In the gloomy jungle, a dark golden spiritual pressure and another azure spiritual pressure stood in opposition, creating a strong wind that scattered the piled-up corpses everywhere.
Lilinette hugged a small tree, barely managing to keep her balance and not be blown away.
Immediately, Yekawa and Starrk, with a tacit understanding, both retracted their spiritual pressures.
At this moment, Starrk's gaze towards him was no longer indifferent; instead, a sense of closeness emerged.
Yekawa, on the other hand, was secretly astonished; ever since he advanced to Adjuchas, his spiritual pressure had undergone a qualitative leap.
His clone, with only thirty percent of his spiritual pressure, could jump from a Vice Squad Captain level to a Squad Captain.
Moreover, at this moment, he had devoured all the Squad Members of the expeditionary force except for Amagai Shūsuke, and even though most of the Shinigami's spiritual pressure was used to advance his Arrancar transformation, it was still a considerable boost to his spiritual pressure.
His Shinigami clone had seen Kyōraku many times; according to his estimation, Kyōraku's full spiritual pressure burst was only on par with his current self, or even slightly inferior.
Yet, Starrk's unreleased spiritual pressure could contend with his own, Yekawa truly couldn't understand why Starrk, after Resurreccion, would be killed by Kyōraku's Shikai!
"You are very strong!"
Starrk looked at Yekawa with a solemn expression.
"You are also very strong!"
Looking at Starrk and Lilinette before him, a bold idea was born in his mind.
"If I devour Starrk, can I successfully become an Arrancar or a Vasto Lorde?"
However, this thought was extinguished the moment it was born.
With Yekawa's current strength, a battle with Starrk in his unreleased state was still possible, but if Starrk were to use Resurreccion, he would most likely lose.
"Starrk, after splitting, is already this strong; how strong would he have been before splitting?"
Yekawa was very puzzled by Starrk's semi-self-destructive behavior; he not only split his soul but also allowed that part of his soul to gain self-awareness.
It should be known that when Yekawa creates clones, he fundamentally does not allow them to develop new consciousness, nor does he pour too much soul essence into them.
Is it just because he couldn't endure loneliness that he would degrade himself? In Yekawa's view, enduring loneliness is an essential mindset for a strong person; if one doesn't even have this mindset, they will eventually face a dead end.
It was precisely because of the lack of this mindset that Starrk slacked off during the Battle of Karakura Town, ultimately leading to his defeat!
But this was Starrk's choice; although Yekawa didn't understand, he chose to respect it.
"My name is Yekawa, and I am currently looking for companions to journey with!"
Putting away his extra thoughts, Yekawa, with a slight smile, extended an invitation to Starrk.
"That's quite a coincidence; we are also looking for companions!"
Starrk said earnestly; initially, he was searching alone, and then it became him and Lilinette searching together.
"Then... can you join us? In other parts of Hueco Mundo, I have a few other companions!"
Yekawa tried to recruit Starrk and Lilinette; of course, for this level of powerful beings, he wouldn't immediately demand their submission and then feed them thunder balls.
The reason was simple: he couldn't beat them right now!
"Are they... strong enough? Our situation is quite special!"
Starrk looked at the piles of countless corpses with a hint of melancholy in his eyes.
"Don't worry, they can withstand my spiritual pressure, so enduring yours shouldn't be much of a problem."
Starrk then remembered that Yekawa's spiritual pressure was similar to his own in his unreleased state, so his companions naturally wouldn't be harmed by his spiritual pressure.
And so, a different kind of light seemed to gleam in Starrk and Lilinette's eyes.
Just as the two were somewhat excitedly planning to follow Yekawa out of the jungle they had inhabited for many years, Yekawa stopped them.
"Before I take you out, put on some clothes..."
Starrk and Lilinette's nearly naked appearance made Yekawa frown.
It was fine to see other Menos Grande without clothes, but these two Arrancar, who were almost identical to humans, not wearing clothes, made Yekawa feel it was indecent.
He pulled out two soul reaper uniform from somewhere and draped them over the two.
These soul reaper uniform were naturally obtained from the expeditionary force members devoured by Yekawa.
Starrk's soul reaper uniform fit him perfectly, and coupled with the Zanpakuto formed from his spiritual power hanging at his waist, he truly looked somewhat like a Shinigami.
As for Lilinette, wearing the slightly loose soul reaper uniform, she looked a bit comical, but of course, it was much better than not wearing clothes.
...
In the Black Night Jungle, Yekawa and Starrk, a group of three, stood at the periphery.
"It's recovered here?"
Looking at the Black Night Jungle, which had returned to its original state, Yekawa was slightly surprised.
He remembered that several years ago, his battle with Ulquiorra Cifer had damaged half of the Black Night Jungle, but he didn't expect it to have recovered completely in just over three years.
Yekawa looked at the gloomy jungle and, without a word, directly unleashed his spiritual pressure.
A dark golden pillar of light instantly shot into the sky, illuminating half of the Black Night Jungle.
At the same time, on the other side of the jungle, a deep green spiritual pressure also rose, seemingly in response to Yekawa.
Seeing this, Yekawa grinned.
Before long, a figure flew out from within, coming straight to Yekawa.
Upon closer inspection, it was a humanoid Menos Grande, entirely snow-white, with a pair of black bat wings and a missing piece on its mask.
It was Ulquiorra Cifer.
"My King..."
As soon as Ulquiorra Cifer saw Yekawa, he eagerly spoke.
"Hmm, it seems my act last time was quite successful!"
Seeing Ulquiorra Cifer voluntarily acknowledge him as King, Yekawa knew that his previous manipulation had succeeded.
He had originally thought of using this opportunity to demonstrate his iron fist after his advancement, but now it seemed unnecessary.
"Ulquiorra, let us leave this place together!"
Yekawa said with feigned majesty.
And Ulquiorra Cifer, giving face, immediately knelt on one knee:
"As you command, My King!"
Starrk, witnessing this scene from the side, was secretly astonished.
He never expected Yekawa to be able to make a Vasto Lorde, who was not yet a complete Arrancar, acknowledge him as King!
Although this Vasto Lorde's spiritual pressure was far inferior to Yekawa's, every Vasto Lorde was a top-tier existence in Hueco Mundo, possessing their own pride, yet this one so willingly submitted to Yekawa.
"Lilinette, perhaps we really followed the right person this time!"
Starrk exchanged glances with Lilinette beside him, his expression somewhat excited.
Thus, Yekawa, accompanied by Ulquiorra Cifer and the two Arrancar, set off towards Harribel's dwelling.
Inside the cave, Harribel, who was leaning against the wall watching Mila Rose and Sun Sun play, suddenly felt four spiritual pressures approaching.
One of them gave her an extremely familiar feeling.
"Lord Yekawa!"
Feeling Yekawa's spiritual pressure, Harribel immediately rushed out of the cave with a look of joy!
Indeed, she saw Yekawa and his group of four.
"Tia, I'm back!"
Upon seeing Yekawa, Harribel immediately rushed forward, and Yekawa affectionately stroked her forehead.
And Starrk, Lilinette, and Ulquiorra Cifer, who were following behind Yekawa, were once again greatly astonished.
"Another Vasto Lorde!"
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