Book 4: Chapter 9: Lilith Craves Power |
The King of Hollows!
Ancient legends claim that he participated in the creation of Soul Society and Hueco Mundo alongside the Soul King. However, because he left absolutely no trace throughout the long history of Soul Society, many had begun to dismiss him as nothing more than a character from a fairy tale.
Yet Unohana still harbored significant doubts regarding the identity of this mysterious man, as she knew there were beings in this world who notably surpassed her in strength. Excluding the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Genryusai Yamamoto, there was also the Zero Division guarding the Soul King Palace, which consisted of at least three shinigami whose power exceeded her own.
'The Demon of Hot Springs, Tenjiro Kirinji, who taught her medical techniques; the King of Swords, Oetsu Nimaiya, who created the Zanpakuto; and the Monk Who Calls the Real Name, Ichibei Hyosube, the commander of the Zero Division.' Among them, Tenjiro Kirinji possessed staggering medical skills, allowing him to treat injuries that would leave even Unohana helpless.
'The King of Hollows seems far too remote.'
After all, he was a mythic figure who existed during the dawn of creation.
"Captain!"
As Unohana sank into deep contemplation, a distressed cry from her lieutenant suddenly reached her ears.
Kotetsu's breath was ragged, and beads of cold sweat rolled down her cheeks. She had not directly participated in the battle, but merely resisting the aftershocks of the collision between Yeruashi and Unohana had made Kotetsu feel as if she had endured a grueling war.
Kotetsu had witnessed a sea of blood and the world itself split into two by a terrifying black line, but she had been unable to perceive the actual clash between Unohana and Yeruashi.
As soon as Unohana snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of her lieutenant's voice, she immediately returned her Zanpakuto to its sealed state, causing the unleashed sea of crimson liquid to vanish without a trace.
Unohana spoke calmly as she rested her Zanpakuto against her shoulder, "He is gone."
Kotetsu was shocked. "...Captain, were you unable to secure a victory?!"
Unohana likely would not have killed her opponent even if she had won, but he certainly should have been heavily wounded and unable to flee so easily. The fact that the adversary could depart the battlefield so composedly meant that Unohana had failed to emerge victorious!
"Yes," Unohana nodded.
She looked once more toward the spot where Yeruashi had stood, while simultaneously smoothing back her long black hair, which had been wildly disheveled during the fight.
Kotetsu froze in disbelief at her captain's admission, for she understood perfectly well how strong Unohana was and who she had been in the past. Any individual capable of standing their ground in a fight against her was a terrifying being possessed of immense power! Kotetsu would not be surprised in the least if such beings could be counted on the fingers of one hand!
'How...'
'How could a monster this powerful be completely unknown?!'
*
A few days later.
The Captains' Council Hall.
Only six captains had gathered here today, as more than half of them had already departed for Hueco Mundo to conduct further investigations.
"...And that is roughly how it transpired."
Retsu Unohana recounted her battle with Yeruashi with a pleasant smile, omitting the part about the lethal strike and the miraculous recovery.
"I never would have thought there were individuals among the monsters capable of fighting on equal terms even with Captain Unohana..." Shinji Hirako remarked in surprise.
Kisuke Urahara added calmly, "Based on Captain Unohana's account, it seems he was more than just an equal opponent..."
"It would seem so."
Hirako tilted his head slightly and ran a hand through his hair. "Is there really no other information? Not even where he headed..."
Unohana smiled and raised her hands, hiding her palms within the wide sleeves of her captain's haori. "I know nothing more about him."
"Well, you must at least know his appearance and name..."
Hirako sighed helplessly.
Unohana lowered her head and replied impassively, "He did not give his name. As for his appearance, you are well aware that many monsters can change their form at will, so that detail is utterly meaningless. Furthermore, you should realize that monsters lack spiritual power, making it impossible to track him through Reiatsu fluctuations."
Unohana certainly knew much more and had her own suspicions, but she chose to keep them to herself because she did not wish to expose Yeruashi. After all, she had initiated the challenge herself, and Yeruashi had not only given her a wonderful battle but had also fulfilled her selfish request.
Judging by the fact that such a powerful monster lived quietly on the outskirts of Rukongai with an ordinary soul, it was clear that he preferred peace and quiet.
Unohana decided to treat that wish with the appropriate respect.
Hirako felt another headache coming on after hearing Unohana's response. "So we essentially know nothing, except for the mere fact that such a dangerous threat exists. This is practically useless..."
"There is still some value in this," Urahara noted calmly. "At the very least, we now know that should we encounter a dangerous and unknown monster, it is best to avoid a confrontation."
Throughout the discussion, Genryusai Yamamoto stood quietly across from the captains with his eyes closed, saying nothing. Only when silence fell over the room did he open his eyes and address Unohana: "Do you have anything else to say on this matter? Perhaps any thoughts?"
"...No."
Unohana looked at the Captain-Commander and shook her head, having no intention of sharing her theories about Yeruashi's identity. Thinking about it, the probability of her suspicion being correct was far too low. It was a bold guess based primarily on intuition and the feelings that had washed over her during the fight.
"Then I declare this discussion closed."
Genryusai Yamamoto struck the floor with the end of his wooden staff. "Inform the other captains that they and their squads must be extremely cautious regarding this monster."
"Next, I ask the captains of the Second and Sixth squads to report on the results of their investigations."
Shinji Hirako and the other captains immediately dropped the subject of the incident, shifting their attention to the Second Division Captain, Yoruichi Shihoin, and the Sixth Division Captain, Ginrei Kuchiki.
Yoruichi and Ginrei took turns reporting to the Captain-Commander.
During their investigation, they had found no serious violations within the Seireitei, aside from various formalities and minor issues that did not warrant much attention.
"In that case, the captains' meeting is adjourned."
After receiving the reports from the Second and Sixth Divisions, the leader of the Gotei 13 struck his staff against the floor, signaling the end of the assembly.
As the captains began to file out, Genryusai stared intently at Unohana's back. His intuition and vast experience suggested that the situation might not be as simple as it appeared. However, if Unohana, for whatever reason, was not going to reveal all the information or share her personal thoughts on the event, he saw no reason to pressure her.
Retsu Unohana was one of the oldest captains, having survived countless blood-soaked battles during the founding of the Gotei 13. Furthermore, Genryusai considered her a reasonable shinigami, capable of prioritizing correctly in any situation.
'...'
Unohana felt Genryusai's gaze on her, but she nonetheless left the room with complete composure, keeping her hands tucked into the wide sleeves of her haori.
*
District 75 of the southern Rukongai.
Yeruashi's previous residence had been destroyed at the very beginning of the fight with Unohana. Rather than rebuilding the ruined house, Yeruashi chose to relocate with Lilith, Hisana, and Rukia to a different district. He knew the Gotei 13 would likely conduct a thorough investigation not just at the site of the battle, but throughout the entire 78th District. Yeruashi did not want his serene and measured life to be disturbed by shinigami.
"Mr. Yeruashi..."
Hisana, following behind Yeruashi with Rukia in her arms, spoke with evident tension and nervousness in her voice.
Initially, Hisana had believed Yeruashi to be an ordinary soul just like herself. Then she began to gradually realize he was very strong, until finally, it turned out her understanding of him was fundamentally flawed.
Yeruashi was not just strong...
He could fight a captain of the Gotei 13 on equal ground!
Such a powerful individual would hold a very high position even in the central districts of Rukongai!
As for her... she was a completely ordinary and unremarkable soul.
"What is it?"
Yeruashi looked back at Hisana and smiled gently, noticing her anxiety. "Don't look at me like that. I don't eat people for breakfast..."
His words visibly eased the tension, but Hisana still felt deep concern. "You... you are no ordinary soul."
The words felt foolish and redundant, but they were actually a clumsy attempt to learn Yeruashi's true identity.
"That's true," Yeruashi said reassuringly. "Are you afraid I might abandon you? Don't worry. Although we've lost our home, I've already promised to take in you and your younger sister."
Hisana breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, then bowed gratefully. "Thank you..."
She desperately did not want to return to her previous way of life. The choice between her own survival and that of her sister had been a cruel dilemma she never wanted to face again.
Lilith glanced at Hisana but did not intervene in their conversation. A few seconds later, she turned to Yeruashi. "Older brother, I want to become stronger."
Yeruashi was pleasantly surprised. "Where did this sudden desire come from?"
He was genuinely happy to hear these words from Lilith, as such a desire made her seem more like a normal person.
The drive for development lies at the very heart of human nature. Even lazy individuals who prefer a safe and quiet life often cannot resist this urge. Sooner or later, every person is struck by a hunger for change, even if they are enjoying their current circumstances. Previously, Lilith had never sought self-improvement or growth unless Yeruashi specifically commanded her to do so.
He used to think Lilith could only act according to his will, but now it seemed some changes had occurred. These words from Lilith were evidence of a purely personal ambition and desire, making her thought process more human-like. Lilith might still have massive shortcomings in the emotional department, but at the very least, the foundation had been laid.
"I want to become stronger so I can be of more use to you, older brother!" Lilith declared firmly, looking him in the eyes.
Yeruashi patted Lilith's small head with a smile. "In that case, you will certainly become stronger."
Lilith's current strength should be somewhere between an average and a powerful captain. That meant she could defeat an ordinary captain, but not someone like Genryusai Yamamoto, whose power approached that of a star.
At the same time, she possessed immense potential.
Since all of Lilith's power derived from Yeruashi's own, he could not only temporarily merge their powers at will but also transfer his own power to her in any amount. However, in doing so, Lilith would simply be granted the right to use his power rather than growing stronger on her own.
There were two paths for Lilith to gain strength. The first was the transmission of his Six Paths evolution power, which was actually already underway. From the moment Yeruashi attained the power of evolution in the One Punch Man world, it had been relentlessly influencing Lilith as well.
That process simply required time.
If Yeruashi were to dump a massive amount of Six Paths evolution power into Lilith at once, it would be a mere transfer of power rather than her own personal growth, even if she successfully navigated the evolution.
It was as if Yeruashi divided his power into thirty equal parts and gave one to Lilith. She would indeed become stronger, but it would be nothing more than obtaining the right to use his energy. Therefore, Lilith had to use Yeruashi's power as a guide for her own personal growth, which took time, rather than absorbing it in its raw form.
Additionally, after arriving in the world of Bleach, a new path for gaining power had opened for Lilith—development in the spiritual aspect, or more simply, obtaining shinigami powers!
If Lilith could obtain a Zanpakuto, hear its voice, and later release her Bankai, her strength would likely jump to the next level—the level of Retsu Unohana and Genryusai Yamamoto!
Shinigami power might prove useful not just for Lilith...
He needed to obtain this power as well.
Currently, in the world of Bleach, there were only two powers capable of influencing Yeruashi. The first was the power of evolution, which he already possessed, and the second was the power of the Soul King.
Yeruashi might not be able to break through to a completely different level after gaining the Soul King's power, but it would certainly push his energy toward that of a massive star, as Zero had been several times stronger than him. However, one could not simply swallow and assimilate the Soul King's power, as it was not only significantly stronger but also belonged to a completely different system. First, it was necessary to gain shinigami power and then, after a gradual adaptation, absorb the Soul King's power.
Yeruashi wouldn't have even considered taking the Soul King's power if Zero's consciousness remained, as they had been friends. But now, not only was Zero's consciousness gone, but in the future, without Yeruashi's interference, he would be killed and devoured by his own son.
Therefore, as long as Yeruashi was willing to take the Soul King's place and protect the world they had built, Zero likely would not resist, even if he still had remnants of awareness.
In fact, Yeruashi even had a vague premonition that the Soul King, who possessed the ability to see both the past and the future, had long ago foreseen these events and provided his answer. If that hunch were true, that answer had been waiting for him in the Soul King Palace for a very long time.
Yeruashi couldn't help but sigh at the thought of the Soul King's fate. Zero had possessed colossal power capable of ensuring an almost eternal existence, but his heart had been washed away and destroyed by the merciless waves of time along the way. The tragic fate that had befallen Zero only further strengthened Yeruashi's resolve to fight against time.
'He would not go down the same path as the Soul King!'