Nelliel was somewhat shocked.
She hadn't encountered many Shinigami before.
Because Hollows, especially Menos Grande, rarely ventured into the human world.
And if they stayed in Hueco Mundo, they would almost never encounter Shinigami.
Although there were occasional instances of Shinigami traveling from the Soul Society to Hueco Mundo to fight Hollows, such cases were few and far between.
As a result, Nelliel harbored no hatred toward Shinigami.
But Hollows were still Hollows, and Shinigami were still souls. The two were naturally opposed.
So Nelliel had never imagined that a Shinigami would stand before her and propose becoming friends...
"You..."
Nelliel fell silent for a moment, then said, "If your comrades found out you were associating with a Hollow, wouldn't they treat you as a traitor?"
"It's fine," Haruki smiled. "My captain is an easygoing person. He doesn't see much difference between Shinigami and Hollows."
"A captain-level Shinigami with such thoughts?" Nelliel found it hard to believe.
"Well... I think you'll meet him eventually, and then you'll understand."
Haruki wasn't lying. In Aizen's eyes, Shinigami and Hollows were indeed no different—both were merely "inferior beings."
"..."
Nelliel watched as Haruki jumped down from the Menos Grande's corpse. She couldn't help but turn around.
"Follow me if you want, but I never said I'd be friends with a Shinigami."
With that, she continued walking across the sands of spiritual particles.
Haruki smiled. This tsundere-like attitude didn't faze him, as he could see others' favorability toward him.
At this moment, Nelliel's favorability toward him had reached thirty.
While not high, for a Hollow and a Shinigami, thirty was already quite good.
Haruki himself wanted to obtain Nelliel's "Size Manipulation" ability. Since he had come to Hueco Mundo, he might as well make the most of it.
So he followed behind Nelliel, making casual conversation.
For Nelliel, it was rare to encounter someone she could talk to in Hueco Mundo, let alone a Shinigami.
Meeting Haruki was a peculiar experience for her.
Moreover, she was curious about the civilized society of the Shinigami.
So she asked, "How did the Soul Society transition from barbarism to civilization?"
"Civilization?"
Haruki thought for a moment, then shook his head. "There's not much of a difference, really. The Soul Society is just like Hueco Mundo—a world where the strong survive and the weak perish."
"The reason you think the Soul Society is civilized is simply because, compared to you Hollows, we Shinigami are better at using tools."
"Tools?"
"Yes, like Zanpakutō," Haruki said, drawing his own Zanpakutō.
"Zanpakutō are tools."
"Before Zanpakutō existed, Shinigami were weak creatures who could only fight using basic techniques like Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō."
"Back then, the higher-level Hollows among you, the Vasto Lordes, could run rampant in the Soul Society."
"But with the advent of Zanpakutō, the power of Shinigami increased dramatically. Even an ordinary captain-level Shinigami could now contend with a Vasto Lorde."
"...That's just an increase in martial power," Nelliel countered.
"Martial power brings control. The stronger the martial power, the tighter the control over the lower ranks. The civilization of the Soul Society was born from this, but in essence, it's no different from the rule of the King of Hueco Mundo."
"Civilization is the sum of human historical accumulation that aids in understanding and adapting to the objective world, aligns with human spiritual pursuits, and is recognized and accepted by the vast majority—encompassing humanistic spirit and inventions."
Haruki spouted a passage straight from Wikipedia, then added, "Do you think the vast majority of people in the Soul Society truly recognize the so-called 'civilization' of the Seireitei?"
"...This..." Nelliel didn't know much about the Soul Society, but she was aware that most of its inhabitants lived in the Rukongai.
Would the people of the Rukongai identify with the so-called civilization of the Seireitei?
She wasn't sure, as she hadn't visited the Rukongai often.
While it was difficult for Shinigami to enter Hueco Mundo, Hollows could easily travel to the Soul Society.
In that sense, it seemed unfair, but while Hollows had mental deficiencies, they possessed remarkable physical talents.
Abilities like High-Speed Regeneration, Hierro, and Sonído were innate to them.
Especially the Garganta, a divine skill among divine skills, which allowed them to traverse the three worlds at will. Shinigami, on the other hand, still needed the Senkaimon to travel between worlds, and even then, entering Hueco Mundo was difficult.
Any Menos Grande could freely travel between the human world, the Soul Society, and Hueco Mundo using the Garganta.
"Let me put it this way: for the souls living in the outer districts of the Rukongai, beyond District 50, their lives are no different from those in Hueco Mundo."
Haruki spoke calmly. "So, I don't recognize the so-called civilization of the Soul Society. It's just a system forcibly maintained by those with overwhelming power to benefit the 'noble class.'"
"Perhaps..."
He lowered his voice slightly. "Even this order is built on deception and betrayal."
"You..." Nelliel turned to look at Haruki, momentarily stunned.
"You seem to know a lot. Are all Shinigami like you?"
"If they were all like me, the Soul Society would be in chaos," Haruki suddenly stopped and said. "But at least you've met me, and my captain. We're... both oddities."
"Don't you agree, Captain Aizen?"
The space in front of them rippled, and Aizen's figure emerged.
Seeing the captain's haori on Aizen, Nelliel immediately assumed a defensive stance.
"No need for that," Aizen said calmly. "You're a friend Haruki made in Hueco Mundo. There's no need for us to fight."
He had been using a cloak created by Urahara Kisuke to hide his spiritual pressure, along with a Kidō spell to make himself invisible.
Yet Haruki had seen through it at a glance.
This wasn't due to Haruki's immense power or abilities, but because he could see the marker of Aizen's soul ability.
It had to be said, this soul ability prompt was incredibly useful against those who could turn invisible or create illusions. By focusing on the soul ability marker, one could always pinpoint their location.
"Has Captain Aizen finished handling matters?"
Haruki narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled. "I assume I can return now?"
"Of course," Aizen replied.
"But could this Hollow lady accompany us? I'd like to invite Miss Antelope to visit the Soul Society."