It sounded almost unbelievable.
But after Seiya gently placed his hand on her head, all the fear Orihime Inoue had felt about coming to this strange, foreign place seemed to vanish completely.
A strange, indescribable sense of trust bloomed in her chest.
—Was it some kind of ability?
She didn't know.
She just instinctively felt this was someone she could rely on. That was all.
A soft green light surrounded her, wrapping Orihime in its glow like a mother's embrace—gentle, soothing warmth.
Her eyes slowly closed, and she fell into a deep sleep.
Seiya, watching the way her head tilted to the side as she dozed, quietly withdrew the spiritual energy he had dispersed.
He laid her down gently on the tatami, tucked a blanket over her, and made her comfortable.
Though Kaidō techniques could heal her wounds instantly, it was not good to rely solely on external aid.
By planting a seed of recovery, letting her body and cells do the healing, she could also get some well-deserved rest.
This, too, was part of Seiya's plan.
After all, staying on edge for too long would only lead to physical and mental collapse.
Lost in thought, Seiya turned toward the doorway.
"Ulquiorra."
A white-robed figure stepped forward, kneeling just outside.
"I am here, Lord Seiya."
Seiya smiled, settling himself near the doorway. His expression was as gentle and calm as always.
"Thank you for your efforts in the World of the Living. It must've been tiring dealing with the other Espada."
"It was merely part of my duty. I do not concern myself with fatigue."
"I see... Then it looks like you still have a lot of growing up to do."
Seiya chuckled, scratching his cheek, a bittersweet tone in his voice tinged with melancholy.
"Now that I think about it, understanding others' emotions was part of the training I gave you, wasn't it?"
"...Apologies."
"Come on, no need to be so formal. We're far beyond that."
After all...
"You were my first test subject. If anything, I should be the one apologizing."
Ulquiorra didn't fully understand the implication behind Seiya's words.
But he didn't dwell on it either.
If it was important, Lord Seiya would explain it to him when the time was right.
"Let's get to the point."
Seiya's tone shifted, becoming slightly more serious.
"Ulquiorra, did you feel anything wrong with your body while operating in the World of the Living?"
Ulquiorra calmly shook his head.
"No. I even attempted to enter my Resurrección state. Though I kept cautious, there were no abnormalities."
"I considered trying to enter the second stage, but I determined the situation did not warrant it. Without a guarantee of eliminating the enemy, I decided to preserve my strength."
He lowered his head respectfully.
"I failed your expectations."
But Seiya waved his hand dismissively.
"Not at all. Situations in battle can change rapidly. The task I gave you was a guideline, not an obligation."
Besides—
"Even if you didn't reach the final stage, everything else seems stable, doesn't it?"
Ulquiorra gave a simple nod.
Seeing that, Seiya smiled knowingly.
Just confirming that much was enough to satisfy him.
So it's stable after all.
That's good.
With a soft smile, Seiya nodded and extended his right hand.
"Let's retrieve it then. I need to recalibrate it based on this data."
Ulquiorra silently raised his hand.
He reached toward the hollow hole in his chest, as if yanking something from within.
With a sound that made the teeth ache—like flesh being torn and bones snapping—he pulled out a small, round object, holding it reverently in both hands.
"Please…"
It was the size of a thumb tip, pitch-black and perfectly spherical, as if it absorbed light itself. It gave off a sense of deep, heavy stillness.
Its presence echoed the stillness of Hueco Mundo—lifeless and silent.
A prototype Hōgyoku.
Seiya had created this as a replication of Aizen's original. He called it a mass-production model, but it fell far short of expectations.
It couldn't drastically amplify reiatsu…
It couldn't immediately fix the flaws in the Arrancar…
Whether it could even trigger a second Resurrección remained a mystery.
It was an exploration from scratch—trial and error.
Yet the direction of the research was clear.
As widely known, Hollows were twisted, fallen souls.
Even the evolved Arrancar—despite their power—remained part of that category.
And more than that, each Espada exemplified a deeper, more defined aspect of this defect.
Loneliness. Decay. Sacrifice. Emptiness.
Like a piece of their soul had been crudely gouged out—Arrancar were, in truth, emotionally incomplete.
No wonder they were cruel and violent.
So what expectations could Seiya, as a "complete" being, really place on them?
But now, looking at Ulquiorra, Seiya had found his breakthrough.
In the original story, through long-term contact with Orihime and his clash with Ichigo, Ulquiorra came to understand his true desires.
His Segunda Etapa.
Aizen had supposedly never seen it, which meant Ulquiorra possibly awakened it during battle.
He likely found his missing part—his emptiness—through that encounter, evolving on the spot.
Seiya believed the second Resurrección was not unique to Ulquiorra.
Others among the Espada could achieve it—if they found a way to fill what was missing.
That made the current goal clear: how to make that happen?
Holding the still-warm prototype Hōgyoku, Seiya's expression turned pensive.
—By analyzing Ulquiorra's changes and data.
He could dissect it, embed the findings into this small sphere.
No, it wouldn't grant raw power.
But it might allow Arrancar to recognize and face their deficiencies—and find the thing that completes them.
Still, Seiya wasn't limiting himself to just that.
He was also exploring ways to make the prototype Hōgyoku empower its bearer—imitating the original, possibly bridging the forbidden gap between Shinigami and Hollow.
Many goals, long journey.
Returning from his thoughts, Seiya offered a smile.
"You've done well. Just wait a few minutes—I'll be finished soon."
Ulquiorra silently retreated to the doorway.
After a pause, Seiya called out:
"Ulquiorra—spend some time with Orihime. And don't go bullying her."
"..."
Meaningless advice.
But it was part of his duty.
"Understood."
Time flowed differently in Hueco Mundo.
There was no sun or moon—only the void.
No one here had the luxury to mourn or reflect.
"Mr. Seiya, should I leave this here?"
"That's fine. Thanks, Orihime."
Wearing the attire of Hueco Mundo, Orihime offered a stiff smile.
—Seiya treated her well.
No abuse. In fact, he was polite and considerate.
So much so, she wondered if she really was a prisoner.
There were no demands, and she was looked after so well…
It almost seemed absurd, but—
Had she… gained weight?
Is this place making her fat?! Cute girl emergency!
Despite the calmness, this wasn't home.
"Mr. Seiya, when can I go back?"
She finally gathered the courage to ask.
Seiya simply smiled.
"That depends on when your prince charming shows up to get you."
W-W-What?! Prince charming?!
You can't just say stuff like that!
"S-S-S-Seiya-san! Don't tease me like that!"
"Ahaha, such a fun reaction. Is that really how you say my name?"
He had once been a Captain. Handling a flustered young girl was easy.
Orihime, red-faced, didn't dare speak to him again that day. But as she rested…
She couldn't stop thinking of one person.
Would he really come to save her?
"..."
Watching her leave, Seiya's gaze turned reflective.
Time was running out.
But the experiment's progress was slow—and that was frustrating.
Just then—
Ulquiorra's voice came from behind.
"Lord Seiya, outside…"
He didn't finish. Orihime was still present.
Understanding the situation, Seiya turned his head slightly. His spirit pressure flowed out like tendrils, scanning the surroundings.
What others thought was "stealth" was now completely exposed.
"Should I eliminate them?"
"No…"
Seiya considered, then replied.
"Let's just watch. See what she plans to do."
…
"Umm… Lady Loly, are you sure about this…?"
"Shut up! Just do what I said!"
Loly Aivirrne.
After the humiliation in the meeting room, she wasn't ready to vanish quietly.
Even if she had to use her few remaining resources, she would make a move.
She glared viciously at the trembling Arrancar before her.
"You can enter Seiya's domain—go get that woman out!"
"Eep… W-We only have permission for deliveries, this would be…"
"Then you'll die!"
Between morality and survival, the choice was obvious.
The Arrancar shuffled into the barrier.
Soon after, Orihime—curious about the commotion—was indeed led outside.
"Someone's hurt? Where are they?"
Loly stormed forward, her expression dark and voice harsh.
"Right here!"
Before Orihime could react, Loly grabbed her by the shoulders and slammed her against the barrier wall.
"You're—!"
"Loly Aivirrne!"
Hearing her name, Loly trembled, teeth clenched.
This deranged woman blurted out the question that had haunted her ever since:
"That day… why did you help me?!"
She couldn't understand.
Arrancar were creatures of strength and instinct—there was no room for kindness.
She had prepared to die. Just like Minori, who'd perished in Szayelaporro's lab.
Weakness meant death. Erasure. No trace left behind.
It was her own fault.
If only she were stronger.
But Orihime shattered that worldview.
She saved her.
And it didn't feel good—it made her furious.
She had to know why.
"What were you thinking?!"
Orihime's expression changed—shock, fear… and finally silence.
After a pause, in a voice tinged with compassion, she softly answered:
"Because… that day, you looked really lonely."
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Powerstones?
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