Chapter 463 - 463: Of Course—Your World Was Created by Someone

"You said he was dangerous, but we never had time to investigate him. I didn't expect him to be the one who fought Zaraki Kenpachi too."

Yamamoto showed no surprise when Senjumaru Shutara stepped out.

"I looked into him after we met, but found nothing about his past."

Senjumaru approached the Captain-Commander, hands folded neatly before her. Several skeletal arms rested around her own as curiosity and caution flickered in her eyes.

Yamamoto frowned.

"You've thought of it too, haven't you?"

Senjumaru spoke softly.

"Our expedition to Hueco Mundo failed because of an unknown individual with extraordinary strength. Yet despite that power, he didn't seem particularly hostile."

"You believe they're the same person?"

Yamamoto understood immediately.

"Possibly. Zaraki is hardly weak, especially after releasing that much Reiatsu. Someone who could defeat him so easily narrows the possibilities considerably."

"Then that raises another question."

Yamamoto looked at her.

"How did Aizen find him?"

"That…"

Senjumaru smiled faintly.

"You can ask them when they arrive."

Yamamoto exhaled.

"Trouble keeps piling up."

"Soul Society has never exactly been peaceful."

Senjumaru sounded amused.

"But if they really are the same person, what do you intend to do?"

"That depends on his purpose."

Yamamoto glanced at her.

"You said the three new candidates at Shin'ō Academy may have arrived with him. Have they been investigated?"

"Yes. I'm almost certain they're connected."

Senjumaru frowned slightly.

"Their overall presence is similar. And their physiques…"

"Physiques?"

Yamamoto looked puzzled.

"As Soul Society's master weaver and the creator of the Shihakushō, I pay close attention to body measurements."

Senjumaru considered her words.

"Their proportions are unusually perfect. One person might simply be exceptional, but all three are like that. It's too consistent to be coincidence."

She looked toward Yamamoto.

"They're different from us."

"In what way?"

"Fundamentally."

Senjumaru's expression grew serious.

"We are not the same kind of existence."

"Oh?"

Yamamoto's eyes shifted slightly before he nodded.

"Then we'll wait and see what kind of man he really is."

…

Shunsui wasted no time.

After leaving the Captain-Commander, he went straight to find Aizen.

And there, he saw Cyrus again.

They had been separated by some distance before, but now that Shunsui was standing closer, Cyrus's sheer physical presence was impossible to ignore.

It wasn't Reiatsu.

It was simply the pressure created by an overwhelmingly powerful physique.

Just looking at him, Shunsui had the odd feeling that there was almost nothing about Cyrus's build that could be improved.

"The Captain-Commander summoned us?"

Aizen inwardly sighed, then glanced toward Cyrus.

"Then let's go."

Cyrus smiled.

"It's not like we can refuse."

"True."

Aizen nodded.

Shunsui turned and led the way.

While they walked, Aizen quietly disappeared for a short time right under Shunsui's nose.

Cyrus saw everything.

Shunsui noticed nothing.

When Aizen returned, Cyrus gave him an amused look.

"Finished setting things up?"

He lowered his voice.

"You sent Tosen to handle it?"

Aizen's expression hardened.

"If possible, I truly wish I had never met you."

He looked ahead.

"My plan wasn't ready, but now I have no choice but to move early."

"So you're saying that even without me, you would eventually have figured out who was carrying the Hōgyoku?"

Cyrus smiled strangely.

"Of course."

Aizen glanced at him.

"But arguing about that now is pointless."

His eyes narrowed.

"You don't intend to remain in Soul Society much longer, do you?"

"Probably not."

Cyrus nodded.

"It depends on what your Captain-Commander decides."

"And how do you plan to leave?"

Aizen asked.

"Like this."

Cyrus casually raised one hand.

A green doorway appeared in midair.

A familiar presence drifted through from the other side.

Hueco Mundo.

Aizen's eyes flashed with genuine surprise.

"You can open one that easily?"

He studied the doorway.

"So you can return to Hueco Mundo from Seireitei whenever you want—and come back here just as easily?"

Seireitei's internal space had been reinforced specifically to prevent such intrusions.

Even powerful Hollows couldn't normally open a Garganta directly inside its walls without preparation. They had to enter from outside Seireitei.

Yet Cyrus had done it with a casual gesture.

He could attack whenever he pleased and retreat just as easily.

No wonder he had been so fearless.

"Heh."

Aizen smiled.

"Now I really am curious what will happen when you meet the Captain-Commander."

"Plans never survive reality perfectly."

Cyrus closed the doorway.

"You of all people should understand that."

"No matter how carefully you prepare, you can't control everything unless you already possess absolute control."

He glanced at Aizen.

"And if you did, there'd be no point in making elaborate plans in the first place."

"And then someone like you appears."

Aizen looked at him.

"A variable that refuses to stay inside the plan."

After a brief silence, he changed the subject.

"You asked me before why the World of the Living contains only Karakura Town."

His gaze sharpened.

"What exactly did you mean?"

Cyrus rubbed his chin, amusement entering his eyes.

"Simple."

He looked at Aizen.

"Your world was created by someone."

Aizen froze.

"And all of you…"

Cyrus smiled.

"Are his toys."

For once, Aizen's expression slipped badly.

"What do you mean?"

He asked.

"If you're asking me, then you've already considered the possibility yourself."

Cyrus turned toward him.

"You didn't come for an explanation. You came for confirmation."

His smile deepened.

"So the real question is this…"

"Can you break out of it?"

Break out?

Aizen's expression shifted repeatedly.

He stopped looking at Cyrus and stared silently ahead.

Shunsui continued leading them onward, completely unaware of the conversation happening behind him.

Cyrus didn't elaborate.

Instead, he looked toward the building drawing closer in the distance.

At the same time, Observation Haki picked up numerous Shinigami approaching from multiple directions.

Soi Fon was leading them.

Clearly, they were preparing for the possibility that something went wrong.

So Soul Society had noticed the inconsistencies after all.

That was hardly surprising.

Cyrus had never seriously tried to hide them. There were far too many holes in the story.

If these people still failed to notice anything, that would have been stranger.

Perhaps they had even begun suspecting that the incident in Hueco Mundo was connected to him.

Cyrus looked ahead with growing curiosity.

If this world were destroyed, what would happen?

Would it restart?

Or would whoever created it simply make another one?

Perhaps he wouldn't have to wait much longer to find out.