Yoriichi Tsugikuni frowned slightly. If that were the case, it would be fine, but what was more terrifying was that once Yachiru was recalled, she would never be able to appear again.
Although Yachiru originated from Zaraki Kenpachi's soul and was a part of his Zanpakuto.
But now, she was more like a complete living being.
nozarashi's words always seemed to urge Kenpachi to recall his soul and unseal it.
Just as Yoriichi was wondering whether to remind Kenpachi to prevent him from doing irreversible things, after all, Yachiru was also a member of the Ninth Division.
Unexpectedly, Kenpachi sneered softly, "You, you don't think these words can shake my resolve, do you?"
"I don't care if Yachiru is my soul or a part of you."
"In my eyes, she is Yachiru, my family that I raised from a young age."
"You're nozarashi, right?"
At this point, Kenpachi's eyes grew even more disdainful.
"You can get lost now. I don't need you."
"Even without you, I can become stronger."
His tone was as cold and hard as iron, seemingly making the surrounding atmosphere instantly oppressive.
nozarashi frowned tightly, completely unprepared for such an answer from Kenpachi.
She had followed Kenpachi for hundreds of years and knew exactly what kind of person he was...
A beast, would he actually care about family?
How naive.
nozarashi shook her head, "This matter is not for you to decide."
"You have seen me, learned my name, and one day you will use my power."
"And at that time, it will undoubtedly be when you encounter a powerful enemy."
"At the brink of death, whether you are willing or not, Yachiru will return to my body."
"Zaraki Kenpachi, you don't have to resist this fate; she shouldn't exist in the first place."
"Why aren't you gone yet?" Kenpachi's voice grew even colder.
If he had another chance, he would never choose to communicate with his Zanpakuto.
But then again, even if he hadn't seen it today, he would eventually see it in the future.
With the increase in spiritual pressure and the release of the seal, being prepared in advance would allow for other deployments.
It was better than a muddled release that caused Yachiru to disappear.
nozarashi sighed, "You are stubborn, but it doesn't matter. One day you will understand me, because I am you."
Saying that, without looking at Kenpachi's expression at the moment, nozarashi's figure gradually disappeared.
Before disappearing, she took a deep look at Yachiru.
That look seemed to say, I'm waiting for you.
...
Only after nozarashi had completely disappeared did Kenpachi let out a cold snort, his voice revealing obvious displeasure and irritation.
No one could remain happy after learning that the family they had meticulously raised was actually a part of their own soul, or even a fragment of their Zanpakuto.
Would Yachiru disappear?
Perhaps.
But Kenpachi would not let that happen.
An enemy that could bring him to the brink of death might exist in this world; there was one right in front of him.
But even then, he would not sacrifice Yachiru's life for a chance to survive.
He had to find a solution before this happened.
In a flash, he thought of it.
Hollowfication!
This was what Yoriichi Tsugikuni had just said.
As long as he successfully Hollowfied, as long as his power increased, then even without releasing his Zanpakuto, he could defeat those unconquerable enemies.
The dark cloud that hung over Kenpachi's heart slowly dissipated.
Yoriichi swept his gaze over the two, feeling that fate was truly marvelous; the only two anomalies in Hueco Mundo and Soul Society at the moment had both been encountered by him.
This was good, knowing the reasons for them becoming anomalies in advance would allow him to act preemptively and avoid any irreversible consequences.
Starrk's situation didn't need to be handled; he and Lilynette got along very well, and there was no risk of disappearance.
The first thing to deal with was Kenpachi.
He should go ask Kisuke.
With that thought.
The three of them moved swiftly, arriving before Kisuke Urahara.
At this moment, Yoriichi temporarily set Tōsen Kaname aside; dealing with him later was fine.
It would also give him some time to think things over carefully.
And right now, Yachiru was the top priority.
Therefore.
When Yoriichi fully informed Kisuke Urahara about the situation.
The latter's mind immediately flashed with the same association as Yoriichi.
Just as Lilynette could be recalled and released at any time.
Then, why couldn't Yachiru?
Kisuke Urahara looked at Yachiru, then turned his gaze to Yoriichi and asked:
"You just said she's a part of that Zanpakuto named nozarashi, right?"
"Besides that, what else did nozarashi say?"
"I need more details."
Yoriichi fell into thought, then said after a moment, "There's one thing I've been bothered by, and that is why nozarashi needs Yachiru?"
"Even if she is a part of nozarashi, losing some power shouldn't be a big deal."
"Just like your Benihime, my Karma Flame, even if they lose some abilities, it doesn't matter."
"Unless... Yachiru is crucial to her, a key factor for Kenpachi to display his power."
"Based on this, what can you infer?"
If one were to speak of the most important abilities of a Zanpakuto, it would undoubtedly be Shikai and Bankai.
Shikai was unlikely, because an opponent capable of pushing Kenpachi to the brink of death could certainly not be defeated by a mere Shikai.
Thus, only one possibility remained.
Although this conclusion was somewhat bizarre, perhaps this was the truth—Yachiru was nozarashi's Bankai.
Thinking of this.
Kisuke Urahara was slightly stunned.
A living Bankai?
Did such a thing truly exist in this world?
It was incredibly rare.
His eyes sparkled with clear light as he looked at Yachiru; this was an example far more precious than even the Hōgyoku.
He was already impatiently eager to conduct in-depth research on Yachiru.
But unfortunately, Kenpachi was glaring at him from the side, so he could only bury this thought deep in his heart.
Slowly, then...
Kisuke Urahara sighed slightly and nodded:
"I understand. If that's truly the case, then the Twelfth Division will be very busy from now on."
"We will conduct comprehensive research on this aspect."
"I wonder if Miss Yachiru would be willing to stay with us for a while?"
"Hm?!" Hearing this.
Kenpachi suddenly took a step forward, emitting a powerful pressure.
"What did you say? Say it again if you dare?"
He had a feeling this guy might be a threat to Yachiru.
For no other reason than Yachiru had never left his side.
Kisuke Urahara, however, smiled, completely unfazed by Kenpachi's pressure, and slowly said:
"Don't be so anxious. It's just to research whether there are differences between Miss Yachiru's body and that of a normal Shinigami."
"Regarding nozarashi's words, we'd rather believe them to be true than not. These are all preparations to prevent Miss Yachiru from disappearing."
"What's your opinion?"
Kisuke Urahara turned his gaze to Yachiru, who was perched on Kenpachi's shoulder.
The latter fell into thought, and after a while, gently nodded, "I'm fine with it."
"If it's for Kenpachi."
Saying that, she gently patted Kenpachi's shoulder, signaling him to relax.
She also didn't want to be separated from Kenpachi, but she had heard everything nozarashi said.
It was just staying here for a while, nothing much.
Upon hearing this.
Kenpachi's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.
Before he could speak, Kisuke Urahara continued:
"Very good, let's start today. But before that, Kenpachi, I heard you want to Hollowfy?"
The word "Hollowfication" instantly brought Kenpachi back to his senses.
He bared his teeth, his expression extremely displeased, "What, I can't?"
"You can, I didn't say you can't. I just wanted to ask when you plan to start."
"Also, are you prepared?"
"With Yoriichi present, the Hollowfication process will certainly not be dangerous, but if you lose control, the probability of succeeding next time will be slim."
"At the same time, I must remind you that the Hollowfication process has a time limit."
"Once you exceed the limit, whether you win or not, you will lose control."
"Currently, the fastest time is Kensei Muguruma's thirty minutes."
"Based on his performance, the standard time limit for losing control is one hour. Once it's exceeded, we will actively interrupt your Hollowfication process."
"One hour?" Kenpachi snorted coldly,
"It won't take that long. Watch me finish the fight in ten minutes. It's just a mere Hollow."
"Mm." Kisuke Urahara nodded gently, "Commendable courage."
Although he inwardly did not believe Kenpachi could finish the fight in ten minutes.
Ten minutes? That Hollow was no ordinary small fry.
Everything Kenpachi could do, it could do too.
Defeating it was equivalent to defeating himself.
For a normal person, let alone winning, even a draw would be extremely difficult.
Because differences in personality would cause some imbalance in the fight, just like levels in a game.
Even if the same person played the same level, their state would fluctuate due to different mindsets.
And the Hollow was in peak condition all the time.
After all, they weren't afraid of injury, fatigue, or death.
If a Shinigami showed fear even once, it would end in failure.
Kenpachi certainly wouldn't be afraid, but what if that Hollow was even more courageous than him?
Kisuke Urahara gently shook his head. He really wanted to tell the other party to consider it more carefully, but seeing Kenpachi's confidence, he couldn't bring himself to dampen his self-esteem.
Moreover, even after all the drawbacks were explained, Zaraki Kenpachi still had no intention of backing out.
Then, let him be.
Kisuke Urahara ordered Hiyori to bring the Hōgyoku, and invited Zaraki Kenpachi to a small room to sit in quiet meditation.
He carefully checked the Kido barrier set up outside the room, and only after confirming it was secure, did he solemnly instruct the person inside the room:
"From now on, we will apply Bakudo to you, please do not resist."
"I know your spiritual pressure is very strong, so much so that it split into Yachiru, but the current you clearly doesn't possess that unimaginable spiritual pressure."
"After Hollowfication, your seal might be released, but please try to restrain yourself."
"After all... everything here is very expensive."
It didn't matter if the seal was released or not, but the items absolutely could not be damaged; the research funds overdrawn from the Gotei 13 were not free.
As he spoke, he looked at Yoriichi beside him,
"I'll trouble you. If anything unexpected happens, I'll need you to suppress it immediately. I'm worried Zaraki Kenpachi won't be able to control himself."
"With his current strength, if he undergoes Hollowfication, he will definitely surpass a Vasto Lorde. Once he loses control, the trouble will be immense."
"The existence of the Hōgyoku must not be leaked for now."
Yoriichi nodded slightly; even without Kisuke Urahara explaining, he would do so, because Zaraki Kenpachi was his subordinate.
He came along precisely with the intention of preventing Zaraki Kenpachi from losing control.
Hopefully... the process will go smoothly.
...
"You are my dark side?"
In the mental world, amidst a brutal battlefield resembling a sea of corpses, Zaraki Kenpachi tightly gripped nozarashi, cutting through the air with a faint yet powerful whoosh.
He slightly raised his chin, his eyes full of disdain.
This was because standing opposite him was a "Zaraki Kenpachi" with strikingly similar appearance, weapon, and posture to himself.
However, he knew clearly that this guy was not the true him after all.
His skin was as pale as snow, exuding an extremely brutal aura, looking very much like Retsu Unohana back then.
Such a fellow truly deserved to be his dark side; without slaughtering a hundred thousand people, he simply couldn't emit such a chilling presence.
Of course, this wasn't the most important thing.
As soon as Zaraki Kenpachi finished speaking, he keenly noticed a small figure suddenly appearing on the shoulder of the "Zaraki Kenpachi" directly opposite him—Kusajishi Yachiru.
"Hmm?!"
Instantly, Zaraki Kenpachi gritted his teeth, anger burning in his eyes.
"You bastard!"
The nozarashi in his hand creaked, as if it could shatter at any moment.
He suddenly took a step forward and roared, "How did she get in?"
Knowing full well that "she" referred to Yachiru, the Hollowfied Kenpachi nonchalantly rubbed Yachiru's head, then revealed an extremely arrogant smile.
"Don't you already know?"
"She is me."
"She possesses a part of my power; only by absorbing her can I become complete."
"No more idle talk. If you want to control me, then defeat me."
He didn't care about Zaraki Kenpachi's current anger; in his opinion, it was meaningless.
Since they had entered this mental world, it meant that the two of them had to fight to the death to end this battle.
With a shout:
"Devour, nozarashi."
In an instant.
The battle was on the verge of breaking out.
...
Outside, since he didn't know what Zaraki Kenpachi was encountering in the mental world, Yoriichi Tsugikuni could only chat idly with Kisuke Urahara.
Yachiru obediently lay on Yoriichi Tsugikuni's shoulder, looking so sensible it made one's heart ache.
But the deep worry in her eyes showed that her emotions were a bit unstable at the moment.
Noticing this, Yoriichi gently stroked her head and comforted her:
"Don't worry, it'll be fine. Even if it fails, I'm still here."
"After all, becoming stronger isn't only through Hollowfication."
From nozarashi's words, it could be deduced that a large amount of spiritual pressure was sealed within Zaraki Kenpachi's body.
Although it was unclear what conditions were needed to release this spiritual pressure, based on the last experience, it was probably injury or intense battle.
Neither of these conditions was too difficult.
Of course, it would be even better if he succeeded.
To this, Yachiru nodded obediently.
She suddenly pulled out a bag of Konpeito from her pocket and shared some with Yoriichi and Kisuke.
"Let's eat together. Kenpachi bought these for me. Starting today, I won't be able to see Kenpachi anymore. Keeping these by my side will only turn them into memories..."
There was nothing wrong with what she said, but it sounded a bit strange to Kisuke Urahara's ears.
How did he feel like he had become a bad guy who kidnapped a child and separated her from her family?
Shaking his head slightly, Kisuke Urahara explained:
"There's no need to be so pessimistic. The Ninth Division and Twelfth Division aren't too far apart, you can still see each other every day."
"Also, it won't be too long..."
"Really?" Kisuke Urahara's words were suddenly interrupted by Yachiru.
"...Of course it's true."
Kisuke Urahara became even more helpless.
The way she said it, it was as if all their researchers were cold, emotionless machines; he wasn't Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
Taking a light breath, Kisuke Urahara stopped talking.
He focused on the fluctuating data on the computer, trying to determine what Zaraki Kenpachi was encountering in the mental world.
Having official backing for research made things convenient.
Just as he was sighing with emotion.
On the computer, Zaraki Kenpachi's emotions suddenly fluctuated violently, and this sudden change made him instinctively look into the room.
He saw Zaraki Kenpachi sitting cross-legged, his originally calm body now showing obvious bulging veins, which snaked across his skin like ferocious little snakes.
The Bakudo wrapped around him creaked, as if it could break at any moment.
His body suddenly lifted off the ground, erupting with immense power, clearly intending to break free and stand up.
Kisuke Urahara's expression sank.
Even without seeing what Zaraki Kenpachi was encountering in the mental world, he knew that he must have fallen into a disadvantage, otherwise his emotions wouldn't be out of control.
This meant that the Hollow had taken control of his body.
He quickly pressed a button.
Hiss...
A large amount of white smoke instantly filled the room. The high-concentration anesthetic seemed to be meant to knock Zaraki Kenpachi unconscious. Kisuke Urahara shouted, "Yoriichi!"
As his voice fell, Yoriichi was about to act when he saw large patches of white bone armor suddenly appear on Zaraki Kenpachi's body.
Masks growing from both sides of his cheeks rapidly began to cover his entire face.
This was the precursor to complete Hollowfication.
"Did he fail?"
Yoriichi instantly made a judgment in his heart.
Although he didn't want to admit it, that was probably the reality.
Boom!
Vast spiritual pressure erupted from Zaraki Kenpachi's body, and the surging gale instantly blew away all the surrounding white smoke.
The immense force impacted the surrounding Kido barrier, causing the pale yellow energy shield to emit distinct sounds.
Some cracks appeared on it, spreading, as if it could shatter at any moment.
Yoriichi raised his sword and parted his lips slightly.
The next moment.
His words, which had been about to come out, suddenly stopped.
This was because the erupting spiritual pressure disappeared without a trace in an instant.
At the same time, the bone armor on Zaraki Kenpachi's body also began to crumble like ashes, piece by piece.
It was as if the Shinigami's will had gained the upper hand.
This sudden reversal in such a short time left even Kisuke Urahara unable to determine what Zaraki Kenpachi had encountered in the mental world.
Was the spiritual pressure seal released?
Otherwise, how could he suppress the Hollow in an instant?
But fortunately, as long as he was fine.
He could only wait until he came out to ask.
With this thought, Kisuke Urahara felt a little relieved, but then another change occurred in the next second.
The Zanpakuto that had been placed beside Zaraki Kenpachi had noticeably changed at some point.
It had transformed from the slender asauchi shape into a massive axe blade.
The axe blade emitted clear spiritual pressure fluctuations.
Seeing this, Yachiru murmured, "That axe seems to have my power."
...
Mental World.
"Ha!"
Zaraki Kenpachi fiercely stomped the Hollowfied "Zaraki Kenpachi" under his foot.
He carried a huge axe on his back, and although his body was covered in blood, with shocking wounds, the expression on his face was one of extreme excitement.
"I knew it, your power comes from me!"
"As long as I believe you can't take my power, then your power is my power!"
"nozarashi, come out! That Yachiru earlier, you were behind it, weren't you!"
"It doesn't matter if you don't come out. Anyway, I already know that Yachiru is your Bankai. You can't use me no matter what!"
He already had a plan in mind. After he got out, he would immediately go find Yoriichi Tsugikuni or Retsu Unohana to fight.
Only then could he accelerate the release of his spiritual pressure and return to his peak state.
He had already mastered Hollowfication and taken control of the Zanpakuto's power as well.
He would not be defeated again!