After the two squads regrouped, they exchanged intel.
Ichimaru Gin reported the Hollows they encountered on the way and the incident of Kawai being parasitized, while the Ninth Division recounted their own experience.
"When we were investigating in Kagarashi, two Shinigami also disappeared. But by the time we arrived at the scene, only their shihakushō were left. I didn't expect it to be the work of a Hollow."
The Ninth Division's lieutenant said with a frown.
At this point in time, the Ninth Division's lieutenant wasn't Hisagi yet. After all, both Hisagi and Yoshio had only graduated a few years ago.
With so little time, it was only enough for Hisagi to become a seated officer.
The Ninth Division lieutenant's soul ability is ["Draw-and-Slash,"] which fires off a powerful iai strike. Though it's an offensive ability, there's no way to acquire it in the short term.
He wasn't familiar with this Ninth Division lieutenant at all.
While Ichimaru Gin was speaking with him, Shuhei also spotted Yoshio. He walked over and said, "Yoshio, I didn't expect you to be part of this mission too."
"Shuhei, stick close to me later."
"Hm? What do you mean?" Shuhei was taken aback.
Yoshio then explained how Kawai had been parasitized earlier.
Then added, "My Zanpakutō's ability lets me see who's been parasitized, so you have to trust me. Best if you stay by my side."
After hearing Yoshio out, Shuhei said in shock, "Are you serious? That Hollow's ability is to parasitize a Shinigami's soul? What a vile power!"
"Of course it's true."
Yoshio looked over at Tanimoto Toru and Tanaka Kohei.
The two of them nodded. Tanimoto said, "Yoshio-kun is not wrong. I witnessed it with my own eyes. There's no mistake."
Shuhei grew anxious at once. "No, I have to go inform the others!"
Yoshio nodded. "It's best to keep as many people together as possible. Don't act alone."
Shuhei grunted in agreement, but then suddenly said, "Actually, it doesn't seem that scary now. We've already figured out the truth of the incident and can report back to the Seireitei."
"That's what we were thinking too," Tanimoto said. "We came just to inform you. Plus, with more people… it feels safer."
"So you're thinking the same." Ichimaru Gin walked over at this point. "In that case, let's head back together."
Yoshio and the others nodded, and then…
Yoshio watched as the group dispersed on their own.
No, strictly speaking, openly they were still walking along with him, but in Yoshio's mind, a radar-like screen appeared.
On that screen, the light dots representing these people drifted away from one another.
When only two light dots remained, Yoshio sighed.
"Captain Aizen, can you stop playing such nasty little games?"
"Tanimoto Toru" halted, and upon hearing Yoshio, a smile appeared.
"So you did…"
He turned around, looking at Yoshio with interest. "How amusing."
Yoshio glanced at the blatant ["Apotheosis"] soul ability above this Tanimoto Toru and said helplessly, "If I hadn't called it out, where were you planning to take me?"
Tanimoto drew his Zanpakutō. In an instant, the world around them seemed to shatter like a mirror, revealing its true form.
Before his eyes, "Tanimoto Toru" instantly became Aizen Sōsuke!
Aizen, wearing glasses, didn't seem flustered despite his Kyōka Suigetsu being seen through—only curious.
"Kyōka Suigetsu's hypnosis is all but perfect. Even if you know you're under it, you can't resist. So I'm very curious—how did you discover me?"
"Well…" Yoshio stopped before Aizen, raised a finger to his lips, and whispered,
"That's a secret."
"...Heh." Aizen smiled. The lenses caught the light, and he said, "As I thought… you're no ordinary Shinigami."
"You asked where I intended to take you? You'll know soon."
Aizen turned again, then pulled his hand through space as if sliding a door, tearing open a vast darkness.
"Come."
With that, he stepped inside.
Yoshio watched his vanishing back and could only sigh and follow.
In a flash, the world around them changed.
Where they had been was wasteland, but at least there were trees and traces of life.
Now, he stood in a white desert—a boundless world of pallid reishi sand under a waning moon straining to emit feeble light.
Merely breathing this world's air filled one with a sense of nothingness, of decay—a world steeped in despair that stirred an involuntary pity within.
A pity for the life that dwelled here.
"Hueco Mundo…"
Yoshio muttered, "Captain Aizen isn't planning to feed me to some Hollow, is he?"
"How could I?" Aizen stood before Yoshio.
"You're my loyal subordinate. That would be far too cruel."
Cruel?
You've done plenty of things far crueler.
Yoshio didn't believe a single punctuation mark of Aizen's words, so he changed the subject outright.
"If I'd chosen to expose the identities of those two parasitized Shinigami, what would you have done?"
"Then you wouldn't be seeing me." Aizen's tone was flat.
This game should have left Yoshio isolated and helpless—but he did nothing.
I'd rather do nothing than make a mistake.
"What about the others?" Yoshio asked evenly.
"I'm afraid… their fates wouldn't be pleasant."
"Including the reinforcements the Seireitei will send later—they'll all die in the Rukongai." Aizen turned then, his indifferent eyes on Yoshio.
Yoshio sighed again; he knew Aizen would say that.
"Then may I ask Captain Aizen to show mercy? At least spare Tanaka and Hisagi."
"Reason?"
"No reason," Yoshio said, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "It's simply my amusement."
Aizen gave him a thoughtful look. "I thought you'd choose Tanimoto-kun."
By relationships, Yoshio was clearly closer to Tanimoto Toru.
But Yoshio only said blandly, "To me, Tanimoto-kun has already become a boring person."
"Captain Aizen, would you still pay much attention to someone you already find boring?"