In the mind of genius

(Ryoto's pov)

I was invited to Aizen's room, and I kept stopping myself from strangling him but attacking him now won't be wise.

I sat at the small table, and Aizen did the same.

"I must say, I wasn't expecting you today, Captain Yuuki. How can I help you?"

He gave me a kind and reassuring smile, and it made me sick. What's worse, I can't tell that he is lying, and I'm pretty good at recognizing liars.

"I came here because of my son, Akio. I heard that he would be your lieutenant. As a father, I'm just worried about my child. I'm sure you understand."

"I assure you that while Akio-kun will be under my command, I will do everything in my power to create a safe environment. At least as safe as it's possible in our line of work." He chuckled at the end at his own joke.

"I think you are misunderstanding something, Aizen." I released my killing intent. "I came here to warn you. I don't know what lies you are feeding my son. Most, if not all, of them, are probably mixed with the truth as much as possible, so it would be nigh impossible to untangle them.

You are doing your thing, and I can see that you included Akio in your plans already, but I'm warning you. If you try to incorporate him more than he already is, don't. If you are planning on using him, don't. Stay the kind captain that you are role-playing until it's time for you to kindly fuck off from Sereitei to continue your plans somewhere else.

My family is off-limits, and if you don't take my words to heart, I will break your arms and everything else as well." I didn't stop releasing my killing intent at Aizen through our 'talk', but after the initial flinch from the surprise, he didn't change his expression even once, but when I was done talking, I felt like he slipped his mask for the first time and showed his true self with a smile that while looked normal, felt sinister.

"You really are scary, Captain Yuuki."

I tensed, ready to fight. His smile made me feel uneasy, and it didn't help that I didn't know what kind of emergency plan he had for me. At the same time, I could feel something on my hands. I quickly glanced just in case because you never know with Aizen, but I ignored that as there wasn't anything there. Maybe it was just my instinct.

"I see you stopped your act."

"I don't see any reason to continue it in front of you. Would you like some tea?" To my surprise, he offered me a drink.

"Better not. The longer we stay in the same room, the higher the possibility of me losing my patience and slicing you in two."

"Now, now, we shouldn't resort to violence so quickly." The captain in front of me mockingly tried to calm me.

"Usually, I would agree, but your voice makes me want to strangle someone. Can you help me 'scratch that itch'?"

Aizen giggled, amused by my words.

"You certainly are an interesting individual, but as much as I would love to help you, I must refuse you."

This is getting old.

"Listen, Aizen. I only came here to warn you. You, mess with my family, it will be the end of you and your whole little charade. I will push my body and spirit to their limits and beyond, but I will make sure that you won't win."

With these words, I left, not wanting to deal with this manipulator any longer.

(Aizen's pov)

I sat down in my office in front of my desk. I took a seemingly random notebook and started writing in it. I was training in my calligraphy. It helps me concentrate, and it creates a beneficial secondary effect of making me look even more hard-working.

Now into the subject of my thoughts.

Ryoto Yuuki, current captain of Squad 2 and previous captain of Squad 7, as well as previous vice-captain of Squad 13. Among ordinary Shinigami, he is known as a playboy, but among his closest people, it's very well known that the truth is much different. Even if he possesses multiple lovers, Captain Yuuki wasn't seen flirting with any members of the opposite sex outside his lovers. There were instances of 'messing' with some women, but they were mostly at least acquaintances like Kiyone Kotetsu, Isane Kotetsu's younger sister, or Soi Fon, who he has a connection with via Yoruichi but in truth, he probably met her even before that.

He is... interesting.

The first time I started to have an interest in his person was through his children. I observed their fight against my not-so-stealthy friends that I used to try to complete Hogyoku. They did their job, and finding these children of Captain Yuuki was the most significant thing they've done. Without them, I would probably miss dangerous individuals such as Ryoto Yuuki and his children.

Seeing Yukima Yuuki, daughter of Ryoto and Yoruichi, using her Hollow mask. It was where it all started.

It was like a slap to my face. It was something similar to what I was trying to achieve. Not for myself, but it would be a beginning. My first suspect was Kisuke Urahara. He was the man I acknowledged as an equal to my intelligence, so it wouldn't be strange for him to have a similar plan to mine, but I quickly threw away this thought. While I admit that he is capable of it, at the same time, I am aware of how foolish he is.

But if it wasn't him, which would make the most amount of sense with his connection to both Yoruichi Shihoin and Ryoto Yuuki, then it would mean that either there was someone else who conducted similar experiments or... there was a naturally hollowfied Shinigami, and seeing Yukima's age, I would incline to say that it was the second option, and if that's the case, then I am highly dubious that she was the first, which led me to Ryoto Yuuki.

I did my research about him as much as I could, and I came across something very interesting.

There was this mysterious case many years ago. Yan Fon, the mother of Soi Fon, then known as Shaolin, was murdered. The suspect was a highly intelligent Hollow as the only witness left was the little girl. All the others were killed. Not to mention Hollow-like Reiatsu, where the bodyguards fought. It only made me believe even more that Ryoto Yuuki was capable of the same thing his daughter was. The reason was simple, she wasn't born yet, and the wounds to the bodies, from what I could gather, were made with a blade, a Zanpakuto most likely, but the idea was thrown away when it was decided that it was a Hollow attack.

What a surprise it was. I always knew that there was something more to him since he could sense the little camera that I used, but upon this discovery, he became even more interesting.

It was a shame that I couldn't do much with this information. Ryoto Yuuki was surrounded by many, let's just say, troublesome individuals, but it didn't mean that I couldn't do anything.

*Knock* *Kncok*

Once again, I heard knocking on my doors, and I assumed it was Akio-kun. He probably had a dispute with his father. That was the reason Captain Yuuki came to me in the first place.

I was expecting him to know about me the moment Yoruichi Shihoin and Kisuke Urahara escaped from Soul Society. They were close, very close with each other, and in time during their escape, Ryoto vanished somewhere.

I could easily deduct that he went to meet up with Yoruichi and Urahara before they left Soul Society. It was apparent that they both would warn him about me, and if I didn't know any better, he would have fooled me, which was impressive, just like his act for the last few decades.

I opened the doors, and just as I thought, it was Akio-kun. He looked embarrassed. He probably wants to ask for a free room to sleep in. It's good that I anticipated this.

"Aizen-san... Is there any free room that I can use? I am ashamed, but I left without much thought. I will need to return at a later date to get my stuff, but for now, I don't want to return today."

I nodded. Just as I thought.

"Of course, I have. I already prepared a room for you, but it looks like it will be used earlier than I thought." I patted his head and showed a kind smile.

While Akio-kun is aware of my other, my more calculating side, he believed that whatever I was doing was for the greater good. His train of thought was not entirely wrong, but I doubt that my greater good was the same as his.

Akio-kun was an excellent piece. At first, I approached him because I believed that he was the most vulnerable of Ryoto's children, and I was correct. I hoped that he had the same power as Yukima-kun and Ryoto, but I was left disappointed learning that it wasn't the case.

No matter, I worked with what I had and learned a lot of interesting information. He was my insider in the Yuuki family, and he provided a lot of data that I double-checked every time. One can never be too careful.

One of such piece of information was about Captain Ryoto's eyes. From what I've heard, they were unusual. I wasn't aware of their abilities, if they had any to begin with, but I noticed that he is immune to my illusions but not to hypnosis.

I confirmed my suspicions today while we were talking. I tried to make Ryoto see something behind me, but he didn't react at all. I then made him believe that there was a big insect walking on his arm. It was brief, but he looked down and saw nothing. So, he could still feel. After that, I stopped talking but made him hear what I would say while still moving my mouth.

Once again, it worked as intended. I could only conclude that Ryoto is somehow immune to optical illusions, which could be part of his eye's abilities, or it could be the only one, but unless he talks more about it to Akio-kun, which is doubtful.

Speaking of Akio-kun, it was incredibly easy to earn his trust. So many insecurities, so many fears, and so many opportunities to get him to my side.

At first, I slowly was growing my influence over him by giving him some light guidance and advice, and when the time was right, a slight push in the right direction that was in the form of the illusion of his father abusing his mothers was enough for him to lean on my support more. After all, I was the only adult outside his family that he could depend on.

Just like that, I achieved two of my objectives. I pushed away Akio-kun from his family and made him depend on me.

Everything so far has gone as planned.

---

END

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