Bleach: I Love Making Friends

Several months had passed since Haruki acquired the "Child of the Kirin" ability from Hitsugaya. During this time, his progress had been faster than in the past several decades!

Naturally, he had already mastered the initial release (Shikai) of his Zanpakutō.

To achieve Shikai, one must achieve "synchronization" and "dialogue" with their Zanpakutō, while Bankai requires "manifestation" and "subjugation."

Synchronization means aligning one's spirit with the Zanpakutō, enabling communication with it.

Although still rudimentary, Haruki had indeed reached this level.

Thus, he could now unleash the power of his Zanpakutō!

"The Lonely Hell of the Three Existences."

This was the release command for his Zanpakutō, and its ability was simple.

It was—

Banishment!

To banish the enemy's consciousness into a realm of emptiness, trapping them in the "Lonely Hell"!

A place where nothing exists except oneself, experiencing endless loneliness.

Of course, "nothing exists except oneself" doesn't mean absolute emptiness.

What is loneliness?

Loneliness has no absolute definition; everyone experiences it differently.

Therefore, the Lonely Hell has no fixed location, and the suffering within is ever-changing.

Some are trapped between mountain rocks, some are imprisoned within boulders, some are frozen in icy snow-capped peaks, some sink into the depths of a dark sea, and others are engulfed in burning flames.

In such places, one experiences absolute loneliness for eternity.

This is the power of the Lonely Hell!

Thus, when Haruki plunged his Zanpakutō into Metastacia's brain, the power of loneliness instantly invaded his consciousness!

This had nothing to do with his physical body but instead dragged his entire spirit into the Lonely Hell!

Even if Metastacia had split into multiple bodies, the consciousness controlling them was still one. By destroying that single consciousness, all the bodies would cease to function.

At this moment, Metastacia's will was completely trapped in the Lonely Hell woven by Haruki's Zanpakutō. He would remain imprisoned in "loneliness" for the next ten, hundred, thousand, or even ten thousand years!

After confirming that his Zanpakutō's ability had taken effect, Haruki gently withdrew his blade.

The Black Sun behind him gradually dissipated. When dealing with the "Captain of the Third Division," the power of the Black Sun had already been exhausted.

Even after infusing it with spiritual pressure for so long, it was still only equivalent to a captain's powerful strike...

If Metastacia hadn't forcibly parasitized the captain's body, this Black Sun would never have been able to kill a captain.

"You truly did it."

Aizen praised from the side. "You saved your 'friend.'"

He was becoming increasingly interested in Haruki's abilities.

First, in Rukongai, he used a unique Kidō—a highly penetrating and destructive beam—to kill Metastacia.

Now, in front of him, he used another unique Kidō—a massive surge of spiritual pressure forming a black sun that burned and consumed everything in its path.

This was not a power an ordinary Shinigami could possess. Even among captains, it would be difficult to create such a powerful Kidō.

"I... don't want to fight."

Haruki walked past the corpse of the Third Division captain and said, "Every time I draw my blade, I am snuffing out a living life."

"Every life has value."

"...I never expected you to be such a kind person. Kind people shouldn't be friends with Hollows."

"No." Haruki walked to Aizen's side, having already sheathed his Zanpakutō.

"It's just that every life I take means losing an object of observation."

"Observation?"

"Yes, everyone has different personalities and thoughts. Even if they will 'do this' next, why do they do it? Aren't you curious, Captain Aizen?"

"I... have no interest in observing ants. I only observe those who interest me." Aizen smiled.

"Exactly." Haruki looked at Aizen and returned the smile.

"That's why I'm searching for people who interest me. Everyone has that potential."

"But sadly, everyone is too boring. After observing them for a while, I realize that while they seem different, they are all the same."

"Humans are such complex yet simple creatures. Over time, they become tiresome."

After saying this, Haruki was inwardly startled.

Because at this moment, Aizen's favorability toward him had increased slightly!

It had now reached thirty, similar to Nelliel's!

Favorability, before reaching sixty, doesn't necessarily represent "friendship."

When you pay extra attention to someone and find their words meaningful, it naturally leads to a certain level of favorability.

Or, to put it another way, when you pay extra attention to someone, a kind of "favorability" is born!

Clearly, what Haruki had just said intrigued Aizen, or rather, it deepened his interest in Haruki, raising his favorability to thirty.

However, getting Aizen to consider someone a friend was still extremely difficult.

If it weren't for the fact that Aizen's soul ability was so enticing to Haruki, he wouldn't have said so much in front of him.

Of course, sometimes it wasn't that he wanted to speak, but that he had to.

From the moment Aizen noticed him, he had no choice but to act this way.

He had to maintain this facade, or he wouldn't have survived until now!

"Captain Aizen!"

Suddenly, the voices of many Shinigami echoed from not far away, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. People emerged from the forest and immediately saw Aizen and Haruki.

Seeing Tanimoto Tetsu and others among the crowd, Haruki breathed a sigh of relief.

They were still alive.

This wasn't because Aizen had shown mercy, but because Haruki had banished Metastacia's consciousness with the Lonely Hell, causing the parasitized Shinigami attacking them to cease functioning.

"Cap... Captain?!"

Someone in the crowd noticed the Third Division captain lying on the ground with a Zanpakutō plunged into his brain and let out a cry of shock. Clearly, they were from the Third Division!

"Was... was this Captain Aizen's doing?"

"I'm afraid not. The Hollow had completely fused with his soul. Even I couldn't separate them."

Aizen put on a regretful expression and said, "I severely wounded him, but he managed to escape. When I arrived here, I found Haruki, who had already ended the battle."