When Ron spoke, Aizen's lifted right foot froze in mid-air.
In that instant, he rejected the very possibility.
It contradicted everything his experiments had ever proven.
Aizen didn't believe that someone else could complete the Hōgyoku when even he couldn't.
And yet…
A sliver of expectation stirred in the loneliness inside him.
Born a genius, he had never found a true equal.
No one could stand on the same height as him.
Had that person finally appeared?
…Of course, Ron didn't count.
Driven by that faint hope, Aizen turned and asked quietly:
"Who is it?"
Ron smiled and pointed toward a table.
"Him. Grey Wolf."
Grey Wolf paused mid-bite, chewing on his revenge mutton.
"Boss? You called me?"
"???"
Aizen stared at the wolf-like creature.
His intelligence felt insulted.
His dignity felt mocked.
You expect a wolf to complete the Hōgyoku?
Is this a joke?
"Boss, deceiving people is a bad habit," Aizen said coldly.
"Are you treating me like a fool?"
Ron remained relaxed.
"You can let him take a look at the Hōgyoku. If he succeeds, you help me with three things."
Aizen didn't answer.
He fell into deep thought.
To give it, or not?
If he gave it, he felt humiliated.
If he refused, and the wolf actually succeeded…?
He was trapped between two equally absurd choices.
Meanwhile, Ron picked up a cat toy and teased the black cat in his arms.
The feather brushed past Yoruichi's eyes, awakening primal hunting instinct.
She batted at it several times—
Then, with her mature husky voice:
"Are you… toying with me?!"
Yoruichi wanted to strangle Ron.
A refined lady, doing such undignified things in public!
"No," Ron said seriously.
"I'm just teasing a cat. Why call it toying?"
"Oh really? Teasing a cat is boring. What if I return to my real form? Isn't that more fun?"
She clawed at the toy, eyes gleaming with threat.
Ron paused.
A vivid memory flashed.
Last time she transformed…
she wasn't wearing anything.
Hiss—
Perfect.
Tanned domineering big sister was indeed supreme.
He immediately set down the toy and coughed.
"Tonight. Too many people around."
Before the heat even dispersed, Aizen spoke again.
"Fine. Let him try. If he succeeds, I'll do those three things."
Grey Wolf grumbled from the table:
"I'm not in the mood. Another day."
He lowered his head and continued gnawing mutton.
What did they take him for?
He wasn't going to just perform because someone asked.
Aizen froze.
He had been rejected—
by a wolf.
What was happening to this world?
Rayleigh chuckled:
"You should buy him a few sheep."
"So simple?"
Rayleigh nodded.
"Yes. That simple."
Aizen could only laugh bitterly.
Never thought he'd see the day he had to please a wolf.
Ron called toward the kitchen:
"Rem, roast three sheep for Grey Wolf. Aizen'll pay."
Aizen forced out a single word through clenched teeth.
"Fine."
Ron wasn't only doing this for the three favors.
He genuinely wanted to see Grey Wolf's limit.
If he could repair a complete Hōgyoku…
then things like Senzu Beans, Infinity Stones, Power Armor might also be within reach.
Shortly after, Thor, Rem, and Ram each brought out a whole roasted sheep.
Grey Wolf's eyes sparkled—
and he offered a very valuable suggestion:
"Boss… don't waste the sheep whips and sheep balls. Don't roast them. Pack them raw for me."
"No need to hunt sheep outside anymore. I'm training a new account. Need supplements."
"Okay," Ron nodded.
Aizen's eyelids twitched madly.
Grey Wolf tugged his sleeve with greasy paws.
"Give it here. For the sake of the sheep, I'll take a look."
Grease stained the white captain's haori.
Aizen felt his life had been dirtied.
"Here…" He passed over the Hōgyoku.
Then—
The tavern filled with sparks and the sound of drills.
No one spoke.
Everyone stared in shock.
So this… was hand-crafted rocketry.
Liang Bing muttered helplessly:
"What even is this creature? Bitch, does your knowledge database have anything?"
Kaisha, equally stunned, didn't notice the insult.
She shook her head.
"Analysis results: he is simply a wolf. No further information can be calculated."
Moments earlier, they had tried to analyze the Hōgyoku.
The process would take hundreds, thousands of years.
Yet this wolf was repairing it with bare hands and a power drill.
It shattered their understanding.
In Ron's arms, Yoruichi stared with wide eyes.
Beside her, Aizen's heart heaved like a storm.
…It was working.
From the aura of the Hōgyoku, it was clearly being completed.
Aizen heard a "crack" in his mind.
The sound of a worldview collapsing.
He hadn't expected that something he could not finish…
a wolf could.
And not by hand — but with power tools.
Time passed. Night fell.
Grey Wolf checked the time and stopped.
"You said this thing provides something called reiatsu. The Hōgyoku is like a reactor. To repair it, I'm missing something important. I'll find it. Slow process."
Aizen took back the Hōgyoku.
"How long?"
"If short, two weeks. If long, a year. Maybe two. I'm going home to my wife and kids. See you tomorrow."
Grey Wolf waved and left.
Aizen stepped aside instinctively, watching the wolf vanish into the world.
Other guests finished their drinks and left.
Only Aizen remained, doubting his entire existence.
Then—
The tavern bell rang.
Ding-ling…
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