Gabriel was utterly unaware of the effect of the cosmic backshots. Oh well, this would be a problem for his future self to deal with.
His present self had two concubines to feed. Their bodies were boneless; they barely even had the energy to raise their heads.
They gasped. Oh well, they asked for this.
Gabriel could hear their little mumblings. Apacci was muttering something about round 16 while her body shook, and Mila-Rose seemed to be mumbling something related to baby names.
This was nice. He quite liked this. Now to get up and go outside and hopefully not get teased by Sun-Sun.
Fuck. Well, he accomplished everything. As for what he wanted to achieve now... he wanted to fully master the beast's power, make it fully his own—becoming the strongest living entity to ever exist.
Gabriel had transfigured his soul, and ever since he received Luz'xipher's power, he felt it—he was growing stronger passively. As in, he didn't even need to work out. Every day, he would be like 1% stronger than the day before.
And that shit stacked infinitely. And he didn't get rusty. He found that out when he remembered he could still cook the Mexican food his dad used to make for him... he hadn't cooked that specific dish in 40 years, and yet when he started cooking, it felt like he was just as good—if not better—than before.
His current self could run a gauntlet of all—yes, all—of the people that were in Soul Society back then and win. Mid-diff. Main problem being Ichibei, and not because of his strength, but because of his hacks.
Oh well. Shikai and Bankai were now gone. Not fully though—no new Shikai or Bankai could be named, but the stuff that was already named still existed. Because while Ichibei was dead...
The beast only ate his head. Think of it like Chainsaw Man from the manga Chainsaw Man—when the Chainsaw Devil eats something, it vanishes from the world. But if he only eats a small portion, it simply grows weaker and some part of it vanishes.
Like with the War Devil—he ate a chunk of her and just like that, nukes, missiles, and a whole bunch of other stuff just stopped existing the moment he did so.
That's how his shit worked. So no new Bankai users could ever be made—unless Shinigami found other ways. They've been nerfed badly.
They were now the weakest faction. Fullbringers don't count, as they've assimilated into Gabriel's army. And Yhwach's current army could, in fact, whoop them if they attacked now. The two Kenpachi were still healing.
Yes, it's been a few months and they're still healing. The wounds caused by Grimmjow's authority take a shit-ton of time to heal, since there's some venom in it that stops blood from coagulating. If you don't know what that is... pick up a book.
While he was in his mind, pondering how flexible Apacci was, he felt a cold presence in his consciousness.
Luz'xipher.
"You again," Gabriel said, tone flat, eyes closed.
Luz'xipher.
"Tch tch tch. That's no way to greet your father-in-power."
His voice wasn't a voice—it was the absence of all others. Like silence had grown teeth and decided to speak.
Gabriel didn't respond.
Luz'xipher chuckled.
"Still pretending you're above temptation?
Fine. Let me paint you a picture."
"Imagine it, Gabriel. A world... shaped by your will.
Your wives never suffer.
Your children never fall.
Your enemies never rise.
You are not a king there—you are God."
"There is no pain.
No betrayal.
No hunger.
No balance."
"Just you. And yours. Forever."
"And all I ask... is your soul."
Gabriel stayed silent for a long time.
Eyes still closed. Breath steady. Beneath his fingers, Mila stirred again, clinging to his arm like a lifeline. Apacci was murmuring in her sleep—"My lion..."—probably dreaming of Leonido.
He opened his eyes.
"There's always a catch," Gabriel said.
"Even gods bleed," Luz'xipher replied.
"You think I'm evil.
Because I do not nurture. Because I do not protect. Because I do not love."
"But love is a prison.
Mercy is an illusion.
And creation? Creation is a trap."
"Everything that lives... suffers."
"Everything born learns pain.
Everything grown is slaughtered.
All kindness is betrayed.
All peace is temporary.
All kingdoms fall."
"So I do not create.
I end."
"I am not a god.
I am the truth gods are too cowardly to accept."
"All things die."
"I simply ensure they do so honestly."
Gabriel exhaled.
"That's not truth," he said. "That's nihilism dressed in poetry."
"Truth. Nihilism. Call it what you like."
"But you will understand me, Gabriel. One day."
"When your kingdom falls.
When your wives lie broken.
When even your children weep blood.
When your name is dust."
"Then you will cry out for me.
And I will answer."
Truly a very bad person to be influenced by. Gabriel felt it—this guy was tempting him. Yet he refused. He remembered what Luz'xipher did the last time he was in control.
The memory of the beast trying to erase his wife from existence played in his mind. He absolutely refused to let this bastard leave after committing such a crime.
Such a horrible crime.
The beast was annoyed. So he was considered evil—but Gabriel could just murder a random reincarnator from another universe just because they were with Harribel? Poor Shendu.
Oh well, none of his business. That was 100% on accident. Gabriel 100% did not mean to do that.
Oh well. That multiverse was destroyed now. No biggie.
A/N Ignore the last part.