Chapter 1500 - 23: Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Su Xiao

Chapter 1500: Chapter 23: Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Su Xiao

Su Xiao stepped into the residence and shut the sliding door behind him.

"Although we aren’t exactly good people, we don’t need to sit in the dark, do we?"

Su Xiao had already discerned the identities of the two people in the room by their aura.

"Bai Ye, why do you always position yourself in the role of evil?"

The figure in the darkness spoke; it was Aizen.

"Because I’m not hypocritical."

"..."

Aizen laughed a little, sensing Su Xiao was implying hypocrisy. Since all three of them were allies, Aizen didn’t feel the need to disguise himself as a good-natured person.

The oil lamp was lit, casting the room in a dim yellow glow. Aside from Aizen, Gin Ichimaru was present, always sporting his signature smiling expression.

"So, you’re saying it’s just the three of us against the entire Soul Society? If that’s the case, I choose to back out."

Su Xiao sat cross-legged next to the wooden table in the center of the room, while Aizen and Gin Ichimaru sat on the other sides. In front of Gin Ichimaru was a plate of persimmon cakes, and he occasionally ate a piece—his favorite food.

Su Xiao knew well the extent of Aizen’s power but needed to act unaware for now.

"Of course not, but currently we only have four people."

Aizen wouldn’t let Su Xiao back out—it was a pirate ship, once aboard there’s no leaving.

"Four people, truly a grand force. The good news is, we actually have five."

"Five people?"

Aizen’s brow furrowed. He was compelled by the situation to include Su Xiao, but if Su Xiao secretly recruited a Soul Reaper, Aizen wouldn’t allow it.

"That guy is called Shadow. I can control his life and death, and he’s unaware of your affairs. His combat effectiveness is around Captain-level, but he’s not part of Jingling Court."

"No issues?"

Though Aizen was short on people now, he remained cautious.

"Do you think I’d joke with my own life?"

"In that case, we’ll take it as it comes."

"Okay."

Su Xiao didn’t hide the existence of Shadow; he would need Shadow’s combat effectiveness soon enough, so instead of playing games, he chose transparency.

"Bai Ye, I need to ask you something clearly."

"What is it?"

Su Xiao lit a cigarette; there was no need for pretense here.

"What is your combat effectiveness like?"

Aizen seemed to ask casually, but it was something he truly wished to know because Su Xiao had yet to show his prowess.

"If you rank the powers of the thirteen captains, I can handle any captain ranked below 7th without issue."

"Hm?"

Aizen appeared surprised. In his estimation, Su Xiao having the combat power of a Deputy Captain was already a pleasant surprise, given his role as a researcher.

"Without self-preservation abilities, how could I infiltrate Jingling Court? Speaking of which, if we go to war with Soul Society, who’s going to take on Yamamoto Genryuusai, the old man? Gin Ichimaru, how about you?"

Upon hearing Su Xiao’s words, Gin Ichimaru stopped chewing on his persimmon cake.

"Do you want me dead?"

"Then Aizen, would you do it?"

"..."

Aizen chuckled, knowing he couldn’t deal with Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni right now, but started to elaborate on his series of plans.

Before clashing with Soul Society, Aizen had operated for years within the Virtual Circle. Currently, Aizen was in a period of subterfuge, partly because he aimed to complete the Hōgyoku.

With the complete Hōgyoku and merging it within himself, Aizen’s powers would rapidly grow based on his desires, provided his will isn’t shaken.

In essence, the Hōgyoku functions like a simplified wish machine, enhancing the user’s powers per their wishes, if conditions allow.

Su Xiao wasn’t keen on the Hōgyoku, finding it unstable, as he couldn’t comprehend its principles. He questioned if strength born from the Hōgyoku was truly reliable.

Aizen had deep desires for the Hōgyoku; two creators existed—Urahara Kisuke and Aizen himself.

Urahara Kisuke crafted an incomplete Hōgyoku, following which Aizen had fashion a prototype version before him. Whether by coincidence or destiny, both creations were incomplete.

Upon realizing its danger, Urahara Kisuke sealed the Hōgyoku within a newborn girl on Hollows Street, named Rukia.

Aizen’s current goal was to capture the Hōgyoku from within Rukia and merge the two incomplete gems, hoping to achieve a complete one.

Whether Rukia encountered Ichigo Kurosaki in the World of the Living or was captured, all was staged by Aizen—even the slaughter of all in the ’Central 46 Chambers’ using Kyoka Suigetsu for hypnosis.

Now that the Central 46 Chambers, serving as Jingling Court’s judgment body, was under Aizen’s control, he sentenced Rukia Kuchiki to the death penalty.

One plan connected to another, and from the present situation, Aizen’s strategy had no flaws.

"This is roughly my plan. Currently, we aren’t enough to challenge Soul Society, but possessing a complete Hōgyoku changes things."

After detailing his plan, Aizen turned to Su Xiao with a smile.

"So you’re saying all these efforts are just for the prototype Hōgyoku within Rukia Kuchiki?"

"That’s right. I’ve prepared many backup plans for this..."

Aizen briefly recounted his contingencies.

"After all the twists, your aim is merely to seize the Hōgyoku and conveniently nurture an opponent?"

Su Xiao felt Aizen loved manipulating others, attaining a level most couldn’t achieve—playing Soul Society’s people like puppets.

"That way is more secure, if..."

Judging by Aizen’s expression, he seemed poised to leisurely recount grandiose schemes, but Su Xiao waved it off, not being adept at scheming, thus finding it headache-inducing.

When Su Xiao explained pharmacology, it similarly plagued Aizen’s mind; in turn, Aizen’s detailed layout had the same effect on Su Xiao—clearly mutual agony.

Gin Ichimaru stayed composed, unknown how many persimmon cakes he consumed.

"The plan has reached its critical stage; we three must play different roles."

Aizen pulled a letter from his pocket, handing it to Su Xiao.

"Within these days, I will be ’killed.’ Gin Ichimaru plays the ’murderer,’ while as my friend, you, Bai Ye, must ’oppose’ Gin Ichimaru, investigating my cause of death."

Finally, Aizen revealed why he summoned Su Xiao; the letter in Su Xiao’s hand was written by Aizen for Deputy Captain Hinamori Momo.

This letter covered three main topics: first, Aizen foresaw his end; second, he urged Hinamori Momo to ’stay strong’; third, framed Hitsugaya Tōshirō.

The little rabbit driving the plan forward was indeed Hinamori Momo.

"Murderer?"

Gin Ichimaru seemed intrigued, taking the letter from Su Xiao.

"If there are no issues, then we’ll proceed as planned tonight."

Aizen appeared to be in a good mood, as his long-prepared plan finally approached its conclusion.

"Your role’s too easy; you’re just the dead man."

Gin Ichimaru tossed aside the letter; within the plan, he was burdened as the main suspect in Aizen’s ’murder.’