Silas and Sol traveled on foot to Las Noches.
Their journey lasted several days, with either of them barely saying a word to one another. It was clear to Silas that Sol simply enjoyed the company. That was despite how expressionless the Great Hollow always was. To him, it was like a newfound freedom.
But to Silas, it was a loyal pawn. Nothing more, nothing less. If at any time Sol turned on Silas, the latter wouldn't hesitate to slay him on the spot. That's who Silas was: someone who wouldn't stand for disobedience without delivering a rightful punishment.
Such was the trait of a soon-to-rule king.
At the edge of Las Noches, Silas and Sol stopped. A sense of awe filled Sol's face. This was the first time he had set his sights on this grand construct.
"Like it?" Silas asked.
"I don't know what to say…"
"Then don't say anything. Only follow my instructions."
Silas spent little time ordering Sol to hide himself outside while he himself would go in to conduct his affairs. To reassure the Great Hollow, he said that it wouldn't take too long and to stay hidden until he returned. If anyone or any other Hollow appeared, Sol was not to engage but to run.
Passing through an entrance without setting off an alarm, Silas scanned as much of the fortress as he could. It had felt like years since he'd been here. Things didn't look any different, save for the newly constructed halls and palaces. Likely for the new Espada.
Silas passed vacant chambers until he arrived, and he remembered where Szayelaporro's laboratory was. This Arrancar's lab reeked of abandoned experiments and poison, an unsettling reminder of Szayelaporro's obsession.
Silas was interested in seeing if his actions had changed since his last visit. Szayelaporro wasn't here, so he looked through files, folders, and any piece of information to gain some clarity on things.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Most of the Espadas written to have been joined around this time were still present. And it seemed like there were no signs or traces of Halibel or Nel in Las Noches. This was good.
His steps carried him onward.
His next destination was a singular one—the throne room, the heart of where all the Arrancar once bowed to Aizen. The chamber lay undisturbed, with a single, long white chair at the end.
Silas ascended the steps until he reached that seat. The cool touch of the throne beneath his palm felt only slightly thrilling and strangely anticlimactic. This was not his objective; it was merely a symbol, but symbolism was a potent weapon.
He closed his eyes, focusing inward. The second Hōgyoku was still near, just like he expected.
Silas then focused more on himself and began to use his power, not in a destructive blast but in a carefully controlled bleed. He lowered the barriers that hid his presence, allowing his spiritual pressure to spill out far beyond the palace.
He breathed softly, his senses stretching throughout the vast fortress. This was more than a show of power; it was a test. He would measure the responses and gauge the reactions of those who were still loyal to their absent leader.
Hours seeped by with him in that still position.
Because his spiritual powers were so grand, not a single character was able to sense him yet. And then it happened—someone was finally alarmed. The first Arrancar to sense his presence made a move.
A subtle smile crossed Sila's face as he took a seat on the throne.
• • •
Ulquiorra Cifer, the fourth Espada, was known for his dispassionate nature and his analytical mind, contrary to the volatile chaos that often defined the upper echelons of the Arrancar.
And yet, even Ulquiorra could not ignore the unsettling tremor that rippled through Las Noches. It wasn't just that unfamiliar power that disturbed him; it was its alien nature. Not the untamed rage of a Hollow, nor the disciplined force of a Soul Reaper.
This was something he had never felt before.
Arising from the bed in his palace, he moved silently, his steps echoing in the deserted corridors.
The strange power drew him inexorably towards the throne room, like a moth drawn to a dangerous flame. As he approached the gate, its sheer intensity pressed against his senses, creating a discordant symphony that filled him with an unexpected surge of dread.
What monstrous entity awaited him inside?
Bursting into the vast chamber, Ulquiorra froze, his gaze locking onto the figure seated upon the throne. The presence that had lured him here was both enormous and utterly restrained, a paradox that touched him to his core.
The stranger, bathed in the light, radiated an aura that, for the first time, caused sweat to drip from his face. Ulquiorra couldn't move because of the pressure binding him in place.
Was this a Soul Reaper? A Great Hollow? An Arrancar? Or something even this world couldn't fathom?
As the figure crossed his legs and rested his hand on his face, questions raced through his mind. His gleaming eyes were locked onto Ulquiorra's. They were saying something to the Espada.
Kneel.
Then, as quickly as it had been released, the crushing pressure abruptly vanished, causing Ulquiorra to get on one knee.
• • •
The room was once again filled with the familiar quiet of Las Noches, as if Silas's terrifying presence had never existed at all.
Ulquiorra knelt there, still frozen. Even Silas knew what the strongest Espada was thinking: If someone this powerful was casually sitting on Aizen's throne as if it now belonged to him, then it could only mean that their "lord Aizen" was gone.
Uncertainty gnawed at Ulquiorra. He couldn't differentiate Silas from an enemy or ally. And if it weren't for the latter, Las Noches would undoubtedly be destroyed any moment now.
Silas, still seated on the throne, felt content. However, there wasn't a single sign of happiness on his face.
His performance was complete. Ulquiorra Cifer, with his analytical mind and unflinching loyalty, made the perfect first impression. All Silas needed was to plant a seed of fear in order to begin swaying his mind.
Slowly rising from the throne, Silas said with authority, "Aizen is dead... Kaname Tōsen and Gin Ichimaru have abandoned any and all ideas of siding with the Hollows of Hueco Mundo... Gather all the Espada and their fracción to the throne room. And one more thing, Ulquiorra Cifer..."
When Ulquiorra finally raised his head, he saw the unrelenting force—that blazing power that his Aizen never displayed—pierce his very being.
"… It would be wise that you not keep me waiting."