Chapter 640 - 640 Hyorinmaru's 'Gift'

Looking at his surroundings, Toshiro instantly understood that this was his inner world.

"Hyorinmaru, what's going on? Why am I here?" Toshiro stood up from Hyorinmaru's embrace.

"After you were severely injured and fell unconscious in the battle with Aizen, I called you however I could, but you wouldn't wake up. So I pulled your consciousness into the Inner World to see if there was any way to help you wake up sooner," Hyorinmaru also sat up and explained to Toshiro.

"I see. Then... how is the situation outside now?" Toshiro asked somewhat cautiously, afraid of hearing bad news from Hyorinmaru.

"After you lost the battle with Aizen, Unohana Retsu, Kurosaki Isshin, Urahara Kisuke, Shihoin Yoruichi, and others appeared one after another. Unohana retreated with you to the rear to treat you, while the others fought Aizen. However... Kisuke, Yoruichi, Isshin, and the others ultimately lost. Finally, Ichimaru Gin also betrayed Aizen and attacked. But the result..."

"Kisuke, Yoruichi, and Isshin are severely injured and unconscious. Gin... is dead," Hyorinmaru said in a heavy tone.

"Is that so? No wonder... No wonder I heard Rangiku crying."

"Heh, ever since I crossed over, I have trained hard. From awakening my Shinigami power, to Lieutenant level, Captain level, Beyond-Captain level, and finally to the Demi-God level. Then I thought I had the power to protect my companions. But in the end... it turned out like this. Hahaha..." Toshiro laughed self-deprecatingly.

"Toshiro..." Hyorinmaru said with concern.

'No! At this point, there is no time to be depressed. I have to pull myself together. I can't waste any more time here. I have to go stop Aizen.' Toshiro thought to himself.

Thinking this, Toshiro looked up at the sky, preparing to leave the inner world.

"Are you leaving, Toshiro?" Hyorinmaru seemed to see his intention to leave.

"Ah... I'm going to stop Aizen, protect everyone, and keep my companions... from crying," Toshiro said with determination.

"No!"

Hyorinmaru shouted, suddenly hugging Toshiro tightly from behind, as if she didn't want him to leave.

"In your previous battle with Aizen, you were already severely injured. Even if you leave here and wake up again, with your battered body, you can't possibly be a match for Aizen. Not to mention... Aizen has already broken the Shinigami limit and evolved to a higher level," Hyorinmaru dissuaded.

"Is that so? So Aizen has already broken through? That is... even more troublesome." Although he said this, Toshiro still showed no sign of changing his mind.

"Toshiro, don't go. You have no chance of winning now. Aizen has already succeeded in evolving..."

"Then I should go even more!" Toshiro said in a heavy tone. "Aizen has succeeded in evolving and become an existence surpassing Shinigami and Hollow. Only I might be able to stop him."

"It seems you are determined to go..." Hyorinmaru said reluctantly.

"Yes, you know... I can't abandon those companions. If I can't stop Aizen, our home will be destroyed, our companions will be killed. So... even if I only have one breath left, I must go stop Aizen," Toshiro said, pushing away Hyorinmaru's arms around him with some reluctance.

"Is that so? Well then... I won't stop you anymore," Hyorinmaru sighed.

"It's good that you understand..." Toshiro said somewhat guiltily.

"But... before that, I have a gift for you," Hyorinmaru said solemnly.

"A gift? What gift?" Toshiro was bewildered, 'At a time like this, she wanted to give me a gift?'

"Me."

"What?"

"The gift... I said the gift is 'me'."

"Eh? Eh eh eh!!!"

Toshiro was first dumbfounded, then instantly shocked and shouted loudly.

'Co... could it be that Hyorinmaru thinks I'm definitely going to die this time, so she wants to... with me before I die...'

"..."

Toshiro cleared his throat lightly, then said seriously with a straight face: "Hyorinmaru, our relationship is a very normal one between a Zanpakuto and a Shinigami. I have no improper thoughts about you. And even if... I said if... there were time for that... there is no time now. I have to go stop Aizen as soon as possible."

"What... what are you talking about!" Hyorinmaru said, shaking with anger.

"I... I wanted to talk to you about something serious, but your mind is full of such filthy thoughts!!!"

Bang!

In anger, Hyorinmaru punched Toshiro in the stomach.

"Pfft!" Toshiro spit out bile and screamed in pain, clutching his stomach.

"Alright, no more jokes. I want to talk to you about something serious. It concerns whether you can defeat Aizen," Hyorinmaru said seriously.

Hearing Hyorinmaru's words, Toshiro's expression immediately became serious: "What is it?"

Then Hyorinmaru said in a deep voice: "Actually, after you were injured and fell unconscious, I kept thinking about one question. You have already reached the pinnacle of the Demi-God level, and you have met the conditions for breakthrough in all aspects. But why have you still not broken through to the True God-level?"

"Even Aizen has broken the Shinigami limit and evolved to a higher level. According to my previous estimates, you should have broken through to the True God-level during your battle with Aizen, using the pressure of the fight, and then defeated him in one fell swoop. But the result... until you were defeated and fell unconscious, there was still no sign of a breakthrough. This has always confused me..."

"Yes, even I am very puzzled by this," Toshiro said, frowning.

Toshiro's strength had long reached the Shinigami peak. He also had some understanding of the Ice Law. His Reiatsu already possessed some characteristics of the Divine Power. Moreover, because his soul had fused with the original owner's after crossing over, his Reiryoku and soul were exceptionally powerful.

So in a sense, the 'Shinigami limit' was not an insurmountable barrier for Toshiro. Logically, he should have broken through to the True God-level long ago. But...

—Why couldn't he break through?

"Why couldn't you break through? At first, I couldn't figure it out either. But just now, when you were about to leave here, I suddenly understood... The reason you couldn't break through was not your fault. The main reason was me," Hyorinmaru said in a low tone.

"The reason is you!?" Toshiro exclaimed in surprise.

"Ah, that's right. It's all... my fault," Hyorinmaru said guiltily.

"Hyorinmaru, what exactly is going on?" Toshiro pressed.