Grimmjow stood silently in the hall. Tosen, seeing Grimmjow's attitude, was displeased. "What's the matter? Shouldn't you be apologizing to Aizen-sama?! Grimmjow!!"
"Tch, is that necessary?"
Grimmjow said, stiff-necked and somewhat lacking confidence. He couldn't bring himself to apologize. Of course, he also didn't have the nerve to directly defy Aizen by refusing.
So he just stood there ambiguously, neither apologizing nor denying his fault. However, this attitude infuriated Tosen. "Grimmjow! You dare—"
"Forget it, Kaname. Don't force Grimmjow. I'm not actually angry."
Aizen suddenly interrupted.
"Aizen-sama..."
"Don't dwell on it, Kaname. Although Grimmjow's actions this time weren't approved by me, his original intention was to proactively solve problems for me. I see this as a rare display of loyalty, isn't that right, Grimmjow?"
Aizen looked at Grimmjow again, his eyes full of indifference. Grimmjow could feel it: if his answer didn't satisfy Aizen, he would definitely die.
So, ultimately, Grimmjow yielded under Aizen's gaze. "Yes, that's right."
Although Aizen didn't comment on Grimmjow's answer, Tosen beside him was still dissatisfied.
Slap!
Tosen suddenly grabbed Grimmjow's left arm.
"What are you doing, Tosen?!"
Grimmjow exclaimed in shock and anger.
Tosen looked at Aizen. "Aizen-sama, please allow me to execute Grimmjow's punishment!"
"Kaname..."
Aizen's expression was blank, noncommittal. He didn't explicitly agree to Tosen's request, nor did he clearly refuse, leaving everyone unsure of what he was thinking.
"Tosen! This is personal revenge! As a commanding officer, is it really okay to do this just because you don't like me?"
Grimmjow taunted.
"Personal revenge? Don't be ridiculous. I simply believe that anyone who disrupts harmony is unforgivable. That's all."
Tosen said.
"Unforgivable? That sounds nice. Is it for the sake of this organization called Las Noches?"
Grimmjow scoffed.
"It is for Aizen-sama."
Tosen said calmly.
"Hmph! You're the best at using 'greater good' to pressure people!"
Grimmjow snorted.
"Yes, for the greater good."
Facing Grimmjow's ridicule and disdain, Tosen admitted it directly. "That is what your actions lack! Justice without the greater good is merely slaughter. But killing rooted in the greater good..."
Whoosh!
Grimmjow suddenly drew his sword and severed Grimmjow's left arm!
"...is justice!"
"Guaaaah—!!!"
Grimmjow couldn't help but cry out in pain.
"Hado #54: Haien!"
Tosen used Kido to burn Grimmjow's severed arm to ashes.
"Bastard! Bastard! Bastard! You dared to cut off my arm..."
In his rage, Grimmjow was about to attack Tosen.
"Stop, Grimmjow!"
Aizen suddenly stopped him. "If you attack Kaname now, then I truly cannot forgive you."
Aizen's eyes glinted coldly. If Grimmjow made a move, Aizen wouldn't hesitate to kill him.
Grimmjow clearly understood this, so he could only stop, humiliated.
"Hmph!"
Grimmjow snorted angrily and left the hall, looking humiliated and furious. He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he might actually lose control and attack.
After Grimmjow left, Tosen greeted Aizen and left respectfully as well.
"Oh dear, oh dear. Toying with your subordinates again. You're quite mean-spirited, Captain Aizen."
Gin walked in from another passage behind Aizen's throne.
"You saw that, Gin?"
Aizen said.
Instead of answering, Gin asked, "You knew from the beginning, didn't you? If you said that, Tosen would definitely act."
"Well, who knows?"
Aizen said noncommittally.
"But don't you really care? Grimmjow's actions cost us several Arrancars."
Gin asked.
Aizen rose from the throne, walked to the window, and looked outside. "Don't worry, Gin. Those were just low-level Gillians. They don't affect our plans. Once we gather the top-level Vasto Lordes to form the Espada, we will be invincible!"
"Speaking of Vasto Lordes... Is it really alright to let Harribel and Tosen go to the Living World together?"
Gin suddenly asked. "Hitsugaya Toshiro is in the Living World, after all. Although Tosen and Grimmjow returned safely, Harribel was apparently left behind to hold them off. You should know, if Hitsugaya Toshiro wanted to, even Harribel, a Vasto Lorde, would struggle to get away unscathed. Losing a Vasto Lorde would be quite a loss."
Gin said with a smile.
"Don't worry, Gin. Harribel will return safely."
Aizen said with a meaningful expression.
"Oh? Sounds like something interesting happened."
Clack, clack, clack...
Before Gin finished speaking, the sound of footsteps echoed, and Harribel walked in. Gin glanced at Aizen with some surprise.
"Aizen-sama, I have returned."
Harribel greeted.
"You're back, Harribel. I heard you encountered Hitsugaya Toshiro. Are you injured?"
Aizen asked, feigning concern.
"Thank you for your concern, Aizen-sama. I am not injured. Perhaps Hitsugaya Toshiro was worried the battle would affect the Living World and its inhabitants, so he didn't fight seriously. He only made a few probing attacks, and I took the chance to escape."
Harribel said without changing expression.
"Is that so? Good."
Aizen said with a gentle smile. "Then this matter ends here. Go and rest."
"Yes, Aizen-sama."
Harribel acknowledged and left the hall.
"See, Gin? Wasn't I right? Harribel returned safely."
Aizen said to Gin.
"Ah... To escape from that Hitsugaya Toshiro unscathed... Is Harribel that strong, or was Hitsugaya Toshiro truly constrained and didn't go all out?"
Gin said with a squint and a smile.
"Come to think of it, Harribel isn't usually one to meddle. Volunteering to go with Tosen to the Living World was strange in itself. And then escaping so easily from Hitsugaya Toshiro..."
"Could Harribel have some kind of relationship with Hitsugaya Toshiro?"
Gin said with an amused expression.
"Well, who knows? I recall that Hitsugaya-kun once served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force and fought in Hueco Mundo. Perhaps he met Harribel back then."
Aizen said casually.
"Well, these are just guesses without evidence. As comrades, we should trust Harribel, shouldn't we, Gin?"
Aizen added seriously.
Gin couldn't help but twitch his mouth. "..."