The matter of the Hōgyoku had been clarified, which, in its own way, resolved a long-standing question Seiya had held.
However—
Tōsen Kaname still seemed dissatisfied.
"Lord Aizen… we all understand how important the Hōgyoku is to you. But if our goal is simply to retrieve it, wouldn't a covert execution suffice?"
Even setting aside specific power levels, they had—on paper—four captains present.
With precise planning, a clear strategy, and appropriate deployment, Tōsen was fully confident that they could obtain what Aizen wanted without unnecessary disturbance.
Gin Ichimaru cast him a glance, expression unchanged, but clearly pondering the same question.
The boss, always cautious, was suddenly acting… uncharacteristically loud.
Aizen didn't respond immediately.
He simply smiled, and murmured, "So that's what you were thinking…"
That kind of question was expected, but more than the answer, Aizen seemed to delight in something else.
"Seiya-kun, what do you think?"
—Do I have to be part of this now?
He wanted to protest, but… the boss had asked.
Why would Aizen take such a grand approach?
The rational explanation would be to test the effectiveness of the Sōkyoku firsthand.
Seeing its destructive capability would allow him to assess whether to seize it or discard it as irrelevant.
That made sense.
Everyone present was experienced enough to understand this without being told.
So if Aizen was asking for his opinion—it had to be more emotional, more poetic.
Tilting his head thoughtfully, Seiya hesitated before replying.
"…To make a statement, perhaps?"
A slight shift in Aizen's expression.
Then the smile deepened, filled with satisfaction. His voice, brimming with approval, lifted in tone.
"Yes."
Exactly.
"We have waited years for this moment."
"Wearing masks we loathe, trapped in roles we despise, speaking lies to manipulate others."
"Like monkeys in chains—clumsy, ridiculous, and powerless."
A rare sigh escaped Aizen as his eyes grew distant.
"But it's almost over."
"My friends, I've already arranged our escape. But before that… we must sever ourselves from our past."
"Leave this farce of a world behind and journey to a new one. There, we'll find those worthy of standing with us, and then…"
He lifted his chin, gazing down at the illusion of the Central 46 around them.
"…we'll return as victors."
"Erase the inequity. Redistribute the power."
"And drag the one who sits in heaven, arrogant and untouchable, down into the dirt."
Aizen Sōsuke—
A man born of the Soul Society.
One of only two to reach the limits of a Soul Reaper's power through personal effort alone.
His pride knew no equal, and he looked down on everyone else.
The dignity of a true powerhouse.
It wasn't just something Aizen possessed—it was something Seiya had learned to recognize more clearly over time.
He had clear likes and dislikes. He preferred tea to alcohol. Quiet to noise.
His default smile was nothing more than a muscle reflex, not a reflection of any true emotion.
In fact—
Aizen despised people who lacked self-awareness or personal conviction.
No matter how close, how kind—if one hadn't earned his recognition, none of that mattered.
Look no further than the fate of "the strongest shield in three realms" for proof.
Unless one was uniquely insightful, as Seiya had been, earning Aizen's true approval was near impossible.
But now, having met Aizen's emotional expectations—
Seiya could see how truly elated the man had become.
"This is our farewell to the past."
"From now on, we will no longer grovel or compromise for survival."
"What a glorious moment… tell me, is this not something worth celebrating?"
Well… maybe for you, boss.
Seiya wasn't feeling the urge to throw a party.
If anything, all this drama was likely just the result of years of pent-up frustration.
After all, being forced to lay low for so long—Aizen wasn't about to slink away like some coward.
No.
He was going to launch a spectacular fireworks display on his way out.
Seiya understood. He didn't agree, but he understood.
And since the boss was in such rare form, the least he could do was offer some emotional support.
How, though?
After a moment's thought, Seiya chose the simplest route:
He clapped.
Clap clap clap clap!
Gin looked at him strangely—then copied the motion.
Even Tōsen, never one to break the mood, followed suit with a slow, solemn clap.
Wow, what a speech.
Caught off guard by the unexpected applause, Aizen's theatrical energy dipped sharply.
The performance ended.
After a couple of polite coughs, Aizen raised his head again, voice calmer.
"Well then. I believe we've covered the main points of the plan. Any clarifications needed?"
Back to business.
Seiya took the lead, voice calm.
"Let's summarize."
"By controlling the Central 46, we revise the ruling on Rukia Kuchiki to the harshest sentence. Extract the Hōgyoku from her body. Then, under the guise of the Sōkyoku execution, we make our escape from Soul Society."
Clean. Direct.
Almost insultingly simple.
"Although I haven't shared our exact destination with you yet, have I?"
Aizen sounded amused.
Due to his medical recovery, Seiya had remained slightly distanced from the inner circle these past few years.
Even now, Aizen seemed ready to divulge the next stage.
But Seiya simply waved it off.
"There's no rush. I don't really care where we go."
It's either Hueco Mundo or the Human World. What else is there?
He doubted Aizen would drag them into the Wandenreich. (Shrug)
Aizen chuckled at his indifference.
"Ever consistent, Seiya-kun."
Now—
"While this is the plan's framework, we must also consider the strength of the Gotei 13."
"To ensure the operation proceeds smoothly, we'll need distractions."
"Among them is the Quincy woman we once observed in the Human World. The child she bore with Isshin Shiba possesses unique power."
"Additionally, Rukia Kuchiki has formed several bonds in the Human World."
"Kisuke Urahara is watching as well. It won't be long before these people descend upon Soul Society to retrieve her."
No immediate response.
Aizen's assumptions, while plausible, were largely speculative.
None of the others had paid much attention to Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends.
Only Seiya had real insight.
Scratching the back of his neck, he muttered,
"If you mean that kid… yeah, knowing him, he'll definitely charge into Soul Society."
Gin's curiosity perked up.
"Really? He's that feisty?"
"Yeah. You should go see for yourself sometime. Might be interesting."
Gin shrugged, his usual gloom slipping back into place.
"Even if you hadn't said so, I would've gone anyway."
Still, Aizen wasn't placing his hopes entirely on others.
"Depending solely on outside forces is immature."
"So I've prepared another, internal strategy."
"It's aimed at disrupting the Gotei 13's upper ranks, preventing them from interfering."
"To do this, we need a dramatic incident—one that grabs everyone's attention and pulls focus from Rukia's case."
A logical tactic.
After all, captains like Unohana, Kyōraku, and Ukitake were all potential threats.
Soul Society wasn't that big.
If even one of them caught wind of the deception, they could spread the truth in seconds.
Aizen needed a diversion.
A perfect trap.
Seiya nodded slightly. He remembered what had happened in the original timeline—
Aizen had staged his own death, pinned to a wall, to throw the Gotei into chaos.
Gin glanced toward him—then noticed Seiya's odd expression.
"…Captain Arima, something wrong?"
"…Just a strange thought."
He didn't like where this was going.
Even before he could articulate it, a chill crept up his spine.
Shit. No. Don't tell me—
Aizen stepped forward, smiling.
"Seiya-kun, I have a small favor to ask."
…Can I say no?
"…Go ahead."
"I need someone with credibility, popularity, and deep connections across the Gotei 13."
"Don't worry—the task is simple. You don't even have to do anything."
"I just need to create the illusion of your death, to stir the Gotei into disarray."
From a tactical standpoint, it was perfect.
Seiya was respected. Well-connected. Familiar.
His 'death' would send shockwaves.
"If a captain falls in the streets with no resistance, not just the Gotei—but all of Soul Society will react."
"Even Yamamoto Genryūsai himself won't have the time or presence of mind to focus on anything else."
Strategically, Seiya had no objection.
But…
"So then, Seiya-kun, who do you think is most suited for this role?"
Really?
Do we even have to ask?
Before he could reply, Aizen pressed forward—
"Because of your recent 'weakened' state from soul-splitting…"
"Because of your well-established, affable image…"
"Because of your deep relationships with many captains…"
He patted Seiya's shoulder affectionately.
"You are the perfect victim, Seiya-kun."
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Powerstones?
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