Bleach: Reborn — Chapter 328 - Meeting Aizen

Chapter 328, Meeting Aizen

"This won't be easy." Shunsui Kyōraku's expression turned troubled after hearing Wayne's words. "Sōsuke Aizen is a high-security prisoner locked up by direct order of Central 46. You can't even mention his name without those old fogies jumping out of their seats, let alone visit him."

"That's exactly why I came to you." Wayne curled his lip. "The people of Central 46 are no different from ants to me. The only reason I'm telling you in person is as a courtesy — so you don't get caught up in the fallout."

"Ah. Ah... so as expected, now that Wayne has absolute power, he's completely unrestrained." Shunsui Kyōraku gently tilted his hat brim down. Behind him, Nanao Ise's expression shifted into open wariness. "Then would you be willing to tell me your purpose in seeing Aizen?"

"It's not to free him or kill him." Wayne wasn't tense in the slightest. He continued savoring the wine in his cup, gaze drifting up to the moon. Unlike the moon over Hueco Mundo, the moonlight in Soul Society was far softer. "I have some things to ask Aizen. About the Hōgyoku. As for releasing him — absolutely not. If anything, I'd rather reinforce his seals."

"In that case, I'd like to come with you... Alas. Never mind." Kyōraku thought it over and gave up. "Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu, your reality-conversion ability — I can't break through either one. Going along would be pointless."

"Then I thank you, Captain-Commander Kyōraku."

"Alas... a man under another's roof has no choice but to bow his head." Shunsui Kyōraku let out a wry, self-mocking chuckle. "I'll find some way to stall Central 46. Just don't kill the guards on your way in."

"Don't worry. I intend to slip in undetected — no one will notice." Wayne stood. "Time is short. I'll head over now."

"Hold on, Wayne." Kyōraku called out to stop him. "I'll let you see Aizen. But I also need a favor from you."

"Hmm?" Wayne paused. "What favor?"

"Just yesterday, I had Central 46 lift the seal on Kenpachi Zaraki's power."

"Hah?" Wayne frowned. "Removing the eyepatch?"

"That's not the seal I mean." Shunsui Kyōraku shook his head. "It's not easy to explain quickly. In short — Kenpachi Zaraki has already departed for Muken. And Captain Unohana has gone with him."

"WTF?" Wayne felt a jolt run through him.

With Kyōraku's brief explanation, Wayne pieced together the general picture.

The so-called unsealing of Kenpachi Zaraki's power had nothing to do with the eyepatch that suppressed his Reiatsu. It was about reawakening the battle consciousness that had gone dormant within him.

Long before Soul Society was fully established, Kenpachi Zaraki had already risen to become the absolute strongest in swordsmanship through his own power alone, even the first Kenpachi, Retsu Unohana, had been cut down and left gravely wounded by him. But in order to keep experiencing the pleasure of battle, Kenpachi Zaraki had voluntarily lowered his own power level, synchronizing himself with Retsu Unohana so he could enjoy the joy of fighting without killing her.

And so his power became shackled. As time passed, he didn't grow stronger, he only grew weaker. The so-called unsealing meant using battle to make him recall the state he'd been in at his absolute peak, and then break through even that, reaching a level never achieved before.

The one tasked with completing that mission, with teaching Kenpachi Zaraki the sword, was none other than the first Kenpachi herself. The current Captain of the 4th Division. Retsu Unohana, also known as Yachiru Unohana.

And when Retsu Unohana brought Kenpachi Zaraki to the point of remembering his true strength, he would almost certainly kill her by accident.

"So... Retsu Unohana is going to die?"

"If it truly comes to that point." Shunsui Kyōraku pulled his hat brim lower. "Kenpachi Zaraki possesses power far greater than Captain Unohana's. If he really reaches that level of release..."

"Then you lose the captain who is the best healer in the Gotei 13 and one of your top combat forces." Wayne's reply was cold.

"So even if you hadn't come to me today, I would have come to find you tomorrow or within a few days. I hoped to ask this favor of you — but I genuinely have no bargaining chips left to put on the table. I can hardly just say I owe you one."

"No wonder you agreed to the Aizen business so quickly." The corner of Wayne's mouth twitched. So Kyōraku had been putting on an act the whole time. Wayne himself had never volunteered to take on a debt, and given the power gap, Kyōraku couldn't very well push the point.

"I'll stop by Zaraki's side a little later, then. Captain Unohana should still be able to fight for a while yet, right? I want to see Aizen first."

"Of course. It will take at least three or four days before Captain Unohana pushes Zaraki to his limit. If it's you... it should probably go faster than that."

"Understood. I'll head over as soon as I'm done." With those words, Wayne vanished directly from Kyōraku's office.

"Alas... when all is said and done, it was Captain Unohana's emotional card that did the trick." Kyōraku couldn't help but sigh after Wayne left.

"Captain, if Captain Hinamori hadn't appeared, would you have truly let Captain Zaraki kill Captain Unohana?" Nanao Ise, seated formally beside him, quietly let out a breath of relief. If a real confrontation had broken out with Wayne just now, it wouldn't have ended after just a few exchanges. Fortunately, the two of them hadn't come to blows.

"If Wayne hadn't been here... for the sake of greater power, I would have had no choice but to sacrifice Captain Unohana." Shunsui Kyōraku's eyes were heavy with regret. "Though I say that, to share in the joy of battle alongside Captain Zaraki, Captain Unohana probably wouldn't blame me for it, would she? Ha ha ha. Though it is Wayne who will be interrupting Captain Unohana's pleasure. So it will most likely be Captain Unohana who blames me for that."

"Captain..."

"Little Nanao..." Kyōraku cut in first. "If we manage to get through this crisis, do you think I could ask the old man to come back and serve as Captain-Commander again?"

"You've only just taken the post." Nanao Ise pushed her glasses up. "But I believe your time in office will be the key anchor for maintaining the balance between us, Captain Hinamori, and the forces of Hueco Mundo, something Captain-Commander Yamamoto could not achieve. So please, keep your spirits up."

"Balance, hm..." Shunsui Kyōraku let himself fall backward, his hat sliding down to cover his face. This would perhaps be one of his few moments of rest for some time to come.

On the other side, Wayne went directly to Muken, located beneath the 1st Division, and found the cell holding Aizen.

Calling it a cell was generous. It was an empty room blanketed in seals. Wayne ignored the guards entirely and jumped straight into the interior using his spatial power.

No light source. Complete darkness. The only thing that offered even a sliver of illumination was the chair at the center of the room where Sōsuke Aizen sat bound, and the dim spiritual-power glyphs glowing faintly on the layers of bandages wound around him to seal his Reiatsu.

"So you've come, Ace Wayne." The instant Wayne appeared, Aizen sensed his Reiatsu. Of everyone who wielded spatial power, Aizen could only think of one person capable of appearing here without anyone being the wiser.

"Ah, I have." Wayne had already expected exactly that greeting. "You're not surprised."

"From the moment you and Urahara sealed me away, I knew that one day you would come looking for me. What I hadn't expected was that Yhwach would arrive before you did."

SNAP!

Wayne snapped his fingers. Several balls of open flame bloomed in the darkness above, and in their light he could finally see Aizen's current state clearly.

The bandages that should have been sealing Aizen's mouth had already come loose. His left eye peeked out from between the wrappings. It appeared that despite not having been imprisoned all that long, Aizen had already undone a considerable number of seals. The so-called twenty-thousand-year imprisonment held no real meaning for him whatsoever.

"You've been unsealing yourself at quite a pace." Wayne smiled.

"These seals are troublesome. Lifting them completely will still take some time." Aizen spoke as casually as if they were chatting over nothing at all.

"At your current rate, about another month should do it." Wayne swept his arm horizontally toward Aizen, and the surrounding space shattered like a broken mirror. Aizen, who had just been sitting upright in the restraining chair, was now lounging with one leg crossed over the other, cheek resting in his hand against the armrest.

It was clear Aizen had already undone most of the seals on his body. And the moment Wayne entered the cell, Aizen had quietly deployed Kyōka Suigetsu's illusionary realm, not aimed at Wayne, but a passive illusion set up to blind the perception of everyone else.

"As expected of Wayne. It seems my ability no longer works on you." Aizen gave a small, appreciative round of applause. "I trust you didn't come all this way just to expose my little deception with the seals."

"If you'd like, I could also reinforce them for you." Wayne smiled and conjured a table and chairs, taking a seat across from Aizen.

"I brought something that might interest you." He flipped his hand. An entire spread of dishes appeared on the table before Aizen, fish, meat, vegetables, and two specially prepared tofu dishes.

"Oh?" Mild surprise crossed Aizen's face. He hadn't expected Wayne to bring him food. "I wouldn't have thought you'd still remember what I like to eat." Without standing on ceremony, he moved to the other side of the table, picked up the bowl and chopsticks Wayne had prepared, and began to eat.

Someone at Aizen's level no longer needed food to sustain their Reiatsu. But satisfying the appetite was still a pleasure in its own right.

"I mixed the tofu dishes myself. Give them a try." Wayne set aside any pretense, picked up his own bowl and chopsticks, and started eating.

"Not bad. Your skill is just as it was back then." Aizen had no fear of poison. At their level, such a thing would be meaningless.

"Eat more if you like it." Wayne picked up a chicken leg, dropped it into his own bowl, and dug in with hearty enthusiasm.

For the next few minutes, neither of them spoke. They simply sat in quiet enjoyment of what was on the table.

After a while, both satisfied and full, they sat with cups of tea.

"Wayne, judging by your current level, you've probably already broken through the highest tier of Hollow evolution and are developing toward crossing dimensional boundaries, am I right?"

"By your theoretical framework, yes." Wayne didn't disagree. This was, after all, the main reason he had come.

"So your visit should be about matters related to that. About... Hōgyoku fusion?"

"Worthy of the name, Captain Aizen." Wayne gave a slight nod. "You understand what Yhwach's appearance means."

"Quincy, they completely erase the existence of Hollows. Natural enemies of our kind, far more terrifying than the ancient enmity between Hollows and Soul Reapers. You intend to annihilate him? To aid Soul Society?"

"I wouldn't call it aiding Soul Society." Wayne shook his head. "It's purely for my own interests."

"To stand above Soul Society? Genryusai Yamamoto would never agree to that."

"The old man is dead."

"Oh?" A flicker of genuine surprise crossed Aizen's face. "Muken blocks my perception of the outside world. To think that Genryusai Yamamoto would die, at Yhwach's hands. Hmph... I had been wondering why Captain-Commander Yamamoto never came here to confirm my situation after Yhwach paid me a visit. So that's how it is."

"I brought him back to life afterward." The offhand delivery made the corner of Aizen's mouth twitch.

"Using the Hōgyoku? I hadn't thought your development of it had reached this level."

"So now I need to understand Hōgyoku fusion." Wayne smiled. "And you're the only one who has actually done it."

"Trying to buy half a lifetime's worth of research with a single meal." Aizen's tone was mild. "Wayne, your calculations are quite loud."

"Or you could walk out on your own in twenty thousand years." Wayne propped his elbow on the table. A dangerous smile crept onto his lips.

"Threatening me by reinforcing the seals?" Aizen's expression didn't flicker. "If we had cooperated back then, perhaps all three realms would be ours by now."

"Even if you'd reached the Soul King Palace and killed the Soul King, what then?" Wayne's smile faded. "The Soul King dies, the balance of the three realms collapses. You'd have the Hōgyoku, so you could survive the chaos, but is that truly what you want? In the end, you'd still choose to build a new world from scratch. Over and over, the same cycle."

"Since when did you become as stubborn as Kisuke Urahara?" The warmth in Aizen's eyes turned ice-cold without warning. Discussing the Soul King was clearly the one thing he resisted most. "I refuse to live under his command. My life is my own. So what if the three realms collapse? Is it wrong to rebuild the world, to create one that is truly free!"

"That speech sounds exactly like that guy next door, red eyes, had his heart ripped out." Wayne frowned.

"Hmm?" Aizen didn't follow the reference.

"Alas... never mind." Wayne shook his head and rose. "We both fight for freedom, but my thinking is nowhere near as complicated as yours. All this talk of being under command or not, nothing you've actually done has been constrained. You have absolute power, yet you're shackled by your own thoughts. From your perspective, maybe what you did wasn't wrong at all. But the price it demands is far too high."

"Hmph. The swallow cannot know the ambitions of the great swan." Aizen's expression was cold and still. "I had thought that you, having attained great power as I have, could understand me. It seems I misjudged."

"I couldn't care less what kind of bird you are." Wayne curled his lip. "Didn't you say once that you wanted to become an ordinary Soul Reaper?"

"Hmm?" Aizen went still. His eyes fixed directly on Wayne. That had always been buried deep within him. He had never spoken of it to anyone. How did Wayne know?

"If you became an ordinary Soul Reaper, would you be able to understand more?"

"What exactly are you trying to say, and what do you know?!" Aizen roared suddenly, as though the most fragile string at the bottom of his heart had been plucked. He was fighting to keep it buried, to hide it away.

"I don't actually know anything. I only want to know, if one day you truly lost all your power, and faced the suffering of this world, what choice would you make?"

The Hōgyoku appeared in Wayne's hand, blazing with brilliant light. Both of his hands turned a phantasmal silver.

In an instant, Aizen's consciousness was dragged into the illusionary realm.

➤ Next: Illusion — Inner Fire