Seeing the faint flame on Midoriko's hand, Aizen Sosuke paused slightly, his hand still holding the hilt of his Zanpakutō.
It was the same sensation that Tier Harribel had felt before.
A wave of palpitations surged through his entire body, as if something deep within his soul had rushed straight to his head.
His body...
Was trembling!!
So this was it…
The reason he felt this way…
Ah…
Truly…
It had been a long time…
Since he had experienced this kind of fear.
Noticing the changes in his own body, Aizen Sosuke fell silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.
This smile was no longer a mask, but a genuine expression of emotion.
Only a power capable of threatening him could stir this kind of excitement.
And...
Aizen clearly understood that the energy released from Midoriko's palm wasn't just targeting him.
That burning sensation deep within his soul...
Huff...
His breathing quickened. From the fear visible on his own face and the expressions of the Espada as they stared at Midoriko's dark flame, he understood her true nature.
"A power that targets the soul…"
This kind of power...
Was a natural enemy of both Soul Reapers and Hollows!!
Truly…
Marvelous!!
Aizen gripped his Zanpakutō tightly, already a bit impatient.
With Kyoka Suigetsu, he should be able to analyze this ability directly, right?
Just as he was about to act, suddenly—
Boom!!
The cocoon-like barrier burst apart, and Tosen Kaname's battered body was flung outward!!
Then, Katerea Leviathan appeared.
In contrast to Tosen's disheveled state, Katerea remained perfectly composed.
Tosen raised his head and said in disbelief, "Why?!"
"Your sense of touch should have been the only thing left… I deprived you of everything else!"
"Why is it still working?!"
With the barrier now gone, the light returned to Katerea's eyes, revealing once again the scene of the rolling sea.
The gentle sound of crashing waves reached her ears.
Huff...
Finally, she could see again.
Katerea exhaled softly, then turned to Tosen with a faint smile. "Sorry, but it seems my magic power isn't something you can deprive."
Magic…
Tosen froze for a moment, then his expression turned pale.
So that's what he had overlooked…
His Bankai could suppress the senses connected to spiritual pressure.
But...
Magic…
That strange energy in her body…
Tch...
His lack of familiarity with it meant he couldn't grasp its nature, which left a glaring weakness in his Bankai...
Damn it!!
He had made such a ridiculous misjudgment!!
How humiliating!!
And…
Aizen must be disappointed in him, right?
With that thought, Tosen instinctively looked toward Aizen Sosuke.
But…
Aizen's eyes were not on him.
Seeing this...
Tosen felt a tightness in his chest.
So it was true...
He was disappointed…
Tosen gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. Though blind, his instincts were sharp. He tensed up and locked onto Katerea's location.
It wasn't over!!
Aizen's objective had not yet been fulfilled!!
With that thought, fury surged through Tosen.
A powerful aura burst from his body, and his spiritual pressure exploded like a pressurized furnace, distorting the very air around him!!
Bzzz——
A sharp, insect-like buzzing rang through the space.
Tosen's body began to transform amid the shrill sound!
His hair loosened, and a white mask covered most of his face, leaving only his mouth and nose exposed.
Hollowfication!
"I'll let you witness it for yourself…"
Tosen's voice was low, filled with uncontrollable fervor. He stretched out his arms and cried, "Lord Aizen, please grant me power!!"
At that moment, Aizen—who had kept his eyes on Midoriko—finally shifted his gaze and focused on Tosen's transformation.
"I've already perfected it…"
Aizen observed Tosen's Hollowfication calmly and said no more than that.
He wasn't surprised at all by Tosen's ability to achieve Hollowfication.
After all…
Under his guidance, it was already a mature technique.
But...
What truly concerned him was whether Tosen could now achieve Resurrección, like the Espada.
That...
Was his real goal in implanting Hollow power into Tosen's body and forcing him to Hollowfy.
In Aizen's eyes, the Espada, Tosen Kaname, and Gin Ichimaru were merely tools to verify certain theories.
As he gazed at the Hollowfied Tosen, Aizen narrowed his eyes slightly.
"You've mastered Hollow power completely, and…"
There was none of the instability seen in earlier experiments.
From that standpoint, the Hollowfication process was now fully refined.
But…
To take another step forward, he needed Resurrección and...
The Hogyoku's aid!
So...
"Yes, let me see how far you can go…"
Hearing Aizen's words, Tosen's heart pounded. He responded firmly, "I will not disappoint you!!"
The moment he finished speaking, Tosen's figure vanished.
This time…
It was no longer a Soul Reaper's typical flash step, but...
A spatial distortion unique to Hollows could be sensed faintly.
This…
Was a power exclusive to the Hollow race!
But…
Aizen still shook his head. "What a pity…"
Even though Tosen had completed Hollowfication...
Katerea wasn't a simple opponent.
At the very least…
She had captain-level power.
As expected.
When Tosen reappeared beside Katerea…
She once again raised her sea-water defense.
But...
Tosen's Hollowfied state had enhanced his strength, speed, and spiritual pressure across the board!
A single heavy punch crashed straight into the seawater barrier!
Splash——
The sound of splashing water echoed in all directions!
Bzzz——
A deep, buzzing vibration coursed through the sea wall, a wave of resonance rumbling outward.
Then…
With a tremendous crash——
The seawater shield burst like a fountain of shattered light!
(To be continued.)