"So it really is you, Hitsugaya Toshiro."
As Toshiro spoke first, Harribel fully confirmed his identity.
"How did you recognize me?"
Harribel asked. When they met back then, Harribel and her companions were not yet Arrancars, looking quite different from their current forms. An ordinary person probably wouldn't have recognized her.
"Reiatsu. No matter how your appearance changes, Reiatsu doesn't lie. Although we only met once and exchanged a few simple words back then, I have never forgotten you."
Naturally, Toshiro couldn't say he knew her because he had read the original work, so he made up an excuse. He didn't notice that his casual words sounded somewhat ambiguous.
"Is... is that so? You... you've never forgotten?"
Hearing Toshiro's words, Harribel felt her face grow warm, and then, somewhat inexplicably, she said, "I... I actually... have also..."
But before she finished, she noticed Toshiro's slightly surprised look and quickly dropped the subject.
"Come to think of it, you look quite different from back then too..."
Harribel asked, as if changing the subject.
Different was an understatement. One was a young adult Toshiro, the other an elementary-schooler-sized Toshiro. It was as if he had simply shrunk.
"Ah, you mean how I looked when we met? That was a special form from my Bankai. This is my real appearance."
Toshiro explained.
"I see."
Harribel finally understood.
"I never thought that after so many years, you would become an Arrancar."
Toshiro said with some emotion.
"Yeah..."
Harribel's expression was somewhat complicated.
"..."
After Harribel responded, the air suddenly fell silent. Neither knew what to say.
After all, they had only met once, decades ago. Although Toshiro had saved Harribel back then, they had only exchanged a few simple words before not seeing each other for decades.
And when they met again after so long, their circumstances had changed. One was the Vice-Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, the second-highest ranking Shinigami... the other was the Tres Espada, one of Aizen's key combatants.
Their positions destined them to be enemies. Was it really appropriate for enemies to catch up like old friends?
"If possible, I don't want to be your enemy... Although Aizen-sama granted me the power to protect my companions, and I am grateful to him, if you hadn't saved us back then, we would have died long ago. So even if it means disobeying Aizen-sama's orders, I will not be your enemy!"
Harribel suddenly declared with firm resolve.
Toshiro looked at Harribel with some surprise, but ultimately shook his head. "Don't put yourself in a difficult position. Just because I saved you once doesn't mean I expect anything in return. Do as you must in the future. Even if you become our enemy, it won't change the outcome in the end."
Toshiro's words, though harsh, weren't exactly wrong. Unlike in the original work, Toshiro's strength had reached the pinnacle of Shinigami.
So on the side of Soul Society, they had two peak-level fighters: Toshiro and Yamamoto.
Hueco Mundo, however, had only Aizen himself as a comparable opponent.
Although Yamamoto was limited by Kyoka Suigetsu and couldn't use his full power against Aizen, there was still Toshiro.
With Toshiro keeping Aizen occupied, Yamamoto would be invincible.
No matter how many Espada came, they would be fodder, unable to change the bigger picture.
This was also the fundamental reason Toshiro hadn't insisted on killing Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, Tosen, and the others.
The concern that going all out might affect the Living World and its inhabitants was only part of the reason. The real reason was that Toshiro simply didn't care enough.
If they truly had the power to threaten the survival of the Shinigami side, Toshiro wouldn't hesitate to pay the price, even if it meant affecting the Living World or harming innocent humans, to forcibly eliminate them.
Hearing Toshiro 'look down' on her strength, Harribel merely frowned slightly but didn't argue.
"Hitsugaya Toshiro, in any case, I will do my best to avoid being your enemy."
Harribel declared firmly.
"Well, suit yourself. But I advise you not to do that. Aizen isn't as easygoing as I am."
Toshiro warned.
He didn't want Harribel to defy Aizen's orders simply because she didn't want to be his enemy. Aizen would show no mercy. And if Harribel died, it would be hard to find a more suitable ruler for Hueco Mundo after the battle with Aizen.
Nel was nice, but too kind, and still in child form due to Nnoitra's sneak attack. Even if she could temporarily become an adult again, it wouldn't last, and her strength wouldn't hold up.
Compared to her, Harribel was kind yet decisive, very strong, and held no malice towards Soul Society. She would undoubtedly be the most suitable ruler for Hueco Mundo after Aizen.
If some other brutal Hollow became the new ruler, it wouldn't be good for Soul Society. So, if possible, Toshiro didn't want Harribel to die. That was why he had saved her in the first place.
But Toshiro couldn't accept Harribel's goodwill in not wanting to be his enemy. It wasn't that he wanted to be enemies with her... it was just impossible.
Harribel was ultimately a Hollow. Even if she betrayed Aizen and sided with the Shinigami, Toshiro couldn't take her back to Soul Society. She was destined to stay in Hueco Mundo.
But Hueco Mundo was currently Aizen's territory. If she disobeyed Aizen to help the Shinigami, she would certainly be hunted down by him.
If Harribel ended up being killed by Aizen because she didn't want to be Toshiro's enemy, wouldn't Toshiro's act of saving her have been in vain?
But Toshiro could only offer a warning, not say much more. This was only their second meeting... their relationship wasn't that close.
Facing Toshiro's warning, Harribel merely gave a vague acknowledgment. It was unclear if she had truly listened.
But Toshiro had warned her... the rest was her own concern. Everyone had to be responsible for their choices. If something did happen to Harribel, it would be her own responsibility.
"Cough..."
Toshiro cleared his throat lightly. "It's getting late. You should return to Hueco Mundo, Tier Harribel."
Their unique relationship and circumstances left Toshiro unsure what to talk about. It was better to just go their separate ways than to force awkward conversation.
"I understand. Until next time, then, Hitsugaya Toshiro."
Harribel nodded. She was also finding the awkward atmosphere hard to bear, and staying too long might arouse suspicion from Aizen and the others in Hueco Mundo.
She then opened a Garganta to return to Hueco Mundo. Just as she was about to step through, she suddenly looked back.
"Calling me 'Tier Harribel' is too formal. You saved my life and my companions' lives. If you don't mind, you can call me Tier."
As she said this, Harribel felt a little embarrassed. 'Tier' was her true first name... 'Harribel' was her surname. Most people just called her Harribel. 'Tier' was a name only very close people used.
"Cough..."
Toshiro coughed lightly. "'Tier' is a bit too intimate. This is only our second meeting. I'll just call you Harribel, if that's alright."
"Mm."
Harribel nodded.
"Goodbye, then, Harribel."
Toshiro bid farewell somewhat formally.
"Yes. Goodbye, Toshiro."
Harribel said seriously. Then she turned and stepped into the Garganta, without lingering further.