218 Chapter 185 - The Seiretei.

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I will post an extra chapter later today.

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[Adam C. POV.]

The sensation of hurtling through dimensions is one that no amount of training can truly prepare you for, that or Urahara had made the experience as uncomfortable as possible just to be a dick. 

A whirlwind of colors, spiritual pressure, and gut-wrenching twists had enveloped us as we made our entry into the Soul Society. By the time the world finally solidified around us, I found myself standing with Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, and Uryu in a sprawling, old city, the Rukongai.

Normally, we should've entered the soul society through the dangai, but Urahara said something about my power being impossible to hide from the eyes of the soul society if I went that way.

"That was… awful," I muttered, trying not to puke. 

"It was," Ichigo agreed, with a light shudder. 

I smiled. I really liked the kid, he was brash, ready to throw hands, and loyal. If the guild were here, I would've asked him to join.

This past week, I saw him recover his powers, and double them.

Heck, I just might, our first member from another dimension. Well, second if you count me, but I don't count me.

"We need a plan," Uryu declared, scanning our surroundings. "We can't just barge into the Seireitei. They'll be expecting us."

As much as I wanted to just go full Fairy Tail on these bastards, I knew I wouldn't win if I did that, there were a lot of people capable of fighting me here, so I had to be smart about my approach.

I nodded. "We need to be smart. We should—"

Before I could continue, a feeling washed over me, a pull, subtle but insistent. It was like a magnet drawing me in, whispering for me to come closer. I glanced around, but no one else seemed to notice anything amiss.

"Are you okay, Hiroshi?" Inoue asked, concerned evident in her voice.

"I...I have to go," I murmured, the urge becoming more potent, to the point I didn't even correct her about the fake name.

Ichigo looked at me, confusion clear in his eyes. "What the hell are you talking about, Adam? We just got here!"

"I know, but something's...calling me." It sounded absurd even to my own ears, but the sensation was undeniable.

Yoruichi, who'd transformed into her cat form for the journey, looked up with her piercing eyes. "Adam, whatever it is you think you're hearing, don't."

I chuckled. "Sorry, but I'll be right back."

Ichigo hesitated for a moment. "Fine, but you better regroup with us as soon as you can. We're going to need all the help we can get."

"You can count on me," I replied, patting him on the head.

"Hey! What gives?!" Ichigo barked at me. 

I chuckled, he reminded me of Laxus, so angry, but so friendly.

Waving at them, I began following the pull, weaving through the narrow streets and alleys of the Rukongai district. The further I went, the stronger the sensation grew, until I found myself standing before a massive building, dark and foreboding. 

A lab. 

Why was I drawn here?

Steeling myself for whatever lay ahead, I cautiously entered the lab, every instinct on high alert. The air was thick with the scent of chemicals, and the soft hum of machines echoed throughout the vast space. Somewhere within this maze of technology and dark secrets, I felt the call, growing more intense with each step.

As I moved deeper into the labyrinth, memories I didn't recognize began to flood my mind. Flashbacks of experiments, of pain, of an insidious laughter. 

Mayuri's laughter.

What had this place done to me? And why did it feel so hauntingly familiar?

I had never been here before.

Suddenly, the shadows shifted, revealing a figure cloaked in darkness. A voice, cold and mocking, sliced through the silence.

"Welcome back, Subject 42. I've been waiting for you."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi stepped into the light, his grin revealing more than just malice, there was recognition there.

I think I know why I am here. I don't know how, but I know it.

A piece of my soul was here.

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[Sosuke Aizen. POV.]

From the inner sanctum of the 5th Division's headquarters, I watched the events transcurring in the Soul Society through a subtle spiritual projection. In the human world, plans had their complications, its various pawns moving unpredictably across the board. But here, in my domain, the pieces were aligned almost too perfectly. 

A smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

As I had predicted, Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends had infiltrated the Rukongai. His spiritual pressure was still weak, barely a flicker, but I knew in time he would grow strong. The boy had a penchant for shattering expectations, a trait that made him simultaneously interesting and dangerous.

Perhaps he would grow strong enough to truly entertain me. 

But it was not Ichigo who caught my attention this time. No, my gaze was fixed on another anomaly, a wildcard, even more unpredictable and enigmatic: Adam.

He had arrived with Kurosaki to the soul society, and was now standing before the twelfth division labs, the very reason for him being here. Interesting, indeed.

I smiled at the thought.

My initial calculations had accounted for Ichigo, Uryu, Chad, and even Orihime Inoue. But Adam was an unforeseen variable, an equation left unsolved, because I had yet to determine what role he would play.

As I stood there, contemplating, I realized that his spiritual pressure had begun to resonate with something deep within the bowels of Mayuri's lab. 

It seems the piece of his soul trapped within Mayuri's grasp wanted to go home. What a fascinating development. 

A soft knock on the door interrupted my musings, as Momo Hinamori entered, her face etched with innocent concern.

"Captain Aizen, is everything alright? You seemed...lost in thought."

I turned my eyes away from the projection she couldn't see, and favored her with a reassuring smile. "Ah, Momo, always so diligent, I don't know what I would do without you. I was just contemplating the complexities of our current situation."

She nodded, her trust in me absolute. A trust that would be her downfall, just as it would be for all the others who dared to stand in my way.

"Please continue with your duties, Lieutenant. There are many preparations to be made."

"Of course, Captain," she bowed before exiting the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts once more.

As the door closed behind her, my smile faded. It seemed it was time that I assessed the situation about Adam, after all, a ripple in a pond that could grow into a wave, powerful enough to wash away even the most intricate plans.

He was a mystery, a cipher. And as much as I relished the challenge, I knew that enigmas had a way of becoming obstacles, and obstacles needed to be addressed.