Cirucci followed Aizen's gaze.
A figure, roughly the size of one and a half sheep, was charging toward them.
Why one and a half?
Because it was a person riding atop a half-human, half-goat creature.
No...
To be more precise—
The ruler of Hueco Mundo was riding on the back of a Vasto Lorde!
The moth-like Adjuchas trembled instinctively. The impact of a Vasto Lorde-class Resurrección Arrancar was sothing she, still an untransford Adjuchas, had no hope of dodging.
She could only squeeze her eyes shut and brace for the inevitable.
...But the expected pain never ca.
After a mont, she hesitantly cracked her eyes open.
"Masatsuki-sama, next ti, please don't move around so much while I'm running. It's difficult to control my balance."
The goat-like knight ca to a steady halt in front of the moth Adjuchas, turning to address the man on her back.
"Hey, don't bla for that."
Masatsuki Aozaki withdrew his hands from where they had been gripping the knight's waist, scratching his head nonchalantly before hopping down from her back.
"Nelliel's just too fast. If I don't hold onto sothing, I feel completely unsafe."
Then, looking up, he spotted Aizen and grinned.
"Oh, Sōsuke, you're here too? Looks like I made it just in ti."
With no hesitation, Masatsuki Aozaki casually slung an arm around Aizen's shoulders.
Aizen's eye twitched slightly, but he didn't react beyond that. He simply handed over a docunt and said,
"You arrived at the perfect ti. Take this."
Masatsuki Aozaki took the file, briefly scanning the familiar na before raising a brow in mild surprise.
"Cirucci?"
"Y-Yes!" The moth-like Adjuchas quickly responded.
"Good. Co with ."
Masatsuki Aozaki nodded before glancing past her and calling out,
"The rest of the female Hollows in line, co along too."
And with that,
Masatsuki Aozaki, Cirucci, and the goat-like knight led a group of peculiar-looking nos away from Aizen's laboratory.
Aizen, anwhile, silently glanced at the shoulder Masatsuki had just draped an arm over.
With a sigh of resignation, he exhaled deeply.
A familiar voice spoke from behind.
"Aizen-sama."
"What is it, Tōsen?"
"The substitute in the World of the Living has sent word. Regarding that matter, Captain-Commander Yamamoto has summoned you to Soul Society to report."
"...I understand."
...
In another laboratory,
Masatsuki Aozaki extended a hand toward Cirucci.
The mont his long, slender fingers touched her forehead,
A wave of warmth surged through her body.
Then, suddenly—
It felt as if a pair of enormous hands were kneading her entire form.
She was being molded, compressed into a tight sphere, then reshaped into strange and shifting forms.
It was as though her body was being torn apart—
Yet there was no pain.
On the contrary, an indescribable sense of euphoria washed over her.
She was completely imrsed in the sensation, lost in it for what felt like minutes.
Finally, she beca aware of his hand withdrawing, the warmth fading.
She slowly opened her eyes.
And in that instant—
A rush of overwhelming power erupted from deep within her, surging like an unstoppable tide.
It was imnse—so imnse she could barely contain it.
Masatsuki Aozaki stood calmly before her, his gentle gaze shining with satisfaction.
A sharp crack echoed through the air.
The mask on Cirucci's face shattered.
"Umm... This is... ..."
Cirucci raised her slender hands and touched her face in disbelief.
To her astonishnt, the hard, white, bony mask that once covered her features was gone, replaced by soft, smooth skin.
Just like the true Arrancar she had seen before—
Her mask had shattered, revealing a human-like face!
Her eyes widened with exhilaration as she took in her reflection, her fingers tracing her new features.
A surge of overwhelming joy and relief flooded through her.
She had finally escaped the looming fear of degeneration—she had been reborn, stronger than ever.
And all of it was thanks to Masatsuki Aozaki.
She had truly succeeded!
Brimming with excitent, Cirucci turned toward the other two figures in the laboratory. Her voice trembled with emotion as she called out,
"Your Majesty Aozaki! Lady Nelliel! I... I did it! Is this real? Have I really beco an Arrancar?"
Masatsuki Aozaki narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint smile forming on his lips. With a calm but certain tone, he answered,
"Yes, Cirucci, you've succeeded."
To emphasize his approval, he even gave a light clap, as if offering her encouragent.
He had seen this reaction countless tis before.
Unless they were the coldest and most detached of nos, those who completed their Arrancar transformation and regained their rationality always responded the sa way—overco with exhilaration at their newfound existence.
Nelliel, having reverted to her human form after her Resurrección, stood with her arms crossed, watching Masatsuki Aozaki with a quiet smile.
Another Hollow had broken free of its restraints and rediscovered itself. That was always sothing worth celebrating.
Masatsuki Aozaki studied Cirucci, his gaze thoughtful.
He occasionally nodded, as if silently assessing sothing.
After a mont, he finally broke the silence.
"Cirucci, do you see the door in the back?"
"Go through it, and you'll find Loly and noly."
"They'll run so tests to help you better understand your newfound strength."
"Go on."
Cirucci didn't hesitate.
She nodded firmly, her voice brimming with determination.
"Yes, Your Majesty Aozaki!!"
Anticipation and excitent filled her tone—she was eager to know just how powerful she had beco.
With clear instructions, she quickly turned and made her way toward the corner of the lab, her steps light yet resolute.
But after only a few steps, she suddenly stopped.
A flicker of hesitation crossed her face, as if she had just rembered sothing difficult to say.
After a brief pause, she spoke cautiously,
"Your Majesty Aozaki, I..."
"I know."
Masatsuki Aozaki didn't seem the least bit surprised.
He waved his hand dismissively and nodded.
"You want to get stronger, don't you? Co to my room tonight. For now, go see Loly and noly."
It was almost predictable at this point.
Nearly every female nos that he had personally transford into an Arrancar eventually asked this question.
Most nos never lost their insatiable desire for power.
And then there were the few who simply coveted sothing else—his body.
Masatsuki Aozaki had long since grown tired of hearing the sa inquiries about "thods to increase strength."
But even so, he always made the effort to help them.
After all, it wasn't as if he went through all this trouble for nothing.
So things just went without saying.
Masatsuki Aozaki cast a glance at Nelliel, thinking to himself,
"It's not like I'm doing this just to help them... Wouldn't it be much better to just laze around in bed all day, sleeping in with Nelliel?"
"So you really agree!?"
Cirucci bead with excitent, her expression lighting up.
"Yes, Your Majesty! I'll go right away!"
Masatsuki Aozaki watched her retreating figure, deep in thought.
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