Hueco Mundo, Las Noches, underground laboratory.
The battle above hadn't affected anything here. Szayelaporro Granz, the chief scientist among the Hollows, was fully absorbed in his research.
At the same time, a man in shihakushō sat elegantly at a burgundy wooden desk, reading a research report.
"Aizen-dono."
Higashino Shuuichi pushed the door open, walked straight to the desk, and bowed.
"You already have the strength to deal with Baraggan?"
Aizen didn't even lift his head as he asked.
"No. You know my strength well, Aizen-dono. To deal with Baraggan, I'd either need a Bankai developed specifically to counter him, or spiritual pressure so overwhelming that I could crush him. Neither is possible for me right now. Just now I was only acting. Otherwise, if every time I came to Hueco Mundo he pulled something like that, I wouldn't be able to handle it."
Higashino Shuuichi answered honestly.
Before Aizen, there was no need to hide anything. He was tied to Aizen's faction, and keeping secrets would only hurt him.
Just now, he had only feigned starting Bankai because he noticed Starrk was nearby. He knew Aizen would never allow him to release Bankai so brazenly within Las Noches.
After all, Soul Society had expeditionary squads stationed in Hueco Mundo, and with the intensified attacks on Hollows after the recent noble hunt, there might well be shinigami around familiar with his reiatsu.
Hearing his explanation, Aizen finally looked up, then smoothly shifted topics. "Tell me your impressions of the last hunt."
Higashino Shuuichi instantly focused. He had expected this—Baraggan's antics meant little to Aizen. In his eyes, Baraggan was no different from Muguruma Kensei, someone he could crush with one hand. If Shuuichi had been killed by him, that would only prove he wasn't fit to serve Aizen.
"The Gotei 13 remain formidable. Without even mentioning the Head Captain, who never left Seireitei, they sent only six captains, yet forced both Baraggan and Starrk to retreat.
And from my observation, Kyōraku Shunsui of Squad 8 and Shihōin Yoruichi of Squad 2 didn't go all out. The others—Muguruma Kensei of Squad 9, Zaraki Kenpachi of Squad 11, Hirako Shinji of Squad 5, and Kamikawa Renzosuke of Squad 3—also didn't display their full power."
He answered based on what he'd seen through his reishi dolls. The true extent of each captain's power, of course, was something he would never reveal—that wasn't his place.
"Starrk's conclusion afterward was the same. Especially about Shihōin Yoruichi. He believes she still has a trump card she didn't use."
Aizen set down the research report.
From the corner of his eye, Higashino Shuuichi caught the title—it was Szayelaporro's study on souls.
So Szayelaporro was already researching souls at this point. That meant his so-called "elder brother" Yylfordt Granz would likely appear soon.
Which also meant Aizen's recent interest in spiritually gifted souls likely stemmed from these research findings. Until now, his experiments had been limited to the level of reishi manipulation.
"Do you need me to probe further?"
Higashino Shuuichi asked.
He knew Aizen never spoke idly, at least not to those like him. With subordinates, Aizen's words were always deliberate, calculated.
"There will be probing, yes—but not of Shihōin Yoruichi."
Aizen shook his head lightly.
"Then who?"
Higashino Shuuichi asked, though in his heart he already knew.
It couldn't be Kensei, the benchmark of captain-level power. Not Hirako Shinji, Aizen's own former captain, whom he had surely studied thoroughly. The others were too straightforward, their abilities easy to measure. That left only three: Kyōraku Shunsui, always laid-back; Unohana Retsu of Squad 4, who never fought seriously; and Ukitake Jūshirō of Squad 13, ever sickly and sidelined.
Unohana—he'd worked under her for nearly seventy years and had yet to find anything useful to report. Ukitake was practically invisible.
So the answer was clear.
"Kyōraku Shunsui, captain of Squad 8."
Aizen spoke casually.
For him, only Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, the Head Captain, was a true threat. But to change this decayed world, defeating Yamamoto alone wasn't enough.
He needed to know the true strength of the other captains. What if one of them held hidden power?
While pursuing the path to surpass the limits of shinigami and rise above all of Soul Society, Aizen also intended to uncover the captains' secrets.
Originally, this had been his task. But years ago, he had stumbled upon a partially destroyed experimental record from an unusual shinigami, sparking his obsession with hollowfication.
Now, Higashino Shuuichi was too convenient a subordinate not to use.
"I understand, Aizen-dono. I'll complete the mission as soon as possible."
Higashino Shuuichi voiced no objections. He knew every boss liked hearing unconditional agreement, no matter how unreasonable the demand.
And he prided himself on being a loyal, "good employee."
Compared to dueling Baraggan, this task was far easier.
But before his satisfaction could last even a second, Aizen's next words crushed it.
"You told me you had seven days off, didn't you?"
"Yes, Aizen-dono. Do you have something in mind?"
"This time, Soul Society has sent a captain with the expeditionary squad to Hueco Mundo. Those two captains—don't let them return."
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