Chapter 336: The Pact with Aizen
"Forgive my bluntness, Captain Aizen,"
Gin Ichimaru said with his usual smile. "Even if I wanted to, I can't report everything to you, because up until now, I've only glimpsed the tip of the iceberg that is the Reincarnation Game."
He wasn't lying.
A game that let players grow stronger, travel freely across countless worlds, shatter limits, and included mysterious traders revered by all its players—
Gin had only begun to understand its scope.
After sharing the main information he'd gathered, Gin said no more.
He could have lied to Aizen,
but the risk was far too great. Aizen, ever shrewd and treacherous, might have seen through his deception immediately—with consequences he couldn't predict.
It was safer to reveal everything.
After so many years at Aizen's side, Gin understood at least part of his superior's personality—
Aizen could never resist something that piqued his curiosity.
And the Reincarnation Game, without a doubt, would captivate him.
In all of Soul Society—or rather, the world the Reincarnation Game referred to as the "Shinigami World"—
only Gin possessed a player's qualification. At least for now.
Which meant...
He had something of value.
With that value in hand, he wasn't just a pawn at Aizen's mercy—he was a player, capable of negotiating across the board.
"Sounds like a clumsy fairy tale, Gin,"
Aizen said as he adjusted the glasses on his nose, the lenses briefly reflecting light and concealing his eyes.
A familiar gesture—one he used to mask his emotions.
Gin kept smiling. "If Captain Aizen thinks it's just a story, then let's say I had a dream."
"But you're my most exceptional subordinate. The trust between us is rare and valuable... so I believe you."
Aizen's expression remained calm,
but in his heart, he was shaken. A long-stilled emotion stirred once again.
As absurd as it sounded, it perfectly explained Gin's sudden disappearance and reappearance—along with his newfound ability to break through Kyōka Suigetsu.
The Reincarnation Game...
Aizen pressed further, asking about the game's specific mechanics. He focused intently on Gin's face, carefully analyzing every shift in spiritual pressure.
But there wasn't a single flaw.
Every detail Gin provided, every word and emotional nuance—flawlessly convincing.
Which meant...
Unless Gin's cunning and strength were far beyond what Aizen had predicted, his story was absolutely true.
"Tell me your thoughts, Gin. Or more precisely... what do you want in return?"
Even in the face of something far beyond comprehension,
Aizen remained composed, gazing at Gin like a hunter watching prey struggling inside a trap—still unaware of its fate.
"It's an honor to be able to negotiate with you, Captain Aizen."
Gin's pupils gleamed faintly with a light blue hue, revealing the ripple of emotion within him.
The Reincarnation Game truly gave him the right to bargain with Aizen.
"Of course."
Aizen nodded with a gentle smile. "Most beings tremble before the unknown. Fear keeps them from moving forward. But there are rare few—those who seek out and embrace the unknown."
"You, Gin, chose to stay by my side and help perfect the Hōgyoku plan. That means you and I… share the same vision."
All of Soul Society—
this realm of Shinigami and wandering spirits—was built upon the souls of the dead.
Governed by the Four Great Noble Houses and the detestable structure known as the Central 46,
Shinigami like them acted as executioners upholding that decaying order.
But... how could no one see that the system was already rotting?
No—
perhaps some did see it, but no one wanted to change it. From the day Soul Society was founded, the same rigid order had ruled for countless years.
It was fear of change, fear of the unknown,
that led Soul Society to its slow decay. The once-lofty Soul King had long since become the very core of its corruption.
He had to be purged.
That was Aizen's belief.
No righteous fury, no grand speeches, no boiling passion.
Just a simple thought. And a resolve to act on it.
That was all.
"Apologies, Captain Aizen, but I'm not like you,"
Gin said, his eyes narrowing like those of a venomous snake. "My request is simple:
Give back the fragment of Rangiku Matsumoto's soul that you took from her!"
No evasions. No dancing around the truth.
He said it plainly, knowing that Aizen had likely long understood his motive.
There was no point hiding it.
"I see. So this is about Miss Matsumoto?"
Aizen's tone sounded puzzled, but his eyes held a warm smile—
as if he had anticipated this request all along.
He nodded gently… then shook his head.
"I'll agree to your request. However..."
Gin's brows furrowed.
Aizen lifted his head and said calmly, "Gin, you know as well as I do—though we are all born in this world, the value of souls varies drastically."
"Most souls are ignorant, forgettable—
even when armed with blades, they have no right to be noticed."
"But... Miss Matsumoto's soul is different. Its value is... immeasurable."
The entire Shinigami world
came into being because of a single being—the one known as the Soul King.
And embedded within Rangiku Matsumoto's soul...
was the tip of the Soul King's finger.
The very foundation of Aizen's Hōgyoku—the core of his long-brewing revolution—was forged from that fragment.
Even so,
upon hearing Gin demand the return of that crucial piece of the Hōgyoku,
Aizen didn't panic or flare up like some cowardly schemer. His expression remained unchanged.
"So tell me," he asked smoothly, "what can you offer in exchange that matches the value of the Hōgyoku?"
To Aizen,
the Hōgyoku was a tool to fulfill his ambitions, not something irreplaceable. Even without it,
he believed he could achieve his goals—though it would be more troublesome.
Of course,
this assumed Gin could present something even more fascinating than the Hōgyoku.
Gin replied, "Killing a lord-class monster drops a game invitation—
a token that allows anyone to log into the game."
As a Tier Two lifeform,
he couldn't hunt low-tier lords. And within the Eternal Snow Mountain, most Tier Two lords were incredibly tanky.
With his current strength, hunting them was difficult—
unless he first exchanged for a set of purple-grade equipment.
"A game invitation, huh? As expected of you, Gin—you've already planned for our negotiation?"
Aizen thought for a moment, then nodded. "I accept."
He was well aware the Hōgyoku far outweighed a mere game invitation—
to Gin.
But being selected by the Reincarnation Game—something even the Soul King had never touched—
was its own kind of value.
Gin smiled slyly and asked, "Captain Aizen, aren't you afraid I'll become stronger than you... and defeat you someday?"
A small laugh escaped Aizen, whose figure began to fade.
Only his gentle voice lingered in the room.
"Since when...
did you start believing you could defeat me?"
"If you truly can... then go ahead and try, Gin-san."
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Franklin1