Bleach: No cheat codes, he joined Aizen's side.

Chapter 148, Section 146: Aizen Takes Action at the Wedding
For Shuichi Higashino, there was only one answer to how to obtain a subordinate who would not be disliked by Tsunayoshiro Kanbara: he had to manually create another traitor from Soul Society.

He was the kind of traitor that Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni could not tolerate.

Clearly, the long-running soul modification project is the best starting point.

This technology, which would have been classified as a prohibited technology by the Central 46 in the original storyline, is naturally unacceptable to conservatives like Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni because it involves the human soul and the power of the void.

Therefore, when Mayuri Kurotsuchi said that the next stage of the soul-modification experiment was somewhat dangerous, Shuichi Higashino raised his hands in agreement with Mayuri Kurotsuchi's idea without hesitation.

It's like someone handing you a pillow when you're about to doze off.

Therefore, both Shuichi Higashino and Mayuri Kurotsuchi felt a sense of regret for not having met sooner when it came to the implementation of this plan.

Of course, Higashino Shuichi's target couldn't be Mayuri Kurotsuchi, or rather, even if Higashino Shuichi wanted Mayuri Kurotsuchi, he wouldn't use such methods.

Because for a scientist like Mayuri Kurotsuchi, who is solely focused on research and has no standards of human morality, honor, or even a sense of responsibility, there is no need to forcibly pull him into one's camp to cooperate with him.

This is precisely the difference between people like Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Kisuke Urahara.

Compared to Kisuke Urahara, who is cunning and seems to want to have eight hundred schemes inside his body, Mayuri Kurotsuchi is more like a pure scientific researcher.

Higashino Shuichi's original purpose for coming here was to see Yushima Ouko.

No one is more suitable to carry out this plan than Yujima Oshi, the original minor boss.

Oshima himself had no objection to this.

As someone with considerable research talent and a strong desire to prove himself, he had long wanted to break away from Mayuri Kurotsuchi and go it alone.

Not to mention, this time, Higashino Shuichi assured him that no matter what the final outcome, Higashino Shuichi would protect him in front of the Gotei 13 and recruit him into the Sword Hunters.

It can be said that Higashino Shuichi gently put down the last stone in Yushima Ouko's heart.

Therefore, this plan, which would cause quite a stir in the Soul Society, was initially formulated in this small underground laboratory of the Twelfth Division.

However, plans are just plans; to actually implement them, we still need to wait for the right time, place, and people.

One day during this waiting period, Higashino Shuichi received a gorgeous and exquisite wedding invitation at the newly built sword-hunting camp of the Tsuna Yayo family.

To the Great Sword Hunter, Higashino Shuichi

The invitation was concise and to the point, suggesting that the person who sent it to Higashino Shuichi didn't seem to value the invitation too much, and it's possible that it was just a necessary courtesy.

The invitation contained only one message: inviting Higashino Shuichi to attend the wedding of Kuchiki Byakuya, the eldest son of Kuchiki Sōjun, the current head of the Kuchiki family.

"Byakuya Kuchiki's wedding?"

When Higashino Shuichi saw this name, he naturally thought of another important character, Kuchiki Rukia.

Of course, at this point in time, Rukia should not have been given the surname Kuchiki yet.

They may even still be in the stage of being homeless.

If it were decades ago, Higashino Shuichi might have been extremely interested in Kuchiki Byakuya and Kuchiki Rukia, and might even have taken the initiative to help Kuchiki Byakuya find his wife Kuchiki Hisa's sister, Rukia.

Unfortunately, times have changed, and the current Shuichi Higashino no longer needs to do things like currying favor with the main characters of the original Soul Society storyline.

For Shuichi Higashino, now that he holds the key to the Shadow World, whether or not Ichigo Kurosaki exists has become less important.

The wish he made when he first arrived in the world of death—to live on—is now no difficult task for him at all.

The main problems troubling Higashino Shuichi now are how to avoid being targeted by that foolish monk from the Soul King Palace and turned into a human stick, and how to find his footing in the future where he is at odds with the Gotei 13.

However, given Higashino Shuichi's current status, it would seem strange for him, as the head of the Kuchiki family, one of the five great noble families in Soul Society second only to the Tsuna Yayo family, not to attend the wedding of the eldest son of the family's patriarch.

Thus, at Byakuya Kuchiki's wedding five days later, among the Shinigami of the Gotei 13, Shuichi Higashino, the lone swordsman, stood out as an oddity.

"Isn't that the former vice-captain of the Higashino unit? Shouldn't we go over and say hello to him?"

"Are you stupid? He's the Great Sword Hunter now, haven't you heard? The purpose of the Sword Hunters was to deal with the Shinigami of the Gotei 13!"

"Yes, yes, yes. Don't be fooled by the fact that the Sword Hunters are nominally part of our Gotei 13. In reality, they don't obey the Captain-Commander's orders; they only follow the orders of those nobles."

"I see. No wonder I heard that the Great Sword Commander was a traitor in the past. I heard that before he defected from Soul Society, he fought with many of our captains and almost killed Captain Soi Fon of the Second Division!"

The wedding was attended by a large number of Shinigami, befitting the wedding of Byakuya Kuchiki, the future head of the Kuchiki family. However, there were also a great deal of gossip circulating at the scene. Even though Shuichi Higashino was sitting in a corner and not using his spiritual sense to listen to the whispers of the Shinigami around him, he could still hear a great deal of discussion about him, most of which was quite offensive.

Higashino Shuichi didn't know how the story of him using Bankai: Killing with a Borrowed Knife to seal the release of the other captains' Zanpakuto on that day came to be rumored as him going to deal with the other Shinigami. Presumably, the Tsuna Yayo family must have played a significant role in it.

The latter had put in a lot of effort behind the scenes in order to completely weld themselves to the Tsunayo family's big ship.

Unfortunately, these people don't realize that their actions will ultimately benefit a man who claims to be an insignificant nobody.

Fortunately, Higashino Shuichi remained loyal to another man, so these words didn't hurt him much.

After all, no matter which perspective you take, Higashino Shuichi is destined to be on the opposite side of the Gotei 13, and these people are not wrong.

"What exactly do you want to do, Shuichi?" Suddenly, a petite figure appeared opposite Shuichi Higashino, who was drinking alone. Her persistent eyes stared intently at Shuichi as she asked.

"Before answering your question, I think I need to ask you a question first: are you asking me as the little girl I used to know, Koya, or as Soi Fon, the captain of the second division of the Gotei 13?"

Higashino Shuichi swirled the wine in his glass and said casually.

Is there any difference between the two?

Soi Fon has a small head and likes to think in a straightforward manner.

"If it were Shoya, I would answer that I just wanted to tell the others in Soul Society that none of us were traitors back then. We were the ones who did wrong. So when the Tsunayo family found me and told me that they were willing to give me a chance to clear my name, I agreed without hesitation."

"But if it were Soi Fon, I would tell you, Yamamoto, he's wrong. The order of Soul Society has been shattered because of his corruption. The Gotei 13 is no longer a symbol of justice. I've returned to rebuild a new order in Soul Society. I will tell him, I will tell you Gotei 13, that those Shinigami you consider traitors aren't necessarily traitors. They are traitors simply because you crudely labeled them as such, nothing more."

Higashino Shuichi knew that while Soi Fon was asking him this question on the surface, wasn't it also the other Shinigami of the Gotei 13 asking him this question behind the scenes?
Aside from the nobles at the Tsunayo family that day, Aizen, and Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Higashino Shuichi believed that every Shinigami of the Gotei 13 had countless questions in their hearts regarding their powerful return.

Especially now, a month after the Sword Hunter Clan was announced, the entire Sword Hunter Clan still only has Higashino Shuichi as its commander. There must be countless people who want to see who will be the first person they recruit into the Sword Hunter Clan.

"So, Lord Shuichi, do you still firmly believe that you were framed by the current Third Division Captain Gin Ichimaru, Fifth Division Captain Sosuke Aizen, and Ninth Division Captain Kaname Tosen in that incident?"

After hearing Higashino Shuichi's answer, Soi Fon selectively ignored the rest of his statement. For her, the good news was that Shuichi seemed to be the same old Shuichi; the bad news was that Shuichi's persistence was unlikely to be recognized.

"But Lord Shuichi, you must understand that on that day, all three captains—Gin Ichimaru, Kaname Tōsen, and Sōsuke Aizen—had very solid alibis. But you only have your side of the story. The Central 46 won't believe you, and neither will the Captain-Commander."

"I know, that's why I came back in person, didn't I?" Higashino Shuichi looked at Soi Fon, a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes. "Whether it's Ichimaru Gin, Tosen Kaname, or Aizen Sousuke, I will find their weaknesses. One day, I will get justice for myself and for all those Shinigami who were wronged back then!"

"Lord Shuichi, haven't you considered other possibilities? For example, that day, were you blinded?"

Soi Fon knows that Shuichi Higashino's initial intentions are good, but she believes that Shuichi is very likely going down a completely wrong path.

No one knows why Hideaki was so certain that Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen attacked him, but all the Shinigami know that on that day, both Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen had perfect alibis.

This is a consensus within Soul Society, one that Shuichi could never break.

However, Soi Fon was unaware that she was actually very close to the truth.

But the truth is incredibly hard to believe.

After all, who would have thought that it wasn't Higashino Shuichi who was blinded, but rather the vast majority of ordinary Grim Reapers who were deceived of their five senses?

"Shao Ling, I know what you want to say, but I have my own principles, and it is these principles that have brought me to where I am today. You don't need to try to persuade me anymore."

Higashino Hideichi shook his head.

You can never wake up a person who pretends to be asleep.

Higashino Shuichi is now the one pretending to be asleep.

He believed that his conversation with Soi Fon today would soon reach the ears of people like Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.

This can be seen as a preventative measure that Higashino Shuichi gave to Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni. As for whether the old man can understand Higashino Shuichi's meaning, Higashino Shuichi can't guarantee it.

But as I said before, he has already had someone deliver the item. If he takes action later, then don't blame Higashino Shuichi for being unethical.

While Higashino Shuichi was attending Kuchiki Byakuya's wedding, far away in Hueco Mundo's Las Noches Palace, an experimental Arrancar stepped off the experimental table.

"As per your request, Lord Aizen, I have urgently adjusted this Hollow, which was originally used to capture the abilities of Shinigami, to be more like a Quincy. However, as far as I know, there shouldn't be any powerful Quincy in the human world right now. I wonder why you suddenly became interested in Quincy, Lord Aizen?"

Looking at this imperfect product that clearly showed signs of being rushed out, it was impossible for Szayelaporro not to feel dissatisfied.

After all, compared to the Quincy in the present world who are completely insignificant, Szayelaporro is clearly more inclined to study the Shinigami, who are their current greatest enemies.

Especially before, this Arrancar, who had been specially modified to capture specific abilities specifically for Shinigami, took Szayelaporro more than ten years to study and finally made some progress. But not long ago, Aizen suddenly came to Las Noches and just abandoned him.

Back then, it was Szayelaporro who first pointed out that doing it this way was extremely inefficient. So who was it that insisted on doing it this way? Now that the truth has finally come out, they're saying no again. Are they kidding me?

Unfortunately, Aizen couldn't hear Szayelaporro's inner thoughts: "If not now, then what about the future? Apollo, you need to learn to plan ahead."

The rain that hasn't yet fallen, the plan that has already been made.

Szayelaporro outwardly responded humbly, but inwardly he had cursed Aizen Sousuke countless times.

What is there to pay attention to about the Quincy who are completely insignificant in the world?
Let alone Adjuchas, even a single Gillian would be enough to give those Quincy a run for their money.

To this end, they even specially modified an Arrancar specifically to deal with Shinigami of vice-captain level or above. Isn't this using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?
"So, Lord Aizen, where do you intend to send him? As per your orders, we have been sending a large number of ordinary lower-level Hollows into the human world recently, and we have preliminarily determined the locations of some Quincy in the human world. This is a partial list I have compiled and a distribution map of these Quincy, along with my approximate strength of these Quincy based on data feedback."

Szayelaporro handed a small booklet to Aizen and said.

Aizen only glanced at it briefly before spotting a surname that immediately struck him as strangely familiar.

A smile played on his lips as he extended a hand and pointed to the name, saying softly, "Her."

(End of this chapter)