The Wolf’s Evolution
The air in Hueco Mundo trembled.
Harry stood motionless, twin swords in hand, as Vael Vortigen—the so-called Perfected Visored—smirked before him.
Around them, the Shadow Guard clashed with Vael’s twisted Hollow-Shinigami hybrids. Kensei’s fists shattered the skull of one opponent, while Shinji carved through another with a flick of his inverted blade. Lisa and Hachigen held the front, sealing off enemies with precise kido.
But Harry’s focus was locked on Vael.
This man was wrong. His reiatsu twisted unnaturally, a sickening fusion of Hollow, Shinigami, and something else entirely.
And worst of all—he was stable.
Not like the Visoreds, who had fought for control.
Not like Aizen’s failed experiments.
Vael stood tall, calm, balanced—as if he had truly mastered the fusion.
"You feel it, don’t you?" Vael said, his voice smooth and almost mocking. "That deep ache inside you? The conflict between your Shinigami and Hollow halves?”
Harry’s grip tightened on his swords.
“You’re just another failure,” Vael continued. “An unstable Visored, fighting against yourself. But me?” His crimson eyes gleamed. “I have become one with my power.”
Harry exhaled slowly, ignoring the anger rising inside him. Vael was trying to get in his head.
He had faced worse.
“Enough talking,” Harry said, lifting his blades. “Let’s see if you’re as strong as you think.”
Vael grinned. “Gladly.”
And then—they vanished.
A Battle Beyond Limits
The world exploded as Harry and Vael clashed at impossible speeds.
Sand erupted beneath them as their blades met in a shower of sparks. Vael was fast—too fast—matching Harry’s every movement with ease.
For every strike Harry landed, Vael countered with precise, brutal efficiency.
"You hold back," Vael mused between attacks, sidestepping a deadly swing. "You fight as a Shinigami, but you are more than that."
He flickered forward and slashed Harry across the chest, sending him crashing into the sand.
Blood dripped from Harry’s lip as he staggered back to his feet.
Vael tilted his head. “You refuse to accept it, don’t you? The truth that you are neither Shinigami nor Hollow.”
Harry’s golden Hollow eyes flickered.
Something inside him… trembled.
"You fear what you could become," Vael continued, his blade glowing with corrupted energy. "But I don’t."
Vael ripped off his own mask, but instead of losing control, his power surged. His reiatsu turned black and crimson, warping the air around him.
"This is what true balance looks like," he said, his voice now layered with both Shinigami and Hollow tones.
Then, he charged.
The Breaking Point
Vael overwhelmed him.
Harry fought back with everything he had—Shikai, Bankai, speed, precision—but it wasn’t enough.
Vael moved like a ghost, dodging with unnatural grace.
And when he struck, Harry felt every blow deep in his soul.
"You will never defeat me," Vael whispered, appearing right behind him.
A burning blade plunged through Harry’s chest.
The world stopped.
Pain exploded through his body as Vael twisted the sword.
He coughed blood, his vision blurring. His body… refused to move.
"Damn it… not like this."
His heartbeat slowed.
And then, from the depths of his mind—two voices spoke at once.
"Call us."
His Zanpakutō spirit.
And his Hollow.
For the first time, they spoke together.
"Let go."
Vael leaned in close, whispering, “This is where you break.”
Harry smirked.
“Not today.”
And then—he let go.
Becoming One
The air cracked apart as an unstoppable reiatsu exploded from Harry’s body.
Vael was blasted backward, skidding across the sand.
Harry stood, his wounds already closing.
His Hollow mask formed—but this time, it was different.
The markings were perfectly symmetrical, glowing faintly with silver light. His twin blades fused into one, a massive obsidian-black sword etched with ancient runes.
And behind him, a spectral wolf loomed—its fur both black and white, its eyes burning with balanced power.
Shinji’s eyes widened. “No way…”
Kensei muttered, “He actually did it.”
Lisa pushed up her glasses. “He’s not just controlling his Hollow. He’s become one with it.”
Harry exhaled, his breath steady.
For the first time… there was no struggle inside him.
No conflict.
No war between Shinigami and Hollow.
Just balance.
He lifted his new sword, locking eyes with Vael.
“My turn.”
The End of Vael Vortigen
Vael barely had time to react.
Harry vanished—moving faster than light itself.
When he reappeared, his sword was already cleaving through Vael’s chest.
A massive shockwave split the desert as Harry’s strike tore through Vael’s reiatsu, shattering his mask in an instant.
Vael staggered, clutching his wound, his crimson eyes wide in disbelief.
“…Impossible,” he whispered. “You… how…?”
Harry lowered his blade, staring down at him.
“You called yourself perfected,” he said simply. “But real power isn’t about suppressing half of yourself.”
He turned away.
“It’s about accepting all of it.”
Vael gasped, his body fading into dust.
And just like that—he was gone.
Aftermath
The Shadow Guard gathered around Harry, their expressions mixed with awe and shock.
“Well,” Shinji said, smirking. “That was dramatic.”
Lisa sighed. “You almost died, you know.”
Harry rolled his shoulders. “Yeah, but I didn’t.”
Kensei grunted. “Tch. So, what do we call that new form?”
Harry thought for a moment, looking at his now-stable Hollow mask, his perfectly fused Zanpakutō, and the wolf spirit at his back.
“…Balance.”
Raiden chuckled. “Sounds about right.”
Then, from behind them—a slow clap.
They all turned as a new figure emerged from the shadows.
A man in a tattered white haori, his silver hair falling over piercing golden eyes.
Harry’s grip tightened on his sword. “…Who the hell are you?”
The man smiled.
“I am the one who created Vael,” he said. “And I must say… you interest me far more than he ever did.”
The real mastermind had arrived.