"What?!
Even my abilities…?!"
Beelzebub's pupils dilated. In the next moment… he saw his own body.
Yes, he saw his body spinning!
No, it wasn't his body spinning—
It was… his head spinning!
In that instant, Beelzebub's head separated from his body, like a basketball thrown high, arcing in a parabola before falling back down.
After landing, it rolled a few times, and finally…
Those eyes were still fixed on the headless body!
How… could this be?!
Beelzebub truly couldn't believe it.
His main ability was disguise, but even when disguised as Rukia, his strength was inferior to his true form. Later, when he transformed into Yoshio, he still couldn't unleash the full extent of his power.
To be precise, it was always a fifty-fifty split with his true self.
In other words, even if Nezuko's power forced him out of disguise, his strength shouldn't have decreased.
But now—
How could this be…?
He didn't even see the movement, and then—
Impossible!
Impossible!!!
Beelzebub roared in his heart, but no matter how furiously he screamed inside, he couldn't change the facts.
Yet, even though his head had been removed, he wasn't dead.
Nezuko slowly walked over and stopped in front of his severed head.
She looked down with cold eyes and said,
"This is just a small punishment for you. A reminder that not everyone can be transformed into."
She spoke softly,
"Do you understand?"
"…"
Beelzebub still seemed in shock, but after two seconds he quickly replied:
"I understand! I understand! I will never transform into your likeness again!"
"…"
Nezuko was silent for a moment. The next second, Beelzebub felt the world before his eyes blur, as if it had shattered!
But in reality, it wasn't the world that shattered—
It was his brain!
Nezuko made no visible movement, yet Beelzebub's brain exploded in an instant, and the shattered remnants faded away as they approached Nezuko.
The feeling of death was truly terrible. In that moment, Beelzebub felt as if he'd entered a mysterious void, a space with nothing inside but himself.
In that world, it felt as if millions of years passed, and yet also as if only a second had gone by.
Beelzebub thought he was dead. But then, suddenly, his vision returned to normal!
His head seemed to have grown back. Upon seeing Nezuko before him again, he immediately fell to his knees, frantically shouting:
"No, no, no! I understand!"
"I will never transform into you or Yoshio again!"
"Don't tell a soul about what happened today. Otherwise—"
Nezuko turned around, walked to the side, picked up her school bag, and slung it over her shoulder, then walked away into the distance.
She didn't finish the 'otherwise' part, but Beelzebub, no matter how foolish, understood the implication.
He, with his head still bowed, only managed to raise it slightly to see Nezuko's figure almost disappear. Only then did he sigh in relief, but he still dared not stand, remaining prostrate on the ground!
He had no choice; the power Nezuko just displayed was simply too overwhelming!
Was that really a Shinigami?
Beelzebub had met many powerful beings—not to mention Yoshio and Aizen, even among the Espada there were monsters—but he had never felt such fear before.
In front of that power, he couldn't even resist!
Most importantly, she could actually force him back to his original form?!
How did she do that?
Impossible! Even against stronger opponents, Beelzebub could be defeated, even instantly killed, but… to be unable to even use his own abilities?
It was as if something had suppressed him—
A force that instantly crushed his power!
Beelzebub survived by wearing others' faces. Without a disguise, he had no sense of security!
He would rather become a powerless human like Inoue Orihime or a weaker person like Rukia Kuchiki than appear in his true form.
Otherwise, it felt as if the very meaning of his existence was denied—
As if he'd lost all protection, trembling in unease!
Facing Nezuko, he felt every outer shell stripped away, leaving only his most primitive self.
It was unbearable!
He never wanted to experience that feeling of being naked—no, skinned alive—again!
He regretted it deeply. Why did he transform into Yoshio? If he'd transformed into Nezuko, she might not have cared, but he just had to pick Yoshio!
Damn it!
With so many powerful people to choose from, he picked Yoshio.
His brain must have been broken!
If he'd copied one of the top four Espada, wouldn't that kid have been easily dealt with?
Though he resented his past self, at this moment, fear far outweighed everything else.
Because he had never heard that Yoshio had a daughter…
This… must be a huge secret, right?
Only after confirming Nezuko had left did Beelzebub finally stand up.
He decided to return to Hueco Mundo and hide for a few days—
And to never, ever speak of what happened here!
He would never transform into those two again, nor tell anyone about this matter!
Beelzebub opened a Garganta, heading for Hueco Mundo to lie low.
…
"That was too harsh."
Nezuko walked with her school bag. Ahead of her sat Hela, lounging on a street bench and looking at her phone, but speaking to Nezuko.
"I couldn't help it. He was too pathetic," Nezuko pouted. "No wonder Father told me to teach him a lesson."
"…Yoshio isn't that bored. He wouldn't make you kill him just for that."
"It's okay to be bored sometimes," Nezuko smiled. "But the seed of light inside Ichigo was taken away. Is that alright?"
"…You should ask your father about that," Hela said. "Who knows what he's thinking?"
"Don't worry."
Speak of the devil—Yoshio walked over, dressed in casual clothes.
He said, "It's just a temporary setback. I believe Kurosaki Ichigo will get it back soon."
The reason he'd had Nezuko kill Beelzebub wasn't because Beelzebub had transformed into him.
It was because Beelzebub was only one step away from fully integrating with the Evil Node—
His integration had reached 99.9%. According to Tsunayashiro Tokinada's experience, to complete the last step, he needed to be killed!
After being killed once and resurrected by the Evil Node, only then could his body fully integrate, reaching 100%.
Nezuko killing him just now was precisely such a process.
However, Beelzebub's ability was still somewhat inferior; it would probably take a few more days for him to fully recover and completely integrate.
And the day of his complete integration would also be the day he lost his usefulness.
Yoshio had already chosen the next Evil Node's host—
"The Shell That Clings Outside Matter."
Just waiting for the day Beelzebub was finished.
"All the seeds of light have been purified," Hela said, putting down her book. She crossed her legs and looked at Yoshio.
"When do we make our move?"
"Don't rush," Yoshio replied. "The Three Realms aren't stable right now. We'll act after they help us figure out the situation."
He'd actually been observing from the high-dimensional perspective of the 'Special Combat Power,' wanting to see if these events needed to be changed only if he interacted with Kurosaki Ichigo.
After verifying, he found they did not.
Moreover, the perspective wouldn't necessarily focus on Ichigo—
Just like in the manga, it had shifted away from Ichigo's perspective many times.
If this were a manga, it would have stopped when Nezuko first appeared before Beelzebub.
Her face and body wouldn't even be shown—only a shadowy figure, like Conan's little black silhouette.
And the moment the shadow appeared, the perspective would switch—
Or rather, this chapter would end there.
In any case, everyone was guessing who that shadow was.
As for worldview discussions, there weren't many clues revealed.
Yoshio actually intended for Beelzebub to make this trip: first to kill him once, and second to have him spoil some worldview content for Kurosaki Ichigo.
After much thought, only Beelzebub seemed suitable.
Others who had fused with the Evil Node were too powerful—
Even Berenice had drunk Yhwach's blood and obtained a Schrift.
Beelzebub didn't disappoint: he lost his life once and vaguely revealed some content to Kurosaki Ichigo.
Although the comments were mainly guessing the shadow's identity now, soon someone would start analyzing it.
Yoshio thought: I'll see if there are any suitable comments.
He asked, "Is Ginjō Kūgo's side also starting to act?"
"I don't know." Hela shrugged. "I'm a teacher, not interested in the company's operations. Ask Gabriel or Azashiro."
Brainleaf Corporation had a connection with the Hollowfication Users; both were supernatural groups stationed in the Human World.
Leveraging the great earthquake that shook the Three Realms, Ginjō Kūgo established a religion and even asked Yoshio's opinion at the time.
Yoshio certainly didn't object; in fact, he supported it.
Ginjō had waited for years for a chance to get revenge on Seireitei.
Kurosaki Ichigo's appearance was a turning point.
After him, the second Shinigami Substitute appeared.
As long as he discovered the truth, he would definitely follow the path of resisting Seireitei—just like Yoshio.
Even if he foolishly wanted to be a Shinigami's lackey, Ginjō Kūgo could absorb his power.
So now, Ginjō Kūgo was observing Ichigo, to see what kind of person he was—
Whether to choose him as a partner or an enemy.
He didn't know much about Seireitei's affairs right now; he didn't even know that Yoshio was no longer a captain.
So he had to be cautious.
Ginjō Kūgo's fusion progress with the Evil Node was also very high; it seemed he could be "harvested" within a year or two.
"Ginjō Kūgo wants our help."
Speaking of Azashiro, he arrived just then.
He could be considered omnipresent in Karakura Town, so he could appear at any time.
Although Brainleaf Corporation's headquarters moved out of Karakura, Azashiro didn't transfer all his reishi away.
Later, he even fused with part of the King's Key, becoming even more powerful.
Originally, he could only generate consciousness where most of his reishi was, but after merging with a third of the King's Key, his ability evolved:
As long as there was reishi, he could transfer his consciousness there.
"What kind of help?" Nezuko asked, curious.
She'd learned Fullbring from Ginjō Kūgo, but saw it as a transaction, not a debt.
Yoshio also thought nothing of it. As someone opposite to the saintly Kurosaki Ichigo, Nezuko's inherent personality should be cold and destructive.
Being 'obedient' now, or rather, being normal, proved that upbringing was as important as innate personality.
But the coldness in her bones couldn't be erased; it was enough that she could develop affection for those close to her.
Yoshio never expected her to be friendly to everyone.
If Nezuko were like Ichigo—swinging a sword and shouting, "Idiot, get out of the way!"—Yoshio would have to reconsider his teaching.
"He didn't say."
Azashiro shook his head. "He just said that if you have time, go to the Xcution headquarters."
"He's bold," Yoshio chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll go when I have time."
Ginjō Kūgo had the Evil Node Yoshio placed inside him, which meant Yoshio could monitor him at any time.
He knew best what Ginjō wanted to discuss.
But he was too lazy to bother.
It was only the Arrancar arc now; Fullbringers shouldn't steal the show yet!
"Let's go—let's talk somewhere else."
As Yoshio spoke, a circular ring appeared before him.
It wasn't like the Garganta used by Hollows, but more like Doctor Strange's Sling Ring.
Yoshio walked through it.
Hela stood up. After Azashiro and Nezuko entered, she followed.
The moment she entered, the ring disappeared.
They immediately appeared in a strange space—entirely white, with occasional golden light as if they stood above pure clouds.
Besides them, Gabriel, Teresa, Kurosaki Masaki, and Inoue Sora were also present.
"Is this… a big meeting?"
Kurosaki Masaki looked at the gathering with curiosity.
She and Inoue Sora had been peripheral employees, but their presence here meant they'd become official members.
"It's just the final preparations for our goal," Yoshio said softly.
"This is the 'Artificial Tree of Life.'"
Upon hearing these words, Hela, Gabriel, and the others weren't surprised, but the newcomers, Kurosaki Masaki and Inoue Sora, were puzzled.
"Artificial Tree of Life? What's that?"
"Let me explain."
Yoshio snapped his fingers, and the scene changed.
They appeared in a palace, a huge table before them, with Yoshio at the head and the others on either side.
"I think you all know this world is actually completely different from the Three Realms of the past," Yoshio said. "Exactly when these changes happened, no one can say for sure. Maybe thousands, maybe millions of years ago."
"And the root of all this is the 'Tree of Life.'"
"…Tree of Life… what is it?" Kurosaki Masaki asked again.
She knew Brainleaf Corporation eventually wanted to use the seed of light for a 'Tree of Life Array,' thereby filling all life with light and eliminating evil—even restoring the hearts of Hollows.
But she didn't know how it worked.
"It's called a tree, but it's actually a path for people to become gods," Yoshio explained. "In our world, there are those who call themselves gods, with abilities so powerful they seem divine."
"But they cannot truly be called gods. To truly transcend, one must climb the Tree of Life, reach the top—or surpass it."
"In the universe beyond the Three Realms, there exist beings who can create or destroy worlds. To become the ultimate existence, they must enter the Tree of Life."
"But the location of the Tree of Life is not fixed; no one knows where it is."
…