Chapter 47: Can the World Overcome Time? |
'Amazing...'
'In truth, I didn't believe the ancient legends would prove true until the very end.'
'The true Hollow King actually exists...'
'He is capable of standing firm even with an entire world upon his shoulders.'
'This staggering power... soon, very soon, it will be ours!'
Behind Szayelaporro, several Hollows appeared who were almost indistinguishable from normal humans.
These were Arrancars.
Lilith asked in confusion, "But... how were you able to enter this dimension? Your Dojutsu hasn't reached the necessary level..."
Szayelaporro possessed a six-tomoe Rinne Sharingan, whereas opening a spatial passage leading to this dimension required a nine-tomoe Rinne Sharingan.
Whether it was in Soul Society or Hueco Mundo, it was incredibly difficult for the inhabitants of either dimension to obtain a nine-tomoe Rinne Sharingan. This was because it required gathering a massive amount of the Hollow King's power, equivalent to Lilith's original strength—the Chakra Fruit.
Since Yeruashi had invested only about five percent of his power into Soul Society and Hueco Mundo combined—a significant portion of which was the power of evolution—gathering the necessary volume of the God Tree's energy was made even more difficult.
Szayelaporro clearly did not possess the required amount of the God Tree's power.
Awakening a nine-tomoe Rinne Sharingan required roughly two or three times more of the God Tree's power than awakening a six-tomoe one.
"I really couldn't enter on my own," Szayelaporro admitted proudly. "But my power was enough to notice this dimension's presence..."
"After that, I worked tirelessly to find a way in until I discovered how to weaken the spatial barriers through a specific manipulation of Reishi. I ultimately bet everything on this method when that arrogant idiot Baraggan left Las Noches."
After saying this, Szayelaporro raised his hand and gracefully smoothed his pink hair. "Fortunately, that gamble paid off, and everything went smoothly from there..."
"I simply used the power contained within this dimension to shatter the boundary between Hollow and Shinigami."
Szayelaporro looked at Yeruashi. "Originally, I didn't believe the mythical Hollow King had survived to this day. It seemed far more logical to assume you no longer existed for one reason or another. However, I still decided to use this dimension's structure to create a specific lever, ensuring I would be ready to face any enemy."
"This magnificent trap has only one flaw—the lever is the dimension of the Hollow King Palace itself... meaning it's only suitable for guarding my own palace."
Harribel lifted her head and spoke tensely, looking at the triumphant Szayelaporro. "So you created those strange Hollows and then forced them to kidnap the inhabitants of Las Noches? Baraggan's subordinates disappearing... that was your doing..."
She finally understood why Yeruashi had apologized to her for the attack by those strange Hollows earlier.
Szayelaporro could never have obtained such an ability if not for the Hollow King's power left in his palace a million years ago...
He was only able to create the Arrancars by gaining access to the Hollow King Palace.
Szayelaporro nodded calmly. "Exactly."
"I was planning to send all my Arrancars in a few days to crush Baraggan and his army in one go, turning Las Noches into my second research base. But then, quite unexpectedly... the Hollow King himself appeared on my doorstep."
"I never imagined the Hollow King would return to his palace after a million years, but I decided to prepare a fitting welcome for such an important guest just in case."
Szayelaporro walked slowly and confidently toward Yeruashi, smoothly drawing his blade from its sheath. "I will slowly seize your power, relying on the constant pressure of Hueco Mundo to keep you restrained."
"Once I've taken this astounding power, I will be the legendary Hollow King ruling this world!"
Seeing Szayelaporro approach, Harribel gritted her teeth and strained, attempting to overcome the pressure enveloping her entire body.
But the pressure felt like an immense, immovable mountain that could not be shifted even by a millimeter.
Nelliel, Starrk, and Ulquiorra, lying on the ground near Harribel, were also unable to stand, despite fully releasing their Reiatsu.
'Damn it...'
Nelliel gritted her teeth and gripped the shaft of her bone spear tightly, determined to fight Szayelaporro, but she still couldn't lift her body off the ground.
Lilith, who didn't seem tense or worried like Nelliel, Starrk, and Ulquiorra, cast a cold gaze at the approaching Szayelaporro. "You have no idea what kind of power my father possesses."
"Is that so?"
Szayelaporro replied nonchalantly, "And what if he does? Any power or ability is useless when the weight of an entire world prevents you from even moving a finger."
"Intellect—that is what truly matters!"
"I managed to reach my current position precisely because of my unsurpassed intellect! To go from an ordinary Hollow to a supreme king... isn't it magnificent?! Now, witness it..."
Thud!
Szayelaporro's fiery speech was abruptly cut short.
Yeruashi, completely calm and indifferent, first grabbed Szayelaporro by the neck and then lifted the approaching scientist in front of him.
"Im...possible..."
"How are you moving?!"
Szayelaporro struck Yeruashi's outstretched arm with his blade, letting out a terrified scream.
Snap!
Upon impact, the blade snapped in two, leaving no mark on Yeruashi's arm at all.
Nelliel, Harribel, and the others watched the scene in shock, completely forgetting to resist the pressure.
Only Lilith remained perfectly calm from beginning to end.
"I acknowledge the importance of intellect."
"But don't you know that intellect means nothing in the face of absolute power?"
Yeruashi spoke calmly, holding Szayelaporro firmly by the neck. "Since we're on the subject of intellect, you weren't quite smart enough to understand my primary power."
"How... how are you able to ignore the weight of all of Hueco Mundo... it's impossible!"
Trickles of blood ran from the corners of Szayelaporro's mouth, unable to resist Yeruashi's strength, and his broken blade fell to the ground.
He stared at Yeruashi's indifferent face in disbelief and horror, unable to comprehend how this could happen.
Why could the Hollow King continue to move freely, as if he weren't carrying the weight of the entire world on his shoulders?!
Szayelaporro was certain that even more than ten Arrancars created from the most powerful Vasto Lorde would have been unable to offer any resistance if they were in the Hollow King's place at this moment!
"Because an entire world isn't enough to overcome time."
Yeruashi said indifferently, tightening the fingers of his right hand.
Crack.
Then Szayelaporro's eyes, filled with despair and hopelessness, peacefully dissolved into countless Reishi along with his head.
The reason why even the pressure of all of Hueco Mundo could not suppress Yeruashi was very simple—Separation from Time Flow.
The seventh ability of the Illusory Clock allowed Yeruashi to disappear from the present.
Using the lever Szayelaporro created, one could even suppress various spatial abilities like Kamui, but even an entire world could exert no influence at all on Yeruashi, who was absent from the present.
Yeruashi's pure power was limited.
But with the support of the Illusory Clock, he could stand firm even before Zero, the creator of Hueco Mundo and Soul Society.
No matter how strong Zero was, he still wouldn't be able to cause Yeruashi any harm until he overcame time itself.
"How could this happen..."
"Lord Szayelaporro's plan... it failed..."
The faces of the Arrancars on Szayelaporro's side twisted in grimaces of horror.
Each of them realized perfectly well that Szayelaporro was an absolutely invincible god while inside the Hollow King Palace, for no one should be able to carry the weight of an entire world.
But...
The Hollow King seemed to have completely ignored that insurmountable pressure!
Now, Yeruashi's small figure, possessing such incomprehensible abilities, struck boundless terror into the souls of Szayelaporro's Arrancars!
Whoosh!
Yeruashi smoothly waved his hand.
With that movement, a surging power rushed toward the terrified Arrancars, silently distorting and dissolving their bodies into countless Reishi.
Silence.
The insurmountable pressure that had held Lilith and the others back vanished without a trace.
Lilith stood up calmly, not at all surprised by what had happened, while Harribel, Nelliel, and the other Arrancars continued to stare at Yeruashi's figure in shock.
So this was it...
The power of the mythical Hollow King who created this world a million years ago!
Even the weight of the entire Hueco Mundo seemed unable to affect him at all!
The Hollow King's power and abilities were far beyond their imagination!
"That's it."
"The cleanup is finished."
Yeruashi said nonchalantly, as if he had just cleared away some minor dust.
Then he stepped forward, directly toward the majestic palace.
Lilith followed calmly.
Nelliel and the other Arrancars glanced at each other before bowing politely to Yeruashi, and only then followed him toward the palace.