The Supreme Soul, Starting with Death

To avoid revealing Stark's secrets and being perceived as spying on his own background, Gu Shi quickly added another sentence.

"Of course, if it's inconvenient, it's okay not to say anything. Being able to confirm that my idea is correct is already a huge success for me."

Fortunately, Stark did not believe there was anything secretive about his Arrancar transformation process. More precisely, he did not believe anyone threatened him, even if the other party possessed all of his information.

Chapter 111 Are you very strong?

Although Stark's communication skills had deteriorated due to his long period of solitude, his ability to express himself was actually not bad. Moreover, his century-long solitude endowed him with a rare quality that other Hollows rarely possessed: an unparalleled abundance of "patience."

In this respect, looking at the entire Hueco Mundo, even Ulquiorra, who is "without desires," is probably a little worse than him.

Just because Gu Shi asked him to explain in more detail, Stark patiently recounted every single step of his journey from obtaining the blue crystal formula to the present.

Like, how many times was it tried, how many Hollows were used, what level were these Hollows at, did the Hollows have any limb injuries, where were the injuries, what kind of animal did the Hollows resemble, what method was used to start the fire, and how long did the flames burn...

Stark's detailed account surprised Gu Shi, so much so that before Stark had even finished a third of the story, Lilynette got bored and went to play with Erlang and the others.

After Stark finished speaking, Gu Shi's expression became quite interesting. The most surprising thing for him in the whole story was that Stark "found" several Death Gods with Saito's image embroidered on their clothes while collecting materials.

To prevent being found by the Saito family, Gu Shi deliberately moved his position every once in a while. However, he did not expect that the Grim Reapers would still manage to sneak up near their camp.

What he didn't expect was that the group of people he was wary of were actually killed by Stark's spiritual pressure before he even saw them.

By sheer coincidence, Stark helped Gu Shi solve a problem. This unexpected stroke of good fortune made Gu Shi chuckle a few times before calming down and beginning to reflect on the situation. He tried to figure out which step in Stark's many actions had given him a Zanpakuto that could materialize.

After thinking for a while, Gu Shi helplessly realized that, given the existence of only one isolated case and the lack of sufficient data for verification, there were simply too many possibilities he could think of.

For example, it's possible that Stark added Shinigami as a material when he was refining the blue crystal. After all, Aizen's half-finished Hogyoku, which could be used to create Arrancar, was made using Shinigami as a material.

It's also possible that Stark ate the Zanpakuto he had previously created using a Hollow, so his body recorded the spiritual energy structure of the Arrancar Zanpakuto. When he was undergoing the Arrancar process, his body instinctively produced a sword as well.

It's even possible that Stark became an Arrancar earlier than in the story, and his accumulated power is weaker than in the story. Having a physical Zanpakuto is actually a symbol of his "insufficient" strength.

Considering that in this world, "belief" and "will" can also be regarded as a kind of power, Gu Shi even suspected that the Stark in the story was so alone for hundreds of years that he had never seen a Shinigami and had forgotten that Zanpakuto existed. He was only thinking about finding a companion for himself, so after becoming an Arrancar, only Lilynette did not have a Zanpakuto.

The current Stark, having first found the Zanpakuto transformed from a Hollow, and then encountering a Shinigami wielding a Zanpakuto, finally remembered that Zanpakuto existed. Because of this recollection, he acquired one after becoming an Arrancar.

"Because of desire, therefore existence"—this might seem absurd to most people, but it makes sense to Stark, since, strictly speaking, Lilynette was born because of his desire for companions.

Unable to figure it out for the time being, Gu Shi shook his head, putting the question aside for the time being, and smiled as he looked at Stark, who was quietly waiting while he was thinking.

"Stark, what are your plans next?"

Upon hearing this question, Stark remained silent for a long while before giving a somewhat wistful answer.

"Let's just wander around. I'm looking for a partner who's strong enough that I don't have to worry about accidentally killing them while we're together."

"I see... There must be very few people in this world who are about as strong as you. Have you ever thought about going to see the stars?"

Gu Shi was not surprised at all by Stark's answer, but he still pretended to ponder for a moment before pointing to the sky and throwing out his theory that there were infinite worlds and infinite life in the starry sky.

Stark listened quietly to Gu Shi's story. Although his expression remained calm and detached, a glimmer of hope gradually appeared in his eyes. He spoke a little faster and asked questions with great eagerness.

"Are there any powerful beings in those worlds who are not afraid of me?"

“…Stark, confidence is a good thing, but arrogance is not. Do you really think you are strong?”

Gu Shi's words were rather unpleasant; even with a tolerant perspective, one could detect a hint of sarcasm. But Stark was not angry at all; instead, the light in his eyes shone even brighter.

Seeing that Stark's reaction was about what he expected, Gu Shi felt relieved, swallowed back the apology he had prepared, and continued to speak righteously and sternly.

"Stark, you're strong, but can you shatter the moon? Master Roshi can! Can you smash the world we live in into dust with one punch? Goku and Vegeta can do that easily. Even extinguishing the sun is no difficult task for them!"

To stir up the emotions of others, you must first stir up your own emotions. Gu Shi’s words were so impassioned that even his chuunibyou (delusional) tendencies, which had been gradually revived since his ethereal transformation, were stirred up. In his excitement, he almost blurted out the name of the Primordial Saints. Gu Shi quickly coughed twice to soften his tone and changed to a serious expression before continuing his nonsense.

"Moreover, if you are only looking for companions, some unique beings can get along with you peacefully even if they do not have great strength."

"For example, the Autobots on Cybertron are mechanical life forms completely different from us. Their intelligence is given by various intelligent modules, not by a soul. No matter how strong your spiritual pressure is, it has no meaning to them."

The things Gu Shi described were incredibly tempting to someone who had been lonely for a century and just wanted to find a friend who wasn't so fragile. Stark's breathing became a little heavy, but he didn't lose his mind because of it. The best proof of this was that he still controlled his spiritual pressure very well, without letting out even a hint of excitement, and directly overwhelmed Gu Shi.

Several times he opened his mouth to ask, but each time he was afraid of disappointment and swallowed back the words that were about to come out. After repeating this several times, Stark finally gritted his teeth and asked the most important question.

"How do you know this?"

Nearby, Lilynette, drawn over, blinked her big eyes. Although she didn't speak, her expression clearly showed the same question.

Yes, how do you, a mere Kylian, know all this?

Chapter 112 Scaring Children

Before trying to persuade Stark, Gu Shi had already anticipated this question, and when asked about it, he remained calm and composed, giving a composed answer.

"Isn't the answer to this kind of question very simple? Because I come from another world, of course I can confirm the existence of other worlds."

Gu Shi's answer made Stark's eyes widen instantly, while Tianpeng and Erlang, who were listening in the background, clenched their fists excitedly. Before, when they asked Gu Shi if he was a great hero or immortal from the world of martial arts or immortals, Gu Shi had never given them a definite answer.

This time, Gu Shi finally admitted his identity.

"I know this is hard to believe, but it doesn't matter. Civilizations develop in different worlds with similarities. Based on my experience of observing other worlds, I'll make a prediction."

Despite Stark's incredulous expression, Gu Shi remained calm, chuckled, and slowly raised a finger to begin his "prophecy."

"In about two to three hundred years, the world will experience a technological explosion. At that time, the human population will increase more than tenfold, reaching six or seven billion."

"Furthermore, a large number of technological creations will be manufactured. Computers, cars, and airplanes will be everywhere. The Autobots I just mentioned are life forms that have emerged after these creations have become highly advanced."

Aizen becoming a Shinigami should have happened about 300 years before the start of the story, so it's highly likely that the story will enter the modern era 200 to 300 years from now!

Gu Shi, full of confidence, extended another invitation to Stark.

"For the next three hundred years, Stark, you can follow your own ideas and find the companions you want. I don't have high hopes for your plan. After all, this world can only support a limited number of strong individuals. If you still haven't found companions after three hundred years, and the development of the world confirms my prophecy, then you can come with me to travel among the stars."

Gu Shi's smile was so confident that Stark even had the illusion that it was a "foolish act," and for a moment he didn't know how to answer this three-hundred-year bet.

Stark remained silent, pondering to himself. Lilynette wasn't that mature. The little girl slid up Gu Shi's body and climbed onto his head in a flash, standing firmly on the front of the protruding snout of his bear-face mask, earnestly wanting to have a serious "close-up look" with Gu Shi.

"Gu Shi, aren't you afraid that we'll abandon you and go to heaven on our own?"

A close, almost face-to-face eye contact can certainly increase the sense of pressure, but only if the two people are not too different in size; otherwise, the situation will become quite comical.

For example, Lilynette, who is petite compared to ordinary people, stands on the tip of Gu Shi's nose. If Gu Shi wanted to make eye contact with her at close range, it would be no less difficult than an ordinary person seeing a mosquito on the tip of their nose. He would probably immediately become cross-eyed.

When it came to serious matters, Gu Shi didn't want to ruin the atmosphere by looking silly with his cross-eyed eyes, so he suppressed his instinct to focus his gaze on the tip of his nose, shook his head vigorously, and shook Lilynette off his nose.

Falling from a great height is hardly a crisis for an Arrancar who can step into the air. Lilynet easily flipped over and stood steadily in the air. With her hands on her hips, she was about to accuse Gu Shi of being stingy. With such a big body, he wouldn't even let her stand for a moment. Then she heard Gu Shi say in a muffled voice.

"Don't stand on the tip of my nose, it makes me want to sneeze."

Immediately, Lilynette abandoned her intention to make accusations.

Given Gu Shi's size, if she were to sneeze and produce snot, it would definitely be quite a large snotty thing. And if she were still standing on the tip of Gu Shi's nose...

Ugh, this is disgusting, I don't want to think about it anymore.

Shaking her head, Lilynette slightly distanced herself, but persistently continued to try to make eye contact with Gu Shi.

"Gu Shi, you haven't answered my question yet. Aren't you worried that we'll abandon you?"

"Why do you think I invited Stark? The vastness of the starry sky is beyond your imagination. We won't encounter any living creatures along the way until we find the next world. If we don't find a few more people to travel with, the loneliness on the road alone will probably drive us crazy. Are you all capable of enduring loneliness?"

Gu Shi rolled his eyes dramatically and continued speaking with a somewhat deliberate air.

"Besides, the dangers of the starry sky are countless. The weak will die the moment they enter the starry sky. Stark's strength should be enough to enter the starry sky, but Lilynette, are you really sure you're strong enough?"

Although Gu Shi could not sense Lilynet's spiritual pressure and could not judge her strength, Ukitake Jushiro once commented in the story that Lilynet's Cero power was far lower than that of ordinary Hollows.

Regardless of how much of Jushiro Ukitake's statement was an exaggeration intended to demoralize the enemy, and whether his mention of "ordinary Hollows" referred to ordinary Killian or ordinary Vastodes, it is certain that Lilynette, as a Stark half-body, is far weaker than the Stark himself.

Although Lilynette has changed quite a bit compared to the original character, and even has a Zanpakuto, Gu Shi believes that no matter how much she has changed, it is impossible for her to suddenly gain spiritual power comparable to that of the Starks.

Therefore, it's still necessary to take precautions, lest Stark act impulsively and take Lilynette into space.

If Lilynette, his only companion, were to be instantly killed by cosmic rays or super-low temperatures, Stark would definitely go mad. At that point, Gu Shi, that "spreading rumors," would surely be hunted down to death by Stark.

"Lynnette, if you don't have the strength of the Starks, you'll die if you go to space. Are you willing to let the Starks abandon you and go explore the stars alone?"

Gu Shi had to admit that the person who said those words was not just awful, but just like the kind of despicable relative who would lie to a child during a holiday and say, "Your mother doesn't want you anymore."

Lilynette, who was less than an hour old, panicked immediately upon hearing this. She turned sharply to look at Stark, her large eyes filled with fear, unease, and grievance. It seemed as if she could burst into tears at the slightest nod from Stark.

Fortunately, Stark wasn't the kind of brainless parent who would conspire with his wicked relatives to lie to his child, saying, "You were picked up from the trash can by your mother, and now your mother doesn't want you anymore." He gently patted Lilynette's head and casually placed her on his shoulder, expressing his attitude through his actions.

“Gu Shi, I will find a way to help Lilynette improve her strength in the next three hundred years. Let’s see who comes out on top in three hundred years.”

Stark had already thought it through. Gu Shi's suggestion wouldn't harm him. In the next three hundred years, he could still find companions according to his own ideas. If he hadn't found any after three hundred years, and the current world really was developing as Gu Shi had predicted...

Having more options is not necessarily a bad thing.

At most, it just requires some effort over these three hundred years to help Lilynette improve her strength.

Chapter 113 Close Friends and Heartbeats

"...Kisuke...Kisuke, are you listening!?"

Kisuke Urahara shuddered slightly, his eyes widening in confusion before he quickly flashed his signature nonchalant smile, dramatically scratched his head, and offered a perfunctory apology that was anything but sincere.

"I'm so sorry, the sushi I had last night was so delicious, I still can't forget it. Yoruichi, can we have it again when we go home tonight?"

Yoruichi Shihouin's face showed a "just right" awkwardness. She glared at Kisuke Urahara, carefully hiding the worry in her eyes, and turned to give the old man beside her an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Master Saito. Kisuke is always so irresponsible. I'll definitely teach him a lesson when I get back."

"It's alright, it's alright. It's normal for young people to be active, so don't be too critical. I'm already very happy that you're willing to come and chat with this old man, Yoruichi."

The elderly man sitting at the head of the table had a kind smile on his face and waved his hand with a smile.

"I think it's almost time for dinner, so you can stay and have dinner with this old man. Noriko's cooking won't disappoint you."

"Well... I'd like to chat with you more, but as you know, Xingjun is very busy, and even a junior like me has to be pulled out to help. My mother is finally home to rest today, so I think it would be better for me to go back and spend more time with her."

With his granddaughter just thrown into the Execution Army prison, the Saito family head, who was "alone," smiled kindly. His mother was the commander of the Execution Army, and Yoruichi Shihouin, as a "junior," who "helped" put Saito Yoruichi into prison, didn't look much different, her face full of genuine distress.

The younger generation was in a difficult position, so as a senior member of the Saito family, the head of the family could not insist any further and nodded with great composure.

"Since that's the case, then I won't force you to stay. It's better for children to stay with their elders and show more filial piety."

After exchanging a few more polite words with the old man beside her who had "no one to care for her," Yoruichi Shihouin got up to say goodbye and left the Saito family mansion with Kisuke Urahara.

After walking a distance in silence, Kisuke Urahara shook his head with a slight chuckle.

"The head of the Saito family is really getting more and more out of touch with reality. Yoruichi, you've been trained by the Executioner since you were a child, and he actually thinks he can influence your mindset with a few words and make you feel guilty? Are all the upper-class nobles this naive now?"