CHAPTER 51: Exchange

The room succumbed to a hush, a quiet so profound it seemed to envelop every corner, every nook and cranny. This tranquility was abruptly shattered by Tessai, his steps echoing as he hastily pushed open the door.

"A Hollow? This man is a Hollow? How?"

Even the former Commander of Kidō Corps couldn't wrap his hands around a Quincy suddenly turning into a Hollow.

Kazuya stood amidst the chaos, a smug grin played upon his lips. "I apologize for being so abrupt. I expected you to react with a little surprise, nothing more."

Rising from his seat, Kisuke's black Haori fluttered in the wake of Kazuya's surging power. An uncanny gleam danced in his eyes, and he couldn't hide his intrigue. "Well, well, well. What's surprising is your ability, Kazuya-san. The Arrancar troubling all of us for the last few days had been you all along. How did you mask your Hollow aura this well?"

The ever-so-innovative Kisuke couldn't help but ask a question out of curiosity. He had long abandoned the notion of Hollows being evil during his pursuit of removing the boundaries between Shinigami and Hollow.

For him, the person mattered more than a person's race.

"Mask? No, no, no, that's a misunderstanding." Kazuya gestured towards his face, his Hollow characteristics seamlessly morphing back to normal, and his wings folding back into his body. "This isn't concealment; it's transformation. A bitter irony to become a Hollow after a lifetime of slaughtering them."

He kept feeding them lies mixed with grains of truth.

Yoruichi approached him and touched his back, her animosity replaced with a look of curiosity. "Can you transform again?"

"I'm not a lab specimen. Besides, weren't you going to leave? What is keeping you around, Shihōin-san?"

"I would've surely left, boy, if you didn't show me this… I don't even know what to call this... Kisuke, do you think it's possible or are we under some kind of ability that's fooling all of our senses, like Aizen?"

Kisuke considered her question, a contemplative frown etching into his features. He turned to Tessai. "What you said can be possible. But I don't think it is the case here. Tessai, did you sense Kazuya-san's Hollow aura?"

Tessai, who was standing at the door, nodded. "I sensed it clearly. It's why I ran over here."

"See, Yoruichi-san. Tessai couldn't have been under the same illusion as us… well, unless Kazuya-san can trick people who are far away from his sight."

"Didn't that happen to Shinji?" Tessai retorted, planting seeds of doubt. "We can't rule out the possibility of Kazuya-san possessing a similar ability to Aizen."

Kazuya rubbed the back of his head. Aizen's betrayal raised their wariness toward his unprecedented ability. Even Tessai, who was mostly chill and calm, questioned the reality laid before his eyes.

He transformed under Yoruichi's scrutinizing gaze. "What do you say? Is this real or just an illusion?"

With a dismissive wave of his paper fan, Kisuke interjected, "Aizen's Zanpakutō is relatively unknown, and he himself has a formidable Reiatsu, above your average Captains. Kazuya-san, forgive us for doubting you. We shouldn't have used Aizen's illusions as an excuse for our ignorance."

"Ignorance?" Yoruichi chuckled. "We have to thank Aizen for tricking you. He helped us learn so many new things that we wouldn't have come across as Shinigami."

Kazuya smiled. "The more you know."

Yoruichi ran her claws over his thighs before she turned to Kisuke. "I wasn't seeing things. His body changes from Kishi to Reishi when he changes to Hollow."

Kisuke had invented Reishi Henkan-Ki to convert Kishi to Reishi and vice versa. Kazuya achieved the same result with no external help.

"I can see that," Kisuke said. "From Shinigami to Hollow to Quincy. Kazuya-san here is a peculiar case."

Kazuya returned to his Hollow form and crossed his arms. "About the information I promised. I know some of Aizen's plans and his end goal."

Kisuke's eyes widened. "How did you—"

"Don't ask me how. Aizen wants the Hōgyoku in your possession. That item is crucial to his plans — creating Ōken. He is after the key to the Royal Palace."

A silent exchange transpired between Kisuke and Yoruichi, their eyes echoing a mutual understanding.

"We didn't expect it to be Ōken," Yoruichi said. "Kazuya, what does Aizen Sosuke want with the Royal Palace?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Kazuya said. "I held my end of the bargain. Kisuke-san, you should fulfill yours."

Kisuke stepped back and held his Zanpakutō. "I did make a promise. Well, what can this handsome shopkeeper do for you?"

"I need shelter."

"Granted. A handsome Hollow like yours is welcome to my underground chamber."

Kisuke happily welcomed Kazuya, who was a treasure trove of knowledge on all three major races — Hollow, Shinigami, and Quincy.

"Not just for me." Kazuya shook his head. "You see, I made some friends during my time in Hueco Mundo. Soooo, can you make some Reiatsu concealing Gigai for them?"

"I haven't made one for Hollows yet but I can try. However, you or anyone isn't allowed to eat human souls while you're here."

"Heh. They won't. Weak souls won't interest them."

Yoruichi sat down. "Are you making a Hollow army to take revenge on Aizen?"

Kazuya smiled. "Do not seek beauty in battle. Do not seek virtue in death. Do not make the mistake of considering only your own life. If you wish to protect that which you must protect, slice the enemy you must defeat from behind."

He repeated the Shinigami's creed that stuck with him more than most quotes. With that, he ripped open a Garganta and stuck his hand inside.

"I'm gonna fetch my friends. See you soon."

He stepped into the Garganta, only to sense Yoruichi releasing a burst of Reiryoku. He turned around to see Yoruichi flying into the shrinking Garganta.

"..."

***

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