One Piece: Kaido's adopted son, starts with the Eight Gates Formation.

His eyes were still closed. But the black lines on his body were slowly, little by little, spreading.

Hasward silently emerged from the shadows and knelt on one knee before him.

"His Majesty."

"...How long has it been?" Yhwach's voice was very soft.

"You were unconscious for seventeen minutes."

"That dragon did it." Yhwach opened his eyes, his cross-shaped pupils flashing in the darkness. "His fist shattered three of my ribs and the outer layer of my Soul King Armor."

"Your Majesty needs rest—"

"No." Yhwach leaned against the wall and stood up. "They haven't left yet."

Hasward looked up: "What?"

"That child changed his mind. He's going to Avici Hell." Yhwach's lips curled into a slight smile. "To see Aizen."

Hasward's expression changed.

"If he goes to the Avici Hell... the defenses of the Spirit King's Palace will weaken. And that artificial core—"

"Did you see that?" Yhwach asked.

Hasward closed his eyes, and the Omniscient and Omnipotent Fragment began to operate.

"...I can't see the future of that child and the dragon. But the artificial core—I can see it."

Yhwach's smile deepened.

"Pass down the order. The remaining knights, assemble!"

"Target?"

"The Spirit King's Palace." Yhwach straightened up, the black markings slowly fading from his skin, replaced by a new, more concentrated layer of Spirit King power. "That child created a substitute to maintain the Three Realms. If I absorb that substitute—"

He didn't finish speaking.

Hasward understood.

If the artificial core is absorbed, the three realms will lose their balance. At that time, no matter how strong that child is, he will have to face a choice—either recreate it or let the three realms collapse.

And during his re-creation process, it was the perfect opportunity for Yhwach to absorb the Soul King's true form.

Although the Spirit King has been taken away by that child, he has existed for millions of years, and his "traces" are found in every corner of the Three Realms. By absorbing the Spirit King's functions contained in the artificial core, Yhwach can track down the Spirit King and then absorb him as well.

"This is the last chance," Yhwach said.

Hasward stood up and disappeared into the shadows.

Beneath the ruins of Seireitei, a passage leading to Avici Hell is being opened.

Avici Hell is located at the lowest level of Seireitei.

Starting from the ground, one must pass through eight layers of sealing barriers. Each layer was constructed by a master of the Ghost Path from a different era. The outermost layer is a mid-level Ghost Path barrier, while the innermost layer is a forbidden technique-level seal that even Hyosube Ichibei needed special methods to open.

Of course, he doesn't have a calligraphy brush in his hand now.

He only had one strawberry lollipop.

"Monk, what are you dawdling about?" Kaido stood in front of the first layer of the barrier, carrying his spiked club, growing impatient.

"I'm trying to figure out how to break the barrier." Hyosube Ichibei's expression was rather grim. "Normally, I can erase the inscriptions on the barrier with just ink, but now—"

He held up the lollipop.

Kaido glanced at the large pink lollipop, then at the barrier.

"Can this be used to open it?"

"Theoretically, since this lollipop inherits the conceptual unit of a calligraphy brush, it should be able to—"

"You'll know once you try."

Hyosube Ichibei took a deep breath and drew a circle on the barrier while holding up a lollipop.

A layer of strawberry-flavored syrup seeped from the surface of the lollipop, leaving a crooked circular mark on the barrier.

The barrier cracked.

A chilling wind surged from the crack, carrying a malice that could knock even an ordinary Grim Reaper unconscious.

Hyosube Ichibei stared at the syrup on the lollipop and remained silent for three seconds.

"...It actually works."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Kaido strode into the rift.

Lynn floated atop Kaido's head, his legs dangling, looking around. The passage was dark, the walls covered with ancient scriptures that emitted a dim blue light. An inexplicable sense of oppression hung in the air, as if something was watching every person who entered.