"That is how it is. Yamamoto Shigekuni should be thinking along those lines."
"Today's retaliation should, at the very least, cause Yamamoto Shigekuni's suspicions toward us to subside for a while."
"This interval will give us the breathing room to calmly arrange our subsequent plans."
Ren led the way through the streets of the Seireitei, with Shisui and Senju Tobirama following closely behind.
Hearing Tobirama's words from behind, Ren gave a slight nod.
"However, we cannot afford to be careless."
"Moving forward, the relationship between the Onmitsukido and the Gotei 13 must remain one of controlled friction—contending without ever truly fracturing."
"Tobirama, you understand the boundaries. Keep a close eye on the movements of our subordinates; we cannot allow any flaws to show."
"The stage has been set, and we must perform our roles to the best of our abilities."
As he spoke, something crossed Ren's mind. His expression turned pensive, and a faint glimmer of anticipation flickered in his eyes.
"Regardless, this play won't be running for much longer."
"Understood, my lord."
Senju Tobirama responded with a solemn bow.
Their actions today had succeeded in lowering Yamamoto Shigekuni's guard.
For the time being, they needed to continue lulling Yamamoto into a false sense of security, ensuring his hostility did not peak.
No matter how one looked at it, Yamamoto himself was a gargantuan threat that demanded the utmost caution.
Being highly valued under Ren's command, Tobirama naturally understood Ren's intentions.
Just as Ren had said, this charade would not last.
They didn't need to deceive Yamamoto for long—only just enough time.
Once their preparations were complete, they would make their final, decisive move, and everything would be settled.
Not even Yamamoto would be able to do anything about it then.
As they walked, Shisui noticed several snails clinging to the walls.
Their wide eyes were scanning the affairs of the street.
Sensing the trio's approach, those bulbous eyes swiveled in unison, fixing their gaze upon them.
Noticing the stares, Shisui waved at a snail, a gentle smile appearing on his face.
Recalling something, he lowered his voice. "My lord, I heard that the Captain of the Twelfth Division is about to be promoted... to the Royal Guard?"
Ren glanced at him and nodded.
"That is correct."
Hikifune Kirio's promotion was still a classified matter within the Seireitei; very few were privy to the information.
Shisui pondered for a moment, a trace of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.
"The Royal Guard will eventually be a target for your lordship to eliminate. Hikifune Kirio's promotion will inevitably bolster their strength."
"Should we take action to eliminate her beforehand and reduce future complications?"
Ren's footsteps paused for a fraction of a second before returning to their normal rhythm.
Instead of answering immediately, he looked toward Tobirama.
"Tobirama, what are your thoughts?"
"My lord, it would be best not to cause unnecessary trouble at this juncture," Tobirama replied calmly.
"We have only just succeeded in lulling Yamamoto Shigekuni. Even if we were to send assassins, traces would inevitably be left behind."
"Hikifune Kirio is a veteran Captain. An assassination attempt is not guaranteed to succeed, and should anything happen to her, it would undoubtedly alert Yamamoto and the others."
"Furthermore, with her promotion imminent, the Royal Guard themselves will be paying attention. It significantly increases the risk of our exposure."
They were not yet fully prepared; acting prematurely introduced too many uncontrollable variables.
While Tobirama was confident in their ultimate victory, even a successful move now would result in greater sacrifices than anticipated.
The risk was too great to be worthwhile.
Ren nodded, turning his gaze back to Shisui.
"Shisui, there you have it. You heard him."
"My apologies, my lord," Shisui said, looking ashamed. "I failed to consider the broader implications and nearly caused a major blunder."
Ren waved it off. "It's fine. You were thinking of my interests. In the future, be more thorough and think thrice before you act."
"Yes, my lord."
Suddenly, Shisui's expression shifted. He looked up at Ren.
"My lord, someone is signaling us with their spiritual pressure."
In his perception, a burst of spiritual pressure erupted ahead, fluctuating at a specific frequency, rising and falling rhythmically.
The fluctuations were minute; a normal person would never have noticed without extreme care.
"This spiritual pressure... it's Ichimaru Gin. He's not far from here."
Having been in the same year as Gin at the Shin'ō Academy, Shisui was quite familiar with his spiritual pressure.
He recognized it the instant he sensed it.
Ren showed no surprise at Shisui's words.
He had also sensed Gin's presence, and a hint of excitement rose within him.
Gin signaling now was clearly on Aizen's instructions.
This was truly a rare occurrence.
Aizen was actually taking the initiative to contact him?
Ren turned to Tobirama. "Tobirama, return to the Onmitsukido first."
"By your command."
Tobirama also sensed the spiritual pressure and made a mental note of it.
He didn't ask questions and simply followed orders.
With a flash of Shunpo, his figure vanished from the street.
He flickered away toward the distance.
Seeing Tobirama depart, Ren led Shisui toward Gin's location.
The two moved at high speeds, arriving at an open clearing in the blink of an eye.
In the distance, a small figure stood in the center of the clearing.
Beneath short silver hair, his eyes were squinted, and a snake-like, fox-like grin played across his face.
It was indeed Ichimaru Gin.
Upon arriving, Ren first scanned the surroundings.
He noticed that the snails on the nearby walls had closed their eyes and were fast asleep.
'He certainly is cautious,' Ren thought.
Ren let out a silent sigh and approached Gin with Shisui.
"Gin, long time no see."
He looked left and right, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Why are you here alone? Where's Sousuke?"
"Long time no see, Commander-in-Chief Ren."
Gin spoke softly, his smile deepening.
"I didn't come here on Vice-Captain Aizen's orders. This was my own decision, made behind his back."
"Oh?"
Ren feigned a look of surprise.
He reached out and ruffled Gin's neatly kept silver hair.
Feeling the smoothness, Ren applied more pressure, making a mess of the boy's hair.
Gin endured Ren's teasing. Only after Ren let go did he start smoothing it back down.
As he straightened his hair, he whispered, "Commander-in-Chief Ren, to be perfectly honest... I harbor deep resentment toward Vice-Captain Aizen..."
"I know that in the entire Seireitei, only your power can stand against him."
"I can act as your spy, providing you with all sorts of intelligence on Vice-Captain Aizen. I'm certain I can be of use to you."
As he spoke, Gin's smile grew increasingly dangerous.
Ren stroked his chin and nodded.
"I see. Very well then."
"Eh? You're so decisive, Commander-in-Chief?"
Ren's reaction caught Gin off guard, causing him to look up sharply, a trace of genuine shock on his face.
His slit-like eyes widened slightly, revealing a flash of pale blue.
"Aren't you afraid I might be a double agent? That I was sent by Vice-Captain Aizen specifically to mislead you?"
Seeing Gin finish fixing his hair, Ren reached out with his hand again to mess it up.
"I've told you before: my door is always open to you."
As Ren reached out again, Gin's smile faded, replaced by a look of annoyance.
Just as he was about to step back to escape Ren's reach, Ren's tone shifted abruptly, becoming heavy with mockery.
"Ichimaru Gin, it must be quite difficult working under that fellow Sousuke, isn't it?"
"After all, he's cold-hearted and never cares for his subordinates. It's only natural you'd act this way."
With that, Ren retracted his hand and looked to the side.
"Am I right, Sousuke?"
At Ren's words, Gin's body stiffened. His neck turned rigidly as he followed Ren's gaze.
Before he could react further, a warm, gentle voice echoed across the clearing.
"Senior, could you please refrain from speaking ill of others behind their backs? It hardly fits your stature."
Water vapor shimmered in the air, and light twisted, revealing a figure in black.
Dressed in a Shihakusho with a Zanpakuto at his waist, a man with wavy brown hair wore a gentle smile.
The light reflecting off his glasses obscured his eyes, giving him an ethereal, illusory air.
Aizen Sousuke!
"Especially in front of my subordinate. You're ruining my reputation."
He pushed up his glasses, the glare from the lenses fading as his gaze swept over Ren and Gin.
"Right, Gin?"
Seeing Aizen actually appear, Gin's face froze in fear.
He quickly grabbed Ren's sleeve, his voice trembling with a hint of a plea.
"Vice-Captain Aizen found out. He's definitely going to kill me."
"Commander-in-Chief Ren, please save me..."
Ren shrugged and looked at Aizen.
"Sousuke, how much longer are you two going to play this game?"
"Oh dear, what ever shall we do? It seems we've been found out."
Aizen walked over, beckoning to Gin.
"Gin, come back."
Hearing this, the terror on Gin's face evaporated, replaced by his usual squinting grin.
He retracted his hand and said apologetically to Aizen, "Sorry, Vice-Captain Aizen. It seems the plan to plant me as a spy was exposed before it even began."
"I don't blame you, Gin. Senior Ren is quite the cautious man, after all."
Aizen moved to Gin's side and looked at Ren with an innocent expression.
"Senior, could you find it in your heart to forgive this junior's little prank?"
"Not even a little bit."
'I knew it would be like this!' Ren thought.
Ren said decisively, "Sousuke, I've treated you with nothing but sincerity, yet you plot against me like this."
"Your actions have truly hurt my feelings."
Aizen spread his hands with a sigh. "I knew you were petty, Senior."
After a pause, he continued, "How about this? I'll show you something. Once you've seen it, surely you'll forgive me."
Ren's heart stirred. "So, you called me out here just for this?"
"You are a man of high status and great responsibility, Senior. Finding an opportunity to speak with you isn't easy."
Aizen sighed, then his expression brightened.
"But it just so happened that we ran into each other during the Captains' meeting today."
"Then show me," Ren said. "If I'm satisfied, I might just let you off the hook."
"I guarantee you will be satisfied."
Led by Aizen, the group walked openly out of the Seireitei.
The guards at the gate noticed absolutely nothing.
They were completely oblivious to the four living people passing right before their eyes.
Observing this, Ren remarked with a sigh.
"What a convenient ability."
"Sousuke, you must have committed countless misdeeds in secret over the years using that power."
Leading the way, Aizen turned back to Ren with a look of helplessness.
"Senior, please don't think so poorly of me. I'm not some villain."
"If we're talking about misdeeds, you likely have more hidden in the shadows than I do."
Ren shrugged. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say."
Leaving the Seireitei behind, they crossed the busiest streets of the Rukongai and reached a desolate wilderness.
Along the way, Aizen suddenly asked, "Senior, by forcibly initiating an investigation into the First Division in front of all the Captains today, you truly slapped Head Captain Yamamoto in the face."
"At such a sensitive time, it will inevitably draw his hostility. Is that wise?"
Ren's voice remained calm. "It couldn't be helped. Those were the orders from Central 46. I can't very well defy them, can I?"
"You jest, Senior. Everyone in the Seireitei knows that Central 46 is merely a puppet on the surface. You are the one who truly calls the shots."
Ren shook his head. "One shouldn't say such things. The Sages and I are simply friends. I don't possess that kind of influence."
Seeing Ren so nonchalant, Aizen understood that today's display against Yamamoto Shigekuni likely had another purpose.
He let out a light chuckle.
"If I'm ever caught in the future, please put in a good word for me with Central 46, Senior."
"At least don't let them give me a ten-thousand-year sentence like Senior Koga. I don't think I could bear that."
Ren nodded and said earnestly, "Don't worry. I'll make sure it's increased to twenty thousand years instead."
"Senior, that's just too cruel."
Led by Aizen, they soon reached their destination.
It was a cluster of villages with wooden houses scattered about.
Upon entering, they found the place completely deserted.
Aizen explained, "This village has long been abandoned. Seeing that it was empty and secluded, I decided to use it as a base."
"Senior, this way."
Guided by Aizen, they went deeper into the village.
Inside a wooden shack, at Aizen's signal, Gin cast a Kido spell, causing the scenery to shift abruptly.
The wooden floor vanished, replaced by a dark tunnel entrance.
Following Aizen through the dim passage, a research facility made of steel came into view.
Seeing such a structure underground, Ren's face showed a hint of surprise.
"Sousuke, you've hidden this well. To think you've excavated such a massive space underground."
"You flatter me, Senior."
Aizen gave a nonchalant laugh, swiped his access card, and entered.
The room was suddenly bathed in white light.
The entire room was brightly lit and filled with various research instruments. Large vats lined the back, containing strange specimens soaking in unknown liquids, bubbles rising steadily.
At the front of the room stood a bank of interconnected giant screens, displaying various data indices.
In front of the equipment, a dark-skinned blind man in a white lab coat was staring intently at the screens.
He held a notebook in his hand, scribbling notes.
"A blind man... watching a screen..."
Entering the room, Ren scanned the facilities before his eyes landed on the blind man.
Seeing this, he couldn't help but marvel; only in the Soul Society could one witness such a peculiar sight.
How could he possibly not recognize the man's identity?
It was Aizen's trusted subordinate, Tosen Kaname.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]