Chapter 231

After Shigekuni Yamamoto finished speaking, the captains reacted one after another.

Shinji Hirako walked at the front, his long golden hair casting a sharp afterimage in the midday sun.

Love Aikawa followed closely behind.

Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi's steps remained elegant, but his speed was by no means slow.

Hiyori Sarugaki pursed her lips, then turned and chased after him.

Lisa Yadōmaru adjusted her glasses, nodded slightly to Shunsui Kyōraku, and disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Kisuke Urahara stood by a pillar in the headquarters meeting room, watching the captains and vice-captains disappear one by one after Shunpo.

The emergency support team left, and the remaining team leaders also dispersed at the command of the Captain-Commander.

After the meeting adjourned, the team leaders left one after another from the exit of the conference room, their steps hurried and their faces solemn.

Only Unohana remained in place, whispering something to Shigekuni Yamamoto, probably about the Fourth Division's preparations for receiving the wounded.

Urahara stood still, his fingers, which were hanging in his sleeves, clenched slightly.

He had something to say.

The statement about the need for caution was interrupted before it could be fully elaborated.

What interrupted him was the disappearance of Kensei Muguruma's Reiatsu, which was... too coincidental.

In this way, he could no longer continue to question Wang Xun, who was behind Unohana.

He had no reason to stop a deputy captain from questioning him further in front of the Captain-Commander.

But things are different now.

The meeting has ended. The corridor is a public space, and it is normal for anyone to walk together for a while after the meeting.

Urahara waited until Unohana and Shigekuni Yamamoto finished their discussion and brought out the strange Wang Xun before quickly following after them.

"Captain Unohana."

Urahara caught up with the two at the corner of the corridor.

"Would it be convenient for us to talk in private?"

Unohana stopped and turned around.

Her expression was calm, with a hint of curiosity.

Urahara knew that the First Kenpachi's perception abilities were far beyond those of an ordinary captain.

He didn't need to beat around the bush with her.

A simple hint... is enough.

"Third Seat Urahara, is there something you need?"

"There is indeed something I'd like to confirm with you."

Urahara walked up to her, his gaze shifting from her face to the person behind her.

The man looked back at him, his eyes calm, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Captain Unohana, although we haven't formally communicated before, we do have some kind of relationship."

Unohana didn't speak, she just watched him quietly.

"The training ground beneath Sōkyoku Hill is your and Wang Xun's private sword-training area."

"Wang Xun received your Kendō instruction there, and you both unleashed your Reiatsu and clashed with all your might."

"That place was provided to Wang Xun by me."

Urahara's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clearly audible in the quiet corridor.

"You know about what happened between Wang Xun and me."

"I'm aware of your and Wang Xun's training."

There are some things I can say to you openly.

"For example..."

He raised his hand and pointed to the person behind Unohana.

"Haven't you noticed?"

"The person behind you, he is not the real Wang Xun."

Unohana's gaze darkened, and an indescribable pressure enveloped Kisuke Urahara.

"What are you saying, Kisuke Urahara?"

As Unohana's voice faded, the temperature in the corridor seemed to drop several degrees.

The sunlight shone on her face, but it couldn't dispel the chill that slowly seeped from her body.

"Captain Unohana."

However, despite this unspeakable pressure, Kisuke Urahara was able to remain calm and composed.

His gaze passed over Unohana and fell upon the fake Wang Xun who was watching him warily from behind.

"Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu can Complete Hypnosis anyone who has seen his Zanpakuto Shikai."

"But if it's Kyōka Suigetsu an illusion, unless Aizen is nearby, Wang Xun couldn't possibly have such precise expression and reaction."

"Therefore, I am more inclined to believe that you were constructed based on a real, existing person."

"Aizen used Kyōka Suigetsu to make your Reiatsu, appearance, and voice exactly the same as the real Wang Xun's."

"But your interaction with me fails to replicate the reactions Wang Xun should have."

Urahara looked at that person, his tone turning cold.

"Your identity has been exposed."

"Aizen probably didn't anticipate that Captain Unohana and I would have this kind of connection."

The person stood still, their expression shifting.

His brows furrowed in a perfectly timed expression of confusion, then hardened with tension, and the muscles at the corners of his eyes twitched slightly.

A fine layer of sweat had formed on his forehead.

"This is slander."

He tried to keep his voice steady, as if he were thinking of a way to break the deadlock.

"Third Seat Urahara, I don't know why you're targeting me like this, but I..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

Unohana placed her hand on the hilt of her Zanpakuto.

The moment the hilt of the sword was grasped, a chilling Reiatsu exploded from her body, silently surging between the stone pillars of the corridor.

With a push of her thumb, the blade sprang out of its sheath half an inch.

The blade flashed, then returned to its sheath.

The next moment, Wang Xun's voice slowly stopped.

A thin, hair-like crack ran across his face, from his forehead to his jaw.

The body slowly fell, but still retained Wang Xun's face.

Unohana turned around and looked at Urahara, her gaze still unwavering in its coldness.

"It seems it really wasn't Wang Xun."

Where is he?

Urahara pondered for a moment.

Aizen will not let Wang Xun out of his sight.

"It's highly likely that he's near the location where Kensei Muguruma's Reiatsu disappeared."

As soon as she finished speaking, Unohana's figure had already disappeared from the spot.

Kisuke Urahara wanted to stop her, but Unohana left too quickly.

He took a deep breath.

Well, with Captain Unohana gone, Wang Xun's safety is at least somewhat guaranteed.

Aizen chose this moment to make his move, and Kisuke Urahara already had a premonition about it.

Perhaps Aizen is going to target Wang Xun.

Those captains who went there are more likely to be Aizen's real targets.

Now, he needs to go and retrieve some things.

He had been preparing those things for a long time, and although they were still somewhat immature, they were ready to be put to use.

Urahara turned and strode quickly toward the Second Division.

I had only taken a few steps when a familiar voice came from behind me.

"Urahara."

Kisuke Urahara stopped in his tracks.

Tessai Tsukabishi stood at the other end of the corridor, his tall figure almost blocking the entire width of the passageway.

His eyes, behind the glasses, were fixed on the corpse on the ground, his brow furrowed.

What's going on?

Urahara stopped in his tracks.

There's no time to go into details.

"The Wang Xun on the ground is a fake."

"The real Wang Xun is most likely with Aizen right now, north of Rukongai, probably in the area where Captain Kensei went missing."

Tessai Tsukabishi's gaze lingered on the corpse for a moment.

Then he looked up and gazed in the direction where Unohana had disappeared.

"Aizen, Hollowfication Experiment, spatial manipulation techniques... The things you and Wang Xun were secretly investigating, the things you were worried about, have they happened?"

"Yes."

Urahara quickened his pace.

"The situation has now exceeded previous expectations."

"Aizen's actions were faster than we anticipated."

Upon hearing this, Tessai Tsukabishi remained silent for a moment.

Are you going too?

"Tessai Tsukabishi.

"Certainly."

"Although Aizen caught me off guard, I wasn't completely unprepared."

"I've been holed up in the lab for a while now, and I've got most of the work done."

"Although it's not quite mature yet, it should come in handy."

Holding the Kidō Path Staff, Tessai Tsukabishi quickly followed, his steps heavy yet steady.

"When I taught Wang Xun spatial techniques before, I thought it was just about helping him solve the technical problems of the Garganta."

"Quincy, Hollowfication, and now even the captain is involved."

He paused.

"Captain Unohana looked very angry just now."

Kisuke Urahara nodded.

She's worried.

"Alright, I need to go do what I need to do now, Great Kidō Priest, please go ahead."

Seeing that Kisuke Urahara was about to turn and leave, Tessai Tsukabishi also got up and followed behind him.

"Urahara, I will naturally accompany you on this journey."

"Don't forget the friendship we built back when we worked together at the Shihoin Clan."

"Moreover, Wang Xun has been dragged into this, so I can't just sit idly by."

Urahara glanced at Tessai Tsukabishi, who had followed him, and nodded slightly.

The two of them rushed towards the Second Division, Kisuke Urahara's laboratory.

Meanwhile, outside Rukongai.

Wang Xun stood half a step behind Aizen.

The Hōgyoku emitted a ghostly blue light in Aizen's hands, while Kensei Muguruma lay sprawled at his feet.

Despite the blood still seeping from the penetrating wound in his chest, he managed to keep his eyes open and lift his head.

Before his consciousness completely faded, he stared intently at the slowly rotating Hōgyoku in Aizen's hand.

"What do you want to do..."

Kensei's voice was hoarse and weak.

Aizen looked down at Kensei and slowly raised the Hōgyoku.

Driven by Aizen's Reiatsu, a ghostly blue light shone into Kensei's gradually fading pupils.

The blue aura within the prism suddenly surged.

A power completely different from the Shinigami's spiritual pressure surged from within the crystal, flowing into Kensei's chest wound under Aizen's guidance.

mouth.

The energy of the Hōgyoku seeped into Kensei's body along the wound, permeating his muscles, bones, and even every layer of his soul.

Then I started to change something deeper.

Kensei's body began to convulse violently.

A low growl came from deep within his throat.

Kaname Tōsen intently sensing the changes in Kensei Muguruma, his instrument recording the fluctuations in Kensei Muguruma's Reiatsu.

As the power of the Hōgyoku surges in, the boundary between Kensei Muguruma as Soul Reaper and a Hollow is gradually being broken.

The next moment, a large amount of white bone structure gushed out of Kensei's mouth, covering his entire face and forming a complete white bone surface.

Subsequently, bone continued to grow backward from the edge of the mask, piercing the skin along the direction of the cervical spine, forming several thick bone pillars on his back.

Kensei's Reiatsu has changed.

The calm, stable, and highly personal Reiatsu characteristic of Captain-level Soul Reaper disappeared.

At this moment, Kensei Muguruma's Reiatsu became even more violent, closer to the primal and wild aura of a Hollow.

Wang Xun stood still, watching this scene unfold.

He could sense that although Kaname Tōsen was recording data, he was still paying attention to him to some extent.

Even Aizen was the same.

But Wang Xun did not make any move; he simply watched the changes in Kensei quietly, like an observer.

Just as Hōgyoku activated the Aizen, system notifications kept flashing in his field of vision.

As Aizen guided the Hōgyoku energy into Kensei Muguruma's body, numerous tiny specks of light scattered out and surged into Wang Xun's body.

[High-grade Hollowfication Fragment detected x23, Hollowfication experience +2300]

[Hollowfication: 1v5 (Experience: 3380/8000)]

Kensei Muguruma's transformations ceased. Although he still maintained his human form, the mask on his face and the texture of his Reiatsu made him indistinguishable from a true Hollow.

Aizen withdrew the Hōgyoku and took a few steps back.

He stood at a safe distance, admiring his work, a gentle and calm smile playing on his lips.

Despite Kensei Muguruma undergoing Hollowfication after being severely injured, his strength did not decrease.

The Captain-level Hollowfication retains the Captain-level combat power.

In some aspects, it is even better.

"Complete Hollowfication is the ultimate goal of the Hōgyoku."

He turned his head to look at Wang Xun.

"But at this stage, the power of the Hōgyoku is not yet complete, and it cannot yet achieve perfection."

"This type of mask, which provides full coverage and creates ethereal features in specific areas of the body, represents the limit that can be achieved at this stage."

"If the two Hōgyoku are fused together later, the Arrancarization will be more stable."

He paused, then shifted his gaze to Wang Xun's face.

"In comparison, Wang Xun, your Hollowfication is considerably weaker."

"Your mask only covers half your face, and the bone structure doesn't extend to other parts of your body."

"The magnitude and depth of the increase are far from what we see today."

You still have a lot of room for improvement.

Wang Xun remained silent, simply watching the dramatic changes taking place in Kensei's body.

Aizen is right.

The Hollowfication he mentioned was the version that Wang Xun had shown him.

Level Iv1 Hollowfication, half a mask.

Aizen believed that Wang Xun's Hollowfication was at this level.

But that was just the result of Wang Xun's actions, step by step, in front of Aizen.

Wang Xun's true level of Hollowfication has long surpassed this stage.

It might even surpass the level that Kensei Muguruma has shown so far.

A moment later, Kensei's body stopped convulsing.

He slowly got up from the ground, stood on his back, like a shell driven by some kind of instinct.

The white mask has two black holes, devoid of any emotion.

The next moment, a low growl came from deep within Kensei Muguruma's throat.

Aizen softly.

At his signal, the group retreated to a higher rock on the hillside, quietly watching Kensei Muguruma begin his frenzied attacks on everything around him.

After a long while, Aizen seemed to sense something and looked up at the southern sky.

There, several Captain-level Reiatsu were approaching this place at an extremely fast speed.

He was very familiar with the Reiatsu emanating from the leader.

It was his captain, Shinji Hirako.

Aizen's lips curled up slightly as he gently touched the Hōgyoku in his hand.

Things unfolded exactly as he had predicted.

The real show is about to begin.