Interlude
Scattered Segments from the Journal of Arrarrico Caro.
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"Aizen was defeated by Kurosaki Ichigo and Muramasa, a rogue Zanpakuto Aizen had no prior knowledge of.
"That was a mistake I determined not to make, and so I studied everything, through the eyes and ears of my earliest Shinigami followers. Every noble family, every Shinigami captain and their families, every officer, past and present, who still lives or had an unconfirmed death. I studied strange events, legends, and prophesies, and put an end to many that could throw a wrench in my plans before they ever came to fruition. I gained my two of my four generals in that way."
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"I know what it is I am facing. Fourteen Captains, including Kurosaki Ichigo, all studied as far as common records can provide. Observed, measured, Zanpakutos noted. Dozens of officers, studied thoroughly. The traitor Arrancar and Arrancar Mod-Soul, and Kurosaki Ryohime, wielding the second of the two Zanpakutos that defeated Aizen. All neatly set down on the board, and playing their parts as predicted. Not as I would want it, nor as I hoped for, but as predicted."
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"I'm growing more and more fond of my head researcher.
"Akama-kun hates Kurotsuchi-san, and has told me as much many times. He used to be in the man's Division and has first-hand experience with Kurotsuchi's methods, or so he claims. I'm inclined to believe him, but I still can't give up such a valuable resource. I must simply keep Kurotsuchi away from the loyal.
"We've found the perfect line of research for him, though. His Zanpakuto is dead, he apparently treated it so poorly for so long that their souls became disconnected, and it's now little more then a sharpened lump of metal. This makes him far less useful in a fight then he should be, and it was burning him from even before I found him. The drive to discover new power is now his focus, and a better one for the Dioses Muerte I cannot think of.
"The lesser Hogyoku we found with Akama's men gives him a bit of a headstart, and Aizen's own generals give him a template to follow. A Shinigami, turned Hollow, might achieve greater powers then either were formerly capable of. It is with that as a goal Kurotsuchi Mayuri now works.
"I've been sending those that cannot be loyal to me, or who are conflicted to the point of insanity, to his lab to use as test subjects. He has had a notion I find very promising; Hollowfying weaker Shinigami and then having them devour each other, the strongest coming out on top with the strength of them all. With subjects who are already hybridizations of Hollow and Shinigami... the potential may be greater then previously suspected.
"I look forward to seeing his results. Sometimes I must remind myself that he is a despicable man, and crueler then a Shinigami should be capable of... otherwise I might find myself respecting him."
