Chapter 30: Ichigo Kurosaki Becomes Pleased
For a mastermind like Aizen, the situation had truly taken a turn for the worse.
Yesterday, he was still pleasantly plotting various unspeakable conspiracies, dreaming of a beautiful future where he sat atop the heavens, redefining the order of the Three Worlds. Today, he was forced to seriously ponder what to do in the face of a crisis of global annihilation.
Regardless, Aizen was not like those decaying Nobles of the Soul Society. Since he had seen and known the truth, he could not sit idly by—especially since this crisis would inevitably affect his own plans.
Many layouts had to be paused, strategic directions adjusted, and numerous research projects redefined. This series of chores, even for Aizen's superhuman intellect and talent, was enough to make his head spin. The only consolation was that as the King of Hueco Mundo, he had a team. Although the Espada's overall strength was inferior to the Captains of the Gotei 13, they had their own strengths. Once tasks were assigned, they were executed rapidly.
"Aizen, do you think it's possible that the time reversal in the World of the Living was actually a super-massive illusion? And that even now, this illusion's lingering effects still plague the world? For example... making people see their own sister transform into a giant muscle-man!?"
Byakuya Kuchiki, the paragon of nobility, was thinking calmly and providing a hypothesis despite having spent the entire night in a nightmare where his adoptive sister turned into a brute and "Ora-Ora'd" him into oblivion.
"Captain Kuchiki, your hypothesis is interesting, but I don't believe any illusion could shroud the entire material world so thoroughly that even a Captain of your level couldn't tell the difference..."
Aizen responded with a smile, then turned his head toward a Reishi projection screen:
"The survey of the Void Zones must be accelerated. Do not worry about the consumption of low-level Menos; trading lives for efficiency is a bargain. Later, I will initiate a few more 'Sacred Revelations' to replenish the stock."
From the other end of the screen came a cold response:
"Lord Aizen, your will shall be done."
Using the power of Kyoka Suigetsu, holding a remote meeting with subordinates from Hueco Mundo right in front of a Gotei 13 Captain was child's play.
As soon as he turned back, Aizen used the same power to plant the seeds of a new nightmare deep within Byakuya's heart. Soon, in a state between sleep and wakefulness, Byakuya would see his late wife—who possessed the same face as his sister—suddenly turn into a muscular juggernaut and perform "the magic of love" on him with pure brawn.
Keeping Byakuya in a state of social withdrawal was necessary so he wouldn't interfere with Aizen's actions.
Next, Aizen prepared to head out under the guise of an "independent investigation." Just then, his Lieutenant, Momo Hinamori, appeared.
"Captain Aizen, please let me accompany you on this investigation. An extra pair of eyes is always helpful."
Looking at the petite, cute, and fragile-looking Hinamori, who had summoned the courage to express her desire to follow him, Aizen's eyes behind his thick glasses flashed with a strange light.
If not for the Captain-Commander's orders, Aizen wouldn't have brought Hinamori to the human world. It wasn't because of her low strength, but for other reasons.
The heat in Hinamori's eyes was too obvious, too easy to read.
To anyone else, this gaze of absolute trust and admiration might be a treasure to be cherished. But to Aizen, it was merely a nuisance, an annoyance that increased the "cost" of his disguise.
Hinamori, who was constantly watching Aizen, suddenly felt a spark of intuition. She felt that Lord Aizen seemed a bit "off" today, different from usual. This led to the possibility that the Aizen before her was a double created by Kyoka Suigetsu. While the probability was low, it wasn't impossible.
Aizen, ever calculating, never ignored a woman's intuition.
Besides, was Hinamori's heat and trust directed at Aizen himself, or at the "mask" he wore for others? If Aizen stopped pretending and revealed his arrogant, cold essence, would that trust crumble?
If so, then that gaze was nothing more than a "Mirror Flower, Water Moon" Hinamori had woven within her own heart—a one-sided delusion. Even if it was burning hot, it was false.
Admiration is the furthest thing from understanding.
In the original story, Aizen spoke these words to Toshiro Hitsugaya after stabbing Hinamori. Behind the casual words lay a rare slip of emotion, though what that emotion truly meant was something only Aizen understood.
For now, Aizen maintained his facade. With a gentle smile, he nodded, not letting the enthusiastic Hinamori down.
"Captain Aizen, where do we start?"
"We go to meet an interesting boy and confirm some matters."
To deal with the crisis of world destruction, Ichigo Kurosaki had taken a very long leave of absence from school. Although Isshin Kurosaki objected—using the excuse that Ichigo's mother in "Heaven" wouldn't like her son falling behind in his studies—after Isshin was taken for a tour of the city's edge, he could only nod in painful agreement.
Ichigo didn't slack off during his break; instead, he became busier than ever. Aside from intense training, he spent his time wandering Karakura Town.
With no specific goal, he just walked... and encountered "mobs."
Karakura Town was crawling with martial artists. The moment eyes met, the battle began. Just as Ichigo wished, the town had become a "blessed orchard" where countless "fruits" rushed toward him to offer their nourishment and flavor for his growth.
By all logic, Ichigo should have been satisfied. Yet, there was a void in his heart.
These martial artists weren't just static RPG mobs; they trained, increased their Purity, and learned from failure. Yet fighting them no longer brought Ichigo much satisfaction.
This sense of nihilism had consequences. When Aizen arrived with Hinamori and saw Ichigo, his first words were: "Compared to yesterday, Ichigo... you seem to have grown weaker."
Ichigo, hands in his pockets, responded indifferently:
"Yeah. I grew weaker. If I didn't, those martial artists wouldn't be able to make me 'pleased' at all."
So-called Purity was not just an engine for growth. When Ichigo felt empty and bored, this Purity acted as a shackle, a seal binding his physical strength and spiritual power. All of this was Ichigo's subjective choice—he wanted to better enjoy the thrill of combat.
Aizen's gaze turned strange. The current Ichigo reminded him of the 11th Division's battle-maniac, Kenpachi Zaraki. To enjoy combat more "pleasantly," Kenpachi placed layers of seals and handicaps on himself, yet he remained in the top tier of the Soul Society's combat power.
"Ichigo, I look forward to seeing your majesty when you set foot in the Soul Society. But before that, let me test your combat power. After all, the path you've chosen cannot exist without battle."
Fighting Ichigo was Aizen's primary goal for this trip. No amount of observation could replace the meaning of a personal trial.
Hearing this, Ichigo suddenly laughed:
"Keke! To be able to have a heart-to-heart through fists with a new friend... truly makes one feel 'pleased,' dammit!!!"
In an instant, Ichigo entered a fanatical combat state. Even his speech pattern changed. Since meeting Aizen yesterday, his heart had been stirring because his hyper-developed combat instincts told him Aizen was unfathomable.
Making a new friend was good. Peeling back that friend's mystery for a passionate brawl was ten thousand times better!
Looking at Ichigo's sudden change in art style, Aizen's mouth twitched. He didn't engage immediately, but turned to Hinamori:
"Hinamori, go and introduce yourself to Ichigo. Do not hold back."
Hinamori's strength was "average"—but only in Aizen's eyes. As a Lieutenant who graduated from the Academy with honors, she had solid foundations in Zanjutsu, Taijutsu, Shunpo, and Kido. As a tool to measure Ichigo or act as a warm-up, she was qualified.
Hinamori was obedient. Though confused, she followed Aizen's order, entered a stance, and prepared to fight Ichigo.
Ichigo was slightly disappointed but didn't lose heart. To him, every battle had value.
The ensuing fight exceeded everyone's expectations because it was a one-sided slaughter.
In combat, Ichigo—though still under the "seal" of his own Purity—was like a beast pushing his instincts to the limit. His grasp of openings and timing was perfect. If he hadn't deliberately wanted to test Hinamori's strength by letting her Zanpakuto land, he wouldn't have taken a single scratch.
In Hinamori's eyes, Ichigo was no longer human, but a Hollow in human skin. He was scarier than any Menos she had ever faced; a Menos wouldn't hold a Cero in its hand and slash with it at a frequency of dozens of times per second. This savage ferocity inspired a deep sense of despair.
"Hollow power... completely dominated and integrated into his instincts, used as naturally as breathing. An excessively pure and extreme combat will that overwhelmingly crushes the 'hunger' symbolized by a Hollow. In other words, the prerequisite for perfect Hollowification is the strength of one's will? No... it's not just that. The most important factor is that power called 'Purity.' Ultimate Purity allowed Ichigo to deconstruct the Hollow power, reorganize it with his own will, and evolve. He is a 'Hollow,' but he is different from every Hollow in Hueco Mundo... he is an entirely different species..."
Aizen's eyes lowered as he evaluated Ichigo's state. His genius intellect and years of research allowed him to crack many secrets in an instant.
All Hollows in Hueco Mundo are essentially infected by the power of the Progenitor Hollow, evolving toward that template. It's a systematic change—from common Hollow to Menos, Arrancar, and "Vasto Lorde." Every step is a step closer to the Progenitor.
Ichigo's Hollowification was nothing like that. It wasn't an infection; it was a metamorphosis achieved through his own Purity and will. He was a "Hollow," yet as different from them as two distinct species. He was a natural King; his crown wasn't bestowed by others, but was born the moment he was.
Other Hollows, at the end of their path, only become part of the Progenitor. Ichigo, at the end of his path, possessed the possibility of standing side-by-side with the Progenitor—or even surpassing Him.
"Very good, Ichigo. Now... let me see your... PURITY!"
After Ichigo defeated Hinamori, Aizen could no longer resist taking the field himself.
End of Chapter
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