"What are you doing?"
Rukia frowned as she watched Haruki collect the remains.
"This is valuable experimental material. We can't let it go to waste."
Haruki looked at the test tube in his hand and shook his head regretfully as the liquid gradually seeped into the reishi sand.
"This guy is yours now."
Haruki tossed Renji in front of Rukia and asked, "How much longer can you maintain this form?"
Dark Rukia was, after all, just a secondary personality. She couldn't suppress her main personality indefinitely.
Her awakening was largely due to the spiritual pressure of the second-generation White stimulating the first-generation White within her body. The resonance of these two spiritual pressures caused Dark Rukia to awaken from the depths of her consciousness and take control of the body.
This state couldn't last forever.
"I think I can maintain it for about a day at most," Rukia said. "If it goes on any longer, my foolish main self might start noticing something."
Haruki nodded. "That means we still have some time. Do you want to come back to Las Noches with me?"
"Las Noches? Your base in Hueco Mundo? Is Urahara Kisuke really behind you?"
"Alright, you'll find out about all that eventually. Let's head back to Las Noches first."
Haruki led Rukia and the unconscious Renji toward Las Noches.
On the way, Haruki couldn't help but ask, "Hey, Rukia..."
He turned his head to look at Rukia walking beside him and said, "As a Hollow, you have a Hollow hole in your abdomen, but why don't you have a mask?"
"..." Rukia didn't respond at first, as if she was deep in thought. After a long pause, she finally said slowly:
"I told you before, my true form is that of a Shinigami..."
"Other Hollows, when they reach the intermediate Menos stage, their bodies shrink and take on various forms, mostly resembling animals."
"But my 'animal form'... is that of a 'Shinigami.' So it's not that I don't have a mask. Rather, Rukia's face is my mask!"
Dark Rukia's lips curled into a self-deprecating smile. "I'm just a Hollow wearing the skin of Kuchiki Rukia."
As she spoke, she touched her face. Though it looked like flesh, in her hands, it felt like a mask.
"The Hōgyoku... what a peculiar object."
Haruki murmured softly.
But he knew it wasn't just the Hōgyoku's doing.
The Hōgyoku, White, the "super tonic" generated by his soul abilities, and some inherent trait of Kuchiki Rukia herself—these four factors combined to produce a special effect, giving birth to Dark Rukia.
In terms of complexity, this was even more intricate than the creation of Dark Rukia in the movie.
Before they could ponder further, they arrived at Las Noches.
"Such a structure... exists in Hueco Mundo?"
Rukia was stunned when she saw Las Noches.
After all, in the minds of Shinigami, Hueco Mundo was a barren wasteland, not a place capable of nurturing civilization.
Yet, this massive complex of buildings seemed to suggest otherwise.
During Haruki's time overseeing Las Noches, he had made some improvements to the area, making it appear more prosperous than before.
"You didn't build this, did you?"
Rukia looked at Haruki suspiciously.
Haruki shook his head. "There were ruins where you were earlier, weren't there? Don't underestimate Hueco Mundo. Over millions of years, lost civilizations have existed here."
"As long as there is intelligence, even the most heartless monsters, no matter how bloodthirsty or cruel, will eventually form groups."
"Whether it's using strength to conquer the weak or unity to oppose the strong, on a timescale of millions of years, anything you find unbelievable can happen."
"..."
Rukia didn't respond. Instead, she followed Haruki into Las Noches.
Most of the Hollows in Las Noches looked at Haruki with fear and even hatred. A normal person would probably feel uncomfortable in such an atmosphere, but Haruki seemed unfazed.
"I feel a bit unsafe walking with you."
Rukia glanced at Haruki's back and said.
She wondered what this guy had done to these Hollows to make them hate him so much.
Haruki chuckled wryly. "Come on, this has nothing to do with me."
Aizen had essentially taken the King of Hueco Mundo, Baraggan, through a series of humiliating defeats, completely crushing the Hollows' revered figure. Naturally, the Hollows who worshipped Baraggan like a god couldn't handle it.
If Aizen had used the Hōgyoku to turn these Hollows into Arrancars and given them immense power, it might have been different. But Aizen had barely shown up, and these Hollows felt no gratitude toward him.
As a result, Haruki, who had arrived with Aizen, also became a target of their resentment.
But all they could do was glare at him. If anyone actually tried to rebel, Haruki would just blast them with a Destructive Death Beam.
Haruki brought Rukia to his room and said, "Rest here for a bit. I need to take care of something."
Then he called out, "Loly!"
Shortly after, a spider-like Menos Grande appeared.
Haruki said, "This is my friend. Take good care of them."
"Yes, Master," Loly replied respectfully.
Haruki then headed to Szayelaporro's laboratory.
As soon as he reached the door, it opened.
Szayelaporro's impatient voice came from inside. "What do you want now, Shinigami?"
"I've got some research materials for you."
Haruki said, "But it seems you're not too welcoming, so never mind."
He shrugged and turned to leave.
"Wait!!"
Szayelaporro quickly called out. "What kind of research materials do you have?"
Haruki took out one of the vials containing the liquid he had collected from Aaroniero and said, "This stuff. But I have a condition."
"Huh?" Szayelaporro, still hidden inside, asked, "What condition?"
"I want to share all the research results you obtain from this liquid."
Szayelaporro didn't respond immediately. Instead, a tentacle extended from inside and snatched the vial.
After a while, a surprised "Huh?" came from inside, followed by Szayelaporro's voice. "Come back in a month to collect the results. Don't disturb me until then."