On the Self-Cultivation of Actors

The appearance of this scene.

Made Aizen instinctively glance at Gin Ichimaru beside him, surprise flashing deep within his eyes behind the plain lenses.

If they were not still draped in black cloaks, with Bakudo #26: Kyokko concealing them both.

He might have thought that Gin Ichimaru and he had already been exposed.

Fortunately.

That possibility was minuscule.

Besides.

The black cloaks and Bakudo #26 were merely the first layer of concealment.

Aizen smiled gently. "Gin, what are your thoughts upon seeing such a familiar scene?"

Gin Ichimaru had already recovered from his surprise. He narrowed his eyes again, a false smile hanging from the corners of his lips as he commented in a flippant tone:

"Quite a powerful technique. Its burst doesn't lose to Shinsō at all."

"Captain Aizen, we must be sure to pay close attention to Captain Su Feng..."

The mountain-like body crashed to the ground, a great deal of red and white matter spilling from its forehead.

With a single strike, Su Feng pierced straight through the Adjuchas's head and killed it completely.

As for the technique just now, he had merely thought of it on the spur of the moment.

Combining his own 10th Dan Kendo with Storm Howl's powerful control over violent winds, he had created an attack similar to the Shikai of the Zanpakuto Shinsō.

Though it had been an impromptu idea, the technique proved unexpectedly useful.

It was an unexpected delight.

As for why the thought had occurred to him.

That was entirely due to Su Feng's understanding of Aizen.

Though he could not sense Aizen's presence, Su Feng was ninety percent certain that he was somewhere in Nigoku District.

Even if Aizen was not here, Gin Ichimaru would be observing from nearby.

An Adjuchas infused with the powers of a Soul Reaper perfectly matched the prototype of a Menos before it became an Arrancar.

Su Feng boldly guessed that this Adjuchas might be an experimental subject used to create Arrancar with the incomplete Hogyoku.

To a scientist, data was undoubtedly the most precious thing.

Aizen's research abilities were in no way inferior to Kisuke Urahara's or Mayuri Kurotsuchi's, so naturally, he would not make the amateur mistake of overlooking data.

Therefore.

Su Feng had deliberately put on that display for those two spectators.

Since they had treated this place as a stage for an experimental subject's performance, he might as well let the performer give them a little shock beyond the script.

Su Feng knew clearly that after graduating from the Soul Reaper Academy, he had officially entered Aizen's field of vision.

No matter how he performed or how talented he was, he would draw Aizen's attention.

As the heir of the Tsunayashiro Family, he was undoubtedly someone of great importance in the Soul Society.

That alone was enough to make Aizen take special notice of him.

In that case, there was no point in hiding anything. It would be better to display it openly.

Perhaps Aizen would even think that this was the full extent of his strength.

Of course.

That possibility was minuscule.

When facing a schemer like Aizen, one who held human nature in perfect grasp, only absolute strength was the best response.

To break free from this game of chess, the best method was to become the player moving the pieces.

His spiritual pressure receded, and the Wind Breath around his white haori gradually faded, its flowing elegance settling down with it.

Su Feng turned his gaze to the Adjuchas before him.

In terms of size alone, it far surpassed the Adjuchas recorded in the archives.

Generally speaking, Gillians were the largest variety among Menos. Once they evolved into Adjuchas, most of their bodies would shrink accordingly, and they would gain a certain degree of self-awareness.

The highest-ranked Vasto Lorde, meanwhile, had bodies that were already extremely close to those of humans.

This special existence undoubtedly possessed considerable research value.

What troubled Su Feng now, however, was the lack of suitable talent under his command.

As everyone knew.

The Soul Society's technological advancement was no worse than that of the Human World; it even far exceeded it.

As the research division, Squad 12's primary duty was to study and observe spirit particles, then use that as a foundation for developing spiritual tools.

After the Department of Research and Development was established, this trait was taken to its utmost limit.

Any Soul Reaper with even a shred of scientific spirit would choose to join Squad 12 and participate in its various research projects.

Of course, that was how things had been when Kisuke Urahara was in office.

Once Mayuri Kurotsuchi took over, it would become an entirely different scene.

Compared to Kisuke Urahara, that man's level of danger would increase severalfold.

Not only toward outsiders, but toward his own people as well.

Even Su Feng did not wish to have much contact with such a dangerous individual.

"I should start with the other members of Squad 12 first."

He shook his head. "That madman Mayuri Kurotsuchi is even more dangerous than Kenpachi Zaraki."

Su Feng did not fear direct combat, but he loathed certain underhanded methods.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi was undoubtedly the most typical representative of them.

After all, no one wanted to have strange things like Monitoring Bacteria implanted in them during a single negotiation.

Just as he was considering the matter, intense spiritual pressure fluctuations came from the edge of Nigoku District.

Two figures, one white and one black, arrived in the distance with Shunpo.

Slightly anxious expressions, eyes constantly searching behind plain lenses, and Captain-class spiritual pressure without the slightest attempt at concealment.

Captain of the Fifth Division, Aizen Sosuke.

Lieutenant of the Fifth Division, Gin Ichimaru.

Their appearance did not surprise Su Feng.

As the captain of the support team, failing to appear promptly under such circumstances would have been abnormal instead.

"Whew, Captain Su Feng."

Upon seeing the corpse amid the ruins, Aizen visibly relaxed, speaking in a relieved tone:

"After receiving Lieutenant Matsumoto's Tenteikūra, Gin and I immediately set off for Nigoku District."

"Though we were a little late, fortunately, you were not injured."

Gin Ichimaru, meanwhile, walked over to the Adjuchas and lightly tapped its enormous head with his scabbard, asking curiously:

"So this is an Adjuchas whose spiritual pressure is infinitely close to that of a Vasto Lorde?"

"But judging from its appearance, it differs greatly from ordinary Adjuchas!"

Looking at the pair of actors before him, Su Feng's lips curved upward as he smiled gently.

"That's right. Its strength far surpasses that of an ordinary Adjuchas. It even possesses powerful abilities such as Hierro, High-Speed Regeneration, and devouring evolution."

"I can't help but suspect that this Adjuchas did not come about through normal evolution."

"There must be an enormous secret hidden within it."

It had to be said that in terms of acting, Aizen absolutely deserved to be called the finest in the Soul Society.

Gin Ichimaru, on the other hand, always wore a smiling expression that appeared rather false.

Su Feng stood somewhere between them—slightly better than Gin Ichimaru, yet not as natural as Aizen.

Although he possessed no particular talent for acting, after accumulating experience over a long period, he had become proficient at disguising himself through sheer practice.

After all.

Within the Tsunayashiro Family estate, he also had to deal with certain ill-intentioned schemers.