Urahara frowned in deep thought, pacing back and forth in the cavern.
"Aizen's ability is extremely troublesome... Kyoka Suigetsu's Complete Hypnosis allows him to do whatever he pleases within the Seireitei."
"As long as he doesn't want to expose himself, it will be incredibly difficult for us to catch him red-handed."
He stopped pacing and looked at Hasumi Ren.
"If we team up with Captain Yoruichi, along with a few other trustworthy captains to make a move..."
Ren sneered, looking right back at Urahara.
"Even if you gather all the captains who harbor suspicions about Aizen, are you certain that all of them combined could actually defeat him?"
He paused.
"Don't forget, he also has the Hogyoku."
Urahara fell silent.
He knew Ren was right.
Aizen's true strength was already an unknown variable.
Coupled with the Hogyoku, and then Kyoka Suigetsu on top of that...
Even if they rallied every captain who suspected Aizen, it was hard to say they would have any absolute guarantee of victory.
Even if they brought in the Head Captain, under the influence of Kyoka Suigetsu, it might actually backfire and become even more dangerous.
Looking at it this way, Ren's importance was beyond imagination.
"Furthermore," Ren continued, "who can guarantee that our actions and everything we do won't be noticed by Aizen?"
"And without any substantial evidence, can the mere words of just the two of us really convince the others to take action against the lieutenant of the Fifth Division?"
Urahara took a deep breath, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"In that case, let's change our approach."
Ren was taken aback.
"What do you mean?"
Urahara frowned in contemplation.
"Aizen is researching Hollowfication to break his limits. It's nothing more than a desire to obtain greater authority and power, but relying solely on himself, he definitely won't be able to reach the end of that path."
"To achieve this, he will inevitably develop his own faction and eventually make a move against certain individuals. His targets will most likely be captain-class figures."
"Moreover, I am also his target."
Urahara's eyes narrowed slightly; there was no need to hide anything at this point.
"I... am also researching the Hogyoku, the very thing I just mentioned to you."
"If Aizen finds out that I also have a Hogyoku in my possession, he will stop at nothing to steal it. And it's highly likely that he already knows."
If Aizen wanted complete power, he would definitely come to snatch his Hogyoku.
It was only a matter of time.
Urahara walked over to Ren, crouched down, and began tracing lines on the ground with his fingertip.
"But I still don't know exactly how he will go about it."
"Assuming Aizen targets captain-class figures later on, the likelihood of him directly provoking a battle is low. It's much more probable that he will use the Hogyoku to launch a sneak attack and force Hollowfication on them."
"The appearance of such unapproved, uncontrollable Hollowfication in the Soul Society is undoubtedly a severe crime. If that happens, those captains will definitely be disposed of."
"We can deduce who he might choose and prepare preventative measures in advance."
"Then, when he makes his move, we intervene in secret. Just when he thinks he has succeeded, we save those people, reverse the effects of the Hollowfication, and simultaneously gather evidence of his actions."
"This way, we can shift from the light into the shadows. We preserve our strength and wait for the right opportunity."
Ren nodded.
Urahara Kisuke's intention was clear: play dumb first, then stab him in the back.
"You mean, let those Hollowfied captains become our living witnesses?"
"Exactly. Once they recover, they will be living proof."
"When that time comes, even if Aizen has Kyoka Suigetsu, there will be moments when he isn't actively using its power, and he won't be able to cover up the entire truth."
Urahara pondered for a moment.
"But there is one problem with this."
"What is it?"
Ren looked at him.
"I will need your help to find a way to reverse this Hollowfication. After all, as it stands now, you are the only breakthrough we have."
Ren nodded.
"Of course. If there's anything you need me to cooperate with, just say the word."
"But I've already been exposed. Aizen knows there's something off about me, and I need a solution for that."
At this, Urahara looked at Ren, his eyes filled with contemplation.
"Looking at it this way, you can no longer stay in the Soul Society."
"The best option right now is to send you to the World of the Living or somewhere else where Aizen can't find you."
"You are far too important."
Ren remained silent for a moment.
Then, he slowly spoke.
"You said Aizen is also researching the Hogyoku. Do you think he might develop the same kind of interest in me that you have?"
Urahara was taken aback.
"What are you trying to say?"
Ren looked at him.
"Is it possible for me to go undercover by his side?"
Urahara's eyes widened slightly.
"Deliver yourself right to his doorstep? Do you have a death wish?"
His brows then furrowed.
"Besides, it's far too dangerous. Aizen is no fool. How could you possibly deceive him?"
Ren shook his head.
"You don't understand. Aizen's conceit and arrogance make him believe he can control everything, that he can see through everyone."
He paused.
"I have a way to make him trust me."
Urahara listened with a frown, but the look of opposition in his eyes did not diminish.
He stayed silent for a long time.
Then, he slowly spoke.
"What gives you such confidence?"
Ren lowered his eyelids slightly.
He recalled the relationship between Aizen and Ichimaru Gin.
Aizen knew full well that Ichimaru Gin wanted to kill him, yet he still kept Gin by his side.
Simply because he was curious about exactly how Ichimaru Gin would try to kill him.
With the failure of the last Hogyoku experiment, he had most likely already piqued Aizen's curiosity.
In that case, if he were to defect, it wasn't impossible for him to secure a position within Aizen's ranks.
Though it carried risks, it also presented an opportunity.
At this moment, Ren spoke slowly.
"I know his ideology, as well as his views on the Soul King."
"If I show that I agree with him, combined with my unique traits, he will allow me to stand by his side."
Hearing this, Urahara's eyes snapped wide open.
"What did you just say?"
"How do you know..."
Urahara stared at the silent Ren, took a deep breath, and didn't press the matter any further.
It seemed the secrets Ren harbored were equally not to be underestimated.
Urahara Kisuke rubbed the space between his brows.
He had suffered far too many shocks today.
One after another, every single thing was a discovery beyond his expectations.
Then, he spoke slowly.
"If you truly have the confidence to pull it off, then it would indeed be of great help."
"But I stand by what I said: it's far too dangerous. You cannot judge a person's actions based solely on speculation."
Ren looked at him.
"That is exactly why I need your help."
Urahara looked at Ren's resolute expression and sighed.
"Tell me, what do you need me to do?"
Ren thought for a moment.
"You need to help me develop my Hollowfication abilities. If Aizen takes an interest in me, it will largely be due to my constitution."
"If I can take my Hollowfication a step further, the greater his interest in me becomes, the safer I will be."
Urahara nodded.
"That won't be a problem."
Ren continued.
"Secondly, I need you to coordinate with me. After all, if I'm by Aizen's side, it's inevitable that I'll have to do things for him, and I might need you to cover for me."
Urahara nodded again.
"That's a given, but... have you truly thought this through?"
Ren looked at him. Although he felt a bit apprehensive inwardly, he felt confident he could persuade Aizen.
After all, Aizen wasn't exactly some kind of demon.
He just wanted to stand a little higher, that was all.
Then, Ren gave a firm nod.
"This is my decision."
"You need to be prepared. When the time is right, we might have to face Aizen and his entire faction simultaneously."
"That time might not be too far off."
Urahara fell silent for a moment.
He looked at Ren, a complex look flashing through his eyes.
"To be honest, I never expected things to reach this point."
Ren looked at him.
"What point?"
Urahara let out a bitter laugh.
"Cooperating with you to fight against the mastermind behind the scenes."
"A few months ago, I merely saw you as an interesting subject of observation, but now..."
He shook his head.
"Things are truly unpredictable."
Ren smiled as well.
"Yeah, things are truly unpredictable."
"It's getting late, so I should head back. There are still a lot of division duties to handle."
Ren nodded and stood up.
He walked to the entrance of the passageway and suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"Urahara."
"Hmm?"
Ren didn't look back.
"Thanks."
With that said, he stepped into the passageway and disappeared into the darkness.
Urahara stood in place, watching his retreating figure.
After a long while, he let out a soft sigh.
"What are you thanking me for..."
"Things are going to get awfully busy from here on out."