Within the headquarters of the Fifth Division, Sōsuke Aizen had naturally received reports concerning the sudden deaths of numerous mixed-blood Quincy throughout the Human World.
The incident attracted a measure of his attention.
But only a measure.
After briefly examining the matter, he lost interest.
There were undoubtedly secrets hidden behind the event.
However, compared to the plan he had been pursuing for decades, the deaths of several Quincy were insignificant.
Over the years, Aizen had uncovered a secret that even he had not anticipated.
Urahara Kisuke had also created a Hōgyoku.
When Aizen first learned this truth, even he was genuinely shocked.
The Hōgyoku was the culmination of his life's research.
A forbidden masterpiece born from countless experiments and relentless pursuit of transcendence.
Yet Aizen understood better than anyone that his creation was incomplete.
Despite its imperfections, the Hōgyoku had already demonstrated power beyond conventional understanding.
Using it, he had conducted extensive Hollow research.
He had accelerated Hollow evolution.
He had studied the boundary between Hollow and Shinigami.
He had explored possibilities that Soul Society considered forbidden.
The more he utilized the Hōgyoku, the more fascinated he became with its potential.
His ultimate goal was not merely to possess a Hōgyoku.
He sought to create a perfect Hōgyoku.
Unfortunately, despite years of experimentation, the Hōgyoku he possessed remained incomplete.
Then came the discovery that changed everything.
Urahara Kisuke had independently created one as well.
From the very beginning, Aizen had regarded Urahara as a rare equal.
The former Captain of the Twelfth Division and founder of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute possessed a level of intellect few could match.
Learning that Urahara had achieved the same breakthrough only elevated Aizen's estimation of him.
In Aizen's eyes, there were very few individuals worthy of being called peers.
Urahara Kisuke was unquestionably one of them.
At times, Aizen even found himself contemplating an amusing possibility.
Had he known of Urahara's success earlier, perhaps exiling him from Soul Society would not have been the optimal decision.
Unfortunately, the past could not be changed.
What had been done was done.
Now, only one objective mattered.
Finding Urahara Kisuke.
Finding his Hōgyoku.
And combining the two into a single perfected existence.
Whether such a fusion would truly create the ultimate Hōgyoku remained unknown.
But Aizen intended to find out.
The problem was simple.
For over a century, Urahara had hidden himself exceptionally well.
Despite extensive efforts, Aizen had failed to locate him.
Not a single reliable trace.
Not a single confirmed sighting.
Until the incident involving Kurosaki Masaki.
Aizen had monitored Masaki from the moment she became infected by White, the experimental Hollow he had personally created.
Under ordinary circumstances, she should have died.
The Hollow's corruption was fatal.
Yet she survived.
The price was the sacrifice made by Shiba Isshin, former Captain of the Tenth Division, who bound his own spiritual power to hers through Urahara's methods.
Had Aizen not personally observed the situation, he would never have believed such an outcome possible.
To him, the conclusion was obvious.
Only one person in the world possessed the knowledge necessary to accomplish such a feat.
Urahara Kisuke.
No one understood Hollowfication better than Aizen himself.
And among those capable of interfering with it, Urahara stood alone.
That meant Urahara had come into contact with both Masaki and Isshin.
Which also meant he was somewhere in the vicinity of Karakura Town.
Originally, Aizen had considered conducting a thorough investigation of the entire region.
Yet in the end, he chose not to.
Because another variable had appeared.
A far more interesting variable.
Kurosaki Ichigo.
In Aizen's eyes, Ichigo was a miracle.
A naturally born existence possessing the potential of multiple powers.
The son of a Shinigami and a Quincy whose soul had been touched by Hollow power before his birth.
A being standing at the intersection of several races.
At that age, most of his latent abilities remained dormant.
Nevertheless, Aizen could already perceive the possibilities hidden within him.
To Aizen, Ichigo was not merely a child.
He was a masterpiece still awaiting completion.
And if Aizen could recognize that fact, then Urahara certainly could as well.
Thus Aizen decided to wait.
If Urahara was truly observing Ichigo, he would eventually reveal himself.
Patience was not difficult for Aizen.
Especially when the prize waiting at the end was another Hōgyoku.
Because Urahara possessed a Hōgyoku of his own, Aizen treated him with unusual respect.
Rather than simply exposing him immediately, Aizen chose to continue their silent game.
A contest between two geniuses.
A contest whose outcome would determine who stood at the summit of evolution.
Then another development occurred.
Gosuke Shigure appeared openly in the Human World.
Not as a warrior.
Not as a retired Kenpachi.
But as the owner of a small kendō dojo.
And more importantly
As Kurosaki Ichigo's teacher.
Aizen was naturally aware of the connection between Gosuke and Urahara.
Even after Urahara's exile, the two had maintained contact.
For a brief moment, Aizen considered using Gosuke as a lead to locate Urahara directly.
Ultimately, however, he abandoned the idea.
The appearance of Gosuke itself was already revealing enough.
A figure like him would not casually establish a dojo in Karakura Town.
Nor would he personally teach a child unless there was a reason.
Especially a child like Kurosaki Ichigo.
As Aizen looked upon these developments, a thought crossed his mind.
"The sudden deaths of the Quincy…"
"Your appearance in the Human World…"
"What exactly are you preparing for?"
He was curious.
But only curious.
Compared to obtaining Urahara's Hōgyoku, everything else remained secondary.
As long as Urahara eventually emerged from hiding, Aizen could afford to wait.
Meanwhile, in Karakura Town, Gosuke Shigure's dojo continued operating quietly.
Years passed in the blink of an eye.
Although classes were held only half a day each week, the dojo unexpectedly gained a handful of students.
Initially, Gosuke had opened the dojo solely to provide a reason for training Ichigo.
He never intended to run an actual school.
Yet somehow, children continued enrolling.
Among them were several familiar faces.
Arisawa Tatsuki.
Kojima Mizuiro.
Asano Keigo.
All of them would eventually become classmates and close acquaintances of Kurosaki Ichigo.
At first, Gosuke intended to refuse them.
After all, his primary objective was Ichigo.
However, teaching a single student every week quickly became monotonous.
Eventually, he accepted a few additional pupils.
The results were surprisingly good.
Although the classes lasted only half a day each week, the students improved steadily.
Tatsuki's athletic ability flourished.
Mizuiro developed exceptional balance and coordination.
Even Keigo gained discipline he previously lacked.
More importantly, because several of them frequently interacted with spiritually aware individuals, their own spiritual sensitivity gradually increased.
None possessed extraordinary talent.
Yet some could occasionally sense spiritual disturbances.
A few even began vaguely perceiving the outlines of wandering souls.
Time continued to flow.
Before anyone realized it, six years had passed.
When Ichigo was nine years old, the dojo had first opened its doors.
By the time he reached fourteen, its purpose had largely been fulfilled.
At last, Gosuke closed the dojo.
The modest building that had operated for years disappeared from Karakura Town as quietly as it had arrived.
Objectively speaking, the closure was hardly surprising.
The dojo had only a handful of students.
Classes were held merely once each week.
And its owner was frequently absent.
Yet despite understanding this, Ichigo still felt a trace of disappointment.
The dojo had become part of his life.
It was where he first learned discipline.
Where he first held a sword.
Where he first began walking the path that would eventually lead him toward his destiny.
But life moved forward.
After the dojo closed, Ichigo redirected his attention toward school and daily life.
The months passed quickly.
Then another year slipped by.
At fifteen years old, Kurosaki Ichigo entered his first year of high school at Karakura High School.
To most people, it was simply the beginning of another ordinary school year.
Yet fate had already begun moving once more.
And during that year
An accident occurred.
One that would change everything.
WE ARE CURRENTLY ON CHAPTER 381
ON PATREON.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCED CHAPTERS BEFORE PUBLIC RELEASE OR PURCHASE THE BOOK FOR LIFETIME ACCESS!
Patreon.com/HACKDWORLD