Hasumi Ren watched Aizen's retreating figure, thinking to himself.
Aizen hadn't blamed Tosen Kaname, nor had he held him accountable. He had even returned the fragment to Tosen and spoken those comforting words. From this moment on, Tosen would only follow him with even greater devotion.
'But does Aizen really hold no resentment in his heart?'
Watching Aizen's back, Ren noticed that the man's fingers paused for a fraction of a second as he flipped through the documents.
"You two may leave first," Aizen's voice drifted over from ahead. "I will handle the rest."
Tosen Kaname stood up, wiped the tear stains from his face, bowed deeply to Aizen, and turned to leave. Ren followed right behind him, and the two walked out of the laboratory one after the other.
Aizen was left entirely alone in the room. He sat before the workbench with the research documents spread out in front of him, but his gaze didn't actually fall on them. He simply sat there in silence, lost in thought.
Tosen Kaname had lost control because of Kakyo's soul fragment. But why would her soul fragment appear in that particular stronghold?
Closing his eyes, Aizen ran through the various possibilities in his mind. Logically speaking, it was possible. That stronghold conducted soul extraction experiments, and collecting various soul fragments as samples was part of their daily routine. Although the probability of Kakyo's fragment being among them was miniscule, it wasn't completely impossible.
But Aizen did not believe in coincidences.
He opened his eyes and looked down at the documents. Tosen's reaction had been genuine; he recognized Kakyo's spiritual pressure, and that was something that couldn't be faked. Furthermore, Aizen had personally examined the fragment and found no signs of tampering. It was indeed a genuine Soul King fragment extracted from a soul.
However, Aizen had never met Kakyo himself. He couldn't verify if that spiritual pressure truly belonged to her.
Moreover, Tosen's behavior had indeed displeased him slightly. It wasn't because the mission had failed, but because Tosen's temperament made him far too prone to acting on impulse. A competent assistant shouldn't be swayed by personal emotions. It seemed Tosen still required a long period of grooming.
As for Hasumi Ren...
That young man had behaved with remarkable composure throughout the mission. When Tosen lost control, Ren had calmly salvaged the research documents. This level of level-headedness was something Aizen appreciated.
Yet, he always felt that something wasn't quite right about the boy.
Aizen's eyes narrowed slightly as he pondered. 'What kind of person is Hasumi Ren, exactly?'
The youth didn't seem shackled by a conventional sense of morality like Urahara Kisuke, nor was he driven by personal vendettas like Tosen Kaname. He resembled an observer more than anything—silently watching from the shadows, waiting for something.
Aizen turned back to the workbench. He recalled how the Tsunayashiro family had targeted Ren, orchestrating everything from Central 46 decrees to interventions at the Shino Dispensary, employing both assassination attempts and political suppression. Those people wanted to push Ren into the abyss step by step.
And he could be the one to pull Ren out of that abyss. Or, he could let Ren make his own choice.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Aizen's mouth. An idea took root in his mind.
A few days later, at the Squad 4 barracks.
Ren stood in the clinic, organizing medical supplies. His movements were slow and meticulous, but his mind was entirely elsewhere.
Aizen hadn't held Tosen accountable, nor had he questioned them about the finer details of the mission. He had simply dismissed them, saying he would handle it. But Ren knew Aizen wasn't the type to let things slide so easily.
"4th Seat Hasumi."
A voice called out from the doorway. Ren turned around to see a member of Squad 5 standing there.
"Lieutenant Aizen asked me to deliver this to you."
Ren took the slip of paper and nodded. The squad member turned and left.
Unfolding the note, Ren found only a single line written inside: "Tonight. The laboratory."
Ren's brow twitched slightly. Aizen was calling for a meeting.
Pocketing the note, Ren resumed organizing the medical supplies. His expression remained completely impassive, but his mind was already racing with calculations. 'What does Aizen want to talk to me about?'
When night fell, Ren kept the appointment.
By the time he arrived, Aizen was already waiting. He stood before the workbench with his back to Ren, looking quite occupied.
"You're here," Aizen said softly.
Ren walked up behind him and stopped. "Lieutenant Aizen, what did you call me here for?"
Aizen turned around to face him. There was no emotion whatsoever in his gentle eyes. "I asked you here tonight because I wanted to have a chat."
Ren remained silent.
Aizen gestured for him to take a seat nearby. Ren hesitated for a moment before sitting down next to him, watching him operate the equipment on the workbench.
"Do you think this world is fair?" Aizen asked suddenly.
Ren was silent for a brief moment. "No, it isn't."
Aizen smiled. "In what way is it unfair?"
Ren looked at him. "Nobles and commoners are born unequal. The politicians of Central 46 never set foot outside the Seireitei in their lives, yet they dictate the fates of millions of souls in the Rukongai. Even the Soul King is imprisoned upon his throne, reduced to a mere tool to maintain the balance of the three realms, without anyone ever consulting his wishes."
Aizen's eyes narrowed slightly. "You certainly see things clearly."
Ren said nothing.
Aizen stood up and looked upward slightly. "The rules of the Soul Society are inherently rotten from the very roots. The Soul King's existence is not a miracle, but a sin. The nobility's privileges are not innate gifts, but plunder. And the tyranny of Central 46 is not justice, but oppression."
He turned back to face Ren. "I want to change all of this and forge a brand-new world."
Ren stared at him. "And so, you are researching the Hogyoku and Hollowfication, seeking to shatter the boundary between Soul Reapers and Hollows to attain a power that transcends all else."
"Correct," Aizen admitted without hesitation. "Power is the foundation required to change the world. Without power, everything is just empty talk."
Ren lapsed into silence.
Aizen gazed at him, his eyes deep and unreadable. "Ren, you have crossed paths with the Tsunayashiro family before. You've been hunted and suppressed by them. You, of all people, should know exactly what the darkness of this world looks like."
Ren didn't say a word.
Aizen continued, "You are different from Urahara Kisuke. He possesses the capability, but he lacks the courage. He recognizes the problems but dares not solve them, only venturing to make trivial, insignificant adjustments within this thoroughly decayed system. True revolution demands bloodshed."
Aizen locked his gaze onto Ren. "Ren, have you ever considered what kind of world you desire? And what role do you wish to play in it?"
He stepped closer to Ren and extended his hand. "I can grant you power to make you stronger—strong enough to protect those you wish to protect. I can also grant you freedom, ensuring you are no longer bound by any rules, allowing you to truly master your own destiny."
He looked straight into Ren's eyes. "But you must think carefully about which side you truly stand on."
Ren remained silent for a long time. Then, he stood up. "Lieutenant Aizen, I will need some time to think about your questions."
Aizen withdrew his hand and smiled. "Very well. I shall give you time."
A moment later, Ren departed, striding out into the darkness.
He knew Aizen was trying to win him over, using power, freedom, and the promise of a new world as bait. He also knew Aizen suspected him—suspected that he had something to do with the mishap during that mission. Aizen had deliberately chosen this approach to signal that he didn't care about Ren's minor machinations. As long as Ren genuinely aligned with his goals and agreed to join the plan, Aizen would overlook those little tricks.
Ren stepped out of the cave entrance. The moonlight cascaded over him, carrying a touch of chill.
He looked up at the night sky. He didn't even need to ponder Aizen's questions, because he had known the answer all along.
What he wanted was never some grand, brand-new world. All he wanted was to live freely.
'As for which side to stand on? I only stand on my own side.'