Tōsen Returns

In the laboratory, Loyd, in the form of Kaname Tōsen, stayed behind alone to clean up the debris caused by the failed experiment.

Loyd tidied up the scene, stood up straight, looked around to make sure every corner of the experimental area was clean, and then left the laboratory.

Walking along the narrow Rukongai, he hid behind a house and found an ordinary stone wall.

He raised his hand and pressed it against the stone wall, Reiatsu surging from his palm.

The Quincy's power flowed quietly within him, condensing into the technique of the Shadow Domain.

A swirling shadow appeared on the stone wall.

The distortion grew more and more intense, until finally a blurry figure emerged from the shadows.

Cang Du.

His round-framed glasses reflected a cold light, making it impossible to see his eyes.

"Loyd, why are you contacting me now? What happened?"

Loyd didn't look well.

"There are indeed some problems, and I might... be unable to hide them any longer."

Loyd's voice was hoarse and tired.

On the other side of the mirror, Cang Du's brow twitched slightly, but he didn't speak immediately.

Loyd took a deep breath and recounted everything that had happened that day.

"Today, Aizen tasked me with leading the Hōgyoku experiment, and I've tried my best to mimic Kaname Tōsen's operating methods from his memories."

"But... those highly technical things are beyond my ability to reproduce."

"I botched this experiment; it completely failed to demonstrate the technical level that Kaname Tōsen have."

On the other side of the mirror, Cang Du's expression remained unchanged, only a hint of contemplation flashed in his eyes behind his round-framed glasses.

"Aizen's opinion of me has changed. He replaced Wang Xun with someone else to lead the experiment and asked me to assist him, which seems to be a gradual reduction of my importance in the laboratory."

"Also, Aizen will be taking Wang Xun to Hueco Mundo in a few days, leaving me alone."

"I know this is an opportunity to seize the Hōgyoku, but it feels more like a trap."

"Aizen deliberately left a loophole for me to exploit. If I make a move, it will confirm that I am not the real Kaname Tōsen."

"If I don't take action, he'll inevitably discover something in the future, and I'll be exposed sooner or later."

Loyd looked up abruptly, his voice filled with suppressed anxiety.

"What should I do now? Should I start the plan to seize the Hōgyoku ahead of schedule?"

Cang Du was silent for a moment, then spoke.

Do you have a chance?

Loyd answered without hesitation.

"If I act quickly enough, I can succeed before Aizen returns."

"Does Lord Haschwalth have any instructions regarding the Hōgyoku?"

"Cang Du answered in a low voice."

"The current power of the Hōgyoku is incomplete and not the ultimate goal; even if we seize it, it will be meaningless."

"The time for us to make our move will be when the truly mature Hōgyoku appears."

"You just need to stay hidden as much as possible, safely transmit intelligence, and wait for the right opportunity."

Loyd's brow furrowed deeply.

"But what if I get found out?"

Cang Du's answer was light and cold, devoid of any warmth.

"Hide yourself and obey orders."

Loyd clenched his teeth, veins throbbing on his forehead, as if he wanted to say something.

But in the end, he just lowered his head and didn't say anything.

"I will remain hidden, waiting for the right opportunity."

Cang Du said nothing more.

The reflection in the mirror gradually blurred and eventually disappeared into the shadows.

Loyd stood there, looking at the shadow that had returned to calm, breathing heavily, but finally suppressed his resentment.

A few days later, the day Aizen had set for him to go to Hueco Mundo to capture experimental subjects arrived.

Aizen and Wang Xun stood in the open space in the center of the laboratory, facing the Garganta that Wang Xun had just opened.

The pitch-black cracks slowly expanded in the air, their edges gleaming with a dark red Reiatsu.

Kaname Tōsen stood at the entrance of the laboratory, watching the two leave.

"The lab is in your hands for now."

Aizen his head to look at Kaname Tōsen, his voice calm.

"Notify me immediately if anything seems amiss."

"Yes."

Kaname Tōsen lowered his head.

Aizen's gaze lingered on him for a moment before he looked away, turned, and stepped into the Garganta.

The entrance to the Garganta closed, and the Reiatsu dissipated.

However, inside the Garganta, Aizen stood still and did not move forward.

"Wang Xun."

Aizen suddenly spoke.

"Don't you think Tōsen's behavior has been a bit strange lately?"

Wang Xun stopped and turned his head to look at Aizen.

"His skills have become quite rusty since he returned from the Quincy."

"I saw all the mistakes he made during the Arrancar experiment the other day."

"Those details aren't where he should have made mistakes; at least, there shouldn't have been so many."

Wang Xun was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Something is definitely not right. His control over Reiatsu during experiments is much rougher than before, and his understanding of spells has also regressed."

"Furthermore... his behavior was indeed somewhat abnormal at times."

Aizen looked at Wang Xun, a slight smile curving his lips.

"You noticed too."

"I only vaguely noticed it."

Aizen nodded.

"Since you've also noticed his problem, then there is indeed something fishy about this matter."

Wang Xun's brow twitched slightly.

"Lieutenant Aizen, what are your plans next?"

Aizen didn't turn around; instead, he turned back to look in the direction he had come from and remained silent for a moment.

"Let's hold our position and observe for now. The enemy doesn't know we've spotted him yet; that's our advantage."

"You can open the entrance to the Garganta again in other areas of Soul Society, right?"

"Sure."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xun suddenly unleashed a Reiatsu spell.

Dark red Reiatsu flowed through his fingertips, the Garganta opened again, and the exit was now located in a remote suburb of Soul Society.

The two figures emerged from the Garganta one after the other, landing in the woods not far from the desolate mountain.

Aizen took out a small monitoring insect from his sleeve, a device for remotely monitoring the interior of the laboratory, and projected the image into the air in front of him.

Wang Xun stood beside Aizen, looking at Kaname Tōsen in the picture.

In the surveillance footage, Kaname Tōsen was busy at the lab bench, his movements steady and his expression calm, showing no signs of anything unusual.

He was cleaning the experimental equipment, calibrating the procedure nodes, and organizing the experimental data; everything was normal.

"What puzzles me is that I had subtly probed him before, and he seemed no different from the Kaname Tōsen I knew."

"Past experiences, even the most minute details of daily life, are exactly as described."

"Quincy, could they possibly read people's minds...?"

"Even if one's thoughts are read, how can one achieve this level of disguise, even the Reiatsu is exactly the same... If it weren't for the experiment, I wouldn't even be able to see any problem."

Aizen spoke softly, his brows furrowing slightly.

The worst-case scenario is that his guess is true. What would the real Kaname Tōsen be in now?

A chill ran through Aizen's heart.

A moment later, Aizen put away the monitoring device.

"It seems he won't be making any moves anytime soon."

"Let's go, let's go to Hueco Mundo and bring back some materials."

The two opened the Garganta again and stepped into Hueco Mundo once more.

The Garganta slowly closed behind them.

After capturing enough virtual material in Hueco Mundo, the two emerged from the Garganta again and returned to the experimental base.

Everything was normal at the base. Kaname Tōsen stepped forward and bowed.

"Lord Aizen, all is well."

Aizen looked at him and nodded gently.

"Well done."

Kaname Tōsen lowered his head, displaying a respectful posture.

A few days later, inside the Maggot's Nest.

Wang Xun arrives at Kisuke Urahara's secret laboratory.

Urahara was squatting in front of the lab bench, fiddling with a new instrument, with various parts scattered around him.

"You've arrived?"

Urahara didn't even look up.

Wang Xun walked to the experimental table.

"Aizen has begun to suspect the fake Kaname Tōsen."

Urahara's fingers paused slightly, and he looked up.

How serious is it?

Wang Xun pondered for a moment.

"Aizen let the fake Tōsen lead the Arrancar experiments, and he messed it up."

"Then Aizen set another trap, leaving the lab alone with the fake Tōsen, who was secretly observing."

"Although the fake Tōsen managed to hold his ground and didn't make a move, Aizen's suspicions haven't been dispelled; they're just being suppressed for now."

Wang Xun sat down.

"The time to strike has come."

Urahara put down the parts he was holding and leaned back in his chair.

What are your plans?

"Release the real Tōsen. If Aizen exposes the fake Tōsen first, then our current one will be useless."

"We must make the truth and the falsehood appear simultaneously, so that Aizen can confirm the other party's deception on the spot."

"In this way, the hostility between the two sides can be maximized."

Kisuke Urahara was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"I understand. Kaname Tōsen's injuries have mostly healed, and the seal can be lifted at any time."

"Let's prepare for action."

Several days later, in the dead of night, under a dark and windy sky.

In the desolate wilderness of West Rukongai, a black figure silently appeared.

He gently placed an unconscious person under a withered tree by the roadside and removed the last seal from the person's body.

Then, the shadowy figure disappeared into the night.

A moment later, Kaname Tōsen's fingers trembled slightly as he lay on the ground.

He then slowly regained consciousness.

At this moment, his mind was in chaos, his memories seemed to be torn apart and then pieced back together.

He only remembered being captured Quincy, and then... what's going on now?

Where is this place...?

Although Kaname Tōsen is not in good condition, he is no longer bound by the sealing device. He spreads his Reiatsu and senses his surroundings.

How come it's so similar to Soul Society?

Did he escape?

Kaname Tōsen shook his head, unsure whether the fragmented images were real or hallucinations.

He struggled to his feet; though weak, he was able to walk.

He surveyed his surroundings, then stumbled and staggered toward the direction he remembered.

In Aizen's secret laboratory, Aizen was sitting at the lab bench, reviewing documents.

A moment later, a figure broke through the barrier and entered.

Aizen raised his head, his gaze falling on the figure that had appeared in the doorway.

His death knight's armor was tattered and covered in wounds, and his face showed undisguised weakness and exhaustion.

His Reiatsu was extremely unstable, clearly indicating that he had only just recovered some strength before forcing himself to come here.

Aizen's pupils contracted slightly.

"Tōsen?"

There was a hint of unusual surprise in his voice.

Kaname Tōsen staggered and knelt before Aizen.

"Lord Aizen is incompetent..."

His voice was hoarse and dry.

"I Quincy and barely managed to escape. My memories are hazy, and I can't quite recall how I escaped, but... I'm finally back."

Aizen stood there, motionless.

He stared quietly at Kaname Tōsen in front of him.

Although the Reiatsu was weak, its fluctuations were regular, and every subtle characteristic perfectly matched the Kaname Tōsen he knew.

But the one who's working for him now is the same.

Aizen was truly unsure of what to do.

A moment later, a flash of inspiration Aizen, and he came up with a way to test the authenticity of Kaname Tōsen.

"Come on, you need to demonstrate the Hōgyoku experiment to me."

"You were the one who spearheaded the planning for the last Arrancar experiment, so you shouldn't be too rusty yet, right?"

Kaname Tōsen looked up, his face revealing undisguised confusion.

Why are you in such a hurry to conduct the experiment?

That's right. I've been gone for so long, and the experiment has been delayed for so long. Lord Aizen must be getting impatient.

It seems that Wang Xun isn't all that great. For this kind of core experiment, I can still be of much more help to Lord Aizen.

With this in mind, Kaname Tōsen, feeling a sense of joy at being recognized, rallied his spirits and followed Aizen's instructions to the experimental equipment.

Facing the experimental equipment he hadn't seen for many days, Kaname Tōsen filled with mixed emotions.

Subsequently, Kaname Tōsen began the experimental process for the Arrancar Hōgyoku Adjuchas to his own design.

Kaname Tōsen's technique was exceptionally skillful. He was fully focused and perfectly controlled the Hōgyoku to transform the Adjuchas into an Arrancarization.

Aizen stood aside and watched quietly, nodding to himself inwardly.

Look at that, this control over data, this familiarity with experiments...

This is the Tōsen I know!

You are Kaname Tōsen!

A moment later, under Kaname Tōsen's manipulation, Adjuchas on the experimental field briefly achieved Arrancarization before his Reiatsu collapsed and disintegrated.

Kaname Tōsen frustration, but unfortunately, the experiment was unsuccessful.

It seems that the Hōgyoku was not mature enough.

Then, he suddenly realized what was happening and bowed to Aizen beside him in shame.

The experiment failed; Lord Aizen must be very disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Lord Aizen, the experiment... seems to be still not quite mature. I will continue to improve it."

However, the expected bland reply or words of comfort did not come.

Instead, a pair of warm and strong hands steadily supported his arm.

"It's alright, being back is the most important thing."

"Aizen... sir?"

Kaname Tōsen's mind was filled with doubts at that moment, but then he felt Aizen's undeniable warmth and sincerity.

The pain of being imprisoned and tortured for many days surged in my heart, but at this moment, it was dispelled by a beam of light.

Tears welled up in Kaname Tōsen's eyes.

With such a Lord, what more A-Kaname ask for?

Kaname Tōsen's knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

Aizen Kaname Tōsen's trembling back.

At that moment, footsteps approached, and Wang Xun entered the laboratory. He was slightly taken aback by the behavior of the two people in front of him.

Wang Xun timed it perfectly and came to see if Tōsen had successfully made contact with Aizen.

But the scene of deep affection between master and servant before him was something he had not anticipated.

This was truly unexpected...