BLEACH: UNOHANA RETSU IS MY WIFE

"Immeasurable" surpasses "measurable"; "formless" surpasses "formable"; "immortality" surpasses "corruption."

When Baraggan experienced his complete epiphany, he realized how foolish and narrow-minded he had once been. This "world" was far greater than he had ever imagined.

"Baraggan, do you understand?"

As Araki's voice echoed in his ears once again, Baraggan slowly regained consciousness...

He saw everything around him transform. The Lapis Lazuli Pure Land slowly vanished, and Hueco Mundo—bleak and endless, covered in white sand—reemerged before his eyes.

"You should return—return to where you belong!"

The Immeasurable, Formless, Immortal Holy King in the sky spoke golden words to Baraggan before fading away. But Baraggan knew—the Holy King was still with him. As long as he truly believed, the Holy King would never leave his side.

"I obey the Holy King's orders!"

By the time he finished those words, Baraggan had already returned to Hueco Mundo. He bowed slightly to the Shinigami before him out of respect, then looked down at Jijiba with a disdainful snort.

"Hmph."

Baraggan's snort betrayed his scorn.

"Tsk tsk!"

Araki smacked his lips, watching the now utterly transformed Baraggan. Honestly, he still preferred the unruly "Hollow King" from before.

"What do you mean by that?"

Before Araki could reply, Jijiba took the initiative, glaring at Baraggan and demanding coldly:

"I should be the one in charge!"

Baraggan glared back.

"I should be the chief!"

"Hehe~ What a shame," Jijiba sneered with a twisted grin. "The 'chief' you care so much about is mine! And you? You can only be the youngest!"

"Asshole!!"

Baraggan exploded with rage and was about to strike.

"What? You think just because you had some epiphany, you can beat me now? You're dreaming!"

Jijiba, watching the furious Baraggan, also assumed a battle stance.

Tension rose sharply between them once again.

"Enough!" Araki snapped. "The fighting between you two ends now! If you've both had some enlightenment, then act like it! Don't let a petty squabble define you..."

Araki drew the Zanpakutō at his waist and stood between them coldly.

"Of course, if anyone's still dissatisfied—fight me instead! Whether it's you, Baraggan, or you, Jijiba—I'll face either of you to the bitter end!"

"Hmph~"

After Araki's words, the two powerful Hollows first glared at each other, then turned to Araki and replied in unison:

"Of course I'm convinced by you! I just can't stand him!" ×2

"You bastard! Why are you copying me?!" ×2

The identical exchanges left Araki momentarily speechless.

"Alright then. From today on, the Great Hollow Forest will be your boundary. Baraggan will control the western side, and Jijiba the eastern side. No need to avoid contact... Do either of you object?"

Araki knew peace between them was impossible. Territorial division was the only realistic solution.

"No objections."

Baraggan responded without hesitation.

"Hmm..."

Araki smiled faintly. It was a test, and Baraggan passed. The former Hollow King no longer clung to territory—his heart had truly been changed by Araki's Zanpakutō. He had sincerely surrendered to the will of the Holy King.

"I protest! If all the Hollows go to Baraggan, what am I supposed to eat?!"

Before Araki could feel fully reassured, Jijiba raised a loud complaint.

"Huh?"

Araki slowly lowered his gaze with a chilling stare.

"Uh..."

"Actually, I've been eating too much lately. Bad digestion. Not that I need to eat..."

Jijiba shrank under Araki's icy gaze like a scolded child.

In truth, Jijiba wasn't being obedient—he just wasn't that hungry...

"Excellent! From now on, the two of you will live in harmony and friendship~"

Araki clapped his hands, clearly satisfied. For a Hollow like Jijiba to suppress his appetite out of respect—that too was a kind of enlightenment.

"By the way, Baraggan, I have something to discuss with you."

Now that the territorial dispute was resolved, Araki turned toward Baraggan with a more serious tone—his plans for Hueco Mundo's evolution were about to begin.

"Speak."

Baraggan immediately stepped forward, attentive.

"Keep a close eye on every Hollow in Hueco Mundo with the potential to evolve into Vasto Lorde-level beings. I'm forming a new organization—composed entirely of upper-class Hollows."

Araki's tone was calm, but firm.

"Understood."

Baraggan nodded. Ever since he had learned his true name—Vikara—he had understood Araki's vision. He knew that besides him and Jijiba, ten more chosen ones would soon be assembled.

"Very well. Let's go to your palace—I intend to build something there."

Araki's eyes gleamed.

"As you wish."

Baraggan agreed immediately. He didn't know what Araki intended to build, but he trusted that anything Araki created would be profound and meaningful.

"This way."

Baraggan said, leading the way.

"Alright."

Araki nodded softly and followed him into the sky.

For a long moment, only the massive Jijiba remained—silent, staring at the sky where they had vanished.

Because Baraggan's palace was located to the west of the Great Hollow Forest, Jijiba—who ruled over the eastern side—

couldn't follow. This made Jijiba quite upset, grumbling inwardly, "I was here first!"

"Ah-choo!"

The 'Immortal,' who had just bisected a Gillian from head to tail with a casual backhanded swing, suddenly sneezed. She frowned and muttered to herself, "Who's imitating me?!"

—

On the other side…

Araki and Baraggan had already arrived at the Kyakuya Palace. Compared to the lavish fortress Aizen Sosuke would build in later generations, the current Kyakuya Palace was utterly dilapidated. It was more like a few massive pillars scattered across a barren square than a proper palace. There wasn't even a ceiling—Baraggan never bothered to construct one.

Instead, he simply placed a bone-piled throne at the far end and proclaimed:

"A true king should have the sky as his canopy!"

It had to be said—Baraggan, a Great Hollow from ancient times, still had aesthetics trapped in his own era. His taste was chaotic, ancient, and brutal.

"Master Araki, how do you like my palace?!"

Baraggan asked proudly, holding his head high.

Since Baraggan had insisted on calling Araki Holy King or Lord Divine, which Araki found far too overbearing, he had specifically ordered Baraggan to address him as Master instead.

"Ah…"

"This place is... quite unique."

Araki gave a sigh, still acknowledging the raw grandeur of Baraggan's dominion. He had no interest in correcting the monarch's taste—someone else would surely do that later.

After offering a token compliment, Araki used his Zanpakutō to carve out a green hot spring in the middle of the palace.

Well—it wasn't quite a hot spring, though it resembled the one he had created earlier for the Shinigami outside the Great Hollow Forest. This one had some crucial differences.

"This is the Evolution Pool," Araki explained. "Simply toss in the corpse of a Hollow, and it will produce a steady stream of Evolution Fluid, accelerating the growth of any Hollow immersed within. The pool also reveals each Hollow's evolutionary potential."

"In other words, if you find a Hollow worth cultivating, let them soak in it. You'll quickly learn if they have the potential to evolve into a Arrancar Hollow. Unfortunately, though, this fluid is ineffective on fully evolved Arrancar Hollows."

Baraggan's expression flickered when he heard this. The idea that his subjects could evolve faster intrigued him.

But when Araki mentioned that it wouldn't work on Wā Hollows, Baraggan could only sigh with a hint of resignation.

"I understand," he muttered.

After all, Arrancar Hollows were the pinnacle of natural Hollow evolution. To go beyond that, a Hollow had to transcend even their own nature—perhaps even abandon their Hollowhood altogether.

"Then, Baraggan, I leave this place to you," Araki instructed. "Protect my Evolution Pool. If you discover anything… you know how to reach me."

With that, he vanished.

"…Hmm."

Baraggan immediately straightened and gave a respectful bow in the direction Araki had disappeared. As if in response, a lingering voice echoed back:

"Oh, one more thing…"

"Although your palace is quite 'nice,' don't you think it's a little too dark?"

Baraggan blinked.

He looked around the gloom of his ceiling-less hall. Indeed, there was hardly any light—only flickering moonlight from Hueco Mundo's eternal sky.

"…Too dark, huh…"

He sat down on his bone throne, deep in thought.

Then suddenly—inspiration!

"I've got it!"

Baraggan raised his head and bellowed, "Someone!"

"My King! We're here!"

Several Adjuchas-class Hollows emerged from the shadows. They had been lurking around the palace perimeter, hidden in the dark where the moonlight couldn't reach them. Baraggan had previously forbidden them from wandering the main plaza, calling them an eyesore.

One of them stepped forward hesitantly.

"Your Majesty, that man in the white feathered cloak just now… he wasn't a Shinigami, was he?"

"I've heard rumors from our scouts in the Great Hollow Forest… Shinigami have entered and are recklessly hunting our kin. Should I lead a strike force to wipe them out?"

"…Did I ask you something?"

Baraggan turned coldly toward the Adjuchas.

"Uh…"

The Hollow froze. His instincts screamed that something was wrong. Panic surged.

"N-No! Your Majesty, you know I am loyal! I—I didn't mean to speak out of turn—!"

"I said—did I ask you something?"

The voice was colder this time. Final.

The Hollow stammered: "N-no… You didn't."

"Very well," Baraggan replied icily. "By the laws of the Kyakuya Palace… you may die."

He lifted one skeletal hand.

A wave of black aging energy surged forward. There was no scream—just a crumbling sound as the Hollow disintegrated into white sand.

"What did you all just see?"

Baraggan's voice echoed across the silent chamber.

"Your Majesty, we saw nothing!"

The other Adjuchas pressed their foreheads to the ground in absolute obedience.

"Good."

Baraggan reclined slightly, satisfied.

"Now… bring me glowing objects."

"I remember a peculiar type of Hollow that's been appearing around the Great Hollow Forest these past years. They have something like a lightbulb on their heads. It glows—and can even transform into a lure to attract weaker prey! Hah! Such pitiful creatures. Even their powers are pathetic."

"But I want those glowing heads. Go find them. I'll use them to decorate my palace!"

These strange Hollows resembled anglerfish. Weak and insignificant, but visually memorable.

"As you command!"

The Adjuchas exchanged glances, then shouted in unison.

"Very well! All of you, retreat. I'm tired."

"I want to see a hundred of those glowing heads when I wake."

"We understand!"

With a burst of resolve, the Adjuchas disappeared into the night, determined to out-compete each other in the hunt.

—

Grand Fisher: "DON'T COME OVER HERE!!"

From that day onward, every glowing bulb that lit up the Kyakuya Palace came from the heads of the same Hollow species as Grand Fisher.

Baraggan gazed around at his glowing palace with pride.

"When Master Araki returns, he won't find this place dark anymore."

"He will see my reverence… in every glowing skull."

Though he lacked the divine craftsmanship of Aizen—who would one day craft false skies and mirror palaces—Baraggan had his own style.

He was very good at reusing trash.

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