After the battle between Nelliel and Harribel ended, a notification also appeared on Sora's panel.
[Disciple Nelliel has completed her advanced spiritual pressure control training and successfully grasped the secret of combining Cero and a spiritual pressure blade. Rewards settled.]
Received Reward: 10,000 general experience points.
Received Reward: Ryūkō: Cero (Beginner level).
"A sword technique fused with Cero ability?"
With a thought, Sora focused his attention on 'Ryūkō: Cero'.
The next moment, training memories appeared in his mind.
"So that's how it is... I haven't mastered Cero yet, so there are some things I don't quite understand."
Sora immersed himself in the memories of the techniques and experiences of 'Ryūkō: Cero'.
The training experience he gained this time was more than just a single move.
It also included the techniques and experience of fusing a Cero into a spiritual pressure blade.
In other words, this experience was also effective for other moves that used a 'spiritual pressure blade', with only slight differences. Given Sora's mastery of other sword techniques, these minor differences were negligible to him.
With a little deduction, he could apply these techniques to other moves that used a 'spiritual pressure blade'.
"So the problem is, I don't know Cero yet."
Sora hadn't expected to learn Cero techniques before he had even mastered Hollow powers.
He had now grasped the relevant skills, but because he lacked Hollow powers, he couldn't fire a Cero. Even though he had learned the sword technique, he couldn't use it.
This was also the reason Sora had brought Nelliel to Hueco Mundo for practical combat.
Although infusing a Cero into a spiritual pressure blade was a sword technique he had designed for a Hollow like Nelliel,
he couldn't demonstrate it himself because he wasn't a Hollow. He could only let her experience the clash between a Cero and a spiritual pressure blade through real combat.
A moment later, Sora finished organizing the training experience.
He looked up and saw Nelliel talking with Harribel.
"Your moves are very impressive," Harribel voiced her confusion. "In this battle, you should have consumed much less spiritual pressure than me, yet you achieved a much better result."
During the fight, apart from the final move that fused with a Cero, the other moves Nelliel had used did not consume much spiritual pressure.
Yet, those moves were incredibly powerful, easily breaking through her water shield and water dragon.
However, the spiritual pressure she had expended on her shield and dragon was far greater than what Nelliel used for her moves!
She had clearly consumed more power, but the result was worse.
"This is the result of long-term training!" Nelliel smiled brightly. "Hollows' use of spiritual pressure is still too crude. You should have been able to see the move I just used; it was a move fused with a Cero. If you can integrate your own innate abilities, like a Cero, into other moves, you can also make them very strong!"
"That's very difficult to do..."
Harribel frowned slightly.
Nelliel made it sound easy, but it was essentially stating the obvious. Without the proper technique, it was impossible.
A Cero was indeed an innate ability for Menos, but she only used it by instinct.
It was like an animal eating to fill its stomach; they don't know how the food is digested or converted into energy.
"She has a good professor."
Harribel glanced at the Shinigami beside Nelliel, and a feeling she had never experienced before welled up inside her—envy.
In Hueco Mundo, Harribel was considered a uniquely gifted Menos.
Her journey had been smooth so far.
Ever since evolving from a Gillian to an Adjuchas and shedding her wild nature, she had not devoured any other Menos.
She felt she was no longer a beast and would not devour other intelligent beings for the sake of power.
Harribel's diet consisted only of small, non-sentient Hollows and the reishi-rich sand of Hueco Mundo.
Even so, her spiritual pressure still grew rapidly.
She had now evolved to the peak of the Adjuchas class, not far from breaking through to Vasto Lorde.
Therefore, Harribel had never felt envy.
Today was the first time she had experienced this strange emotion.
"If only I could have a professor like that..."
Harribel thought to herself.
"Does little Harri want to learn? But this is what my professor taught me. You'll have to become his disciple to learn it!"
Nelliel saw the lingering envy in Harribel's eyes.
Her eyes darted around as she began to think.
Harribel was a Menos who, like her, could suppress her Hollow instincts with reason.
This was rare among Menos.
Most would follow their evolutionary instincts and evolve by devouring others.
Harribel could restrain this instinct and also had the determination and courage to protect her companions.
Even seeing her, an Arrancar, she had not backed down.
Nelliel had a very good impression of Harribel and felt she would make a good companion.
"Professor why don't you take little Harri as your disciple!" Nelliel pulled on his hand and said affectionately. "Her talent is very good she definitely won't tarnish the name of the Katori style!"
"Harribel's talent is good, I can take her as a disciple, but you haven't even asked if she wants to,"
Sora looked helpless. Harribel hadn't even spoken, but Nelliel was already being impatient.
Harribel's talent was excellent, and Sora also wanted to accept her as a disciple.
Unlike Grimmjow, she was a humanoid Menos, so learning some swordsmanship would be no problem.
Even if he couldn't mass-produce Arrancars yet, he could take her as a disciple directly.
"Little Harri will definitely be willing!"
Nelliel was very certain.
The envy in Harribel's eyes was so obvious that even she could see it.
"Am I right?" Nelliel looked at Harribel expectantly.
"It would be my honor if you would accept me as your disciple."
Harribel glanced at the trio of animal-like Menos behind her. "However, my companions still need me. I'm afraid I can't leave them."
They still hadn't found a suitable place to settle. The nearby areas with slightly higher spiritual particle concentrations were all claimed territory.
They had passed through the territories of many Menos on their way here, and incidents like the one with the Black Shark King were not the first.
The trio of Menos had just evolved from Gillian to Adjuchas and were at the bottom tier of their class.
If they were to leave Harribel, they would probably be devoured before long.
Even if they hadn't run into the Black Shark King today, they would have left the stone forest in a few days anyway.
The Black Shark King's strength was not a concern, but the spiritual particle concentration in this area was a bit low, not suitable for their growth. They were only staying here to rest for a while.
Both Harribel and the trio were still in their growth phase; they needed to find a place with a higher concentration of spiritual particles.
The closer to Las Noches, the higher the concentration.
Their direction of travel was actually towards Las Noches, which was the opposite of Sora and Nelliel's direction.
"You don't need to worry about that," Sora said with a light laugh. "Nelliel's training is at a good stopping point. I can have her stay here and teach you the basics."
Sora had long had the idea of leaving Nelliel in Hueco Mundo.
Nelliel was a Hollow, and it was inconvenient for her to be in the Soul Society. She couldn't stay at the dōjō forever.
Hueco Mundo was the right place for her.
Harribel didn't want to miss the opportunity to learn the secrets of Shinigami swordsmanship. She immediately knelt on one knee and bowed her head.
"I, Harribel, am willing to become your disciple. Please accept me!"
She was envious of the way Sora and Nelliel interacted.
For a long time, Harribel had been a lonely soul.
Now that she had a chance to gain companions and a professor, she was unwilling to let it pass.
"Huh? I have to stay in Hueco Mundo?" Nelliel's face fell, and she wailed, "I don't want to leave the Professor... and everyone at the dōjō!"
The thought of having to eat dirt in Hueco Mundo again made her feel like her world was collapsing.
Ever since she had tasted the Professor's cooking, she never wanted to go back to her old life.
"From now on, you are my disciple," Sora nodded. "It's not difficult for me to come to Hueco Mundo. I will come to check on your training progress."
"Am I going back to eating dirt again..."
Nelliel lay limply on the ground, the light gone from her silver-brown eyes.
"How did you get so greedy, just like Kana," Sora showed a helpless smile. "I promise, I'll bring you some sweets every time I come."
Nelliel loved pastries and sweets. At the dōjō, even if Sora wasn't cooking, Batsu'unsai would buy some from the pastry shop to feed her.
"O... okay..." Some light returned to Nelliel's eyes, and she forced herself to cheer up. "Then it's a promise... don't you forget!"
Harribel looked puzzled, not quite understanding Nelliel's dramatic mood swings.
"Harribel, you'll start by learning the basics from Nelliel," Sora said. "You are both Menos with high potential. With no one currently ruling Las Noches, I hope to see you two take control in the future."
Sora was leaving Nelliel in Hueco Mundo with the intention of having her take over Las Noches and turn it into his base of operations.
Even though Baraggan was dead, there were still many formidable Menos in Las Noches. Without overwhelming power, Nelliel alone would not be able to command their respect.
But with Harribel's help, the difficulty would be much lower.
This could be considered a trial he was leaving for them.
"The Professor wants us to take over Las Noches?" Harribel's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected her new professor to have such an idea. "But there are countless strong fighters in Las Noches... I'm afraid it will be very difficult for us."
Speaking of which, she didn't even know her professor's background and had just blindly become his disciple.
"I forgot to introduce myself," Sora chuckled. "I am Katori Sora. In the Soul Society, I am a Shinigami Captain."
"The Professor is a captain among the Shinigami?" Harribel was shocked, but she quickly came to terms with it. For him to be the professor of a powerful Arrancar like Nelliel, it would be strange if he wasn't a captain.
"You probably don't know, but the Shinigami who defeated the King of Hueco Mundo, Baraggan, was the Professor!" Nelliel said proudly. "The Professor is the strongest Shinigami!"
It had never occurred to her to wonder who was stronger, the Head Captain or her professor.
Baraggan's name had been passed down in Hueco Mundo since ancient times.
Originally, like other Menos, she had thought Baraggan was stronger than a Shinigami captain.
However, even a powerhouse like Baraggan could not defeat her professor.
This had established an inequality in her mind: Professor > Baraggan > other Shinigami captains.
"Don't talk nonsense, I'm not the strongest Shinigami yet!" Sora gently tapped the mask on Nelliel's head.
"Huh? I'm not?" Nelliel held her head.
"The Shinigami who defeated Baraggan and dismantled the Las Noches army was the Professor?!" Harribel was deeply shaken.
She never would have imagined that today she would meet the legendary Shinigami powerhouse who had recently become a legend in Hueco Mundo, and that she had become his disciple.
Harribel had never been to Las Noches, nor had she ever seen Baraggan in person.
But his fearsome reputation had been passed down since ancient times; he had almost become a synonym for immortality.
Yet, such a powerful being had fallen at the hands of a Shinigami.
Harribel's expression was complex. The legend was right in front of her, and this powerful Shinigami was now her professor!
"If I take over Las Noches, I can protect more like-minded companions."
Harribel disliked killing, but she also knew that strength was the foundation for protecting one's companions.
With such a powerful teacher, Harribel now had some confidence in taking over Las Noches.
"I'll go back to the dōjō first and get some sailfish wooden swords," Sora said.
Harribel's use of spiritual pressure was very crude. She needed to practice with sailfish wood to train her control.
"I'm going too! I still have a lot of snacks in my room that I haven't finished!" Nelliel said quickly.
"Then let's go together. You can go back and pack your things," Sora nodded.
He looked at his panel; he had skipped some information earlier.
The first was the disciple notification, and after it were two new missions.
[Special Task: The Birth of a New King (Unique). Guide disciple Nelliel to become the King of Hueco Mundo.]
[Special Task: The Birth of a New King (Unique). Guide disciple Harribel to become the King of Hueco Mundo.]
Sora focused his attention and read the mission notes.
If either of the two missions was completed, the other would become invalid.
Furthermore, if he took on other Hollows as disciples before the mission was completed, the new disciples would also be added to this special mission.
"Raise a new king, huh..."
Sora closed the panel and left Hueco Mundo with Nelliel.
The trio of animal-like Menos behind Harribel was still in shock.
To think that this Shinigami was the one who had defeated Baraggan.
The trio was a bit afraid of Katori Sora. They hadn't dared to make a sound while he was talking.
Then they couldn't help but feel relieved that no conflict had occurred; otherwise, they and Harribel would probably all be dust in the desert now.
"He's actually a Shinigami..."
"No wonder his spiritual pressure was different. I felt it when he was healing me. It wasn't a Hollow's spiritual pressure at all!"
"I thought his spiritual pressure was just special..."
"But he healed our injuries. Not all Shinigami are enemies..."
"If Lady Harribel and Lady Nelliel take over Las Noches, does that mean we can finally settle down?"
"A future like that... just thinking about it is exciting!"
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