I'm sorry that this took me a long time since I had to do lots of things during my spare time. I was very busy lately so this came in late. Again, I'm sorry for the long wait.
XV. Dawn of the Black Sun
The bright sunny day of blue-skied Seiretei did not appeal that much to its inhabitants that day. Within moments of responding to the red-alert level arrancar threat, some of the most powerful officers of the Gotei 13 were decimated by one ex-prodigy of their very own. Never in their entire life have they experienced such a great feat performed by one who they did not expect to be capable of even in their wildest dreams. The thoughts of spending a bright and joyous day were masked by the grave threat that the ex-captain posed greater than ever before. Shinigami could be seen training their selves to the core harder than ever before. The power that the boy displayed in such a nick of time greatly disturbed most of the figures that knew of the incident and are familiar with what the capability of the white-haired ex-captain was.
The presence of two of the most powerful captains in Soul Society drew themselves outside of the healer's station. The flamboyant one hid his face under to what extent his straw hat could cover, and the other one showed a pretty obvious sign of a disturbed mind. Unohana cordially acknowledged their presence and came towards them.
"How are the guys faring?" Kyoraku inquired.
"We've managed to stop the bleeding of their wounds so far. Though their injuries were very serious, I am thankful that we came just in time to heal them. Had we come later than that, they would've died from extreme blood loss."
"Thank goodness it's all fine." Ukitake heaved a sigh, releasing a great burden on his shoulders upon hearing the news.
Unohana's eyes reflected a glint of confusion and unrest. "What were puzzling were those traces of reiatsu we found on the wounds. They couldn't be classified under what we know of with our current knowledge. Those reiatsu traces were not from any of the races that we know. What was even more puzzling was that those things were able to slow down the healing of the wounds to such an extent as if it was rejecting the flow of reiatsu that we were trying to apply to the wounded. They were also absorbing certain amounts of reiatsu from the ones that were wounded as well as some of the reiatsu that we applied. It took a lot of our division's energy to restore them. I could say that it was really because of Kuchiki-taichou and Abarai-fukutaichou's reiatsu reserves that they were able to slightly reduce the effect of the traces of enemy reiatsu on their wounds. They would be fine in about a week, but with Matsumoto-fukutaichou's case…"
A serious atmosphere weighed down upon the three captains. The captain-healer heaved a deep breath before continuing.
"Her reiatsu reserves are not as high as high as that of the two officers, which was why those special reiatsu on her wounds kept active. I was able to heal her, yet I had to sacrifice a lot of my own reiatsu to temporarily disable their effect. It seems that this is a special konpaku-related ability that, if I'm not mistaken, is a sign of evolution of a soul's characteristics. If we take those bits of reiatsu Hitsugaya-taichou's hollow form left behind, I theorize that his konpaku has evolved, gaining a capability of containing levels of reiatsu that approach near-infinite levels."
Ukitake's eyes widened. "That much?!"
"Hai. The main characteristic of his reiatsu is being like a magnet to other spirit particles and reiatsu. It absorbs them and adds them to his total reiatsu reserves. Unlike the Bounto, his body can handle extremely large amounts of reiatsu, which is in contrast with an ordinary konpaku. Usually, a konpaku would break down if it could no longer take the amount of spiritual pressure that is set as its limit. In his case, this limit is missing, so his level of growth would have no end."
"I was glad that he broke of the mask, though. We were lucky that he was taken back by that Espada to Hueco Mundo. If he remained in his hollow form…"
Ukitake and Unohana looked at Kyoraku with deep seriousness. "…Seiretei could've been annihilated."
Ukitake gulped at the thought. His brows were furrowed with the unimaginable extent of the boy's display of raw, vulgar power. Kyoraku pulled out something from the space within his sleeve and showed it to the two.
"Of course it's pretty obvious that this is Sakki stone. I took a small portion of this from that part of the wall nearest to our location then. I noticed it when we were going back inside Seiretei. I'm gonna tell you right now, I took this small piece without actually damaging the surface of the stone."
"But Kyoraku-taichou, if there hadn't been any damage on the surface, how come there's a crack on it?"
"This just shows what that boy has turned into. It had already started cracking under the amount of spiritual pressure that the boy had released. If he continued, the wall could've crumbled with that much power. That's why I already knew that I should really be thankful that they left."
Their attention was immediately drawn towards the hell butterfly that came towards their way. Kyoraku let the small insect land on his finger and a voice started relaying its message to them.
"Attention: all captains are hereby requested to proceed to the assigned meeting hall for a captain's meeting regarding captain commander Yamamoto's new orders."
He let the insect flutter from his finger. "Well, looks like Yama-jii's got something to say. Let's go."
"Looks like ya were quite beaten, Grimmjow…"
"…"
"Very well then, this would help."
Aizen walked towards Grimmjow with a syringe in his hand. He injected it in the Espada's shoulder, the one nearest to his severed arm. White ceramic material that of a hollow's mask first came out, forming the shape of his original arm, and afterwards the surface broke off, showing a fully-restored arm. His eyes widened in shock. It was not like Orihime's ability of rejecting fate as a temporal-spatial ability. It really was regeneration brought to a whole new level. He opened and closed his fist a few times and scrutinized the new limb carefully. It really felt like it was his original arm, yet with an added slick feel to it.
"How does it feel, Grimmjow? Is there anything you find disturbing with your new arm?"
It took him a while before he removed his gaze from his arm and put it on Aizen. "… it's just like my old arm, but somehow, it feels kinda different…"
"Then I guess that would be fine for you then?"
"… I… I guess so."
"Now, now, don't be forgettin' to thank Aizen-sama for yer new arm. It'd be rude, ya know."
"… Y-yeah."
He was still puzzled with his arm. It feels quite different, on the basis that it was like regeneration that superior hollows could do. He knew very well that some hollows could replace their amputated parts with material the same as that of the hollow's mask. It felt just like that, but better. He stopped thinking about it for a while, and moved out of the room, his thoughts now fixed on the boy who was responsible for his untimely amputation. When Grimmjow was at a considerable distance from them, a figure emerged from the dark corner of the room.
"I believe the data we obtained from him were very significant to this degree, Aizen-sama."
"The boy really shows great potential. We were able to restore Grimmjow's arm with just a little shot of a copy of that boy's konpaku-related ability of very fast regeneration. As far as I know it only appears in inner hollow manifestations among vaizards and hollows that have developed this capability. However, this preparation also made his arm capable of handling more reiatsu than his other arm, seeing as to how special it is now."
"Very well. My researches with these things have become more interesting as more time passes by. I'll just take a look into his konpaku's capabilities after a quick look on what the effect of that substance you injected in Grimmjow."
"Ya do just that, Szayel. Well, good luck with that."
Once more the long hall was occupied by the two lines of captains that stood on both sides of the captain commander. It was really quite disturbing, since it had only been a few days since the last captain's meeting took place. They knew better than to ask what was going on.
"I believe all of you have quite an idea why I called for this meeting. I know this seems too soon, but the recent events called for a counter-measure. Reports from sixth division captain and vice-captain Kuchiki Byakuya and Abarai Renji have told of their encounter with the forces that Aizen sent. That involves the fourth Espada Ulquiorra Schiffer and the latest addition to the army…"
The figure of authority paused. The other captains looked at the captain commander, their eyes and ears focused on the next thing he will do.
"… tenth division captain Hitsugaya Toushiro, who now possesses hollow powers."
None of the captains said a word. They knew all too well that the prodigy was now at the hands of the former captain and has now accessed greater amounts of power. They all waited for what they wanted to hear: the verdict for the newest ex-captain.
"He is now considered a high-level target and to be brought back into Seiretei dead or alive."
Ukitake drew a grim and surprised expression. Things turned out into the worst possible case scenario. Though it is true that he hoped for the best that the captain commander may understand the situation, it turned out to what he feared the most.
"But sensei, I believe there may be some explanation behind the things that have been going on. Hitsugaya-kun probably wouldn't do that without a very strong reason behind it. It's just with the reports that Hinamori-fukutaichou had also been missing. It's very much possible that Aizen is using her as a motivator for him to do these things."
"Much as I would also want to believe that and accept that there may be something going on, the truth that he betrayed Seiretei is still there and that he has joined Aizen's ranks. By the law of Seiretei, all traitors regardless of reason are regarded as enemies and must be dealt with the appropriate judgement."
Unohana tried to make her point count. "But Yamamoto-soutaichou, don't you think that we must take another course of action in these cases? I believe that the rule is not applicable in this case and we must take a look into it further."
The captain commander heaved a deep sigh before he continued. "There is no point in arguing and discussing the matter further. He has become a very potent threat to Soul Society, which is why we must take these matters as such. You are all dismissed."
Unohana walked out of the place as the rest of the Gotei 13 captains did. The verdict weighed with much gravity in her deepest thoughts. Though the young prodigy was nothing more but an acquaintance, she still viewed the judgment to be quite of a hack. She felt a deep concern for what the future may hold now that the ex-average shinigami captain was now an elite rogue vaizard under the wing of one of the most powerful warriors Soul Society has ever known. She had been revering in her concerns when she saw the figure of the tenth's lieutenant just waiting outside. She noted that woman was still not yet healed but she had already been standing there, having strayed away from the resting grounds of the fourth. Unohana quickly approached Matsumoto with much of a caring intent.
"Matsumoto-fukutaichou, what are you doing here? You haven't healed enough to be going outside and straining yourself – "
"Taichou… what did they say about taichou?"
Unohana kept silent for a while. She was not sure whether to reveal the result of the captain's meeting to the psychologically-mangled shinigami. She looked into the lieutenant's eyes and saw there glints of sadness and tears, and decided to reveal it to her.
"It has been decided that Hitsugaya-taichou has betrayed Soul Society and is now a high-level target that is wanted dead or alive."
Matsumoto's eyes widened in disbelief. "But taichou… taichou didn't want any of this to happen! I'm sure that Aizen is pushing him somehow to do this!"
"I know… I'm sure that he wouldn't do these things. It's just that it is the decision of the captain commander since he is now a very potent fighter. I know that things aren't turning out the way we want them to, but as of now we couldn't do anything. I'm sorry," she paused to take a look at Matsumoto's condition. The woman had been clutching the recently-closed wound made by Hitsugaya, and had been sweating heavily, a sure sign that she had been bearing the pain. "You should go back to our division and get that wound checked. It could've been opened with you having moved around."
"Hai."
Hitsugaya once more entered the dank cell where they kept Hinamori. His brows were furrowed, and his bluish-green orbs lingered in deep thought. Though he was set upon checking on the female, it felt quite wrong and difficult to muster the will to set his eyes on her and approach her as he always did. He felt that he should never be there in the first place,like he committed a grave sin. His heart was burdened with irreproachable guilt that clung to him like a leech. When he took a step towards her, he felt even guiltier of an indescribable crime and willed no further to approach her, instead staying near the opening of the small containment. His face darkened with a near-suicidal mood that they should never be there in the first place. He dared not look upon her resting on the thin mat spread on the cold, unforgiving stone floor. She slowly opened her eyes from dreamland to reality, and set them on the gloomy figure that was standing at her doorstep.
"Hitsugaya-kun? What's the matter?"
He dared not speak. He didn't move a muscle and he did not dare set his eyes on her. He did not dare set his eyes on her, because they revealed nothing more but shame and guilt, once seen would most probably never return.
"H-Hinamori…" his shaky voice trailed. "I… I…"
She sat up and motioned him to sit beside her. He did just so, and upon accomplishing the morally-arduous task, she ran her hand through his hair and led his head to come and rest on her shoulder. He gritted his teeth, unable to bear the guilt his heart bore, and hid his eyes in her ruffled clothes. She ran one hand over his back and held his hand with the other.
"Hinamori… I'm so sorry…"
"Shhh… it's alright… it's not your fault, Shiro-chan. I understand. Don't worry, I'm fine. You just think about yourself for the moment."
Aizen and Gin approached a portion of Las Noches that most of the arrancar never strayed to. It just seemed like a large wall that with all of the walls in the structure. They approached it and came towards a waiting octava Espada.
"Aizen-sama, most of the data are ready. They are now ready to be processed and the test subject is showing a good output since the time we set it up."
"Very good, Szayel. Now, we may proceed with the next trials."
He drew his zanpakuto from its sheath. "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."
The wall in front of them disappeared, revealing a large gate-like structure made of Sakki stone. It opened, letting the three pass through to a dark room with a large glowing glass tube in the middle of it. They approached the encasing, and gazed upon a humanoid creature with a mask and whose body is composed of a white ceramic material attached to several pin-like protrusions inside.
"The last 24 hours provided enough time for his evolution to take place and be prepared for the feeding stage."
"We shall begin on the feeding phase after we are able to redesign his konpaku's structure. We might as well observe the boy first to note whether we would be able to evolve it even further. Keep a close eye on him, and analyze any data that may come up."
"Hai."
"Looks like yer tweakin' more of those li'l hollows around, eh?"
"This is the perfect time to decide whether I or Soul Society shall be triumphant."
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