"Not completely correct?"
Aizen's response caused Makoto to pause briefly.
After all, Makoto had carefully pieced together his judgment based on the vast intelligence provided by Urozakuro, combined with Aizen's behavioral patterns and way of thinking as seen in the original story.
It was for this reason that Makoto had come specifically to the Shihōin clan to meet Aizen.
Beyond believing that Aizen currently needed Makoto to endorse Yoruichi's awakening, there was also the fact that the "Hollowfication incident" had reached an apparent conclusion on the surface.
At this moment, if Makoto were to be attacked—or even killed—it would undoubtedly provoke suspicion in the Seireitei regarding the established conclusion of the "Hollowfication incident."
Thus, although risky, the level of danger was relatively low, making the gamble worthwhile.
"Makoto-kun seems to think of me as far too malicious," Aizen said with a gentle smile, appearing every bit the refined gentleman. "I'm merely an ordinary Shinigami. There's no need to judge my intentions so harshly."
"Ha-ha"
To this, Makoto could only respond with a dry laugh, unsure how to reply to such an absurdly false statement.
If it weren't for the fact that the events of the previous night had left Fourth Division in shambles—including the deaths of two Kido Chiefs—effectively crippling more than half of the Seireitei's captain-level combat strength, Makoto might have almost believed him. Almost.
"Makoto-kun, you can trust my sincerity. If you have any proposals, I'm open to considering them…"
Pushing his glasses up slightly, Aizen continued with a calm smile:
"For example, the original plan where I forcefully compel you to kill Yoruichi Shihouin with your own hands, making you an enemy of the Four Noble Houses and the Seireitei alike."
"Or perhaps using the power of Kyoka Suigetsu to disguise myself as Yoruichi, rescuing Kisuke Urahara and his allies, only to later stage her death at your hands."
Each mild suggestion from Aizen made Makoto's brows furrow deeper.
It had to be said that if Aizen truly intended to act in such a manner, the hypnosis ability of his Zanpakutō, Kyōka Suigetsu, could very well make it feasible.
This was precisely why Makoto had initially chosen to avoid Aizen as much as possible—to stay off his radar.
The worst kind of villain wasn't just powerful; it was a villain with brains.
Even though logic dictated that Makoto had no reason to harm Yoruichi, and even though Makoto, free from the hypnosis of Kyōka Suigetsu, could easily find flaws to prove his innocence, the Central 46's predisposition for scapegoating meant that even suspicion alone would suffice for a death sentence.
"In short, there are countless ways to achieve the same goal. I don't necessarily have to choose the one you believe to be the best option," Aizen said with a calm, pleasant smile before shifting his tone. "However, since Makoto-kun wishes for Yoruichi Shihōin to live, I suppose I can indulge you, just this once."
With that, Aizen reached into his robes and produced a… Hōgyoku!
"Kisuke Urahara may have failed, but with your collaboration, Makoto-kun, we can easily stabilize Yoruichi's Hollowfication," Aizen said, pausing before adding, "Besides, I've always been curious to see the extent of your impressive medical expertise."
Makoto pursed his lips, understanding Aizen's true intent.
Kisuke had never fully delved into the research on Hollowfication, and Aizen's own studies on it were still far from complete.
Thus, Aizen's presence here wasn't just about leveraging Yoruichi to push kisuke into perfecting a second Hōgyoku. It was also a chance to utilize Makoto's medical expertise to address the final hurdle of Hollowfication—stabilizing the spiritual body during the process.
'All this talk of options… It's just his way of seizing control of the situation,' Makoto thought to himself.
His gaze lingered briefly on the Hōgyoku before he gave a small nod, agreeing to this temporary collaboration.
As for seizing the Hōgyoku, Makoto had no interest for the time being.
Not only was the Hōgyoku an extremely volatile object, but neither Aizen's nor Kisuke's versions were fully matured yet. It would take the fusion of both, at the right stage of development, to form the true Hōgyoku—one capable of manifesting the desires in one's heart.
"Very well. Let's begin," Makoto said, moving to Yoruichi's side while ensuring Aizen stayed within his line of sight.
Makoto's gaze fell upon the unconscious Yoruichi, whose spiritual body appeared… peculiar.
Her original spiritual structure and density were interwoven with countless new elements—foreign fragments of Hollow structure and spiritual particles, forcibly inserted and mixed within.
No, "mixed" wasn't accurate. It was more like countless pebbles had been forcefully packed into sand.
Yet Shinigami and Hollows were fundamentally different in their spiritual makeup, resulting in severe conflict and rejection within her body.
During the "Hollowfication incident," the process had been akin to forcibly cramming pebbles into the spiritual bodies of the affected Shinigami, increasing their density and strength. This resulted in significant spikes in their spiritual pressure.
However, for those without sufficient spiritual density and strength, overloading the body with "pebbles" would either lead to spiritual collapse—or complete transformation into a Hollow.
Perhaps this explained why Shinigami below the rank of seated officers would collapse and die within moments of Hollowfication. Seated officers could delay the process, Vice-captains could hold out much longer, and Captain-class Shinigami could endure for a remarkable length of time.
After a moment of reflection, Makoto turned to Aizen and asked, "These Hollow fragments… where do they come from?"
To his surprise, Aizen responded with patience and detail, rivaling that of Unohana in her calm explanations.
"Makoto-kun, when humans die, their souls—called 'Plus'—retain their identity and heart through a chain at their chest. When consumed by obsession, they lose both, and the chain corrodes into a hollow hole, transforming them into Hollows, beings forever driven to fill the void within themselves."
"And Shinigami? What are they, then?"
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