Death and Rebirth

Wishing upon the Hōgyoku requires careful consideration.

After all, in this world of Soul Reapers filled with deception and schemes, the Hōgyoku is perhaps the most "honest" entity.

Upon hearing the desires of its wielder, the Hōgyoku evaluates, compares, and ultimately finds the most appropriate way to grant the wish.

Even if it may seem like taking a detour.

At its core, however, the Hōgyoku will always strive to fulfill the wish of its user.

Thus, the wish Seiya Arima spoke at this moment was one he had carefully deliberated.

And now, a very simple yet straightforward question remained.

Did Seiya Arima truly want to become a Hollow?

The answer was, of course, no.

Years of serving as a Soul Reaper… along with his numerous experiences… had given Seiya a strong sense of identity in his current role.

To abandon his thoughts and rationality, transforming into a mindless beast—

That was something Seiya could not accept.

And in this, he found himself in agreement with Aizen. After all, at the end of the day, Aizen Sōsuke's research into Hollows was ultimately about finding a way to surpass the limits of Soul Reapers.

So then—

What was Seiya's goal?

Or rather, what did he intend to achieve through the power of Hollows?

The answer was now crystal clear.

— I want to replace White and become the anomaly that arose by chance.

— Then, by some twist of fate, "accidentally" connect Soul Reapers and Quincy.

— Finally, as a fusion of both powers, stand in the role of the actor and attempt to witness a different view.

Yes.

Seiya didn't just want to remain a spectator or the one moving the pieces.

Now that he had the opportunity, he wanted to take the stage himself.

If he could truly replace White and become the "White" that appeared in Kurosaki Ichigo's inner world—

Then things would certainly become quite interesting.

After all, Seiya was confident that he wouldn't be as prideful and standoffish as White. And if he could participate, he had plenty of things…

He wanted to say to Kurosaki Ichigo.

Just as Seiya had mentioned earlier, this approach would allow him to witness an entirely different landscape.

And perhaps, he could even acquire a brand-new power.

With a mix of anticipation and a hint of amusement, Seiya quietly awaited the Hōgyoku's response.

Time slowly passed.

Yet, the expected reaction never came—

The Hōgyoku remained still, as if it had fallen into slumber.

"…???"

Such a scene surprised even Seiya—

Even Aizen, the very researcher who studied the Hōgyoku, was visibly taken aback.

Anomalies were already rare—

But for this to happen with the most critical research material?

Even someone as composed as Aizen Sōsuke had to carefully reevaluate the situation.

"Seiya-kun, just now you…"

Before he could finish his sentence—

As if the brief pause in thought had served as a catalyst, the Hōgyoku suddenly erupted with an overwhelming radiance.

Boom!!!

Layer upon layer of light cascaded like ocean waves, flashing intensely.

Even the very air seemed to tremble, as visible distortions twisted through the space.

"This is…"

Even Aizen, as formidable as he was, found himself pausing in contemplation.

For he could see, touch, and feel—

That everything around the Hōgyoku was collapsing inward!

The first to be affected was Aizen Sōsuke himself.

A searing pain shot through his body, twisting his flesh and nerves, sending sharp agony straight to his brain.

Mere pain wasn't enough to cloud Aizen's judgment. His calm and composed gaze quickly assessed the situation…

And within moments, he made a decision.

—I can't stay here. I'll get caught in this.

Judgment and action were simultaneous.

The instant he reached this conclusion, Aizen's body was already in motion.

He needed to move to a safe distance and observe the situation—

And Seiya should do the same.

Aizen would never abandon the manifestation of his student. He silently extended his left hand, instinctively reaching to push Seiya back.

But before he could even make contact—

Aizen was met with a familiar yet elusive presence.

'Do not interfere.'

'This is also a part of fulfilling the wish.'

"…"

The Hōgyoku was no mere inanimate object.

It possessed its own unique consciousness.

Though it rarely communicated, in all these years, moments where it actively reached out to Aizen were exceedingly rare.

Aizen fell silent, making a split-second decision.

He chose to abandon rescuing the Yaksha manifestation, instead stepping back swiftly, retreating to a safe distance.

As he landed at the edge of the phenomenon, Tōsen Kaname—who had already taken position—spoke with evident confusion.

"Aizen-sama, what exactly is happening?"

Aizen slightly parted his lips—

But realized he wasn't sure how to answer.

"… …"

If he truly knew what was happening, would he have reacted so cautiously?

Realizing his own question had been foolish, Tōsen Kaname fell silent and turned his gaze to the side.

As for Seiya—

He stood with his eyes closed, utterly serene.

As a Soul Reaper capable of true synchronization with his manifestation, Seiya's experience at this moment was utterly unique.

Because he could feel it.

His body was being gradually dismantled.

No—

Perhaps the better term was… melting.

The first sensations to fade were from his fingertips and feet.

Like an insatiable parasite, a strange numbness spread through him, devouring his limbs.

Soon, it reached his arms and his knees.

With a muffled thud—

Seiya, having lost control of his body, collapsed into an empty void of consciousness.

So this was what it felt like to lose one's limbs?

As soon as the thought surfaced, the numbness had already reached his chest.

His throat involuntarily convulsed. Even knowing it was futile, Seiya instinctively gasped for air—

As if doing so would somehow break free from this predicament.

But there was no escape.

In this overwhelming numbness, Seiya ultimately lost all control over his body.

Stripped of his Soul Reaper identity.

Devoid of any spiritual form.

Suffocated.

Crushed.

Until everything faded away.

At that moment—

It was as if Seiya had died.

And in this timeless, shapeless void—

Seiya's consciousness finally began to reform.

First, a single speck of light.

Then…

A wildfire erupted.

And within that brilliant glow—

Seiya saw it.

His new self.

—

"Aizen-sama… this is…"

Tōsen Kaname's voice trembled.

He clearly wanted to say something—

But struggled to find the words.

And for once, even Aizen Sōsuke found himself perplexed.

Because it had taken too long.

From the moment the Hōgyoku's light enveloped Seiya's Yaksha manifestation—

To now—

A full ten minutes had passed.

The Hōgyoku had always been a reserved existence. Its prolonged reaction was already highly abnormal.

And now, not only had it taken this much time, but even Seiya had silently closed his eyes, unresponsive.

Time continued to drag on.

Aizen wasn't one to fear the unknown—

But he wasn't fond of waiting.

Just as he was about to investigate further—

Seiya's eyes suddenly snapped open.

He was awake.

And at that very moment—

As if reaching its limit—

The Hōgyoku erupted.

With a deafening roar, the underground chamber—reinforced multiple times—was blasted open, leaving behind an enormous crater.

A pillar of smoke and dust shot into the air, obscuring everything from view…

And within it—

A new Seiya emerged.

As the dust settled, Aizen merely raised a hand in a beckoning motion.

Years of interaction had allowed him to weave numerous layers of control into the Hōgyoku—this summoning gesture was just the tip of the iceberg.

And the moment he finished—

Tōsen Kaname quickly turned his head, speaking in a rather urgent tone.

"Seiya! Are you alright?!"

More than the result itself, he was primarily concerned about his friend's condition.

As for Seiya—

He let out a slow breath, pressing his left hand against his forehead while speaking in a rather peculiar tone.

"Hold on, just… hold on a moment…"

It wasn't that he was dismissing Tōsen—

Rather, his condition was simply too chaotic for him to respond immediately.

Given the circumstances, Aizen's reaction was more measured.

Gazing at the dissipating dust, he tilted his head slightly, wearing an expression of contemplation.

"This kind of reaction… does that mean the experiment was a success?"

His reasoning was simple.

"Since consciousness was shared, previously, he could move freely because both entities had the exact same body and abilities."

Like the distinction between a left hand and a right hand—subtle differences, but fundamentally, they operated under identical principles.

However—

What if it was a left hand and a right foot instead?

"It's only when there's a sudden switch in mental framework that such an intense sense of disorientation would arise."

The moment he finished speaking, before Tōsen could even react—

Seiya let out a laugh.

"Ahaha… truly impressive, Aizen-sensei."

He had to admit—

Aizen was a genius when it came to this sort of thing.

And as the man had speculated—

Seiya Arima was currently trying to adjust to an entirely different perspective of the world.

—

What unfolded before his eyes was an ocean of crimson.

His thoughts were scattered—though everything he perceived was familiar in shape and outline—

It also made something deep within him stir violently.

A fierce, insatiable, carnal urge.

Desperation. Hunger. Rage.

These emotions, tangled together like sugar dissolving in warm water, were impossible for Seiya to separate from his being.

Even though he was restraining himself with sheer force of will, he couldn't suppress the instinctive urge to tilt his head back—

And release a sharp, ear-piercing howl.

"ROOOOOOAR!!!"

A sound powerful enough to shake the heavens and earth.

A vibration so strong, it dispersed the lingering dust cloud, clearing the entire area.

At the same time—

Far above, within the Soul King's palace—

A man with closed eyes, appearing to be resting, suddenly opened them.

"Haaah~ Are you bothering me again?"

"Seriously… I should've never given you even the slightest chance."

"Though I suppose, in a way, this too is in accordance with the Soul King's will. Initially, it was merely a potential anomaly…"

Muttering to himself, Ichibē Hyōsube gazed into the distant sky with unfocused eyes.

"But now—"

"This is something else entirely…"

Time moves in a singular direction, like a flowing river.

Everything within it follows its course—mountains, streams, rivers—

All of it ultimately finds its way into the sea.

Thus—

"All things must have their conclusion."

Hollows, humans, Soul Reapers, Quincies.

It doesn't matter what names they bear. They are all bound by time.

Like fish swimming in the current.

"When a fish leaves the water, it dies from suffocation, doesn't it?"

Even in the rare cases where one manages to leap beyond the river's flow—

Where they catch a glimpse of the world outside—

Their ultimate fate remains unchanged.

This was the source of Ichibē Hyōsube's confidence.

But now, something was different.

"You've grown limbs, haven't you, boy?"

You've left the water.

You've escaped the cycle of mere survival.

The fish that was once you… is now dead.

And what stands in its place—

Is a new existence with the right to breathe.

So then—

"With that fragile body of yours, just how far can you go?"

This was becoming more and more interesting.

"Hoh hoh hoh…"

"As expected of the man the Soul King has his eyes on—"

"Seiya Arima."

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Powerstones?

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