Under the crescent moon, a tall figure emerged from the shattered light. Her curves were pronounced, and her face was written with aloof arrogance, resembling an iceberg that hadn't melted in a thousand years.
A large white cloak draped behind her, billowing wildly in the howling wind.
The Arrancars looked at the beautiful woman who had suddenly appeared on the battlefield with confused expressions, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
That was until a familiar smile appeared on her exquisite face.
"As expected of me!"
"Worship me, mortals! This is the astounding intellect of the great Lilynette!"
A hint of astonishment flashed in Tier Harribel's eyes as she revealed her surprise. "It's actually Lilynette? How did she suddenly transform into this?"
"It is the soul."
Szayelaporro Grantz adjusted the monocle over his eye. Deduced data flashed across the lens as a look of anticipation appeared on his face.
"Coyote Starrk and Lilynette are fundamentally the same person. It is just that, due to extreme loneliness and an intense desire, they split their soul into two."
"All this time, you all believed that Starrk was the main body."
"However, according to my research, Starrk is more likely a fragment that Lilynette split off because she was too powerful."
"For us Arrancars, Resurrección is usually the process of reintegrating our core back into our souls to reveal our original forms."
"From the very beginning of our acquaintance, Lilynette has been deliberately suppressing her own power."
"Yet, when she realized that the comrades she had finally come to accept wouldn't die from her leaking Reiatsu, that fear born from the depths of her heart naturally dissipated."
"Therefore, she gained a deeper understanding of her own form, allowing her to awaken a new state."
Naraku Sora, who had leaned in to listen, showed a look of sudden realization and smacked his fist into his palm.
"Resurrección: Segunda Etapa?"
Szayelaporro glanced at his king in surprise before a gratified expression crossed his face.
"Understanding it that way isn't problematic at all."
"What is undeniable is that Lilynette is currently much stronger than Starrk's Resurrección state, and her combat style might also change."
"So for the upcoming battle, Your Majesty should be careful."
Naraku Sora paused for a moment before breaking into a spine-chilling grin.
"That is exactly what I am hoping for."
As soon as he spoke, Lilynette in the distance had already familiarized herself with her changes. Blazing Reiatsu brewed over her body, outlining distorted spatial lines as the ground beneath her feet let out groans of overwhelming pressure.
The moment she stepped forward, her tall figure suddenly blurred, instantly appearing right in front of Naraku Sora.
"Sora, have you ever lost?"
She still retained her youthful appearance, though her figure had developed exceptionally well. Coupled with her naturally aloof expression, it gave the illusion that Esdeath was standing right there.
However, her personality was still the same boisterous Lilynette; even after growing up, she was just as erratic.
She spread her hands, and countless Reishi gathered, instantly forming a brand-new pair of dual pistols. As they fell into her grasp, countless motes of light bloomed at the muzzles.
Crossing her slender arms in front of her, a sly smile appeared on her face.
With the pull of the triggers, an endless barrage of Ceros transformed into a torrent, creating an apocalyptic scene akin to a tsunami that warped the very space around them.
It was far more terrifying than the Ceros fired when Starrk was in control. Just standing near that torrent placed immense pressure on one's soul, causing their stamina to drain away continuously.
The Gillians that had followed along, despite lacking intelligence, still trembled under this suffocating oppression.
Even at the edge of the battlefield, they buried their heads into the silver sand, leaving most of their bodies exposed in a highly comical manner.
As a terrifying entity that had become an Arrancar autonomously, Lilynette bared her true fangs to the world for the very first time.
Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez stared at the scene before him in absolute shock.
He had never been fully convinced of Starrk's superiority.
The man was lazy all day long, constantly sleeping on rooftops. Even when challenged occasionally, he would just brush it off with his so-called Ceros.
Although his innate stats were terrifying.
In Grimmjow's eyes, as long as he trained diligently, worked hard to improve himself, and constantly engaged in battles, he could use his outstanding combat talent and experience to bridge the gap between them.
When that time came, the title of the Primera Espada would naturally be his.
Talent was merely a starting point; with hard work, one could still surpass it.
But now, the illusions in Grimmjow's heart were being shattered piece by piece.
Just this disaster-like torrent of Ceros was enough to instill despair, leaving absolutely no will to fight.
While the Arrancars were filled with awe, Naraku Sora remained completely unaffected. The corners of his mouth curled up into an excited smile.
As expected of the number one warrior under his command.
This level of strength had already far surpassed the other Espada.
From this, it was also evident just how much Starrk had been slacking off on a daily basis.
Despite possessing such immense power, he often fought Baraggan Louisenbairn, Szayelaporro, and the others to a near draw, completely failing to display even a shred of the overwhelming dominance that belonged to the Number One.
Facing the torrent of Ceros head-on, Naraku Sora grinned widely. The moment he stretched his arms, the patterns symbolizing the power of Shunkō surfaced on his perfect physique. His flesh shifted and his bones ground together, erupting with the sound of clashing metal.
He closed his five fingers, clenched his fist, and charged straight ahead!
"[Black Flash]!"
Black and red Reiatsu condensed into visible lightning, surging from his fist and instantly blanketing the entire battlefield.
The moment the two forces collided, the earth trembled violently.
Azure blue and black-red intertwined, dyeing the night sky and presenting a state of equal rivalry.
But soon, the two colors blended together like mixing paint.
In an instant, a massive roar erupted. Visible shockwaves surged outward, and terrifying ripples of aftermath spread with Naraku Sora at the epicenter.
There were no flashy abilities, nor was there any overwhelming suppression of Reiatsu.
There was only the purest clash of absolute power.
Naraku Sora strolled through the intertwining black and red lightning like a true demon god. He forcefully tore through the Ceros that Lilynette had placed such high hopes on and arrived directly in front of her.
"If you want to turn the heavens upside down and rebel against me, you're still a long way off!"
However, facing this all-encompassing oppression, Lilynette showed no fear. Grinning, she tossed her dual pistols straight into the air.
Two Ceros fired without warning, striking Naraku Sora squarely in the chest.
Although they had no effect, they bought Lilynette precious time.
Countless Reishi gathered, forming a cross-shaped longsword.
The moment her pale hands gripped it, a sword pressure hundreds of meters long slashed down toward Naraku Sora's head like a whip.
A powerful suppressive force instantly descended, and the sound of clashing metal rang out endlessly.
The two tall figures quickly became entangled, occasionally erupting with astonishing shockwaves that kicked up hurricanes across the desert.
Unlike the long-range attacks when Starrk was in control, Lilynette seemed to prefer close combat.
Even before her Resurrección, she possessed a crescent-shaped longsword, but because most of her power had been split off, it appeared extremely weak.
Setting aside her technique, just her sheer ferocity and willingness to fight were leagues ahead of Starrk.
Additionally, the dual pistols that Starrk had transformed into weren't idle either.
Because he possessed an autonomous soul, he could occasionally fire Ceros from the sidelines to run interference.
While the power wasn't overwhelming, it was enough to affect Naraku Sora's movements.
Throwing out another unadorned [Single Bone], he casually blasted Lilynette away before his crimson eyes instantly locked onto the other Arrancars.
Suddenly, the Hollows felt their blood run cold, as if they were being targeted by a natural predator. The instinctual trembling forced them instantly into a combat-ready state.
Four dazzling pillars of Reiatsu shot into the sky. A terrifying coercion descended instantly, feeling as though the heavens were collapsing.
The air became thick and murky, making it feel as if they were submerged in mercury.
Without any hesitation, Ulquiorra Cifer, his face indifferent, pulled his hands apart in front of him, condensing a spear wreathed in Reishi arcs.
"[Lanza del Relámpago]!"
Szayelaporro instantly completed his Resurrección and took the lead by activating Sonído, leaving a deep scorch mark across the sand.
He was as swift as lightning.
After completing Gabriel, his strength, speed, and reflexes had all seen significant improvements.
He could maintain calm, analytical thinking in battle while still retaining a trace of madness beneath his rationality.
The fusion of these two personalities brought him infinitely closer to his ideal of a perfect lifeform.
Coupled with his innate, powerful Reiatsu, Szayelaporro had practically become the strongest Espada right below Lilynette.
The next second.
He crossed the spatial distance, spreading the wing-like tentacles behind him and smashing them down madly like heavy hammers.
At the same time, Ulquiorra's [Lanza del Relámpago] and Tier Harribel's [Trident Mist Halberd] closed in simultaneously.
The heavens and the earth were completely sealed off; there was no room left to dodge.
When the attacks of the three fell at the exact same time...
BOOM!!
The silver-white sea of sand vibrated violently. Countless grains of dust and sand were kicked up, forming a massive mushroom cloud that shot straight into the sky, like a raging sea churning up waves that connected heaven and earth.
Just as the Arrancars thought they had successfully defeated Naraku Sora, a crimson line rippled across the sweeping waves of sand.
Like a stroke of ink from a brush, it cleaved the magnificent scene in two.
From amidst the pouring silver sand, a burning, tall figure slowly walked out. He held a pitch-black longsword, magma patterns shimmering faintly on his body, while black and red lightning intertwined and wreathed around him.
Just standing there was enough to breed an undeniable despair in their hearts.
Could such a monster truly be defeated?
While the others were lamenting, Lilynette, seemingly ignorant of the concept of fear, charged forward recklessly.
She continued to cross blades with Naraku Sora.
Having finally mastered a Resurrección form where she was the dominant one, even if she lost, she was going to fight to her heart's content.
This was true enjoyment.
Excitement gleamed in Lilynette's eyes as she threw herself at him like a moth to a flame.
However, the intense battle did not last long. Naraku Sora raised his hand and unleashed [Secret Technique・Dragon Flash], shattering the Reishi longsword in the girl's hands to pieces.
As countless motes of light scattered, the hilt of his sword heavily struck Lilynette on the skull, instantly knocking her dizzy and leaving her seeing stars.
Without their main vanguard, the remaining Arrancars faced Naraku Sora, who had descended like a demon god. Even with full firepower, they were still beaten to a pulp, completely devoid of any ability to fight back.
Grimmjow was kicked half to death, and Ulquiorra had half his body cleanly severed.
Szayelaporro was the strongest, but also suffered the most miserably; the tentacles behind him were all chopped off, his flesh collapsed, and half his shoulder was completely smashed.
Even against Tier Harribel, Naraku Sora showed no mercy.
For the Arrancars, equal treatment was the highest form of respect.
Looking at that tall figure standing tall beneath the crescent moon, the Arrancars' eyes couldn't help but blur.
This was their Majesty, the sole King of Las Noches...