The light emitted by the Hōgyoku enveloped Apacci, forming a cocoon of light.
Harribel, Rose, and Sung-Sun stared intently at that ball of light, not blinking. Time slowly passed, yet to the three of them, it felt like years had gone by.
The anticipated screams of Apacci never came. Under normal circumstances, this would be reassuring, but this excessive silence instead made the three somewhat worried.
Sung-Sun's snake tail flicked restlessly on the ground. "It's too quiet."
Rose also swallowed nervously, her eyes fixed on Apacci's position. "She could at least make a sound..."
Harribel said nothing, but her hands, occasionally clenching and releasing, still revealed her inner anxiety. She knew this painless experiment was a good thing. Aizen had mentioned earlier the stabilizing effect of the special samples from Kensei.
But emotionally, Harribel still wished to hear some sign of Apacci.
"Relax." Kensei Kenzuru's tone was light. "We're an experienced, professional team, and with my contributions, failure would be difficult."
Yoruichi, stroking Nelliel's wool-like hair, chuckled at this. "You've got such versatile uses. If Aizen needs more samples next time, will you voluntarily offer tribute again?"
"Sacrifice for science. I'm willing!"
Kensei placed a hand over his chest, striking a pose like a noble martyr.
Aizen's gaze fell on the data on the screen, and she spoke calmly. "Current data fully meets expectations. The experiment is progressing smoothly."
Her words somewhat reassured Harribel and the others, but they still stared fixedly at Apacci's position.
After about ten minutes—which felt like several hours to Harribel and the others—the light enveloping Apacci began to recede. The cocoon of light now revealed a distinct humanoid form.
Then the light completely dissipated.
A brand new Apacci appeared before everyone.
No longer the elk-like Hollow creature, she was replaced by a girl almost indistinguishable from a normal human: short blue-black hair, the bone mask that once covered her face now gone, leaving only a fragment resembling a rhinoceros horn on the center of her forehead.
Seeing Apacci clad in white leather-like clothing, Kensei hadn't expected the Hōgyoku to even construct clothes directly.
"Apacci?"
Harribel was the first to speak, her voice even carrying a slight tremor.
Hearing the familiar voice, the newly born Arrancar blinked, her heterochromatic eyes of pink and blue looking at her companion.
"Lady Harribel..."
Apacci spoke. Unlike the muffled, heavy voice of a Hollow, hers now carried a crispness. She nimbly rose from the platform, her movements fluid, requiring no additional adaptation to this completely different body.
Rose and Sung-Sun gathered around, scrutinizing their companion's new appearance. "How do you feel?"
"I feel unprecedentedly good."
Apacci flexed her wrists, clenching her fists. She could sense her spiritual pressure was far stronger than before.
She raised her hands, her gaze falling on the pair of white bracelets on her wrists.
Though unclear on the principle, instinct told Apacci these were weapons condensed from her power, similar to a Shinigami's Zanpakutō.
With a slight mental command, the two bracelets instantly flew out, and Apacci caught them steadily in her hands.
"Base form stable. Spiritual pressure increased by a leap. Preliminary determination: Arrancarization successful." Aizen casually picked up a notebook and began recording. "Specific parameters require further observation. Indoor space is limited. Let's go outside."
Everyone, including Apacci herself, was curious about the enhancement of her power.
The group left the lab and arrived at an open desert area outside the base.
Aizen attached several portable spiritual pressure monitors to Apacci. Though Apacci was somewhat reluctant, instinct told her the person before her was somewhat dangerous.
Considering she was essentially her savior, she wouldn't quibble...
"Use your full power. I need to record your data."
Nodding, Apacci took a stance, took a deep breath, and adjusted her state. She also wanted to understand the extent of her current limits.
First, she performed Sonído several times, her figure leaving multiple afterimages across the desert, her speed noticeably exceeding her Adjuchas self.
Next, Apacci demonstrated the power of her physical strength and weapons.
Aizen calmly observed the data emerging on the light screen in her hand. The increase was even higher than she had anticipated. It seemed Kensei's samples did possess some special property.
Rose and Sung-Sun's eyes lit up. Their previous worry was replaced by excitement. They even began thinking, why wasn't it them who got severely injured? Then they could be the first to show off.
Harribel's eyes also showed relief and approval. Apacci had indeed grown stronger, and this strength, as Kensei had said, didn't rely on unnecessary sacrifice.
"Now for the final test."
Hearing Aizen's words, the already eager Apacci stopped moving. The bracelets on her wrists vibrated slightly. She instinctively knew how to release her power, slowly chanting the release command:
"Toss her up, Green Deer Fighting Woman."
Overwhelming spiritual pressure erupted with Apacci at its center, the shockwave blowing sand and dust into the air.
Red spiritual pressure enveloped Apacci's body, and her form changed again.
The rhinoceros horn on her forehead remained, but on either side of it, an additional pair of massive white deer antlers sprouted.
A deerskin garment replaced her previous clothing. Whether it was Kensei's illusion or not, Apacci in this form seemed slightly more voluptuous than in her human form.
Did Resurrección have such additional functions?
After Resurrección, Apacci's spiritual pressure became even more formidable, a wild, primal aura radiating from her.
"Cero."
Highly concentrated spiritual pressure condensed between her left hand, instantly forming a red projectile. Apacci flicked her wrist and released it. Only a sonic boom was heard as the nearly invisible Cero instantly struck a tall rock pillar, reducing it to scattered dust in an instant.
"Data collection complete. You can stop now." Aizen called out to Apacci, who wanted to continue. "Resurrección release normal. Spiritual pressure peak exceeds expectations. Potential for continued growth. Test subject Apacci: Arrancarization completely successful."
Apacci, who had already begun gathering spiritual pressure on the horn on her forehead to release a Cero, had to stop. She released her Resurrección and returned to her basic Arrancar form.
"Lady Harribel, we no longer have to flee everywhere like before."
Apacci rushed to Harribel, her face unable to contain her excitement.
Harribel looked at her, reaching out and gently placing a hand on Apacci's head—an action never done before.
"Apacci, there's something I need to tell you." Harribel's voice was calm yet firm. "While you were unconscious, I pledged my loyalty to Lord Kensei."
"From now on, I will follow Lord Kensei's commands."
The air stilled for a moment.
Yoruichi crossed her arms, an anticipatory expression on her face. Aizen, though still looking at data, was observing the reactions of Harribel's three subordinates from the corner of her eye.
The smile on Apacci's face froze for a moment. She looked at Kensei, then back at Harribel. She knew that once Harribel made a decision, she wouldn't change it.
A flicker of struggle passed through Apacci's eyes, but it eventually subsided. Rose and Sung-Sun also silently drew near. The two of them had followed Harribel longer than Apacci and understood her better.
The three of them were unwilling to leave Harribel. Now that Harribel had chosen to pledge loyalty to Kensei, even if he was a Shinigami, they would also choose to continue following Harribel.
"I understand. Since Lady Harribel has made her decision, I only need to follow."
Apacci said quietly. She then turned to Kensei and similarly knelt on one knee. "From now on, Emilou Apacci also pledges loyalty to Lord Kensei."
"Although he's a Shinigami, he did save our lives." Rose sighed. Still in lion form, she could only roll over to expose her belly as a sign of loyalty. "Franceska Mila Rose, willing to pledge loyalty to Lord Kensei."
Sung-Sun coiled her snake tail. Lacking limbs, she could only lower her head. "Sung-Sun, willing to become Lord Kensei's power."
"How come I feel like Harribel's substitute?"
Kensei looked at these three and stroked his chin. He could naturally tell that this loyalty originated from their trust in Harribel, but that wasn't important. He wasn't particularly interested in these young girls. Unless they were on Harribel's level, they didn't need to be taken seriously at all.
First of all, Kensei was referring to power. Absolutely no other meaning implied.
"Rise." Kensei casually waved his hand. "You're one of us now. Relax."
"Follow me, and I guarantee you'll roam Hueco Mundo freely, and later dominate the Soul Society with me, making Old Man Yama kneel and beg for mercy."
Apacci stood up. She didn't know who this "Old Man Yama" Kensei mentioned was, but she was confident that with her current power, she could contribute.
Rose and Sung-Sun also returned to normal, their eyes no longer carrying wariness or guardedness.
Aizen walked to Kensei's side, her voice flat. "Next, we need to start preparing for Vasto Lorde-level Arrancarization experiments."
Placing a hand on Kensei's shoulder, Aizen continued. "The qualitative change required for a Vasto Lorde will undoubtedly far exceed that of an Adjuchas. Kensei, starting tomorrow, you'll still need to provide the stabilizer we currently use. As for the extraction process..."
"Stop!" Kensei immediately covered Aizen's mouth. "No need to discuss details here. Let's talk inside."
Yoruichi hooked her arm around Kensei's neck, making suggestive faces at him. "It's not the first time. What's there to be shy about?"
Nelliel tilted her head, looking perplexedly at Kensei, wondering about the extraction process for the stabilizer Aizen used.
Harribel watched the playful group, exchanging glances with her three companions. She felt unprecedentedly relaxed inside.
Perhaps... this choice of hers could truly realize her ideals...
***
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