But just then, a fresh, elegant, and moist aura suddenly permeated the air.
Immediately…
"Retreat!"
Quilge's panicked cry made everyone else present pause.
Among them, the first to react was the one skilled in gathering, or rather, before Quilge's warning, the one skilled in reading and deciphering information, who had already sensed that something was wrong.
Compared to him, the remaining five reacted somewhat slowly.
A deafening roar emanated from the spherical prison, and then… a strange buzzing sound reverberated throughout Hueco Mundo, as dark clouds obscured Hueco Mundo's crescent moon, continuously spreading outwards from Las Noches.
Hueco Mundo…
At that instant, a torrential downpour began, but the raindrops did not fall to the ground; instead, they formed a vast ocean, submerging the five Sternritter.
Dense moisture filled all of Hueco Mundo.
Rumble—!
All these changes seemed to take a long time, but in reality, they happened in just an instant.
The roar of the waves was deafening, and the boundless ocean covered more than half of Las Noches, the vast expanse of water floating in mid-air looking like a cerulean sky.
Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang—!
Impact sounds continuously emanated from the center of the ocean.
If one were to look down from high above, they would find that the ocean waves were not rolling in one direction, but rather continuously surging towards the 'Reishi Cage' at the center of the ocean.
This scene was extremely shocking.
Even Quilge, who had cast the Reishi Cage, was filled with shock at this moment.
Although his 'Reishi Cage' was condensed from Reishi, it incorporated his Schrift, which could be said to be a manifestation of a rule; no matter how powerful the opponent's Reiatsu, it would be impossible to escape from it.
Even…
Even if Quilge himself died, the cage would not dissipate but would permanently imprison the opponent.
However, it was not without flaws; the Reishi Cage was ineffective against Quincies or those with Quincy blood.
Also, this rule was bidirectional, meaning… while those inside could not escape and their power could not be transmitted outside the cage, those outside also could not attack those within.
However, Quilge had no intention of continuing to attack her, because he knew very well that he could not defeat the opponent.
Of course, he also didn't need to defeat the opponent; in front of his Schrift, no matter how strong she was, she couldn't escape. Even those Special War Powers specially recorded by His Majesty would absolutely not be able to break through his Reishi Prison!
…It should have been like this…
Quilge never expected that this 3rd Espada, completely isolated from the outside world, would be able to change the weather and condense an ocean out of thin air.
He could clearly feel…
Besides Reiatsu, there was also a rule present in that ocean.
Erosion!
Everything will undergo change under the ocean's scouring. This change could be destruction, or it could be Freshman, or it could be a change in nature… But no matter which possibility, under the tide, there is nothing that will not change.
Including rules.
Bang, bang, bang, bang…
The roaring sounds continued to emanate, and the surface of the indestructible spiritual power cage, under the continuous scouring of the seawater, gradually became dim and lusterless, as if it had undergone the baptism of countless years in an instant.
Crack~
A faint crisp sound emerged, though small, it clearly entered everyone's ears.
Quilge's face changed drastically, and he looked up at the center of that vast ocean.
His Reishi Cage…
It's going to disintegrate!
Boom—!
Almost the instant Quilge realized this, an explosion sounded, and the Reishi Cage disintegrated, revealing Harribel's figure within.
The moment they saw Harribel, everyone fell silent.
Not only the Sternritter, but even the Espadas, who were extremely familiar with Harribel, now looked at her with surprise.
Regarding Harribel's second Cero, the Espadas present had actually seen it when they first underwent the transformation; its form was mainly black, with an orange-yellow chest plate on the upper body, and a three-part skirt like a fish tail on the lower body.
However, the form Harribel now displayed was completely different from what everyone remembered.
The continuously rolling ocean above Las Noches returned to tranquility, but in the center of the calm water, ripples undulated.
At the center of the ripples, a black object swayed from side to side, occasionally breaking the surface of the water, occasionally pushing the waves—that was… a fish tail!
A jet-black fish tail!
At this moment, Harribel as a whole looked like a mermaid, her upper body quite exposed, with only orange-yellow, wave-shaped Reishi flames covering her chest. Her skin was darker than before, yet it strangely gave off a translucent feeling.
Two ribbon-like appendages, resembling fins, extended from her waist, fluttering with the waves.
Her original golden hair had turned into waist-length white hair, and there were shark-gill-like ornaments on both sides of her head, resembling a crown.
Starting from the Hollow Mark on her lower abdomen, everything below presented a complete shark tail shape, with black scales and a huge caudal fin, controlling the flow of the entire ocean with its gentle sway.
It looked…
Just like the king of the ocean.
And within the ocean, five figures were bound, precisely the five Sternritter, all with their eyes tightly shut and expressions of pain.
To her companions, she would embrace everything gently, like the ocean beneath her;
To her enemies, she would mercilessly destroy everything, like the ocean beneath her;
She is the king of Hueco Mundo…
—Cirucci!
This is…
The transformation of one who is king.
Beautiful and dangerous!
This was the thought that surfaced in the minds of everyone who saw Harribel.
"Shizuku~"
A cold voice emanated from Harribel's mouth, and with a flick of her fish tail, the incomparably calm ocean instantly changed. The roaring waves, like the roar of a sea god, echoed throughout Las Noches.
Boundless seawater, descending from the sky.
This scene was like the sky collapsing!
The seawater almost enveloped everyone, but the difference was…
When the seawater passed by the Arrancars, it would gently envelop them like a mother; but the Quincies and Sternritter faced destructive waves, and every drop of the Reishi-filled seawater felt as heavy as ten thousand pounds.
In front of it, all defenses were like nothing.
Everyone swept away by the waves vomited blood and shot backwards.
"What kind of monster is this?!"
"Save me… Your Majesty, save me…"
"Vollständig!"
"…"
Some despaired, some cried for help, and some resisted with all their might.
But a sense of despair was quietly spreading through the Wandenreich.
The strength of Hueco Mundo had completely exceeded the Sternritter's expectations. If it were just Harribel alone, that would be one thing.
But now…
Every Espada displayed terrifying strength.
In the sky, the 9th Espada, rarely mentioned in records, and the heavily marked 1st Espada, both held back their invincible Majesty.
And most of the other Espadas, with their own strength, simultaneously blocked several Sternritter members.
Even individuals not recorded in the intelligence, not even Espadas, were capable of fighting on par with Sternritter members.
At this moment, a thought arose in everyone's mind.
Perhaps…
His Majesty's plan to use Hueco Mundo as a forward base for attacking Soul Society was a starting point that was as bad as it could get!
On top of a building in Las Noches, Askin looked at the ocean that had submerged most of Las Noches, a wry smile on his face: "How did that guy Aizen, with so many monsters under his command, lose to Soul Society??"
Fortunately, he had previously endured the opponent's Reiatsu, otherwise he would probably be submerged by the ocean like those guys below now.
However…
"Ransōtengai!"
Cold air rose, and the extremely moist water vapor in the air instantly froze.
His current situation wasn't exactly good either.
Askin looked at Roka, who had condensed ice crystal wings behind her, and sighed heavily. Sure enough…
The nature of her Reiatsu had changed again!
Although he was fighting one person, he always felt like he was facing a thousand armies.
At this moment, Roka's mask had disappeared, revealing her delicate features, and her clothes had changed into a pure white dress, with tree-branch-like Reikaku Mons carved on her exposed skin.
"Are you really a living creature?"
Askin dodged rather awkwardly, while using Reiatsu to disperse the ice crystals on his body, he looked at Roka with a strange gaze: "My surrounding poison gas domain is formed by a mixed gas of Reishi, oxygen, nitrogen, etc. Your lack of reaction is a bit too disheartening, isn't it?"
One must know that this kind of poison gas, for an ordinary person, let alone fighting, they should have died long ago.
Roka did not reply. Negación threads gathered around her, forming eight tentacles with spikes at the tips, simultaneously pursuing Askin.
However, as she attacked, a trace of crimson seeped from the corner of Roka's mouth.
It wasn't completely ineffective…
Askin could actually see this point.
But it couldn't incapacitate the opponent, which is why he suspected whether the opponent was truly a living creature.
Tolerance!
For some reason, this woman possessed a tolerance for many toxins, even mixed toxins, similar to his own lethal dose, giving her a feeling of being immune to all poisons.
Askin, however, did not know…
Most of the toxins he was currently using, Roka had personally experienced.
Roka, who was once an artificial spider-type Adjuchas, was nothing more than an experimental animal in the eyes of her creator, Szayelaporro. For two hundred years after her birth, Szayelaporro continuously dissected and modified her with a playful attitude.
During these two hundred years, Roka's wails never ceased.
All kinds of potent poisons, a dazzling array of experiments, wonderful and cruel dissections… Repeated painful experiences from near-death to Freshman, combined with over two hundred years of accumulated time, gave Roka… an astonishing tolerance to various toxins!
One could say that in all of Hueco Mundo, no one was better suited to duel Askin than Roka!
…
At the same time, high in the sky.
Yhwach looked at the chaotic battlefield below, a hint of gloom flashing in his eyes.
Although he had intended to let the Sternritter suffer a bit to correct their underestimation of the enemy.
But…
The Sternritter's dismal performance made his expression somewhat unpleasant.
A light flashed in Yhwach's eyes, and an inexplicable fluctuation instantly descended. The moment all Sternritter members felt this fluctuation, their expressions changed drastically.
This feeling is…
Auswählen!!
"No~ Your Majesty… give me some more time!"
"Your Majesty, spare my life, I will definitely defeat these Espadas."
"Wait…"
"…"
Wails erupted, but then they realized something was wrong.
Because…
They were not stripped of everything, but rather…
Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz.
Amidst strange buzzing sounds, beams of Reishi light shot up from various parts of Hueco Mundo. Whether on the white sands or in the Forest of Menos, dense light pillars descended.
And within each light pillar, there was a Quincy with a desperate expression.
Those were the tens of thousands of Hueco Mundo conquest unit members scattered throughout Hueco Mundo.
The entire Hueco Mundo…
Except for the Sternritter members located within Las Noches, all Quincies were enveloped by the light pillars, instantly turning into ashes.
Then…
Tens of thousands of light pillars gradually converged, forming dozens of light pillars that enveloped every Sternritter member within Las Noches.
Under the shroud of the light pillars, those with injuries rapidly healed, those imprisoned broke free from their restraints… Even the dead, at this moment, opened their eyes!
Furthermore, all Sternritter members exuded a Reiatsu fluctuation far exceeding their previous levels.
Not deprivation, but bestowal!
This made all the Sternritter members' faces show expressions of wild joy.
Your Majesty has not abandoned us!!
"Just this once."
Yhwach's voice entered everyone's ears, a chilling indifference emanating from it, causing everyone to suppress the joy on their faces and instead reveal a frenzied determination, turning their gaze towards their enemies.
If he didn't still need these individuals as 'wedges' to attack Soul Society, Yhwach wouldn't hesitate to treat the Sternritter the same way he treated the Hueco Mundo conquest unit.
Withdrawing his gaze, Yhwach looked at the two figures in the distant sky.
The Sternritter's performance made him even more determined to bring these Espadas under his command!
…
"Hm?"
Grimmjow frowned slightly, watching Bazz-B slowly stand up from the ground.
He was certain that he had just killed this person, and the life aura on his body had completely disappeared.
But after being enveloped by that light pillar, the opponent suddenly came back to life, and his Reiatsu became even stronger than before.
"Hahahahaha—"
After his initial confusion, Bazz-B vaguely understood what had happened and couldn't help but laugh wildly at the sky.
"You who rely on others' help, I will definitely make your life worse than death!"
Bazz-B cursed as he extended his hands. When he saw crimson flames rising from his hands, the arrogant expression from before reappeared on his face.
His power had become stronger!
The Schrift, which had been suppressed by the 3rd Espada's ability earlier, could finally be used again.
Recalling the memories before his consciousness fell into darkness, Bazz-B couldn't help but look up at Harribel in the sky.
After killing this bastard in front of him, he would definitely evaporate that ocean in the sky and roast that fish into fish jerky!!
"Hmph!"
Grimmjow snorted coldly at the sight, and with a movement of his body, he charged directly towards Bazz-B.
He had simply given up on wondering why the opponent had revived.
Since he was alive, he would just kill him again!