Bleach: The Fifth Division Captain

Roughly three minutes later.

Seiya stepped out of the laboratory, his face an odd mixture of emotions.

In the waiting area, Akon sat idly, bored out of his mind, watching Nemuri Nanagō polish off the last of her potato chips and jelly cups. Her small stomach was now visibly round from overindulging.

"Apologies for taking so long and wasting your time, Akon-san," Seiya said with a sheepish expression.

Though mildly annoyed, Akon decided against dwelling on the matter. It wasn't his style.

"No worries. I'll leave Nemuri Nanagō in your care now, Seiya-kun."

As Akon left, Aizen—still disguised as Sakaki Hanawa—slowly emerged from the shadows of the laboratory.

Aizen's expression was one of satisfaction, as if he had just stumbled upon something utterly fascinating. His lips curled upward ever so slightly, a hint of amusement in his demeanor.

"I saw something very interesting, Seiya-kun."

There was something about the way Aizen spoke—an almost tangible weight to his words—that made Seiya feel a sudden pressure.

He swallowed nervously. "You found it interesting?"

"Dissected Hollows aren't exactly something you see every day, after all."

Seiya nodded in agreement, his thoughts immediately flashing to the second research topic Kisuke Urahara had been so reluctant to reveal earlier.

Unlike Aizen, whose Hōgyoku research was centered around the manipulation of Shinigami and spiritual bodies, Urahara's approach leaned toward experimenting with Hollows.

It made sense why Urahara would remain tight-lipped about this. Both topics were controversial, if not outright forbidden, within the Soul Society.

"Though I had already suspected as much, seeing it for myself truly brings things into perspective," Aizen mused, adjusting his glasses.

It was rare for Aizen to express such candid fascination, but today seemed to be an exception.

Not only had he gained valuable information, but he also seemed to have collected numerous data points for his own future experiments.

Seiya could practically feel the cogs turning in Aizen's mind, spinning new ideas and potential schemes into motion.

Aizen's smile widened slightly as he let out a soft chuckle. "Truly… this is an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime."

Though cryptic, Seiya understood the underlying implication behind Aizen's words.

He could guess what Aizen was planning: once the events surrounding the Visoreds unfolded, Urahara would be the perfect scapegoat.

Given that Urahara was conducting his experiments in secret, it would be almost too easy to pin the blame on him.

It was the perfect setup.

And with Kyōka Suigetsu at his disposal, Aizen could fabricate an unshakable alibi for himself, effortlessly manipulating the perception of anyone involved.

The sheer convenience of it was staggering.

"Seiya-kun," Aizen said suddenly, interrupting his thoughts. "You don't seem curious about what I just said."

The abrupt shift in focus caught Seiya off guard. He hesitated for a moment before responding.

"Well, if you wanted me to know, you would've said it outright, wouldn't you?"

Aizen raised an eyebrow, a flicker of amusement dancing in his gaze.

"Hmm. So you've started to anticipate my thoughts, have you?"

"No, no… it's just that after spending so much time together, it'd be strange if I couldn't pick up on a few things."

Aizen chuckled lightly, a rare sound that only added to the weight of the moment.

"Fair enough. Then let me conclude my work here."

Straightening his posture, Aizen adjusted his glasses, his tone growing ever so slightly more formal.

"Seiya-kun, I've seen everything I needed to see in the Twelfth Division. For now, I'll return to my duties at the Fifth Division."

"If you make any significant progress in your studies or training, don't hesitate to reach out to me. Write me a letter if necessary."

Seiya blinked in surprise. "You're leaving already? But it's only been two days…"

"This timing is just right," Aizen replied smoothly. "Thanks to the information I've gathered here, I've been inspired to pursue new ideas. Unfortunately, those ideas cannot be explored in this environment."

Ah, that made sense. Urahara's research must have sparked new insights for Aizen to build upon.

It was often the case with great minds—sometimes, all they needed was a nudge, a fresh perspective to propel them toward new heights.

"Of course, Seiya-kun," Aizen continued, stepping closer to place a hand on Seiya's shoulder.

"Don't let your training lapse during this time. Urahara Kisuke, for all his eccentricities, seems to regard you with some degree of kindness. Make good use of that."

"Leverage his goodwill to elevate yourself further. Take what you need to grow stronger."

Aizen's smile deepened, his tone laced with subtle encouragement.

"Don't worry—this is something I've done countless times before. No one will fault you for it. After all…"

He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a near-whisper.

"…the ordinary masses are unworthy of being compared to us."

Though heavy, Aizen's words carried an undeniable sincerity, a certain warmth that struck a chord in Seiya's heart.

"I understand, Master Aizen."

Aizen smiled, satisfied with the response.

"Good. That's what I wanted to hear."

With those final words, Aizen departed, disappearing into the corridors as though he had never been there at all.

Seiya chose not to follow him, confident that Kyōka Suigetsu would ensure Aizen's safety.

Instead, he returned to Nemuri Nanagō's side and resumed their little adventure around the research bureau.

After wandering for a while, the two eventually stopped for lunch.

Though Seiya ordered her favorite insect curry, Nemuri Nanagō was visibly unenthusiastic. It was no surprise—she had stuffed herself with too many snacks earlier and was now suffering the consequences.

Note to self: never let kids overindulge in junk food.

Despite her full stomach, Nemuri Nanagō obediently took her medicine without fuss, following Seiya's instructions to the letter.

This prompted Seiya to sigh wistfully.

"If only my future daughter could be this well-behaved… life would be so much easier."

Later in the afternoon, Seiya escorted Nemuri Nanagō back to Mayuri Kurotsuchi's laboratory. By the time they arrived, it was already past two o'clock.

"You're forty-three minutes late," Mayuri said matter-of-factly, glancing at a nearby clock. "What caused the delay?"

"Uh… nothing in particular… but how did you calculate that so precisely?"

"Simple estimation based on the size of the research bureau. It's hardly a challenge. But…"

Mayuri narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"You didn't take Nemuri Nanagō anywhere unnecessary, did you?"

"What? Of course not!" Seiya replied, his tone overly defensive.

Mayuri took a deliberate step forward, scrutinizing Seiya with unnerving intensity.

"Surely, you didn't take her to that idiot Urahara's laboratory, did you?"

"Because if you did…"

Mayuri's voice dropped ominously.

"You're dead meat."

Seiya froze.

Help! Someone save me!

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Powerstones?

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