Bleach: Reborn — Chapter 320 - Negotiation

Chapter 320, Negotiations

"This is..."

Stepping through the spatial rift, the group arrived at the other side.

"My territory." Wayne kept the introduction brief.

"I was expecting the sandy dunes of Hueco Mundo." Shunsui Kyōraku surveyed his surroundings.

Blue sky. White clouds. Green mountains and clear water, lush grass and a winding stream. In the distance, buildings rose one after another like a city skyline. Groves of fruit trees spread across the land in wide, rolling patches. None of it looked anything like Hueco Mundo, it looked far more like the World of the Living.

"Is this simulated with the same technology Las Noches once used?" Retsu Unohana tilted her head back to study the sky, and the sun glinting within it. A gentle breeze moved across her face. She gave a slight shake of her head. "No. Not that kind of technology. The wind carries the scent of actual earth — this is no virtual construct. And Las Noches never planted trees."

"The environment was built using my Illusion Law. The soil and vegetation were transplanted from the World of the Living. By combining Soul Society's Reiatsu-infused soil with living-world soil, then using the Hōgyoku to supply the energy, I made it possible to cultivate plants here the same way you would out there. The wind comes from the territory's wind channels — I won't bother showing you exactly where those are." Wayne explained at an unhurried pace, walking alongside Shunsui Kyōraku and Unohana.

"Wait — big brother." Shiro-chan's eyes went wide. "Are you saying all of this — an entire environment this vast — was simulated by your own power?" His Zanpakutō, Hyōrinmaru, could alter the weather indirectly. Amplify the atmospheric moisture enough, and it would bring rain or snow. But the brilliant sunshine overhead had been produced entirely by his big brother?

"No." Wayne shook his head. "Not simulated. Created." He snapped his fingers lightly. The sky filled with dark clouds in an instant, overcast and heavy. Within seconds, snowflakes began drifting down. Shiro-chan and the others had barely registered the cold before the clouds scattered completely, replaced by a canopy of stars against a night sky. They looked up. Then the stars vanished too, and brilliant sunshine returned as if it had never left.

"Just a small trick. Don't mind it." Wayne lowered his hand and waved the group forward, gesturing toward the city in the distance. "Come take a look at my city. There's something there you want. And don't worry about the Hollows here — with me around, no one will touch you."

The three exchanged glances, then followed Wayne at a quick pace.

Before long, they reached the city's edge. Several dozen Hollows and Arrancars were already assembled there, waiting.

"My king. You have returned." Jekain dropped to one knee. The Hollows ranked behind him bowed in unison.

"Hiss..." Shunsui Kyōraku drew a sharp breath. Just this welcoming party, the group gathered solely to receive Wayne, already numbered several dozen, and Vasto Lorde-class Hollows and Arrancars made up a significant portion of that count. This reception line alone held enough power to destroy half of Soul Society. And beyond it, his senses swept the city and found at least a dozen more presences of comparable magnitude. Deep within the castle, several surges of Reiatsu burned even stronger still. When those apex-level signatures registered his probe, they pushed back with measured pressure of their own, a silent exchange of feelers. Among them was one Reiatsu he had stood opposite before.

Coyote Starrk. He had ultimately joined Wayne's side, and his Reiatsu now nearly surpassed Kyōraku's by a considerable margin.

"Ah, rise, all of you." Wayne waved a hand, and his Reiatsu gently lifted his subordinates to their feet. "Where are Nel and Granny?" he asked, turning to Jekain.

"Resting inside the castle." Jekain replied. "Miss Nel and Miss Yagami China are keeping Granny company."

"Then let's head over." Wayne nodded. "The rest of you carry on. Pass the word down, these Soul Reapers are here with me. No one gets too worked up about it."

"Yes, my king." The Hollows accepted their orders and withdrew.

"Big brother, you brought Granny here?" Shiro-chan stared, genuinely caught off guard. When had that happened?

"What, were you going to protect her yourself? You could barely take care of yourself." Wayne gave him a sideways glance. "Lucky that Shinji Hirako kept Momo well protected on his end, otherwise I'd have had serious words with you when I got back."

"Well..." Shiro-chan laughed, a bit helplessly. It was hard to argue. His Bankai had been stolen by the enemy, protecting Momo and Granny had never been on the table.

"Mr. Wayne, I didn't expect your forces to have so many powerful fighters. It seems that in the past year, you've already conquered the greater part of Hueco Mundo." Kyōraku kept his tone easy and conversational, letting the words slip out naturally as he tried to draw intelligence about the extent of Wayne's power through small talk.

"Wherever Hueco Mundo extends, our banner has already been planted." Wayne used the word "our", not attributing it to himself alone. "Except for a few special locations and regions, we have no more enemies. Of course, we haven't been able to completely root out the factions that keep springing up, but that's a separate matter." He made no attempt to conceal any of it. At his level, there was nothing left worth hiding. Better to acknowledge it openly. Soul Society, as it currently stood, no longer had the power to move him in the slightest.

"There's no need to keep probing." Wayne spoke plainly. "The strength I have here is far greater than you're imagining. If not for considerations of Soul Society's dignity and the structures of the Seireitei, I'd have sent people down to take it already."

"That simply won't do. Mobilizing your full strength would leave Soul Society utterly destroyed." Shunsui Kyōraku pulled the brim of his hat lower. At the same time, one hand quietly drifted to rest on his Zanpakutō. If a real confrontation broke out, his Bankai's ability might, at the cost of everything he had, let him bring down a good portion of the Hollows here. That was only possible if Wayne failed to react in time. If he did react, Kyōraku might not even get the window to activate his Bankai at all. Fortunately, Retsu Unohana was right beside him, she could buy him a minute, at least. But...

He turned and glanced at Captain Unohana beside him. She was still quietly taking in the scenery, without a trace of wariness.

"As I expected. No wariness toward this young man whatsoever." He let out a quiet, private sigh and moved his hand away from his Zanpakutō. Without Captain Unohana's cover, he had no chance of using his Bankai. As for Captain Hitsugaya at his back, relying on him was even further out of the question.

"That is also one of the reasons I have no desire to make a move myself." Wayne didn't look back. He simply led the group onward toward the heart of the castle.

Before long they arrived inside. The interior was somewhat larger than the Las Noches castle had been. Wayne had barely stepped through the entrance when Nel and China came down from the second floor, Granny supported between them.

"Oh my, little Tsukishiro, you're back." Granny's face broke into a wide smile the moment she saw him.

"Granny, have you been alright here?" He had only been gone less than a day, but Hollows were everywhere in this place. He had genuinely worried she wouldn't be comfortable.

"Ah, very well. The environment here is lovely, and little Nel and little China are wonderful company." Judging by how pleased she looked, she was clearly very satisfied with these two prospective granddaughters-in-law.

"Oh, little Shiro-chan is here too."

"Granny." Shiro-chan hurried forward. "I'm sorry, there was fighting, and I wasn't able to get back to you right away."

"It's fine, it's fine. Granny knows you've been very busy." She patted him on the head. "But speaking of which, what kind of battle took place in Soul Society?"

"That..." Shiro-chan didn't quite know how to start.

"It's alright, Granny." Wayne smiled. "The fighting has calmed down for now. But for your safety, it's best you stay here a while longer. I'll have Nel and China keep you company. Hmm... I still have some things to deal with with the Soul Reapers here. You rest and take care of yourself, I'll come check on you later."

"Yes, that sounds good." Granny nodded. "Will you be eating dinner soon? Granny can make something for you."

"That would be great." Wayne smiled. "Perfect timing, none of the guests here have eaten yet either. Granny, why don't you take China and Nel and get started together? We'll all eat as a group later."

"Sure, sure~" Granny beamed. It had been a long time since she'd had a lively meal with family.

"Well... we wouldn't want to be rude and decline." The sudden dinner invitation left Kyōraku briefly at a loss, but he agreed without hesitation all the same.

"Then let me help as well." Retsu Unohana smiled softly. She seemed genuinely at ease with how Wayne had been handling things, and it was hard to say no to an elder. Besides, she wouldn't be of much use in whatever conversation was coming, she might as well stay by Granny's side.

"Then... I'll also..." Shiro-chan scratched the back of his head. He wasn't entirely willing, but there was little he could accomplish either way right now.

"You go fetch Momo." Wayne raised his hand and opened a spatial rift. "And bring back some ingredients while you're at it."

"This... alright." Shiro-chan's expression was pure resignation. He muttered quietly under his breath as he went. "But is what we're doing here really alright? About the Head Captain..."

"Go, Captain Hitsugaya." Shunsui Kyōraku let out a soft sigh. "One of us is enough here." Without quite realizing it, Wayne had separated all three captains from one another. Even if Kyōraku still harbored hostile intent, he knew a real confrontation now would leave him with nothing to show for it. True, Captain Unohana had come with him, but the way this king of Hueco Mundo had conducted himself had left her with no hostility to speak of. The most direct proof stood right before them: Granny, who had no combat ability whatsoever, was here among them. The best possible hostage. If Captain Unohana chose to, a casual release of her Reiatsu could leave Granny gravely wounded. But would she do that?

Wayne's intent was equally transparent. He had displayed his strength, making clear that if he wished, his forces as they stood today could simply erase Soul Society. And yet at the same time, he had placed Granny right here, in their hands, as a hostage. All of it was so Kyōraku could set his mind at ease. Given all of that, if Kyōraku still clung to hostility, he would be far too blind to reason.

"Captain Kyōraku, come with me." Seeing that Kyōraku was no longer on guard, Wayne smiled faintly and led him deeper into the castle.

Directly beneath the castle, Szayelaporro's laboratory. This was where Wayne had been leading him all along.

"This is..."

"An underground laboratory." Wayne answered simply. "And an emergency treatment room."

Swoosh.

The door opened. A wash of shimmering green light poured directly into Shunsui Kyōraku's eyes. When his vision adjusted, the scene before him left him staring wide-eyed.

"This is?!" Before him stood two enormous containers, each housing a human body. Luminescent green liquid churned inside them, streams of bubbles rising in slow, steady pulses, the whole space felt strangely, vividly alive. And there, suspended in that glowing liquid, were Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, bisected at the torso, and Izuru Kira, whose body had been run clean through by an enemy's strike. Both of them drifted in silence.

Beside the containers, Orihime Inoue was using Sōten Kisshun to treat their wounds. Behind her, a crystalline stone glowing with a dim, otherworldly light drifted slowly through the air at her side. At the far end of the laboratory, Szayelaporro was recording treatment data. Starrk leaned against the wall with his eyes closed, saying nothing, waiting, or perhaps standing watch, making sure no one disturbed the others.

"As you can see." Wayne spread his hands. "Both of them are already being treated."

Gulp.

Shunsui Kyōraku swallowed. He could see well enough that Yamamoto was receiving treatment, but the method...

"The old man died in battle. That is an incontrovertible fact. I recovered him before the enemy could destroy his body and brought his remains back here. As for why I didn't join the fight directly, Captain Kyōraku, I think you already understand."

"Half of it was the old man not wanting you to interfere. And the other half, you weren't planning to step in yourself anyway. Am I right?"

"Ah, that's correct." Wayne gave a slight nod. "I won't go into the old man's stubbornness. On my end, his death in battle is, frankly, beneficial to Hueco Mundo. Even though I hold some old sentiment, that sentiment can't lead me to gamble with Hueco Mundo's interests. That is why, after the old man fell, I retrieved his body."

"Then, can he be revived?" Shunsui Kyōraku recognized that the moment for negotiation had arrived.

"That depends on the choice you make." Wayne set aside the last trace of his usual ease and faced Shunsui Kyōraku squarely. "First, we need to confirm one thing. If the old man were removed from this container right now, could he survive? On that point, I think you'll need a specialist to weigh in."

"Ah. No revival is possible. Not even if the Nemuri Project were activated. Modification is the only path." The words landed just as Wayne finished speaking. Mayuri Kurotsuchi appeared in the laboratory doorway.

"Heh. I knew you'd show up." Wayne smiled. He wasn't surprised in the least.

"The vice-captain of Squad 10 found me and explained the situation here. I tracked the spatial disturbance signature you left behind and located this place. I was in the middle of constructing a device to connect with your spatial coordinates when Captain Hitsugaya suddenly stepped out of another spatial rift, so I came along."

"Give up on the tracking. Shifting the spatial fault takes nothing more than a thought." Wayne smiled lightly. "In any case, regarding the Head Captain's current condition, please explain it to Captain Kyōraku."

"No need." Shunsui Kyōraku shook his head. "The old man is dead. That is a fact." He met Wayne's eyes. "Tell me what you want. As long as you can bring the old man back to life, I am willing to pay any price on behalf of Soul Society."

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