"You have a way to contact the other expeditionary army soldiers, right?" "Call them all here, and I will give you new powers beyond the boundaries of Death. How about it?"
Ren looked at Shun with a smile. He knew there must be a special means of contact among the expeditionary soldiers. If he used Shun, he could gather them all in one place and wipe them out in one move.
After devouring Masahiro Osaki, a captain-level Death God, Ren had developed an insatiable hunger. Although the remaining ten team members weren't as strong as Masahiro Osaki, each was at least as powerful as a front-row seat officer.
For Ren, they were an invaluable source of nourishment. Whether or not they would immediately push him to his next evolution, they would certainly accelerate the process.
"What's the matter? Are you hesitating to betray your comrades?" Ren sneered as he watched Shun hesitate.
On the surface, Ren's expression was calm, but if Shun dared to refuse, he would be the first to be devoured. At worst, Ren could take his time tracking down the other eleven. It would simply be more of a hassle.
"Yes, Lord Ren!"
Fortunately, Shun didn't make a foolish choice. He stretched out his right hand, pressing his index and middle fingers together on his left palm, and activated a tracking spell. Eleven glowing light spots lit up, scattered across the map. He began transmitting a message:
"Captain Osaki has fallen in battle, and the mysterious Hollow has left. All remaining team members, rendezvous at my position immediately!"
Soon, the glowing markers started converging rapidly.
A few hours later, a figure in a Shihakushō approached Shun at high speed.
"Shun, what happened to you? You're injured!"
The newcomer was a middle-aged man who looked at Shune with concern, showing their close bond.
"I'm fine, Senior Higashino..." Shun replied absentmindedly.
"I can't believe Captain Osaki was killed. I've never seen a Hollow that strong in my life!"
Higashino Riki clenched his fists, his expression firm. "It's infuriating. But when I master Bankai, I'll return and avenge him!"
Over the next few hours, the rest of the expeditionary force arrived, one after another.
Each of them already knew of their captain's death through the spirit-linked communication spell. Sadness lingered on their faces, but none showed fear.
After all, every Death God who joined the expedition had already come to terms with the idea of dying in battle.
"The captain is gone. Shun, you're the strongest among us now, and you have the sharpest mind. From now on, you'll lead us."
Higashino Riki looked at Shun and spoke solemnly.
"I agree!" "I agree!"
One by one, the others echoed in support. Clearly, none had any objections to following Shun as their new leader.
"Since everyone trusts me so much, I won't refuse."
Hearing their support, Shun unsheathed his Zanpakutō and raised it high over his head as a declaration of leadership.
However, in the next moment, something shocking happened.
With a sudden motion, Shun turned and plunged his Zanpakutō into Higashino Riki's chest!
"Why...?" Higashino Riki gasped in disbelief.
"Don't blame me... I must take revenge."
"Only this way can I have my revenge!"
As the remaining ten team members moved to strike back at Shune, a shadow darted through the battlefield.
Slash!
In an instant, all eleven Death Gods collapsed to the ground, unable to rise.
"Good work, Shun." Ren grinned in satisfaction.
"Hahahaha! They're all dead! You're all dead!"
Shun burst into laughter, showing no grief for his fallen comrades.
Ignoring his crazed outburst, Ren activated Ghoul Soul once again.
A dark-golden vortex rose behind him, drawing in the fallen Death Gods' bodies and turning them into spirit particles before devouring them completely.
"Yes... this feeling..."
As Ren absorbed the spiritual pressure of the Death Gods, he felt it again—that exhilarating sensation.
"My mask... it's loosening even more..."
After fully consuming the eleven Death Gods, Ren could feel himself taking another significant step toward evolution.
He turned to Shun, a pleased expression on his face.
"Shun, the power I promised you—it's time for me to deliver."
In Ren's palm, a small, glowing blue crystal appeared, radiating with untapped potential.
This mysterious object had originally been obtained by Ren's clone when he first arrived in the Soul Society, taken from a strange, massive Hollow. It was suspected to be a fragment of the Hōgyoku.
The clone had wasted no time in handing over the dangerous artifact to the original body.
Now, Ren intended to use this opportunity to test whether it truly was a fragment of the Hōgyoku.
Under Shun's shocked gaze, Ren suddenly drove his blade into his chest, embedding the glowing crystal within his body.
"Ahh!!"
A piercing scream tore from Shun as pain overwhelmed him. White, viscous fluid burst from the wound, surging toward his face and covering half of it within seconds.
"L-Lord Ren...!" Shun gasped, trembling on his knees as he fought the unbearable agony.
"Don't resist. Embrace this power that transcends the limits of the Death Gods!"
Before he could say anything more, his entire body was encased in the expanding white mass, forming a massive cocoon-like shell.
Crack!
Suddenly, a small fracture appeared on the hardened surface, quickly branching out in all directions. Within moments, the entire shell shattered, sending fragments flying.
From within, a figure slowly emerged, gripping a Zanpakutō tightly in his hand.
The figure lunged at Ren with incredible speed.
A rugged, white Hollow mask covered his face, his limbs now adorned with fiery red spikes. A gaping void hole had formed in his chest, but despite the monstrous transformation, his form was still recognizable as Shun.
ROAR!
With an animalistic growl, he charged at Ren, blade in hand.
Ren's eyes lit up with excitement as he murmured to himself:
"It actually worked!"
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