Urahara Kisuke's expression showed utter shock, but he was extremely excited.
What had he just sensed? He could actually feel the power of the Hōgyoku emanating from Qin Yi's Zanpakutō. Even more unbelievable was the fact that the power within this Zanpakutō was even greater than that of the Hōgyoku itself.
"So the thing you two have been painstakingly trying to study is the power of the Hōgyoku?" Qin Yi withdrew his Zanpakutō and slowly sheathed it, asking with a faint smile.
The Hōgyoku runs through the entire plot of Bleach, and its abilities are astonishing.
What kind of power is it?
It can absorb the desires of the things around it and make them real. It can protect its host's body, effectively making them immortal. Even more terrifyingly, when the host reaches their limit or faces mortal danger, it enables them to break past that limit and evolve endlessly into the next realm.
When Urahara Kisuke first discovered the Hōgyoku's power, he believed it could help Shinigami evolve into Hollows. In reality, he simply desired this, and the Hōgyoku collected this desire and manifested it.
After Sōsuke Aizen left for Hueco Mundo, he used the Hōgyoku to break the limits of Hollows, creating the Arrancar army and seizing control of Hueco Mundo.
It could be said that the Hōgyoku's power is terrifying.
"This blade actually possesses the power of the Hōgyoku... then its ability...?" Urahara Kisuke muttered in shock, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"If what you possess is the Hōgyoku," Qin Yi said calmly, "then my blade possesses all of its functions ... And even surpasses them."
His words left Urahara Kisuke utterly shaken, his mind going blank.
It was said that the legendary blade belonged to the King of Hell, and its power was said to surpass even that of the Hōgyoku. The thought of Qin Yi fully unleashing its power was too terrifying to contemplate.
"Too terrifying…" Urahara murmured, his thoughts already in chaos.
After a long while, he sighed and looked at Qin Yi in astonishment.
"I never expected you to awaken such a blade. But are you sure you can control it?"
His gaze became extremely serious. The stronger the blade, the stronger the will of its wielder must be. Even ordinary Zanpakutō place immense demands on their masters.
Not to mention this one, the King of Hell, which is completely unrestrained by Shikai or Bankai. It was like a wild beast without reins. Once it went berserk, no one could predict the consequences.
When that time came, would the man control the blade or would the blade control the man?
"Sure?" Qin Yi's expression remained calm.
"Who knows?"
He gripped the hilt of the King of Hell at his waist casually, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"You've got to try, haven't you?"
The firmness and domineering confidence in his voice made everyone present pause, then fall silent.
A Zanpakutō also chooses its master. Without sufficient ability, such an awakened blade would never have appeared to Qin Yi in the first place.
"With a blade like that, even if you could only use it for a few seconds, it would be incredibly powerful, capable of immense destruction! But I still want to know just how much of its power you can control!" Urahara Kisuke took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice.
"You want to know its power?" Qin Yi raised an eyebrow, a smile spreading across his lips.
"That's not a good idea. Anyone who tries to witness its power will regret it. Besides, I never said I could control it perfectly."
These rebellious words left Urahara Kisuke stunned and somewhat speechless. He stared at the eerie Zanpakutō, a sense of dread rising in his heart.
"Then… is there anything you need my help with?"
This time, Qin Yi did not hesitate. He spoke directly: "I need to go to Hueco Mundo."
Seeing Urahara Kisuke's puzzled expression, Qin Yi calmly explained: "I need to test both this blade and the new power within me. Hueco Mundo is the best place for that."
Urahara Kisuke immediately understood.
"Alright. After what you did in Soul Society, the Shinigami are probably searching for you everywhere. Hiding out in Hueco Mundo is also a good idea."
The two did not delay and set off immediately.
Urahara Kisuke had the means to travel between Soul Society and Hueco Mundo. After finding a secluded spot, he tore open a crack in the sky. Inside, the crack shimmered with black and crimson light, like the mouth of a beast, exuding an ominous aura.
"Go on in. The way back is the same as what I just did; you should already know how to do it," Urahara said in a low voice.
He wanted to accompany Qin Yi, but he could not leave because Li Yuanli's Mask training was at a critical stage. Qin Yi nodded. Pressing a hand against the Zanpakutō at his waist, he stepped into the passageway and vanished instantly.
"This kid entering Hueco Mundo… I'm afraid he's going to cause a massive upheaval in that world!"
With the power of the King of Hell within him, Urahara believed that even beings at the level of a Vasto Lorde would be unable to resist if it were to go berserk!
Suddenly, Urahara Kisuke's whole body began to tremble.
'What is that?!'
His gaze snapped towards the north-west sky. Another crack opened up there, and several dark figures quickly emerged. The leader had a ferocious face and eyes brimming with killing intent.
"Kenpachi Chengdui!! He's actually still alive!"
Urahara was shocked, his pupils shrinking as he stared at Kenpachi Chengdui.
"Right... it must be the work of those guys from the Research and Development Institute. Only they would have the means to revive him."
He lowered his hat, his expression beneath the brim becoming extremely grave. In his mind, Kenpachi Chengdui was just as terrifying and difficult to deal with as Qin Yi.
"He has mastered nearly every Shinigami method... Kidō, Zanpakutō, and swordsmanship and pushed them all to their limits! While other Captains may excel in certain areas, he is a monster in every respect!"
Even more frightening was that, from their brief encounters, Urahara had sensed that this man, relying purely on his own power, was close to crossing the boundary between Shinigami and Hollow.
It was a shocking sight; he had never seen a Shinigami reach such a level of cultivation. Urahara himself found his talent deeply unsettling.
Moving swiftly, Urahara concealed himself and silently observed Kenpachi, Chengdui, and his group.
"They must be here looking for Qin Yi. Fortunately, he has already gone to Hueco Mundo. Otherwise, with Qin Yi's newly awakened King of Hell state, he probably wouldn't be a match for a Kenpachi Chengdui at full strength."
Urahara analyzed silently, having a clear understanding of both sides' strengths.
He had already heard the details of Qin Yi's battle with Kenpachi Chengdui from Yachiru Kusajishi and the others. He knew that Qin Yi's victory was largely due to Kenpachi Chengdui's carelessness and lack of response.
It was an accident… a coincidence.
If there were a next time, the outcome would not necessarily be the same.
(End of Chapter)
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