CHAPTER 473: CHAPTER 473: INSTANT KINSHIP

Soul Society—Shin’ō District—the location of the Gotei 13’s Senkaimon was once a place of peace and calm.

But now, atop a towering mountain, a massive arched gateway—capable of traversing worlds—had begun to awaken. Once dormant, the gate quietly lit up, glowing with a brilliant white light.

From within that dazzling glow, silhouettes slowly began to emerge.

"Wow... so this is Soul Society?"

A voice rang out, filled with excitement and wonder, cutting clearly through the fading radiance.

Hearing the voice, the gathered Shinigami all turned, startled. Heads lifted in unison, eyes focusing on the source of the sound.

There, before the stone arch, stood a girl wearing a white mask. Hands on her hips, her face lit up with barely contained enthusiasm.

Beside her was a disheveled man—his laid-back demeanor somewhat reminiscent of Captain Kyōraku. He looked exasperated, reaching out to gently press a hand on the girl’s head, clearly trying to settle her down.

The initial shock wore off, and murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"Are those Hollows?" someone asked, frowning in confusion.

"They look just like us... but all of them are wearing masks," another replied. "And the Reiatsu they’re giving off—it feels a lot like Hollow Reiatsu."

Then someone spoke with sudden clarity.

"No wonder the Captain-Commander called for a surrender ceremony!"

That comment spread like wildfire, drawing more eyes, more whispers.

"I was wondering how they planned to manage those monsters who can’t control their urges... turns out there are people in Hueco Mundo just like us!"

The revelation struck like a bolt of lightning, dispelling much of the unease. Tension began to ease, nerves loosened.

But the relief didn’t last long.

Because the more they looked, the more they realized—these visitors from Hueco Mundo, with their Hollow-like Reiatsu, might not be friendly.

The air grew heavy again. Hands instinctively rested on sword hilts. Eyes sharpened. The entire area braced, ready for a fight that might erupt at any moment.

Despite suppressing their Reiatsu, the visitors exuded an unmistakable aura of raw aggression. They looked like they could lash out at any time—and bring chaos to Seireitei.

Then, suddenly, a cheerful shout shattered the silence.

"Masatsuki!"

Everyone turned toward the voice.

The masked girl from earlier was now waving both arms energetically, clearly thrilled.

She tried to rush forward—but the stern, powerful-looking man behind her clamped a firm hand on her head, holding her in place.

She wasn’t hurt, but it was obvious she was in for a scolding.

Then Masatsuki Aozaki gave a casual wave.

The disheveled man finally let go.

In the next instant, the petite girl shot forward like a whirlwind, racing straight toward Masatsuki.

"Hey, still as lively as ever, Lilynette!" Masatsuki Aozaki smiled, extending a hand to effortlessly hold back the young girl attempting to butt him with her horned helmet.

"You! Why haven’t you visited Hueco Mundo in so long?" Lilynette’s tone was reproachful.

Masatsuki patted her head gently and explained, "I’ve been really busy!"

Swish!

At that moment, the Shinigami present saw the girl daring to headbutt their leader. Instinctively, they drew their Zanpakutō, preparing for the sudden threat; a major battle seemed imminent.

However, in this tense moment, Aizen stepped forward, raising his hand to signal everyone to remain calm. Upon closer inspection, they noticed that the Captain-Commander was uninjured and appeared to be conversing with the girl in a relaxed and harmonious manner.

Seeing this, everyone sheathed their Zanpakutō, breathing a sigh of relief. After all, how could such a brat possibly harm their Captain?

Moreover, it seemed that the brat had been completely won over by their Captain. As expected of the Captain-Commander!

Shinji Hirako narrowed his eyes. The other captains also displayed peculiar expressions upon witnessing this scene.

Although they had previously learned that Masatsuki Aozaki intended to rule Hueco Mundo, seeing his interactions with these visitors from Hueco Mundo firsthand still left them somewhat surprised and puzzled.

Naturally, the Captain-Commander wouldn’t conceal such a significant matter as ruling Hueco Mundo from the captains. Initially, they harbored doubts about Hueco Mundo’s voluntary surrender, fearing a potential conspiracy. But now, they finally understood why Masatsuki Aozaki was so confident and why Aizen remained so composed.

It turned out that this was all part of a well-orchestrated plan. There had likely been covert dealings between them and Hueco Mundo for some time.

However, the captains weren’t concerned about them collaborating with Hueco Mundo to harm Soul Society. It was evident that, although the Central 46 Compound still existed, Masatsuki Aozaki and Aizen were now the de facto rulers of Soul Society.

Causing trouble in Soul Society would undoubtedly be self-sabotage; only a fool would do so.

The issue was that, as the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, being on such good terms with the Hollows felt somewhat peculiar.

The surrender ceremony wasn’t overly complicated, nor was there much to dispute. After returning to the 1st Division barracks, in the presence of the captains and all team members, the ceremony concluded swiftly in less than half an hour.

The Emperor of Hueco Mundo and his Empress had already deliberated. The treaty signed by both parties primarily restricted Menos-class Hollows and above from freely hunting humans, mandated cooperation with Shinigami for regular Hollow purges, and aimed to maintain world peace and sustainable development.

This series of provisions symbolized goodwill, aiming to promote cooperation and mutual benefit between both sides.

However, the Shinigami were particularly moved when the ruler of Hueco Mundo declared, "I am willing to serve Your Excellency, Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, and proclaim you as the Emperor of Hueco Mundo."

Everyone understood the profound significance behind this title—it was an oath of allegiance.

Ruling Hueco Mundo was a feat that no one in Soul Society had achieved over millions of years. Perhaps some had the capability in history, but not accomplishing it meant it remained undone. Now, this monumental achievement had been realized by this generation.

They were fortunate to witness this historic moment, filling them with pride and joy!

After the feast celebrating the Captain-Commander’s conquest of Hueco Mundo concluded, the Arrancars, upon Masatsuki Aozaki’s enthusiastic invitation, decided to stay in Soul Society for a few more days to enjoy themselves before departing.

Hueco Mundo’s barren land had seen some development in recent years, but due to resource scarcity and cultural factors, it still couldn’t compare to the prosperity and splendor of Soul Society.

The Arrancars each had different interests and activities. The female Arrancars either went shopping or accompanied Masatsuki Aozaki. Masatsuki took this opportunity to give Lilynette a mass-produced Hōgyoku. Previously, due to insufficient materials and her weaker strength, she hadn’t received one; this time, he made up for it.

The male Arrancars weren’t neglected either. Starrk and Shunsui Kyōraku hit it off immediately. Barely exchanging a few words upon meeting, they quickly found a place to relax together.