On the throne of the Palace, the dark golden pillar of spiritual light still stood tall.
"Crack!"
At this critical moment of ascension, the sound of shifting joints echoed from within. Ren was reforging his body.
This process lasted about an hour, and as time passed, the towering dark golden light gradually thinned until it finally dissipated.
A burly figure slowly stepped out from the fading glow.
Standing at about two meters tall, Ren's form was powerful, his entire body covered in a dark exoskeleton. Pale centipede-like armor stretched from his back to his chest, its surface adorned with intricate dark golden patterns, exuding an overwhelming presence.
The mask that had once encased Ren's head now resembled a helmet, but with this transformation, his face was fully exposed. Short black hair danced in the wind, complementing the piercing black pupils that had returned.
Ren clenched his fist and stretched his legs. A powerful gust of wind erupted around him, kicking up dust and scattering debris.
He felt his body had become more balanced than before, his limbs more agile, more refined.
Previously, as a Gillian, Ren's true height had been nearly 100 meters. He had constantly used his ability to suppress his size to maintain a human-like form. Now, after evolving, there was no longer a need to limit himself artificially—his natural height had stabilized at just over two meters. Though his physical size had decreased, his spiritual pressure had surged exponentially.
Before his evolution, Ren's spiritual pressure had already reached the peak of third-class power. Even among the original story's characters, his raw energy would have stood out.
Now, after his ascension, his power rivaled that of long-established veteran captains such as Kyōraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jūshirō—putting him firmly in the ranks of second-class spiritual power.
Yet, this was only the beginning.
Ren had merely reached the level of an Adjuchas. If he attained the rank of Vasto Lorde and then became an Arrancar, his strength would be unimaginable.
After familiarizing himself with his newly evolved body, Ren transformed into a streak of lightning and disappeared into the vast sky. If his instincts were correct, Aizen and his two companions were approaching the Palace at this very moment. He had no intention of clashing with them head-on.
As expected, not long after Ren departed, Aizen and the other two arrived at the ruins of the Palace.
Staring at the devastated landscape before them, Ichimaru Gin glanced around, his expression unreadable.
"The King of Hueco Mundo… lives in a place like this?"
At the same time, Beligang returned with a large group of Adjuchas. He had left his palace intact, only to return and find it in ruins.
Fury surged through him as he turned his gaze toward the three intruders.
"You… are Shinigami?"
"Despicable invaders! You dare desecrate my palace? You will pay with your lives!"
Looking at Beligang's enraged expression, Gin squinted and smiled in his usual manner.
"Oh my, Captain Aizen… it looks like we're taking the blame for someone else's mess."
Unfazed, Aizen drew his Zanpakutō from his waist and took a step forward.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Aizen Sōsuke. And you… are the King of Hueco Mundo, Beligang."
A glint of cold steel reflected in his eyes as he continued,
"I ask only that you witness my blade… Kyōka Suigetsu."
—
"That was close… way too close!"
Far from the Palace, Ren sensed three distinct spiritual pressures surging from the direction he had just left. Though the sources were carefully masked, Ren's honed senses allowed him to detect them effortlessly.
Moreover, these spiritual pressures were fundamentally different from that of Hollows—they belonged to Shinigami.
"I almost ran into Aizen and his two subordinates…"
Even Ren, with all his growing power, felt a moment of apprehension at the thought.
—
Meanwhile, atop a distant dune, two Adjuchas—one resembling a strange fish, the other a crimson goat—stared into the dark sky in silence.
"The king said he would return… but it's been three days, Perk. How long are we supposed to keep waiting?" The strange fish swam idly through the air, its boredom evident.
"The king said to wait. So we wait," the red goat, Perk, replied in a deep, steady voice.
"Tch, talking to you is pointless," the strange fish muttered in frustration.
Suddenly, the two Adjuchas tensed. A monstrous surge of spiritual pressure was rapidly approaching.
"This… this pressure…"
Cold sweat formed on their bodies as they instinctively recognized its overwhelming magnitude.
It far surpassed even their king's former strength.
Then, in a flash of golden lightning, a figure appeared before them.
Dark exoskeleton armor, laced with golden patterns. Black eyes and black hair. And at his side—a strange yet familiar blade, its form eerily reminiscent of their king's old weapon.
"King… is that you? My king?"
Barnes, the strange fish Adjuchas, spoke hesitantly. "It's… really you?"
Ren smirked. "Of course it's me."
Perk, the red goat Adjuchas, stared in disbelief. "Impossible… Are you truly our king?"
"You can't even recognize my spiritual pressure?" Ren asked, his tone carrying a hint of amusement.
Before they could answer, he snapped his fingers.
In an instant, the latent thunder orbs hidden within their bodies erupted with energy, sending jolts of electricity coursing through them.
"Ahh—!!"
Perk and Barnes convulsed as familiar bolts of lightning surged through their forms.
"This—this feeling… This overwhelming, commanding presence…!" Barnes gasped.
Perk gritted his teeth, his eyes wide with realization. "It really is our king!"
As the lightning dissipated, Barnes was the first to recover. In an instant, his expression shifted to one of eager flattery.
"My king! Congratulations on evolving once again!"
It was obvious that he had noticed Ren's transformation and the tremendous increase in his power.
How could their king—already a Vasto Lorde—have evolved yet again? Barnes could only conclude one thing:
Our king is simply too powerful!
"Enough with the flattery," Ren said, waving a dismissive hand. He had no patience for their foolishness right now. Without wasting any more time, he located a concealed cave nearby and entered.
The two Adjuchas remained outside, standing guard.
Inside the cave, Ren sat cross-legged, his Zanpakutō resting across his lap. He closed his eyes, allowing his consciousness to sink inward—into the depths of his inner world.
He needed to assess his newfound strength.
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