Chapter 156
"Without the help of Captain-level, although your consciousness is unaffected, parts of your body should uncontrollably transform towards the void."
For example, bone spurs growing on the elbow or teeth protruding to the ears.
The examples cited by Kirio Hikifune are indeed somewhat frightening.
"But..."
"I don't have these outward characteristics, and after learning Bone Strike, I can control it even more freely."
Haruto understood her hesitation.
"That's right, that's the problem."
Kirio Hikifune echoed.
"Captain Kuchiki once described how weak your body was before taking the medication: this wasn't due to illness or congenital deficiencies, as evidenced by your meal just now... your weakness was due to aging."
Kirio Hikifune's arrangement of the meal was indeed tinged with ulterior motives, but such unabashed frankness made it hard to dislike him.
"Senescence?"
Haruto never expected to receive such a description from Kirio Hikifune: surely the soul he transmigrated into couldn't have died of old age in its previous life?
"Right."
Kirio Hikifune nodded very seriously.
"This may be the reason why Vasto Lorde's Reiatsu fragments were able to perfectly integrate into your body: whether before or after death, in any case, a certain amount of Hollow Reiatsu fragments were already integrated into your soul—"
"!!"
Before Haruto could even show his surprise, Kirio Hikifune continued:
"Aging is precisely a manifestation of your inability to control it."
"After taking the Heavenly Bedding Pill, this aging force is neutralized and suppressed, and even the power that should belong to the void can be used by you... Whether you can accept it or not, it is a part of your soul."
"So."
"Instead of worrying about side effects, we should think about how to develop it."
Kirio Hikifune gently patted Haruto's shoulder.
Haruto still couldn't see clearly when she had Shunpo from across the table.
"Although I've made quite a few dishes using Menos Grande, this is truly the first time I've seen something like this."
"If you don't mind..."
"Shall we go inside and check?"
Volume 1: 095, Mercy Bestowed by God at His Will
"No, thank you."
Haruto refused with an awkward smile.
While Kirio Hikifune is best known for being a cook, his surgical skills are even better than those of the other scientists in the Twelfth Division.
Or perhaps it's precisely because he's a chef that he's so skilled in this field.
And.
Although Haruto had no recollection of the fragments mentioned by Kirio Hikifune, he was very familiar with the holder of the "aging" ability:
Baraggan, the King of Hueco Mundo.
"Kirio Hikifune said that I originally had fragments of Hollow Reiatsu within me..."
"Did Haruto have contact with Hollows before he came to Soul Society?"
Haruto's time living in Rukongai was neither too long nor too short.
Based on his own and those around him's memories, Haruto should have completed his transmigration when "he" first arrived in Soul Society.
He had no recollection of any foreign object being inserted into his soul.
If we rule out all the impossibilities, then the fragments of Reiatsu within him can only be remnants of his human self within his soul.
"But what about the fragments left behind?"
"Having Hollow elements within me, a trait only found in Fullbringers... Was 'I' a Fullbringer before I died?"
When Fullbringer dies, they enter the Rukongai); in other words, they actually have the potential to become Soul Reaper (Death Gods).
But!
Although Haruto had this suspicion, he couldn't be sure.
"This fragment..."
"Is it just a coincidence that their abilities are similar, or is it really the Baraggan I'm thinking of?"
After all, Baraggan, the King of Hueco Mundo, should have never been to the World of the Living before, and he didn't think any human could survive Baraggan's attack... His ability was truly one of instant death upon contact.
While Haruto was still hesitating--
"Is that so?"
Kirio Hikifune did not insist.
"If you don't want to go, we won't force you. After all, not everyone can accept having their soul cut open and then stitched back up."
Goodness!
The investigation that Kirio Hikifune mentioned was far more explosive than Haruto had predicted.
"But."
Kirio Hikifune returned to her seat.
"Now that the prelude is over, it's time to tell us your true intentions—"
"Haruto?"
Kirio Hikifune pointed to the cuffs hidden under Haruto's outer garment.
"... When did Miss Kirio notice this?"
Haruto knew all along that he couldn't hide it; the only question was how long he could keep it a secret.
"From the moment I saw you."
"I should have used Bakudō to hide properly."
"Then your Bakudō need further refinement."
"..."
This was the first time someone had said his Kidō needed improvement, but the other party was, after all, Captain-level Second-Class Spiritual Pressure, three major ranks higher than Haruto.
They have the qualifications.
"Miss Kirio."
Haruto took out the box containing the Soul King Hakusui and slowly handed it to Kirio Hikifune.
"This is the Soul King's Hakusui."
Certainly.
Although Kirio Hikifune had an excellent reputation, Haruto couldn't be sure if she would be attracted to the Soul King's Hakusui, since he knew that scientists were quite interested in it. Before coming to the Seireitei Research Institute, Haruto specifically gave Naa Ichihara a letter, asking her to pass it on to Captain Ukitake if he couldn't return by the agreed time.
It may not be very useful, but at least it adds a layer of insurance.
But...
After seeing the Soul King's Hakusui, Kirio Hikifune did indeed show great interest, but
No possessiveness arose.
"Oh~"
Curious, Kirio Hikifune took the opened box.
This is the highest-level laboratory in Seireitei. Although it doesn't appear to be filled with sealed spirit tools like the Ichihara Clan's, its actual partitioning effect is even better.
"These are the Soul King's organs..."
Kirio Hikifune up and down for a while, but didn't touch him with his Reiatsu or body.
"I've seen quite a few in records from the Shutara period, but none seem to be as large or important as this one."
"It certainly has great research value."
Kirio Hikifune turned his gaze back to Haruto.
What do you want to do?
"Should I integrate it into my soul, create a doll based on it, or simply merge it with my Zanpakuto?"
Kirio Hikifune immediately brought up several possibilities.
But--
"Miss Kirio probably can't do the latter two, right?"
"That's right."
Kirio Hikifune also has her own unique way of being humorous—making dolls and forging Zanpakuto, which are clearly the domain of Oogori and the Sword God.
"You want to integrate it into your soul?"
Kirio Hikifune weighed the Soul King Hakusui in his hand, his overly casual manner making Haruto worry that it might fall off the tray.
"Yes."
Haruto nodded solemnly.
That's enough joking around; let's get down to business for today's visit.
"This ultimately belongs to the Soul King. Although the Soul King's organs possess almost limitless capacity, a foreign object is still a foreign object."
After hearing Haruto's true thoughts, Kirio Hikifune also began to offer his own opinions.
"Leaving aside what happens after death, this thing can be taken by others while the person is alive... In the Shutara era, quite a few Soul Reaper had their hearts and lungs ripped out for this reason."
That's right.
Not all fusion with the Soul King's organs is a good thing.
If the power is removed by external force, not only will the acquired power disappear completely, but it may even harm the soul of the holder.
Many have lost their Soul Reaper because of this.
Not everyone is like Kisuke Urahara, who has prepared a harmless tool to cut out one's heart.
In Kirio Hikifune's eyes, Haruto's strength was incredibly weak, and once the existence of the Soul King Hakusui was discovered, there was almost no chance of him being saved.
There are many nobles who are interested in this, and the Tsunayashiro Clan, the head of the Four Great Noble Clans, even has a secret chamber specifically for storing the organs of the Soul King.
Since the other party had entrusted him with this matter, Kirio Hikifune naturally had to explain both the good and the bad points clearly.
"I know."
Haruto nodded without hesitation.
The greatest opportunity since arriving in Soul Society is right in front of him; if he hesitates to move forward because he's afraid of losing it...
That's definitely not his style.
"That's good..."
Having given so many reminders, it's more than enough for Kirio Hikifune.
If she hadn't also been very interested in this unusual "dish," she wouldn't have bothered to say so much... It definitely wasn't because she hadn't chatted with anyone for a long time.
"Bring the firewood. You've been carrying this for so long just for this moment, haven't you?"
"... ah?"
Haruto gave him a "What are you talking about?" look.
"The soul inside the Tōzanshō? Didn't you specially use the Shisō Kekkai to preserve it?"