Chapter 52: The Soul King's Palace Trembles! |
'So this is it, the Soul King's Palace.'
Yeruashi, having just traversed dozens of spatial folds, stepped onto a stone platform and whispered softly while surveying his surroundings.
Zero had constructed this palace after the creation of Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society. By the time Yeruashi returned a million years later, the Soul King's Palace was concealed behind numerous layers of folded space.
The palace was separated from the Soul Society by far more spatial folds than those dividing the Hollow King Palace from Hueco Mundo.
This barrier, erected by the Soul King, was so dense that even the Eyes of God could not clearly perceive the structure through it.
Today was not only the first time Yeruashi had set foot on the palace grounds, but the first time he had ever seen it in its full, majestic glory.
As Yeruashi scanned the horizon, his gaze settled on a massive, cylindrical golden structure floating in the center of the sky.
The Greater Soul King Palace.
On the highest floor of this magnificent edifice resided the Soul King, existing only as a head and torso, encased tightly within a solid, amber-like substance.
«...»
Yeruashi and Zero locked eyes for a long moment, their gazes piercing through space and physical barriers. Finally, Yeruashi shook his head, unable to find even a flicker of consciousness in the Soul King's eyes.
As Yeruashi looked away from the grand cylindrical palace, five figures led by Ichibei approached him.
Yeruashi glanced at the leader of the Zero Division from the corner of his eye.
At the same time, Ichibei studied Yeruashi intently, with the other members of the Zero Division following closely behind him.
Ichibei halted a few meters away from Yeruashi and began to slowly lower his body.
Oetsu Nimaiya, Senjumaru Shutara, Tenjiro Kirinji, and Kirio Hikifune followed the example of their leader.
All five members of the Zero Division... dropped to one knee!
"The Zero Division welcomes the Hollow King!"
Ichibei and the others bowed their heads, greeting their guest in a synchronized chorus.
Yeruashi remained composed, showing no surprise at the display. "Did he warn you of my arrival?"
Ichibei spoke respectfully while remaining on one knee. "The Soul King spoke of this many years ago and left specific instructions. we have been waiting here because we were able to detect your return in advance."
"Elaborate."
Yeruashi cast an interested glance at the commander of the Zero Division.
Ichibei explained, "Oetsu knows the location of every Zanpakuto he has ever forged, and I know the name of every soul that wields one. Therefore, we knew of your return the moment you obtained an Asauchi."
Yeruashi gave a mysterious smile. "Oh? So you've been eavesdropping on my affairs in the Seireitei this whole time?"
"Not at all..."
Ichibei looked up, a few beads of cold sweat trickling down his face. "How could we dare to spy on you, esteemed Hollow King? I only inadvertently learned certain things because such is the nature of my abilities..."
Yeruashi scanned the members of the Zero Division before waving his hand. "Rise."
"Hollow King."
Ichibei bowed politely once more before standing up.
The King of Swords, Oetsu Nimaiya, knew the location of every Zanpakuto he created, while The Monk Who Calls the Real Name, Ichibei Hyosube, knew not only the names of the wielders but the names of everything within the Soul Society.
When Ichibei and Oetsu combined their abilities for reconnaissance, it was trivial for them to monitor the situation in the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo without ever leaving the Soul King's Palace.
Thus, even souls as experienced and ancient as Oetsu and Ichibei had been deeply unsettled when they discovered a mysterious individual bearing a clouded name and wielding incomprehensible power.
Ultimately, they had quickly recalled the reminders and instructions left by the Soul King eons ago.
The Hollow King!
The mysterious figure who had directly participated in the creation of the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo.
The status and position of this individual were comparable to that of the Soul King himself—they were the true creators who had fashioned this world!
The primary duty of the Zero Division was to protect the King and the palace; however, this mandate applied not just to the Soul King, but to the Hollow King as well.
"Lead me to him."
Yeruashi said calmly, looking toward the enormous cylindrical palace floating in the sky above the other structures of the royal realm.
Ichibei bowed politely. "Follow me, King."
Any inhabitant of the Soul Society, including the Zero Division, used the utmost respect in their tone and address regarding the Soul King. Yeruashi's casual phrasing caused no discomfort to Ichibei or the others, as the Hollow King was the only being who stood as an equal to the Soul King.
Yeruashi began to study his surroundings more closely as he leisurely followed the leader of the Zero Division toward the Soul King's dwelling.
Oetsu Nimaiya, Senjumaru Shutara, and the rest of the Zero Division followed respectfully behind.
As they walked, they kept their heads lowered, stealing glances at the figures of Yeruashi and Ichibei ahead. They did not dare to openly stare at a being who supposedly shared the same status as the Soul King.
As members of the Zero Division, they were well aware of the Soul King's current state, nearly a million years after the world's creation.
Even thousands of years ago, the Soul King's consciousness had been like a flickering candle in the wind; now, it seemed to have vanished entirely.
The situation of the Hollow King was entirely different.
According to information provided by the Soul King, the Hollow King had moved a million years into the future following the creation of Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society.
The Hollow King could stroll along the river of time as he pleased!
This was the true power of the Hollow King, a being who was not subject even to time itself.
"There is no need to be so tense."
Yeruashi said nonchalantly. "While I was in the Seireitei, I held the position of a perfectly ordinary and unremarkable lieutenant in the Gotei 13's Second Division. So, stop treating me like some unknown ancient monster."
Senjumaru Shutara, walking behind Yeruashi with the others, hesitated before whispering softly, "But how can we... ignore basic etiquette? You are, after all, one of the two kings who created our world."
Yeruashi turned his head and smiled warmly at Senjumaru. "How long has it been since you joined the Zero Division?"
"My service in the Zero Division began five hundred and twenty-one years ago."
Senjumaru replied respectfully.
Yeruashi sank into thought, reflecting on the fact that Senjumaru was the creator of the Shinigami uniform, holding the title of Great Weave Guard.
As he recalled, Mayuri Kurotsuchi had felt very uncomfortable and meek when meeting Senjumaru, as if he had known her in the past. Therefore, Yeruashi had initially thought her promotion to the Zero Division five hundred years ago seemed a bit early.
But on second thought, Shinigami were not entirely isolated from the Seireitei after being promoted. If necessary, they could occasionally return to the Seireitei to deliver various instructions.
Yeruashi soon dismissed these thoughts and smiled at Senjumaru again. "You are the creator of the Shinigami uniforms, correct?"
"Yes."
Senjumaru answered timidly.
Yeruashi nodded with satisfaction. "The haori of the Gotei 13 captains have a decent design. Why don't you sew a suitable outfit... for me?"
Senjumaru was momentarily stunned, but her professional instincts quickly took over. "Very well! Do you have any specific requests?"
"None."
Yeruashi smiled. "As long as it fits my image."
In reality, by giving no specific requests, he had made Senjumaru's task quite difficult. She now had a completely blank canvas with no concrete information regarding his clothing preferences.
However, Senjumaru handled the challenge with composure, living up to her title as the Great Weave Guard.
After a short while, they reached the main entrance of the Greater Soul King Palace.
To the left and right, divine soldiers stood in perfect rows, immediately saluting the leader of the Zero Division.
"You must proceed alone from here, esteemed Hollow King. No member of the Zero Division is permitted to enter unless summoned by the Soul King."
Ichibei addressed Yeruashi politely after stopping before the entrance.
"Fine."
Yeruashi nodded and stepped forward toward the entrance of the Greater Soul King Palace.
Before long, Yeruashi reached the majestic palace, where several guards in identical black uniforms stood at the entrance.
"We welcome the Hollow King!"
"At ease."
Yeruashi waved them off and continued his leisurely stroll through the palace.
Eventually, he entered the deepest reaches of the vacant palace. In the center of the room hung a transparent amber stone, framed by two massive curtains resembling butterfly wings.
The Soul King, encased within the transparent amber, consisted only of a torso and head; his arms and legs were missing.
The cross-shaped pupils of the Soul King emitted a dim glow, like that of a dying star.
"You really did it..."
Yeruashi stepped forward and shook his head while looking into Zero's eyes.
Fearing that the final dissipation of his consciousness might end his physical life—which would lead to the loss of the world's pillar and the immediate collapse of the carefully crafted universe—the Soul King had first severed his limbs, which contained much of his power, and scattered them throughout the world while he was still conscious.
Thus, no matter what happened to the Soul King in the future, the world could continue to exist stably for some time after his disappearance, awaiting the arrival of a new pillar.
Zero must have prepared this to protect the world from his own son, Yhwach.
But why would the Soul King, who had foreseen Yeruashi's arrival, also need to prepare for Yhwach?
It was simple.
The future of the world was uncertain and fluid, even in the eyes of its creator.
Like Yeruashi, when the Soul King attempted to peer into the future, he did not see a straight line but a massive, branching array, resembling the complex and tangled roots of an ancient tree. A straight line only appeared once events occurred and became the past.
Therefore, the Soul King had been forced to prepare for both Yeruashi's arrival and the resumption of the bloody, ruthless war between the Gotei 13 and the Quincy Empire.
In case his power was absorbed by Yhwach, he had prematurely scattered a portion of his strength across the world. For Yeruashi's arrival, he had left a message.
«...»
Yeruashi raised his hand, touching the transparent stone with his fingertips.
At the moment of contact, a burst of spiritual power occurred. It first caused a strong fluctuation in the surrounding reishi, then forced them to coalesce into a small figure of Zero, floating gently in the air before Yeruashi.
"You have come."
Regarding his appearance, the Soul King had hardly changed in a million years, but his voice and gaze betrayed the countless hardships and turns of fate he had experienced over the eons. "Since you are seeing this message, my consciousness no longer exists. The next million years belong to you... I know why you have come here."
"You may take my power. In exchange, I ask only one thing—do not allow the destruction and collapse of the world we created."
He smiled after saying those words. "Actually, there was no need for that request, as I already knew you wouldn't allow it."
"It is a shame I could not meet you in person one last time."
The small figure of the Soul King, formed from reishi, then vanished without a trace.
Yeruashi first watched the dispersing figure, then turned his gaze to the Soul King's actual body encased in the transparent stone. "Don't you worry. I will punish your disobedient son... but I have no intention of living in this world for a full million years."
Yeruashi raised his hand again and touched the transparent amber with his fingertips. This time, the stone was instantly covered in countless fine cracks before it shattered!
At the same moment, the Soul King's form transformed into an immense torrent of power that surged toward Yeruashi's outstretched hand, as if drawn by an irresistible force.
A heartbeat later, the massive flow of energy enveloped Yeruashi, beginning to merge with him and become one.
Boom!!!
The entire Soul King's Palace shook!