In the end, under Higashi Shuuichi's persuasive reasoning, Aizen ultimately refrained from killing the Kurosaki couple.
He even abandoned his plan to continue gathering Quincy intel in the Human World.
Because this time, Shuuichi had revealed something crucial—the Quincy: Vollständig, the ultimate evolution of their powers.
In short, the Quincies who remained in the Human World were fundamentally different from those hiding within the shadows of Soul Society. Studying them wouldn't yield what Aizen needed to counter Yhwach.
Yet Aizen had no interest in poking the Wandenreich hive prematurely.
Hueco Mundo allowed him to move Hollows freely for information gathering. The Wandenreich, however, existed within a hidden shadow realm overlaid upon Soul Society itself. The moment a Hollow or Shinigami appeared there, the illusion of its secrecy would be shattered.
And Aizen didn't want the Wandenreich's Quincies to know they'd been discovered. Not yet. That would spoil the game when Yhwach awoke.
So Aizen departed, taking the Arrancar—the one who had been sent to gather intel on the surface-world Quincies—with him. He left the Kurosakis bleeding but alive.
"Takuya… Did you see that? That was a Hollow. Our enemy," whispered Kurosaki Mai, still trembling, as Shuuichi walked over and began healing her. "Promise me, if you ever see another like that—one whose mask is shattered but who still reeks of Hollow power—run."
A kind soul, this woman...
Shuuichi said nothing.
He pulled his awareness out of Tōno Takuya, leaving only minimal AI-level instructions behind: heal the Kurosakis. Protect them.
There was no longer any Hollow threat. No need for Shuuichi to remain directly involved.
He couldn't help but wonder: was kindness a Kurosaki family trait? Something that ran as deep as blood, like in the Shiba clan? Perhaps that's why their destinies seemed to intertwine.
Thanks to the Kurosakis' dedicated training, Takuya had advanced with astounding speed. Aside from the fact that his Reiryoku control was capped—since it was still ultimately derived from Shuuichi's Shinigami self—Takuya was now essentially a fully qualified Quincy.
And that had been wholly unexpected.
Shuuichi originally thought Takuya, his Quincy doppelgänger, would need decades to mature. Instead, his gamble using Yhwach's body as a template had been a masterstroke.
But now a new question surfaced: should he reclaim this body?
In theory, his Shinigami self could now contain the Quincy power without triggering mutual annihilation. Just as he had already internalized Hollow power, so too could Quincy abilities reside within him peacefully.
But once the power returned to his main body, separating it again would be near impossible.
And that was a problem.
Shuuichi understood now that the only viable path for growing his Quincy power further lay in fusing it with Soul King fragments. If the power returned to his body, any future fragments might default to enhancing his Shinigami aspect instead.
A waste.
He already solved his Reiryoku cap by undergoing Hollowfication. The fragments of the Soul King no longer served as power boosts—they were now keys to new abilities.
And Shuuichi didn't care where those powers ended up.
Shinigami, Quincy, Hollow—it was all his.
So long as he could wield it when needed.
That brought him back to a question he'd once pondered decades ago: Where could he find more Soul King body fragments?
The Fullbringers he once delivered to Mayuri had long since been consumed. If any were still alive, they'd fled into Section West, beyond his reach.
One name flickered into his mind.
Ukitake Jūshirō.
The man bore the Soul King's right arm—the aspect of stillness and cessation.
Trouble was, Ukitake was Captain of the 13th Division. And Shuuichi held no ill will toward him.
Or should I just sneak into the Wandenreich?
Surely it's packed with Soul King parts...
Before he could plan further, an unusual notification reached him: a direct message from Tsunayashiro Tokitani.
He accepted the meeting.
"I thought you'd forgotten me," Tokitani said, smirking. "It's been over a month since I became the Grand Blade Reaper. First time hearing from you."
Shuuichi was looser than usual, even sarcastic. Unlike their first encounter, he didn't bother with courtesy.
Because among all the power players he'd dealt with—Aizen, Urahara, Mayuri—Tokitani had only one asset: ambition. His strength meant nothing without the Kyūtenkyōkoku, the Tsunayashiro heirloom.
Shuuichi estimated that, even now, he could crush Tokitani with one hand.
So he spoke boldly, as a superior should.
After all, despite the title of Grand Blade Reaper being nominally accountable to all noble clans, in reality he answered only to the Tsunayashiro family head—Tsunayashiro Kamihara.
Tokitani? A side-branch outcast. Nothing more.
And Tokitani didn't mind Shuuichi's tone. In fact, he was delighted.
This is the real Higashi Shuuichi, he thought. Not that fake humility he shows the others. This is trust.
"I've seen how you've been dealing with the Gotei 13 lately," Tokitani said. "Excellent moves. You understand your position among the nobility perfectly."
He opened with corporate flattery—basic stuff. Weak. Lacked finesse.
Shuuichi cut him off.
"Enough of that. You and I both know I only work with you because of the future you promised me. Otherwise, Kamihara would've been the obvious pick. So if you're calling me here, it better be about something real."
Tokitani's smile didn't waver. He liked this version of Shuuichi best.
"Alright," he said. "As we agreed before—your strength rivals the Gotei. Your performance at the captains' assembly was flawless. But it's not enough. You're just one man. They are thirteen divisions."
"I've realized that too," Shuuichi replied. "But there's no easy solution. Unless… you have one?"
He frowned slightly.
Only Mayuri and Ōshū Yoshima knew about his plan to recruit defectors. And Mayuri's lab was secure—even the Observation Hall's surveillance tech couldn't reach it.
So how could Tokitani possibly know?
"Don't underestimate the Observation Hall," Tokitani bragged. "It covers most of Soul Society. Even parts of the Human World. Even Hueco Mundo."
Showboating, Shuuichi thought. Meaningless.
He had long since pegged Tokitani as a dangerous narcissist. But not a threat.
Still, he played along.
"So what are you trying to say?"
Tokitani leaned in.
"There's a type of Hollow I'm sure you remember. One that attacked the Noble Hunt. We later called them Arrancar."
Shuuichi nodded slowly.
"Right. Hollows who gained powers on par with Captains, sometimes beyond. Afterward, Central 46 decreed that all lower-level Shinigami were to retreat on sight. Even Captains were forbidden from engaging alone."
"You remember well. But tell me, what if I said that these Arrancar have been multiplying rapidly?"
Tokitani's eyes gleamed.
"In less than twenty years, I've counted over a hundred distinct Arrancar through Observation Hall footage. If each is as strong as Yamamoto claimed..."
He trembled with excitement.
"Impossible," Shuuichi gasped theatrically. "If Hueco Mundo had that many… they could overrun us."
He knew the truth: they were Aizen's defective creations—trash-tier, most weaker than Lieutenants.
But Shuuichi loved playing along.
Tokitani basked in it.
"The strange thing is," Tokitani continued, "they've been quiet. Passive. Most attacks on us still come from basic Menos. Why?"
He stared at Shuuichi expectantly.
"…I don't know," Shuuichi replied.
Tokitani leaned in.
"It means they have thoughts. Strategy. They are no longer beasts. They can be controlled."
"And if they can be controlled, then…?"
"You understand," Tokitani smiled. "They're no different from us. Human. Shinigami. Hollow. The same. The Soul King once split us apart. But originally—we were one."
"I never said we should make them members of the Grand Blade Hunt…"
"Then what are you saying?"
Tokitani stood.
"As I understand it, the current ruler of Hueco Mundo is an Arrancar named Baraggan. But who said the ruler of Hueco Mundo must be a Hollow?"
"You… want the throne?"
"No."
Tokitani's eyes burned.
"I want you, Higashi Shuuichi, to take it."
"You have Hollowfication. You're not like other Shinigami. You can become Hollow. They'll accept you. And with your power, conquering Hueco Mundo shouldn't be difficult."
Shuuichi hesitated. "Maybe. But I'm still one man…"
"You're not alone," Tokitani snapped. "If you act, I'll spread rumors. Kamihara and Yamamoto will learn of the Arrancar swarm. What do you think they'll do?"
"Yamamoto would send scouts immediately," Shuuichi replied. "As for Kamihara…"
He trailed off. Kamihara was an enigma, absent from his past knowledge.
But Tokitani filled the gap:
"He'll ask you to capture controllable Arrancar. To see if they can be used. After all… who better to carry out dirty work than those already considered filth?"
Shuuichi stared at him.
And in that moment, he saw it:
The storm coming to Soul Society. One it was never meant to survive.