Well… later, harvesting Fullbringers could yield many Soul King fragments too.
But this time the Tsunayashiro clearly had no chance to attack the Fullbringers. In that case, I'll fulfill your dying wish. May your souls rest in peace.
He planned to target Fullbringers next, since they also possessed many Soul King fragments.
But the most important thing now was to consume the fragments.
The remaining twenty should be enough for Angra Mainyu to advance to Vasto Lorde.
Yoshio then left Angra Mainyu and personally headed to Las Noches, while Angra Mainyu slowly devoured the fragments, preparing to fully digest the power within and evolve into a Vasto Lorde.
…
Back at Las Noches, Hollows were moving about.
"What's going on?"
Yoshio asked an Arrancar casually.
Knowing Yoshio was Aizen's confidant—and in truth the one now in charge of Las Noches—the Arrancar replied respectfully, "Lord Yoshio, Lord Baraggan said there were traces of Shinigami activity on the outskirts, so he took people to clean it up."
"Oh…" Yoshio nodded. So Baraggan couldn't sit still.
Indeed, that guy naturally loathed Shinigami. He only yielded to Aizen. Venting upon finding Shinigami nearby was normal.
Yoshio said nothing more and walked to his room.
He had no objection to Baraggan's move—as long as he didn't expose Las Noches.
Best not to put Las Noches under Shinigami scrutiny for now.
In his lab, Yoshio found Roka Paramia.
She seemed to be using her ability to monitor the imaginary bodies.
Yoshio approached. "Well? What are they doing?"
Roka noticed him and said quickly, "Yoshio-sama, it seems one of the 'imaginary bodies' is about to break free of my Telaraña's restraints."
"Oh?" Yoshio looked with interest. In the image constructed by Roka's Telaraña, "Mayuri Kurotsuchi" was examining "Tōsen Kaname's" body.
"That guy…"
Seeing Mayuri didn't surprise Yoshio.
A research maniac's drive is beyond normal comprehension. Not just "Tōsen Kaname"—he'd likely experiment on his own body.
"If 'Mayuri Kurotsuchi' absorbs enough spiritual pressure, his spiritual body might stabilize," Roka warned. "Then, he might slip my control."
"Relax. This much spiritual pressure isn't enough."
If you want the spirit body of the imaginary being to become stable, you would at least have to absorb the entire spiritual pressure of several Espada-level Vasto Lordes to barely achieve it.
Relying on just one Kaname Tōsen, of course, wouldn't be enough.
More importantly, imaginary bodies were doomed to instability. In Telaraña's informational backups, only Szayelaporro's copy could, by devouring spiritual pressure, reach internal equilibrium and revive.
Such imaginary bodies could only "tend toward stability," merely prolonging existence, no matter how much they absorbed.
However…
It was still "Mayuri Kurotsuchi." Who knew what monstrous science he would yank out of nowhere?
To be safe, Yoshio said, "Withdraw the Telaraña related to 'Black Mayuri Kurotsuchi.' He's useless now."
The purpose of unleashing these imaginary bodies was to stir conflict within Seireitei and push them to decide on eliminating Kisuke Urahara. Now that goal was achieved, the imaginary bodies were no longer necessary.
Yoshio was cautious; he wouldn't allow anything beyond his control, and "Mayuri Kurotsuchi" was clearly a destabilizing factor.
The others could remain—he had gone through trouble creating them; reeling them back would be a waste.
He still wanted to see what they would do.
"Understood."
Roka nodded and withdrew the Telaraña composing Mayuri's body. Instantly, he grew translucent.
On the screen, "Mayuri" seemed to notice, flashing a wicked smile. "Discovered already? How troublesome."
"Fine. I've learned what I wanted to. We'll meet again, unknown mastermind."
"Mayuri Kurotsuchi" offered no resistance and let the Telaraña withdraw. His body then completely dissipated.
"Yoshio-sama…" Roka looked at him at Mayuri's parting words.
Yoshio felt little. "It's nothing. Not our problem. If trouble comes, Captain Aizen will handle it."
He hadn't wanted to copy "Mayuri" in the first place, but Aizen said it was fine, so he did.
To Aizen, Mayuri was no different from anyone else. His eyes were only for Kisuke Urahara.
As for "Mayuri's" recent antics—that was normal. If he didn't stir things up, would he still be Mayuri? And his methods weren't hard to guess.
All he did was go and cooperate with his original body, but judging from the looks of Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Yamamoto, he probably didn't report any of this to old man Yamamoto at all.
If Aizen didn't care, why should a subordinate? Just mind your own business.
Yoshio turned away from the imaginary-body feed and prepared to study the research materials on Kisuke Urahara he'd obtained from the Daireishokairō.
He was intrigued by the Parasite Hollow and wanted to see if he could create one.
He set to work.
As for the Shinigami and Arrancar outside, he wasn't interested for now—so long as they didn't bring war here.
"Roka, tell Starrk not to let Shinigami approach within a hundred km of Las Noches. If he can't stop them, report to me."
With that, Yoshio pondered whether to study a canopy to conceal Las Noches.
Aizen planned to install a "firmament" over Las Noches, with a sun inside. Hueco Mundo's constant darkness was depressing.
Aizen saw himself as the sun bringing light to Hueco Mundo.
So…
Did he plan to weave some of his ideas into that firmament?
Like invisibility?
Forget it—handle the Parasite Hollow first.