Aizen vs. Liu Hao (7)

Aizen's voice was somewhat hoarse. "You mean, my desire to enter the Soul King Palace and replace the Soul King was guided by the consciousness of the Hōgyoku?"

Liu Hao smiled, a smile tinged with both admiration and pity, "It's so easy talking to smart people. You got right to the point in just one sentence."

A flicker of madness flashed in Aizen's eyes, and he almost blurted out, "Impossible! My will cannot be guided by anyone! I..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Hao interrupted him, "Do you still remember your original thoughts?"

These words struck Aizen like an Aizen. His voice trailed off, and he froze on the spot.

Liu Hao looked at him, his gaze becoming profound. His voice deepened, as if he were telling a distant story, a story about Sōsuke Aizen.

"As a young prodigy, after entering the Seireitei, you discovered that you could master anything with ease, and you could see through the essence of everything with effortless clarity. Kidō, swordsmanship, tactics, history, science... all the skills that ordinary people need years or even decades to master, you can master in just a few months. Your talent makes you stand out from everyone else, but it also makes you stand out from everyone else."

Aizen's breathing became rapid. He wanted to refute, to deny, but he found he couldn't. Because every word Liu Hao said was true.

"At that time, you find that the people around you are full of what you consider naive ideas. They argue over trivial matters, are complacent about insignificant achievements, and pay the price for foolish mistakes. They can't understand what you're saying. You tell them about future crises, and they think you're alarmist. You point out their problems, and they think you're arrogant. You demonstrate your talents, and they feel you threaten their position."

Liu Hao's voice was calm and slow, yet every word struck Aizen's heart.

"So you find that your talent makes it impossible for you to accept the foolishness of those around you. From then on, you've always thought how wonderful it would be if you were as mediocre as them. That way, you could understand their naivety and share in their naive joy. You've tried to fit in, tried to lower yourself, tried to communicate with them in a way they could understand. But you've found that it's all in vain. No matter what you do, you can't truly understand them, and they can't truly understand you."

Aizen clenched his fists. His nails almost dug into his palms, but he felt no pain. Liu Hao's words had stirred up the memories he least wanted to face deep within his heart.

"However, as your strength continues to grow, aside from feeling sorry for others' naivety and ignorance, no one seems to understand you. Even the powerful Captains of the Gotei 13 appear to you as nothing more than brainless brutes. Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, the old man known as the strongest Soul Reaper in Soul Society, is nothing more than an old stubborn man clinging to outdated rules in your eyes. Kenpachi Zaraki, that battle maniac, only knows how to solve problems with brute force. Gin Ichimaru, that seemingly shrewd but actually superficial fellow, can only ever see the surface."

Liu Hao's tone carried a hint of sarcasm, a hint of pity, and a hint of understanding. He seemed to be telling the story of a tragic hero, the fate of a man cursed by his talent.

"So you gave up trying to make them understand you. You wanted to become stronger, break through existing dimensions, reach a higher level, and find someone who could understand you. So you began researching how to break through your current level. And in that process, you discovered fragments of the Soul King."

The power contained within those fragments gave you hope. You began to study the history of the Soul King, the origins of the Soul Society, and the nature of Soul Reaper and Hollows. You discovered that all power originated from the Soul King, and all rules were established by Soul King.

If you want to break the rules, you must surpass the Soul King. So you begin using fragments of the Soul King to create the Hōgyoku, a tool that can help you fulfill your wishes.

Aizen's eyes became complicated. Countless images flashed through his mind—the days of Loneliness research in the laboratory, the moments of groping in the dark, and the belief he held onto despite failures.

"During the creation of the Hōgyoku, due to its lack of power, it began to guide you to continuously acquire powerful souls and Reiryoku to satisfy your growth. However, this demand is too great, and you have been struggling with how to satisfy it. You need a large number of high-quality souls, a powerful source of Reiryoku, and constant experimentation and verification."

You know there are risks involved, you know that exposure will make you an enemy of the entire Soul Society, but you have no choice. The Hōgyoku is already bound to your fate; you cannot give it up, just as you cannot give up your belief in pursuing the truth.

Liu Hao paused for a moment, his gaze becoming even more profound.

"Until Kisuke Urahara to you. That man, once the Captain of the Twelfth Division, was equally brilliant, equally talented, and equally able to see through the essence of things. So you secretly observed him, wanting to see if he could be like you, whether he would resent this person whose extraordinary talent was misunderstood by everyone. You wanted to know if there was a second you in this world, if there was a second person who could understand your Loneliness."

Aizen's breathing became heavy. He recalled the days when he secretly observed Kisuke Urahara, and his complex feelings—the joy of finding a kindred spirit, and the vigilance of fearing being surpassed.

"However, Kisuke Urahara's choice disappointed you. He chose to conform to the world, willingly connecting with those you considered foolish. He made friends, built trust, integrated into the group, and became a popular person. He was just as talented as you, yet he chose a completely different path. You couldn't understand why he did it, and you even somewhat despised his choice. But the Hōgyoku he created surprised and delighted you."

A meaningful smile appeared on Liu Hao's lips.

"You believe that if the previous methods cannot perfect your Hōgyoku, then you should seize Kisuke Urahara's Hōgyoku, and then use your own Hōgyoku to absorb it, thus achieving true perfection for your Hōgyoku. This is the most direct and effective method. As for whether Kisuke Urahara will agree or resist, you don't care at all. In your view, power should belong to the one who can wield it, and that person can only be you."