Within the gloomy jungle of Hueco Mundo, dark golden spiritual pressure and azure spiritual pressure clashed in open opposition, colliding high above the corpse-strewn ground. The violent turbulence stirred into a howling gale, scattering broken remains and splintered trees in every direction.
Lilinette clung desperately to a thin trunk, her small arms wrapped around it as the storm of reiatsu threatened to sweep her away.
With unspoken understanding, Yekawa and Starrk simultaneously withdrew their spiritual pressure. The wind collapsed at once, and the jungle fell back into heavy silence.
When Starrk looked at Yekawa again, the indifference in his eyes had vanished, replaced by unmistakable recognition and something faintly akin to closeness.
Yekawa, however, was inwardly astonished.
Since advancing to Adjuchas, his spiritual pressure had undergone a qualitative transformation. Even a clone formed with only thirty percent of his reiatsu could leap from Vice-Captain level to true Captain-class combat power. After devouring nearly the entire Shinigami expeditionary force leaving only Amagai Shūsuke alive most of that harvested spiritual power had fueled his Arrancarization, yet the residual amplification to his core reiatsu remained immense.
His Shinigami clone had observed Kyōraku Shunsui on multiple occasions. By Yekawa's estimation, even if Kyōraku released his full spiritual pressure without restraint, it would be merely comparable to his current state perhaps even slightly inferior.
And yet Starrk, without releasing Resurrección, could contend with him evenly.
Then why… during the Battle of Karakura Town, had Kyōraku's Shikai been enough to kill him?
The inconsistency gnawed at him.
"You're very strong," Starrk said quietly, his expression solemn.
"You are as well," Yekawa replied.
As he studied Starrk and Lilinette, a bold thought briefly ignited in his mind.
If I devour Starrk… could I cross the boundary completely? Arrancar? Or even Vasto Lorde ascension?
The thought died as quickly as it formed.
Against Starrk in base form, victory was uncertain but possible. If Starrk invoked Los Lobos, the odds would tilt decisively out of Yekawa's favor.
After splitting his soul, Starrk was already this powerful. Before dividing himself… how overwhelming must he have been?
Yekawa could not comprehend Starrk's self-inflicted fragmentation. He had not merely split his soul; he had allowed that severed half to develop independent consciousness. When Yekawa created clones, he strictly prevented emergent autonomy and never infused them with excessive soul essence.
Was loneliness truly enough to justify diminishing one's own strength?
In Yekawa's view, enduring isolation was a prerequisite for transcendence. A being incapable of withstanding solitude would inevitably falter at the summit. Starrk's indifference during the Karakura conflict his half-hearted engagement had ultimately led to his downfall.
Still, it had been Starrk's choice. Yekawa did not understand it, but he respected it.
"My name is Yekawa," he said at last, his tone calm but deliberate. "I am seeking companions to walk forward with me."
"A coincidence," Starrk replied earnestly. "We are also searching for companions."
At first, he had searched alone. Then he and Lilinette had wandered together.
"In that case… would you join us? In other regions of Hueco Mundo, I have several companions already."
Yekawa extended the invitation without coercion. Against beings of this caliber, forced submission let alone implanting control mechanisms like his thunder spheres was neither feasible nor wise.
Simply put, he could not overpower them yet.
"Are they strong enough?" Starrk asked softly. His gaze drifted over the countless corpses littering the jungle floor. "Our situation is… special."
"They can withstand my spiritual pressure," Yekawa answered evenly. "Enduring yours will not be a problem."
Starrk recalled the parity between their unreleased reiatsu. If Yekawa's companions could survive his, then they would not be crushed by Starrk's presence either.
A faint light flickered in both Starrk's and Lilinette's eyes.
As they prepared to leave the jungle that had confined them for years, Yekawa raised a hand.
"Before we depart… put on some clothes."
Starrk and Lilinette's near-naked forms drew a rare frown from him. Hollows were one matter. Arrancar who resembled humans were another.
From the remains of the fallen expeditionary force, Yekawa produced two intact Shinigami uniforms and handed them over.
Starrk's fit almost perfectly. With the blade formed from his own soul hanging at his waist, he looked strikingly similar to a wandering Shinigami.
Lilinette's uniform hung loosely, giving her an oddly comical appearance but it was preferable to the alternative.
…
They arrived at the perimeter of the Black Night Jungle.
"It has fully recovered?" Yekawa murmured.
Years earlier, his battle with Ulquiorra Cifer had devastated nearly half this forest. Yet in just over three years, Hueco Mundo's desolate ecosystem had reclaimed itself.
Without further comment, Yekawa released his spiritual pressure.
A pillar of dark gold erupted skyward, piercing the white heavens and illuminating half the jungle.
Moments later, from the distant canopy, a deep emerald spiritual pressure surged in response.
Yekawa smiled.
Soon a figure emerged, gliding soundlessly toward him.
A humanoid Menos Grande descended pure white in body, black bat-like wings unfurled behind him, a fragment missing from his hollow mask.
Ulquiorra Cifer.
"My King…"
The moment Ulquiorra saw Yekawa, he spoke without hesitation.
So the previous display had achieved its intended effect.
Yekawa had once manipulated circumstances to implant dominance through calculated force and illusion. He had anticipated needing to reinforce that hierarchy after advancing further but it appeared unnecessary.
"Ulquiorra," Yekawa said with composed authority, "we depart from this place."
Ulquiorra knelt immediately on one knee.
"As you command, My King."
Starrk watched from the side, genuinely stunned.
A Vasto Lorde proud, incomplete Arrancar though he was had acknowledged Yekawa as sovereign without resistance. Even if Ulquiorra's reiatsu was inferior, every Vasto Lorde stood at the apex of Hueco Mundo's hierarchy. Pride was intrinsic to their existence.
And yet this one submitted willingly.
"Lilinette," Starrk murmured quietly, unable to conceal a flicker of excitement, "perhaps we truly chose correctly."
Thus Yekawa departed the Black Night Jungle, accompanied by Ulquiorra Cifer and the two Arrancar, heading toward Halibel's domain.
Inside a cavern dwelling, Halibel leaned against the stone wall while Mila Rose and Sun-Sun occupied themselves nearby. Suddenly, four distinct spiritual pressures approached one of them intimately familiar.
"Lord Yekawa!"
Without hesitation, Halibel rushed from the cave, joy unmistakable in her expression.
She emerged to see Yekawa and the others.
"Tia," Yekawa said softly, "I have returned."
Halibel stepped forward at once. Yekawa raised his hand and gently touched her forehead in greeting.
Behind him, Starrk, Lilinette, and Ulquiorra once again felt a surge of astonishment.
Another Vasto Lorde.
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