Yes—Yoshio planned that once he obtained Big Cousin, he'd use it on Yhwach.
Since he didn't have it yet, he didn't know whether it would bring benefits beyond the title.
If not, he'd use it on the Kurosaki family to get in close.
If yes, and using it on Yhwach earned perks from being the Soul King's son's cousin, he'd gladly do it.
As for the Soul King…
Forget it.
Not that Yoshio didn't want to be the Soul King's cousin—he just couldn't meet the Soul King.
You need a target to use the skill. Yhwach is reachable. The Soul King isn't.
The Soul King's in the Royal Palace. Yoshio could enter the Wandenreich or other realms, but not the Palace—not yet.
Even if he could, he'd have to get past Zero Division. With his current strength, meeting the Soul King was hard.
Unless he waited until late in the story—when the Palace falls.
But that'd be too late…
Anyway, he didn't have Tsukishima's power yet. He'd have to return to the Living World soon to raise Tsukishima's favorability.
For now, Yoshio and Szayelaporro were still reeling.
The problem that stumped them both was solved by Yamiko in a stroke.
But to Quincy-ize to this level, they'd need Yamiko's help each time.
Yoshio looked at Szayelaporro. "Your thoughts?"
Szayelaporro glanced at Yamiko, thought briefly, then said, "Let me be the next test."
Only by testing personally could he better analyze.
Sacrificing for science—Szayelaporro was happy to.
Especially since… he was confident in his survival. Even with mishaps, he had many ways to live.
At his level, unless he wanted to die, he wouldn't die easily.
Yoshio was happy to use Szayelaporro; whatever Szayelaporro made afterward, Yoshio could use.
He had Szayelaporro prepare, then used the Hogyoku to implant Quincy factor.
Szayelaporro's soul was far stronger than the test subjects', so Yoshio layered on more Quincy factor. After wrapping the outer shell, he looked to Yamiko.
"Yamiko, give a hand."
She lifted her hand. Szayelaporro was standing, so she couldn't reach his head—she simply pointed.
Something like soul-light flowed from her slender fingers into Szayelaporro.
That power constructed a partition in Szayelaporro's soul. As before, his reiatsu first turned chaotic, then grew serene.
Yoshio logged the data and waited for the metamorphosis to complete.
Szayelaporro's evolution took much longer—nearly an hour before he regained consciousness.
Yoshio studied him. Post-Quincy-ization, more of his mask had fallen away.
Szayelaporro's mask had already seemed almost gone—it was easy to miss his glasses were the remnant mask.
Now, even those glasses shed more.
A two-lens became a monocle.
A pentagram-like mark appeared on his hand.
Yoshio clapped. "Not bad. How do you feel?"
Before Szayelaporro opened his eyes, a smile curved his lips. "I feel great."
"Test it?"
"Of course."
Yoshio glanced at Yamiko. "Head back to Seireitei. Sleep early; you've got class tomorrow."
Yamiko yawned. "Then I'll go."
"Night."
Seeing her off, Yoshio and Szayelaporro left the lab for a training hall to test the new power.
"Can your adaptability create a soul partition?" Yoshio asked en route.
"Hmph, not that simple," Szayelaporro snorted. "A soul partition isn't soul-essence—it's a technique of reishi manipulation."
"I can swallow hetero-soul abilities, but I can't acquire a pure reishi flow."
"Give me time—three years, and I'll make it."
Three years…
A bit long.
Still, anything involving soul cores isn't easy.
Szayelaporro's evolving intellect and tech would speed it. Three years wasn't bad.
Yoshio could wait—he wasn't in a rush.
Las Noches had plenty of such training rooms for lower Arrancar; Espada rarely used them—least of all Szayelaporro Aporro Grantz, one of the special top four.
Szayelaporro smiled faintly and raised a finger.
Ahead stood training dummies, made of special material that ordinary Arrancar couldn't break.
Reishi began to gather in droves.
"Cero Metralleta?" Yoshio murmured. "Makes sense—no Arrancar is better suited to merge Quincy Licht Regen than Starrk."
Starrk's infinite Ceros and Quincy Heilig Pfeil had parallels.
Yes, one is internal reiatsu into Cero; the other is external reishi into arrows. But visually—pretty similar!
As Szayelaporro entered Resurrección, countless tendrils extended, each splitting at the tip.
Emerald flashes formed at the splits.
As they formed, ambient reishi gathered—then thumped out in volleys. Dozens of ceros fired.
Though he'd gained a Starrk-like mode, Szayelaporro's quality wasn't Starrk's.
Starrk in Segunda Etapa could occasionally release high-grade Gran Rey Cero and Cero Oscuras.
Szayelaporro's were standard ceros.
But mixing in Quincy Licht Regen notably boosted each shot.
Not up to Gran Rey or Oscuras, but consistently stronger per volley.
Explosions rolled through the hall. Fortunately, Yoshio had erected a barrier, or the hall would be ruined, with damage bleeding into other areas.
These halls weren't meant for top Espada-level users.
Seeing the power, Yoshio clapped.
"Nice. Looks like I succeeded."
"Anything else?" he asked Szayelaporro.
"So far, mostly this angle of improvement," Szayelaporro said, sounding unsatisfied. He dismissed Resurrección and walked to Yoshio, eyeing the wreckage. "I'm not pursuing raw destruction."
"As far as I know…" Yoshio said, "Quincy excel in three fundamentals. You just used Reishi Weaponry—manipulating external reishi, the most basic."
"The other two are Shadow and Blut. Whether an Arrancar can use them depends on your development."
"Hm? You're not planning to use it on others?" Szayelaporro asked. He'd thought Yoshio would Quincy-ize the Espada, at least.
Even if the partition device wasn't built, with Yamiko, they could do it.
Yoshio shook his head. "Overusing the Hogyoku isn't good. For a while, I'll only Quincy-ize one Arrancar."
Szayelaporro didn't know the Hogyoku well, so he didn't press. He only wanted to study his new power.
After he left, Yoshio's expression turned odd.
He wouldn't tell Szayelaporro this: being bestowed power isn't necessarily good…
Yamiko only had Bestowal now. If fully cultivated, she'd be a little Yhwach—with Auswahlen to seize power.
Then, those she'd bestowed upon would be her batteries…
Most importantly, unlike other Quincy, Yamiko's soul composition included Hollow power.
Hollow wasn't a barrier to her; even if someone had Hollow factors, she could still steal from them.
He hadn't decided what to do about Yamiko—help Aizen and Yamiko complete the simulation, or stall her growth?
She was Aizen's direct project. Yoshio wasn't sure about letting her accumulate too many high-capacity batteries.
If she battery-ized the Espada, what would Las Noches be?
Might as well rename it the Wandenreich!
His own research was just the Hogyoku. Proof of concept was enough—no need to Quincy-ize all Espada.
The Espada weren't saints; empower them and few would thank you—many would rebel.
Especially Baraggan.
If he did more, it would be for Starrk, Neliel, Harribel—the communicative ones.
The rest…
Wait your turn.
With that handled, Yoshio didn't linger at Las Noches.
He returned home—but had trouble sleeping.
He took a book into the courtyard, looking up at stars and a crescent moon.
He shook his head, then looked at the book—an academic text on Kido. If he couldn't sleep, he'd read.
…
Angra set down his book as Shiba Isshin—walked in from the back garden. "How are you feeling now?"
"Okay," Isshin sighed. "That bull-headed Hollow is terrifying. I don't know how Aizen made it."
After joining this little group, he learned of Aizen's schemes.
He was surprised Urahara Kisuke cooperated with Hollows, but given the Quincy's impending fate, he had to admit Urahara was right.
And Angra truly was different from other Hollows. Back in Hueco Mundo, they'd met; Isshin sensed Angra was special.
In canon, Isshin suppressed Masaki's inner White at the cost of his Shinigami powers.
This time, White was stronger and more complete.
Even with Urahara's help, perfectly suppressing this second-gen White was difficult.
Basically, every week, Isshin and Masaki both came for checkups.
Urahara was also parsing the second-gen White's structure.
It was Aizen's new experiment he hadn't seen before.
He needed to analyze it to craft a response.
Scientist need data and theory to build anything.
"Seireitei's disposition on you is out," Angra said.
"…," Isshin fell silent. "What did Central 46 say?"
This peculiar Hollow had an intel net in Seireitei.
Urahara and Yoruichi couldn't enter Seireitei anymore; to get intel, they relied on Angra Mainyu.
Isshin, having lost all Shinigami powers, was just a human now.
If anything, his body was Urahara's special gigai—superior to normal human function.
"Your Division 10 captaincy is revoked; the Shiba are expelled from the Five Houses," Angra said blandly. "Your replacement is Division 5 Lieutenant Yoshio."
"Now that you put it that way, I feel a bit sorry for Kūkaku and the others," Isshin sighed, then quickly regained his humor.
"They made Yoshio my replacement? I worry for Rangiku. Those two will toss work back and forth!"
"I think you should worry about her safety," Angra said. "Don't forget—he's with Aizen."
Isshin fell silent again.
No helping it—he'd set this all in motion.
"So we need to frustrate Aizen's plans," Isshin sighed. "Enough of that. I'm just a normal guy now."
Angra didn't press. He stood and walked into the shop's backyard.
It was a hidden space Urahara created—like the secret base under his shop.
Basically a copy, but with a clinic-like structure added.
Angra approached and saw Yoruichi dozing atop a large rock.
He stepped past, about to enter, when Yoruichi called out.
She opened her eyes. "Kisuke's running a full exam on Kurosaki Masaki. If you go in now, you might interrupt."
"That'll take a while," Angra said, surprised. "Usually it's done by now."
"Don't know. Ask him when they're done." Yoruichi stood on four paws and added, "Angra, I have a bad feeling."
"…?" Angra frowned. "What bad feeling?"
"In Hueco Mundo—something's happening," Yoruichi said softly. "Aizen's Arrancar army seems stronger."
Sharp sense. More like you went to check personally.
Angra was unconcerned. "No matter. I'm moving to the next step."
"Oh? Your Segunda Etapa is perfected?"
"More or less," Angra said. "All that's left is fusion."
Urahara had designed a near-complete Transcendent path for Angra Mainyu.
There are two routes for Segunda Etapa: seeking inner Death Apotheosis, and empowering primal Hollowfication.
In theory, the two can't be used together—choosing one state precludes the other.
You can't both pursue inner clarity and primal frenzy—like you can't rage while rational.
But if someone could, it would mean the Hollow has set foot on the Transcendent path.
In those two states, the empowered factors would intermingle, and then push limit-breaking.
The strengthened factors could bear the limit-breaking process; as limits crack and factors fuse, a miracle occurs—
Soul Reconstitution!
Urahara called it "Third-Stage Resurrección."
Meaning, in Third Stage, the Hollow undergoes soul reconstitution.
When that completes, he becomes a Transcendent. The resulting change was unknown even to Urahara.
Thus, Third Stage isn't primarily a combat mode—it's a cultivation state.
Combat power rises somewhat, but the main purpose is soul reconstitution.
Of all Hollows, only Angra was attempting this.
Others hadn't even discovered the theory.
Even if they had, it was nearly impossible for them—no…
Utterly impossible.
Even knowing of Third Stage, they couldn't reach it. After walking one extreme path, walking the opposite at the same time is impossible.
Only a special Hollow like Angra could.
His primal attribute was Degeneracy. Pursuing inner clarity is Ascension. Seeking inner truth is easy for him; so is indulging primal nature.
Because besides Angra, Yoshio and Baelz supervise him.
Angra can let his primal nature take over at will.
Hence only he could reach a realm that otherwise exists only in theory.
And he was close.
That means, when their spirit fusion comes, the other two must ensure they reach Transcendence, too.
Only with parity on all three sides will the fusion be smooth and the new self stronger.
Yoshio was manageable—his Star-Chaser ability meant no soul-limit; with time, he could rise indefinitely.
Though…
The rate wouldn't be huge.
Even with Hitsugaya-grade talent, time was short. Others take centuries to reach Shinigami limit; he wanted Transcendence in forty years?
Even without limits, not easy.
But not impossible.
Baelz was trickier. Even with Soul King fragments and Yhwach's blood, he was far from Transcendent.
They'd need a plan to push Baelz past his soul limit.
While Angra mused, the clinic door opened.
Urahara emerged with a girl.
She had orange, side-parted short hair and a JK uniform. Beaming, she greeted Angra. "Yo, An-chan, you're here too."
"I'm not An-chan," Angra said flatly. "How's your condition?"
Kurosaki Masaki truly was a sun: bright, lively, radiant—unconsciously pulling people into her orbit.
Like the sun lights the solar system and attracts the planets.
Sadly, Yoshio had no chance at Masaki's soul ability. If he had "Sun" plus "Stars," his favorability grind would be way easier.
Over the years, Yoshio had collected some squad members' abilities. Even without much interaction, with his "Star" trait and rising looks, he had plenty of fanboys and fangirls in Division 5.
Not just Division 5—in all Seireitei.
Beyond being Division 5's lieutenant, he was also a bestselling novelist.
Masaki was a Quincy; he was a Hollow. In theory, incompatible. But if Masaki could accept Isshin the Shinigami, she could accept Angra the Hollow.
Even though Hollow power is poison to Quincy, and she was afflicted by it, she had no prejudice toward Angra.
She liked calling him "An-chan."
"I'm okay," Masaki said. "The Hollow inside me seems highly adaptive—but Mr. Urahara got it under control again."
"Any new findings?" Angra asked Urahara.
He shook his head. "If anything, structurally it's a Hollow, but special—as if it naturally broke the boundary between Shinigami and Hollow."
"This lifeform shouldn't exist. I haven't found how Aizen keeps it stable."
It was crafted like a Zanpakuto—as an asauchi-like weapon.
Urahara's guess was right. Strictly, the second-gen White wasn't a lifeform; it was more like an asauchi—a Zanpakuto.
Angra knew, but didn't say.
"I'll hurry research this week. With a bit more time, I should fully parse it."
"Ugh…" Masaki grimaced. "I have to come next week too? No more checkups and shots, please."
"I'm about to graduate high school—you know academics matter! If I don't get into college, it's on you!"
"What's the point of human college," Angra sniffed. "Won't help you survive."
"But it makes money," Masaki said. "I'll have to move out of Ryuken's house eventually. I can't freeload off his mom and him forever."
"No problem—I'm opening a clinic. You can live with me."
Isshin appeared at some point, grinning.
Inviting a young girl to cohabitate!
Kurosaki Isshin—you're something!
They didn't have much choice; Isshin and Masaki couldn't be far apart.
"I'll help too," Urahara chimed in.
Angra watched Isshin lead Masaki away, then said, "I'm going to attempt Third-Stage Resurrección."
"You're… ready," Urahara said softly.
He pressed a button; the surroundings shifted.
The clinic dissolved, replaced by an icefield.
Bitter cold—reishi flow itself seemed sluggish.
"I made a Slowing Field. Here, even if something goes wrong, you can adjust in time," Urahara explained.
This would be the first Hollow in history to attempt Third Stage—Angra was doing what no one had done, and likely no one else ever would.
Yoruichi leapt away from Angra. She didn't want to be covered in his black sludge.
She landed on Urahara's shoulder. "Will he succeed?"
"He will," Urahara said softly. "Angra has devourer traits. Even if he fails, in the Slowing Field he won't be in mortal danger."
"But should he enter Third Stage now?" Yoruichi asked, worried. "Will this affect the three worlds?"
"Impact is unavoidable," Urahara said. "We have to prepare for the worst. At least this one who surpasses the soul limit won't lose control."
Soul limits, per his research, likely appeared after the three worlds were created.
In a distant age, when the Soul King lived—the soul limit wasn't as weak as modern Shinigami's.
Not to mention the Soul King bug; the Five founders weren't ordinary.
And the Hollows they fought even more so.
Hollows seemed to have no soul limit, able to devour infinitely. If devouring went far enough, a super-Hollow could be born that could even consume the Soul King—Urahara called it a World-Eater Hollow.
After the three worlds' creation, perhaps to maintain stability, a rule was set: all souls have limits.
At least that prevented excessively powerful souls.
Now Urahara was breaking that rule—before Aizen.
But…
No choice. It was precaution. At least this Transcendent wouldn't rampage.
And…
Third Stage only cracks the limit; it doesn't instantly surpass Shinigami and Hollow. There's a process.
Imagine the soul-limit is 100.
No matter how hard you try, you can only reach 100, not 101.
Soul Reconstitution breaks the 100–101 wall, but doesn't set you at the new value.
If you're already 100, you can reach 101. If you're 60 or 70, you might climb to 80 or 90—but further gains need time.
Of course, it's faster than normal—higher soul quality means faster reishi absorption and growth.
Angra knew—and reconstitution itself would take time.
He aimed to complete reconstitution in ten years and become Transcendent in ten.
Just in time—twenty years until the plot begins.
He first entered Death Apotheosis.
His chest Hollow hole seemed filled with a strange light; power flooded in. At the same time, he attempted the other—Hollowfication.
He'd tried before; he knew what came next.
A rending pain in his chest—the lit Hollow hole, and beneath it, another tore open!
Black sludge oozed from his body, reeking oddly.
Like a Shinigami Hollowfying, the broken mask on his face began to regrow!
White substance rapidly encased his face. Angra lifted his head, spread his arms, feeling reishi flow through his body.
Urahara was right—the Slowing Field helped. Angra could feel every current of reishi inside.
Mishandling it could cause a reishi rampage and severe backlash.
Now, he tried to fuse the reishi born of both Segunda states, while letting the two soul factors slowly intermingle.
The pain was beyond ordinary—like someone tearing open your innards and stuffing things in.
Like someone peeling your skin, shattering your bones, connecting your insides to the outside.
Angra fought the urge to connect to the outside, instead promoting internal limit-breaking.
He had to be careful, not rushed.
Even so, parts of his soul broke through outer limits, releasing violent reiatsu!
Boom!
Black sludge surged like a sea; sky and earth turned utterly black. Black twisters rose, flinging vast waves!
Hachigen Ushōda appeared, raising both hands to activate an array of barriers.
The violent reiatsu hammered the barriers, making the ground heave.
Sweat beaded his brow. "Just the shock of this reiatsu is about to shatter my Kido barriers! Unbelievable!"
"Hey, hey—didn't he fail?" Yoruichi exclaimed. "He can't stop the outward limit-break!"
"No…" Urahara was recording data intently. "He succeeded."
Indeed, as he finished, the swelling reiatsu began to contract.
Angra's form emerged from the black sludge.
He had a returning-to-origin feel. The two Hollow holes seemed to fuse into one larger one.
In that hole, three lights formed an inverted triangle.
Within the triangle, a phantom eye seemed to gaze.
His mask had almost entirely vanished; three dots marked his right cheek.
His aura grew intensely complex—neither Hollow nor Shinigami—elusive.
Angra raised his hand; it was as if he saw the fundamental reishi connections through the reishi composing his hand.
A brand-new perspective—especially of his own soul.
He didn't maintain it long.
He wanted to test his Third Stage strength—but was forced out of it, reverting to base form.
"…"
Then a wave of weakness hit him.
He'd consumed too much; his soul couldn't bear the power for long.
"It'll get better with use," Urahara said, approaching. "Enter Third Stage more; as the factors fuse, your soul will strengthen and adapt."
"Yeah," Angra smiled faintly. "It felt… pretty good."
His first taste of surpassing the soul limit—it was like becoming a god!
He'd have to hurry. And…
Think about pushing Yoshio and Baelz past their limits.