"Urahara Kisuke!"
Shendu said indifferently, "I know him. If there is a chance in the future, I will catch him and make him your colleague."
Urahara Kisuke uses endless means to cross the Three Realms and is almost never at a disadvantage.
Shendu had been contemplating the inclusion of such an extraordinary individual for a long time.
As for how to prevent Urahara from rebelling, Shendu designed a set of contracts with 369 specific restrictions, enough to suppress any dangerous thoughts from Urahara Kisuke.
"Although he is also conducting dangerous experiments, the Captain Hollow incident has nothing to do with him."
"The planner is still hiding among you..."
He didn't elaborate further.
After completing the study of the Arrancar method, Kurotsuchi Mayuri would be sent back to the Soul Society to act as a spy and an information source. Hueco Mundo did not need his combat strength; Soul Society was the perfect place for him.
If too much was revealed, Kurotsuchi Mayuri might investigate Aizen. That could lead to his untimely death, which would waste a useful pawn.
Adhering to this idea, Shendu refrained from saying more.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri took another deep breath. He found himself knowing nothing in the presence of Shendu.
Why did it seem that the secrets of the Soul Society were like gossip to this Vasto Lorde of Hueco Mundo?
"The real murderer is..."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri attempted to continue questioning but was interrupted by a seemingly unrelated question from Shendu.
"Are there any talented students in the current Spiritual Academy?"
Although puzzled by the question, Kurotsuchi Mayuri could not question it due to the binding contract. He tapped his temple with the knuckle of his right index finger, creating a dull thumping sound.
"There is a young genius who wields an ice-element Zanpakutō. His name seems to be Tōshirō. He graduated from the Academy of Spiritual Arts early and has joined the Tenth Division..."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri moved his fingers restlessly, making a clicking sound, as if unable to stay still for a moment.
"I once proposed analyzing that little guy's soul, but the captain rejected the idea," he said calmly, despite the sinister nature of his suggestion. "The captain even strictly forbade me from approaching the Tenth Division's barracks. There must be something special about that talented young man."
"What a pity!"
Harribel looked at Kurotsuchi Mayuri in disgust, putting him and Szayelaporro in the same category. She subconsciously moved further away from the two deranged individuals, inching closer to Shendu.
"Hitsugaya Tōshirō..."
Shendu roughly gauged the current timeline.
Hitsugaya Tōshirō had only stayed at the Shino Spiritual Arts Academy for a year before joining the Tenth Division. Judging by Kurotsuchi Mayuri's account, this event had not occurred too long ago.
This placed the timeline shortly before several significant events, such as the Soul Burial Practice encountering Menos Grande, and Kurosaki Isshin's disappearance.
But those events were not far off.
This also meant Aizen could arrive in Hueco Mundo at any time.
"I see."
Shendu abruptly ended the topic and returned to the primary subject.
"Actually, if you studied the Hollow phenomenon related to Hirako Shinji and others, it shouldn't be hard to deduce the connection," he said. "After these Shinigami underwent Hollowfication, their rationality remained intact, but their power increased significantly."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri had grown numb to Shendu's apparent omniscience.
Whether it was the detailed accounts of the Hollowfication incident or some of his own secrets, nothing surprised him anymore.
"If this power can be controlled..."
Shendu's blood-red eyes locked onto Kurotsuchi Mayuri. "Shinigami strength would skyrocket."
"And similarly, Menos Grande could master the power of Shinigami through Arrancar."
"Since Shinigami can wield Hollow powers, why can't Menos Grande wield Shinigami powers?"
This insight struck Kurotsuchi Mayuri like a revelation, filling him with a sense of enlightenment.
A new path unfurled before him, its potential boundless.
"This scenario..."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri's golden eyes burned with fervor.
"Soul, Reiatsu, physical body, relative power..."
He muttered incomprehensible phrases, yet Szayelaporro, listening nearby, had his own eyes light up as if encountering a kindred spirit.
The two mad scientists reached a rare moment of mutual understanding.
"You may ask me any questions regarding the soul," Shendu said, granting them the highest authority. "Complete the Arrancar research of Menos Grande as quickly as possible."
With Szayelaporro as a successful example and an abundance of Shinigami and Menos Grande subjects, research could commence immediately.
Shendu delegated full authority to them, overseeing only the aspects of soul and magic as needed.
The Arrancar research began.
Szayelaporro, using his cloning abilities, produced numerous Shinigami soldiers modeled after the Twelfth Division for experimentation.
Though imperfect, they sufficed for preliminary trials.
From dissections to deconstructions, from physical bodies to souls, from Reiatsu to Reishi...
The duo's methods, in many ways, broadened even Shendu's horizons.
It turned out there were even more grotesque avenues to explore.
Harribel watched the experiments with visible discomfort, solidifying her resolve to protect those under her care.
As the research reached a fever pitch, the disputes between Kurotsuchi Mayuri and Szayelaporro grew increasingly heated.
Occasionally, they even used themselves as test subjects for unmentionable experiments.
Shendu quietly left the White Tower with Harribel.
His time was far too valuable to waste on these trivial matters.
Not long after leaving, Santos appeared, his excitement palpable.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
Feathers rained down as Santos landed respectfully in front of Shendu, bowing low.
"There's a new discovery—important information!"
"To the southwest of the Menos Grande Forest, an Adjucha expedition team has gone missing!"
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