"I have to admit, Urahara Kisuke might look harmless, but he is certainly no saint."
Aizen sighed with some emotion.
"Ever since he joined the Hōgyoku research project and proposed multiple optimization plans, the corresponding progress can only be described as advancing by leaps and bounds."
"From this point alone, there is a high probability that he had similar ideas a long time ago."
"However, bound by the rules, he never put his inner thoughts into action."
Not only Hollowfication, but he also provided significant help to the Arrancarization experiments.
Urahara Kisuke had stayed in the Soul Society for years, lacking various relevant materials. Whenever he occasionally obtained the corpse of a Menos Grande, he would treasure it dearly, wishing he could split it into a hundred pieces to use.
Now that he had completely sided with Naraku Sora and arrived at Las Noches, he had finally let himself go.
Even the extremely arrogant Szayelaporro had to acknowledge Urahara Kisuke's personal abilities.
At first, he was somewhat unconvinced by Urahara Kisuke.
He believed that since Naraku Sora already had him and Aizen, there was no need to rely on anyone else's wisdom.
But after interacting for a while, when Urahara Kisuke brought out various experimental results and data, Szayelaporro was thoroughly shocked.
If he hadn't considered it out of character, he would have even wanted to share a drink and a good conversation with the man.
Naraku Sora nodded in strong agreement.
Looking at the guy who walked around all day with dark circles under his eyes, his actual working hours didn't even amount to three hours.
Urahara Kisuke thought he was incredibly smart and had deceived everyone, but in reality, everything was under Sora's control.
He had made a note of all these debts.
Whenever he felt like exploiting and squeezing Kisuke, he would bring out his little notebook and settle the score all at once.
He had participated in Hollowfication experiments more than once.
When a Soul Reaper achieved the Hollowfied state for the first time, they would display a power far more terrifying than usual.
Moreover, they would briefly lose their reason and attack any target within their line of sight.
But they couldn't just ignore this situation.
Whether it was collecting relevant data or controlling the scope of destruction, it was highly necessary.
Furthermore, if they didn't suppress it, the Hollowfied Soul Reaper would undergo soul suicide to a certain extent, which was a very dangerous matter.
The slightest carelessness would lead to a complete collapse.
Naraku Sora might not care about other test subjects, but as his close friend, he absolutely could not leave Aizen to his own devices.
This was exactly why Aizen came to find him.
The mutual trust between them had already formed an unspoken understanding.
"Actually, the reason I proposed the Hollowfication experiment at this time, besides the fact that the Hōgyoku is nearing perfection, is that we need to borrow the power of the new Gotei 13."
Aizen wore a serious expression.
Hearing this, Naraku Sora immediately chuckled.
"Sōsuke, you aren't so arrogant that you don't even take me seriously anymore, are you?"
"Even carrying Las Noches on my back and needing to support a Hollowfied Aizen with one hand, I, Sora, am still invincible in this world."
Although his Reiatsu was inferior to Aizen's, Naraku Sora really wasn't that afraid.
What truly frightened him was a rational Aizen, not a beast acting purely on instinct.
An Aizen like that was at best a lesser version of Yamamoto, and his destructive power would be even worse.
Not worth mentioning at all.
Seemingly sensing someone's thoughts, Aizen took a deep breath, silently made a note against him in his heart, and then explained:
"In my opinion, the new Gotei 13, just like the Arrancars, are forces loyal to you."
"They have just mastered their Bankai, and they happen to need a powerful enemy to enhance their cohesion and adapt to their abilities."
"At the same time, we can take this opportunity to reveal some things to them."
"So that the new Gotei 13 understands one thing: what they are loyal to is not the so-called Soul Society, but—you!"
Naraku Sora stroked his chin. "Isn't this a bit too much of a sacrifice for you?"
"For a normally gentle and refined Document Dragon to suddenly turn into a wild beast, your reputation will definitely take a hit."
Aizen: "..."
His blood pressure suddenly spiked.
'If you didn't bring up the Document Dragon, we would still be good friends.'
"I don't care about how others view me," Aizen said calmly. "Furthermore, their attitude towards me depends entirely on you."
Hearing this, Naraku Sora clapped his hands and sighed softly.
"Excellent."
"It's time to reveal a little secret to you all."
In the dimly lit room, faint candles burned, the flickering flames occasionally illuminating solemn faces.
A beast crouched in the corner, sharpening its claws and teeth, as if ready to tear out an enemy's throat at any moment.
The dark-skinned Tōsen Kaname hid in the shadows. Feeling this heavy atmosphere, he seemed to have guessed something and immediately spoke in a deep voice:
"Lord Naraku, you must think carefully before you act. There is no turning back once the arrow is loosed, and the captains of the Gotei 13, aside from a few exceptions, are still very strong."
"Moreover, Head Captain Yamamoto's strength..."
Beside him, Rangiku grinned, looking like she wanted nothing more than to watch the world burn, and excitedly called out to the figure at the front:
"Sora, are we going to make a move against Head Captain Yamamoto?"
"?"
Hearing their words, Naraku Sora was furious.
"Bastards, what do you take me for?"
"I respect Old Man Yama as my teacher, and the word 'filial piety' is already carved into my bones. How could I be the kind of rebellious and unfilial person who offends his superiors?!"
In the crowd, Kurotsuchi Mayuri smiled but said nothing.
Urahara Kisuke, however, didn't care about any of that and laughed exceptionally loudly, ruining the atmosphere that had been so hard to build up.
Then, he was quickly put in a chokehold by someone, letting out embarrassing noises.
After messing around for a while, Naraku Sora released Urahara Kisuke, who now had bruised eyes, coughed twice, and returned to the main topic.
"You are my most trusted subordinates."
"And it is precisely because of this trust that I made such a decision."
Hearing this, everyone's expressions varied, but no one said a word, and the room instantly fell quiet.
"Now, I need you to do something."
"Unlike the Tenshintai from before, this won't help you in any way. Instead, it might be life-threatening."
"If anyone wants to back out, you can say so in advance. I won't blame you."
Naraku Sora's expression was sincere and serious.
Komamura Sajin sniffed and said in a deep voice, "If it weren't for Lord Naraku, I might have already died at the hands of my grandfather. Therefore, this life already belongs to Lord Naraku."
Rangiku blinked. "What nonsense are you spouting? How could anyone back out? I haven't even defeated that despicable woman yet!"
Tōsen Kaname said nothing, merely watching Naraku Sora quietly.
He initially joined Shino Prison for the sake of justice.
But as they gradually grew familiar with each other, coupled with the fact that Naraku Sora had cured his eyes, his so-called justice was no longer pure.
Ichimaru Gin smiled, his expression exceptionally resolute.
Looking at everyone's expressions, Naraku Sora sighed softly, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.
"Once a decision is made, there is no room for regret."
"Since this is your choice, then let's set off."
He extended his right hand and pressed his five fingers down in the air. Along with his Reiatsu, the space beside him was torn open like a piece of cloth, revealing a profound darkness.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri raised an eyebrow.
*Garganta.*
*Wasn't this an exclusive ability of Hollows? Although he could open one too, he needed to rely on some equipment and instruments.*
*But looking at Naraku Sora, he did it entirely on instinct.*
*This guy...*
The face beneath the white face paint suddenly grew excited.
He had never been the type to know his place and behave.
"Let's go!"
Naraku Sora waved his arm and took the lead in entering the Garganta, forming a path of Reishi beneath his feet.
Without hesitation, everyone followed suit.
Towards Naraku Sora, who had changed their fates, Komamura Sajin and the others held absolute trust.
Under the night sky lay a sea of silver sand.
Considering that a Soul Reaper in a Hollowfied state was left with only instinct and would indiscriminately destroy everything in sight, they specifically chose a location far away from Las Noches for the experiment.
As soon as he stepped out of the Garganta, Tōsen Kaname was captivated by the scenery before him.
This was the first time in his life he had seen what a desert looked like; the endless desolation had a unique charm of its own.
It was just the aura permeating the air that he couldn't quite adapt to.
"Sora, what exactly do you want us to do?"
Rangiku urged impatiently.
Naraku Sora grinned. "No rush. Let me introduce you to a few new friends first."
As his words fell, a muffled sound echoed from afar. The air instantly became thick and chaotic, and heavy Reiatsu rolled over them like a surging tide.
Under everyone's astonished gazes, white figures flickered into view.
In the blink of an eye, several figures occupied the nearby sky.
Feeling that tyrannical aura belonging to Hollows, everyone's expressions instantly grew tense. Komamura Sajin had already placed his furry, large hand on his Zanpakutō.
Ready to fight at any moment.
Despite the terrifying Reiatsu of the other party, he didn't have the slightest bit of fear.
His sole duty in this life was to protect Lord Naraku.
With his back to the Espada, Naraku Sora spread his arms, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.
"Everyone, welcome to..."
"My Hueco Mundo."
After Naraku Sora put on a massive show, he turned his head and handed the task of explaining over to Urahara Kisuke.
Looking at the unfriendly gazes of his colleagues, Urahara managed to squeeze out an awkward smile.
"Actually, I just found out about this too..."
Naraku Sora, meanwhile, walked over to Aizen and put on a serious expression.
"Sōsuke, how are your preparations?"
"Everything is ready."
Aizen looked calm, without much emotional fluctuation.
It was as if the one about to undergo Hollowfication wasn't him, but someone else.
"For the upcoming battle, let the Espada and the new captains go first. I will resolve the Hollow injected into my soul as quickly as possible."
"If it truly becomes uncontrollable, then you can step in personally."
Naraku Sora nodded, then reached out and took the gemstone out of its container.
Having seen it a few times, he had gained some experience. Merely leading the Hollowfication experiment didn't require any complex operations.
Seeing that the person was ready, he directly pressed the Hōgyoku against Aizen's forehead.
Accompanied by a burst of light, Aizen's body suddenly stiffened, as if petrified.
Under the watchful eyes of several people, Reiatsu surged wildly, converging on his face, intertwining and tangling with each other, forming a pale mask in an instant.