They traveled through time at the same time, but the villainous scientist

Chapter 241 The truth of the world

The 12th Division, the waiting room.

The air here lacks the sandalwood and ink fragrance of a typical teahouse; instead, it carries a faint smell of disinfectant.

The walls were not made of paper sliding doors, but of a smooth, mirror-like white polymer material that reflected everything in the room, yet seemed to absorb all light and shadow, appearing cold and empty.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Sosuke Aizen sat facing each other across an obsidian-like coffee table.

On the coffee table, wisps of steam rose from two uniquely shaped white porcelain teacups.

On Mayuri Kurotsuchi's face, painted with black and white paint, no expression could be seen. Her pupils reflected the image of the bespectacled, gentle man opposite her.

Aizen Sousuke, the captain of the Fifth Division, a universally acknowledged gentleman in Soul Society, sat there with his signature gentle smile that seemed to melt away all ice and snow.

His every move exuded a scholarly air, which seemed out of place in this laboratory-like environment, yet strangely created a bizarre harmony, as if he could turn any setting into his own domain.

"Captain Aizen, is there something you need from me?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi finally spoke, breaking the brief silence.

According to the memories of his predecessor, he and Aizen Sousuke had almost no private interactions, except for nodding to each other at the captain's meeting.

Moreover, at this point in time, Aizen should be plotting to insert the Hogyoku into Rukia's body...

Aizen didn't answer immediately. He elegantly picked up the cup of purple tea, gently blew on the rising steam, and then took a small sip.

"A very unique flavor,"

He put down his teacup, smiled, and praised it.
"It blends the rare 'night-blooming jasmine' and 'bergamot' of Seireitei, and then uses some kind of alcohol to catalyze and maximize the aroma of both. Truly... a hospitality befitting Captain Kurotsuchi."

"If you're just here to enjoy tea, then I'm sorry I can't keep you company; my research time is very precious."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi remained noncommittal; the tea was prepared by Nemuru Kurotsuchi, and he himself did not know what was in it.

"Haha, of course not."

Aizen maintained his gentle smile, shifting his gaze from his teacup to Mayuri Kurotsuchi. His brown eyes, behind his glasses, appeared deep and serene.
"I just have some personal thoughts on something that happened recently, and I'd like to hear Captain Nee's opinion."

"About Rukia Kuchiki."

He paused, then spoke in a calm tone, as if discussing the weather.

Upon hearing this, Mayuri Kurotsuchi's heart stirred.

Rukia Kuchiki?
"It was not because of evil deeds, but simply because a taboo was broken, that people were sent to the execution platform."

Aizen's voice was gentle, yet like a precise scalpel, dissecting the core of the problem.

"Captain Nie, do you think this system is reasonable?"

For a moment, the air in the reception room seemed to freeze.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi remained silent, her face showing no change, but her mind was racing at breakneck speed.

What exactly was Inzen's purpose?
This is not a simple question; it sharply points to the cornerstone of the Soul Society's stable order—an unquestionable order jointly maintained by the Central 46 Chambers and the four noble families.

The rigid class structure in this world has reached an appalling level.

The old forces, led by the four noble families, held all power. The law was a tool for them to maintain their rule, not a standard for upholding justice.

The existence of Death, an individual wielding extraordinary power, renders any resistance from the common people at the bottom of society pale and powerless.

The entire Soul Society is like a stagnant pool, calm on the surface but stagnant beneath, filled with millennia of decay.

Aizen, according to the information he knew, was the biggest variable that would overturn this stagnant pool.

Everything he did was aimed at overthrowing this world built by the Spirit King, nobles, and outdated laws.

Therefore, when he asked this question, he was not seeking an answer, but rather stating his position and making a test.

but why?
“I don’t think this is reasonable…” “Any punishment should be based on an accurate determination of the nature of the crime.”

To conflate 'breaking taboos' with 'doing evil' is itself a form of logical laziness.

At the very least... the severity of punishment should be discussed only after the specific harm caused by the act has been determined.

After a moment's thought, Mayuri Kurotsuchi gave his answer.

"Ha~"

Upon hearing this answer, Aizen's smile deepened; the laughter was soft, yet tinged with amusement.
"So that's what Captain Negi thought?"

I thought that in your world, besides 'interesting' and 'boring,' 'success' and 'failure,' there was no concept of 'reasonable' and 'unreasonable.'

"That's just a superficial view of my shallow creations from the outside world."

"True research is itself an exploration of the world's deepest 'rationality'."

"Captain Aizen, you didn't come all this way to my Twelfth Division just for a debate about the law, did you?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi shook his head, his eyes fixed directly on Aizen without flinching.

"Could it be that you've been asked by Captain Kuchiki to have me plead for his sister at the next captain's meeting?"

"Hehe... Captain Byakuya isn't the kind of person who would break the rules for personal reasons."

And Captain Nexus... you're probably not the type to speak up out of pity, are you?"

Aizen adjusted his glasses, a subtle movement that made his eyes behind the lenses appear even more unfathomable.
"I came here just to confirm one thing."

He leaned forward slightly, and his gentle and refined demeanor quietly faded away, replaced by a chilling sense of oppression.

The air in the entire room seemed to thicken because of his single action.

He stared intently at Mayuri Kurotsuchi and asked, word by word:

Do you want to know the truth about this world?

The truth about the world?
These five words exploded in Mayuri Kurotsuchi's mind like a thunderclap.

In an instant, all the clues and all the doubts were connected.

Why did Aizen suddenly visit? Why did he ask those questions about systems and rationality?

He had no connection with Aizen; the only variable was the experiment he conducted a few days ago...

It wasn't because of Rukia Kuchiki; that was just a starting point.

It wasn't because of any so-called political stance; that was just a starting point.

The real reason... was that explosion! It was from an experiment I conducted a few days ago in the deepest underground laboratory!
Mayuri Kurotsuchi instantly grasped that crucial moment.

He attempted to replicate the miracle of "materialization of the soul" by combining the "spiritual particles" of this world with Einzbern's artificial human technology.

Although the experiment ended in a catastrophic explosion, the "quality" of the power that erupted at the moment the creation was formed could not be simply summarized as spiritual pressure.

That is the power to create something from nothing, to forcibly distort the laws, and to transform mind and will into reality!
In other words, did Aizen notice something unusual about it?

"Ha~"

"I'm afraid... no researcher could refuse this..."

Having figured this out, Mayuri Kurotsuchi gave his answer.

If that's the case, then Aizen's purpose in visiting him was most likely to recruit him...

(End of this chapter)