Chapter 356: Aizen Lingering in the Ninja World

"If he chooses to pursue power, he should be prepared to face failure."

"Just as I taught you, a strong person must control the power of their entire body, even when they don't want to crush an ant."

"Therefore, if you don't want to become an ant crushed by the world, spare no cost to become stronger, and then become a partner truly qualified to stand by my side."

Aizen turned his head; wearing his frames, he looked as kind as a good-natured man, smiling slightly at Ichimaru Gin.

"A partner, you say?"

Knowing Aizen's inner thoughts, Ichimaru Gin couldn't help but feel a chill.

He knew very well that in this guy's heart, no one could ever be his partner; everything was just a tool for the other party to use.

The only difference was whether the tool was handy and what kind of effect it could produce.

Such an individual, who seemed to have completely discarded the emotions of life, could not even be called a human or a Soul Reaper.

Not even as good as a Hollow; Ichimaru Gin had hunted many Hollows, and most Hollows felt resentment and anger before they died.

Yet Aizen had pitifully little of even such negative emotions.

He also didn't know what kind of title to use to describe a guy like Aizen.

It was disgusting.

"You came to Rukongai to find me—is it because you brought something I'm interested in?"

Aizen walked toward the outside of the room,

and the moment he brushed past Ichimaru Gin, he suddenly asked this question.

Ichimaru Gin feigned a fake smile, pulled a pure black scroll from his bosom, and said: "As expected, I couldn't hide it from Captain Aizen. I found a Teleportation Scroll from the Ninja World; I wonder if Captain Aizen is interested?"

Aizen's footsteps paused. On Ichimaru Gin's hypocritical smiling face, an apologetic look appeared as he said: "It's a pity, I didn't manage to find an Invitation Letter for Captain Aizen to directly become a Reincarnation Player."

"I haven't gathered the armor set yet, and my Zanpakuto only has two imprints; my strength is insufficient to confront a Pollution Lord."

"It's just that, coincidentally, the players in the Ninja World issued a mission and opened the Transfer Permission for the Ninja World, creating an opportunity for me to obtain a Transfer Book for the Ninja World."

Placing the Transfer Book on the experimental table,

Ichimaru Gin smiled hypocritically: "If Captain Aizen can't wait, you can transfer into the Ninja World first."

"Ninja World players already have a mature family system and can obtain an Invitation Letter to become a player every month, but it is limited to life from the native world."

"Captain Aizen could use the ability of Kyoka Suigetsu to disguise yourself well as a ninja and trick them into giving you an Invitation Letter, right?"

Speaking of this, Ichimaru Gin changed the subject and said: "Of course, if Captain Aizen feels this is too troublesome, just give me more time, and I will definitely obtain an Invitation Letter for Lord Aizen."

After finishing, he did not look into Aizen's eyes.

This was the most superficial probe, borrowing Aizen's curiosity and desire for the Samsara Game to try to send him into the Ninja World; if that happened, Aizen would be unable to return to the Soul Reaper world for a period of time.

For Ichimaru Gin, this was time to catch his breath and grow stronger.

With Aizen staying in the Soul Reaper world, Ichimaru Gin felt that a Kyoka Suigetsu was hanging over his head at every moment. Before, there was no hope, and he could only give up struggling as if accepting his fate, but now that he saw hope, that feeling of being so suppressed that he couldn't breathe began to entwine deep in his soul at every moment.

Of course,

for Ichimaru Gin, this was just a single probe.

If he were Aizen, he certainly wouldn't abandon the plan about to begin, give up Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society, and go to an unfamiliar place.

For Ichimaru Gin,

it was like a lottery ticket bought on a whim; he didn't expect to win the grand prize at all.

Being able to strengthen Aizen's desire for the Samsara Game and stabilize his own bargaining chips was already the best result Ichimaru Gin could imagine.

Clang.

A gemstone radiating a brilliant soul halo flew toward Ichimaru Gin.

Ichimaru Gin instinctively drew his Zanpakuto,

and the Blade blocked the gemstone. The next second, however, he suddenly widened his eyes in disbelief and said: "Hogyoku?"

That brilliant soul gemstone,

was exactly the Hogyoku he thought about day and night, its core originating from the fingertip of the Soul King, a part forcibly stripped from the soul of his beloved, Matsumoto Rangiku.

Was it actually just thrown to him like this?

Aizen's expression remained as usual,

as if he had casually tossed away an inconspicuous pebble, and said: "To barely break through my Kyoka Suigetsu, and at the critical moment of my failed experiment, to leave the Seireitei and come to Rukongai to stand before me—you have truly gone to great pains."

"Gin, I have seen your persistence, so take it—this Hogyoku."

At this moment, the Hogyoku seemed not like the wish-granting machine Aizen had spent countless days and nights crafting, nor a tool to realize his ideals, but a toy that could be bestowed upon a subordinate at will.

"Is it an illusion?"

Ichimaru Gin was excited at first, but then he thought of Aizen's Zanpakuto ability. Immediately, alarm bells rang in his heart, and he directly activated the abilities of the Illusion Demon Snake and the Sharingan, forcibly tearing a rift in the fake Kyoka Suigetsu world covering the surroundings.

Just doing this,

had already consumed nearly half of his energy.

Ichimaru Gin smiled bitterly inside. Before, he only felt that Aizen was able to fool the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo by relying on the ability of Kyoka Suigetsu. Only after truly peeking at a corner did he realize that even without a Zanpakuto, the other party's Reiatsu was among the strongest in the entire Soul Reaper world.

He could easily kill him.

But soon, Ichimaru Gin's attention was diverted, his gaze fixed tightly on that Hogyoku, and he muttered: "It's actually real?"

His current feeling was completely indescribable.

It was like a lottery ticket bought on the side of the road; he hadn't thought about winning the grand prize at all, but not only did he win the grand prize, there was also a hidden benefit—letting him serve as the Captain-Commander of the Soul Society.

He felt a sense of dizziness.

"It is real."

Aizen wore a sad look and smiled helplessly: "All this time, I have never deceived you, Gin; it is just that your eyes are still unable to see a sufficiently real world."

"Use the ability of Kyoka Suigetsu to create a fake Hogyoku for you?"

"The Arrancar of Hueco Mundo?"

"The Soul Society plan?"

"How truly naive, so naive that it makes me feel somewhat bored, Ginkaku!"

"The reason you feel the Hogyoku is precious is like admiring a flower on the edge of a cliff; you would stop your steps at the cliff's edge because of the danger, rather than risking a fall to obtain it."

"Leave behind your left eye; consider it a punishment for my boredom, Ginkaku."

The moment the words fell, Ichimaru Gin was completely unable to resist, his vision becoming blurred; he reached out a hand, only to discover his left eye had lost its light, leaving behind only a blood-soaked socket.

Aizen's fingers were stained with blood, pinching that scarlet Sharingan with its Tomoe,

and he casually picked up the Transfer Book on the experimental table.

A ripple that tore through space-time appeared after the Transfer Book was opened.

Aizen's figure vanished from where he stood.

Leaving behind only understated words.

"During the time I am away, the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo are left to you."

"Try it out, can you realize the thoughts in your heart and thoroughly kill me?"

"If so, I will certainly applaud for you before I die, congratulating you on breaking the shackles of your growth."

"Sanzan."

(End of chapter)