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Two days later, at Ōkaku Training Hall.
Ganju, with a bruised face, occasionally glanced at the entrance of the Ōkaku Training Hall, his face full of tension.
"Didn't you say we're leaving for Hueco Mundo today?"
Ganju lowered his voice and said, "Are we going or not? Do I need to knock out Kin'en and Gin'en? What do we do next? Do we sneak into Seireitei again?"
Ishikawa sat on the edge of the circular arena, not answering Ganju's barrage of questions, but instead staring intently at the Denreishinki in his hand.
Whether to leave or not still depended on the information coming in.
Two days ago, he had asked a Squad Member from the Fourth Division, with whom he had a good relationship, to send him a list of attendees, under the guise of 'curiosity'. Information had been coming in since 8 AM, but none of the names Ishikawa wanted to see were among them.
He wouldn't not come, would he?
"What are you looking at?"
Ganju, seeing this, came to Ishikawa's side with some confusion. When he saw the information on the Denreishinki, he was speechless:
"You really want to go to the Floral Arrangement Society that much? I don't understand what's so interesting about arranging flowers. If we don't leave soon, when Big Sister Kukaku arrives, we won't be able to leave."
"So, why did you run to Ōkaku Training Hall? Under Big Sister Kukaku's nose, how can it be so easy to escape…"
"Here!"
Ishikawa's eyes lit up, and he suddenly stood up: "Let's go."
Upon hearing this, Ganju was first a little confused by what Ishikawa meant by 'Here!', but the following two words 'Let's go' made Ganju directly ignore Ishikawa's previous words. He quickly picked up a backpack full of fireworks, prepared under the guise of training, and said:
"Then I'll lead the way. I specifically prepared fireworks mixed with sleeping powder. As soon as they explode, they can knock out Kin'en and Gin'en."
As Ganju spoke, he pulled out two fist-sized fireworks from his bag, feeling a surge of excitement.
Although Ishikawa had told him in Seireitei that he would take him to Hueco Mundo, Ganju had thought he was just humoring him at the time.
But the next day, Ishikawa came to Ōkaku Training Hall, saying he would take him to Hueco Mundo two days later. Ganju didn't ask much about it, assuming Ishikawa needed these two days to make some preparations.
And he had also made many preparations in these two days, such as the measures to drug Kin'en and Gin'en, and measures to take if they unfortunately encountered Big Sister Kukaku, etc…
"Why do you always think about dealing with them…"
Ishikawa said, taking out a prepared letter from his person and placing it on the edge of the arena, continuing:
"Before we go to Hueco Mundo, you must promise me two things: First, whatever you see or encounter in Hueco Mundo must remain a secret between you and me, and you cannot tell anyone other than Big Sister Kukaku that we went to Hueco Mundo."
"This concerns my life. If you don't agree, then no matter what, I cannot take you to Hueco Mundo."
Ganju initially didn't pay too much attention, but when he heard that it concerned Ishikawa's life, his expression became serious.
When he had stolen Ishikawa's pass earlier, his mind was completely filled with the idea of 'killing that Hollow', and he hadn't thought about the consequences at all, nor had he thought that doing so would bring danger to Ishikawa. But after a night of beatings and scolding from Big Sister Kukaku, he finally understood how foolish and terrible his previous actions had been.
If Ishikawa hadn't had certain connections within Seireitei, his actions could have very likely implicated Ishikawa, leading to his imprisonment by the Shinigami of Seireitei, or even execution by Seireitei.
Every time he thought about this, Ganju couldn't help but feel a surge of fear.
At this moment, looking at Ishikawa's serious expression, Ganju hesitated for a moment before saying, "If the way to Hueco Mundo will bring you danger, then let's think of other methods."
"The process of going to Hueco Mundo will not bring danger, and it has nothing to do with Seireitei; but if the fact that we went to Hueco Mundo is exposed, or if we are recognized in Hueco Mundo, you and I will basically be as good as dead, and it might even implicate Big Sister Kukaku."
Ishikawa patiently explained to Ganju.
"So the second thing is, once we are in Hueco Mundo, you must listen to me in everything, and absolutely not act on your own."
"No problem."
Ganju said without hesitation, "In Hueco Mundo, you are the boss. Whatever you say, goes."
Ishikawa was very smart.
Ganju knew this well. Since he said so, there must be a reason, so Ganju didn't ask further.
"Then let's go."
Ishikawa took a deep breath. A faint Spiritual Crests around his Spirit Core gradually activated. This Spiritual Crests was…
—The Hollow Mark!
Although he had created the Hollow Mark some time ago, Ishikawa had never used it because he wasn't sure if using it in Soul Society would reveal anything unusual.
Of course, what he meant by 'use' was not transforming Arrancar, but another function of the Hollow Mark: transforming a Shinigami's core 'Spirit Core' into an Arrancar's core 'soul core', allowing him to use both Shinigami and Hollow abilities simultaneously.
This transformation, strictly speaking, was still within the realm of Shinigami. The 'fake soul core' he constructed merely served as a converter.
Although it could unleash abilities identical to an Arrancar, because the 'Hollow Mark' was based on a Shinigami's 'Spirit Core', the aura released would not carry any Hollow aura. It was simply using Shinigami power to simultaneously unleash Hollow and Shinigami abilities.
The moment the Hollow Mark was fully activated, Ishikawa's surrounding Reiatsu vibrated slightly before settling down, showing no abnormality whatsoever.
Ishikawa slowly raised his head and pointed his index finger into the void.
Buzz—
The space where his fingertip touched rippled like water, and then the void gradually tore open like jagged teeth, revealing a pitch-black passage in front of Ishikawa and Ganju.
"This is…"
Ganju instinctively took a step back, his eyes filled with shock.
"Hurry up."
Ishikawa frowned. Although Ōkaku Training Hall was set up with many Spiritual Crests by Big Sister Kukaku, the Technology Development Bureau's monitoring of Soul Society's space was incredibly meticulous. Even the slightest hint of aura leaking out would be captured by the Technology Development Bureau.
With his words, Ishikawa stepped into the Black Portal.
Behind him, Ganju saw Ishikawa walk in. Even though he didn't understand what this was, he followed without hesitation.
The torn space instantly closed, and Ōkaku Training Hall returned to peace, as if nothing had happened.
…
Inside the Black Portal.
Ishikawa led the way, and behind him, a wide and neat path was continuously laid out.
"Is this…?"
Ganju followed closely behind Ishikawa, looking at the pitch-black space around him, his eyes filled with shock.
"Black Portal?"
As someone planning to go from the Human World to Hueco Mundo, he had naturally consulted information about Hueco Mundo in the library beforehand, so he was not unfamiliar with the Black Portal. When he saw the environment here, he immediately thought of the description of the Black Portal in the books.
It was said that the Black Portal was equivalent to the Senkaimon that Shinigami used to travel to the Human World. To enter or exit Hueco Mundo, one had to open a Black Portal.
However, unlike the Senkaimon from Soul Society to the Human World, although the space in between was called 'Dangai', the Black Portal had no path and contained vortices formed by Reishi currents. Therefore, one had to use their own spiritual power to lay out a path to proceed.
"How did you do that? Didn't they say that even the Shinigami of Seireitei haven't mastered the technique of opening Black Portals?"
"Descorrer."
Ishikawa did not hide it: "This is an ability Arrancar use to tear space and open and close Black Portals."
To be honest…
Although Tier Harribel had taught him many Hollow abilities, Ishikawa was still greatly relieved that he could successfully use them.
Because these abilities did not appear on the system panel. Instead, they were encompassed within the 'Hollow Mark' item. As the Hollow Mark improved, he would become more and more proficient when activating the Hollow Mark to use these abilities.
It was as if he had been born with them, as easy as moving an arm.
Descorrer?
Ganju looked at Ishikawa with a strange gaze but did not continue to ask. In any case, no matter how Ishikawa did it, he believed Ishikawa would not harm him.
"We're almost at the exit."
Ishikawa's voice came. Ganju looked ahead and saw a glimmer of light appearing at the end of the passage, expanding as they walked forward.
Just as they were about to step out of the passage, Ishikawa grabbed Ganju.
Before Ganju could react, he felt the surrounding environment rapidly change. When his vision returned to normal, Ganju realized that they had already appeared next to a Giant Hollow.
The next second.
"Awooo…"
The Hollow's scream rang out. Ishikawa placed one hand on the Hollow's body, and without any visible attack stance, the Hollow rapidly disintegrated, finally turning into a mass of Reishi.
As Ganju watched, Ishikawa directly pressed this mass of Reishi onto Ganju's abdomen.
Buzz—
Ganju felt a warmth in his abdomen and subconsciously lifted his shirt, only to see grotesque, crimson patterns spreading across his entire body from the spot where Ishikawa had pressed.
"This is…"
"Hollow Mark."
Ishikawa carefully sensed it and nodded in satisfaction: "The temporary Hollow Mark I carved on your body using all the Reishi of that Hollow can conceal your own aura and mimic the aura of a Hollow. As long as no one sees you, in their detection circuits, you are just a Hollow."
"With the Reishi of this Hollow, the Hollow Mark can probably last for three days. If we haven't left after three days, I will help you find another Hollow to infuse into your external Hollow Mark."
Ganju nodded upon hearing this, then asked, "What do we do next?"
Ishikawa didn't reply. Instead, he used his detection circuit to confirm his position. After confirming that their appearing location hadn't shifted, he nodded, pulled Ganju beside him, and said, "Don't resist." Without waiting for Ganju's reply, he directly enveloped both of them with his own Reishi.
The surrounding white sand seemed to have a consciousness, gradually engulfing the two of them.
Ganju only felt as if he was weightless, constantly sinking. When he stepped on solid ground again, he had already appeared in a huge and spacious cavern.
The walls of the cavern were carved with various barriers and Spiritual Crests, some of which he was familiar with, and some he had never seen before.
"Hoo—"
Looking at the familiar furnishings around him, a hint of nostalgia flashed in Ishikawa's eyes.
This was the cavern he had stayed in when he last came to Hueco Mundo.
Last time, for safety's sake, he had set up many barriers and Spiritual Crests in this cavern using Tier Harribel's Reishi, and had opened several passages leading upwards. The place where he and Ganju came down was one of them.
However…
After looking around, Ishikawa's eyes showed confusion.
Because there were suddenly many pieces of furniture here, and in a recessed corner deep within the cavern, there was a large pink bed with sheer curtains; the spacious cavern was filled with traces of children's activities, and the corners were piled with many toys.
Judging from the clean environment, it was clear that someone frequently came here to clean.
"???" Ishikawa.
Ganju, who was beside him, looked at the pink bed, then at the toys scattered everywhere, and said in a strange tone, "Ishikawa, tell me the truth. You… didn't secretly raise a woman in Hueco Mundo, did you? And even have children?"
"… …" Ishikawa.
"No wonder you always disdained the women in Rukongai. So you hid your wife and children in Hueco Mundo? Who is it, exactly?" Ganju said, and then, as if thinking of something, his expression changed, and his gaze towards Ishikawa became even more peculiar.
All along, countless people in Rukongai had fallen for Ishikawa and confessed their feelings, and there was certainly no shortage of beauties among them, but Ishikawa had always gently rejected them.
This made Ganju always suspect that Ishikawa might like… men or something…
But he never expected the truth to be even more absurd than he imagined.
The image of the Hollow Ishikawa had killed earlier flashed in Ganju's mind, and his gaze became somewhat dazed.
This was no longer a matter of gender, but… a matter of species.
"…What do you mean by that look?"
Ishikawa's mouth twitched slightly, and he felt a burst of inexplicable confusion in his heart.
He could barely understand Tier Harribel living here, perhaps she was tired of Las Noches and wanted a change of scenery; but… Tier Harribel living here and raising children here was something he couldn't comprehend.
Even if he took a step back, where did the children come from?
(Does this count as you having my flesh and blood inside you?)
It couldn't possibly be true, like that sentence, that she had his flesh and blood, could it?
Do Hollow Marks have such side effects?
Ishikawa shook his head, expelling this absurd thought from his mind, and then closed his eyes.
He could clearly feel an unseen line, as if in the dark, extending directly from here to the distant Las Noches.
To find out what was going on, he could simply summon Tier Harribel here and ask her.
Because when Tier Harribel's soul core was restructured with the Hollow Mark, Ishikawa's flesh, blood, and Reishi were incorporated into it. So, if he wanted to, he could always sense Tier Harribel's location and make her feel his presence.
Almost at the moment the connection was formed, Ishikawa felt Tier Harribel's aura leaving Las Noches and heading directly towards this area.
"Hmm?"
But as soon as Ishikawa ended the connection, his face darkened. He pulled Ganju behind him and looked towards the entrance of the cavern.
The Spiritual Crests here were all set up by him. He clearly felt that the barrier placed at the entrance to prevent outsiders from invading had been dispelled; and the enemy-sensing Spiritual Crests had been repeatedly triggered in such a short time, having been triggered hundreds of times in the blink of an eye.
However, what was strange was…
The Reishi fluctuations emitted by those hundreds of individuals were exactly the same, with no difference whatsoever.
"Run, run."
"Hahaha—"
"Ugh, so bored lately."
"Sister Tier Harribel hasn't been here in a long time."
"… …"
Noisy and childish voices came from the passage, and soon one figure after another appeared inside the cavern.
Most of these figures were boys and girls who looked about ten years old, but there were also non-human creatures among them; they had the appearance of beasts but were also in their larvae states, such as small dogs wearing masks, all sorts of varied and colorful creatures.
This is?
A strange look flashed in Ishikawa's eyes. Leaving aside the non-human creatures for now, those creatures with childlike appearances all had bone ornaments on their faces. These ornaments were shaped like glasses, earmuffs, or even hair clips…
—Arrancar!
These hundreds of children, including the palm-sized small animals on the ground, were all Arrancar without exception.
But unlike ordinary Arrancar, the Reishi of this group of Arrancar was extremely weak, some even weaker than a Gillian, yet when these individuals gathered together, they were like a single entity.
Because the cavern had Spiritual Crests that concealed auras, the group of children only discovered Ishikawa and Ganju's presence after entering the cavern.
"Huh?"
"There are people here?"
"What should we do? Should we kill them?"
"Of course, we should. Sister Tier Harribel said to protect this cavern."
"Let's play together, let's play together."
"We can't play. Sister Tier Harribel is scary when she gets angry."
"That's right—"
"… …"
Ganju poked his head out from behind Ishikawa, observing the group of little brats, and said with a twitching mouth, "Ishikawa, you actually… secretly had so many?"
Goodness, a dense crowd as far as the eye could see.
But what the heck are those beast-shaped ones? Did they take after their mother in appearance?
"No one will think you're mute if you don't speak."
Ishikawa ignored Ganju and instead carefully observed this group of Arrancar.
He didn't feel too nervous, because from what he could sense, this group of Arrancar's strength posed no threat to him; and from the previous conversation of these… well, Arrancar brats, it was clear that they were placed here by Tier Harribel, so they shouldn't be enemies.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Ishikawa's pupils contracted.
His gaze focused on a little boy's hand, where three numbers were engraved on the back of his hand…
—102!
Arrancar with three-digit numbers were 'eliminated' from the Espada positions. Without exception, they all possessed Espada-level strength, but because later Espada became stronger and stronger, these initially born Espada were eliminated due to their strength or other reasons.
Ishikawa naturally knew what NO. 102 represented!
But how was this possible?
Ishikawa carefully observed the little boy. No matter how he looked, his Reishi was only at the level of a Gillian.
No!
Ishikawa's gaze shifted. After some observation, he discovered… all the Arrancar had the number '102' engraved on them.
In other words…
A realization flashed in Ishikawa's eyes. Was it the group formed by these individuals that was once the NO. 2 among the Espada?
"Big brother, let's fight."
"Let's tear them both apart."
"That…"
"… …"
The buzzing, chaotic quarreling, like a swarm of bees, continued, debating how to deal with Ishikawa and Ganju.
Ishikawa frowned slightly at the sight. Although they didn't seem strong, the numbers on these children made Ishikawa feel a sense of foreboding, a vague premonition that fighting these children would be very dangerous.
"Wait, I'm Ishikawa. You must have heard Tier Harribel mention me, right?"
"Ishikawa? What's that?"
"A piece of wood?"
"Can we eat it?"
"Wood definitely can't be eaten."
"… …"
"???" Ishikawa.
Ganju's mouth twitched. He vaguely felt that the way these little brats looked at them wasn't like looking at a father and an uncle, but more like looking at food and toys.
Innocent yet cruel!!
"What's wrong with these little brats?"
You ask me, who should I ask?
Despite saying that, Ishikawa's expression became incredibly solemn, vaguely feeling an immensely terrifying pressure emanating from these children.
And just then, a familiar voice came.
"Picaro, stop messing around."
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