Ichimaru Gin's eyes, which were always narrowed and made it impossible to read his emotions, were now wide open.
Within his pupils, complex emotions surged—shock, panic, disbelief...
And a trace of suppressed fear.
He just stared blankly at Hasumi Ren, as if looking at some unbelievable existence.
His lips parted slightly, but he couldn't make a sound.
After a moment, he barely managed to force out a single sentence.
"What... what are you talking about..."
Ichimaru Gin's voice was dry and hoarse.
The survival rules of the Rukongai had taught him that secrets were life itself.
But now, the thought he had hidden in the deepest recesses of his heart had been casually exposed by a Shinigami he had only met twice.
It felt as if he had suddenly been thrown naked into a world of ice and snow.
Cold, exposed, and utterly bewildered.
Ichimaru Gin's hand quietly reached toward his sleeve.
Tucked away there was the worn dagger he had dug out of the ruins, the only thing that brought him a shred of comfort in this place.
His fingertips brushed the hilt, the cold touch helping him regain a sliver of composure.
Then, Ichimaru Gin lowered his head.
His expression was hidden beneath his hair.
Anger, conflict, and a trace of desperately suppressed killing intent.
He knew these were not the emotions he should be showing right now.
Therefore, he tried his hardest to control himself, forcing his mind back to a state of calm.
Hasumi Ren could see the silver-haired boy standing there, his entire body stiff.
Ren keenly picked up on that faint trace of killing intent.
The corners of Ren's mouth curled up slightly; Gin's reaction was exactly as he had guessed.
Then, Ren spoke softly.
"You don't need to be so tense. If I wanted to harm you, I wouldn't have saved her that night, nor would I need to be telling you this now."
"Besides, your killing intent is far too obvious. If I truly had malicious intentions, you would already be dead."
The next moment, Gin's vision blurred. Before he even realized it, a Zanpakuto was resting right in front of his eyes.
Gin's body went completely rigid. His fingers gripped his dagger tightly as cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
He hadn't been able to see the man's movements at all.
A second later, he watched the man sheathe his Zanpakuto, making no further aggressive moves.
It was as if the previous action had merely been to toy with him.
Yet at this moment, Gin's heart was in turmoil.
Having survived in the backward districts of the Rukongai for so long, he rarely encountered an enemy so fast that he couldn't even react.
Gin had originally thought the man before him was just a highly skilled doctor; he never expected his combat strength to be this terrifying.
Finally, Gin calmed down, his mind racing as he quickly analyzed the situation.
He didn't know what Hasumi Ren's true motives were.
Nor did he know how he should respond.
At last, Gin made a decision. He released his grip on the dagger, letting his hands fall naturally to his sides.
"What exactly do you want?"
His voice was still low, but it was clearly much calmer now.
Hasumi Ren looked at him.
"I just want to tell you that our goals, to some extent, align."
Gin froze.
"You... you want to kill Aizen too?"
His voice was very soft, carrying a trace of uncertainty.
Ren did not answer directly.
Sunlight streamed through the dilapidated window lattice, casting mottled shadows across his figure.
"No, but I can tell you a few things."
Ren walked over to the door, surveying the mountain forest outside.
"Aizen is far more terrifying than you can imagine. If you want to get close to him, it won't be an easy path to walk."
He didn't turn around, but his voice reached Gin's ears clearly.
"If you manage to get close to him, it will only be because he wants you to."
"What you need to do is make him believe you are a pawn he can control at will."
"You must pique his curiosity, while also letting him think that everything about you is within his grasp."
"Only then will you have a sliver of a chance to succeed at the final moment."
Gin stood rooted to the spot, rapidly digesting this information in his mind.
Watching Ren's actions, a hint of doubt arose in his heart.
"What are you... looking at?"
"I'm checking to see if anyone is outside."
*'?'*
"But... why are you telling me all this? What exactly is your goal?"
Gin's voice carried a probing tone.
Hearing this, Ren fell silent for a moment.
"It's not the right time to tell you yet. Besides, there are still some things I haven't fully grasped myself."
The look in Gin's eyes dimmed slightly.
Then, Gin raised his head.
"If that's the case, then tell me how I can become stronger."
Ren nodded. That, at least, he could do.
"Later, you can head to the Seireitei and enroll in the Shino Academy to become a Shinigami."
"With your aptitude, none of that will be an issue. Getting stronger will just be a matter of course."
"If you come with me, I might even give you some proper guidance once we get back. How about it? Want to think it over?"
Ren looked at Gin, who had fallen deep into thought.
Considering Gin's aptitude and his ultimate achievements, he was actually quite remarkable.
Right now, Ren was merely giving him a little push forward.
In the original timeline, Gin wouldn't join the Gotei 13 for another four or five years.
That year was exactly when the Hollowfication incident broke out.
But Ren's actions right now might prompt Gin to enter the Gotei 13 ahead of schedule.
He wondered if this would have any impact on future events.
Ren's gaze fell upon Rangiku, who was lying on the tatami mat.
He then walked over to the mat, bent down, and gently picked her up.
"As agreed, I'll be taking her with me for now."
"The Seireitei has the best medical facilities. Don't worry, she'll recover."
"So, have you made up your mind?"
Gin looked at that familiar face, watching her sleep soundly in Ren's arms.
His fingers curled slightly, but he didn't say anything.
He merely shook his head gently.
"This is a path I must walk alone."
"Take good care of Rangiku for me. I'll be keeping an eye on you from now on."
Seeing that Gin had made his decision, Ren sighed.
"Is that so..."
After that, Ren said no more. Carrying Rangiku, he walked toward the door.
As he reached the doorway, he paused.
"Gin."
Ren didn't look back.
"There are some things I can't tell you right now."
"But you can believe this: I bear no ill will toward you or Rangiku."
Gin was taken aback for a moment, only watching as Ren pushed the door open and stepped outside.
Behind him, Gin stood frozen in place, watching the door slowly close.
After a long while, he lowered his head and looked at the dagger in his hand, his fingers tightening slightly around it.
He didn't know who Hasumi Ren really was.
He didn't know why he knew all these things, nor did he know what he was truly trying to achieve.
But at the very least, on the surface, this man harbored no malice toward him or Rangiku.
Gin had considered not handing Rangiku over to that man, but what good would that do for her current condition?
After all, that man had genuinely stepped in and stabilized her injuries.
Gin raised his head and looked up at the hole in the roof.
Sunlight spilled through the gap, shining upon his face.
Outside, the sun was shining brightly.
Carrying Rangiku, Ren walked down the mountain along the path he had come from.
The words he had spoken today would be enough for Gin to digest for a long time.
Since Gin still chose to walk his own path, Ren wouldn't force the issue any further.
After all, their paths were bound to cross again at some point in the future.
Behind him, the mountain forest remained silent.
The dilapidated little hut gradually faded into the distance.
Meanwhile, behind another patch of shade in the distance, a figure stood with his hands behind his back, quietly watching the scene unfold.
Aizen's gaze lingered for a moment on the girl in Ren's arms, then shifted toward the direction of the hut.
Finally, Aizen watched Ren's retreating back, lowering his eyes in deep thought.