Chapitre 265: Chapter 223 - Transcendence.
If you wanna read ahead UP TO 30 CHAPTERS, go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer
This novel ends tomorrow on Patrrreon, I already wrote the last few chapters, but you know how it is, you write something fast because you're in the creative zone, and by the time you are done it looks like the concept of grammar and readability is completely foreign to you.
But yeah, the novel ends tomorrow in Patreeon.
Now, a quick voting event.
If we reach 1st place, I'll post 3 extra chapters. Maybe 4, probably 4.
If we reach 2nd place, I'll post 2 extra chapters.
If we reach 3rd place, I'll post 1 extra chapters.
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[Adam C. POV]
The gusts of wind in Hueco Mundo carried with them the disintegrating essence of Sosuke Aizen, as my power destroyed his very being into nothingness, using an application of Abyssal Void.
Every particle of his being, every fragment of his formidable spiritual energy, crumbled away, swept up and scattered to the far corners of this desolate realm. The void left by his absence was palpable, a haunting stillness amidst the dunes.
I had won.
And yet, amidst this dissonance, amidst this victory, an overwhelming sensation washed over me. Intoxication, if one could name it. It was as if a veil I never knew was there had been lifted, and I was seeing the world, feeling the world, for the very first time.
I felt... awake.
There was a profound clarity, a resonance in every grain of sand, every gust of wind. I could perceive the intricate dance of spiritual particles, the very fabric of the universe. It was a state of existence so profound that I struggled to find words to encapsulate it. I felt a deep connection, an understanding of the ebb and flow of life, and my place within it.
I smiled.
Despite how angry I had been a few moments ago with Aizen, I felt ecstatic.
However, amidst this overwhelming sense of euphoria, there was an intrusion, a dot of darkness, a piercing gaze that I could feel on me but couldn't place. I spun around, trying to locate the source, but all I was met with was the vastness of Hueco Mundo.
The sensation was fleeting, like a whisper in the wind, but it was undeniable. Someone, something, had observed this moment, this turning point.
Someone was watching me.
Before I could further ponder upon it, the feeling vanished, leaving me with a lingering sense of unease.
"Adam," a familiar voice cut through my thoughts. Kisuke Urahara, his ever-present hat casting a shadow over his eyes, I had almost forgotten he was here.
Without a word, he moved to my side and bent down, picking up the only reminder of Aizen's existence, the Hogyoku. The item pulsated faintly, as if echoing the remnants of Aizen's ambition.
Urahara examined it with a contemplative gaze, his fingers tracing its form, regret in his eyes. Then, in a gesture I hadn't expected, he extended his hand, offering the Hogyoku to me.
I stared at him, shock evident in my reaction. "Why?" I finally managed to ask, my voice betraying my confusion. "Why give this to me?"
Of all the possible outcomes, I didn't expect him giving me the Hogyoku to be one of them. We barely trusted each other as it was, and even if we trusted each other, I wasn't the best candidate to hold the reality marble.
He was.
He knew what that thing was capable of.
He had created the thing.
"I believe you're one of the few who can resist its allure, its temptation," Urahara began, shifting the Hogyoku in his palm. "Moreover, I believe that it will be safest with you."
I scoffed at that, sure, I wasn't a megolomaniac like Aizen, but I was still prone to error. "Are you implying that I'm impervious to temptation? Because I can assure you, I'm as flawed as anyone."
Urahara chuckled softly, adjusting his hat slightly. "I'm not implying you're without flaws, Adam. In fact, it's your understanding of your own limitations, your self-awareness, that makes you a suitable guardian for the Hogyoku. But more than that, after witnessing your confrontation with Aizen, I believe you have the strength to protect it, and the wisdom to never use it."
There was something he wasn't telling me.
I wasn't sure what, but I knew there was another reason behind this, other than my good character.
I looked at the Hogyoku, its swirling depths seeming almost mesmerizing, a small orb that held within it immeasurable potential. A power that could reshape reality, change the very fabric of existence.
"You are hiding something," I replied.
Urahara chuckled. "To be fair, I did say it, but you weren't listening at the time, you were focused on killing Aizen. So, it's not my fault you didn't hear."
I took a deep breath, and extended my hand, accepting the Hogyoku. "Care to repeat what you said then?"
Urahara's gaze held mine. "Well, I said that the Hogyoku would choose you if given the choice, Adam. Why? Well, I'll tell you once you're back home, but let's just say you have an affinity with it."
Affinity? My gaze fell upon the small, enigmatic orb resting in my hand. It was cold, yet its presence exuded a strange sense of warmth. Every pulse, every radiant wave of energy it emitted felt... familiar, in an unsettling sort of way.
I curled my fingers around it, feeling its energy coursing through my veins. "Well, I still don't understand," I confessed, my eyes locked onto Urahara for a moment before shrugging. "But I'll take your word for it."
He tipped his hat slightly, the shadow veiling his expression deepening. "Good, the less people are in the know, the better," he said cryptically. "For now, holding onto it is the safest course of action. When the time is right, I'll explain everything, I promise."
Omnious.
"Well ain't that ominous," I replied, taking a deep breath.
Urahara smiled, a tired smile, not his usual mischievous one. "You have no idea."
His words left an unsettling tone with me. An explosion of questions, of uncertainties that danced within the corners of my consciousness.
But if he was right, then it was best to believe him. He was the genius in this equation after all.
That being said… I didn't trust Urahara completely, our relationship was built upon necessity, not trust, perhaps that would change in the future, but in the meantime, that was our status.
"Like I said, I'll hold you to that, Urahara," I said firmly, pocketing the Hogyoku. Its energy pulsed against my skin, a reminder of the enigma that now lay within my grasp.
Urahara simply nodded, his gaze intense yet unreadable, leaving me to wonder… in just what kind of mess I had gotten myself into.
"By the way, could you try and… lower your reiatsu?" Urahara added, a nervous smile dawning on his face. "I really don't want to explain why your eyes are like… that."
"Lower my reiatsu?" I echoed, tilting my head. He didn't seem bothered by the level of power I was emitting, and while he was stronger than a lot of the captains around, they were captains, meaning this level of power wasn't enough to harm them.
"Yes," Urahara nodded. "I want you to lower your reiatsu to a point where I can sense it."
He can't sense my reaitsu?
Now that I think about it, I felt very different, I could feel the very currents of energy flowing around me, every shift in the spiritual fabric of this realm.
I knew I had gotten stronger. But, not to the point where my spiritual pressure shattered the boundaries of evolution.
"Ok," I replied. "I imagine it works like… sealing my Zanpakuto, right?"
"Yes, in a way," Urahara nodded. "If my… suspicions are correct, sealing your reaitsu back to normal levels should bring you back to our level of awareness, and fix your… eyes."
Ok, easy enough.
Wait, my eyes?
"What's wrong with my eyes?" I asked, frowning at him. I really needed a pocket mirror.
"They... well," Urahara hesitated, scratching the back of his head, "They aren't exactly normal, even by our standards. Four irises, all black. It's a bit... unsettling, and some might jump to conclusions it's best we… prevent."
I frowned, four irises? Was I turning into an insect like Aizen had? Oh God, please no.
"This is... a side effect of my new state, I assume?" I replied, hoping the change in my eyes wasn't a permanent one. There were many things I could deal with, losing an arm? Sure! Being stabbed? Who hasn't! But having contact lenses? Not in a million years, the process of putting them creeped me the fuck out!
Urahara nodded slowly, "Probably. Your current power and the manifestation of it through your eyes is likely a reflection of the profound change within you. The evolution you underwent, the realization and the breakthrough, all of it has manifested in a way that's... visually striking, pun intended."
Not funny, Urahara, not funny at all.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to do as I was told, focusing on containing the vast wellspring of energy within me. Closing my eyes, I attempted to retract the emanating reiatsu, to pull it back. The process was akin to trying to restrain a massive ocean with mere hands, but gradually, with effort, I felt the raging torrent begin to calm.
Opening my eyes, I met Urahara's gaze, "Better?"
He studied me for a moment, then gave a small nod. "I'm starting to feel your reaitsu again, so yeah, it's working, and as for your eyes, they are marginally better."
Good.
Though I'm kind of disappointed that the feeling of euphoria I was feeling disappeared the moment I sealed my power back in. I didn't feel as awake, or aware as before, just... Generally weaker.
"So, now what?" I asked.
"We celebrate, say our goodbyes, and leave this world," Urahara replied, a smile on his face.
"That almost sounds like you're coming to Earthland with me," I questioned, trying to wrap my head around the idea of Urahara Kisuke roaming freely in my world. The sheer thought of it was a little alarming.
"Of course!" Urahara exclaimed, opening and shutting his fan with a flourish. "A new world, filled with undiscovered things!? It's a scientist's dream! Besides," he continued with a smirk, "I've been cooped up in the Soul Society for too long. A change of scenery is in order."
I couldn't help but chuckle. He was a bastard, but at least, he was a tolerable one.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone