Reborn as The Hollow God

The silence was oppressive. And then, a sound cracked in the tomb—a slight creaking of chains being tightened. And Arturo Plateado opened his eyes, bathing in the same darkness and solitude he had known for centuries.

He lifted his head, the faint light emanating from the spiritual seals around him barely enough to illuminate his irritated expression. The seals glowed in shades of blue and gold, formed by intricate kanji that slowly rotated around his prison. He didn't need to test them; he knew they were as impenetrable as the day he was sealed.

"How much time has passed?" His voice echoed softly, with an almost unbreakable arrogance. And then he smiled, a smile that didn't denote happiness but rather a sense of humor. "A thousand years, maybe more? Yes... that seems right."

He settled more comfortably, although the chains binding his arms and legs limited his movement. Arturo looked at the seals and ran his tongue over his lips, a habit he had kept since time immemorial, when he was still free.

"These seals are still strong. Yamamoto and that damn Kenpachi... they must come here from time to time to reinforce them, right?" He laughed softly, his voice sounding like a rumbling thunder. "Typical of them. Always fearing what they can't destroy."

For a brief moment, Arturo's expression grew distant, almost nostalgic. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift back to his glorious past, the time when his name was spoken with FEAR and RESPECT. "I almost miss those rivals of mine..." he murmured.

His mind wandered to two specific figures. "Baraggan... always so arrogant with that 'being the God-king of Hueco Mundo' thing. And that other one..." Arturo stopped, frowning. "Ikomikidomoe." The name slipped from his lips like a whisper, but then he let out a laugh.

"Ikomikidomoe? Why the hell did I call him that? I'm sure that's not his name..." He shrugged, or as much as the chains allowed. "Maybe I forgot. Or maybe I invented that nickname for him. Hah! It fits, doesn't it?"

Arturo shook his head, pushing the memories away with a wry smile. But behind that smile, there was something else: frustration.

The silence once again ruled over his sealing place, but Arturo's mind was far from it. He closed his eyes again, not to sleep, but to think. Eternity offered plenty of time for introspection, even for someone like him.

"Interesting how old age can erase memories, but not emotions," he murmured. "I can still feel my old power... And the hatred. The hatred for them... for daring to challenge me, to imprison me here." The Ancient Arrancar growled.

He stared at the emptiness again, the glow of the seals reflecting in his golden eyes.

"Yamamoto... that old fool. He never understood anything, always arrogant, thinking he was the top of the world. But... what now? Is he still alive? Or has he finally been consumed by the flame he so venerated?"

Arturo tilted his head thoughtfully. "And the Kenpachi? Is there still a bloodthirsty woman carrying that title? If she's still reinforcing these seals, she must be alive... or has someone worthy taken her place?"

But there was another memory that bothered him. Baraggan and that Calamity he had nicknamed Ikomikidomoe. Something about them made him feel uncomfortable, as if there was something buried in the past that he couldn't quite recall.

"Do they still exist? No... Baraggan was too stubborn to die easily, but Ikomikidomoe..." Arturo laughed, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Who knows? Maybe that abomination has evolved beyond anything any of us could imagine."

The prisoner Arrancar shook the chains, testing their strength. A bluish glow ran through the seals, repelling his attempt. Arturo snarled, but the smile never left his face.

"Even after all this time, you're still afraid, huh?" He pulled on the chains again, this time with more force, and the seals glowed brighter. "I understand. You think you've weakened me... but you don't realize that every second here only makes me hungrier. I will devour every one of you."

He tilted his head back, letting out a laugh that echoed throughout his prison.

"You can reinforce these seals as many times as you want, Yamamoto. But one day... one day, they will fail. And when that happens, I'll be here. Waiting."

Arturo closed his eyes, feeling the weight of silence once more. But this time, he didn't feel the emptiness as he had before. He felt... expectation.

"And when I get out," he whispered, his voice barely audible, "The Soul Society will remember the name Arturo Plateado. And they will tremble."

Thus, Arturo returned to his silence. he will remember to return every drop of anger he felt in these centuries to each of his jailers...and Arturo...was a man of his word.

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Random important fact for the story:

Did you know that according to the novel, Baraggan and Ikomikidomoe have existed for at least a million years? They are described as existing from the primordial times of the three worlds, with Ikomikidomoe (Original) facing both Vasto Lords and natural Arrancars daily (yes, Arrancars existed since the dawn of the three worlds) and prevailing among them.

And an extra curiosity about this:

Back then, almost all Adjuchas were incapable of reaching humanoid form (Vasto Lord), and without willpower, they continued to exist in this form for a long period of time. This likely means that Ikomikidomoe couldn't have evolved by his own will, perhaps.

Furthermore, this Interlude introduces one of these Primordial Arrancars, "Arturo Plateado" from the Bleach Shattered Blade and 3rd Phantom games.