Sora confirmed with Saitō Seiko that it was impossible to reach Muken through the vortex in Hell's Eye.
This was because any spiritual body or object composed of spirit particles would be disintegrated upon approaching the sealing formula inside the vortex.
Seiko had to temporarily give up the idea of going to the Soul Society through Hell's Eye.
Ever since she made contact with Saitō Furōfushi, she had desperately wanted to go to the Soul Society.
Her desire was not for her own sake.
Upon hearing that Furōfushi had been imprisoned in Muken due to her enmity with the Tsunayashiro clan, Seiko wanted to go to the Soul Society to eliminate them.
As long as the Tsunayashiro clan existed, it was impossible for Furōfushi to be released from Muken.
However, since she couldn't pass through the vortex for now, Seiko would have to find another way.
In thanks for Seiko's information, which had allowed him to obtain a Hell's Luster Orb, Sora took advantage of the Hell aura present to create another "Voice from Hell" for Saitō Furōfushi to pass the time.
He had collected plenty of suitable shells during his last trip to Hueco Mundo, and there was no shortage of materials or conditions to make one here.
After finishing, Sora left the small space in the depths of Muken with Furōfushi.
"Based on what we know, the thing sealed by this formula is highly likely related to the Lord of Hell. I need to go to the Great Spirit Book Gallery to look up some information," Sora said.
Sora had no intention of breaking the seal, but he wanted to find an opportunity to research it.
The Great Spirit Book Gallery recorded the history of the Soul Society, including some important events.
He might be able to find some records related to this sealing formula there.
"You could try looking in the Saitō family's library first," Furōfushi suggested. "Our family has produced several Shinigami with Zanpakutō related to Hell. For example, my grandmother's Zanpakutō can use a mist called 'Breath of the Underworld.' This mist, formed from the waters of the Underworld, also exists in Hell, so we know a bit more about it than others."
"Grandma Saitō's Zanpakutō can also release the 'Breath of the Underworld'?" Sora was slightly taken aback. "What a coincidence. A new disciple I recently accepted has a Zanpakutō that can do the same. The reason I was able to contact your grandmother was because my disciple's 'Breath of the Underworld' triggered the 'Voice from Hell'."
"So there's a junior with abilities similar to Grandmother's..." Furōfushi twirled the tip of her right ponytail with her finger. "If she can break through to the captain level, she'll be very powerful if she goes to Hell after death. With the amplification from the high concentration of Hell's aura, the Breath of the Underworld she releases will turn into the true waters of the Underworld, and its mind-corroding effect will be several times stronger."
"That would be a long time from now... Kakyō is still very young and studying at the Academy," Sora said, scratching his face. Kakyō still had a long time to grow. Even if she did successfully reach the captain level, it would be at least a hundred years later.
After chatting for a while, Sora left Muken.
...
A few weeks later.
Sora arrived at his lab and saw Sōsuke Aizen busy at work.
There were many Reigai in the laboratory, and they all required the spiritual body growth agent to sustain their development. He and Rii Hoshino had to take turns looking after them.
In addition to the Shinigami Reigai brought back from Miyamoto's lab, the Hollow Reigai they were previously cultivating were still in the process of incubation.
"Sōsuke, how is the development of these Reigai?" Sora asked, observing their progress from the corridor.
"Miyamoto Tetsuya's growth agent is indeed remarkably effective. Three of the Reigai have already developed to an adolescent state, with a Spiritual Pressure level meeting the standard for admission to the Academy," Aizen said, pausing before continuing. "If the Professor wishes to conduct Hollowfication experiments, I would still recommend cultivating them until their Spiritual Pressure reaches the standard of a Shinigami officer. They are still too weak now and have no chance of withstanding the corrosion of Hollow spirit particles."
"I agree. Let's continue their development," Sora nodded. He then asked, "Do you remember what we talked about last time regarding the Soul King? Did you ever go to Isshin's family to look up related information?"
Sora had intentionally mentioned the Soul King to Aizen to encourage him to check the Shiba clan's records and learn more of the truth.
This was because Sora planned to begin researching the Soul King fragments next.
Sora believed that without the Hōgyoku, an ordinary Shinigami's spiritual body, or a Reigai, could not bear the power of a Hollow.
He wanted to introduce the Soul King fragment as a variable in his research on Hollowfying Shinigami or making Hollows more like Shinigami.
Aizen's research abilities were beyond question and would be of great help to Sora's studies.
Therefore, it was time for Aizen to learn more about the Soul King.
Of course, the Shiba clan would not let Aizen freely browse secrets related to the Soul King, but Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu was more than enough to let him come and go as he pleased.
"I have been there," Aizen said with a complex expression. "I never imagined that the Soul King, who stands at the apex, is actually the so-called 'Linchpin of the Three Realms'."
The information he learned from the Shiba clan was so shocking that it had reshaped his worldview.
According to both the Academy and the Gotei 13, the Soul King was the ruler of the three realms.
The Soul King created the three realms and maintained their operation.
But what Aizen had never expected—
Was that the way the Soul King maintained the three realms was by becoming the so-called 'Linchpin of the Three Realms'.
"Professor, do you think that the Soul King, who has already become a mere object, still has his own thoughts?" Aizen asked.
"He does," Sora said with certainty. "And it's possible that even our current conversation is already known to him. The Royal Guard can even receive his will."
"The Royal Guard? You mean the Ōzokutokumu..." Aizen's heart skipped a beat. He said cautiously, "Then for us to be discussing the Soul King... isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
"You don't need to worry about that. Nothing will happen even if you criticize the Soul King right now," Sora said, finding Aizen's cautiousness a bit amusing. "The Soul King becoming the 'Linchpin of the Three Realms' is already a settled matter. It was also his own will."
"Becoming the 'Linchpin of the Three Realms' was his own will...?" Aizen pondered. "But that makes sense. There's no way the Soul King could have been defeated by the five great noble families."
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