Capítulo 245: The Mod Soul Deployed

"So, you've turned this incident into a trial for Rukia. As long as she delivered that message, for the sake of her growth, I wouldn't target the nobles anymore. And once she's strong enough, she'll confront those families, using them as stepping stones to build her reputation.

Those families wouldn't suffer any real losses, and Rukia, having gained renown, wouldn't completely eradicate them.

I must say, Captain Urahara's cunning is truly remarkable. Even here in the Seireitei, I can hear the gears turning in his mind."

Rukia lowered her head after listening to Ailin's analysis. A wave of shame washed over her. Her teacher had been defending her, yet she had been swayed by Miss Yoruichi's words, siding with their enemies. Her face burned with shame. She felt she couldn't even look her teacher in the eye.

"Rukia, I won't interfere with your decision. I believe you can achieve what you promised. Work hard. I hope to see the day you confront those families soon."

"Yes, Teacher!" Rukia bowed deeply. Her guilt transformed into a fierce determination.

Observing Rukia's transformation, Yoruichi couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety. Urahara's plan had successfully averted Ailin's wrath for now.

However, if he used this opportunity to instill some of his own radical ideas in Rukia, then her eventual confrontation with those noble families might result in bloodshed.

Yoruichi decided she would need to keep a closer eye on Rukia. For the sake of the Soul Society's stability, she couldn't allow Rukia to slaughter those nobles.

Little did Yoruichi know that Ailin had already entrusted the fate of those nobles to Aizen.

As one of the conditions for his release, Aizen had promised to purge the "corrupt" nobles at an opportune moment, ensuring a healthy environment for the Soul Society's future.

These next few decades were their final days. It remained to be seen how their deaths would affect Hell's growth.

…

Within the 12th Division barracks, Kageroza Inaba was busy transforming the collected reishi particles into "Gikon," artificial bodies for his Mod Souls. Suddenly, an alarm blared from a nearby computer.

Crackle! Crackle!

After a flurry of keystrokes, Inaba discovered the source of the alert.

"Someone's passed through the Dangai?"

Inaba's other half, the key to his eventual fusion and transformation into Ōko Yushima, slumbered within the Dangai. It was too precious to risk. Therefore, Inaba's surveillance of the Dangai was far more extensive than anyone imagined.

Discovering that someone had infiltrated the dimensional void, Inaba's fingers flew across the keyboard, a blur of motion.

Crackle! Crackle!

Images flashed across the screen, displaying footage from the surveillance cameras within the Dangai.

One image zoomed in, revealing a black cat navigating the distorted space.

Inaba breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's just a cat…"

"No, wait!" He realized his mistake.

How could a mere cat traverse the Dangai?

Was it a Hollow?

No, that didn't make sense either.

Hollows possessed the instinct to open Garganta, portals that allowed them to travel through the void. For them, using Garganta was far more convenient than navigating the treacherous Dangai.

Even if a Hollow's Garganta inadvertently connected to the Dangai, they would immediately flee.

After all, Garganta provided a safe passage, while the Dangai was fraught with danger. The Kōtotsu, monstrous creatures that patrolled the void, would devour any intruders they encountered.

Why would a Hollow willingly travel through the Dangai?

Before Inaba could investigate further, the black cat had already exited the Dangai.

A sense of unease washed over him.

The Dangai had always been his domain. He was the Soul Society's foremost expert on the dimensional void.

But this cat, its presence undetected until now, had shaken his confidence.

Normally, his surveillance focused on detecting Senkaimon, portals opened by the Seireitei to travel to the World of the Living. By monitoring these portals, he could track the movement of Shinigami within the Dangai.

However, if not for the surveillance footage, he wouldn't have even known this cat was present.

This meant someone possessed a method of opening portals into the Dangai that was even more advanced than the Seireitei's, a method that bypassed his surveillance, allowing them to effectively smuggle themselves into the Soul Society.

For the Seireitei, this wasn't a major concern. As long as no harm came to them, Head-Captain Yamamoto wouldn't bother investigating.

But for Inaba, it was a significant threat.

He had hidden many secrets within the Dangai. If they were discovered before he was ready, his plan would be doomed.

Inaba glanced at the incubation tanks lining his laboratory walls. Since captains rarely intervened in battles, most of the Mod Souls he had created were lieutenant-level and third seat-level.

He only had three captain-level Mod Souls.

Sōsuke Aizen, the captain of the 5th Division—he had collected his reiatsu during his visits to the Shin'ō Academy.

Isshin Shiba, the captain of the 10th Division—he had gathered his reiatsu from a battlefield in Rukongai.

Zaraki, the vice-captain of the 11th Division—he had collected his reiatsu from the outskirts of the 11th Division barracks.

He had also collected Ikkaku Madarame's reiatsu, but since he hadn't known Ikkaku had achieved Bankai, he had treated him as a lieutenant-level Mod Soul.

"I have to eliminate that cat and whoever's behind it! If they continue to travel through the Dangai, they might discover Nozomi Kujō. That would be disastrous!"

Inaba moved to another computer and started typing away.

Two incubation tanks lit up with a green glow then their lower drawers slid open.

Inaba retrieved two pills from the drawers, sending them through tubes into the mouths of the Mod Souls within the tanks.

Hum…

Crash!

Two figures within the tanks opened their eyes. Their spiritual pressure erupted, shattering the glass of the incubation tanks and sending the nutrient solution flooding across the floor.

"Hmm?"

A man with brown, curly hair and black-rimmed glasses blinked, memories of his previous life as Sōsuke Aizen flooding his mind.

He surveyed his surroundings with an evil smile.

"A Mod Soul? Interesting…"

"Inaba, our mission is to find that black cat and its master and eliminate them, correct?" A voice rumbled from the other tank. It was a Shinigami clad in a white captain's haori.

Crackle! Crackle!

As the Shinigami spoke the word "eliminate," his eyes glowed with a blue light.

To ensure the threat was completely neutralized, Inaba had decided to deploy his two trump cards—his captain-level Mod Souls.

Sōsuke Aizen, and Isshin Shiba.

Previously, these captain-level Mod Souls had been his greatest assets. But now, glancing at the three test tubes on his workbench, he smiled sinisterly.

Once he created the "Strongest Mod Soul," even if he lost both Aizen and Shiba, it wouldn't matter.

"Yes, I'll open a Senkaimon based on the information I've gathered. Use this device to contact me when your mission is complete, and I'll retrieve you."

White light flickered before the Mod Souls of Aizen and Shiba.

"Understood!"

The Mod Soul of Isshin Shiba clapped Aizen on the shoulder. "Let's go, Captain Aizen. I'll handle the fighting once we find them. Your abilities aren't exactly suited for direct combat."

Inaba had infused his Mod Souls with the memories and spiritual pressure of their originals. However, to enhance their strength, he had also modified them to amplify their desire for combat.

These Mod Souls were far more eager to fight than their counterparts.

In Isshin's memories, Sōsuke Aizen, the vice-captain of the 5th Division, was among the weakest captains.

His Zanpakutō, Kyōka Suigetsu, could create a mist that disoriented his enemies, causing them to attack each other.

This ability was effective against multiple opponents, but in a one-on-one fight, it was practically useless.

After all, with only two combatants, there was no need to distinguish friend from foe.

"Very well. I'll leave it to you, Captain Shiba." Aizen smiled, adjusting his glasses.

Observing the interaction between his creations, Inaba felt a fleeting sense of unease. However, the excitement of creating the "Strongest Mod Soul" eclipsed his concerns.