Chapter 29: Beating the Will of the World
At this moment, Aizen's facade of a gentle smile almost cracked completely. He began to wonder if Kyoka Suigetsu had suddenly betrayed him and cast Complete Hypnosis on its own master.
Otherwise, how could Ichigo Kurosaki have turned out like this?
According to Aizen's research, Ichigo Kurosaki was a good kid—his grades weren't great, but he was kind-hearted, possessed a strong sense of justice, and most importantly, had a sharp, flexible mind. He was not the kind of bizarre idiot who would stop a stranger on the street and say, "I want to conquer the Three Worlds; I hope you'll help me."
Suppressing the urge to rub his temples, Aizen fully utilized his poise as a generous elder. He offered an awkward but polite smile:
"Ichigo Kurosaki, I watched your match yesterday. Achieving such remarkable power at such a young age is a feat to be proud of. However, conquering the world isn't something you can achieve by finding random people on the street. You should focus on more practical efforts—for instance, reading more books and training harder."
In a sense, Aizen wasn't being dismissive. As a mastermind, he had built himself up through just such mundane, tireless cultivation and study. This was genuine, heartfelt advice. Unfortunately, Ichigo failed to "GET" Aizen's earnest intentions. He said bluntly:
"Sosuke Aizen, I want to reach the Soul King Palace. And you're the only one who can help me with that."
In an instant, Aizen's gentle smile vanished entirely. His pupils constricted, and a sharp, piercing edge surfaced behind his thick glasses.
"Ichigo Kurosaki... I don't know how you know my name, but the words 'Soul King Palace' are not something I can ignore."
Mo Yu had told Ichigo to unite all the forces that could be united. Ichigo had the resolve, but as he tried to put it into practice, he found himself without a clue.
Ichigo was cheerful, but he wasn't a "social butterfly" type. Inviting a complete stranger to join a world-conquest plot was a monumental challenge for him. Ultimately, he decided to throw caution to the wind and stand before Aizen.
Whether fighting or making friends, one must face them head-on. Even when talking about conquering the world, one must shout it out with an unstoppable spirit—this was Ichigo's Purity!
And this Purity was rewarded. Aizen began to shed his disguise and grow serious.
In Ichigo's eyes, the gentle man transformed into a monster. Aizen's Reiatsu, though he tried to suppress it, was still so vast it felt like the very air was suffocating. Even so, Ichigo showed no fear:
"Come on. There's a café over there. Let's sit down and talk!"
Aizen's thoughts spun through a hundred iterations before he finally retracted his leaking Reiatsu and accepted the invitation.
Sitting in the café, Aizen watched Ichigo and spoke directly:
"Before we speak, I want to ask: how do you know me, and how much do you know about me?"
"A mysterious guy called the Observer introduced you to me. But he only gave me your name and said you have a way into the Soul King Palace."
Ichigo was honest. Mo Yu had never forbidden him from mentioning his name. In this regard, Mo Yu and Ichigo were similar—both preferred a "fair and square" way of doing things.
Aizen recalled yesterday's events and asked: "Is this 'Observer' the holy voice from beyond the heavens?"
Ichigo nodded. Aizen looked pensive. He was naturally wary of Mo Yu. Yesterday, he had seemed to leave casually, but he had been observing and deducing the entire time. To a powerhouse of his level, a voice without a body was eerie—even terrifying.
The result was clear: even Urahara couldn't find him, so Aizen fared no better. Today, Aizen had come out looking for clues, only to have Ichigo deliver the lead directly to his door.
Aizen didn't press for details immediately. Instead, he said:
"Ichigo Kurosaki, since the mysterious Observer didn't say much, let me introduce myself. I am the Captain of the 5th Division of the Gotei 13. The Gotei 13 is, in name, an armed force that serves the Soul King and guards the Three Worlds. As the Captain of the 5th Division, I have no way into the Soul King Palace. You've found the wrong person."
Aizen wasn't lying, but he was being selective. The Captain of the 5th Division might not have a way, but the King of Hueco Mundo certainly did. Ichigo, missing the nuance, replied bluntly:
"You might not have a 'way,' but you definitely know who does."
Aizen hadn't expected such a response. He explained: "I might. But do you understand the weight of your words? The Soul King Palace is the holiest place in the Soul Society. Ordinary people are executed just for knowing the name. Even if you knew who had a way, what would it matter? If he refuses, what do you plan to do?"
Ichigo replied instantly without blinking: "If he knows but won't say, I'll use everything I have to persuade him."
Aizen was amused. "What good is 'persuasion'? What if he still refuses and sentences you to death instead?"
Ichigo's second instant reply: "Then I'll beat him until he's willing to talk."
Aizen began to wonder if sitting down with Ichigo was a mistake. He pushed on: "What if he's very strong?"
"Then I'll beat him with my full power!"
"What if that person is the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13? What if he's not only strong himself but is backed by many other powerful Captains?"
"Then I'll use power that transcends my limits! I'll beat the Captain-Commander and every Captain of the Gotei 13 until they are willing to talk!"
At this moment, Aizen—a man never short on words—experienced his first-ever loss for them. He had no idea how to respond. Looking at Ichigo's firm, unshakable gaze, Aizen realized these weren't just impulsive words. It was a declaration of resolve born from serious thought.
It wasn't a question of can he do it, but will he do it.
It felt as if even if the entire world stood in Ichigo's path, he would simply swing his fists and beat the world until one of them fell.
Aizen hadn't fully understood Purity before, but looking at Ichigo, he gained an epiphany. Ichigo's Purity was so high and so concentrated that he was the living incarnation of the word.
Aizen suddenly laughed. It wasn't his forced gentle laugh, but a slightly sinister, charismatic one. It was a laugh from the heart.
He was a genius, but a lonely one. In the entire Three Worlds, he could find no one who understood him. Perhaps that was the reality of existence—no one truly understands another. Yet, looking at Ichigo, Aizen felt a kinship.
Ichigo was also a person destined to be misunderstood, yet he continued forward in his own way.
"Your Purity is high. It earns my admiration. I'm even starting to look forward to the sight of you beating the Gotei 13. I won't join you on your quest to conquer the world, but I will provide you with opportunities in my own way. Of course, I'll need you to provide me with help at certain times. Our friendship should be built on mutual benefit, shouldn't it?"
Aizen spoke his true thoughts with that sinister smile. Out of appreciation—and for his own utility—Aizen decided to give Ichigo a chance. He raised his coffee cup toward him.
Ichigo didn't refuse the friendship and clinked his cup against Aizen's.
After a sip, Aizen remembered something. "By the way, I haven't asked: why do you want to enter the Soul King Palace?"
"The world is about to be destroyed. It's falling into the Void. We need to get the Soul King's body as soon as possible to turn the world into an Ark, then pilot it to immigrate to another world..."
Aizen nearly spat out his coffee. He swallowed with difficulty, coughing several times. Even as a seasoned mastermind, he nearly lost his composure.
Naturally, Aizen pressed for details. After a brief explanation, Ichigo brought Aizen to the edge of Karakura Town and performed the small experiment with the Void.
Once the existence of the Void Zone was verified, Aizen used his expertise as a scientist of the Soul Society to design and conduct several more tests of his own. His face grew grim.
He was a mastermind, yes. He sought to realize his ambitions, even at the cost of blood. But if the world itself ceased to exist, what point was there to his ambition?
But Aizen was steady. He didn't commit immediately. "I will verify this in the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo as soon as possible."
Aizen knew that the Three Worlds were one. If the human world had a problem, the others wouldn't be far behind. Like Urahara, Aizen began secret communications with his connections in the Soul Society to verify the data.
Though Aizen was in the human world, he had capable assistants—like Kaname Tosen. After Aizen sent the signal, Tosen immediately began investigating. The feedback arrived quickly: there were indeed areas of suspected world-dissolution in both the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo.
End of Chapter
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