"Half-god means, in simple terms, that your soul's energy undergoes a transformation from a quantitative increase to a qualitative leap. It is the inevitable passage for ordinary mortals who cultivate their abilities to a certain level – only after crossing that threshold can one truly progress further."
Daniel's soul energy had long since reached its peak, entering a bottleneck stage. Under normal circumstances, further progress would require painstaking effort over time. However, thanks to the Shinigami's studies of soul energy, the techniques of hollowfication and the Hollow-ification of Extinction Masters, as well as the appearance of the Hōgyoku, he discovered a way to bypass that slow, incremental process.
For Daniel, this breakthrough was of paramount importance—it meant transcending the limits of ordinary humanity. (Though in terms of power he would rise above mortals, he still believed himself to be human in heart.)
Determined to give it his all, Daniel cast aside every stray thought. Having completed the fabrication of his own Hōgyoku, he concentrated solely on the breakthrough.
This time his attempt was different from the Shinigami's hollowfication or the Hollow-ification of Extinction Masters. In his view those were still merely quantitative changes. In contrast, Aizen's sixth-stage Hōgyoku evolution might have reached a true qualitative transformation. And then there was Ichigo's state at his "No Moon" phase—roughly a similar kind of qualitative leap. Unfortunately, that state was only transient, unable to persist for long.
Even among qualitative breakthroughs there are levels: just as scoring 60 on an exam means passing, while 100 is perfect—both count as "passing" but are not equivalent.
"Finally… I've reached this stage. All this diligent training wasn't for nothing. This must be the moment when all my accumulated effort bursts forth," Daniel murmured with a faint, excited smile as he felt his soul transform. This leap in soul quality would greatly enhance his power. With his current state, if he were to face Yhwach or Ichibee Hyosube, he'd have a chance – and even against Ichigo, he might hold his own.
"Has it been a week already? I wonder what Aizen's situation is now… and whether Kyoraku Harumi has returned," Daniel mused with a trace of curiosity. After leaving "Kao Gu" (the hidden stronghold), he had retreated there following his departure from Aizen's side and begun a period of seclusion.
In Daniel's eyes, the combined power of Yhwach, Ichibee Hyosube, and the ancient Great Hollow—jointly used to forge his Hōgyoku—far surpassed even Aizen's own Hōgyoku evolution. With that, his own breakthrough was nearly flawless; he no longer required Aizen's repeated Hōgyoku evolutions.
Indeed, thanks to the Hōgyoku, Daniel now possessed an almost "immortal" quality. The only regret was that his Zanpakutō Yijisijiba had been completely lost.
"Who would have thought it could even pierce through Hell? I'm at a loss for words," Daniel remarked.
When he later met with Aizen to learn what had transpired over the past few days, Daniel felt a mix of disbelief and resignation. He had always thought it normal—even if Aizen were confined in the endless Hell, that was acceptable—but to actually break through Hell… that was something entirely unexpected. It only confirmed that Aizen's sixth Hōgyoku evolution was far superior in power to his own fifth-stage form.
The reason Hell was not meant to be broken was that, in the battles between Aizen (after his sixth evolution) and Ichigo, poor Captain Yamamoto had ultimately been outwitted by Aizen's Mirror Flower, Water Moon. Even though Aizen's spiritual pressure now far exceeded that of Yamamoto Genryūsai's, the overwhelming power of "Ryūjin Fire" (the Bankai of the fiery blade) was so abnormal that even a body as formidable as Aizen's, after six evolutions, would stand no chance if struck by it. Ryūjin Fire's Bankai was an all-in-one offensive and defensive technique – not even a remote attack could match it. Even Yhwach, when confronting the captain, did not dare face him head-on; instead, he used one of his underlings to steal Yamamoto's Bankai before emerging himself.
After Aizen had deceived the captain with Mirror Flower, Water Moon, Ichigo finally emerged. Originally, Ichigo had been willing to let matters rest as long as Aizen did not unleash his full fury. But of course, Aizen had chosen to fight him instead.
Initially, Ichigo was no match for Aizen. Forced to activate "No Moon," he then left the Seireitei due to the overwhelming collateral damage from their battle and sought an isolated location to continue the fight. In the final clash of their ultimate techniques, the explosive release of power shattered the barriers of both the Soul Society and Hell.
Because Hell had been breached, even enemies like Aizen and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads had no choice but to join forces—capturing and rescuing many souls that had managed to escape from Hell.
Compared to some denizens of Hell, even the Hollows were not as inherently evil. For Hell's inhabitants were the truly wicked.
"Hell?"
At the mention of Hell, Daniel's previously exhilarated mood gradually calmed. Despite his boost in power, he couldn't help but feel apprehensive. Intelligence about Hell was scarce – neither Yhwach nor Ichibee Hyosube knew much about it.
Hell, unlike the Void, had appeared in this world alongside the Void; yet Hell was even more mysterious. One could casually enter the Void for an exploration, but Hell was not a place one could simply walk into.
Strictly speaking, Hell is truly the destined domain for the dead in this world.
Fortunately, although many people had managed to escape from Hell, due to its unique properties they could not truly wield any significant power. Should they try to use their abilities, Hell's inherent force would drag them back. This made the job of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads much easier – all they had to do was track down and coerce these escapees into action.
"Alright then, my business here is nearly done. I'll be leaving soon. But before I go, I need you to confirm one thing: in the world I've experienced, there isn't a place suitable for you."
Daniel had longed to extract Aizen from the Soul Society, but he found it difficult to determine which world to bring him to. With Aizen's power, only a few worlds could further enhance him – currently only the Marvel Universe and the world of "Chinese Paladin" (Xianjian) seemed capable of it.
As for the world of "One Piece," which primarily focuses on physical combat, it would be impossible for a Shinigami like Aizen, who cultivates spiritual power, to gain any further benefit.
In theory, Daniel could take Aizen to the Marvel or Xianjian worlds. Particularly in Xianjian, the "Ghost Realm" would be ideal – its nature is very similar to that of the Soul Society.
But the problem was Daniel's unease. Given Aizen's character, he would never agree to such a meek arrangement; if Aizen ever acted beyond certain limits, he would easily attract the attention of other powerful entities. Although Aizen was formidable, Daniel did not believe he was a match for the Ghost Realm's forces – not to mention the Celestial God Fuxi.
As for the Marvel Universe, that was even more dangerous. Daniel had always maintained a low profile and wasn't about to risk attracting attention simply because he was timid. Now that he had ascended to Supreme Mage, he knew many taboos from the ancient texts left by the ancient one – and he vowed never to touch those forbidden subjects.
It's much like the Dark God's Tome; but if it were Aizen, encountering the Dark God's Tome would be nothing he'd shy away from studying.
"You see, your situation is truly unique. The world of soul cultivation and spiritual particles – in other worlds, these things are far beyond the reach of ordinary people. If you were to go there, you'd face significant problems. In most other worlds, the air wouldn't be saturated with spiritual particles like here."
The difference between having a body and not having one is immense. With a body, one can cultivate almost anything – chakra, qi, martial arts. But someone like Aizen, who can only cultivate spiritual pressure, cannot practice both simultaneously.
"So you mean you'll need a 'Righteous Remains' (Yi Hai)?"
"Exactly. But with so many worlds out there, many I've never visited, perhaps in time I will encounter a world that deals specifically with soul cultivation."
"That's something we can discuss later. For now, I just want to see a different view of things."
"Very well. You take care of your matters; once I'm ready, we'll leave."
Since Aizen only wished to see the sights of other worlds, that was simple enough. The world of "One Piece" was just right for him – perhaps, by virtue of his genius, he could even study the properties of Devil Fruits.
"Kyoraku Harumi is quite something – to have traveled from the other side of the planet in a week," Daniel noted, glancing around the reconstructed Seireitei.
After Aizen's battle with the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, the Seireitei was in the process of being rebuilt. Under Aizen's suggestions (which Daniel had provided), the Soul Society's system was undergoing some changes, particularly regarding the situation on Flowing Soul Street.
Strictly speaking, managing the Soul Society here was rather simple – after all, most of its inhabitants no longer needed to eat.
Don't be fooled by Aizen's brilliance in combat; in truth, the Soul Society's education system was in dire straits. While their fighting prowess was unmatched, in all other respects they were woefully deficient – completely incomparable to the ordinary people of the World of the Living.
This outcome prompted Daniel to suggest that Aizen consider working as a history teacher in the World of the Living, and that some Shinigami in the Soul Society attend further studies there.
"Xiali,"
Shortly after Daniel returned to Karakura Town, intending to check on Ichigo's condition, he heard Ichigo's anxious cries. Rukia and Renji were gathered around; it appeared that Ichigo's younger sister had been kidnapped. (Due to the breach of Hell, the Soul Society had bolstered Karakura Town's defenses, dispatching a considerable number of Shinigami to the World of the Living.)
[Insert the newest "6 9 Shu Yi Ba Kan" meme here!]
"You all look lively here," Daniel observed.
As Rukia and the others hesitated—afraid to act for fear of provoking further trouble—Daniel suddenly appeared behind the two mysterious figures. With a swift binding Kidō technique, he immobilized them and rescued Xiali.
"Protect them. I'll handle this. Break Technique No. 4: White Thunder."
After subduing the assailants, Daniel's gaze shifted upward to the void above. With his right index finger, he unleashed a brilliant white bolt of lightning that pierced through the void. Suddenly, a figure materialized, looking utterly shocked as if unable to fathom how he'd been discovered.
"Hold on—I'm not your enemy," the man cried out. Yet it was too late; Daniel had already appeared beside him, seizing his neck and hoisting him up so that no further words could escape.
"Ah, denizens of Hell—I knew from the start you were hiding here, and you claim not to be our enemy."
Daniel then bound the three together. Rarely does one encounter a soul from Hell, and Daniel found himself genuinely intrigued.
"Is it for Ichigo's sake? This one is rather clever," one of them murmured.
Before long, Daniel discerned their true aim. In the midst of the battle between Ichigo and Aizen, these Hellspawn had observed the destruction of Hell's barriers and intended to use Ichigo as a means to sever the guilt chains that bound them to Hell.
They planned to exploit Ichigo's younger sister and employ the classic "whiteface" routine to win his trust.
Their plan was ingenious – but before they could set it in motion, Daniel quickly apprehended them all in one fell swoop.
"Do you honestly believe that Hell cannot kill you? If you fall into my hands, you'll merely die and return to Hell. If that's your wish, then think again," Daniel warned.
In the Soul Society, Hell deals severe punishment to the most heinous criminals: its guards repeatedly kill those who escape, wearing down their souls until, through psychological collapse, they ultimately dissolve into the most basic spiritual particles.
Yet the young man before Daniel, who called himself "Black Blade" for his short white hair, had endured in Hell for several hundred years. That determination might be admirable – were it not for his despicable deeds.
"I'm curious—if you were transmuted into a Philosopher's Stone, could you continue to be resurrected in Hell?"
Truth be told, the self-proclaimed "Black Blade" was no pushover; he possessed power rivaling that of a Super-Captain. In Daniel's earlier days, even if he had been able to handle him, it would not have been so simple. But fate had not been kind, and Daniel encountered him only after his own ascension.
As criminals in Hell, their knowledge of that realm was limited. All they really knew was that Hell was guarded by vast, roaming wardens who killed every sinner they encountered – a constant psychological torment for the guilty.
"Let's see all your spiritual power vanish," Daniel intoned.
After dispatching the Black Blade and his cohorts, Daniel went to Ichigo's residence to report that the matter was resolved. As for the Black Blade's plot, he left those details unsaid – better not to invite further trouble.
Still curious about Ichigo, Daniel examined his body. Outwardly, Ichigo showed no trace of spiritual power, but Daniel's Perfect Realization technique detected subtle conditions deep within him.
"Since I've managed to sweep away the Perfect Realization foes, it's time to teach him a lesson," Daniel mused.
Originally, Ichigo cared little about regaining his power – indeed, he even resisted restoring it, since lacking power meant he could return to his former peaceful life.
But after his sister was kidnapped, that resolve crumbled; he could no longer stand by helplessly.
Not only did Daniel want to help Ichigo regain his strength, but Kisuke Urahara was also devising plans for his restoration.
"Dragon – that's a signature of the Seishō Bureau. Quite peculiar indeed," Daniel remarked as he looked up at the oddly-shaped dragons soaring overhead. Before leaving this world, his curiosity about the Seishō Bureau led him to take a trip to London.
End of Chapter 847 "Hell"
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