The lab door opened. Aizen was standing with her back to the entrance, a ghostly light from the Hōgyoku suspended on her fingertip, the corpse of a Hollow lying at her feet.
Hearing the noise, Aizen didn't turn around, speaking calmly. "Why are you back so early?"
"Capturing Adjuchas went a bit too smoothly. Wrapped up ahead of schedule."
Kensei Kenzuru dragged a large bag of unconscious Hollows into the corner and tossed it against the wall, then clapped his hands.
Yoruichi followed him in, didn't say a word, and walked straight over to where Aizen stood, whispering to her what Neliel had just said.
After listening, Aizen frowned and walked up to Kensei, reaching her hand into his clothes.
"Whoa! Molestation!"
Kensei felt Aizen's slightly cool hand roaming near his chest and immediately backed away, though the touch felt oddly familiar.
Aizen glanced at Kensei, who was covering his chest, and lightly waved a blue crystal chip in her hand—used to record Kensei's spiritual pressure data.
"Should've said so earlier. Thought you were trying to do something to me," Kensei sighed in relief, but then immediately sensed something was off. "Wait, when did you put this thing on me?"
Aizen had already started processing the data from the chip and didn't bother to reply.
Yoruichi, arms crossed, silently rolled her eyes, probably thinking Aizen had done it while Kensei was asleep sometime.
"Did you feel any discomfort in your body when using spiritual pressure?"
Aizen asked Kensei while working on the data. Yoruichi, who had been watching Aizen closely, keenly noticed that Aizen seemed a bit distracted today.
"Are you kidding? Who do you think I am?" Kensei patted his chest, even flexing his well-developed muscles. "Don't even mention a bit of Hollow power; I wouldn't flinch if you gave me some Quincy factor too."
"Stop talking nonsense." Yoruichi immediately shot Kensei a glare. "What would you even be then? The universe's biggest mutt?"
After finishing the data, Aizen pushed the glasses up on the bridge of her nose. "Kenzuru's body is indeed undergoing changes. He should now possess some basic Hollow characteristics."
As she spoke, Aizen handed Kensei a small scalpel normally used for dissections in the lab.
"Try making a small cut on your hand."
Kensei took the scalpel and without a word, drew a long gash across his palm.
"Kenzuru, you..."
Yoruichi hadn't expected Kensei to be so decisive, and so reckless. She immediately moved to bandage his wound. But she'd only taken one step when the cut on Kensei's hand had already completely healed.
"Isn't that a Hollow's High-Speed Regeneration?"
Yoruichi's pupils contracted slightly. It looked exactly like a Hollow's recovery method.
"Ah, it seems I've still walked the path of the perfect life form after all," Kensei said with his hands behind his back. "Since that's the case, I'll reluctantly accept this Hueco Mundo as my private garden."
The somewhat tense atmosphere immediately changed flavor after Kensei's grand pronouncement.
"You really do have nerves of steel."
Yoruichi smacked her own forehead, completely giving up on explaining the seriousness of the situation to Kensei. If the person involved was like this, then so be it.
"What's next?" Kensei sat down on a chair. "Go find some Vasto Lorde or speedrun Baraggan?"
"No." Aizen shook her head. "Continuing to draw on spiritual pressure might cause unpredictable effects, so you'll rest outside from now on."
"Huh?" Kensei wasn't pleased. Being forced to stay put would be deathly boring. "But Hueco Mundo awaits my conquest."
"Stay put."
Aizen's tone grew slightly more serious, carrying a rare hint of sternness.
Both Kensei and Yoruichi were taken aback. Although Aizen's expression remained as calm as ever, they could sense the concern hidden beneath her words.
"Fine." Kensei raised his hands in surrender. "I'll be outside anyway, so if you run into any experimental difficulties, you can always come ask me."
Aizen lowered her head again to organize the data, the cold light reflecting off her glasses. "For the next period, I'll be conducting more in-depth Hollowfication experiments. The two of you stay in the room next door. Don't come in and disturb me unless it's necessary."
Kensei nodded and was the first to leave the lab.
As for Yoruichi, she frowned, staring at Aizen. "What are you planning to do now?"
"Do what I can, and what you cannot."
Aizen continued working without pause, using the equipment to model Shinigami Hollowfication. After inputting a series of data, the experimental result stabilized at 45%.
"You're going to use yourself for Shinigami Hollowfication experiments?" Even though she couldn't understand the data on the equipment, Yoruichi's intuition told her Aizen was preparing to do just that. "Have you gone mad too?"
"This is the optimal judgment based on the current situation." Aizen took out the Hōgyoku, her fingers stroking its surface. "Since conventional methods won't work in time, we have to take an unorthodox path."
Aizen, who usually liked to prepare thoroughly before acting and always appeared wise, now displayed an impulsiveness and obsession that made Yoruichi see her in a new light.
"I can do it too."
"No, you can't."
Aizen firmly rejected Yoruichi's suggestion. No way was she going to let such a good opportunity go to Yoruichi; otherwise, all her carefully laid plans would be wasted. No, she had to hold back now.
"My spiritual pressure is the lowest among the three of us. Even if something unexpected happens, the two of you can easily suppress it," Aizen explained leisurely to Yoruichi. "That minimizes the potential damage. Besides, if I dare to experiment on myself, I have a certain degree of confidence."
"What are you two talking about?" Kensei's head popped back in. "Yoruichi-nee, don't disturb Sōsuke's experiments."
Yoruichi, already unable to refute Aizen's logic and now called out by Kensei, completely gave up on continuing to confront Aizen. She could only give Aizen a deep look before giving up and walking towards the door.
"Sōsuke!" Kensei called out with a smile.
Aizen turned her head.
"Don't push yourself too hard. Remember to rest when you need to."
"Nosy."
Aizen turned back around, though a slight smile curled at the corner of her mouth, and her body relaxed a little.
The lab door closed completely, returning the room to silence.
Aizen walked over to a storage cabinet in the corner and took out a special test tube. Inside was a high-purity Hollow factor extracted from Kensei's body through special means.
She casually tossed her glasses aside. If this plan went smoothly, she wouldn't need this thing anymore.
Without the glasses, Aizen's calm eyes were fully exposed, a certain obsessive light flickering deep within them, along with a hint of gleeful anticipation for Kensei's reaction once her plan succeeded.
Aizen picked up the reagent. This was the most special and dangerous part extracted from Kensei.
Aizen closed her eyes, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.
"This time, I should be able to learn everything about you."
Then, gripping the Hōgyoku, she injected the reagent into her own body.
With the crisp sound of the test tube shattering on the floor, the Hōgyoku suddenly emitted a blue light that swallowed Aizen whole.
***
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