Urahara continued.
"My plan is simple. I will infiltrate the facility ahead of time and secretly place something deep within the stronghold that is guaranteed to drive Tosen Kaname wild."
"Once Tosen Kaname sees it, he will undoubtedly lose control."
"The hatred in his heart will be completely ignited, to the point where he might even forget Aizen's orders. He will tear down the entire stronghold and slaughter every researcher inside."
"Aizen wants us to quietly seize the resources and frame it as a Hollow attack, but Tosen's rage will inevitably leave behind countless traces."
"With just one mistake from Tosen, a seed of doubt will be planted in Aizen's mind."
"Meanwhile, you will remain calm and execute your orders perfectly, even going so far as to clean up after Tosen and cover up his tracks when he snaps..."
Urahara looked at Ren.
"Afterward, as long as you prove yourself to be more composed and reliable than Tosen, his position will naturally fall into your hands over time."
"Furthermore, this plan carries zero risk. Tosen losing control is pure instinct, not something we actively instigated."
"Even if Aizen investigates afterward, it won't trace back to us. To him, it will simply look like Tosen let hatred cloud his judgment."
"Not bad." Ren spoke slowly, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes. "But the question is, what exactly is this trigger that will drive Tosen wild?"
Urahara Kisuke fell silent for a moment.
"A piece of Tsunayashiro Kakyo's soul containing her Spiritual Pressure. Well, a forged one, of course."
Ren nodded reflexively. "I see..."
Then, the full weight of Urahara's words registered, and his pupils shook in shock.
'Urahara Kisuke, you absolute monster.'
'Resorting to a tactic like that...'
"You can actually forge something like that?"
Urahara Kisuke gave a slight nod. "It took a bit of effort."
After a moment of thought, Ren looked up at Urahara Kisuke, his tone resolute.
"The plan will work. In three days, Tosen and I will arrive at the mine in District 59 of North Rukongai right on schedule. Make sure the item is in place before we enter."
"Rest assured." Urahara Kisuke waved his hand, his tone recovering a hint of his usual easygoing demeanor. "My movements won't leave a single trace."
He paused, looking at Ren before adding, "The Tsunayashiro stronghold is protected by a number of hidden barriers and guarded by noble private troops. Their strength shouldn't be underestimated. If Tosen loses control, remember, do not let yourself get dragged into the mess. Just watch from the sidelines, and step in to clean up the aftermath at the perfect moment."
"I understand." Ren gave a brief nod. "I won't expose myself, nor will I let Tosen notice my intentions. Everything will proceed exactly according to Aizen's orders."
Urahara Kisuke looked at the youth before him, nodding inwardly.
In just a short half-year, Ren had risen from a commoner in the Rukongai to become the Fourth Seat of Squad 4, and now he was plotting alongside him to counter Aizen. Such shrewdness and composure far exceeded his peers, and even surpassed many Soul Reapers who had lived for centuries.
It was no wonder Unohana Retsu was pouring everything into training him, and no wonder Aizen held him in such high regard as well.
"It is about time."
Following Urahara's remark, Ren nodded and turned toward the passage. "If anything comes up, contact me anytime."
Watching Ren's figure vanish into the entrance of the passage, Urahara Kisuke slowly stood up and walked over to the overturned experimental table, a complex emotion flashing deep in his eyes.
Tosen Kaname's tragedy was merely a miniature reflection of the overarching tragedy of the Soul Society. But he had no other choice; he could only choose to stand on the side of the Soul Society.
...
The night was as dark as ink, shrouding the entire North Gate in a heavy silence.
Tosen Kaname was already waiting there, dressed in a sleek black outfit. Seeing Ren approach, he didn't say a word, merely offering a brief nod before turning to head toward District 59 of North Rukongai.
His steps were steady and incredibly swift, devoid of any wasted movement. Ren followed close behind, maintaining an appropriate distance.
The two remained silent throughout the journey, utilizing Flash Step like twin shadows slipping soundlessly through the Rukongai. The further north they traveled, the more desolate and chaotic the environment became.
Finally, they arrived at District 59 of North Rukongai.
The abandoned mine was nestled between two barren mountains, surrounded by a forest of dead trees. The branches were completely bare, as though their life force had been drained by something. Fragmented ore and unidentified skeletal remains lay scattered across the ground, and a pungent odor permeated the air.
Ren and Tosen Kaname stood beneath a withered tree near the mine entrance, waiting for the dead of night. Tosen's face was serene as his senses expanded to cover the entire area.
"Lord Aizen stated that for this operation, your role is strictly support." Tosen's voice was low, entirely devoid of emotion. "I will infiltrate from the front. You will be responsible for rear lookouts and clearing the evacuation route. Remember, do not leave a single trace behind."
Ren nodded. "Understood."
Evading the surveillance of the noble guards, Tosen took the lead in slipping into the stronghold, with Ren following right behind him.
Inside, the lighting was dim, and a strange atmosphere filled the air alongside the uncomfortable, distinct Spiritual Pressure of forbidden research. Rows of experimental tables lined both sides, upon which lay the bound souls of pale-faced civilians—clearly being used as test subjects.
Tosen's expression didn't waver in the slightest as he walked further inside without a word. Crates packed with spirit particle crystals were piled high on shelves in the corner—resources the nobility had plundered from the Rukongai. On the opposing bookshelves sat thick logs of experimental logs, entirely composed of illicit research data.
As Tosen's gaze swept over the civilian souls on the tables, a faint ripple of emotion stirred in the depths of his eyes, but it was quickly suppressed. He ignored the souls, heading straight for the shelves, preparing to confiscate the spirit particle resources.
Ren followed behind him, his eyes discreetly scanning their surroundings as his inner guard went up.
As Tosen walked, his steps abruptly ground to a halt.
A familiar aura—one that haunted his dreams yet pierced his heart with agonizing pain—wafted from not far off to his side.
That was... Kakyo's spiritual signature?!
Tosen's body froze instantly.
'But... how could that be?'
He slowly lowered his head, focusing his senses on the object in the distance. Yet, he could not see.
"Ren, over there... what is that?"
Hearing Tosen's voice, Ren glanced slightly to the side, looking toward the spot. Inside a glass container, a unique fragment of a soul floated quietly. The blood on it had long since dried, yet it still radiated a heart-wrenching sorrow.
"It looks like a shard extracted from a soul. Is it... a Soul King fragment? This must be our objective. Tosen, what's wrong?"
Time seemed to freeze at that very moment. Tosen stood completely still, as if he hadn't heard a single word Ren said.
In the next instant, the Spiritual Pressure around his entire body began to surge uncontrollably. After all these years, he had naturally uncovered the true reason why Kakyo, a commoner from the Rukongai, had been exceptionally wed into the Tsunayashiro family. It was precisely because the Soul King fragment inside her body was the exact test specimen the Tsunayashiro family required.
Then the thing before him...
He slowly approached, raising a trembling hand to touch the transparent container. The moment his fingertips made contact, Tosen's body shook violently.
A century of suppression, hatred, and obsession erupted spectacularly in that single instant. A freezing, furious Spiritual Pressure saturated with pure malice burst from Tosen's body like an active volcano.
"Kakyo..." He spoke, his voice hoarse, fractured, and carrying an agonizing, heart-wrenching pain. "TSUNAYASHIRO!!!"
A roaring screech echoed throughout the stronghold. Tosen snapped his head up, his Spiritual Pressure completely spiraling out of control. He forgot Aizen's directives, forgot to disguise it as a Hollow assault, and forgot about leaving no traces behind.
Within his heart, nothing remained but hatred and destruction.
Footsteps sounded in the distance as the personnel stationed inside the research base noticed the anomaly and rushed over to investigate.
"I will slaughter every last one of you!!"
As soon as those people appeared, Tosen roared, disregarding Ren's attempt to hold him back as his figure blurred forward. Unleashing his Zanpakuto's Shikai, the fierce blades sliced the oncoming researchers to ribbons.
Surrounding walls collapsed violently, crates of spirit particle crystals were hacked into splinters, and research files were reduced to ashes. Driven by his madness, the entire stronghold disintegrated into absolute ruin.
Ren stood calmly on the spot, watching with cold detachment. Everything was proceeding precisely as planned. Tosen had lost his mind. Aizen's mission was utterly botched.
Blazing flames erupted across the research facility, the firelight casting a warm glow over Ren's tranquil profile. The first step toward replacing Tosen Kaname had officially been taken.