breath and focused, fully prepared.
She allowed Masatsuki Aozaki to proceed without resistance.
White cloth strips, woven from specialized Reishi, coiled around her like living serpents, wrapping her body layer by layer until she was completely enclosed.
Above them, the ceiling of the laboratory began to glow as a spherical device activated, emitting concentrated streams of Reishi energy.
A transparent, glass-like polygonal barrier ford around her, isolating her from external Reishi.
Masatsuki Aozaki could feel the Hōgyoku within his chest resonate.
Reaching out, he placed a finger against Harribel's forehead—
The sa radiant light that had shone during Ulquiorra's transformation now illuminated the room.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake
Reviews
All reviews (0)