Aizen and Gin returned to Las Noches together.
Barragan knelt below the throne, trembling despite himself.
Kazuma had sold him out and revealed that his supposed submission to Aizen had only ever been an act.
"Barragan, I trust you understand what happens to those who deceive me."
Aizen's voice was calm and even, yet the authority behind it sent a chill through the room.
'How did he find out? I probably can't beat him. Should I run? Could I even escape?'
The other Espada watched with varying expressions. Some looked nervous, while others were plainly enjoying Barragan's misfortune.
Nelliel alone forced herself to stay calm.
"Since you already know, I have nothing to deny," Barragan said steadily. "It is true that I failed to defeat that powerful Shinigami back then. As for everything that happened afterward… I have no desire to explain myself."
He showed no panic under Aizen's rebuke.
Before that man and Aizen came to Hueco Mundo, Barragan had been its king.
Times had changed, and he'd been forced to lower his proud head before a new ruler.
Even so, the dignity of a king had never truly left him.
"I'm pleased that you admitted it without wasting my time. We'll leave the matter there. I have no intention of punishing you."
Aizen then turned his gaze toward Nelliel.
"That's right. I'm a spy too."
With no way to dodge it, Nelliel admitted it without hesitation.
Standing nearby, Nnoitra Gilga licked his lips.
As the Fifth Espada, he'd long wanted to climb higher.
The last time he and Yylfordt Granz teamed up to ambush Nelliel, they'd failed.
He didn't dare provoke Barragan, but if Nelliel had now been exposed as a spy, then he finally had a legitimate excuse to gather the others and kill her.
"Ha… hahaha!"
Nnoitra pictured Nelliel crushed beneath his foot and burst into delighted laughter.
"Nelliel, you really do love joking around," Gin said lightly, his voice carrying its usual teasing edge.
"Calling yourself a spy? Don't be ridiculous! You're one of our closest companions. Come over here. The place beside me belongs to you."
Gin's words dropped into the quiet hall like a stone into still water.
Nnoitra's laughter died as though someone had grabbed him by the throat.
The ugly delight on his face twisted into confusion.
"What exactly is going on?"
The Arrancar glanced between Gin and Nelliel, clearly caught off guard.
"Ichimaru Gin, stop spouting nonsense!" Yammy Llargo roared on behalf of the others. "Just because you're Lord Aizen's trusted subordinate doesn't mean you can do whatever you want!"
Aside from Barragan, who stayed calmly in place, the other Arrancar began whispering among themselves.
Yammy's eyes widened in fury, and his massive hand closed around the sword at his waist as though he might draw at any moment.
"You're merely the Tenth Espada. What makes you think you're qualified to question me?"
Gin narrowed his eyes, the corner of his mouth lifting into a faint, cold smile.
With a small movement of his wrist, Shinsō flashed from its sheath.
Before anyone could react, the blade cleanly took off Yammy's raised right hand.
Blood sprayed across the floor.
"ARGH! Ichimaru Gin, you dare—!"
Yammy's eyes bulged, veins standing out across his forehead as cold sweat streamed down his face.
He clutched the severed wrist while blood poured between his fingers, soaking his hand and sleeve.
His rage was almost volcanic, but he didn't dare charge.
Yammy might be rage itself, but he wasn't completely brainless.
He knew perfectly well that at his current strength, attacking Gin would only humiliate him — and possibly get him killed.
All he could do was glare.
"Ichimaru Gin, that was too far."
Coyote Starrk, silent until now, finally stepped forward.
An invisible pressure spread through the room as the Primera Espada moved. His presence alone was enough to make everyone tense.
"That is enough."
Aizen finally spoke before the confrontation could spiral out of control.
"Everything Gin did was carried out under my orders. Does anyone have an objection?"
His calm, commanding voice silenced the hall at once.
Aizen sat high on the throne and slowly swept his gaze across those below. Everyone his eyes passed over lowered their head in submission.
To those gathered in Las Noches, Aizen's word was absolute.
"Yes, Lord Aizen."
Starrk opened his mouth as if he still wanted to protest, but in the end he sighed and bowed.
Since Aizen had openly approved Gin's actions, arguing further would only invite his displeasure.
'What is he planning?'
Nelliel remained deeply suspicious.
Aizen already knew she was a spy.
Yet instead of punishing her, he'd seemingly instructed Gin to promote her and draw her closer.
None of it made sense.
Was there some deeper scheme under his actions?
No matter how much Nelliel thought about it, she couldn't see Aizen's true objective.
"Everyone may leave. Nelliel and Barragan, the two of you will remain."
Aizen found himself thoroughly enjoying the moment.
In the past, whenever the captains gathered, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni had always been the one speaking from above while everyone else stood below and listened.
Now Aizen was the one sitting on the throne.
Power truly was intoxicating.
"You must both be wondering how your identities were exposed."
Aizen rested his head against one hand while the fingers of the other tapped a rhythm against the throne's armrest.
Nelliel and Barragan both shook their heads, making it clear they had little interest in listening to him ramble.
"That bastard Kazuma told me."
They might not have wanted to know, but Aizen was going to tell them anyway.
...
"What?"
Aizen's words sent shockwaves through both Nelliel and Barragan.
They'd considered countless ways their identities might have been exposed, yet neither had ever imagined Kazuma would be the one responsible.
"I don't believe you! Kazuma is one of my closest friends. He would never do something like that!"
Nelliel glared at Aizen and rejected the claim immediately. Her fists clenched tight, and her body trembled faintly with anger.
Barragan wasn't as emotional, but disbelief still showed on his face.
'Could Lord Kazuma truly have given us up?'
"Captain Aizen is telling the truth," Gin said with his usual smile. "We've already reached several agreements with Captain Kazuma. That's how we learned the truth about both of you."
He gave a quiet laugh.
"Captain Kazuma truly is impossible to read. Who would have expected him to bring most of Hueco Mundo's major fighting power under his control before we ever arrived? Even Captain Aizen and I were surprised when we found out."
Gin then turned toward Nelliel with open curiosity.
"I always assumed Lord Barragan was the one leading the two of you. I never realized you and Captain Kazuma were close friends rather than master and subordinate. Does that mean you're actually the one overseeing everything?"
"There's one more thing I'm curious about. With your true strength, you shouldn't be able to defeat Barragan. So why does he follow your instructions?"
Even after understanding their connection, Gin still found that point strange.
Barragan's expression darkened at once.
Having something like this aired in public was a brutal blow to his pride.
"It's because the source of Barragan's power is currently in my possession. Kazuma gave it to me."
After a moment's thought, Nelliel decided to trust Gin enough to answer honestly.
She didn't spare Barragan's feelings in the slightest.
Was that too cruel?
Cruel, my ass! If he was too weak to win, he didn't get to complain about his dignity.
"So what now?" Nelliel asked directly. "Did Kazuma also tell you to demand I hand Barragan's power source over?"
Since everyone had already put their cards on the table, she saw no reason to keep pretending.
Her brows drew together slightly, and caution entered her gaze.
"No. He made no such request," Aizen replied calmly, folding his arms. "Something that important is best left under your control."
With his strength, he had no need for it.
Even if everyone here joined forces against him, he was confident he could sweep them aside alone.
"Hueco Mundo is vast," Gin continued, narrowing his eyes. "Surely you and Barragan can't manage all of it by yourselves. Captain Kazuma must have left other pieces here to help you."
"Our strength is more than enough," Nelliel replied with a faint smile. "But as you guessed, we do have additional support ready for emergencies."
She admitted there were others, but when Gin waited for names, Nelliel closed her mouth and refused to say another word.
"You mean Kuruyashiki, don't you?" Aizen suddenly said. "I'm well aware that he is currently in Hueco Mundo."
Nelliel wasn't surprised by the guess.
Someone as meticulous as Aizen naturally kept track of the Gotei 13's captains.
But he knew nothing about Batsu'unsai and the other first-generation captains.
"So Lord Aizen already knew," Nelliel said. "Then there's no reason to hide it. Yes, Kuruyashiki is one of our reinforcements."
Aizen's words let her understand something important.
He knew part of Kazuma's arrangement, but clearly not all of it.
He'd missed one crucial person entirely — Ashido.
That made Nelliel question just how complete Aizen's intelligence network really was.
"Then what exactly is our relationship now?" she asked. "Are we equal partners, or am I expected to become your subordinate?"
"Barragan remains my subordinate," Aizen answered clearly. "You, Nelliel, may consider yourself an equal partner."
His faint smile returned as he precisely defined her place on the board.
"Good. Pretending in front of you for so long was exhausting. I hope our cooperation from here on will be pleasant."
Relief showed on Nelliel's face.
With that brief exchange, both sides reached an understanding.
"Aizen, I'll take my leave."
Nelliel bowed slightly, then turned and left at a brisk pace.
Now that Aizen and Kazuma had entered a partnership, the situation had changed considerably.
She needed to inform Kuruyashiki and the others as soon as possible so they could prepare and avoid any needless conflict later.
Her pace quickened, and before long she reached the Forest of Menos.
A faint ripple of reiatsu came from deeper within.
Nelliel looked ahead and saw Kuruyashiki hurrying toward her. He'd sensed her arrival and come out to meet her.
"Kuruyashiki, there's something important you need to know. Kazuma and Aizen have entered a partnership. Aizen now knows about me, Barragan, and you. Fortunately, he doesn't seem to know anything about Ashido yet."
Before Kuruyashiki could even ask why she'd come, Nelliel hurriedly explained everything.
"Captain Kazuma is cooperating with Aizen? Are you certain?"
Kuruyashiki's brows drew together as he fell into thought.
"I believe it's true. With Aizen's strength, he has no reason to lie to me about something like this."
Even so, Nelliel couldn't claim absolute certainty.
"Then I'll return to Soul Society and speak with Captain Kazuma personally," Kuruyashiki decided.
"You and Ashido should stay in the Forest of Menos until I come back with confirmation."
He made his decision immediately.
He needed to go back to Soul Society and learn the truth for himself.