The Beast That Succumbs to Instinct

On the other side of the screen.

The possessed Kaien Shiba momentarily regained control of his body and lunged straight into Rukia's Zanpakutō.

Jūshirō Ukitake's stunned expression was frozen on the screen, making it too late for Seiya to say anything to salvage the situation.

He hadn't made it in time.

A look of regret appeared on both Seiya's face and his mentor's.

For Seiya, it was a helpless lament over the cruel timing. For his mentor, it was merely a complaint about yet another "failure" in this experiment.

"Even with a power specifically designed to counteract Shinigami, such an inconsequential mistake still occurs."

"Honestly... Does this mean Hollows are just beasts, after all?"

"It seems that even if they are given corresponding cognitive abilities, the gap still cannot be bridged..."

In other words—

Another failure.

A brief, heavy silence hung in the air before Aizen composed himself and pushed it aside.

No matter. It was merely another failure.

Experiments are built upon trial and error. Without these missteps, the eventual success would not feel as rewarding.

Aizen Sōsuke leaned back slightly, shifting his gaze to the side.

His eyes landed on Seiya.

"What do you think, Seiya?"

As his prized student, Aizen seemed to greatly enjoy discussions with Seiya.

Naturally, after spending years together, Seiya had long since grasped how to interact with his mentor.

"A single failure doesn't mean much. If anything… the fact that we've reached this stage is already a form of progress, isn't it?"

Strictly speaking—

The Hollowfication experiments were a massive undertaking.

Tracing back through history, Aizen had already begun related research more than fifty years ago, during the widely spread Hollowfication incidents.

The progress they had now achieved could indeed be considered "significant."

That was simply an objective fact.

—After all, empty flattery wouldn't get past his mentor.

Upon hearing these words, Aizen's previously neutral expression softened, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"As expected of you, Seiya."

You truly understand me.

Although vanity did not play a role in his motivations, there was a certain satisfaction in having one's efforts acknowledged.

That feeling alone could be quite fulfilling.

But satisfaction was only a passing indulgence.

Back to the main topic.

"Metastacia has reached near-Lieutenant-level strength."

"Aside from a few unnecessary habits, its intelligence is already comparable to a normal person's."

"Using that as a benchmark, the next steps in the Hollowfication process…"

Should see even greater advancements, right?

"That's what I'd like to believe."

But reality was not so simple.

Aizen pressed his right hand against his forehead, revealing a troubled expression.

"The actual difficulties are many… and extremely challenging to resolve."

At that moment, Tōsen Kaname stepped forward.

Though blind, he was intimately familiar with the layout of the Ninth Division's underground research facility—second only to Aizen himself.

His fingers tapped rapidly on the Braille-adapted keyboard. Moments later, the screen monitoring the Thirteenth Division flickered and switched to another area.

The new feed displayed a dimly lit underground chamber.

The scene was gruesome—blood covered the floor, painting a picture of sheer carnage.

Severed limbs were strewn everywhere, enough to send an ordinary person into shock with just a glance.

Fortunately, the people present were either blind or seasoned researchers—numb to such "messy" sights.

Seiya, too, calmly focused on the screen.

Corpses littered the ground.

Only a single figure remained standing.

The figure's entire body was jet black, its frame thin. A horned mask signified its inhuman nature, though its long, flowing hair hinted at something vaguely human.

Its forearms had morphed into blade-like weapons, radiating an unnerving, bloodthirsty aura.

Even at a glance, the sheer menace it exuded was undeniable.

At the same time—

Though it was drenched in blood, there was no sign of injury.

"You see it, don't you, Seiya?"

Aizen's voice carried a distinct sense of admiration.

"This is our greatest achievement so far."

"A Hollow refined from the soul of a Shinigami—capable of devouring and evolving."

"Its combat ability is undeniable. In a direct confrontation, with no external factors involved… it would utterly crush Metastacia."

Pausing for a moment, Aizen's gaze sharpened.

His tone was filled with appreciation.

"A body of black, yet a nature of pure brutality."

"A Shinigami clad in darkness, whose emptiness is filled with white…"

"The contrast between its exterior and its essence is quite striking. The name I envisioned for it seems more fitting than ever."

White.

A simple, straightforward name—one that Aizen himself had chosen.

"If there's any real flaw, it would be the intelligence issue."

Indeed.

This creature possessed no intellect.

"It cannot communicate. It has no knowledge."

"A man-made beast, governed solely by instinct."

"Oh, right. If I had to put it into words…"

On the screen, the creature had begun to feed.

Judging by its actions alone, it had completely succumbed to wild, primal instincts.

"It is nothing more than a beast that obeys instinct."

Instinct—just hearing that word made Seiya almost visibly twitch.

For a moment, an image of a certain white-haired, grinning troublemaker flashed through his mind.

…But thankfully, decades of being a Captain had given him excellent control over his expressions.

Raising a hand, he casually rubbed the corner of his mouth—smoothing away any trace of an involuntary smirk.

"That aside, Aizen-sensei, you're talking quite a bit today, huh?"

After all, this wasn't Seiya's first time participating in an experiment.

He already knew White's appearance, nature, and various data inside and out.

"The reason I'm explaining from the beginning…"

Aizen's gaze shifted away from the monitor, turning back toward Seiya with an unusually complex expression.

"…is because I do not support your proposal, Seiya."

For once, Aizen hesitated.

His conflicted gaze remained fixed on Seiya as he continued.

"As you've seen, White's abilities—though flawed—are already sufficient for our needs."

"From an experimental standpoint, White meets all our current requirements."

Therefore—

"Perhaps you should reconsider, Seiya."

It was rare for Aizen to advise caution.

The fact that he was doing so now meant there was a strong reason behind it.

Yet before Seiya could respond, Tōsen broke his silence.

"I also believe this is far too reckless. And unsafe."

Two votes against it.

Regardless of logic or reasoning, the conclusion was clear—Seiya's plan had critical flaws.

But Seiya himself did not see it that way.

Rubbing his temples lightly, he kept his eyes fixed on the figure of White on the screen.

"I don't think… it's that dangerous."

"No. That very thought is dangerous."

Tōsen's voice was firm as he turned toward Seiya.

"Why don't you explain your plan again—properly this time, in front of Aizen-sama?"

…Hmm?

That was fine.

After all, the explanation was only two sentences long.

"I want to use the Hōgyoku's power on myself—to extract a portion of my soul…"

"Twist and transform it, eventually creating something similar to White."

Silence.

In that instant, even Aizen—renowned for his eloquence—wore an indescribable expression.

From his perspective…

This might have been the first time he seriously questioned the common sense of his own protégé.

Because this proposal was utterly outrageous.

"Ridiculous!"

Tōsen's furious rebuke came without hesitation.

"Do you even realize what you're suggesting?! Have any of our test subjects ever survived intact?!"

"Do you think cutting apart a soul is as simple as slicing flesh?!"

"As beings of spirit, this would be akin to tearing out a part of your own existence!"

How would the body recover?

What effect would it have?

Would the separated portion even be able to withstand the transformation and become a true Hollow?

Everything about this was an unknown.

If it were a mere research concept, it might have merit—but for Seiya himself to undergo it…

Neither Tōsen nor Aizen could accept it.

Yet, Seiya remained unfazed.

Raising both hands, he made a light downward gesture.

"Relax, relax."

"I wouldn't do something so reckless without a plan."

"After all, I'm nearly a hundred years old. I know what I'm doing."

And the reason he had confidence in this—

"I believe that the new ability developed by Sāgara Ryū can resolve this issue completely."

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