How could he change Aizen's mind? Such a proud man would not be easily persuaded, let alone when they stood on opposing sides. Realistically speaking, it was entirely impossible.
But what if he linked Shiba Miyako to the Hōgyoku, while simultaneously ensuring he didn't stand in direct opposition to Aizen? Would that turn things around? This was the strange idea that had suddenly sprouted in Kōe's mind the first time he met Aizen. Setting Urahara aside and speaking only for himself, he and Aizen weren't necessarily enemies.
Right now, he was merely a member of Urahara's faction, which inherently brought him into conflict with Aizen. But could he deliberately manufacture a third-party faction? Back then, Kōe had briefly pondered it. If he used the Hōgyoku as leverage, singling himself out as an independent player was entirely feasible.
The only problem was whether Aizen considered him a cunning schemer. Well, that wasn't actually a problem at all. Kōe knew his own hands were far from clean.
In fact, it wasn't just him. Urahara, who had created the Hōgyoku and hidden it within Rukia's soul, and Yoruichi, the former Captain of Squad 2 and Commander-in-Chief of the Executive Militia, were hardly good people either. Calling them villains wouldn't even be much of a stretch.
Their sincerity and kindness were reserved for a select few. From Shiba Miyako's perspective, they were a cold and indifferent group. Whether intentional or passive, the result was the same.
So, there was no issue. Only he, Urahara, and a few others knew exactly where the Hōgyoku was. Furthermore, before he arrived, they had agreed never to contact each other again. None of them would speak of the Hōgyoku's location until they found a way to bring Aizen to justice.
Therefore, any external factors that could expose a flaw had been sealed off. Kōe believed that as long as he manipulated things properly, he could theoretically create the illusion that the Hōgyoku was with Shiba Miyako, and that he himself was just another opportunist scheming to take it.
To achieve this, he had deliberately dragged the Shiba couple into the picture while instructing Rukia. If he was going to scheme for the Hōgyoku, he needed an excuse to make contact with the target. That was step one.
After formulating the subsequent plan, Kōe took advantage of Aizen's departure from the Seireitei to accelerate his interactions with the Shiba couple. He also began secretly acting against Shiba Miyako—partly to reduce the chances of her suffering an accident, and partly to plant a seed of doubt in Aizen's mind.
During the time Miyako hovered on the brink of life and death, his days hadn't been easy either. To deceive Aizen, he first had to deceive himself. Kōe had racked his brains, using the most subtle actions possible to probe the condition of Miyako's body, while simultaneously ensuring she didn't just drop dead. He had to be both mad and cautious, nearly driving himself to schizophrenia in the process.
As for now, he had successfully fooled himself, but whether Aizen had taken the bait was the real question. If, after all this maneuvering, he had only managed to dizzy himself while Aizen hadn't paid any attention to the Hōgyoku and remained solely fixated on his Shinigamification experiments, that would be a hilarious tragedy.
The most critical issue was, if Shiba Miyako truly died as she did in the original history, could he still save Kaien? Sometimes, dying without regrets might be a form of release. Perhaps that was why Ukitake had allowed Kaien to act so willfully back then?
But he couldn't stomach such an ending. After exhausting his mind and working so hard for so long, was he just going to watch all his efforts go down the drain and let these two die? He'd probably just shut himself away in depression.
So, should he be a little selfish? Kōe paced back and forth in his room with his hands behind his back. Just as his thoughts drifted further away, a flash of light suddenly crossed his vision. The Kidō he had left on Shiba Miyako had been triggered.
*And there's more!* Kōe looked up at the ceiling beams, his gaze seemingly piercing through the roof to the sky. "Are you here to admire the moon this late at night, Captain Tōsen?"
*Kyōka Suigetsu was released? I didn't sense Shihouin Kōe release his Bankai, so did Lord Aizen release it himself?*
Tōsen Kaname couldn't help but frown. He strongly disliked Shihouin Kōe, both in terms of his behavior and his personality.
With a single Shunpo, he descended into the room below. Although he couldn't see, Tōsen was keenly aware of the layout and of Shihouin Kōe standing before him.
"Captain Aizen wishes to see you. Come outside with me, Mr. Shihouin."
"It's been a while since I went out. I'm a little excited." Kōe smiled, rubbing his hands together eagerly. He then asked, "Do I need to report to Central 46 or go to Squad 1 to inform the Head Captain?"
"No need. No one will notice us leaving the Seireitei."
"Really? It won't be a case where everyone just can't see you but can see me, right?"
"No!" Tōsen Kaname said impatiently. "If others could see you, do you think you'd be able to leave?"
"I think I could leave, but in that case, I probably wouldn't be able to come back." Kōe rubbed his nose, continuing with a smile, "So let's walk a bit slower while we're in the Seireitei. If someone spots us, I can just say I'm taking a stroll, right, Captain Tōsen?"
Tōsen Kaname didn't answer. With a cold snort, he turned and walked out openly. Seeing this, Kōe shook his head and followed. A self-important lapdog really wasn't cute at all.
It took quite some time to walk out of the Seireitei, but once outside, Tōsen Kaname and Kōe picked up their pace. It took the two of them about two hours to reach the 33rd District of East Rukongai, which wasn't too slow.
"Bankai..."
Sensing the Kidō on Shiba Miyako drawing closer, Kōe gripped the hilt of his Zanpakutō at his waist. However, before he could release it, Tōsen Kaname turned around and pressed the tip of his Zanpakutō against Kōe's throat.
"Do not do anything meaningless."
"It's precisely because people like you are around..." Kōe said, stepping directly into the tip of Tōsen's blade. As the blade gradually pierced his throat, Kōe's figure grew fainter and fainter, eventually vanishing completely, leaving only a standard Shin'ō Academy robe fluttering to the ground.
"It's precisely because people like you are around that being cautious is always necessary." An obnoxious voice suddenly rang out from behind. Just as Tōsen instinctively turned to slash, a hand wrapped in a wide black sleeve had somehow already pressed against his neck. "Wouldn't you agree, Captain Tōsen Kaname, the man who ambushed the former Captain of Squad 9?"
*What is this? Shunpo? Why couldn't I react at all?*
As Tōsen Kaname questioned this inwardly, Kōe's voice sounded from behind him again, as if he had completely read his mind.
"The Shihouin Clan's secret footwork—Utsusemi. Do you think you'll die to this technique?" Without waiting for Tōsen to react, Kōe moved his hand away and continued, "I should have killed you, but I imagine Captain Aizen wouldn't want you dead, even if you aren't a very satisfactory tour guide."
"Or perhaps Captain Aizen taught you this?" Kōe said, suddenly turning around. Looking at Aizen, who was slowly approaching from behind, he smiled and said, "I figured you wouldn't be this crude."
"Of course not. Tōsen was merely concerned for my safety." Aizen walked up to Kōe, extending his right hand, and said softly, "Let us reintroduce ourselves. I am Aizen Sōsuke, the man who forced Urahara Kisuke to leave the Seireitei."
Kōe paused for a moment. He reached his right hand out of his sleeve and grasped the hand offered to him, replying with a smile, "A pleasure to meet you. I am Kōe Shihouin..."
"The man who returned to the Seireitei because of the Hōgyoku, Kōe Shihouin!"