Becoming Human

Apache stared wide-eyed at Mila Rose in disbelief. "Did she... just apologize? Is this a side effect of going through arrancarization?"

"Rose isn't childish anymore," Sun-Sun said softly, her eyes full of emotion. "You make me proud, girl."

Mila Rose glanced at the two of them, her brow furrowed and her fists trembling slightly.

She held herself back from punching them in the head. "Oh, come on... I was wrong. Is it really that strange for me to apologize?"

"No..." Sun-Sun turned her attention to Cangya.

"It looks like you played a key role in unlocking Mila Rose's Arrancar form. Could it be that you have an ability you don't even know about?"

"Perhaps this is another advantage of being a natural-born Menos Grande of Hueco Mundo—a Vasto Lorde. Lady Tier Harribel, what do you think?"

Tier Harribel frowned in thought. "We can't be certain. If any of you choose to undergo arrancarization, stay close to Cangya."

Even though she had been there at the time, she hadn't been able to stop Mila Rose.

If the others chose to break their own masks, there was nothing she could do either.

Besides, Mila Rose's success would encourage them to set out on the path to arrancarization sooner.

She couldn't stop them from taking that dangerous path, because she herself longed to follow it and become an Arrancar.

"I'll go next," Apache said firmly, determination filling her eyes. "Should I start now?"

Cangya cupped Apache's deer head and gently stroked her ears with his thumbs. "Wait a little longer."

"All right..." Apache agreed, her voice carrying both anticipation and understanding.

"Don't make me wait too long. I need to get stronger... It hurts watching everyone fight while I'm just a useless waste."

Sun-Sun rested her head on his shoulder. "I agree with her. When Baraggan sends someone after us again, I don't want to stand by and do nothing."

Cangya smiled, sensing that Mila Rose's arrancarization had ignited their determination.

"Don't worry. I won't keep you waiting too long."

He turned to Tier Harribel and cleared his throat.

"I have something important to tell you. Besides the ability Sun-Sun mentioned, I have another one that none of you know about."

This was the perfect time to reveal his key secret. His Hollow companions had earned his trust.

Cangya summoned the system menu and opened the Race Editing Interface.

Before their eyes, he selected the race he wanted.

A hole appeared in his chest, a sinister abyss reminiscent of a Hollow's Hollow Hole.

Sky-blue liquid poured from the depths of this void, then burst into flames.

The searing blue flames blazed up, surrounding him in a blue firestorm.

A round, glasslike cocoon enveloped him.

As the seconds ticked by, the flames underwent a mesmerizing change, turning a pale violet.

All four women held their breath, anticipation tightening their chests as they wondered what kind of transformation Cangya was undergoing and what the result would be.

The cocoon cracked, sending glasslike shards flying in all directions.

The flames withdrew into his chest as though they were living entities, a conscious force returning to its source.

Cangya emerged, looking much the same except that his Hollow mask and black wings had vanished.

All his Hollow features were gone.

The most striking change was difficult to see with the naked eye, but the Hollows, sensitive to spiritual power, sensed it easily.

"How did you do that?" Tier Harribel asked, her eyes full of shock.

"Your arrancarization was different from Mila Rose's... You don't feel like a Hollow anymore. You feel like a—"

"Like a human!" Mila Rose cried, her voice full of disbelief. "What the hell? How did you get so handsome?"

Sun-Sun fixed her sharp little eyes on Cangya, a predatory gleam flickering in them.

"It is strange. To be honest, I'd already imagined that Cangya had a charming face hidden behind his mask. But he's a little more mature than I imagined."

"Oh, come on. Tell us the truth. How exactly can you do something like this?"

As usual, Apache poked his leg.

But this time, her horn pierced his thigh like a hot knife through butter.

Blood gushed out in a torrent, staining her once-white horn red.

Cangya grabbed her horn tightly and grunted as he pushed her away.

"Don't go poking me while I'm in this form. I'm weak as hell right now."

Miraculously, the wound healed before their eyes, as though time had reversed the damage, and the pain faded away.

Great, I kept my regeneration in this form, he thought, delighted by the unexpected bonus.

Cangya was eager to check his current status, but the Hollow women's growing impatience forced him to address their questions first.

Tier Harribel's gaze was practically begging him to solve the mystery, while Mila Rose, Apache, and Sun-Sun were stunned by his power to transform.

Tier Harribel approached him and examined his body from behind, her gaze lingering on the places that had once been covered in scars. Now, with his change of race, those scars had disappeared. "A Hollow turning into a human... That's impossible..."

It was common knowledge that dead souls became Hollows.

Compared to a Hollow turning back into a human, a Hollow taking on a humanlike form after arrancarization was nothing. This defied common sense on many levels.

"The proof is right in front of you."

"When did this start?"

"Actually, it started some time ago. And I didn't want to use this ability. But now we have no choice."

He looked over their astonished faces, folding his arms across his chest. "We're moving to the World of the Living."

Tier Harribel considered his words, then looked at the others thoughtfully, wanting to hear their opinions.

"Hueco Mundo is no longer safe, but the World of the Living is also full of danger. The Soul Reapers guard the World of the Living against Hollows like us."

Tier Harribel had a point. The Soul Reapers possessed equipment that could detect Hollows nearby.

"I don't think it's a good idea either," Apache said, her voice full of concern.

She had lived in Hueco Mundo all her life. The thought of leaving this realm for enemy territory made her deeply unwilling.

"Just like Tier Harribel said, the human world is guarded by Soul Reapers. They'll use their Zanpakuto to send us to the afterlife."

Between Hollows and Soul Reapers, Apache would rather fight her own kind—they were opponents she knew better.

The strange abilities of Soul Reapers and their Zanpakuto frightened her to the bone.

Mila Rose gripped her broadsword. "I don't want to run away like a cowardly bitch. I'm staying to fight."

Her Resurrección form had filled her with confidence in her strength.

Her confidence was justified. After all, she had nearly defeated a top Espada immediately after completing her arrancarization.

Cangya listened intently to their reasons, then turned to Sun-Sun. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"Ara, I'll stay neutral this time. Whichever side wins this argument, I'll join them."

He took a deep breath.

"It's true there are Soul Reapers in the World of the Living, but compared to Hueco Mundo, it's a safe haven. Think about it. We barely survived facing two Espada."

"What will we do if the rest of the Espada show up with Baraggan? We won't have a chance of surviving. None at all."