Looking at a certain someone's utterly repulsive face, Aizen wasn't shocked at all. His mood didn't fluctuate in the slightest; in fact, he even felt the urge to dissect him.
He was well aware of Naraku Sora's condition, so he had absolutely no intention of responding.
If he dared to say even a single word, this guy would probably brag non-stop for ten days to half a month.
"Sōsuke, what's with that expression?"
"Aren't you happy for your good brother?"
Just as Naraku Sora tried to drag Aizen down to his level and defeat him with his wealth of experience, he suddenly heard:
"The Arrancarification technology has basically matured. It is time to switch to a new project."
"Previously, due to certain reasons, the Hollowfication research had been suspended, but now I have a new idea."
"Once we return to the Soul Society, we can test it on Umino Unpei first."
Naraku Sora paused for a moment, subconsciously trying to recall who Umino Unpei was.
After some effort, he finally remembered the man's identity.
The former Captain of Squad 10. Because of the Tsunayashiro family, he had acquired an incomplete half-Hollowfication, allowing him to unleash a powerful force far exceeding his own Reiatsu in an instant.
Then, he was targeted by Aizen and stuffed into a container.
"Sure, whether it's Hollowfication or Arrancarification, I'll definitely be there to help out when the time comes."
Naraku Sora readily agreed.
Just as he was about to turn and leave to continue his research on whether the female Arrancars of Las Noches should wear miniskirts or stockings, Aizen continued:
"Sora, I have a question that I've been thinking about for a long time."
"What is it?"
"How do you plan to handle Urahara Kisuke?"
"?"
Aizen's gaze was calm as he said lightly, "Although this person usually seems somewhat unreliable, when it comes to scientific research, he is absolutely second to none."
"Even I have to admit his talent in this area."
"Moreover, based on my observations, Urahara Kisuke seems to have already grown suspicious."
"Even though he tries his best to hide it, under the effects of Kyōka Suigetsu, he still revealed a few flaws."
Naraku Sora suddenly understood.
No wonder he felt that Urahara Kisuke had been looking at him weirdly lately, like a thief.
"It would be a pity to kill such a useful talent."
Aizen looked at Naraku Sora. "You want Urahara Kisuke to join our plan?"
"..."
Ever since their trip to the Soul King Palace, due to the information gap between the two sides, coupled with Ichibē Hyōsube's ambiguous and vague attitude...
And the stripping of the Spirit King's right hand.
Combined with the words Ichibē Hyōsube had spoken to Naraku Sora, Aizen had directly treated the entire Zero Division as an imaginary enemy.
From the information he had gathered, the Spirit King was not as aloof and supreme as described on the surface.
If Naraku Sora really chose to become the Spirit King, his fate might be miserable.
To prevent this from happening, he believed they had to seize every opportunity to become stronger, even if it meant violating some principles.
To this end, Aizen had formulated several plans.
Such as the Arrancarification in Hueco Mundo, the plan to break the soul boundaries of Soul Reapers, and so on.
"I don't see any problem with that."
Naraku Sora grinned. "That guy seems to have a lot of principles, but in reality, his bottom line is lower than anyone else's."
"And as a researcher, his acceptance level is extremely high."
"I believe that as long as we appeal to his reason and emotions, we can definitely persuade Kisuke."
Aizen nodded.
Although he wasn't quite sure what Naraku Sora meant by appealing to his reason and emotions.
But barring any accidents, someone was about to suffer a terrible stroke of bad luck very soon.
Yamamoto stood by the window, breathing in the fresh air drifting from the courtyard.
The sweet aroma of roasted sweet potatoes filled the air, and Ryūjin Jakka beneath the stove continued to emit a gentle heat, adding a touch of warmth to this slightly chilly morning.
Peaceful, serene.
Yamamoto stroked his beard, his face full of contentment as he immersed himself in this hard-won atmosphere.
All of his recent work had been completed yesterday, and there hadn't been any major blunders lately. Even the attitude of Central 46 was subtly shifting.
Even the commotion from the nobles' infighting had lessened significantly.
Could there be a better time than this?
Yamamoto bent down and fiddled with Ryūjin Jakka. When the sweet smell of the sweet potatoes grew stronger, it meant they had reached the optimal time for consumption.
"A beautiful day begins with a roasted..."
However, before he could finish his sentence, a large hand reached out without warning, completely ignoring the high temperature radiating from Ryūjin Jakka, and forcefully snatched the sweet potato away.
"?"
Yamamoto looked at the empty stove and Ryūjin Jakka, which was radiating flames of indignation, and immediately felt his blood pressure spike.
When did this bastard sneak in?
Why didn't anyone announce him?
Chōjirō, have you committed treason?
"You bastard, that's my breakfast!"
Looking at the rebellious disciple who had snatched food right out of the tiger's mouth, Yamamoto's anger flared, and malice rose in his heart.
Before a certain someone could even swallow the sweet potato, a fist the size of a clay pot was already flying toward him.
Boom!!
The floor cracked, the building trembled, and dust fell in showers.
Yamamoto looked in shock at the fist that had collided with his own. For a moment, his mind was a bit muddled, unable to comprehend the scene before him.
Naraku Sora was a genius; he had to admit that.
Although he wasn't well-known during his academy days, ever since he graduated, it was as if he had been injected with adrenaline. Not only had his strength advanced by leaps and bounds, but he had also made outstanding contributions to the Seireitei.
Even though his methods were a bit extreme, he had to admit that under Naraku Sora's influence, the Soul Society was indeed showing signs of improvement.
At the very least, those nobles no longer dared to blatantly commit evil deeds relying on their status.
After all, Naraku Sora really dared to take action.
He didn't care about your status at all.
But what Yamamoto found hard to understand was that he had just beaten up this rebellious disciple not long ago, giving him a relatively clear understanding of his strength.
Yet, how much time had passed? He seemed to show signs of growing stronger again.
Although he hadn't used much power in that punch just now, at the moment of collision, Yamamoto could clearly sense the surging Reiatsu coming from the other side.
Compared to a while ago, it was on a completely different level.
Yamamoto frowned. After thinking for a few seconds, his eyes widened slightly as if he had realized something.
"Brat, have you broken through to First-Class Spiritual Power?"
Naraku Sora first finished off the sweet potato in his other hand, then grinned.
"That's right, I am already invincible."
"Old Man Yama, the tables have turned!"
"?"
Although he already had his suspicions, hearing his rebellious disciple admit it personally still left Yamamoto in disbelief.
How much time had passed?
When he was Naraku Sora's age, he seemed to have only just gained a little bit of fame, right?
Yet this brat had already reached the apex of the vast majority of Soul Reapers?!
Yamamoto's mood suddenly became a bit complicated, a feeling he couldn't quite put into words.
When his strength was still weak, this brat had already turned the Soul Society upside down, leaving no peace for anyone.
Now that he had broken through to First-Class Spiritual Power, he would probably flip the three realms upside down.
Thinking of this, Yamamoto took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes slightly.
If this trend continued, in a few decades, he might really not be able to beat him anymore.
If you're going to beat up your disciple, you have to do it early.
Thinking of this, Yamamoto no longer hesitated. His bones and muscles shifted, his muscles twitching slightly like hard iron blocks rubbing against each other. A scorching heat erupted from his body like an active volcano about to erupt.
It was a good thing for young people to be confident.
But they also needed to know the principle that there is always someone better out there.
They absolutely could not become arrogant and indulgent just because of a little progress, disregarding their elders.
At times like this, an elder needed to step in and correct them.
Feeling the scorching heat radiating from beside him, Naraku Sora grinned.
"Bring it on!"
Then.
A terrifying Reiatsu like an abyss swept across the entire Seireitei, and a sea of blazing flames drifted above Squad 1, painting the entire sky.
Not long after, the bruised and battered Prison Warden returned to his loyal Shino Prison.
Truth be told, that fight was indeed very satisfying.
Unlike those flashy weaklings outside, his teacher was truly strong.
When fighting, there was absolutely no need to worry about hurting the other party.
To prevent sinking the Seireitei, both sides had a tacit understanding not to use their Zanpakutō.
They relied solely on their peerless fists to exchange blows.
He still lacked quite a bit in terms of technique, but relying on his thick skin and tough flesh, Naraku Sora could even tank an unreserved Single Bone head-on.
Although it hurt a bit, relying on his exclusive High-Speed Regeneration...
It was completely harmless.
It only took a few breaths to heal completely.
But to prevent Yamamoto from noticing anything amiss, Naraku Sora chose to suppress the activation of this ability.
He waited until he returned to his own barracks before releasing it.
As his Hollow power continued to increase, his High-Speed Regeneration also grew stronger.
Even after being beaten up by Yamamoto, he could still heal rapidly in a short period of time.
The human body is amazing, isn't it?
Seeing Naraku Sora return, the squad members bowed in greeting.
"Prison Warden!"
Just as he was about to give a speech to boost his prestige within the squad, he suddenly noticed that the few people who usually came out to greet him first were absent.
Naraku Sora asked, somewhat surprised:
"Sajin, Kaname, and Kōga, have they all gone out on missions?"
However, before the squad members could answer, an extremely terrifying Reiatsu suddenly erupted from a certain dojo within the barracks.
A massive golden pillar of light shot straight into the sky. Inside, it seemed as if a demonic skull was forming, its jaws opening and closing, letting out a silent roar.
Right then, a figure walked out of the dojo at the end of his line of sight.
He was in tatters, his thin but tall body covered in cracks and wounds. His eyes flashed with a bloody light, like a man-eating beast.
When he saw Naraku Sora, the man's eyes lit up. He directly raised his jagged longsword, the tip pointing forward, and a deafening roar echoed through the barracks:
"Sora, you're finally back."
"I need you to help me train!"
Naraku Sora: "?"
Who did he learn these provocative words from?
How did a perfectly fine Kenpachi turn into this?
Although he didn't quite understand what had happened, since the other party had issued an invitation, there was no reason to refuse.
He could use Zaraki Kenpachi to regain the face he had just lost.
The two exchanged a glance, as if they had matched some sort of secret signal, and walked toward the training grounds without another word.
Not long after the two left, under the eaves, a curtain of light slowly dissipated.
Urahara Kisuke, covered by the Bakudō "Kyokkō", stood quietly in place, gazing at the Reiatsu in the distance, an inexplicable light flickering in his eyes.