Time flies. It has been ten years since Ito Makoto joined the fourth team, rising to the position of deputy captain, and since Ren subdued Nelly.
During these years, Makoto Ito frequently refined his swordsmanship from initial indirect attacks to more fluid strikes. He mastered not only healing methods but also offensive and binding techniques. His greatest progress in the fourth team was undoubtedly his mastery of ghost arts.
His spiritual pressure also saw remarkable growth. Three years ago, he reached the peak of fourth-class spiritual power without borrowing any external energy. Now, he was only a step away from attaining captain-level spiritual pressure.
Meanwhile, Ren, far away in the Hollow Realm, had obtained the third Spirit King fragment through a small centipede clone left in the hands of Ginjo Kogo. Now, he was just one fragment away from achieving perfect Arrancar form.
The Hollow Realm—the home of the powerful Hollows.
At the southern edge of Las Noches stood the Great House. Originally a humble hill and the territory of Halibel, it had been transformed over the past ten years under Ren's influence, along with several Vasto Lordes and a group of Adjuchas, into a grand underground palace.
"Lord Ren, there has been an influx of Arrancars in the vicinity of Las Noches lately. At first, I suspected a new Vasto Lorde had achieved an independent transformation. But after further investigation, it turns out several Adjuchas have undergone incomplete transformations."
Ren sat on a stone chair in the heart of the underground palace, while Starrk occupied the seat to his left.
Since Ren had founded the Great House, many Vasto Lordes and Adjuchas regarded him as their leader. Even Starrk, the strongest warrior in the Great House, addressed him with respect.
The flickering bonfire in the underground palace cast shadows over Ren's sinister mask, adorned with dark gold patterns.
"There's no need for concern, Starrk. Those so-called Arrancars are just crude imitations of you."
Ren spoke calmly, dismissing the newly emerged Arrancars as insignificant.
As the two conversed, a surge of spiritual pressure erupted from outside, shaking the entire underground palace.
Sensing the immense energy, Ren paused before a faint smile formed on his lips.
"So, they've arrived. But why so many years ahead of schedule? Is it because I've gathered all these Vasto Lordes?"
At the entrance of the Great House, a half-human, half-shark Arrancar stood, his mask bearing a deep sword scar. He released an overwhelming spiritual pressure, filled with violence and arrogance.
This Arrancar had once been among the Adjuchas that followed Beligang in an attack on Halibel. Due to his foul mouth, he had enraged Halibel and suffered a near-fatal sword wound. Since then, he had sought revenge.
According to the original timeline, Aizen was supposed to appear at the last moment, subduing Halibel with a single strike. By that measure, this event should have taken place decades later—long after Nelly was ambushed by Nnoitra and Szayelaporro.
Yet now, with Nilu still intact, this shark-like Adjuchas had achieved his Arrancar form first. It was a surprising twist, even for Ren.
Lightning flickered as Ren instantly appeared at the entrance of the Great House. The white snake Sun Sun and the strange fish Barns—who had been guarding the doorway—stepped aside respectfully as Ren arrived. The gathered Adjuchas, recognizing him, bowed in unison.
Over the past decade, under Ren's leadership, the Great House had flourished, offering them a stability unlike anything they had experienced before. Their name had even begun to overshadow that of Las Noches itself.
As a result, the Great House placed unwavering trust in Ren.
"Where are the Vasto Lordes? Bring them out so I can end them!"
The shark-faced Arrancar's spiritual pressure erupted once more, condensing into a crushing force aimed at the assembled Adjuchas and Ren.
"This spiritual pressure…"
Ren analyzed the energy emanating from the Arrancar. It was significantly stronger than the two who had attacked Nelly ten years prior—he had indeed surpassed the limits of an Adjuchas and could barely contend with a Vasto Lorde.
However, he was still far from reaching Halibel's level—the level of a true warrior who could battle in the original timeline.
Sure enough, because of my interference, the event happened ahead of schedule, but his growth couldn't keep up?
After considering the key points, Ren lost all interest in entertaining this incomplete Arrancar. He cast a glance at the creature and sneered:
"I have so many Vasto Lordes in my Great House. Which one are you looking for?"
Then, addressing his subordinates, he called out:
"If we have a guest seeking a Vasto Lorde, shouldn't we show some hospitality?"
As Ren finished speaking, three towering pillars of spiritual energy erupted from within the Great House. These immense pressures emanated from Halibel, Nelly, and Ulquiorra.
"How… how is this possible?"
The shark-faced Arrancar was dumbfounded. Before he could process the shock, a fourth spiritual pressure surged forth—Starrk, now fully transformed into an Arrancar. The sheer weight of his power, vast and unfathomable like an abyss, sent terror coursing through the shark's being. He trembled uncontrollably.
The arrogance he had moments ago vanished in an instant. Overcome with fear, he turned to flee, stepping away frantically. But after seven desperate strides, he found himself still in place. Worse yet, he had somehow shrunk to the size of a mere insect, trapped within the right palm of a towering, mysterious humanoid Hollow.
Ren clenched his fist, and the once-arrogant Arrancar was crushed like a mere bedbug.
Not one to waste an opportunity, Ren absorbed the creature's soul. Yet, this incomplete transformation provided little nourishment for his growth.
Despite having dispatched the enemy, Ren did not let his guard down. If this Arrancar had shown up at this moment, it was undoubtedly Aizen's doing. This meant that Aizen was watching from a distance.
Suddenly, as if acting on instinct, Ren turned toward an empty space in the distance. A slow smirk formed on his lips.
"Thunder Sea Domain."
In an instant, dark golden pillars of thunder surged around the Great House, their energy seeking to annihilate everything outside the underground palace.
Great House was Ren's domain, and he had long since planted thunder seeds throughout the area. Should a formidable enemy descend, he could activate them in an instant, catching any intruder off guard.
Back when he was just a Gillian, this move had wiped out over sixty Adjuchas in Las Noches. Now, after his evolution, its power had multiplied several times over.
Even three to five ordinary captain-class Soul Reapers from the Soul Society would be annihilated the moment they stepped into the Thunder Sea Domain.
However, Ren knew this alone would not be enough to kill Aizen. He never expected it to. He only intended to send a warning.
As expected, Aizen, hidden by his kido, disappeared beneath the thunder's wrath. Yet, even as the dark golden bolts crackled across the sky, he remained unshaken. A serene smile played upon his lips, as calm as ever.
"Hado 90: Kurohitsugi."
As Aizen's voice rang out, a colossal black coffin, hundreds of feet high and lined with ominous spikes, materialized in an instant.
Boom!
The endless sea of thunder and the massive black coffin detonated simultaneously, canceling each other out. The once-dominant energy of Ren's pre-arranged thunder seeds—eighty-one in total—was completely obliterated.
In the blink of an eye, a devastating hurricane tore through the battlefield, reshaping the land itself.