Simulated Release

Of course, he had been trying.

The problem was, it simply wasn't working.

The monk's seal had completely overwritten his Bankai's name. Unless the man himself willingly revealed it, Seiya had no way of unlocking it.

After a brief summary of his current struggles, Tōsen fell silent, lost in thought.

He wanted to help his friend, but in this situation, he was powerless.

There was nothing he could do.

After all, anything related to the Soul King was far beyond the reach of even Captain-level Soul Reapers.

Aizen, on the other hand, seemed more prepared.

His brows furrowed slightly as he carefully recalled his research, his voice as composed as ever.

"A sealed Bankai… I must admit, this is the first time I've encountered such a phenomenon."

"But I haven't been idle during this time. I've been conducting various investigations to find a solution for you, Seiya."

"I searched the Eighth Division's archives for classified intelligence. I even made a trip to the Great Spirit Library."

"While I haven't found a definitive answer yet, I did uncover some interesting information."

Seiya blinked.

Wait, he had already infiltrated those places?

He knew Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu allowed him to go anywhere unnoticed, but hearing it confirmed still left him impressed.

Is there anywhere this guy can't break into…?

Aizen folded his hands in front of him, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Seiya, have you ever heard of the Royal Guard?"

He paused deliberately, letting the question linger before continuing.

"Or perhaps the term 'Zero Division' is more familiar to you?"

Oh, here it comes.

Aizen was catching on.

Seiya had suspected as much—his "father" wasn't the type to sit idly by.

He hadn't expected Aizen to uncover this much detail, though.

Before Seiya could respond, Tōsen tilted his head slightly, his tone uncertain.

"Lord Aizen, are you referring to… the special forces that serve the Soul King?"

"Indeed, Tōsen. You've heard of them?"

Tōsen nodded, his expression solemn.

"I once overheard rumors. It is said that when Soul Reapers fail to defeat certain Hollows, the Royal Guard is summoned to eliminate them."

Seiya nearly laughed.

Oh, right… that was an early Bleach myth.

Back in the early days of the series, Kubo hadn't fully fleshed out the world-building. "Menos Grande" was a blanket term for all high-level Hollows, and the concept of Adjuchas and Vasto Lorde didn't exist yet.

This led to the bizarre idea that the Zero Division had once fought Gillian-class Hollows.

Hindsight was funny like that.

More likely, those stories referred to the Reishi Soldiers under Shutara Senjumaru.

Still, it was amusing how information evolved over time.

While Seiya was lost in thought, Aizen continued.

"My knowledge goes a little deeper."

"I have learned that Zero Division consists of five individuals—all former Captains, or beings of exceptional power."

"And among them, one man may be responsible for what happened to you."

At this, Tōsen's brows furrowed, his voice laced with urgency.

"Lord Aizen, who is it?"

Seiya glanced at Aizen curiously.

Is he going to say it outright?

Does he actually know the monk's real name?

Or was he still piecing things together?

After a moment of contemplation, Aizen smiled.

"I regret to say that I do not yet know his name. However…"

"I have come across stories—legends, if you will—about him."

They weren't concrete facts.

More like whispered myths.

Hearsay.

Rumors passed down over generations.

Normally, such accounts wouldn't hold much weight.

But considering Seiya's current predicament, they were worth examining.

"They say that since the dawn of existence, this man has presided over the Soul Society."

"He was entrusted with the power to name all things. It was he who bestowed names upon the world itself."

Tōsen remained silent for a long moment.

Then, stiffly, he said,

"Lord Aizen… this sounds…"

"Unbelievable? Like a made-up fairy tale?"

Aizen chuckled.

"Yes, I imagine it does."

But reality often defied belief.

And Seiya had seen firsthand just how absurd things could become.

Tōsen, however, hadn't.

He had died far too early in the original timeline to ever witness the Thousand-Year Blood War.

Aizen leaned back slightly, resting his hands on the desk, his expression thoughtful.

"I had hoped to find a clear solution, but as of now, I have only managed to gather fragments of information."

"Of course, I will continue my research. I will not abandon this pursuit. But the time required will not be short."

Aizen sighed, closing his eyes briefly before offering Seiya an uncharacteristically sincere look.

"My apologies, Seiya. I cannot provide a solution just yet."

Seiya blinked.

Wait… did Aizen just apologize?

It was oddly formal.

Even if his words were as composed as ever, the sentiment behind them was genuine.

…You actually care about me, huh, old man?

Aizen's voice deepened slightly.

"At this moment, the only viable method I see… is to turn to the Hōgyoku."

Oh?

Now that was an interesting suggestion.

Seiya's thoughts raced.

He knew the Hōgyoku's true nature.

It was not just an amplifier of power—it was a wish granter.

Aizen had always desired to surpass all limits, and so the Hōgyoku guided him along the path of continuous evolution.

If Seiya were to use it…

Would it grant him a way to bypass the monk's seal?

There was no definitive proof.

But the idea of a clash between the Hōgyoku and Ichibē's power intrigued him.

"I will accelerate my research," Aizen continued.

"But until then, Seiya, I must ask for your patience."

He spoke carefully, his words measured.

It was a rare moment—Aizen was considering someone else's emotions.

To him, Seiya was not just a promising soldier.

He was someone worth caring for.

After all…

Seiya had the potential to reach the very heights Aizen himself sought to attain.

Aizen was not about to let that potential be wasted.

Seiya chuckled, shaking his head.

"Don't worry, Aizen-sensei. I've already thought of an alternative plan."

Both Aizen and Tōsen turned to him, intrigued.

"You have another solution?" Aizen asked.

Seiya nodded, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

"Well, I wouldn't call it a solution exactly."

"But I have found a workaround."

"It started as just a theory."

"And at first, I could only make minor progress. My level of Reiatsu simply wasn't high enough."

"But now that I've reached the threshold of a Captain's strength, I can push this concept even further."

"Plus, Sāgara Ryū and I are completely in sync—she's willing to work with me on this experiment."

Seiya traced a hand over his zanpakutō, his expression shifting from contemplative to confident.

"In fact, under the right conditions, I believe this method could actually be more practical in battle than a traditional Bankai."

If he had to name it…

Yes.

This name seemed fitting.

"I call it… Simulated Release."

Tōsen shot to his feet.

"Is that truly possible?!"

Aizen, too, fell silent, studying Seiya intently.

A moment later, his lips curled into an amused smile.

"I see… So this is the depth of your ingenuity, Seiya."

Even stripped of his greatest weapon, he had not crumbled.

Instead, he had found a new way to evolve.

Turning every obstacle into an opportunity.

Aizen smiled, exhaling in quiet admiration.

"Not bad at all."

"You are my prodigy, after all."

"Then, let us not delay any further."

"Our next phase of research will be the Hōgyoku."

"At this point, standard test subjects are no longer sufficient. I require data from Captain-level Soul Reapers."

"So…"

Aizen's gaze sharpened, his voice rich with anticipation.

"Let us select our first target from the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

"This will mark a significant turning point for us."

"And more importantly…"

Aizen smiled.

"This will be your debut battle, Seiya."

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Powerstones?

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