Urahara's Proof of Allegiance

In the training grounds behind the Fourth Division, the branches and leaves rustled in the breeze.

Pale white petals drifted down in the wind, landing on the sword marks on the bluestone ground, adding a touch of softness.

Wang Xun held his Zanpakuto, the tip of the blade drooping, his Reiatsu flowing slowly along the blade.

Unohana stood opposite him, her plain-colored shihaka outfit making her figure appear even more upright, Zanpakuto in her hand gleaming with a faint cold light.

In the sparring session just now, Wang Xun's movements were still precise, but they lacked some of his usual sharpness, as if he was preoccupied with something on his mind.

That's all for today.

Unohana sheathed her sword.

"Since returning from the last Rukongai mission, your condition has declined somewhat. While your swordplay is still proficient, it has lost some of its agility."

Wang Xun's grip on the knife tightened slightly, and he looked up at Unohana with a hint of apology on his face.

"Please excuse my poor performance, Captain. Perhaps it's due to the recent heavy workload and fatigue."

Unohana didn't ask any further questions. She simply walked slowly to the tree, raised her hand to catch a falling petal, and gently stroked it with her fingertips.

She paused, turned to the side, and her gaze fell on Wang Xun.

"If there's anything you can't resolve, don't keep it to yourself. Remember, I'm your captain."

Wang Xun felt a slight warmth in his heart.

"Thank you for your concern, Captain. I understand."

He could sense Unohana's care and understood the captain's keen insight.

But I really don't know how to bring this up with Unohana.

Perhaps it wouldn't be too late to bring Unohana into the game once things are going more smoothly.

After saying goodbye to Unohana, Wang Xun did not return to the Fourth Division dormitory.

He received a letter from Kisuke Urahara, and they need to discuss something again today.

Wang Xun walked through the Second Division's encampment and arrived at the entrance to the Maggot's Nest.

The black iron gate stood coldly, and the surrounding Reiatsu was chaotic and oppressive, completely different from the tranquility of the Fourth Division.

The guards were surprised to see Wang Xun, but they still respectfully opened the iron gate.

They received orders from Kisuke Urahara that Wang Xun now had free access to the Maggot's Nest.

After passing through layers of corridors, Wang Xun arrived at Kisuke Urahara's secret laboratory.

The laboratory was still filled with various instruments, the Reishi lamps emitted a soft light, and the air was filled with a faint smell of medicine and metal.

Urahara was sitting at the lab table, fiddling with a spherical object.

When he saw Wang Xun enter, he put on his usual lazy smile.

"Hey, Wang Xun, you've come at the perfect time."

Wang Xun walked straight to the opposite side of the lab bench and sat down.

"What did you call me here for?"

Urahara fiddled with the small ball in his hand.

"It's about your plan to side with Aizen."

"I have some ideas, but... are you sure you can get him to trust you?"

He... probably doesn't trust me.

Wang Xun's tone was calm, yet it carried a certain certainty of understanding the essence of things.

"No matter how much I appear to agree with his ideas, he probably won't truly trust me."

Urahara raised an eyebrow, his smile fading slightly and replaced by a hint of seriousness.

"Then what you said before..."

Wang Xun's gaze sharpened.

"Aizen's actions were all driven by extreme arrogance. He enjoyed the feeling of being in control of everything and was obsessed with the unknown and things that were worth studying."

"He doesn't need trust. As long as he finds me interesting, as long as he thinks I have something to use, as long as he thinks I have secrets he hasn't figured out, he won't kill me."

Urahara fell silent, looking at Wang Xun with thoughtful eyes.

Wang Xun is right, if Aizen really is as he described.

His arrogance was precisely the biggest weakness they could exploit.

"You seem quite confident that you see through Aizen."

Urahara chuckled and scratched his head.

"However, that's not enough. To get him to accept you, you need a substantial pledge of allegiance."

Wang Xun nodded, looking at the small ball in Kisuke Urahara.

"That's true... You must have already thought about what to do when you called me here."

Urahara's lips curled into a smile.

"Indeed, the Second Division is about to launch a joint mission."

"This mission involves rebellious nobles who have fled to the northwest district of Rukongai, and the Fourth Division needs to send a medical team to accompany them."

7

Wang Xun's heart stirred.

Do you think Aizen will go too?

Urahara nodded.

"It's still uncertain, but this is a good opportunity for him."

Wang Xun's tone was calm.

"Then what is this 'pledge of allegiance' you're talking about?"

Urahara's eyes flickered. He got up, walked to the bookshelf, took out a document, and handed it to Wang Xun.

"Take a look at this."

Wang Xun took the document, opened it, and found it contained the identity file of the Soul Reaper.

The man in the photo has an ordinary face and dull eyes. His file shows that he is a member of the Second Division's Stealth Force, responsible for carrying out this joint mission.

"This person is a death row inmate."

Urahara's voice was deep.

"I've already tampered with his brain, rendering him devoid of self-awareness. I've completed the most difficult step for you."

"Afterwards, I will implant a Mod Soul into his brain, shaping him into a normal Stealth Force."

"After that, all you need to do is create an opportunity, an opportunity that leaves you with no other choice."

"Only when forced into a corner, betraying one's comrades to survive, would Aizen find such a surrender reasonable."

"This is the pledge I've prepared for you."

Wang Xun frowned slightly, his gaze towards Urahara becoming more complex.

"You want me to kill Aizen in front of him?"

"Right."

Urahara's tone was resolute.

"If Aizen attacks you, I'll have this prosthetic soul accidentally encounter you and Aizen during a mission."

"To save your own life, you killed him to silence him. A Soul Reaper, driven to the brink and harboring secrets, kills his comrade to protect himself—this scenario is realistic enough."

"But what if Aizen investigates his body and his identity..."

"Let him investigate."

Urahara smiled confidently.

"My fabricated identity was flawless, and my background and resume were completely consistent with those of the Stealth Force team."

"He couldn't find any clues about this soul either. Mod Soul dissipate on their own after death, leaving no trace."

Even if Aizen examines the corpse, he will only think that it was an ordinary, unlucky Soul Reaper.

Wang Xun fell silent, his fingers gently tracing the edge of the document.

This plan was meticulous enough, and ruthless enough.

"Good."

After a long while, Wang Xun raised his head, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"Then let's do it your way."

Urahara looked at him with a satisfied smile.

The two then discussed the details of the plan in detail.

This includes positioning during the mission, the timing of the prop characters' attacks, Wang Xun's response, and how to ensure that Aizen could witness this betrayal firsthand.

The lights in the laboratory gradually dimmed, and the night deepened. A conspiracy against Aizen was quietly taking shape.

As he left the Maggot's Nest, Wang Xun looked up at the night sky, where countless stars twinkled and the moonlight was cold and clear.

From this moment on, the road ahead is filled with unknowns and dangers.

Wang Xun gripped his Zanpakuto tightly.

We're just waiting for the next mission to arrive.