Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō novel Chapter 184

Chapter 184 - 184: Born as One

In the vast and endless Hueco Mundo, there exists a mysterious and perilous domain—the Forest of Menos.

This labyrinthine expanse is composed of towering quartz trees, buried deep beneath the endless dunes of Hueco Mundo.

As a dwelling place for Gillians and lower-class Hollows, it is usually inhabited only by eerie creatures with white masks roaming aimlessly.

However, today, this once-quiet forest had unexpected visitors.

They bore humanoid forms, yet the aura they emitted was anything but ordinary.

Apacci, wearing a mask adorned with large antlers; Sung-Sun, her lower body transformed into a massive white serpent; and Mila Rose, golden hair cascading over her shoulders—all were locked in a fierce battle with Harribel!

"That's enough!"

Harribel finally called out, unable to hold back any longer, her gaze carrying a trace of hesitation.

"Your strength has indeed improved greatly, but you're still far from being able to challenge a Vasto Lorde."

At her words, Apacci immediately protested.

"That's not fair, Harribel-sama!"

She stood defiantly, the massive antlered mask atop her head, a deerskin cloak draped over her shoulders. Deep crimson stripes framed her eyes, their irises now a striking flesh-pink hue.

"We promised Masatsuki-sama that we'd show him our true strength! And you swore you wouldn't hold back—are you really going to disappoint him?"

Harribel silently studied the three before her, their bodies covered in wounds. Finally, she let out a sigh, though a flicker of uncertainty stirred within her.

This battle was meant as a test of their abilities—a chance for her, as a Vasto Lorde, to personally gauge their combat prowess after becoming Arrancars.

The stance of the three girls made it clear they had fully entered Resurrección, yet they were still no match for her.

And yet, Apacci's bold declaration made her wonder—did they have another trump card?

"Quimera Parca!!"

With three unified cries, Sung-Sun, Apacci, and Mila Rose clenched their left arms in unison, the crimson light radiating from each of them converging as one.

Within the blinding red glow, a vague figure began to shift and writhe, gradually solidifying into an enormous, humanoid beast!

Standing tall and imposing, the creature exuded overwhelming strength.

A pair of massive, hardened antlers crowned its head, while its powerful legs—resembling those of a stag—firmly planted it to the ground. Long, flowing black mane-like hair billowed in the wind, and a thick white serpent coiled around its form, serving as a flexible and sinuous tail.

Standing nearby, focused on collecting experimental data, Masatsuki Aozaki's eyes lit up at the sight of a familiar figure.

"So this is Ayon? Not bad. The Reiatsu he's giving off is already at the level of an ordinary Captain-class Shinigami after releasing Shikai."

However, Masatsuki Aozaki soon shook his head and sighed.

"Unfortunately, Sung-Sun and the others are still too weak on their own."

"If they could raise their base Reiatsu to the level of an average Captain, then Ayon's Reiatsu might be able to reach the threshold of Second-Class Spiritual Power."

Seeing Ayon appear, Masatsuki Aozaki gained a general understanding of the strength of the three Hollow girls. No longer paying attention to the situation, he turned to Loly and instructed,

"Keep recording the data. Report any abnormalities to me immediately."

With that, he returned to the temporary laboratory.

...

Entering the lab, Masatsuki Aozaki gently closed the door and carefully placed the Hōgyoku in front of him.

The gemstone, crystal-clear and radiating an enigmatic glow, appeared flawless. Yet, in truth, it remained dormant—still in an unawakened state.

In the original events, Sōsuke Aizen spent nearly four months successfully awakening the Hōgyoku.

Furrowing his brows, Masatsuki Aozaki murmured to himself,

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