Ren Hasumi dissipated the Black Coffin in his palm, the lingering remnants of black Reiatsu slowly fading into the air.
Tessai Tsukabishi stood in place, the complex emotions in his eyes gradually giving way to a grim solemnity. He looked at Ren, then turned to Kisuke Urahara, the name he had just heard replaying repeatedly in his mind.
Lieutenant of Division 5, Sosuke Aizen.
In his few impressions of the man, he was mild-mannered and proper.
After a long silence, he finally spoke. "Mr. Urahara, on our way here, you told me that an unseen darkness lurks within the Soul Society." Tessai's voice was deep, the gravity of his tone written plainly across his face. "Is this Aizen the one you were referring to?"
Kisuke Urahara set down his notebook and leaned against the workbench, crossing his arms. He didn't answer immediately, his gaze drifting to the distant rock wall as if gathering his thoughts.
"Yes," Urahara finally said in a low voice after a long pause. "And that is the main reason I asked you to come here."
Tessai's brow furrowed slightly. "What you said before about someone secretly hunting the souls of Rukongai and Soul Reapers within the Soul Society... he is behind all of it?"
"Correct," Urahara replied calmly. He pulled a file from beneath the workbench and handed it to Tessai. "Tessai, you've been in the Kido Corps for so long that you might not be aware of these matters. Over the past few years, soul disappearances in Rukongai have spiked significantly. Furthermore, the number of Soul Reapers dying accidentally or going missing on missions has also risen. All that data is inside."
Tessai took the file and flipped open the first page. As his eyes swept across the dense rows of numbers, his frown deepened. "I truly haven't paid much attention to this," Tessai admitted.
"That's only natural. Not to mention it has nothing to do with your duties to begin with, but more importantly..." Urahara leaned back against the workbench. "These cases were cleaned up perfectly. Every single one looked like a Hollow attack, a normal combat casualty. If someone wasn't looking for a pattern, they would never notice anything wrong." He paused and glanced at Ren. "Besides, the only reason I uncovered the truth behind this is because of Ren."
Tessai looked up at Ren. "Oh?"
Ren nodded. "During a joint mission a while back, I saw one of Aizen's subordinates extracting something from the soul of a Rukongai girl with my own eyes. This isn't some random Hollow attack; it's a meticulously planned hunt."
Tessai fell silent. He closed the file, set it on the workbench, and let his gaze drift between the two. "So, what is your conclusion?"
Urahara and Ren exchanged a look.
"Sosuke Aizen is the mastermind behind it all," Urahara said, emphasizing every word. "He is conducting Hollowfication experiments, using living souls as test subjects. He's building his own faction and infiltrating the Gotei 13. His goals and ambitions are unfathomable."
The cavern grew so quiet that the faint whistling of the wind could be heard. Tessai stood rooted to the spot, motionless. With his hands tucked into his sleeves, a long moment passed before he finally spoke.
"Since you have evidence, why not report this directly to Central 46?" Tessai asked. "Have them order an arrest. With Captain-Commander Yamamoto's absolute strength, what could Aizen possibly pull off within the Seireitei?"
Urahara didn't answer right away. Turning his back to Tessai, he stared at the distant cavern wall. "Given the intelligence we currently possess, exposing ourselves directly is not a wise choice." His voice was soft, yet carried an unreadable undertone.
Tessai's brow furrowed. "You mean..."
"I mean that if we choose to report this, Aizen will likely find out immediately." Urahara turned back to look him in the eye. "Aizen's Zanpakuto ability is incredibly troublesome. His Kyoka Suigetsu is a hypnosis-type Zanpakuto."
Tessai frowned. "Kyoka Suigetsu... hypnosis?"
"Exactly," Ren's voice rang out from the side. "Kyoka Suigetsu's ability is Complete Hypnosis. It controls all five senses, allowing him to make anyone see exactly what he wants them to see."
Tessai lapsed into silence. If such an ability fell into the hands of someone so calculating, it would indeed be exceptionally dangerous. "So, what do you plan to do now?"
Urahara walked over to Ren and patted his shoulder. "With Ren as our anchor, he has already successfully embedded himself by Aizen's side. What we need to do is have him maintain his deep cover, gather evidence, and bide our time." Urahara paused. "In the meantime, I will investigate Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu and attempt to find a way to counter it. Once the time is ripe, I'll pass the countermeasure to Captains we can trust, and we'll seize the right moment to take Aizen down."
Tessai remained silent for a long while. His gaze lingered on Ren for an extended moment. "If things are truly as you say, he is a terrifying enemy indeed. And you, Ren... you've actually involved yourself in something so hazardous?"
Ren nodded. "Yes. Aizen already has his eyes on me. Rather than waiting around like a sitting duck, I chose to step onto the board myself."
Tessai didn't say anything. He recalled the miniature Black Coffin from earlier, and what Ren had said about Aizen teaching him. "He certainly seems to value you, going so far as to teach you Kido of that caliber." Tessai's voice carried a complex mixture of emotions.
Ren shook his head. "It was just a coincidence."
Tessai fell silent, then turned to look back at Urahara. "You're right. If reporting to Central 46 would only alert the enemy, then handling it this way is entirely justified. Tell me, what do you need me to do?"
Kisuke Urahara's eyes lit up. "Does this mean the Grand Kido Chief is willing to lend us a hand?"
Tessai nodded, his gaze growing profound. "With such a terrifying enemy lurking inside the Soul Society, it is only natural that we join forces. It is our bounden duty." His words were brief, but his commitment was unmistakable.
Urahara smiled. Walking over to the workbench, he pulled a small Reishi communicator from a drawer and handed it to Tessai. "If Aizen makes a move, or if there's any wind of trouble from Central 46, we'll use this to get in touch."
Tessai took the device, examined it briefly, and slipped it into his sleeve. "Understood. Is there anything else?"
Urahara gave it a thought. "Not for now. You may head back first, Grand Kido Chief. We'll be in touch whenever necessary. But as for this matter, we must keep it strictly confidential for the time being. Don't let anyone else know."
Tessai nodded and turned toward the cavern exit. As he passed Ren, he suddenly halted. "Ren, the situation is dangerous. Watch your back. Given your current understanding of Kido, I can teach you some more advanced techniques later on."
Ren was caught off guard.
'More advanced...?'
Tessai looked at him, a rare trace of warmth in his eyes. "I have walked a long path in the art of Kido. With your natural talent, you just might be able to comprehend the knowledge I possess. Please take good care of yourself during all of this."
A wave of warmth washed over Ren. "Thank you."
Tessai nodded and strode away.