"Oh my, oh my. This is quite a development, isn't it?"
Ichimaru Gin's perpetual slit-eyed smile seemed to widen a fraction as he observed the large monitor in the surveillance chamber. Two of the glowing reiatsu markers representing the Espada had winked out of existence entirely. "The Noveno and the Octavo… both gone. How very efficient of our guests."
Beside him, Ulquiorra Cifer stared at the screen, his expression as impassive as carved jade, though a faint crease appeared between his brows. "Identify their opponents," he stated, his voice devoid of inflection.
"Let's see… The Noveno, Aaroniero Arruruerie, had his signal terminated by a Shinigami signature. Kuchiki Rukia of the 13th Division," Gin recited, tapping the screen. "As for the Octavo, Szayelaporro Granz… now his is interesting. The spiritual signature that overwhelmed his was chaotic, hybrid… overwhelmingly Quincy in nature. It seems the boy survived our last encounter."
"Is that so." Ulquiorra had momentarily considered the possibility that Kurosaki Ichigo was responsible. In his assessment, only Ichigo possessed the latent power to achieve such rapid eliminations. The Quincy's victory was a variable.
"What of the traps upon the decoys? Have they been triggered?" Ulquiorra asked.
"Not a one. All feeds show them undisturbed and untouched," Gin reported, his tone singsong. "They saw right through it~ Or at least, someone did."
'The traps have been identified. The purpose of stationing guardians at the towers is now void.' The conclusion was logical and cold in Ulquiorra's mind. With two Espada already fallen, a passive defense was an inefficient waste of resources. The situation required recalibration.
"Where are you going?" Gin inquired curiously as Ulquiorra turned to leave.
"To request authorization from Aizen-sama for an active offensive. Guarding the decoys no longer holds strategic value."
"Is that so? Well, I suppose the show in here is over. I'll tag along," Gin said, falling into step behind the Cuatro Espada.
They proceeded to the central laboratory deep within Las Noches' main fortress. Within, the air hummed with condensed spiritual power. Inoue Orihime knelt before a pedestal, her hands outstretched towards the pulsing blue-black orb—the false Hōgyoku. The six fairies of Shun Shun Rikka, Sōten Kisshun, formed a hexagonal shield around it, their golden light clashing against the orb's eerie glow.
Orihime's brow was furrowed in intense concentration. She had attempted, countless times, to use Sōten Kisshun to reject the Hōgyoku's very existence, to revert it to a state before its creation. But an immense, invisible will within the orb resisted her completely.
The best she could manage was to subtly dampen its radiant energy, making its light grow momentarily dim. 'If I can't destroy it, then I must slow it down. Every second I buy is a second for Kurosaki-kun and the others,' she thought desperately, unaware that her efforts were playing perfectly into her captor's designs.
Aizen's crude method of forcing Menos Grande into the Hōgyoku to accelerate its growth created violent internal instability. Much of the absorbed energy was wasted. Hueco Mundo, however, had an endless supply of Menos.
Each time the Hōgyoku finished a chaotic absorption cycle, Orihime's unconscious use of her power—"I reject!"—inadvertently stabilized it, smoothing the volatility and allowing for more efficient integration. The dimming of the light was not a weakening, but a sign of consolidation. She was, in effect, polishing the very weapon meant to undo her world.
"You've worked diligently, Inoue Orihime."
The calm, deep voice made her flinch, the golden shield flickering. She lowered her hands immediately, fear knotting her stomach. One wrong move, and the safety of both her and Tatsuki-chan would be forfeit.
Aizen Sousuke stood at the chamber's entrance, observing her with mild interest. He was about to summon Ulquiorra to return the girl to her quarters when the Espada himself appeared.
"Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra bowed his head slightly.
"Ulquiorra. And Gin. An unusual pairing. What brings you?"
"Kurosaki Ichigo's forces have eliminated Aaroniero Arruruerie and Szayelaporro Granz," Ulquiorra reported flatly. "The countermeasures on the decoy Hōgyoku remain untriggered. The diversionary tactic has failed."
"A trivial matter. I held little expectation that those replicas would lure my true target," Aizen replied, adjusting his glasses. "However, the speed of the Espada's defeat is… notable. It seems my expectations for those two were somewhat misplaced." His gaze grew contemplative.
Szayelaporro, in particular, had been a valuable intellectual resource, a former Vasto Lorde-class Adjuchas. To see his practical combat strength prove so lacking was a minor disappointment. Both he and Aaroniero possessed fascinating potential for evolution, possibly even to rival Starrk's. But potential without the power to realize it was merely a philosophical curiosity.
"Aizen-sama, maintaining defensive positions at the decoy towers is now illogical. I request permission to initiate full offensive operations against the intruders," Ulquiorra stated.
"Permission granted. Handle it as you see fit," Aizen said with a dismissive wave. The intruders' strength—Ichigo, the Quincy, a seated officer, and the human—had proven greater than his baseline projections. While the Hōgyoku's completion was paramount, observing Kurosaki Ichigo's growth under the pressure of the Espada's upper ranks held its own scientific value.
Ulquiorra bowed and turned, instructing Orihime to follow him. As they left, his mental command would soon resonate to the other guardians: the tower defense was over.
"Now then," Aizen said, the chamber now empty save for Gin and the silently waiting Kaname Tōsen. "It is time to attend to the true work." From within his robes, he produced another orb—this one radiant with a deeper, more profound light. The genuine Hōgyoku. He placed it beside the false one on the pedestal.
"My, my. Has it reached completion? Will you begin the fusion now, Taichō?" Gin asked, his eyes opening to slivers of pale blue.
"Not yet. It nears perfection, but a final step remains. However, with the combined power of two Hōgyoku, even in this state, certain… creations can be finalized." Aizen's voice was calm. "Tōsen. Bring him."
The blind former captain nodded and departed, returning moments later leading a figure by the hand. It was a young boy with tousled blonde hair and vacant purple eyes. A jagged, white Hollow mask covered the lower half of his face. His spiritual pressure was strange—muted, yet dense, and clearly that of an Arrancar, though the transformation seemed incomplete, unstable.
"And who might this be?" Gin drawled, leaning in with open curiosity.
"Arrancar Number 77: Wonderweiss Margela. A unique specimen I discovered in the deserts of Hueco Mundo," Aizen explained, a hint of pride in his tone. "He is the only Hollow whose innate ability is not to produce fire, but to consume it."
"To consume fire… Ah, I see. A tailor-made counter for the Captain-Commander's Ryūjin Jakka," Gin deduced, his smile turning razor-sharp.
"Precisely. Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni remains the single greatest point of resistance. Wonderweiss is the solution. My previous Hōgyoku was insufficient to complete his Arrancarization without compromising his singular purpose. Now, with dual catalysts…" Aizen raised his hands. The two Hōgyoku flared in unison, their blue-black light merging into a brilliant beam that enveloped Wonderweiss.
The boy shuddered as the energy poured into him. The brittle mask covering his jaw cracked, then fell away completely, dissolving into motes of reishi. His blank eyes flickered, a dim spark of awareness igniting within. The lost fragments of his mask reformed not on his face, but atop his head, crafting a unique, crown-like helmet.
Arrancarization complete. Before them stood Wonderweiss Margela, his true face revealed—freckled, with slightly prominent front teeth, wearing an expression of pure, childlike bewilderment.
"Welcome, our newest comrade. Wonderweiss Margela," Aizen announced.
The boy stared blankly, then slowly mouthed the words. "Won… der… weiss… Mar… gela? My… name?"
"Taichō, this one seems a bit… simple, doesn't he?" Gin remarked. A failed experiment, perhaps?
"On the contrary, Gin. This is the intended result," Aizen corrected, his smile benign. "To maximize his specialized power, I discarded all unnecessary complexities—knowledge, memory, emotion, higher intelligence. Wonderweiss's entire being, his only reason for existence, is to seal Yamamoto's Zanpakutō. Nothing more is required."
"I see. How utterly ruthless of you, Taichō." Gin's smile didn't waver.
"Do not speak of necessity as cruelty, Gin. This is merely… efficient allocation." Aizen's gaze rested on the confused, child-like Arrancar, a scientist admiring a perfect, single-use tool. The board was being set, and every piece, no matter how seemingly small or simple, had its designated role to play.