The young man's thoughts grew more complex.
But then, he seemed to notice a problem in Aizen's words.
Parasitic plants.
Human host.
Absorbing the host's nutrients.
Bearing fruit.
Kabuto subconsciously asked: "If our Chakra Pathway System is truly a parasitic plant, then... what about their fruits?"
Aizen looked at him and retorted:
"Indeed."
"What about their fruits?"
Kabuto was startled, inexplicably recalling the earlier myth once again.
—The fruit swallowed by Kaguya.
The young man's body completely stiffened.
Looking at his expression, which vaguely showed some disbelief, Aizen shook his head, his gaze returning to the blade embryo before him:
"In short, what this factor contains is by no means a limited power like Wood Release, but rather more possibilities."
"This is what I will continue to explore next."
"This blade you see now is merely a preliminary result in my process of seeking the truth."
"Next, I will try to integrate the underlying operating logic of the Sharingan and Byakugan into this blade... I hope the results will satisfy me."
This idea was not a sudden whim, but the result of countless searches.
Unlike the various Bloodline Limits currently existing in the Ninja World, which are derived from the fusion of multiple Chakra natures, the truly most ancient and mysterious Bloodlines are actually only three:
The special physique of the Senju Clan.
The Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan.
The Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan.
As for other bloodlines, they are merely derivatives of intertwined Chakra natures.
At the same time, these three also share a common origin.
Which is the god tree.
Or rather, the mysterious Six Paths Sage and Hamura Ōtsutsuki.
Since that's the case, combining them back into one should yield a good product, right?
Aizen thought.
The only problem was that this project required an enormous amount of resources, energy, and wealth. As an ordinary researcher, he, with his current identity, simply couldn't acquire such a large quantity of resources in a short time, let alone the Wood Release cells that Konoha had layers of secrecy shrouding.
—This was one of the reasons he set his sights on Orochimaro.
Also, it was because, throughout the entire Village, Orochimaro was the only man who could make him feel a slight sense of apprehension.
Just like Urahara Kisuke back then.
The problem that still exists now is that a traditional Zanpakuto is formed by Ōetsu Nimaiya constructing an Asauchi from a spiritual body, and then a Shinigami infuses their own will into it, thereby giving birth to a materialized representation of their own spirit.
The god tree factor can carry will.
The peak of the Sharingan, the Mangekyo Sharingan, is sufficient to replace spiritual materialization.
The Byakugan possesses a special property of fusing with different bloodlines, inherently having unlimited potential, making it an excellent catalyst.
Therefore, he needs at least one pair of pure [Mangekyo Sharingan] and a relatively large number of [Byakugan] as the foundation for his Zanpakuto research.
Aside from that, the fundamental soul of the Zanpakuto itself still lacks a suitable replacement.
However, Aizen did have an idea.
As he continued to ponder, Kabuto had already recovered from the initial shock and cautiously asked:
"But, Aizen-sama."
"Why... would you tell me all of this?"
"I'm just an ordinary Chunin."
What he didn't say aloud was that just an hour ago, he was still Orochimaro's subordinate, and he had only just been captured and brought here. Why would he receive such trust from the other party? And by what right could he access his deepest secrets?
Kabuto didn't understand.
How could he know that Aizen's attention on him wasn't just for a day or two?
However, listening to his words, Aizen seemed rather indifferent. He slowly walked to the desk in the center of the laboratory, sat down, and then cast a gentle gaze upon him:
"The word 'trust' is synonymous with 'reliance'."
"Those are actions of the weak."
"We don't need them."
"If it were me, I would only ask if you want to come with me, not to trust me and come with me."
"Don't trust anyone, and that includes me."
He said this, interlacing his fingers on the table, quietly looking at the young man across the desk, his gaze behind the thick glasses showing a hint of encouragement, his tone gentle:
"So, are you willing to follow me and explore the truth of this world?"
"Kabuto-kun."
These were the plainest of words, yet they caused Kabuto, who had experienced countless betrayals, killings, commands, and loyalty tests since childhood, to involuntarily freeze.
As if his deepest spirit had been directly touched.
Suddenly, Kabuto's mind recalled that figure deeply etched in his memory—his mother, who never recognized him until her death.
Yakushi Nonou.
'Don't trust anyone, and follow him?'
'...I couldn't ask for more.'
Suddenly, he seemed to let go of something, and his whole being became lighter.
No need for loyalty, no need for trust.
Just following behind him, exploring the true face of this world.
Thinking of this.
When he looked up again, meeting Aizen's gaze, a false yet brilliant smile appeared on the young man's face.
As if the mask had finally melted onto his face, merging with his true appearance.
Then, he decisively knelt on one knee.
Kabuto sincerely bowed his head and said:
"Yes."
"Aizen-sama."