Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō novel Chapter 187

Chapter 187 - 187: Nihility

Is that sun on the horizon the lingering glow of a setting sun, hanging at the edge of the sky? Or is it the first light of dawn, heralding the rise of a new day?

Masatsuki Aozaki had no way of knowing. Because that sun simply hovered there—neither rising nor setting.

The afterglow of twilight seemed to drape Yahweh's face in a golden veil, while the light of the rising sun bathed Masatsuki Aozaki's figure, making him shine brilliantly.

"Won't you come with me?"

Masatsuki Aozaki asked softly.

At that moment, the sunlight fell upon Yahweh's face, illuminating it even more. Yahweh froze for a brief moment, a rare look of surprise flashing across his face. Then, he chuckled and shook his head.

"Don't be afraid. The path is wide... You won't be alone."

His voice was quiet, yet it reached Masatsuki Aozaki's ears clearly.

With those words, Yahweh slowly turned and walked away, his figure gradually fading into the endless sea of clouds.

Masatsuki Aozaki stood motionless, as still as a statue. He placed a hand over his chest, as if feeling the warmth of his own heartbeat.

The world around him fell into an unnatural silence.

Sunlight, golden as molten metal, spilled onto the corridor, casting a dazzling array of colors, making it feel like he was standing in a paradise adrift in mist.

After a long while, Masatsuki Aozaki finally stirred, as if waking from a dream. He slowly lowered his hand, then stepped forward, ascending the staircase one step at a time.

A faint smile tugged at his lips.

He never looked back.

...

The wind howled. Waves crashed. Thunder rumbled. Birds sang. A woman's laughter, crisp as silver bells, echoed.

A cacophony of sounds surged and receded, ringing endlessly in Masatsuki Aozaki's ears. The world around him grew ever more vibrant and dazzling.

Masatsuki Aozaki paused, feeling as though he had just woken from a dream. But when he looked around, he found only the same barren, desolate land stretching before him.

He opened his arms... but had no one to embrace.

From the heavens, he had returned to the Forest of Menos.

Masatsuki Aozaki let his arms fall to his sides, a trace of confusion and emptiness flickering in his gaze.

Just then, the sound of unfamiliar, deliberate footsteps reached his ears.

He looked up.

A figure emerged from the darkness.

A white creature—wearing a long-horned mask. The left side of the mask was shattered, revealing half of a young man's face.

His short, jet-black hair was tousled, his skin pale as paper, his eyes an eerie shade of green. His limbs were long and slender, a pair of bat-like wings sprouting from his back. A deep green streak ran down his face, like a trail of dried tears.

An Arrancar.

Or more precisely, a half-formed one—not yet fully evolved.

The young man gazed blankly at Masatsuki Aozaki, the one who had just "embraced the world," saying nothing. Then, slowly, he began walking toward him.

There was something about Masatsuki Aozaki that inexplicably drew him in.

Setting aside his fleeting reverie, Masatsuki Aozaki took a step forward, carefully studying the half-Arrancar before him. With such distinct features, he already had an idea of who this might be.

"...Vasto Lorde?"

"Could it be that the white grove Ulquiorra encountered was actually the Soul King's kidney fused with the Hōgyoku?" _{fre eweb\(n)ovel(.)co(m)}

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