"It was a scene where I could have had nightmares forever, yet the awakening is incredibly good."
When I woke up, I felt refreshed and invigorated.
For the time being, I understood that Nubatama is a kind child. I do not know if that falls within the category of general kindness, though.
Now, waking up is fine, but... where is this...?
...Ah, that's right. I performed Jinzen at the entryway.
When dealing with an Inner Hollow like this, wasn't I supposed to go on a rampage?
I feel like I have a vague memory of something like that from a long time ago. If there is no damage, then nothing could be better.
"Well, whatever."
Looking outside, the morning mist was hanging in the air, and the sun was just peeking out.
It is extremely early in the morning.
However, since physically I had been doing Jinzen all night, my butt hurts a little.
"I have work today, so I'll take a morning bath."
Yesterday's blood and gore are still there, after all. I have to wash up and do the laundry properly.
Going to the Fourth Division—the Coordinated Relief Station—in a filthy appearance is out of the question.
Ah, that's right. My ribbon was torn too.
...I suppose I'll put on a new one.
-----
"Good morning, everyone!! Sorry about yesterday; I was suddenly asked to do a job, and since it was with a classmate from my academy days, I lost track of time!"
"Eh, Lieutenant Yukawa...?"
"What's the matter? You're so energetic."
Seeing me unusually high-spirited, the early shift girl and the night shift girl looked surprised.
True, I know it's not like me.
But I feel incredibly refreshed.
"Good morning, Lieutenant."
"Good morning to you too, 10th Seat Kotetsu! Let's do our best today as well!"
Isane is getting promoted rapidly.
Her spiritual pressure is getting stronger, and her skill with Kaido is improving. Already the 10th Seat... As expected of a canon character. She'll probably overtake me in about ten years.
"Ah, did you change your hair tie?"
"Yes! You noticed? I had a little incident yesterday..."
"Is that so? But that color is wonderful too."
"Ehehe, thanks!"
"..., what is the matter?"
"Ah! Captain Unohana, good morning!! I'm sorry about last night! I reunited with an old friend and we got carried away!!"
"I, I see..."
I saw the very rare sight of the Captain looking slightly put off by me.
-----
"This was definitely influenced by Nubatama's tension..."
I am reflecting on the fact that today's behavior was uncalled for.
After finishing work and overtime, and even completing the meeting with the night shift girls, I finally returned home late at night.
By this time, that incomprehensible momentum had finally calmed down.
Also, the sounds like the panting of a beast that I heard from inside my body while working during the day were probably a factor in helping me calm down.
But even without Nubatama's high-tension influence, I myself was a little excited and looking forward to it.
After all, there is a chance I can perform Hollowfication!!
"...Thinking of the worst-case scenario, let's go into the spiritual pressure absorption room."
Inside that room, unless something extreme happens, no one will know.
It is already the middle of the night, so I need to prepare a light.
Also, just in case, I should set up a blocking barrier outside the room... a double layer, to be safe.
With this much preparation, it should probably be fine.
In the dim room illuminated by the unreliable light I brought, I first activated the room's device.
Yup, it's working normally.
...Alright then... here I go...
"...Trans, form!"
As if striking a cool pose, I held my left hand over my face and manipulated my spiritual pressure as if wrapping the power of the Hollow existing inside me around my entire body, or putting my sleeves through a large haori.
Ah, the dialogue isn't really necessary.
But since it's the first time, I thought it would be easier to understand if I had something like that, so I said it as a service.
"...Did I... do it?"
Just as I felt a sensation of my whole body being faintly wrapped in something, my field of vision seemed to narrow slightly—no, that is not the correct expression.
It's a completely new field of vision, so I'm not used to it and it feels a bit strange. It feels like when a person with bad eyesight puts on glasses for the first time.
When I gently ran my fingers over my face, there was the hard sensation of a bone that I had never felt before.
"I did it, didn't I? This!"
I touched my face two or three more times to confirm, verifying the existence of the Hollow mask that should be there.
"What, what do I look like!? Wait, ah! A mirror! I didn't bring a mirror!!"
One cannot see one's own face by oneself. That is obvious.
"...That's right, the Zanpakuto!"
Just as I did a long time ago, I used the blade as a mirror substitute to check my appearance.
Reflected there was the figure of a Shinigami wearing a pure white mask.
As for the mask's design... it gives a somewhat square impression.
It was a mask like a rounded square.
It's quite large, so when worn, it completely fits over more than half of the face, hiding everything up to the ears at once.
Also, there is a single horizontal slit for the eye.
Looking only at this part, it feels like the mono-eye part of a certain robot.
However, the spiritual pressure overflowing from within my body is incomparable to before.
Just by lightly swinging my fist to check my physical ability, the sharpness of the movement is completely different from before!
Amazing! Right now, I could easily win against Captain Unohana... wi...
...I'm sorry, that's a lie, please forgive me, I got carried away, Minazuki is no good, really no good, Nubatama help me, no no no, she's coming out so much, she's snapping, she's snapping, even though I'm cutting her, she's cutting me so much, why is the Captain so strong...
...N, nnn!! Let's pull myself together.
I couldn't see a vision of winning at all, but I've become strong enough to dream such a dream for a split second.
However, if it's discovered that I have such power, I could be designated as a target for subjugation without questions asked, so I have to keep it hidden until the very last moment.
Because no matter what is said, I am a "Shinigami dyed in the power of a Hollow." I must be cautious, cautious so as not to be found out.
The remaining problem is duration.
I recall the protagonist also underwent special training to extend the duration... didn't he? Yes, there is such a scene in my worn-out memories.
Then why did I simultaneously recall the words "fifteen hours is doable"? Did he train even though he could transform for fifteen hours? No, was it that he could transform for fifteen hours because he trained?
As expected, the protagonist is an irregularity. Wearing this mask for more than half a day is a bit much for me...
Oh, surprisingly, I can do it.
Right now, the power of the Hollow is fully out, meaning the influence of the Inner Hollow is strong, right? So it should be dangerous, right??
But it's not painful at all, my body feels light, and there is zero stress.
...Why? Is the compatibility too good??
Hmm...??? Either way, there is a limit to what I can do inside this small room.
Maybe on my next day off, I'll go really far away and test how much I can actually move.
Above all, there should have been one more stage to the transformation.
-----
"!"
It is my long-awaited day off. By the way, I waited about a month.
Work had piled up, and the clinic was booked, so it was quite busy. I can't refuse appointments just for my own convenience.
Now that I have finished clearing all of that away, just to be safe, I have come a surprisingly long distance and am checking my abilities while wearing the mask.
I tried firing a Cero as a test, and it was surprisingly smooth. And yet, the power is significantly stronger.
The attack method that Shinigami realize using Kido, Hollows can do easily like this. No wonder they are strong.
However, Shinigami can do various things by combining Kido.
Everything has its uses.
"...I wonder if I can combine Kido with a Cero? Like rapid-firing a burning Cero."
I thought of it suddenly, but it seems quite difficult.
Ceros and the like are abilities that are relatively complete in themselves, so their expandability is low. It's a technique where the user's ability is directly connected to the power.
"I guess proper usage is important after all."
I concluded so while swinging my Zanpakuto around.
The ease of movement here is also on a different level.
With this, I can get carried away to the extent that it can't be helped if I envision a faint dream in a corner of my heart that I might be able to beat Captain Unohana with just swordsmanship.
Because that person, her base physical ability is nasty, and she knows various sword techniques too.
Even if I challenged her with physical abilities that overwhelmed a Captain, I would undoubtedly be overwhelmed by technique and definitely killed. Rather, a muscle-brain with only physical ability would be perfect prey for that person.
If I could defeat that with just physical ability, I would be a real monster.
Moreover, she was strengthened by my massage... Isn't she the strongest in the world now??
...Ah! I almost forgot.
Nubatama, how are things over there?
'Ooh, My Lord! I apologize for not being able to speak with you lately!! Well, well, Blanc-dono just won't let me go.'
Thanks to having a month, Blanc has become completely friendly with Nubatama.
Blanc basically takes an obedient attitude.
However, since she is smart...
By acting out a cheeky attitude feigning obedience, she draws Nubatama's interest and playfully interacts with him.
It's a trick to keep him from getting bored.
...Yup, they are just playing. Just frolicking. There is no problem.
After a month, I've gotten used to seeing it.
Humans are creatures that get used to anything.
'However, when the number of people increases like this, the next desire comes out! My Lord! Could we not take in a few more female Hollows? If possible, about eleven more.'
Like hell we can!! What nostalgic gal game is that!! Besides, if so many come in, my stomach will burst!!
'!! My Lord, My Lord!! That line just now, say the line about your stomach bursting one more time!! A bit more, a bit more erotically! Could you please say it in a lewd, sexy way!?'
...Hah? Ummm... L-Like this?
...Nnn, no good... That many won't fit... My stomach, will burst... Forgive me already... Nkuh...
'Muhooooooooohhh!! I can't take it!!'
...God, is it okay to ask for a change even now?
'Did you call?'
Come to think of it, this child was a God too!!
-----
Hollowfication.
It is an attempt to sublimate into a higher soul by pouring the soul of a Hollow into a single soul, and then destroying the boundary between the souls.
But that is a very, very difficult case.
Here exists a glass called a soul.
The glass has a partition, and water is only on one side.
If you break the partition with the force of a Hollow's soul, the glass becomes wider. As a result, by the amount it has widened, more water can be poured in, allowing one to reach a higher dimension.
It is a rough expression, but this is the ideal form of Hollowfication.
However, the power of a Hollow was neither that simple nor easy to handle.
It mixes arbitrarily with the poured water and tries to behave as the master inside the glass. And the mixed liquid eventually destroys the glass itself.
It destroys even the boundary between the soul and the outside world, causing the existence itself to self-destruct.
To prevent this, Kisuke Urahara utilized the Hogyoku and the power of Quincies.
The idea is that if the power of the Hollow destroys the soul, pulling them back with opposing forces can balance it out and prevent collapse.
It was not mentioned in the story, but presumably, Sosuke Aizen did something similar when he Hollowfied Kaname Tosen.
—In other words, unless prevented by the aforementioned method, or unless one possesses a unique constitution from birth like Ichigo Kurosaki, Hollowfication is destined to eventually lead to self-destruction.
However, there are exceptions to everything.
The glass breaks because it is made of thin glass.
The glass breaks because there is someone rampaging enough to break the glass.
Then what if the thickness of the glass itself is made thicker? If it is a glass with a thickness that makes it difficult to even hold with both arms, wouldn't it remain unbroken even if tens of thousands of tons of pressure were applied?
How about solidifying the outer circumference of the glass with strong metal? Even if the glass itself cracks, wouldn't the liquid inside maintain its shape without scattering?
What if you teach the rampaging one that they must not break the glass? If they don't rampage in the first place, the glass wouldn't break, right?
For example, strengthening the inside by continuing training that faces death again and again for hundreds of years.
For example, strengthening one's own body by continuing to apply a load of excessive spiritual pressure for hundreds of years.
For example, if you thoroughly discipline the Inner Hollow and make it docile enough to swear absolute loyalty.
If they heard the method, presumably both Kisuke Urahara and Sosuke Aizen would say in unison, "Waste of time, meaningless, inefficient, not worth trying, impossible to do," and dismiss it.
But it was also a fact that there existed an actual example where someone succeeded in such a miraculous method, a scene that could only be reached by those who spent such foolish and mind-boggling time.
Namely.
If the soul breaks, just reinforce the outside so hard it won't break.
If the power of the Hollow cannot be controlled, just thoroughly train that Hollow, break its spirit, and make it listen.
Short-sighted logic that doesn't even make for a funny story.
But unbeknownst to others, without being seen by anyone else at this point, it was also a fact that an actual instance of successfully pulling off such a miraculous method existed.
Though, the person in question had no way of knowing that she was established upon such a miracle.
-----
Hmm...t! It was tiring, but it was a good experience!!
The sun has already mostly set, and I am heading home alone through the dimly lit Seireitei.
I have finished testing the basic abilities, and the remaining tasks should be experimentally possible in the spiritual pressure absorption room.
What was it called... Ummm... You know, that thing where a Hollow transforms! I want to try that next!!
Res, res... What was it? Ah, geez! I hate foreign words!!
"Oh, Lieutenant Yukawa. Good work."
"Oh, Lieutenant Aizen, good work to you too."
Since he greeted me, I replied and bowed.
Res...
...I remembered! Resurrección!! The thing Hollows transform into to show their true power!!
Thank goodness, I feel refreshed! Now, from next time, I'll train aiming for Resurrec...
...!?
Eh, don't tell me he came to probe something?
It's okay... It's just a coincidence! We just happened to pass each other!
That's right, me! If I worry about it, I lose!!
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]