Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō-Chapter 225: Hollowfication

"We really are a perfect match!" Masatsuki Aozaki shamelessly declared.

Retsu Unohana suddenly turned around and straddled him, placing both hands firmly on his shoulders.

"Hey, hey, I was just speaking from the heart—no need to get so worked up!?" Masatsuki hurriedly protested. That deep flush on her face didn't seem normal—was she about to lose control? The last thing he wanted right now was to end up fighting her in this situation.

Their faces were nearly touching.

"You're right."

Masatsuki froze for a moment, his gaze locking onto Unohana's face.

A deep, striking red burned across her cheeks, and he could feel her body temperature rising...

"It's nothing, I'm just a little pleased," Unohana said casually.

"Huh? And you're only telling me this now? You do realize emotions like that are contagious, right?"

Masatsuki was stunned. Would he even make it out of this bath alive today?

...

Gotei 13, Captain-Commander's Office

A paper report lay on the long table, stamped with the official seal of the 12th Division. It had been delivered the night of the attack.

Yamamoto set the document aside, closing his eyes in thought. The air in the room grew heavy.

Kisuke Urahara didn't dare make a sound. He knew better than to act carefree in front of Yamamoto when he was like this.

On the way here, he had already pieced together what had happened.

One of the rulers of Soul Society had been attacked once again, and the extent of the damage was still under investigation.

Last time, the Gotei 13 had at least been able to intervene in time, but this time, when the Tsunayashiro Clan was assaulted, they hadn't even realized it had happened until it was over.

To the noble houses, this was an unforgivable failure—one they had placed squarely on the shoulders of the Captain-Commander.

For an organization that carried the name of the "Gotei" as Soul Society's strongest military force, failing to protect the ruling class of Seireitei was a disgrace. The nobles had already raised their grievances with Central 46.

Yamamoto gave a slight nod. "The Shinigami Research and Development Institute requires repairs. I will apply for funds from Central 46. Do you need any further assistance?"

"Many thanks, Captain-Commander. As long as we have the funds, repairs will be simple." Urahara waved a hand. "We lack nothing—except money."

"Funding will not be an issue," Yamamoto stated. "Have you identified the intruders?"

"No," Urahara shook his head. "However, a researcher has gone missing. It's highly likely he was involved in the attack. We have people searching for him now."

"Speak with Captain Shunsui Kyōraku. I will have the 8th Division assist in your investigation," Yamamoto said flatly, his narrowed eyes opening just slightly.

"These lowly criminals will not be allowed to trample on Seireitei's dignity any longer. Do you understand, Captain Kisuke Urahara?"

"Yes, sir. I'll handle it immediately and head to the 8th Division now," Urahara replied, bowing his head deeply—more respectfully than ever.

Anyone could see that the old man was holding back his fury.

And Urahara had no intention of testing his patience today.

...

Sōkyoku Hill, Underground Training Ground

"Step forward, Ryuuseki, Izumo." Masatsuki Aozaki lifted his head.

Footsteps echoed as Ryuuseki and Izumo pushed open the door and entered. They came to a stop before Masatsuki, their expressions unwavering. They had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

"This is the path to glorious evolution." Masatsuki's gaze swept over them. "I'll ask one last time—are you sure? It's not too late to back out now."

"Yes, Masatsuki-sama, we are ready."

Their eyes burned with fanatic devotion, filled with admiration, devoid of any hesitation or doubt.

"If you fail and lose yourselves to Hollowfication, I will kill you myself."

Despite his words, Masatsuki had full confidence in this experiment.

In the original timeline, the Visoreds had been forcibly Hollowfied by Aizen, only to be saved later by Kisuke Urahara using an incomplete Hōgyoku.

But now, with the fully awakened Hōgyoku fused within him, there was no reason for failure.

"We offer ourselves as your blades, Masatsuki-sama. Even in death, we will not regret it!"

Ryuuseki and Izumo nodded firmly.

Even as Seated Officers, they knew that embracing the power of Hollowfication was a dangerous path.

After all, Hollows were the sworn enemies of the Shinigami. To seek out their power of one's own accord was nothing short of heresy.

And yet, they chose to proceed.

Masatsuki nodded and extended two fingers, gently pressing them against their foreheads.

Hōgyoku?

Masatsuki had no intention of revealing its existence to them.

It wasn't a matter of doubting their loyalty—this world was filled with abilities beyond comprehension, and there was never a guarantee that one's thoughts wouldn't be exposed against their will.

Even Masatsuki's lovers didn't know about the Hōgyoku embedded in his chest. Every time he stood bare before them, it remained the one thing he concealed. None of them knew the extent of its power.

...

A piercing wail rang out as a white, liquid-like Reiatsu spread across their faces.

Masatsuki stood before them, waiting for them to lose control and attack him—only then would they truly grasp the power of Hollowfication.

Neither of them was particularly gifted. It had taken them centuries just to become High Seated Officers, and under normal circumstances, it would take them over a thousand years to reach Lieutenant level.

Yet now, their Reiatsu had already surpassed that threshold.

This was the result of Masatsuki using the Hōgyoku's power to forcibly draw out their latent potential—an artificial acceleration for the sake of perfecting the Hollowfication process.

To control Hollowfication, one needed a Lieutenant-level Reiatsu at minimum. Otherwise, the overwhelming spiritual force would consume them, leading to their soul's collapse.

Suddenly, Ryuuseki and Izumo's eyes flashed a deep, blood-red glow, as if an unstoppable force was devouring them from within. Their consciousness wavered, slipping away into chaos.

A pure white, viscous Reiatsu oozed from their bodies, spreading over them like a relentless tide. In an instant, it engulfed them completely.

As the transformation took hold, their forms expanded at an alarming rate, their bodies swelling into towering figures nearly three meters tall.

"ROAR!!"

"ROAR!!"

A thunderous bellow tore through the air, a deafening shockwave that sent violent ripples through the training ground.

Their howls were filled with unrestrained savagery, an untamed ferocity that threatened to rip apart everything in their vicinity.

Though Ryuuseki and Izumo were similar in age, it was no coincidence that Ryuuseki held a higher rank.

Even before Hollowfication, Ryuuseki had already possessed the peak of Fourth-Class Reiatsu, granting him Lieutenant-level strength. Now, with his transformation complete, he had stepped into the realm of Third-Class Spiritual Power—well beyond the scope of ordinary warriors.

Izumo, by comparison, lagged slightly behind.

Originally a standard Fourth-Class Spiritual Power wielder, his Hollowfication had pushed him to its absolute peak, though he remained a step below Ryuuseki.

But one thing was undeniable—the power boost granted by the Hōgyoku's Hollowfication was nothing short of monstrous.

This transformation was leagues ahead of the Visoreds from the original timeline. Aizen's experiment had been a failure, an incomplete prototype.

Yet here and now, Ryuuseki and Izumo's Hollowfication had elevated their Reiatsu levels by over half a rank—an explosive increase of more than fivefold.

However, raw Reiatsu was just the beginning.

From their movements alone, it was clear—every fundamental ability had undergone an astonishing leap in power.

...

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