An Egg

Mila Rose patted Cangya's face. "How is this form of his so powerful?"

Apache nodded. "Going by this pattern, I might grow horns on my forehead when I become an Arrancar. That would help me fire a Cero."

After witnessing two transformations into Arrancar, she could predict the direction her own Arrancar form would take.

Sun-Sun stuck out her tongue, imagining the possibilities. "I want to keep my earrings. I like them. Have you seen Cangya's Zanpakuto?"

Mila Rose looked around, only to see something unexpected. "Impossible!"

"That's..." Tirutī's jaw nearly dropped. "Damn it. That can't be his Zanpakuto."

Everyone was startled again. This time, they were truly speechless.

"Let's leave before the Hollows get curious and gather around." Tier Harribel picked Cangya up and found that he was much heavier than he looked. "Rose, carry his... Zanpakuto."

Tier Harribel hesitated to call the thing his Zanpakuto.

Mila Rose held the round object aloft like a trophy. "I can't wait for him to wake up. Hahaha!"

She couldn't help grinning as she imagined getting back at Cangya for teasing her before, and burst out laughing again.

The corners of Tirutī's mouth lifted slightly.

Mila Rose's energy was infectious.

Tirutī stepped forward and put a hand on Tier Harribel's shoulder. "Tier Harribel, you're not in good shape. Hmm, let me carry him."

It was rare for Tirutī to offer to help.

Seeing everyone work together to solve the problem, she wanted to do her part too.

Mila Rose pointed a thumb at herself. "Hey, let me do it. My arms are much stronger than this petite lady's."

"Who are you calling petite?" Tirutī frowned, missing her whip more than ever. "Barbarian."

Mila Rose frowned. "You want to fight?"

"Stop this pointless bickering at once." Sun-Sun hissed. "Lady Tier Harribel, do you need help?"

Tier Harribel held Cangya tighter, refusing to let go like a mother holding her son. "I can manage."

The enormous Reiatsu had drawn the attention of every Hollow nearby, regardless of their strength.

They could sense a terrifying presence, which kept them from approaching.

On the outskirts of a noisy village, a centaur-shaped Hollow stood guard.

She turned her head north and unconsciously tightened her grip on her spear.

The ancient Reiatsu sent a chill down her spine.

She couldn't imagine what fate awaited the Hollows closer to the source of that ominous power. Would they die?

Her light brown eyes glinted as they narrowed to sharp slits. "I have to investigate."

Hollow evolution "Arrancar (first form)" achieved.

Cangya's eyes opened slightly, and he saw the system notification telling him he had completed his evolution.

"I'm alive... barely."

He couldn't imagine what would have happened without the Pain Resistance skill. He certainly wouldn't have survived.

Feeling the familiar coolness of skin beneath him, he immediately realized he was lying on Tier Harribel's thighs.

Exhaustion weighed on every muscle, but he couldn't help smiling, knowing that the loyal Tier Harribel had stayed by his side.

"You're awake," Tier Harribel said, sensing the fluctuation in his Reiatsu. "You gave us all a fright."

He sat up with great effort and rubbed his head. The world around him was spinning.

His Reiatsu had barely recovered while he was unconscious. "I didn't expect to survive either. That was... extraordinary."

"It's over now. You're an Arrancar."

"I suppose so."

He summoned his status screen and studied his model.

"What the fuck is this?!"

His Arrancar form had no mask, and distinctive horns grew from either side of his head.

The most obvious change was his clothing. He wore an all-white outfit, with a symbol outlined in black on his chest that resembled a phoenix.

The Hollow Hole on Cangya's leg had vanished, replaced by metal shackles on his wrists and ankles, with lengths of chain trailing from them. He looked like an escaped prisoner.

"I escaped from Grandpa, so does that make sense? How could it possibly make sense?!"

Cangya tried to remove the shackles, but they were firmly fixed in place.

He smacked his lips. "Tier Harribel, where's my Zanpakuto? I can't sense it anymore."

"Right here~ Take a good look at the strongest Zanpakuto in the world!"

As though she had been waiting for this chance, Mila Rose rushed into the cave and shoved an egg the size of a soccer ball into his hands.

The eggshell was pale purple, and its surface had a texture much like Sun-Sun's scales.

More importantly, the egg constantly gave off a faint Reiatsu similar to his own.

Tier Harribel put a hand on his shoulder. "This thing appeared when you became an Arrancar. We think it's your Zanpakuto."

Cangya stared dumbfounded at the egg in his hands.

"I... I laid an egg. What on earth is going on?"

He knocked on the egg. "Is anyone in there? Is this like what happened with Starrk...?"

Starrk's Zanpakuto had become another Hollow, Lilynette.

But an egg-shaped Zanpakuto—this was completely unprecedented.

"I have a phoenix mark on my chest. Will this egg hatch into another me?"

The thought of another troublemaker like himself appearing in the world made him shudder.

"No, it can't be another human. It must be some other creature."

What had happened was even stranger than his reincarnation into the world of Bleach.

Apache and the others squeezed into the cramped cave.

Sun-Sun and Mila Rose immediately started picking on each other.

Cangya felt like a father watching a group of naughty children arguing over candy.

Tirutī studied Cangya with a sharp gaze, as though trying to see through to his true nature. "...How do you feel?"

"Thanks for asking. I'm fine." He looked down at the egg in his lap. "Except for this. What on earth is it?"

Tirutī chuckled softly. "I don't know either. Do you want to consult Dr. Szayelaporro at Las Noches? He might be able to solve your problem."

"Then I might as well hand you over to him. He'd surely love to tear a half-baked goth monster like you apart."

"As I recall, I became like this when I was fighting you last time. I only ended up looking like this because of you."

Despite her accusatory words, she didn't really blame him.

She was the one who had chosen to tear off her wings and extra limbs.

It wouldn't be fair to blame Cangya for that decision, especially since they had been mortal enemies at the time.

"I'm kidding. You're not a monster." He grinned, his eyes sparkling. "You're the second most beautiful Hollow in the world. Tier Harribel is first."

Overcome with jealousy, Apache shoved Tirutī toward the cave entrance.

Her resentful gesture made Cangya chuckle.

"Apache, I'm glad you didn't do anything reckless this time."

Deep down, he could imagine Apache frantically tearing off her own mask if anything had happened to him.

She cared about him, or she wouldn't have risked her life to protect what was his.