These two...
Yoshio knew them, yet didn't know them.
He knew them from the manga, but hadn't met them in this world.
A man and a girl, one tall and one short, neither wearing the masks that signify Hollows in Hueco Mundo.
They wore tattered cloaks and seemed to have noticed Hollow White's presence.
The traits were too distinctive.
Coyote Starrk and Lilynette Gingerbuck, who would one day become Espada No. 1.
Aizen also saw them now, a flicker of inquiry and surprise in his eyes.
"How odd. Why are there Hollows in Hueco Mundo without masks?" Ichimaru Gin glanced at Aizen, asking curiously, thinking Starrk must be the result of Aizen's experiments.
Aizen's lips curled: "Are they searching for something 'opposite' to themselves? And there's even a Menos Grande that can 'self-Arrancar.' Interesting. Do we… have a way to go take a look?"
Yoshio understood the implication in Aizen's words.
Hollow White was originally a Shinigami soul, but Aizen had used techniques to turn it into a Hollow.
Starrk, on the other hand, was originally a Hollow soul, but due to certain reasons underwent Arrancarization.
Hollows have a Hollow hole, representing an incomplete soul—or you could say, an incomplete heart.
So where did that incomplete part of the soul, the missing heart, go?
It became the mask on a Hollow's face!
And Arrancar break the mask on their faces, converting that portion of soul into their Zanpakuto.
Before Starrk, no Hollow in Hueco Mundo had managed to break their face mask, so no wonder Aizen took notice.
The Arrancar Aizen wanted to create were "Hollows Shinigami-fied." The experiment had started long ago, but to Aizen those were failures, unworthy of being called a "new species."
However, if it was Starrk, he seemed to be approaching Aizen's answer to this new species called Arrancar.
Perhaps Hollow White had discovered an existence opposite to itself, or something similar yet opposite, which is why it came to Hueco Mundo and stood before Starrk.
Judging by the liquid on them, the two had probably just completed their split, hadn't they?
In any case, no matter what Yoshio thought, they were heading to Hueco Mundo now.
It was also a good chance to observe Starrk's and Lilynette's Souls Abilities.
As Aizen opened a Garganta by some method, the three in the lab entered Hueco Mundo.
They were still wearing those special black cloaks that not only concealed their figures but also hid their reishi.
Yoshio witnessed Starrk's and Lilynette's Souls Abilities with his own eyes.
Starrk's Souls Ability was ["Spirit Split,"] and Lilynette's Souls Ability was ["Spirit Merge."]
["Spirit Split: Split off a portion of one's soul to form a clone. The clone differs from the original in appearance, reishi, and even the essence of the soul."]
["Spirit Merge: Reabsorb the split-off soul back into the body, inheriting all abilities the clone acquired during the split."]
These two abilities…
Oh my god, I want them too!
Yoshio was envious. He knew befriending Starrk wouldn't be that hard. For the extremely lonely Starrk, even if a Shinigami wanted to be his friend, he probably wouldn't refuse.
Of course, provided you're strong enough.
If you're not, you can't even survive near Starrk.
Yoshio figured he should be fine now—he was a Lieutenant, after all. If he got crushed to death by a Hollow's reishi, wouldn't that be an embarrassment to Lieutenants everywhere?
Just then, Starrk naturally noticed Hollow White's arrival.
Looking at Hollow White, Starrk felt something off.
He noticed this Hollow seemed different from the ones he usually encountered.
"You are…"
"Roaaar!" Hollow White's bellow was Starrk's only answer. Even without a mouth, it could make sounds.
Hollow White lunged in an instant, pouncing straight at Starrk!
Starrk's eyes narrowed slightly; the next instant he appeared behind Hollow White.
"I don't want to fight."
Hollow White immediately turned, blade-like forelimbs slashing toward Starrk.
But Starrk's figure vanished again and reappeared beside Lilynette.
Having missed twice, Hollow White seemed angered. A powerful light began to gather on its twin horns—that was a Cero.
Seeing Hollow White actually use a Cero, Starrk finally looked solemn, raising his hand as if to fire a Cero as well.
"Let's stop here, Captain Aizen. There's no need for these two to keep fighting," Yoshio murmured, and in the next moment, he flashed into position between them.
Boom!
Hollow White's and Starrk's Cero condensed and fired at each other—making Yoshio, who suddenly appeared in the middle, the natural target.
Yet Yoshio merely extended a finger, and a moment later, a transparent, smooth, seemingly fragile mirror appeared before his fingertip.
Boom!
Both Cero converged on that mirror, impacting Yoshio, but he had already activated Hinamori's "Ultimate Defense" and Nanao's "Mirror Reflection."
Boom!
The combined Cerο was reflected downward from beneath Yoshio's Mirror Reflection, shooting off at a perfect ninety-degree angle from the point of convergence—directly in front of Yoshio!
With an ear-splitting roar, a massive explosion erupted on the distant reishi sands, a towering blast consuming and incinerating the white dunes there!
Both Hollow White and Starrk were startled—neither had expected Yoshio to suddenly appear in the middle, much less to block and even reflect their Cerο!
"Alright…"
Floating in midair, Yoshio looked at Hollow White above and Starrk standing on the reishi sands below. He clapped lightly and said, "I don't think there's any need for you two to fight."
"How about we sit down and talk?"
Then Yoshio glanced skyward again and said, "Captain Aizen, anything you'd like to add?"
"…You're too hasty, Yoshio-kun." Aizen stepped out as well, unknown light flickering in his eyes as he looked at Yoshio.
"Isn't Captain Aizen interested? 'Hollow White' and an 'Arrancar' are rare sights. I don't want either of them hurt."
Yoshio had indeed acted rashly, but he had to.
If the fight continued, the current Hollow White was absolutely no match for Starrk!
And Aizen would never save his own test subject!
If Hollow White were killed by Starrk, Aizen would simply judge his creation imperfect.
But Yoshio couldn't think that way—he hadn't obtained ["Cocoon Transformation"] yet!