"Captain Kyoraku should be able to guess as much: I was not born in the Soul Society, but suddenly appeared here. I should indeed have come here after dying in the world known as the World of the Living."
Suzuki Makoto began to explain to Shunsui Kyoraku with a mix of truth and falsehoods. After today, all the mysteries regarding 'Suzuki Makoto' should be laid to rest.
"And before coming to this world, besides being a swordsman who studied under a teacher, I was also a... well, a writer. That is to say, someone who gains support and money by creating virtual stories, thereby obtaining a better life. Captain Kyoraku should be aware of this profession, right?"
"I completely understand. After all, sometimes my work and yours aren't much different in nature."
The older man wore an expression that said 'I get you'.
"Jeanne d'Arc was once a character I 'created'. Compared to the historical, real Jeanne, the point of divergence occurred after she was burned at the stake—the real Jeanne d'Arc calmly accepted her death and entered the Western Branch of the Soul Society, and is now still rushing about in the Rukongai. But that Black Jeanne is the 'Pitch-Black Magic Nature' that the Saint should not have possessed."
"Vengeance and... resentment, is it?"
Recalling the black flames used by Black Jeanne, and the difference between her and the Jeanne of the Western Branch, Shunsui Kyoraku described her essence very accurately.
"Exactly. After arriving in the Rukongai, and specifically coming directly to the Zaraki District, everything here was a massive shock to me, having been accustomed to a life of order. Although my strength was sufficient for me to survive in the Zaraki District, I still yearned to help them change that kind of living environment."
"But as someone who didn't know to what extent I could actually achieve things, what I craved most was a figure who could completely understand me, and who could protect order and peace amidst troubled times—Jeanne d'Arc, as the character I was most familiar with, became my 'desire' in a certain sense."
These words brought sudden enlightenment to Shunsui Kyoraku. Isn't a Zanpakuto precisely the channel that fully manifests the desires of the soul?
Suzuki Makoto pursued order, and he also hoped for the appearance of a Jeanne who could protect that order. Thus, the Black Jeanne d'Arc, who had been perfected in his creative works, appeared in the Soul Society through the Zanpakuto in an extremely special form.
"So that's how it is. That explains why you didn't awaken your Zanpakuto during the initial establishment of the Yellow Turbans, but rather, Miss Jeanne was born only after the Yellow Turbans were established—at that moment, the Asauchi responded not only to your desire but also to the desires of the countless Wandering Souls who had already acknowledged the Yellow Turbans."
Suzuki Makoto looked as if he completely agreed, nodding repeatedly.
"Yes. I believe that Jeanne's appearance was not just my wish alone, but the wish of everyone in the Yellow Turbans at that time. We all hoped that the Yellow Turbans could continue to be passed down, allowing everyone suffering from oppression to forever enjoy the peace of the World of the Yellow Heaven. It is precisely because of the support of so many convictions and souls that my Zanpakuto could finally possess such a completely unique form of release."
"And it is precisely for this reason that she can continue to be active in places far away from me, without the consumption of Reiatsu increasing. I think that the burden of Jeanne's Reiatsu consumption is likely borne not just by me alone, but also by all the people living under the rule of the Yellow Turbans."
This explanation—compared to Suzuki Makoto saying he brought Jeanne over from another world, could transmit Reiatsu across hundreds of kilometers, or that he had been independently providing the Spiritual Power to keep Black Jeanne manifest ever since achieving Bankai—was actually much more pleasant to hear.
Sometimes, the truth is hard to believe, while a half-true, half-false lie is more likely to win people's trust.
Even Shunsui Kyoraku, when faced with such a logical and coherent explanation, couldn't help but believe the majority of it—maintaining a tiny bit of suspicion was his personal habit as a spy chief. Except for the Captain-Commander, he always reserved that tiny bit of suspicion toward everyone.
"No wonder the weapons you are good at using are different from the weapon your Zanpakuto transforms into. Fundamentally speaking, you are not a person who chases after battle, but a person who seeks to protect peace."
"You flatter me, Captain Kyoraku. Protecting peace is not my merit alone, and even less so now. Because Jeanne alone is insufficient to protect so many people, even if the original real one were added, it wouldn't work. For the Yellow Turbans to have reached where they are today, the effort of every single person was indispensable. Lacking you, Captain Kyoraku, or the benevolence of the Captain-Commander, it would have been absolutely impossible."
Suzuki Makoto revealed a happy smile. Only at this moment did Shunsui Kyoraku realize that the man before him was, after all, only the age of a young man.
"Rest assured, Suzuki-kun. The Yellow Turbans will continue to exist."
"I believe that too!"
*
"So there can actually be such an explanation?"
Aizen adjusted his glasses, the smile at the corners of his mouth somewhat impossible to suppress.
"I thought that I, who wields Kyoka Suigetsu, was already a master of weaving stories. I didn't expect Suzuki-kun to be no inferior to me in this regard—to be able to fool Shunsui Kyoraku with complete logic is not an easy task."
"Some things are actually more prone to baseless speculation if kept hidden. Giving a logic that everyone can make sense of can actually reduce a lot of curious people."
Suzuki Makoto brewed two cups of tea.
"How is your progress in Hueco Mundo?"
"It is advancing steadily. Now that the Seireitei has quieted down, Gin and Kaname also have more time to help. Whether it is the expansion of Hueco Mundo or the experiments on Hollows, the progress is quite good—oh, right. There is something you might be happy about. A Hollow that defected to us recently brought me a piece of news: to the north of Las Noches, there are two Hollows that they cannot approach. Because as soon as they get close, they become weak and then die. That place has become something like a forbidden zone."
"Hollows actually have a concept like a 'death zone'?"
Aizen gently shook his head.
"Hollows without memories who cannot think naturally cannot have such an understanding. They simply turned the awareness that 'getting close to kin means death' into a conditioned reflex, and then instinctively avoided that place."
"Sounds very interesting. I'll ask the Captain-Commander for leave during this period, and then I'll go personally to probe it."
Suzuki Makoto also became interested at this moment.
Two Hollows. Other Hollows die upon approaching—it sounded like Starrk and Lilynette.
The first Vasto Lorde Menos Grande in Hueco Mundo to self-Arrancarize. Even after splitting himself into two parts, he could still maintain the Vasto Lorde level without wavering.
____
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