Chapter 48: Reconstructing the Palace of the Hollow King |
The interior layout of the palace was quite straightforward—a refined main hall surrounded by several rooms, all on a single level.
The palace lacked any overly opulent decor, as it had originally been intended as a temporary residence.
However.
What had once been an elegant and graceful residence had turned into a chaotic dump, cluttered with a vast array of equipment and experimental specimens.
The current state of the inner chambers resembled a mad scientist's laboratory more than it did a royal palace.
In the back rooms of the so-called palace, there were cages containing imprisoned Adjuchas and numerous samples obtained from experiments conducted on the Hollows.
'...'
Yeruashi surveyed the palace before turning to Lilith, who stood nearby. "Since the rats have fouled the place while we were away, why not undertake a small renovation?"
Lilith nodded calmly. "As you wish, Father."
A tumultuous pulse then surged from Yeruashi's body, causing the entire palace to shudder as if a massive earthquake had struck.
Nelliel and the other Arrancars following Yeruashi and Lilith looked up, watching in astonishment as the palace ceiling began to crumble into dust.
More accurately, it was dissolving into minute, weightless Reishi that drifted through the air.
The various pieces of equipment and experimental samples that had cluttered the palace also disintegrated into countless particles of spirit energy.
As a result.
Moments later, the entire palace vanished without a trace, transformed into an innumerable swarm of Reishi shimmering in the surrounding space.
In this small, independent dimension, nothing remained but the green plains and the vast blue sky.
Yeruashi first stepped away from the site where the palace had once stood, accompanied by Lilith, Nelliel, and the others. He then raised his hands before him, a pale gold radiance gleaming in his eyes.
Boom!
The entire dimension trembled.
The ground fractured with numerous cracks, and the countless Reishi floating in the air began to vibrate rapidly, generating concentric ripples that swept across the dimension like waves on the surface of a placid lake.
Even the white clouds drifting peacefully in the blue sky vanished one by one, dissolving back into spirit particles.
A short while later.
Under the awestruck gazes of Nelliel and the other Arrancars, the green plain within the small dimension split into five distinct sections.
The group stood upon a large landmass that was roughly twice the size of the other four.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The earth continued to shift accompanied by a heavy rumbling, forming flows of mud and fine gravel that converged toward a single point.
The gathering debris took the shape of various stones and boulders until, eventually, the entire mass transformed into a single, magnificent, and majestic building.
Whoosh!
Yeruashi's figure rose smoothly into the sky, pushing off from the large landmass. As soon as Nelliel and the others followed him, various buildings began to rise directly from the earth below.
A few minutes later, once all movement had ceased, the world around them had undergone an incredible transformation.
The entire dimension was now divided into five levels.
The highest and largest level, situated at a significant distance from the other four, was dotted with many orderly buildings.
It strongly resembled a miniature version of the Seireitei, though with far more majestic and splendid architecture.
Below it floated four smaller disks, suspended in the air without any visible support.
These four disks consisted of pristine plains, devoid of any structures.
"It is finished."
Yeruashi nodded with satisfaction, surveying the surroundings.
He then cast a thoughtful look at Nelliel and the others before pointing his right palm toward them. Four streams of white radiance erupted from his hand, rushing toward the four Arrancars.
Ulquiorra and the others did not understand what Yeruashi intended to do, but as the white radiance approached, they obediently knelt and closed their eyes.
"I grant each of you a King's Key, giving you the right to enter and exit this dimension freely."
"Your primary task is to guard this realm. The top level is my personal residence, and the remaining four you may divide among yourselves as you see fit."
Hum!
As the figures of Starrk and the other Arrancars were enveloped in the white glow, they felt a third power awaken within their bodies, supplementing their Shinigami and Hollow strengths.
Then, these three forces merged perfectly into one, without any signs of rejection.
If a Hollow manages to erase the boundary and gain the power of a Shinigami, they become an Arrancar, standing a full level above ordinary Hollows.
Now, through Yeruashi's intervention, Nelliel and the other Arrancars had shattered yet another boundary, ascending to the next stage of evolution.
They now possessed three powers simultaneously—Hollow, Shinigami, and Monster!
If previously the strength of Ulquiorra and the others had been somewhere on the level of the top-ranked Espada, just as in the original timeline, they had now ascended to an entirely different realm...
They had surpassed the threshold of the elite Captains of the Gotei 13!
In other words.
They were now comparable to the Zero Division!
"We follow your will, Hollow King!"
The respectful voices of Ulquiorra, Nelliel, Starrk, and Harribel rang out in unison as they knelt before Yeruashi.
The newly appointed members of the Royal Guard had undergone no outward physical changes, but their Reiatsu had acquired a completely different nature.
"Settle in."
Yeruashi waved his hand nonchalantly.
Ulquiorra and the others exchanged a glance before flying toward the disks below.
Starrk flew to the lowest level without hesitation, while Nelliel and Harribel, after some thought, chose the two upper levels closest to Yeruashi's personal residence.
Ulquiorra flew indifferently toward the remaining third level, appearing entirely unconcerned about where exactly his residence would be located.
Yeruashi watched the departing members of his guard for a moment before raising his right hand and clenching his palm against the empty air.
Following this movement, a vast mass of Reishi gathered in the air before Yeruashi, forming a series of identical and faceless human figures.
Whoosh!
Then, Yeruashi activated his Eyes of God.
Upon coming into contact with the power of the Eyes of God, these faceless human figures, formed from the mass of spirit particles, began to open their eyes one by one and kneel before their creator. Soon, he had created about four hundred servants by imbuing the Reishi with life through his divine eyes.
Two hundred servants remained in his personal residence on the top level, while the rest were sent to the levels belonging to Starrk and the others, having received orders to obey the members of the Royal Guard without question.
"These servants are not particularly intelligent or experienced, but they possess the capacity to learn and develop. They will be able to fulfill their roles far better than ordinary Hollows."
A short while later, Yeruashi descended to the level below and smiled warmly as he watched his created servants building a residence under Nelliel's careful guidance.
Hearing Yeruashi's voice, Nelliel immediately turned and bowed respectfully.
'To transform an entire dimension, to create life... the Hollow King truly possesses the power of a creator.'
Nelliel felt that she was still very far from grasping the true extent of the Hollow King's power, even after ascending two stages beyond the level of a Vasto Lorde.
"There is no need to be so formal."
Yeruashi said casually, "I will stay here for a few days. If you wish, you may restore order in Las Noches. If you need anything, do not hesitate to contact me or Lilith."
After these words, Yeruashi returned to the top level of the Palace of the Hollow King with Lilith, where they entered the luxurious and majestic palace located at the very center of the level.