Inside the laboratory, Royd, in his guise as Tosen Kaname, remained behind alone to clear away the debris left by the failed experiment.
After tidying up the area, Royd stood straight and scanned his surroundings. Ensuring every corner of the research zone was completely spotless, he slipped out of the laboratory.
Walking along the narrow paths of Rukongai, he ducked behind a residential building and located an ordinary stone wall. He pressed his palm against the stone, letting his Spiritual Pressure surge forth. The power of the Quincy circulated quietly within him, manifesting the formula for the Shadow Domain.
A swirling shadow manifested on the stone wall. The distortion grew increasingly violent until a blurry figure emerged from the darkness.
It was Quilge. His round-framed glasses reflected a cold gleam, obscuring the expression in his eyes.
"Royd, why are you contacting me now? Has something happened?"
Royd's expression looked grim. "There are indeed some problems. I might... not be able to maintain this cover much longer." His voice sounded raspy and exhausted.
On the other side of the shadow, Quilge's brow twitched slightly, but he did not speak immediately.
Royd took a deep breath and recounted today's events in precise detail. "Today, Aizen had me lead the Hogyoku experiment. I did my best to replicate Tosen Kaname's methods from his memories. But... those highly technical procedures were beyond my ability to perfectly reproduce. I botched the experiment. It completely lacked the technical precision the real Tosen Kaname should possess."
Across the shadow, Quilge's expression remained unmoved, though a flicker of calculation crossed his eyes behind the round glasses.
"Aizen's attitude toward me has shifted," Royd continued, his voice tight. "He put Hasumi Ren in charge of the experiments and relegated me to an assistant role, as if he's gradually diminishing my importance in the laboratory. Furthermore, in a few days, Aizen will take Ren to Hueco Mundo, leaving me behind alone. I know this presents an opportunity to seize the Hogyoku, but it feels more like a trap. Aizen is intentionally leaving an opening for me. If I make a move, it will confirm that I am an impostor. If I don't act, he will inevitably uncover discrepancies later on. Exposure is only a matter of time."
Royd snapped his head up, his voice tinged with suppressed anxiety. "What exactly should I do now? Should we launch the plan to seize the Hogyoku ahead of schedule?"
Quilge fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Do you have a realistic chance?"
Royd answered without a second thought. "It is worth a try. I will be entirely alone in the laboratory. I know how to undo the Hogyoku's sealing formulas, and I know where the flaws in the surrounding barrier lie. If I strike quickly enough, I can secure it before Aizen returns. Does Lord Haschwalth have any directives regarding the Hogyoku?"
Quilge replied in a low voice. "The Hogyoku's current power is incomplete. It is not our ultimate objective, so seizing it now would be pointless. Only when the fully matured Hogyoku manifests will it be time for us to strike. Your only duty is to maintain your cover, quietly relay intelligence, and bide your time."
Royd's brow furrowed tightly. "But what if I am discovered?"
Quilge's response was faint and icy, devoid of any warmth. "Conceal yourself. Obey orders."
Royd gritted his teeth, veins pulsing faintly at his temples as if he wanted to argue. But in the end, he simply lowered his head, leaving his thoughts unsaid. "I will continue to lie low and await the opportunity."
Quilge offered no further reply. The figure in the shadow gradually blurred, ultimately dissolving back into the darkness.
Left standing alone, Royd stared at the now-tranquil shadow, breathing heavily as he forced down his lingering resentment.
...
A few days later, the day designated by Aizen to capture experimental subjects in Hueco Mundo arrived.
Aizen and Ren stood in the open space at the center of the laboratory, facing a Garganta that Ren had just opened. The pitch-black tear expanded slowly in the air, its edges shimmering with the dark red glow of Spiritual Pressure.
Tosen Kaname stood at the entrance of the laboratory, watching the two of them prepare to leave.
"I am leaving the laboratory in your hands for the time being," Aizen said, turning his head slightly to look at Tosen, his voice perfectly serene. "Should any abnormalities arise, notify me immediately."
"Understood." Tosen bowed his head.
Aizen's gaze lingered on him for a brief moment before he withdrew it, turning to step into the Garganta. The entrance of the Garganta sealed shut, and the Spiritual Pressure dissipated.
Yet inside the dimensional void, Aizen came to a halt rather than moving forward.
"Ren," Aizen spoke suddenly. "Don't you think Tosen's behavior has been rather strange lately?"
Ren stopped and glanced over at Aizen. "Ever since he returned from the hands of the Quincy, his technical skills have seemed incredibly rusty. During the Arrancarization experiment the other day, I took note of every single mistake he made during the operation. Those fine details are not the types of things he should be bungling—at least, certainly not to this extent."
Ren fell silent for a brief moment, then nodded. "Some aspects are indeed off. His control over his Spiritual Pressure during the experiments is much coarser than before, and his grasp of the formulas has deteriorated. Moreover... his conduct at certain times has been highly uncharacteristic."
Aizen looked at Ren, the corners of his mouth curving into a slight arc. "So you noticed it as well."
"I merely had a slight inkling."
Aizen nodded. "Since you have also discerned these flaws, there is undoubtedly something suspicious afoot."
Ren's brow twitched slightly. "Vice-Captain Aizen, what do you plan to do next?"
Without turning around, Aizen looked back toward the direction they had come from, remaining quiet for a moment. "For now, we will maintain a holding pattern and observe. The enemy remains oblivious to the fact that we have seen through him—that is our advantage. As for the Garganta, you are capable of reopening the exit in a different sector of Soul Society, correct?"
"Of course."
At those words, the Spiritual Pressure formula spread rapidly across Ren's hand. With dark red energy swirling around his fingertips, a Garganta split open once more, its exit now recalibrated to a remote, deserted area on the outskirts of Soul Society.
The two figures emerged from the dimensional tear one after the other, landing within a dense grove of trees not far from a barren mountain. Aizen retrieved a small surveillance bug from his sleeve—a device designed to remotely monitor the interior of the laboratory—and projected the visual feed into the air before them.
Ren stood at Aizen's side, observing Tosen Kaname on the display. In the transmission, Tosen was occupied at the workbench, his movements steady and his expression calm, betraying no sign of abnormality. He was systematically cleaning the apparatus, calibrating the nodes of the formulas, and organizing the data. Everything appeared entirely routine.
"What puzzles me is that when I subtly tested him previously, he seemed identical to the Tosen Kaname I know," Aizen spoke softly, his brow knitting slightly. "His past experiences, and even the most minute details of his daily habits, align perfectly. Could the Quincy truly possess the means to read minds? Even if they could extract thoughts, how could they achieve a disguise of this caliber? Even the Spiritual Pressure is indistinguishable... Had it not been for the experiments, I wouldn't have detected a single flaw."
In the worst-case scenario where his suspicions were true, what kind of predicament was the real Tosen Kaname facing right now? A faint chill stirred in the depths of Aizen's chest.
A moment later, Aizen deactivated the surveillance device. "Template looks fine. It seems he won't be making any sudden moves anytime soon. Let us go. We shall head to Hueco Mundo to secure some experimental material."
The two opened a Garganta once more and stepped through into Hueco Mundo. The rift slowly sealed shut behind them.
Only after capturing a sufficient number of Hollow subjects did the pair emerge from the Garganta once again, returning to the research base. Everything within the facility was in order. Tosen came forward to meet them, bowing respectfully.
"Lord Aizen, all is well."
Aizen looked at him and nodded gently. "You have done well."
Tosen lowered his head, maintaining a deferential posture.
...
A few days later, within the Nest of Maggots.
Ren arrived at Kisuke Urahara's secret laboratory. Urahara was hunkered down in front of a workbench, tinkering with a new piece of machinery surrounded by scattered components.
"You're here?" Urahara didn't even look up.
Ren walked over to the workbench. "Aizen has begun to suspect the counterfeit Tosen Kaname."
Urahara's fingers paused slightly, and he raised his head. "How deep do his suspicions run?"
Ren paused to consider. "Aizen had the impostor lead an Arrancarization experiment, and he completely botched it. Aizen then laid a trap by leaving the impostor entirely alone in the laboratory while monitoring him in secret. Even though the counterfeit managed to keep his composure and didn't make a move, Aizen's doubts haven't been cleared; he is merely suppressing them for now."
Ren took a seat. "The time to act has arrived."
Urahara set down the components in his hand and leaned back against his chair. "What do you propose?"
"We release the real Tosen," Ren said firmly. "If Aizen exposes the fake one on his own first, the genuine one in our possession loses all strategic value. We must ensure the genuine article and the fake appear simultaneously, forcing Aizen to witness the deception firsthand. Only then can we maximize the animosity between both factions."
Kisuke Urahara fell silent for a short while, then nodded. "I understand. Tosen Kaname's injuries have mostly healed, and his seals can be undone at any moment. Let us prepare to move."
A few nights later, under a dark, wind-swept sky.
A black silhouette quietly materialized in the wilderness of West Rukongai. He gently laid an unconscious man beneath a withered tree by the roadside, undoing the final layer of seals binding him. Then, the shadow vanished into the night.
A moment later, the fingers of Tosen Kaname, who lay prone on the ground, twitched slightly. Gradually, he regained consciousness.
At this moment, his mind was an absolute blur, his memories feeling as though they had been shredded and haphazardly pieced back together. He could only recall being captured by the Quincy, being imprisoned, and then... what exactly was the situation now?
'Where... am I?'
Although Tosen was in poor condition, he was no longer constrained by the sealing apparatus. He extended his Spiritual Pressure to perceive his surroundings.
'Why does this place resemble Soul Society so closely? Did I escape?'
Tosen shook his head, uncertain whether those fragmented images in his mind were real or mere illusions. He struggled to his feet; though weak, he could manage to walk. Reorienting himself, he stumbled off in the direction preserved in his memory.
Inside the secret laboratory, Aizen sat before the workbench, leafing through some documents. After a short while, a figure bypassed the entrance of the barrier and stepped inside.
Aizen looked up, his gaze settling on the form appearing at the threshold.
His Shihakusho was in tatters, his body covered in lacerations, and an unmistakable exhaustion weighed heavily on his features. His Spiritual Pressure fluctuated violently; it was clear he had barely regained enough strength before forcing himself to make his way here.
Aizen's pupils contracted slightly. "Tosen?" An uncharacteristic note of astonishment laced his voice.
Tosen stumbled forward and sank to his knees before Aizen. "Lord Aizen... this subordinate has failed you..." His voice was hoarse and dry. "I was imprisoned by the Quincy and only managed to escape with great difficulty. My mind is somewhat clouded, and I cannot clearly recall the details of my flight, but... I have finally returned."
Aizen stood perfectly still. He silently scrutinized the Tosen standing before him. The Spiritual Pressure, though faint, had an intrinsic frequency and minute characteristics that perfectly matched the Tosen Kaname he knew.
But the one currently performing duties for him possessed the exact same traits. Aizen found himself genuinely uncertain.
A moment later, a flash of inspiration struck Aizen, presenting a definitive method to test the authenticity of this Tosen.
"Come, Kaname," Aizen said calmly. "Conduct a live demonstration of the Hogyoku experiment for me. You personally orchestrated the layout of the previous Arrancarization experiment, so it shouldn't be unfamiliar to you, correct?"
Tosen raised his head, an undeniable look of confusion washing over his face. 'What?'
Why was there such an urgent demand for an experiment right now? Then again, he had been gone for so long, and the research had been delayed. Lord Aizen must be growing impatient. It seemed that Hasumi Ren wasn't all that capable after all; when it came to core experiments like this, his own assistance remained far more vital to Lord Aizen.
With a surge of quiet gratification at being validated, Tosen rallied his spirits and approached the testing apparatus as commanded. Facing the equipment he had been separated from for so long, a wave of complex emotions welled up within him.
Subsequently, Tosen initiated the procedure to force the Arrancarization of an Adjuchas using the Hogyoku, following his own original blueprints. His execution was remarkably fluid. Fully focused, he manipulated the Hogyoku with absolute precision to drive the Adjuchas through the transition.
Observing quietly from the side, Aizen could not help but nod in silent approval.
'Look at this mastery of data, this absolute familiarity with the apparatus... This is the Tosen I know! You are the real Tosen Kaname!'
Moments later, under Tosen's guidance, the Adjuchas on the execution field achieved a brief state of Arrancarization before its Spiritual Pressure systematically collapsed and dissolved.
Tosen struck the workbench in sheer frustration. Unfortunately, the experiment was a failure. It seemed to be caused by the Hogyoku's lack of maturation. Snapping out of his thoughts, he hurriedly bowed to the adjacent Aizen in deep shame. The experiment had failed; Lord Aizen must be terribly disappointed.
"Forgive me, Lord Aizen. The experiment... it seems the process is not yet mature enough. I will make further improvements."
However, the expected indifferent reply or casual consolation never came. Instead, a pair of warm, firm hands steadily supported his arms.
"It matters not. Your return is more valuable than anything else."
"Lord... Aizen?"
Tosen's mind reeled with confusion, but then he felt the unmistakable warmth and sincerity radiating from Aizen. The agony of his prolonged imprisonment and torture welled up from the depths of his soul, only to be utterly dispelled by this single beacon of light.
Tears flooded Tosen's eyes. With a master like this, what more could he ever ask for?
His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the floor, weeping uncontrollably. Aizen gently patted Tosen's trembling back.
Just then, footsteps echoed out, and Ren walked into the laboratory. Spotting the display before him, he froze in surprise. Ren had timed his arrival precisely to see if Tosen had successfully made contact with Aizen. But this display of deep, mutual devotion between master and servant was completely unexpected.
This was certainly a twist he hadn't anticipated...