"What are the chances of winning?"
Yuta held the tea in his hand and took a sip.
Speaking of Aizen Sosuke's chances of winning, it actually wasn't low.
Although in the plot, Ichigo defeated Aizen Sosuke, there may have been multiple reasons for that outcome.
One was plot-induced defeat.
Another possibility was that Aizen Sosuke secretly desired someone who could surpass him. Ichigo could feel the weight of that loneliness in Aizen's sword. Hogyoku understood Aizen Sousuke's inner thoughts as well and chose not to allow further evolution.
With help from Urahara Kisuke, Aizen was finally restrained. Yet even then, with everything combined, they couldn't kill Aizen Sosuke after he had fused with the Hōgyoku.
Once Aizen had merged with the complete Hōgyoku, he had evolved to another level. No matter the injury, hogyoku healed him with ease, rendering him nearly immortal-leading to his eventual imprisonment instead of execution.
Looking at present circumstances, Kurosaki Ichigo's path of growth had already been affected by Yuta's presence. Even so, Ichigo possessed incredible latent power, much of which he had not fully understood. If he were to uncover his full heritage, awakening the power of Ichigo kurosaki wouldn't be difficult.
"Let me briefly analyze it for you," Yuta said evenly.
"Your goal is to turn Karakura Town into the linchpin for the Spirit King's Palace. From there, you head to the palace to assassinate the Spirit King."
"This action will undoubtedly be blocked by the Gotei 13."
"As well as by several individuals from Karakura Town."
"The Gotei 13… You'll have to deal with Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, Unohana Retsu, Kyōraku Shunsui, Zaraki Kenpachi, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, and Ukitake Jūshirō…"
"As for Karakura Town: Kurosaki Ichigo, Kurosaki Isshin, Ishida Uryū, Ishida Ryūken, Urahara Kisuke, Tessai Tsukabishi, Shihōin Yoruichi, and Hirako Shinji..."
"Looking at these numbers, the resistance to making the soul King's Key in Karakura Town is considerably overwhelming."
Despite the list of names, Aizen Sosuke remained calm. "I have countless ways to gauge their strength-and just as many ways to deal with them. The only ones I cannot predict are Kurosaki Ichigo… and you."
Yuta smiled slightly. "You also forgot someone: Urahara Kisuke. You may have outmaneuvered him before, but next time, things might be different. Underestimating him could be one of your greatest mistakes."
"I appreciate your warning," Aizen replied. "However, I'm curious-what method could Urahara Kisuke possibly use to defeat someone who has fused with the Hōgyoku?"
His confidence reflected the assurance he held in his current evolution-one that felt untouchable to most.
Yuta set down the tea and responded in a calm tone, edged with finality.
"Also, I don't recommend creating the King's Key in Karakura Town."
"Even if everyone else fails to stop you, I will make sure you don't succeed."
"I'm counting on that," Aizen said as if that had been part of his expectation from the beginning.
Yuta gave him a faint smile. "Why don't I seal you right now...?"
Tension surged between them-silent, thin, and volatile-on the verge of igniting into direct confrontation.
However, Aizen seemed to sense another presence. Someone had entered the Great Spirit Book Corridor to investigate Yuta's records. That caught his attention instead.
In central Forty-Six, Tsunayashiro Kitsune stepped forward cautiously. He seemed relieved that the elders were unharmed, no residual spiritual pressure in the air. He was on his way to access Yuta's records from the Great Spirit Book Corridor.
It was speculated the Tsunayashiro family's ability to use the Enra Kyōten to replicate others' Zanpakutō stemmed from learning their original and Bankai manifestations through the Spirit Book Corridor. Without that preparation, even with replication, those Zanpakutō abilities wouldn't be as effective against unknowns.
Outside, Aizen looked toward the distant mountain range and the lights marking the base of the Ghost Force's station.
"These decadent nobles always behave the same. A Shinigami too powerful? Eliminate him. A Shinigami too weak? Discard him. That's Soul Society."
"In the eyes of the Tsunayashiro family, if someone is too strong, civilian or not, they might one day turn against Soul Society. So better to act first before any threat forms-to them, any powerful unknown is intolerable."
"From their perspective, this is how stability is upheld."
"But from my perspective? They're fools."
"Which is why I've always concealed my strength. If I had revealed it, I'd have already been eliminated by them."
"They feared Kuchiki Kyōga's Zanpakutō to the point that they had him silenced. Kuchiki Ginzu talked of saving him-but in the end, he was always constrained by 'rules'. He couldn't protect anyone."
"Though if I wished it, eliminating the Tsunayashiro family wouldn't be difficult."
Yuta remained silent for several moments, then spoke.
"Yes... they're cautious to the extreme."
"They feared even the Soul King himself-and mutilated him. They severed his limbs and destroyed his organs so that he would remain in that suspended state between life and death. That's the only way they felt safe."
"They turned the Soul King into little else than a lynchpin-to prevent him from ever rebelling and endangering their noble rule."
"It became their version of order. To Ywach... that desecration was unforgivable."
"In their eyes, overwhelming power isn't strength-it's guilt. It must be erased."
"If not for the soul King's importance in stabilizing the realms… he might have been killed long ago. The same goes for any Shinigami they deem too strong, even if that person has no intention to rebel. The Tsunayashiro family simply doesn't take chances."
"They don't assign worth to life-they weigh threats and act accordingly."
Yuta's eyes narrowed slightly as he added, "In that case... the Tsunayashiro family must have long known about your Kyōka Suigetsu."
"Since they've already copied it with the Enra Kyōten."
"So… have they realized they've already fallen into the illusion?"
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