Facing the brand new throne standing within Las Noches.
Harribel did, indeed, hesitate.
She felt that she was not worthy of that throne. It should belong to the man behind her—she was willing to sacrifice everything to be worthy of sitting upon it.
No one else deserved it.
Neither the former king, Baraggan, nor herself.
But now?
Aiyan told her to sit.
To this—
Harribel hesitated for only a moment, then finally chose to obey.
She turned.
And sat down.
Until finally, she took the new throne as her own.
"Tell me your name."
Aiyan looked at the new king he had created in a single thought, and a smile flickered in his eyes beneath the rim of his glasses.
Yes.
When he stepped into Las Noches, he had never intended to claim the throne himself.
This place was merely a vacation palace at best—who would truly stay here?
He had no intention of betraying Soul Society and taking Hueco Mundo like some would-be rebel king. Even if he ever left, it would be Soul Society that crumbled, not him.
As for Harribel.
She would merely be carrying out his will—governing Hueco Mundo for him.
"Tier Harribel."
Harribel answered swiftly.
"I remember."
"Then kill him."
"You are now the new King of Hueco Mundo."
Aiyan nodded.
Whoosh—
Golden light burst forth, and thousands of photons converged into a sky-forged sword, floating before Harribel.
"Hahahahaha—"
"The new king? What a joke!"
"Only I, Baraggan, am the eternal King of Hueco Mundo! A mere woman—don't think becoming Vasto Lorde qualifies you to sit on my throne! She is not worthy! She cannot command us!"
Though Baraggan was laughing, his voice was filled with fury and madness.
His men — dead.
His crown — burned.
His throne — seized.
And all of it unfolded before his very eyes, while he was powerless to stop it. It was more unbearable than having his head lopped off.
"To carry my name is to be King of Hueco Mundo. To bear my will is to rule Las Noches."
Faced with Baraggan's mocking and contempt, Aiyan remained calm. Not a trace of anger in his voice.
Just one sentence.
And the laughter stopped cold.
Because it was true.
This man before him could silence Las Noches with a single look. He could change the ruler of Hueco Mundo with a single thought.
Before such a will—
Who could deny Harribel her crown?
"Your ideal is right in front of you."
"Tier Harribel."
Hearing Aiyan's voice—
Harribel reached out, grasped the Ama no Murakumo floating before her, leapt upward, and drove the blade straight between Baraggan's brows.
"Ahhh—!"
Bound by the Adamantine Sealing Chains, Baraggan could neither summon Reiatsu, nor conjure his deathly breath. He couldn't even move his limbs.
In this moment—
Though his heart burned with rage and hatred, his body remained helpless. He could only watch as Harribel approached, the sword in her hand, and pierce him inch by inch—until the blade fully penetrated his skull.
"Aiyan—!"
With a howl full of deep resentment and unwillingness, Baraggan's consciousness was extinguished completely.
And the body that once symbolized the King of Hueco Mundo turned to dust—
Scattered into the sky above Las Noches.
"Lord Aiyan, your sword."
She had buried the old King of Hueco Mundo with her own hands.
Yet Harribel did not show even a flicker of distraction. She walked swiftly toward Aiyan, knelt down on one knee, and held the Ama no Murakumo up high with both hands.
"This is now your sword."
"From today onward…"
"You will stand at the peak of Hueco Mundo— in the name of the master of Las Noches."
Aiyan smiled gently.
But he did not take back the sword.
Instead, he lowered the blade—
And placed it gently on Harribel's head.
Whoosh—
Black flames ignited from his palm, spreading outward rapidly.
Then, under Harribel's stunned and confused gaze, her entire body was swallowed by the raging black fire—wrapped in a massive dark cocoon, as if some terrifying lifeform were being born within.
Crack—
Moments later, a sound like silk being torn filled the air, warping the atmosphere itself. The cocoon of black flames—impervious even to light—shattered apart.
Within the flames—
A new figure slowly stepped forward from the far end of Las Noches.
Hollow mask.
Hollow Hierro.
"…Is this really me?"
Harribel lowered her head, looking at her arms, her abdomen, her legs.
Her body now appeared nearly identical to that of a Shinigami.
And within her, a boundless Reiatsu surged like the tide—ready to be summoned at will.
Everything she saw…
Everything she felt…
Left her shocked beyond words.
"Shinigami…!"
Seeing this scene, Shihōin Yoruichi could no longer keep her hands folded at her chest.
Since arriving at Las Noches, she had only been watching from the sidelines, quietly observing.
But now, she couldn't sit still.
Because Harribel's current form was far too similar to a Shinigami.
Not only in appearance—
Even her Reiatsu exuded the rich, powerful presence of a Shinigami. It was as if she had broken through some invisible barrier—shattered some boundary.
"This is…"
"…A Shinigami transformation for Hollows?"
"Aiyan…"
"When did he even master such a technique?"
Whether defeating Las Noches or appointing Harribel as the new King of Hueco Mundo, Shihōin Yoruichi had always kept her observer's detachment.
In fact, she believed Harribel—who had a human heart, rejected devouring evolution, and refused to sacrifice her companions—was a far better ruler for Hueco Mundo than Baraggan had ever been.
But for Aiyan to casually give her such a transformation…
It left even Yoruichi a bit shaken.
"This is a gesture toward the ideal."
"Arrancar."
"I already said…"
"Follow us, and we'll lead you to the ideal within your heart."
Aiyan ignored Shihōin Yoruichi, whose mood was now thoroughly stirred.
He simply placed a hand on Harribel's shoulder.
As golden light surged forth, a white chest-wrap and long white skirt materialized—draping themselves over Harribel's body.
In an instant, her image was transformed.
The outfit resembled the attire she wore during her Espada days, yet now the sense of "Shinigami" was even stronger—far more refined.
In the original timeline—
Even after becoming the Third Espada, Harribel retained half a white Hollow mask covering her nose and jaw. Only during Resurrección would the mask disappear, revealing her true face.
But now—
Even sealed.
Even without unleashing her blade—
There remained only a small hole in her body, quietly marking her as a Hollow.
Every other trace of her Hollow form had been erased by Aiyan.
"Lord Aiyan… I…"
At this moment, Harribel finally emerged from the shock of her transformation.
Emotions surged in her chest.
She knelt before Aiyan—not on one knee this time, but with both knees to the ground.
Before she could even speak—
Aiyan raised a finger, gently placing it before her lips.
The words she was about to say—
Swallowed back into her chest.
"The next time we meet…"
"Let me see a different Hueco Mundo. A different Las Noches. Not the same cold, lifeless scenery."
"Alright?"
"…Harribel."
Aiyan's voice was soft.
Like spring wind brushing the cheek.
And Harribel could only nod.
"I will definitely show Lord Aiyan a Las Noches without sacrifice."
She had originally wanted to say "Hueco Mundo without sacrifice."
But remembering that even with her current Arrancar transformation, her abilities remained limited—
She revised "Hueco Mundo" to "Las Noches."
Before the man who had given her the ideal she dreamed of—
She dared not boast lightly.
"I'm looking forward to it."
"And I believe… you will do it."
Aiyan smiled, offering her genuine affirmation.
Then he lifted his hand and tapped the Ama no Murakumo.
The golden lightsaber immediately grew more solid—condensing into a true Zanpakutō that would not fade away.
After handing over the Ama no Murakumo—
After giving her the new throne of Hueco Mundo—
Aiyan did not linger.
He took with him Shihōin Yoruichi, whose emotions were still in turmoil.
And under Harribel's gaze—her eyes fixed on him like she were looking at a god—
He departed Las Noches.
...
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