[The seventh step towards the ultimate has been completed.]
[Template progress: 40% → 45%.]
[Unlock Monkey Talisman]
[Current abilities: dragon body, fire magic, demon magic, dragon talisman, pig talisman, ox talisman, sheep talisman, snake talisman, monkey talisman.]
[Reiatsu: Super Spiritual Power (pending evolution).]
The moment Baraggan died, the system's notification sounded promptly.
However, Shendu ignored the voice.
Right now, he was at a critical moment.
The surging Reiatsu was like a tide, flowing and crashing around Shendu.
The demonic energy of fire erupted completely, painting a picture like a volcano.
The scorching aura radiated from Shendu at the center, and the terrifying high temperature swept across the entire battlefield in an instant, even spreading further.
"What happened?!"
Szayelaporro's eyes widened, his posture no longer graceful.
"This Reiatsu..."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri also turned to look in Shendu's direction, astonishment plain on his face.
After a moment, he understood.
"Ha, I see."
"So this is what His Majesty Shendu referred to before departure."
"Witness an analysis of experimental data..."
Hearing this, Szayelaporro was even more shocked, his puzzled gaze locked on Shendu.
"Is this..."
"Autonomous Arrancar?!"
Szayelaporro, who had relied on the Hōgyoku provided by Aizen to achieve the state of Arrancar, had no knowledge of how autonomous Arrancar worked.
As a Vasto Lorde-level Hollow, he understood the difficulty of such a feat well.
Even Baraggan, king of Hueco Mundo, had not achieved Arrancar, remaining in a form akin to a Hollow despite his unique appearance.
This illustrated the extreme difficulty of autonomous Arrancar.
Szayelaporro deeply understood this.
It was even harder for Harribel to maintain her usual calm expression. Deep surprise and shock shone in the depths of her emerald-green eyes.
The unprecedented autonomous Arrancar appeared before her.
A miraculous sight.
Was His Majesty Shendu truly the embodiment of miracles?
At this moment, Shendu could clearly perceive the changes in his soul and the dramatic rise in Reiatsu.
Earlier, his Reiatsu had been comparable to Baraggan's.
But now, it had far surpassed it.
If they fought again, his Reiatsu alone would likely be enough to crush Baraggan without the need for advanced combat techniques.
Even more important was the transformation within his soul.
Killing and devouring had propelled Shendu to the pinnacle of Arrancar evolution.
With the tide-like surge of Reiatsu, cracks began to form on his dark-green, armor-like skin.
Centered on Shendu, his overwhelmingly powerful Reiatsu surged outward, forming a halo that merged with the boundless fire magic.
The desert cracked apart, forming hideous ravines that crisscrossed the battlefield like canyons.
This apocalyptic scene instilled fear in the hearts of the Hollow, but also ignited pure fanaticism and faith.
This was their lord, His Majesty Shendu.
The sole deity of Hueco Mundo!
With a deafening roar, the Hollows responded to Shendu's Reiatsu.
Even Harribel, usually composed and calm, was moved by the spectacle.
"Truly..."
As a Shinigami, Kurotsuchi Mayuri was the most rational observer.
Yet even he couldn't hide the shock and awe in his eyes.
"Incredible."
"It's hard to imagine," he muttered to himself, "If Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society go to war..."
The cataclysmic changes in the sky continued to evolve into something even more terrifying.
The storm mixed with flames, staining hundreds of kilometers crimson like a vision of hell.
Even though the Hollows had retreated under Harribel's orders, they could still feel the heatwave bearing down on them.
The rising Reiatsu began to solidify, forming a tangible presence that surrounded Shendu.
The cracks on his dark-green skin deepened as if something new was being born.
Rip—
The sound of tearing flesh echoed from Shendu's body as his dark-green skin fell away.
Crimson light burst forth, like a sun illuminating the skies of Hueco Mundo.
Crunch, crunch...
The sound of shifting muscles and bones accompanied the tearing as Shendu's transformation continued.
For a Hollow, Arrancar was akin to a metamorphosis.
Shendu could sense his powerful Reiatsu compressing into something akin to a "spiritual core."
His newly grown outer skin was stronger than the steel skin he had before.
The dragon body remained intact but had advanced to an even stronger form.
Unlike other Hollows during Arrancar evolution, Shendu retained all his original traits—steel skin, High-Speed Regeneration, Sonído, and other abilities—but each had become more powerful.
For example, previously, regenerating a severed arm might have taken significant time. Now, it could be done in seconds.
This left Shendu eager for the future Horse Talisman.
If such terrifying High-Speed Regeneration combined with the Horse Talisman, what would the result be?
Immortality, perhaps?
The storm and destruction began to calm, returning to peace.
Shendu's new form emerged before the Hollows.
The dragon, which had previously walked upright, now took on a human appearance.
The original dominance and power were still visible in his features.
His blood-red eyes remained constant, but the most striking feature was his white hair blowing in the wind.
Shendu conjured a reflective surface, gazing at his own image.
He raised an eyebrow when he noticed his white hair, something he didn't expect. He thought that if he became an Arrancar, his hair might be affected by his appearance and be green.
It can be said that his appearance is good, and at the same time, his features exude authority.
Yet he cared little for his appearance.
What drew his attention was the pendant shaped like a dragon's head hanging around his neck.
Playing with the pendant, a thoughtful expression flickered in his blood-red eyes.
"This is my mask?..."
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