Fate in Bleach: Unlimited Blade Works!-Chapter 467: The Third Magician

Within Ailin's Unlimited Blade Works, a golden Holy Grail now hovered in mid-air. Endless black, sludge-like magical energy flowed down from it. This sludge seemed inherently destructive; wherever it flowed, fierce flames ignited, transforming the landscape into a scene of apocalyptic ruin.

This black magical energy—no, having arrived in the Shinigami world, the Grail's power should now be called "spiritual pressure."

Although what Ailin had brought into Unlimited Blade Works wasn't the Greater Grail embedded in the Root by the founding families, but the Lesser Grail formed from Irisviel, its power was still connected to the Greater Grail, existing on the same level as the "Root" itself. Only power of this magnitude could breach the world's "Root," allowing magi a glimpse into the truth of the Third Magic.

The Third Magic, known as "Heaven's Feel" or "Soul Materialization," was a magic capable of granting souls immortality and indestructibility. In other words, the Third Magician would possess infinite soul power. The Shinigami world was inherently a world based on the power of souls. The Third Magic of the Type-Moon world was exceptionally compatible with it.

When Ailin absorbed the Grail into Unlimited Blade Works, it was already connected to the Type-Moon world's Root. Therefore, the Grail's power naturally contained the ability to materialize souls and achieve the Third Magic.

Amidst the swirling black sludge, the figure of Hollow Lin flickered in and out of existence.

A portion of the Grail's power spilled out, corrupting Ailin's Unlimited Blade Works, while the rest surged into Hollow Lin's body.

As Ailin's other half, even after using the Hōgyoku to transform from a soul agent into a Hollow, Hollow Lin's potential hadn't reached a level comparable to Ailin's. This was precisely why Ailin's own "Hollowfication" training had remained incomplete.

Now, Hollow Lin had obtained the Heaven's Feel, a perfect match for him, along with the vast power of "All the World's Evils." As long as Hollow Lin completely absorbed this power and merged with the Grail representing the Third Magic's "Soul Materialization," his standing would reach parity with Ailin's, truly becoming a subservient power source capable of amplifying Ailin.

Although the Shinigami world was incomplete, Ailin's essence as "Sword" existed on the same level as the Type-Moon world's "Root."

Only the seven Magicians of the Type-Moon world possessed a standing equivalent to Ailin's. Of course, due to the differing intensities of the two worlds, the Type-Moon world had "Seven Magics," while in the Shinigami world, only four beings, including Ailin, had grasped their "essence."

The first, undoubtedly, was the Soul King, wielding omnipotent power, the closest being to a creator god.

The second was the Captain of Squad Zero, Ichibē Hyōsube, whose essence was "Black."

The third was the progenitor of the Quincy, Yhwach, his essence being "Bestowal and Reclamation."

The fourth was Ailin himself, whose essence was "Sword."

Normally, for Ailin to obtain a subservient power source capable of significantly boosting him, he would need to transform the three beings preceding him into Hollows perfectly compatible with himself, completely merging their spiritual pressures with his own to ascend to a higher realm.

But now, Ailin's "past self" had directly intercepted the Third Magic from the Type-Moon world. Once Hollow Lin became the Third Magician, the amplification he provided Ailin would likely be second only to what Ailin might gain from converting the Soul King into a subservient power source.

Within Unlimited Blade Works, the golden radiance representing Ailin's spiritual pressure began to shrink, compressed by Hollow Lin's blackish-red spiritual pressure and the overflowing power from the Grail.

The ground overrun by the blackish-red flames, and the Zanpakutō themselves, started developing blackish-red fiery patterns. Under the influence of these patterns, the quality of the Zanpakutō improved significantly. Of course, this change in form also gave the Zanpakutō a much more sinister feel.

If Ailin's previous Unlimited Blade Works, filled with the golden light of the sword forest, represented the righteous path, then this current gloomy and terrifying sword mound embodied the dark, demonic path.

Boom!

Boom boom boom boom boom...

Perhaps due to absorbing the power of All the World's Evils from the Grail, Hollow Lin's spiritual pressure had shifted from blackish-red to pure black. Yet, this pure black spiritual pressure emanated a faint red glow, looking incredibly wicked and alluring.

Having merged with the Grail, Hollow Lin seemed to have become an abyss. His vast spiritual pressure now surpassed Ailin's current level. Clearly, Hollow Lin had truly become the Third Magician of the Shinigami world. Soul Materialization, immortality—it represented infinite soul power.

"Hahahahaha..."

"I've succeeded!"

Within Unlimited Blade Works, Hollow Lin laughed maniacally.

A pillar of black spiritual pressure, dozens of meters wide, shot skyward from his body, rapidly spreading throughout the Reality Marble.

Aided by Hollow Lin's spiritual pressure, the black power from the Grail spread even faster. In mere moments, the ground of Ailin's Unlimited Blade Works had transformed completely into a black ocean, upon which blackish-red flames burned.

Every Zanpakutō embedded in this ocean bore the blackish-red flame patterns.

Currently, the only area within Unlimited Blade Works untouched by the black tide was Ailin's foothold: the Sword Hill. At the base of the hill, the black spiritual pressure slowly encroached upwards, attempting to claim the last high ground in this space.

However, as Ailin's standing point and the core of his Unlimited Blade Works, he couldn't allow the Sword Hill to be corrupted by "All the World's Evils." He desired greater power, but that didn't mean he would allow another's will to dominate his own body. Not Hollow Lin. Not Angra Mainyu, brought back from the Type-Moon world by his "past self."

Boom!

A pillar of golden spiritual pressure erupted from Ailin's body, completely enveloping the Sword Hill, soaring into the sky, and isolating it from the encroachment of Hollow Lin's power.

Vmmmmmm—

The Zanpakutō on the Sword Hill vibrated softly. Spiritual pressures of various colors burst forth from them, merging with Ailin's own, collectively resisting Hollow Lin's encroachment. Aided by the spiritual pressure of these Zanpakutō, Ailin directly expelled the black energy from the Sword Hill.

However, Ailin didn't expand his own spiritual pressure outward. Allowing Hollow Lin's power to occupy the rest of Unlimited Blade Works, excluding the Sword Hill, had been part of Ailin's plan for training "Hollowfication" previously.

It was just that Hollow Lin had been too disappointing back then. Even when Ailin deliberately restricted his own spiritual pressure to occupy only half of Unlimited Blade Works, Hollow Lin's power had faltered, unable to erode Ailin's territory any further.

Now, having obtained the Holy Grail and become the Third Magician, Hollow Lin's spiritual pressure had undergone a massive improvement in both quality and quantity. The "quality" of Hollow Lin's spiritual pressure had reached a level comparable to Ailin's. The Third Magician's standing was inherently equivalent to those who grasped "essence" in the Shinigami world. And the "quantity" of Hollow Lin's spiritual pressure now far exceeded Ailin's. After all, the Third Magic, "Soul Materialization," granted Hollow Lin effectively infinite spiritual pressure.

Ailin, on the other hand, unless he possessed an ability like Gilgamesh's "Sha Naqba Imuru" to instantly discern the true names of all treasures, fully activating his own "Sword" essence and gaining the support of all "swords" in the Shinigami world, could only approach "infinity." Approaching infinity and true infinity were two different concepts.

However... once he defeated Hollow Lin again, making him a subservient power source, everything Hollow Lin now possessed would become Ailin's.

Of course, the reverse was also true for Hollow Lin. When Ailin allowed Hollow Lin to undergo the Hōgyoku's transformation into the Hollow power within him, he had made a promise. Periodically, Hollow Lin could challenge Ailin. If Hollow Lin won, everything Ailin possessed would become his. Ailin, naturally, would become the subservient power source.

Now, having obtained the Grail and All the World's Evils, Hollow Lin had become the Third Magician, his strength greatly increased. Judging by his current demeanor, he was undoubtedly about to issue a challenge.

Indeed, just as Ailin expected, after several failed attempts to corrupt the Sword Hill with his spiritual pressure, Hollow Lin, wreathed in raging black demonic flames, flew into the air, leveling himself with Ailin on the Sword Hill.

"Ailin, does our agreement still stand?"

"Of course," Ailin nodded. "Since I established the rule myself, I will naturally abide by it. Our agreement remains valid as long as you reside within me."

"Very well. Then, Ailin, I challenge you now! The wager is the next hundred years. The loser must provide power to the winner."

"Oh?" Ailin raised an eyebrow. "Hollow Lin, are you that confident? You know, a hundred years isn't short. If you lose this time, according to our arrangement, you won't have another chance to challenge me while in the Shinigami world."

"Hahahahaha..." Hollow Lin threw his arms wide, laughing wildly. "Are you afraid, Ailin!"

"No, I'm just curious why you'd wager so long. I thought you'd bet ten years at most."

As Ailin's Hollow power, Hollow Lin naturally knew Ailin's capabilities. Given enough time for Ailin to draw out the powerful Zanpakutō of the Shinigami world, the strength increase they provided would be immense. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

As Ailin grew stronger, Hollow Lin's chances of defeating him would diminish. By setting the wager at one hundred years, if Hollow Lin lost, it was almost certain that a century later, Ailin's power would far exceed his current level. Hollow Lin would likely never have another chance to win, forever reduced to a subservient power source, unless Ailin acquired something like the "Holy Grail" from another world again, boosting Hollow Lin's strength even further, potentially allowing him to surpass Ailin.

"I am immortal. To me, ten years or a hundred years makes little difference."

"Alright. Since you're so confident, it would be disrespectful of me not to accept. Your challenge, I accept!"

"Hahahaha, excellent!"

"Then, let's begin!"

Boom!

As Hollow Lin's spiritual pressure erupted, the Zanpakutō bearing flame patterns within the black tide of Unlimited Blade Works shot out from the ground. They circled around Hollow Lin in the air, their eerie flame patterns glowing, enveloping the blades in blackish-red fire.

Boom boom boom boom boom...

With bursts of fiery explosions, these Zanpakutō transformed into flaming meteor arrows, raining down towards Ailin on the Sword Hill.

Facing Hollow Lin's assault, Ailin extended his right hand. Interweaving golden and red patterns materialized above him, eventually resolving into golden and red lines that slowly descended towards his hand. These lines converged in his grasp, forming a cylindrical "sword." This was the EX-rank Noble Phantasm, the "Sword of Rupture," that Ailin's past self had copied from Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes.

Like the Sword of Promised Victory, Ailin had made some adjustments to Ea. Although he hadn't crafted this "Sword of Rupture" before, as an Anti-World Noble Phantasm, it undoubtedly possessed spatial power.

Coincidentally, after absorbing the "Royal Seal," Ailin had gained considerable experience in using spatial power. When crafting this Sword of Rupture, Ailin had infused a large amount of spatial energy into it. In other words, the Sword of Rupture now in Ailin's hand inevitably surpassed the power of the original held by Gilgamesh.

These events, though taking time to describe, happened incredibly quickly. From Hollow Lin launching his attack to Ailin crafting the Sword of Rupture, it all occurred almost simultaneously.

Facing the countless flaming meteor arrows, Ailin raised the Sword of Rupture high.

"I shall tell of the beginning. Heaven and earth split, nothingness celebrated creation..."

Boom!

As Ailin chanted, the red patterns on the Sword of Rupture began to rotate. A vortex of interwoven gold and red wind danced around the blade, forming a massive tornado.

"Bankai—"

"Enuma Elish!" (The Star of Creation that Split Heaven and Earth!)

Boom!

With Ailin's roar, the gold and red tornado transformed into a world-destroying storm, surging upwards to meet the descending flaming meteor arrows. The storm instantly shattered most of the arrows, erupting in fiery explosions, yet continued its ascent towards Hollow Lin without slowing.

"Sword of Rupture?"

"You're not the only one who has it!"