It is common knowledge that those imprisoned in Muken are generally heinous criminals with their danger levels maxed out. Although Sōsuke Aizen had considered taking them as subordinates, he felt they were too uncontrollable, so he gave up on the idea.
Unexpectedly, now that the proposal came from Soifon, whom he considered to have a more conservative fighting style, he was naturally willing to follow her lead and give it a try.
With a snap, Soifon closed her notebook; the name of the last noble still remained uncrossed on the page.
"True enough. Before letting him out, let Captain Aizen and this gentleman meet first. Just so happens, I also need to confirm his thoughts."
The two stood in a hidden, pitch-black alley near the Seireitei prison. The patrolling squad members for the night had just passed by.
Aizen stopped playing with the keys in his hand, his gaze shifting from Soifon's face to the depths of the empty alley before them.
His spiritual senses were fully open, yet no special, powerful Reiatsu existed there.
"Captain Soifon means..." Aizen's voice remained gentle, but the eyes behind his lenses narrowed slightly. "That prisoner can appear here right now?"
He truly couldn't quite understand this. If the man could appear here at will, did they still need to bring keys to rescue him?
Soifon cleared her throat and spoke to the empty air in front of them:
"Azashiro Sōya, if you don't come out, Captain Aizen and I are going to defect to Hueco Mundo."
"When that happens, we will open the Garganta and release the Hollows of Hueco Mundo into the World of the Living and Soul Society..."
Although this scene was somewhat comical, Aizen maintained his good professional etiquette—unless he couldn't hold it back.
The alley was quiet for a few seconds.
Suddenly, the air before their eyes began to distort.
The Reishi that existed everywhere in the air of the Soul Society seemed to be drawn by some invisible force, beginning to slowly converge toward a single point in the center of the alley.
The gathering Reishi outlined the slender silhouette of a visitor.
He wore white robes, with long black hair hanging down his back. His handsome, elegant face looked upon the two figures in black cloaks—Soifon and Aizen—with deep wariness.
He was Azashiro Kenpachi, the Eighth Generation Kenpachi. A traitor who, in order to execute a certain plan, had utilized his Zanpakutō, "Uro Zakuro," to escape from Muken during the Ryoka invasion. He was a man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
He raised his eyes and found Sōsuke Aizen looking at him with the gaze one would use on a lab specimen, then shifted his gaze to the petite Soifon beside him.
One madman, one cold-blooded scientific maniac!
This was Azashiro Sōya's latest impression of Soifon and Sōsuke Aizen.
"Conspiring late at night to defect to Hueco Mundo, attempting to release a heavy criminal from Muken prison..."
"Captains of the Seireitei..."
"When did you become so depraved?"
Azashiro Sōya's voice was cold and clear as he mocked the two without fear.
It seemed he was very displeased that Soifon had just used the threat of "releasing Menos without rules" to force him out.
"Our plan requires your assistance in the future," Soifon explained. "Don't you always want to thoroughly purify Hueco Mundo and crusade against the Menos? We can help you achieve that."
Aizen stood to the side, his figure completely hidden within his black cloak, saying nothing.
He didn't understand the guy opposite them, so it was better not to speak, lest he leak information and interfere with the negotiation.
Hearing Soifon's conditions, a flicker of agreement appeared on Azashiro Sōya's face for an instant, before he wore a mocking expression to look at them again.
"If you aren't taking me for a fool, then both of you are fools."
Azashiro Sōya laughed dryly twice. "Hunting in Hueco Mundo... even if you add my strength and we could achieve it, the Gotei 13 and the people of the Soul King Palace would not allow it."
Soifon nodded. "Impressive. Speaking the honest truth right from the start."
As her voice fell, Azashiro Sōya frowned. For the first time, a look of anger appeared on his handsome face.
"So! You were toying with me just now?"
"In that case, a detailed report regarding two Captains conspiring late at night to defect and intending to release a Muken prisoner... will appear on Captain-Commander Yamamoto's desk tomorrow morning."
This sentence was not a threat; with Azashiro Sōya's Bankai, he was absolutely capable of doing it.
Soifon showed no sign of panic. "Purifying Hueco Mundo—who said slaughter is the only way?"
At the same time, Azashiro Sōya's performance stopped. He grunted coldly, waiting quietly for the other party to continue.
Soifon turned her head, looking at the silent Aizen beside her. "Captain Aizen... is already the actual controller of Hueco Mundo."
"...??!!"
If there were a pie chart in his eyes, Azashiro Sōya's pupils would have been divided into several segments right now.
I thought you guys were opening the Garganta to use Hollows for experiments, but unexpectedly, you've already become the boss of the opposing side?
"As long as we can dominate the existing Menos in Hueco Mundo and bring them under orderly control..."
"How is that not a form of 'purification'?"
Soifon turned her gaze back to Azashiro Sōya.
At this moment, the alley was so quiet that only the faint sound of wind from the distance remained.
Azashiro Sōya's brows remained furrowed. He looked at Soifon, then looked at Aizen.
"If that is the case..." Azashiro Sōya's gaze shifted back and forth between the two. "Since you have already achieved it, why do you need me?"
Indeed, why?
Aizen also couldn't help but cast his gaze toward Soifon beside him.
He admitted that this Azashiro Kenpachi's ability was novel, but judging from the displayed Reiatsu fluctuations, he was just average.
Strong, yes, but not enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the two of them.
Moreover, the other party was a guy who turned himself in and sent himself to Muken. Sōsuke Aizen truly looked down on a fellow with such a lack of fighting will.
But since it was Soifon's recruitment, Aizen expressed that he could listen to the other party's thoughts.
"In the future plans, I need your help." Soifon took several keys that sealed the Muken Hell out of her pocket. "Today is just a preliminary discussion with you. If it doesn't work, then forget it."
After all, Soifon didn't plan to let Azashiro Kenpachi out right now anyway.
Azashiro Sōya fell silent.
Purifying Hueco Mundo, reducing the harm of Hollows, provided it didn't violate the balance of the Three Worlds...
Dominating Hueco Mundo and managing Hollows just like humans and Shinigami—it was indeed very tempting. He wanted to do it too.
"If I join you, what authority will I have in Hueco Mundo?"
Azashiro Kenpachi raised his head, staring at Aizen beside Soifon.
Sōsuke Aizen ignored his gaze and looked at Soifon beside him, who spread her hands and shrugged.
The meaning was roughly: You handle it yourself.
Pushing the glasses on the bridge of his nose, Aizen met Azashiro Kenpachi's eyes again. "Lord Azashiro possesses extraordinary strength. You could assume the position of 'Monitor of Hueco Mundo.' How about it?"
"If you discover any restless fellows, Lord Azashiro may execute them at any time."
Since you like purifying Hueco Mundo so much, I'll just let you stare at them.
"...Acceptable."
Azashiro Kenpachi nodded. It sounded like a position that suited his tastes very well.
"Then, today's meeting ends here." Soifon put the keys back into her pocket. "The time until our next meeting won't be too long, believe me."
"I look forward to it."
The two sides reached a preliminary agreement, and Azashiro Kenpachi's figure turned into Reishi and dissipated into the air.
...
"He left?"
Sōsuke Aizen asked Soifon.
"Mn, he's gone."
Soifon sensed silently with her Quincy abilities for a moment, nodded, and turned to leave.
"Truly a marvelous ability." Aizen followed in Soifon's footsteps. "It's just that his thinking is a bit too naive."
____
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