When Shunsui saw Harald's head regrowing from his neck, his body stiffened, and his eyes widened in shock. He was completely floored by this level of regenerative power.
"Phew..."
Harald was panting heavily. His current immortality relied entirely on his own strength. While his recovery speed was no less than that of a true Holy Knight, the Holy Knights possessed the Depths Covenant, allowing them to regenerate without consuming their own physical stamina. Having severed his link with Imu, Harald had to fuel the regeneration himself. Regenerating a vital organ like the head was a significant drain.
Regardless, his current state was far better than Shunsui's. Shunsui had not only lost an arm but was also suffering from the mental haze caused by Harald's Conqueror's Haki infusion. Combined with the exhaustion of his Bankai's final act, he was in no condition to continue the fight.
At that moment, Beltz returned. Wearing his ice mask, he stood before Harald and nodded. Harald understood immediately; he had no intention of prolonging the battle and retreated deep into the Rukongai.
"..."
Shunsui did not give chase. In his current state, pursuing them would be suicide. He sat on the ground, face pale, breathing raggedly.
"So... it really was a distraction."
Seeing the masked figure appear confirmed his suspicion. Harald's appearance had been a lure to draw the Captains out. The man in the ice mask must have done something major within the Seireitei! But what?
He would likely never know. Beltz's actions at the Tsunayashiro estate had been executed under Psychological Invisibility. Even during the battle with the family head, he remained unseen. The clan would find their leader missing, but they would find no trace of Beltz. Most of the Tsunayashiro were weaklings incapable of detecting him.
Having secured a massive harvest, Beltz led Harald away from the Seireitei and sent him back to Hueco Mundo. The Soul Society was too dangerous for someone of Harald's size; even in a world of monsters like the Hollow realm, he was a rarity, but it was far more logical than staying in the Soul Society.
"Stay in this region for now," Beltz told him. "If the opportunity arises, I will take you back to Elbaf."
Harald nodded. His stamina was low, and returning to the high-density Reishi environment of Hueco Mundo made it easier for a powerful spiritual body like his to recover.
Beltz returned to the One Piece world. He couldn't stay with Harald forever; he had his own grand designs. Back in Wano, he found that Rukia had already left. She was spending these final six months traveling the world, leaving Onigashima feeling a bit emptier.
Beltz didn't rush to see Vegapunk. He went to his room and took out the Soul King Fragments. They glowed with a crystalline brilliance, pulsing with energy. However, he didn't absorb them. These weren't meant for his main body.
His identity was too sensitive. He lived under the gaze of Yhwach. If he returned to the Wandenreich, Yhwach—who was hyper-sensitive to the Soul King's power—would surely notice the fragments. These were intended for his future clones to help them catch up.
While his main body was already a top-tier powerhouse in both worlds, his clones would be starting from scratch. Even with peak genetic potential, they would need a boost. He planned to use his Schrift, Subconscious, to split his consciousness into three. This would weaken his main body temporarily but provide his clones with a high starting point. Combined with selected Devil Fruits and the fragments, they would gain power rapidly.
"If a Soul King fragment merges with a human and is influenced by Hollow power, they awaken Fullbring? But post-facto fusion usually doesn't trigger special abilities..."
Beltz mused over the lore. It was a pity, as Fullbring abilities were often broken, but he didn't lack for power. His Shinigami side had Blackbeard's lineage factors (allowing two fruits), and his Hollow side had Aaroniero's (allowing at least two). He could even modify himself to take another. Base stats were the priority now.
He handed two fragments and the captured Tsunayashiro head to Vegapunk for research and lineage extraction. Then, he relaxed in Wano for a time. He received word from Liltotto that Harald's "death" (and the loss of his Depths Covenant) had seemingly affected Imu, meaning the World Government wouldn't be bothering him or Elbaf for a while.
He also learned that the death of a Holy Knight—or anyone marked by Imu—negatively impacts Imu himself. Most people couldn't kill them, but Beltz's Vollständig, as a Quincy's "Holy Form," possessed the power of "Extinction," which naturally countered the Holy Knights' immortality.
In the following six months, the World Government was eerily quiet. They conducted a "Global Military Draft," appointing Sengoku as the new Fleet Admiral. The Marines were busy reorganizing, leaving the New World to the pirates. This chaos gave birth to the prototypes of the future Four Emperors: Whitebeard (Edward Newgate), Big Mom (Charlotte Linlin), Golden Lion (Shiki), and Kaido (just Kaido).
Kaido had secretly joined the World Government, a fact known only to Liltotto among the "Five Elders." Driven by his obsession with Beltz and powerful Devil Fruits, Kaido obtained the Cat-Cat Fruit, Mythical Zoan: White Tiger Model, a fruit on par with the Azure Dragon. His strength soared, and he built a massive following.
Roger wasn't listed among them because he didn't care for territory; he was a traveler, not an emperor. Among the four, Shiki was the strongest—not necessarily in personal combat, but in influence. He had the first great pirate armada and a powerful ally: Beltz. Since the world knew of Beltz's power, Shiki's "Flying Pirate Command" was effectively the sea's only "Double Emperor Crew."
Beltz, however, stayed home, training the Red-Haired brothers (Shanks and his twin). He had taken them from Roger and the World Government; if they didn't surpass their original strength, it would be a blow to his pride. The stronger a person's Conqueror's Haki, the more confident they are—and Beltz intended to raise them to be monsters.
Finally, the day arrived. Beltz entered the lab. The air was crisp. In the center stood two transparent incubation pillars.
The woman in the left tank was his "Superego." He chose a female form for two reasons: one, he didn't want Blackbeard's ugly genes ruining the clone's looks, and two, he needed a balance of Yin and Yang for a future fusion. She was tall, elegant, and bore a mix of Teach's mother's resilience and the Tsunayashiro's noble grace. With long purple hair and long eyelashes, she looked like a work of art.
She was built on Mayuri's "Artificial Shinigami" tech, fused with Teach and Tsunayashiro factors. He omitted the Lunarian traits for her because the black skin and wings were too conspicuous for someone meant to infiltrate the Seireitei.
In the right tank was his "Id"—a demonic Hollow. This body was primal and violent. It wasn't human, but a draconic, fish-like creature with scales and wings. Molten red patterns flowed between its scales. Based on Aaroniero and Lunarian factors, it looked like a dark, devolved version of Beltz's own Azure Dragon form.
Vegapunk's work was perfect. Now, it was Beltz's turn. He placed his hands on the tanks and closed his eyes. Using his Schrift, he performed an act of Personality Splitting and Personality Endowment.
He divided his consciousness: Id to the Hollow, Superego to the Shinigami, and Ego to his main body.
In an instant, the two clones opened their eyes.