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Northwest of the Second Division's Squad Barracks, within a moat approximately thirty rooms in size.
The Underground Special Detention Facility.
From the outside, it looked like a towering mountain formed by tightly connected giant rock walls, but inside, it was a massive underground prison.
Surveillence Division Squad members in night clothes patrolled everywhere, creating a chilling atmosphere.
The criminals held here were no different from squirming maggots in the eyes of the Central 46, which is why this prison was also called—
Maggot's Nest!
Bang, bang, bang...
Crack, crack, crack...
Sticks and fists continuously roared in the dungeon, and hundreds of figures fought wildly in the hall.
Timid prisoners screamed in terror, scrambling around with their heads in their hands, cowering and trembling in corners.
Rocks were shattered into pieces by the spiritual pressure from fists, and stone chips scattered.
High-intensity spiritual pressure transformed into huge sky-blue waves, impacting the cage-like dome.
"Damn Surveillence Division!! Why are you keeping me here? Let us out!!"
"Go to hell!!"
A tall, burly man in tattered clothes lunged forward, roaring furiously.
His face was splattered with the blood of prisoners, his white cloth clothes stained crimson, and his bloodshot eyes stared intently at the black-haired man not far away.
He was about twenty years old, only about 1.85 meters tall, with long black hair, a faint smile on his face, wearing black Death robes, and followed by a silver-haired kid.
He was clearly a handsome and delicate man, yet he dared to come to a place like this.
The tall prisoner's face bore a crazy and cruel smile that even other prisoners feared.
He was determined to make this pretty boy realize how dangerous it was to be good-looking in a place like this.
"..."
In a deeper part of the prison, a man with a strange black and white painted face sat on a white stone bed, an impatient expression on his face.
"Another disturbance, what a boring bunch of guys!"
The prisoners of Maggot's Nest were not restricted in their freedom within the prison.
However, this man was confined to a solitary cell, with heavy shackles on his feet, indicating that his level of danger far exceeded that of other prisoners!
Click, click—
Accompanied by the sound of falling rubble and light footsteps, shadows lengthened under the light.
Two figures, one large and one small, descended the narrow stairs.
"He solved the prisoners outside all by himself. A truly formidable expert has arrived!"
A hoarse voice came from within the cell, its strange tone giving a chilling feeling.
"What business... brings a expert like you to this place..."
"I came for you... of course, I have something to discuss."
Aozaki Reiji shook the blood from his hands, walked to the cell door, and said with a relieved expression:
"Kurotsuchi Mayuri, sir."
He seemed like a troublesome guy...
Kurotsuchi Mayuri watched Aozaki Reiji approach, listening to the wails from afar, and frowned.
The last person who made him feel so displeased was that Surveillence Division member named Urahara Kisuke.
"Ichimaru, wait for me outside first."
Aozaki Reiji waved his hand, and the cell door that restricted Kurotsuchi Mayuri's freedom automatically opened.
To his slight surprise, Aozaki Reiji plopped down on his bed.
"Oh... to be so impolite to someone you're meeting for the first time."
He curled his lips into a sneer:
"Although you used polite language, it's still too rude."
"Is that so?"
Aozaki Reiji scratched his head, then extended his hand and said:
"I forgot to introduce myself. I am the new Third Seat of the Second Division and the Captain of the Surveillence Division, Aozaki Reiji."
"A name I haven't heard of."
"Perhaps it's because I graduated from Shin'o Academy this year and only joined the Surveillence Division yesterday."
"Graduated from Shin'o Academy this year..."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri calmly looked at Reiji's enthusiastic demeanor and extended hand, pondered for a moment, then reached out and shook it, saying:
"To be promoted to Third Seat right after graduation, it seems I should congratulate you."
"So what exactly are you here for?"
Aozaki Reiji smiled: "Kurotsuchi Mayuri, sir, don't you find it boring staying here?"
Upon hearing Aozaki Reiji's words, Kurotsuchi Mayuri's heart skipped a beat, though he remained outwardly calm:
"What do you mean by that! Or rather, you don't understand this place at all."
"The Shihōin Family made a foolish decision to make you Captain of the Surveillance Division. You really are a derelict Captain!"
"No, no, no," Aozaki Reiji scoffed, "You still haven't understood my meaning."
He slowly exhaled a long breath,
"I'm not asking if you're happy with your life here."
"Of course, the environment here is much better than above. You have a private room and don't have to stay with those dirty, violent guys."
"But ultimately, this room is also a prison, confining your freedom."
"And most importantly..."
"To be honest, I truly admire your abilities."
"I probably understand you more than you imagine, and I understand Maggot's Nest even better. There's nothing here for you to play with."
"This isn't where you should be either."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri's brows suddenly furrowed.
"Hmm, it seems you're starting to understand what I mean."
Aozaki Reiji raised his hand.
The shackles on Kurotsuchi Mayuri's legs immediately opened. At the same time, Ichimaru Gin, who was guarding the stairs, looked back, and only turned his head back when he saw no danger.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri, now "free," looked at Reiji's blood-stained hands.
This "dangerous individual" did not attack; instead, he sat still as if in deep meditation.
He knew very well that he was considered a dangerous individual not because of his immense power, but because of his talent and ideas.
Since this man could fight his way in from outside with his bare hands, he knew he was no match for him.
"I have a friend named Urahara Kisuke. He is the Third Seat of the Twelfth Division. You might know him; he used to be in the Surveillence Division."
Aozaki Reiji slowly stood up and walked around the small room.
"He has an idea to establish an organization dedicated to scientific research and development, and he believes you have the talent for it. So, would you like to join us?"
"That's a crazy suggestion." Kurotsuchi Mayuri sneered, "But with just the two of you Third Seats, you want to form such an organization, and even get me out of this hellhole? Don't joke around."
"It's not just the two of us; the head of the Shihōin Family will also support us."
Aozaki sighed, stood up, and extended his hand again.
"Not only that, never mind, let me reintroduce myself."
"My name is Aozaki Reiji, I am twenty-one years old this year, and my master is Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto."
As the words fell, Kurotsuchi Mayuri fell into a prolonged silence, his expression changing dramatically for the first time, twisting erratically.
Aozaki Reiji was not in a hurry.
He just counted the bars of the cell to himself.
He understood this guy's personality very well.
He was a typical "mad scientist," and staying in a place where he couldn't do anything would definitely be worse than death.
Moreover, he wasn't Urahara Kisuke, so this guy wouldn't bother to argue with him out of jealousy.
Reiji believed Kurotsuchi Mayuri would make the right choice.
Half a minute later,
Kurotsuchi Mayuri looked up, a bizarre smile on his lips, and hissed:
"Why choose me... Everything you just said was Urahara Kisuke's idea, right?"
"I mean you, what do you want?"
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