"Anyway, Captain Tsugikuni, that's how it happened…"
In the Seireitei, Ichimaru Gin reported the situation to Yoriichi Tsugikuni with a frustrated expression.
Heaven knows what was going on, but he had actually become a spy within a spy.
Could it be that he was a born undercover saint?
Otherwise, it made no sense.
Yoriichi listened quietly to his account, and while he was slightly surprised that Aizen would send Ichimaru Gin at this time,
considering Aizen's current predicament… this was a reasonable course of action.
With his own power unable to contend with the Soul Society, he had to find another way to secure a glimmer of hope.
Of course, there was also another possibility.
That was, Aizen had detected some clues and wanted to move Ichimaru Gin away to prevent him from knowing his plan.
The reason given on the surface was to make him an undercover agent.
It wouldn't affect anyone either way.
"Understood."
Yoriichi nodded lightly, "Since that's the case, let's leave it at that for now. No matter what Aizen is planning, he will eventually reveal a flaw."
"Also, you just said there are seven hundred Arrancar Menos Grande in Las Noches?"
"How can there be so many?"
Ichimaru Gin himself wasn't clear about this; ultimately, Aizen had never fully trusted him.
Before this, specifically right after Baraggan died, he had counted carefully, and there were only two hundred Arrancar Menos Grande left in all of Las Noches at that time.
But now, only a year later, their number had not only not decreased but had increased by five hundred.
Although these were all Adjuchas, their strength was not to be underestimated.
If Aizen hadn't been unsure,
and if the Soul Society hadn't had Yamamoto Genryusai and Yoriichi Tsugikuni stationed there,
Ichimaru Gin even suspected that Aizen was gathering these Menos Grande to destroy the Soul Society and engage them in a decisive battle.
However, Aizen's action of sending him out negated this speculation.
Recalling the various events that occurred in Las Noches, Ichimaru Gin explained:
"They were probably captured from the Forest of Menos."
"Captain Tsugikuni, I know you have arranged people outside Las Noches to monitor Aizen."
"But there's more than one way to leave Las Noches."
"I think you might have overlooked the underground… As vast as Hueco Mundo is, so is the Forest of Menos, and the underground of Las Noches also contains the Forest of Menos."
"Of course, I understand that it's not your fault, because even I didn't know at first that Aizen would acquire personnel through such means…"
"This could be considered a blind spot in both our thinking."
Aizen had always given them the impression of being "upright and honorable."
Now, he was probably influenced by Baraggan's death and those few Vasto Lorde.
There were only two choices for acquiring personnel.
Either use force to break through, swallow the bait set by Yoriichi Tsugikuni, and end up being ganged up on.
Or, quietly open up the underground connection between Las Noches and the Forest of Menos, and silently accumulate strength.
Evidently, Aizen was neither foolish nor a masochist; even if he was arrogant, he wouldn't choose the former.
Thus, the latter's appearance was only natural.
Yoriichi understood everything.
It seemed people do change; after experiencing a setback, Aizen had indeed become much more cautious. Seven hundred Adjuchas, well, that's manageable…
At least the First Generation Captains were capable of easily dealing with them.
Not to mention the Captains and some Seat Officers with Captain-level strength in the Seireitei at this stage.
However… what Ichimaru Gin mentioned, that Aizen seemed to have prepared another plan, made Yoriichi quite concerned.
Forget it, no matter what preparations he had made, it was now time to close the net.
Thump, thump, thump.
Yoriichi tapped the table lightly while deep in thought. A moment later, he raised his eyes:
"Alright, thank you for the information, Gin. You can go now."
"I'll have someone handle your identity issue later. Also, would you like to see Rangiku?"
…
…
Matsumoto Rangiku saw Ichimaru Gin.
Of course.
It was him, bound by sealed stone.
After all, if you're going to put on a show, you have to do it completely.
No matter whether Aizen had spies in the Seireitei, and no matter how much information Ichimaru Gin brought back.
For now, Ichimaru Gin's identity was that of a traitor.
And precisely because of this.
When Matsumoto Rangiku saw Ichimaru Gin, bound by sealed stone and looking "weak and exhausted,"
the anger that had been building up in her chest instantly dissipated without a trace due to her emotions.
"Gin."
Matsumoto Rangiku watched Ichimaru Gin being escorted through the iron bars, her heart exceptionally complex.
On one hand, she was happy that Gin was able to return; on the other hand, she was deeply worried about Gin's future.
After all, Ichimaru Gin had betrayed the Soul Society, and with that notorious guy Aizen at that.
Although there was an element of self-surrender now that he had returned, Rangiku had no idea how the Shinigami responsible for the judgment would treat him.
At this moment.
She thought of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, because she felt Yoriichi could save Gin.
In Rangiku's view, although Ichimaru Gin had betrayed the Soul Society, he might have merely been swayed by Aizen.
He hadn't actually done anything detrimental to the Soul Society.
As the saying goes, a lost sheep returning should be given a chance.
She found Yoriichi, but Yoriichi did not give her a definite answer.
This was Ichimaru Gin's request.
Only in this way could Ichimaru Gin's rebellious actions and Yoriichi's own position be justified.
At the same time, even if Aizen found out, he wouldn't detect anything unusual.
Because, according to normal circumstances, what Ichimaru Gin was experiencing was normal treatment.
Rangiku felt a bit desperate about this; if Yoriichi wouldn't help her, then truly no one could.
A few days later, the judgment for Ichimaru Gin was handed down.
Given his young age, good behavior in self-surrender, and the fact that he had not caused substantive damage to the order of the Soul Society.
Therefore.
The final verdict was to strip him of his Zanpakuto and imprison him in the Maggot's Nest for over five hundred years.
At the judgment site, when Matsumoto Rangiku heard the number five hundred years, her heart skipped a beat, and she almost fainted.
For the next few days, she was melancholic, as if she had lost something very dear to her.
However.
One day.
When she reluctantly arrived at the Ninth Division under Hisana's guidance,
the silver-haired figure that appeared before her suddenly captivated all her attention.
This figure was standing by the window, writing something, probably registering his identity.
Seeing the situation.
Rangiku's pupils slightly contracted, and her breathing instinctively stopped.
At this moment, the silver-haired figure seemed to notice her gaze, and his action of registering his identity abruptly ceased.
Standing by the window, he slightly turned his face, narrowed his eyes, and then showed Rangiku a relaxed smile:
"Yo, Rangiku, long time no see."
"How have you been lately?"
…
Not long after.
"You said you're an undercover agent?"
In a secluded office, Matsumoto Rangiku looked at Ichimaru Gin with a suspicious expression.
She held a drink in her hand, her emotions exceptionally complex.
Heaven knew what she felt when she first saw Ichimaru Gin just now.
She thought she was seeing a hallucination…
Ichimaru Gin nodded slightly, a hint of apology in his smile:
"That's right, but regarding this matter, only you and Captain Tsugikuni know for now. I hope you won't spread it casually."
"The reason I became an undercover agent was due to unavoidable circumstances, and my return now is also for other reasons…"
Before he could finish, Matsumoto Rangiku interrupted: "Is it related to Aizen?"
It was rare for Rangiku to be so alert. In her opinion, given Ichimaru Gin's personality, he wouldn't change without reason.
Regardless of why he was undercover beside Aizen, once he made that choice, he would never turn back.
Now that he had returned, it could only be inextricably linked to Aizen.
Ichimaru Gin's expression stiffened slightly, then he nodded helplessly:
"Mm, that's true, but for the same reason, I hope you can keep this a secret…"
"Rangiku, don't you have an urge to hit me right now?"
"Why would I hit you?" Matsumoto Rangiku retorted, "Do you think I'm that kind of unreasonable girl?"
"The reason I was angry before was because you left me without a word, and then you even tried to cut ties with me…"
"But I knew in my heart, that was never the real you."
"Now you've returned, and I know you left me due to unspeakable difficulties…"
"Regardless of what those difficulties are, I know… the you now is the real you."
"Since that's the case, and you didn't do it on purpose, why should I be angry? Why should I hit you?"
"Gin, please don't leave my side again, okay?"
Hearing Matsumoto Rangiku's response, Ichimaru Gin sighed deeply.
Only now did he realize what he had truly done wrong.
But… he couldn't give Matsumoto Rangiku a definite answer.
Because he was still a condemned man, and his release from the Maggot's Nest was due to Yoriichi Tsugikuni's bail.
As long as Aizen hadn't been completely defeated, and before he had fully obtained the Hōgyoku, if Aizen recalled him, he would still have to go back.
Although this period might be quite long, since Aizen sent him away, it was clearly because he didn't want him to know his plan.
Perhaps… it was his last gamble.
Thinking of this, Ichimaru Gin's lips moved slightly, he hesitated for a long time, but not a single word came out.
Seeing him like this, Rangiku seemed to understand something,
her eyes dimmed slightly, and her hand holding the cup tightened a bit. She forced a smile:
"I see, I understand. But this is good too, at least you won't leave me for ten years, right?"
"…"
Ichimaru Gin still didn't respond.
The atmosphere immediately became subtle.
Rangiku's expression changed slightly, and her emotions became tense.
She continued to say:
"Five years?"
"…"
"Three years?"
"One…"
Before the last word could be uttered, Ichimaru Gin interrupted her:
"Alright, Rangiku, don't overthink it. If everything goes smoothly, I'll be staying in the Ninth Division to atone for my sins during this time."
"Saying all this now is meaningless. Even if I promise you, when that day comes, I'll still have to leave."
"Now we can only hope that day never comes, Rangiku…"
Ichimaru Gin sighed softly, paused for a moment, then raised his eyes, looked at Matsumoto Rangiku, and spoke again:
"I can only promise you that I will never betray you."
"…"
Matsumoto Rangiku no longer spoke. At this point, even the most obtuse person would understand Ichimaru Gin's thoughts and attitude.
As an undercover agent, he had many things beyond his control. Even if Yoriichi gave him freedom, he was worried that one day he might lose that freedom again.
Unless he gave up on avenging Matsumoto Rangiku, but that was clearly impossible.
After a moment of silence, Matsumoto Rangiku quietly lowered her gaze,
After a while, she calmed herself by inhaling, then looked at Ichimaru Gin and softly said:
"Okay, I'll wait for you, Gin. I'll wait for the day you are completely free from your shackles."
"You and I are still very young…"
The two chatted for a while longer. After some time, Matsumoto Rangiku left the office.
As she left, her expression seemed to be deliberately trying to appear relaxed.
Then, immediately after.
She ran to Yoriichi Tsugikuni and directly asked when Ichimaru Gin would be able to regain his freedom.
From Ichimaru Gin's words, it was not difficult to deduce that he was currently in a situation beyond his control.
And Yoriichi Tsugikuni had known all this from the beginning, so why didn't he intervene?
To this, Yoriichi's answer was that it was all Ichimaru Gin's own choice, and this was where Ichimaru Gin's dignity as a man lay.
He could indeed offer help, but doing so would be tantamount to defiling Ichimaru Gin's will.
After Ichimaru Gin recounted Rangiku's experience, Yoriichi also learned that Aizen seemed to have deprived Rangiku of a small portion of her soul.
And through Ichimaru Gin's investigation, it was discovered that that small portion of her soul was actually the Soul King's fingertip.
Although it was very small, even the slightest bit still affected Rangiku, causing her to lose a portion of her power.
Yoriichi had originally planned to send Rangiku to the Twelfth Division later to have Mayuri Kurotsuchi or Kisuke Urahara examine her.
But unexpectedly, before he could send her, Rangiku came to him on her own.
"Currently, I cannot tell you why Ichimaru Gin left your side to infiltrate Aizen."
"I promised Gin to keep his secret. I can only tell you that as long as he doesn't act rashly, he will absolutely not be in danger."
Yoriichi replied, "I understand your current emotions very well, but Rangiku, I hope you can understand that in some situations, dignity is more important than survival."
"For now, put your mind at ease. This period will pass quickly."
He had already made contact with the First Generation Captains in Hueco Mundo, and once the time was ripe, he would send Aizen to hell.
In hell, no matter how great his abilities, he would never be able to escape.
At the same time, the power he emits would not affect the Three Realms.
The reason he hadn't acted before was precisely for this reason.
After speaking, Yoriichi paused. Since Rangiku was conveniently here and the Spiritual Arts Academy was on holiday recently, he immediately called Kuna Mashiro and asked her to take Rangiku to the Twelfth Division.
The Soul King's fingertip…
He wondered what its ability was and hoped it hadn't caused any adverse effects on Rangiku.
…
"Another missing part of the soul?"
In the Twelfth Division, Mayuri Kurotsuchi looked at the report in his hand, his slightly furrowed brows revealing his confusion.
He looked up at Yoriichi Tsugikuni and said:
"Captain Tsugikuni, forgive my presumptuousness, but the people around you seem to have rather bad luck."
"That little girl named Yachiru before was one thing, but now this one…"
"Her name is Matsumoto Rangiku, she's your sister, right?"
"The small portion of the soul that was lost is located at the fingertip of the right hand. How could the Soul King's fingertip be lost?"
It was truly too wasteful, after all, it was a part of the Soul King no matter how you looked at it.
Even if it was just an extremely small piece, it might still contain some power of rules.
As a researcher, Mayuri Kurotsuchi felt deep regret about this, as if he himself had lost the Soul King's fingertip.
Matsumoto Rangiku stood with her hands on her hips, quite displeased with Mayuri Kurotsuchi's tone.
It sounded as if she had intentionally lost it.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi did not pay attention to Rangiku's attitude, but continued speaking to himself:
"From what I can see, there are only two solutions."
"One is to use an artificial soul to complete it, like last time."
"The second is to use the power of the Soul King's foot to revert her time to four years ago, which is before the fingertip was lost."
"Given that the power of the Soul King's foot is higher than the fingertip, there is a very high probability that that part of the soul will return."
"However, there is also a small chance that only the body will revert, not the soul, because I've never encountered a situation like hers before."
"Captain Tsugikuni, which one do you plan to choose?"
At this point, Mayuri Kurotsuchi paused. Considering his reputation, he added:
"Of course, if you want to be safe, I personally recommend you choose the first option."
"This is the safest and quickest method."
"Although the lost part of the Soul King's power cannot be recovered after the soul is completed, it can at least eliminate the risk of soul deficiency."
"As for the second one… you also know that the power of time is a forbidden power. It can not only revert the state of the body, but even the spiritual pressure can be reverted along with it."
"Once it goes back four years, everything except techniques will return to the state of four years ago."
"At the same time, given the Soul King's extremely noble status, even if we exert all our strength, we can only revert about ten years of someone else's time… and it's a one-time thing."
"Therefore, if you want precise control, your participation is essential."
After Mayuri Kurotsuchi explained this, Yoriichi roughly understood the pros and cons of these two methods.
The advantage of the former lies in safety, but it might only be superficially complete.
After all, an artificial soul is not a true soul, and for Yachiru, it was a last resort.
It's better to look perfectly fine after patching it up than to have a large piece missing.
Moreover, the situations of the two are fundamentally different.
The latter, the second method, is certainly more troublesome, but if handled properly, it can completely heal Rangiku.
Because it is the original soul.
Although there is also danger… but as Ichibei Hyosube said before, the power of Shinigami cannot affect it.
Only he can use the Soul King's left hand to peer into the future; no one else can, as they have neither the spiritual pressure nor the corresponding authority.
Even if a Shinigami used the Soul King's left hand with all their might, they would probably only see a few years into the other person's future.
And the constant time is very short, almost nonexistent.
This is the difference.
It was precisely for this reason that Mayuri Kurotsuchi's reason for asking him to use the Soul King's foot made sense.
During his time in Squad Zero, he gained some authority.
This was given to him by the monk. With these permissions, he could use the Soul King's power within a certain range at will.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi might not know this, but it wouldn't hurt to say it tentatively.
Having thought this through, Yoriichi chose the second option. Of course, no danger doesn't mean no loss of spiritual pressure.
This would require asking Rangiku for her opinion.
After learning about the side effect of the plan, Rangiku hesitated for a while and asked:
"Only four years of spiritual pressure?"
"It should recover afterwards, right?"
"Of course," Yoriichi replied,
"It's just reverting your time to four years ago. While you would undoubtedly be noticeably different from your current self, important techniques would not be lost."
"As time passes, your spiritual pressure will also gradually recover; there will be no permanent loss."
"However, since it's unclear whether time reversion will bring back the missing part of your soul,"
"If it doesn't return, I will use the power of circulation to bring you back to the present, and then adopt the first option. In any case, your soul will be completed."
"Rangiku, what is your choice?"
She actually didn't have many choices, because what Yoriichi said was the best option.
There was no great danger, and the side effects were minimal; it was only four years.
If she could retrieve the Soul King's fingertip and recover her power and talent, she might even surpass Ichimaru Gin in one fell swoop.
What were four years?
By then, if Gin wanted to leave, he would have to ask for her permission first.
The reason she had previously condoned Gin's actions was simply because her own strength was not great.
Thinking this, Matsumoto Rangiku took a deep breath and decisively chose the second option.
Soon, under Mayuri Kurotsuchi's arrangements, Yoriichi gradually reverted Rangiku's time using the Soul King's foot.
One year…
Two years…
Three years…
Her body visibly shrank.
From the appearance of a fifteen-year-old, she slowly returned to around thirteen years old.
When she reverted to four years ago, approaching five years, her right index fingertip suddenly glowed slightly.
Seeing this, Yoriichi immediately stopped using the Soul King's foot.
When the surrounding Soul King's power quickly dissipated, Rangiku's appearance was fixed at thirteen years old.
Her spiritual pressure dropped from Seventh Grade to Eighth Grade.
A difference of only one grade was actually quite acceptable; both were mid-level Seat Officers.
Retrieving the Soul King's fingertip for just one grade of spiritual pressure was actually very cost-effective.
However, it would be difficult for Rangiku to explain to the school a few days later why she suddenly shrank during a short holiday.
But this was something for the teachers to worry about, irrelevant to Rangiku and others.
Just like that, Rangiku gradually regained consciousness, and finding herself a few years younger, her expression was complex and hard to decipher.
Suddenly she thought… since it could make her younger, what about others?
The power of time was simply too incomprehensible…
She asked:
"Brother, if you were willing, you should be able to make Captain-Commander Yamamoto younger, right?"
…
At the same time Rangiku asked.
On the other side.
Aizen suddenly sensed a hint of abnormality.
He stretched out his hand and took out the Hōgyoku.
Visibly, the Hōgyoku, which had originally resembled a dreamy galaxy, had dimmed slightly inside, as if energy had been inexplicably drawn from it.
And as the interior dimmed, a subtle, almost imperceptible crack appeared on its surface.
Crack.
A faint "crack" sound suddenly rang out, and the crack, like a winding thin snake, slowly spread upwards.
Although it stopped in time and did not spread across the entire surface of the Hōgyoku, it was still as striking and dazzling as a shooting star in the night.
This caused Aizen's pupils to constrict sharply.
An extremely absurd emotion suddenly arose from the depths of his heart.
—What happened?
—The Hōgyoku… cracked!?
…
…
In the Twelfth Division.
"More or less," Yoriichi responded,
"But the time I can revert is limited, and the Captain-Commander might not be willing."
"Additionally, this ability to revert time only has substantial effects when applied to specific individuals."
"For example, even if the Captain-Commander passed away, I could revive him in hell and then reverse his soul's age."
"Whether used now or in the future, the effect is the same."
In reality, under normal circumstances, it's best to use the Soul King's power sparingly.
Because excessive use can lead to dependence, and one must remember that time is not omnipotent.
If time were truly omnipotent, the Soul King wouldn't have ended up in his current state.
This instance was an exception, and besides, it was only a few years, which wouldn't cause any significant impact.
Matsumoto Rangiku nodded, appearing to understand yet not fully, after hearing this. In any case, the soul being able to recover was a good thing.
She clenched her fists, then jumped down from the operating table.
The next moment, she looked at her fingertips, feeling a hint of confusion.
She didn't understand why she couldn't sense the power of the so-called Soul King's fingertip.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi then stepped forward and smiled as he explained:
"That's natural. The Soul King's fingertip exists within your soul. How can you experience the changes in your soul without using your Zanpakuto?
First, let's register. Come back for a re-examination once you awaken your Zanpakuto."
"I want to see what kind of power the Soul King's fingertip truly holds."
"By the way, the current Thirteenth Division Captain, Jūshirō Ukitake, possesses the power of stillness, which allows him to store others' spiritual pressure and turn it into his own strength."
"This should be one of the abilities bestowed upon him by the Soul King's right hand."
"The Soul King's fingertip…"
"Heh…"
Although the laugh was brief, Matsumoto Rangiku still detected a hint of playfulness in it. However, Rangiku did not take these things to heart.
Because at this moment, her entire focus was attracted by the words "Zanpakuto."
So the Soul King's power would be manifested in the Zanpakuto?
Then she had to work hard.
Because among the skills of Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hoho, and Kido, she only had a chance to surpass Ichimaru Gin in Zanjutsu.
If she could awaken a powerful ability, perhaps…
…
At this moment, in the Ninth Division.
Ichimaru Gin, who was handling official duties for Yoriichi, suddenly sneezed.
A chill silently surged into his heart, making his limbs feel cold, as if someone was plotting something bad against him.
He slightly hunched his body, looking at the scene outside the window where the leaves were yellow and the scenery was bleak. For a moment, he didn't connect it to anything specific, just assuming he had caught a cold.
After retracting his gaze, he steadied himself, exhaled lightly, and then continued with his work, as if he had become one with the Ninth Division.
Currently, Ichimaru Gin cannot leave here because many people know his identity.
He can only show himself once the commotion dies down, but this isn't so bad.
After all…
It's both safe and quiet, and he occasionally gets to see Rangiku.
The days of being an undercover agent by Aizen's side were truly agonizing; returning here felt like coming home.
Sometimes, he was very grateful for his past self.
Because if he hadn't made that impulsive decision back then, he would probably still be hanging around in Rukongai with Rangiku now.
A clear sense of emotion welled up in his heart, recalling all the past events, and for a moment, Ichimaru Gin's enthusiasm for work increased by several points.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni took him and Rangiku in, and to a certain extent, exempted him from his crimes.
No matter what, he had to repay this kindness.
… …
… …
Matsumoto Rangiku seemed exceptionally happy after returning, as her talent had become even stronger than before.
With her soul restored to wholeness, her future held infinite possibilities.
Although her spiritual pressure had decreased, this was only a temporary situation.
It was precisely because of this that when Ichimaru Gin saw this scene, he was immediately stunned.
Oh no.
My eyes must be playing tricks on me; why did Rangiku get smaller?
She looked exactly like she did when I left her…
Matsumoto Rangiku stepped forward and said with a smile:
"Gin, just you wait; give me ten years, and I will definitely surpass you."
"By then, if I win, you have to unconditionally agree to one thing for me."
"How about it, Gin, do you agree?"
Although Matsumoto Rangiku had already regained her complete soul, and Ichimaru Gin no longer needed to remain undercover by Aizen's side, Ichimaru Gin was unaware of this.
Furthermore, even if he knew, out of pride, he would not give up on avenging Matsumoto Rangiku.
This involved a matter of determination and a graceful exit.
This challenge was that graceful exit.
Without it, it would seem quite ridiculous.
After all, his determination would have been for nothing if Rangiku could do it herself; what would she need him for then?
If Ichimaru Gin lost, agreeing to Rangiku's terms would allow him to naturally shed his undercover identity and remain in the Soul Society.
If Ichimaru Gin won, seeing Rangiku lose, feeling a twinge of pity, and learning the truth about Rangiku's recovery, he could also use this as an excuse to stay by Rangiku's side and guide her.
Currently, Ichimaru Gin had not considered such a deep level.
Seeing Rangiku become smaller and full of confidence, he agreed out of a playful mindset.
With his agreement, Matsumoto Rangiku's excitement grew even more intense.
She had already decided that from today onwards, she would go to Yoriichi Tsugikuni to ask for a Senkaizui and try to communicate with her Zanpakuto.
To surpass Ichimaru Gin within ten years, she had to start with her Zanpakuto.
It might seem that stronger spiritual pressure can overwhelm weaker spiritual pressure, but in reality, the ability counter between Zanpakuto also affects the outcome of a battle.
This counter can narrow the gap in spiritual pressure.
Ichimaru Gin's Zanpakuto is a direct attack type.
She only needed to awaken a Kido-type Zanpakuto that counters direct attack types, and then raise her spiritual pressure to a level close to Ichimaru Gin's, and she would probably be able to defeat him.
Five grades.
Not too difficult.
After all.
She also had physical prowess to assist her, and she had learned Breathing Technique.
Although she didn't possess the tens of tons of strength that the freaks in the Ninth Division did, she could still move objects weighing four or five tons.
And Ichimaru Gin's physical prowess wasn't particularly strong.
… …
Seeing the smile on Matsumoto Rangiku's face, Ichimaru Gin subconsciously shivered slightly.
He felt that Rangiku had changed, becoming more confident and… cunning?
Why did he have this feeling?
Why did he vaguely feel that she could defeat him?
It must be a misconception.
It must be a misconception.
He took a deep breath, trying to dispel these chaotic thoughts from his mind.
After Matsumoto Rangiku left, although the surroundings returned to quiet, his heart remained restless.
Soon after, he heard faint shouts from outside and finally decided to go to Yoriichi Tsugikuni to learn Zanjutsu.
Rangiku's last smile was truly a bit scary; he couldn't rest easy, so it was better to be safe…
Don't look down on a young man in poverty!
… …
Aizen cracked.
More precisely, his heart cracked.
Although he had always been able to keep his emotions hidden, maintaining a calm and composed demeanor regardless of the situation.
But at the end of the day, the core of his emotions still fell within the human realm.
When he saw an abnormality in the Hōgyoku, which he had spent over a hundred years painstakingly developing.
Even without understanding the reason, he found it truly difficult to accept internally.
After all, this was undoubtedly a negation of all his past achievements.
Otherwise, why would cracks appear?
It doesn't make sense!
Aizen's gaze became serious, and after he had somewhat composed himself, he once again turned his attention to the Hōgyoku.
At this moment, the spread of the cracks on the Hōgyoku had stopped, however, the existing marks would not disappear just like that.
The dimming of its color perhaps meant that some of the energy within it had vanished into thin air…
But why would it disappear?
This was something Aizen simply couldn't understand.
This was normal.
Even if he was incredibly resourceful, he couldn't have imagined that on the other side, Yoriichi Tsugikuni was using the power of the Soul King to negate the past.
This already fell within the realm of a god, much like Inoue Orihime's "Rejection of Everything."
"The Hōgyoku has a problem; until the problem is identified, it is no longer safe."
Aizen exhaled softly, understanding in his heart that using this unsafe Hōgyoku might have adverse effects on himself.
It was precisely because of this that, at this moment, the only trump cards he had left were the soul candy, the hundred or so members of the Dark Clan, and a few hundred Arrancar Menos Grande.
And the soul candy was still not in his hands… truly a bunch of incompetent fools.
Tap, tap, tap… His fingers drummed on the armrest as Aizen leaned back quietly, his gaze lowered, consolidating his subsequent plans.
Considering that the Soul Society was likely monitoring the Human World, he himself could not act rashly.
Yet, relying on those Dark Clan members to capture the soul candy, he didn't know how long it would take to succeed.
Furthermore, the Soul Society's purge against him was already imminent.
If he couldn't get his hands on the soul candy before they launched their encirclement… with his current forces alone, he would undoubtedly face total annihilation.
"…"
After a moment of silence, having understood this point, Aizen turned and left the laboratory.
He summoned an Arrancar Menos Grande whose appearance was closest to a human, ordered it to disguise itself as a human, and then quietly follow the members of the Dark Clan.
He himself couldn't go to the Human World, but that didn't mean a Menos Grande couldn't go to the Human World.
The soul candy's strength wasn't particularly strong; a regular Adjuchas could defeat it.
Sending an Arrancar was already giving it enough face.
He hoped everything would go smoothly.
… …
… …
Soon, in an open area of the Ninth Division.
"You want to learn Zanjutsu from me?"
Yoriichi Tsugikuni looked at Ichimaru Gin, feeling somewhat surprised.
Because in his eyes, Ichimaru Gin was a very strong-willed child.
At the same time, Ichimaru Gin's talent was extremely high.
He had only studied at the Spiritual Arts Academy for one year, yet he had mastered Zanjutsu strong enough to defeat the Third Seat of the Fifth Division…
Even Shiba Kaien had once said that Ichimaru Gin was a genius far more intelligent than himself.
It was precisely because of this that Yoriichi felt that even if Ichimaru Gin wanted to learn these things, he should have acted with more reserve.
It seemed that geniuses generally carried a certain arrogance.
However, now, Ichimaru Gin had actually put aside that arrogance…
Before he could figure out the reason.
Ichimaru Gin spoke:
"Yes, I hope Captain Tsugikuni can take me in. After all, you once defeated Aizen, and I also hope to become a person like you."
"At the same time, in the future, after leaving Aizen's side, I also want to contribute my strength to the Seireitei."
His words were sincere, and his reasons were sufficient. Yoriichi came back to his senses, and although he knew Ichimaru Gin had another reason for wanting to become stronger, he didn't mind.
After all, Gin was a Shinigami.
Thus, in the daily Zanjutsu sparring sessions, besides Zaraki Kenpachi, Komamura Sajin, and others, another participant was added.
Ichimaru Gin's Zanjutsu was indeed strong, but compared to the aforementioned individuals, it seemed quite immature.
During the sparring, due to differences in experience and physical prowess, he was once easily annihilated.
Ichimaru Gin thus saw his own shortcomings.
Therefore, in the days that followed.
Besides handling some affairs within the Ninth Division, Ichimaru Gin began to wholeheartedly make up for his shortcomings and improve his strength.
This scene fell into Yoriichi's eyes.
Yoriichi was very pleased.
Because Rangiku on the other side was also working hard…
It seemed that both of them had found a source of motivation to push themselves forward. He hoped this state could continue…
… …
… …
One day, Yoriichi received a message from Hueco Mundo.
Nelliel informed him that the underground of Hueco Mundo, specifically the Forest of Menos around Las Noches, had all been sealed by her.
No Menos Grande could approach Aizen again, unless Aizen actively broke the seal.
She asked Yoriichi when he planned to launch the encirclement against Aizen.
Although Aizen had been relatively quiet these days, merely silently using the Hōgyoku to convert Arrancar Menos Grande.
But no matter what, this act of increasing military strength was quite sensitive from a righteous perspective.
This was definitely a prelude to Aizen starting an invasion war.
If she couldn't defeat Aizen, and if she acted rashly, she might die as a result, thereby encouraging evil.
She was determined to defeat Aizen and then imprison him.
Nelliel's statement made Yoriichi ponder for a while, and finally, he replied:
"Soon, the device to seal the Black Cavity is almost finished with its research."
"We must prevent Aizen from escaping Hueco Mundo again; only then can we ensure foolproof success…"
… …
Hueco Mundo.
"What did he say?"
Starrk asked, looking at Nelliel.
Nelliel's gaze was fixed on the communicator in her hand. Only when Yoriichi's last sentence was finished did she let out a heavy sigh and replied:
"He said it would be in the next two days."
"The last time Aizen was able to escape from his hands was due to the appearance of the Black Cavity and the Dangai."
"The Dangai interrupted his Bankai effect. As long as the appearance of the Black Cavity can be isolated, Aizen will surely be dragged into hell."
"Hell is his destination."
Hearing this answer, Starrk stroked his chin:
"Is that so? That's right, Aizen is very strong, especially after he gained control of the Hōgyoku."
"If he wants to escape, I probably can't stop him."
"Once he leaves through the Black Cavity, the other worlds besides Hueco Mundo will probably face disaster."
"Alright, it's only a few days anyway."
Starrk's attitude immediately became relieved. After a moment, he looked at Nelliel again, "Nelliel, you're not getting impatient, are you?"
"Who's getting impatient? I just can't tolerate the proliferation of evil."
Nelliel crossed her arms, her tall figure standing against the wind, her cold gaze fixed on Las Noches.
"However, Yoriichi is right about one thing: only by restricting Aizen's escape can the plan be 100% successful."
"No matter what conspiracy he's plotting, once he enters hell, he will never escape."
Nelliel knew what kind of world hell was; Yoriichi had told them before.
From the current development trend, both sides were making favorable deployments for their respective plans; it just depended on.
Who moved faster.