Kurotsuchi Mayuri's Experiment
Shiraishi didn't try to persuade Shiba Kūkaku to stay, even though he knew she would have if he asked.
It wasn't as if they would never meet again—just not often. He chose to respect her wishes and drank himself into a stupor.
When he woke, the cave was empty. A mix of emotions welled inside him, but he forced himself to face reality. Dwelling on Kūkaku's brilliance would only wear him down.
Stretching, he silently calculated the date. July 1st drew near—the day he had agreed to meet Zaraki Kenpachi. He still hadn't solved the problem of humans turning into Hollows. Entry into Hueco Mundo was inevitable.
Hunting scattered Hollows was inefficient. Training his Bankai and strengthening himself would yield far better results.
Patting his face to clear his mind, he put on his folded T-shirt and overalls and reached for Mugen.
This time, entering his spiritual world came easily.
It was a realm without sun or moon, yet as bright as day.
Mountains stretched for kilometers. At the peak stood Mugen, dressed in her usual casual attire, a blade of grass dangling from her lips.
"Want to try again?" she asked.
"How could I give up?" Shiraishi replied firmly.
Mugen spat out the grass, raised her right hand, and transformed his clothing into a jet-black wingsuit.
Bankai training consisted of two stages. The first was materialization, bringing one's Zanpakutō into Soul Society. That alone could take a decade without special tools like Shinto Tensei.
The second was submission—forcing the Zanpakutō to yield and reveal its true name. Some required combat; others demanded different methods.
Mugen's chosen method was hide-and-seek. If Shiraishi truly cared for her, he would wingsuit-fly through the mountain caves until he found her.
Shiraishi grimaced. He had never wingsuit-flown in his life. Extreme athletes or the wealthy might try it—but he was neither. He had only ever watched streamers attempt it, some dying in the process.
Still, he leapt from the peak.
The wind roared in his ears. Jagged caves yawned below like the maws of beasts. The speed tore at him—then:
Snap.
He tumbled across the ground, dazed. The wingsuit shattered, then repaired itself.
"…This thing's defective," he muttered.
But he steadied himself. "Calm mindset. No shortcuts. If a hundred times fail, I'll try a thousand, ten thousand, a hundred thousand. One day, I'll fly it through and draw out the Infinite hidden within."
With renewed determination, he continued his training.
---
Meanwhile, in the 12th Division's Technical Development Bureau…
Kurotsuchi Mayuri began his 12,437th experiment.
"Nemu, record all data," he ordered.
"Yes, Mayuri-sama," Nemu replied, notebook ready, her green eyes focused.
Behind reinforced glass stood a vast testing area, stocked with thousands of distinct odors. A door hissed open, releasing a massive red-furred hound. Its oversized nose sifted through the scents before locking onto a single sock and returning to its kennel.
"Foot odor—one millisecond," Nemu reported.
One by one, they tested nearly a hundred scents. Every result was within a millisecond.
Satisfied, Mayuri grinned, golden teeth gleaming. "Excellent. Now—Reiatsu resistance testing."
"I'll fetch Captain Zaraki," Nemu said.
Mayuri scowled. "Why him?"
"To test the hound's tolerance against overwhelming Reiatsu."
"Do you doubt mine?" Mayuri snapped. His own spiritual pressure flared, pressing against the walls.
Nemu met his gaze calmly. "With respect, your strength lies in intellect, not Reiatsu. It's best to use a captain who specializes in raw spiritual power."
"Tch…" Mayuri withdrew his pressure, annoyed but unable to deny her logic.
He muttered bitterly, "Ever since meeting that brat Shiraishi, you've grown opinionated." His resentment toward Shiraishi deepened. Evolution was one thing—but evolution beyond his control grated him.
"Yes, Shiraishi has influenced me greatly. He's taught me many things—"
"Silence. I don't want to hear that name." Mayuri cut her off, his irritation boiling over.
Nemu fell quiet, disappointed. She only wanted to ease the rift between her master and Shiraishi, but her words had the opposite effect.
Moments later, the door slammed open. Zaraki Kenpachi strode in, Yachiru perched on his shoulder.
"I heard you've got a way to track down Shiraishi," Zaraki barked.
"Still in testing. Enter and release your Reiatsu," Mayuri replied.
The hound emerged again, growling defiantly. Zaraki's golden Reiatsu erupted, making even Mayuri feel his gut clench.
Yet the beast stood its ground, teeth bared, circling, waiting to strike.
"Interesting," Zaraki grinned, hand on his sword.
"Zaraki! That creature is our hope of finding Shiraishi!" Mayuri shouted in alarm.
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