The existence of Uehara Shiroha broke all conventional rules of growth and completely transcended the natural limits of Shinigami evolution. His ascension defied logic and reason, making him a walking anomaly in Soul Society.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri had conducted extensive, in-depth research on the talent trajectory of Uehara Shiroha, diving into archives and collecting every scrap of data available. He had developed a thorough understanding of the "history of success" of this enigmatic figure.
It is not an exaggeration to call Uehara Shiroha a genius for the talent he displayed during his time at the Shin'ō Spiritual Academy. His instructors had noted his exceptional aptitude, his test scores had been impressive, and his practical examinations had shown remarkable potential.
But at the level of senior officers in the Gotei 13, who is not a genius of some kind? Each vice-captain and captain had been the standout of their generation, the cream of Soul Society's crop. So among that elite company, Uehara Shiroha's talent, while impressive, was not unequivocally the most exceptional at that time.
Of course, not long after graduation, he became the third seat of the First Division—a notable achievement that showcased his talent potential. Captain-Commander Yamamoto did not suffer fools or weaklings in his division.
But Uehara Shiroha was still objectively a bit less remarkable than the legendary top graduate Ichimaru Gin, whose prodigious abilities had shocked even the most seasoned instructors at the academy.
Then, very suddenly, as if a switch had been flipped, Uehara Shiroha's strength began to advance by leaps and bounds, defying all logical progression curves. His influence within Soul Society expanded correspondingly, rippling outward like concentric circles in a pond.
First, he reached the level of a Bankai-wielding captain, then he surpassed the level of ordinary captains... and finally ascended to a point that Mayuri simply couldn't comprehend with his scientific methodology. The data points became nonsensical, the power readings off the charts.
Although the former top graduate Ichimaru Gin also became the captain of the Third Division—a position that was considered to be a natural fulfillment of his extraordinary talent—he could no longer be compared with Uehara Shiroha. Their trajectories had diverged dramatically.
Is this the reason why Gin wants to defect, Mayuri wondered? Because he is not convinced of his own inferiority? Because the student he once outshone now casts him in shadow?
Nowadays, Uehara Shiroha and these captains exist in completely different dimensions, just like the vast gulf between the Captain-Commander and an ordinary captain. The disparity was astronomical.
And the most baffling part? Uehara Shiroha had only taken a little over a hundred years to complete such an amazing transformation. For other Shinigami, a hundred years passed in the blink of an eye—a mere moment in their long lifespans.
Most would consider it an impressive achievement to be able to develop new Bankai techniques in such a timeframe. Yet Uehara Shiroha had only taken a hundred years to complete the developmental journey that these captains could not complete in their entire lifetimes.
This unprecedented speed of growth was fundamentally unscientific, even by the standards of captain-class Shinigami. It defied all known theories of spiritual evolution. This kind of inexplicable talent made Kurotsuchi Mayuri both obsessed and restless, driving him to attempt various experiments and analyses to unravel the mystery.
It was just that several collaborative encounters in Hueco Mundo had restored his scientific sanity and self-preservation instinct. Can't afford to provoke him, Mayuri reminded himself, really can't afford to provoke someone like that. The consequences would be... unpleasant.
And a hundred years ago, Uehara Shiroha had already possessed such formidable strength—now it was even more impossible to gauge just how powerful he had become. The ceiling of his potential seemed nonexistent.
Therefore, Kurotsuchi Mayuri was exceedingly optimistic about Uehara Shiroha's chances against Aizen. The outcome seemed foregone from a purely analytical perspective.
And truth be told, Mayuri didn't particularly care about Aizen's grand schemes or even the life and death struggle of Soul Society as a whole. At worst, he would simply change bosses and continue his research under new management. The politics meant little compared to the pursuit of knowledge.
But even the brilliant Kurotsuchi Mayuri made the same critical error as the other captains. That is, they collectively underestimated Aizen's true strength and his terrifying potential after fusing with the completed Hōgyoku.
Aizen is extraordinarily calculating, possesses superb acting skills, wields a Zanpakutō with disgustingly effective abilities, and is physically formidable in combat. But since he chose to defect and join forces with the Hollows, most captains assumed his raw power was still somewhat inferior to the established order, and that he should not be at the level of the Captain-Commander.
This was the prevailing impression of Aizen held by all the captains. A dangerous enemy, yes, but one within the bounds of their understanding.
They didn't truly comprehend how terrifying Aizen's talent, strength, and scheming really were. They saw only the surface of the ocean, not the abyssal depths below.
A difference in one fundamental assessment had determined the fate of the entire Gotei 13. A single misjudgment with cascading consequences.
To some extent, Aizen and Uehara Shiroha were mirror images of each other—both possessing seemingly unlimited trump cards, constantly engaged in complex schemes, and layered like thousand-layer cakes, where each revelation only exposed another mystery beneath.
"Commander Uehara!!"
"Commander Uehara!"
"Teacher Shiroha!"
Hearing what Kurotsuchi Mayuri said about Uehara Shiroha's presence on the battlefield, several people exclaimed with renewed hope, and instantly felt their spirits stabilized and secure.
It seemed that as long as that man was there, fighting on their side, there was no enemy that could not be defeated, no challenge that could not be overcome. His name alone was enough to bolster courage.
Hearing this name spoken with such reverence, Unohana Retsu's normally indifferent eyes suddenly became a little more fiery, kindling with memories and anticipation alike.
Only Kuchiki Byakuya and a few others who didn't know the full truth about Uehara Shiroha's capabilities had some lingering doubts:
"The Espada are extraordinarily powerful, and there is only one Commander Uehara..." Byakuya's voice trailed off, reluctant to express skepticism but unable to fully embrace optimism.
People like Ishida Uryū and Sado Yasutora intellectually knew that Uehara Shiroha was very strong, having heard tales of his exploits. But they had never personally witnessed Uehara Shiroha in action, never felt the crushing pressure of his Reiatsu bearing down on them.
So they lacked a visceral, direct understanding of Uehara Shiroha's true capabilities. In their experience, Ulquiorra, with his oppressive Reiatsu that fell like dark rain, was terrifyingly powerful.
There were three more enemies at least as strong as Ulquiorra, perhaps even stronger... And then there was Aizen himself, whose Kyōka Suigetsu presented an almost insurmountable tactical challenge, plus his lieutenants Ichimaru Gin and Tōsen Kaname providing additional support.
Could Uehara Shiroha really defeat such a formidable coalition of enemies on his own? It seemed to defy reason and invite disaster.
It was entirely normal for them to harbor such doubts. After all, they had not witnessed what others had.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri shook his head dismissively and said:
"The evidence is right in front of you, yet you still refuse to believe it. This is why you are limited in your thinking. Emotional perception is meaningless in the face of hard data. I only believe in science and empirical evidence. Uehara Shiroha's Reiatsu signature is the most direct and convincing evidence of his capabilities."
Unlike ordinary Shinigami constrained by conventional thinking, Mayuri's imagination had no self-imposed limits. He was not bound by common sense or traditional wisdom, nor did he suffer from what he termed a "captain filter"—the tendency to view all power through the lens of captain-class abilities.
In other words, he possessed some understanding of higher-level powers beyond the conventional scale. He knew intuitively that there existed significantly stronger beings above the captain level of the Shinigami hierarchy.
So he could imagine the true scope of Uehara Shiroha's strength with greater confidence than his peers, whose minds balked at the concept of power that transcended their understanding.
But what even Kurotsuchi Mayuri did not anticipate was that compared to the real, unfettered strength of Uehara Shiroha, his bold and extreme imagination was still far too conservative. The reality exceeded even his wildest scientific projections.
After some further discussion weighing options and tactics, Kurosaki Ichigo and Unohana Retsu finally stepped into the shimmering garganta and began their journey toward the pseudo-Karakura Town, where destiny awaited them.