After countless days and nights, a crisp sound rang out—
Swish!
The Senkaimon slowly slid open, and Masatsuki Aozaki nimbly leaped out.
He had arrived at the Senkaimon belonging to the noble Aozaki family.
Since this was private territory, there was no need to worry about outsiders noticing his arrival.
Masatsuki Aozaki gave himself a light shake, stretched his muscles, and then walked briskly toward the family residence.
He couldn't wait to soak in a hot bath and properly relax.
Lately, he had been utterly exhausted. Those Arrancars had been way too wild…
Sigh, forget it—some things were better left unsaid.
When he pushed open the door to his room, his eyes immediately landed on Rangiku Matsumoto, who was lounging inside.
She was lying on her side on the tatami mat, idly grabbing snacks from the table and popping them into her mouth, looking completely at ease.
"My dear, slacking off again? Aren't you afraid Chōjirō will scold you?"
Masatsuki Aozaki chuckled as he approached, kneeling down and wrapping his arms around her from behind.
"Hmph, you're one to talk! You probably ran off somewhere to fool around and lost track of time, didn't you?"
"Today's my day off. Not even the old man Chōjirō can do anything about it."
Rangiku Matsumoto turned her head and pouted, clearly hinting that Masatsuki Aozaki should make it up to her.
Masatsuki Aozaki got the message and lowered his head, stealing a quick kiss.
"You have your own room—so why are you here? Just tell me, what do you need from me?"
"You troublemaker..."
Rangiku Matsumoto licked her lips.
"The Inner Court Troop came looking for you. Since I couldn't find you, I took the order on your behalf and decided to wait here."
"The Inner Court Troop? What did the old man order this time?" Masatsuki Aozaki asked.
...
"Old man, have you lost your mind? You want me to go to Rukongai and kill people?"
"We're the 11th Division, Seireitei's combat unit. Massacring civilians isn't part of our job!"
Masatsuki Aozaki slammed his hand on the table.
"You actually care about that?"
Yamamoto raised an eyebrow slightly.
Masatsuki Aozaki shot him a glance, immediately recognizing the unspoken jab at his past in Rukongai.
Back then, he hadn't hesitated to kill.
"I did slaughter plenty of people in Rukongai, but now, I'd like to be a decent person."
Masatsuki Aozaki smirked.
"For something like this, you should ask Kyōraku-senpai instead. He's got the heart for it—this job suits him perfectly."
"You're worried about your reputation now?"
Yamamoto let out a chuckle, though there was a hint of relief in his tone.
"Not bad, you've grown."
"But these are extraordinary times. For some reason, a large number of Menos have disappeared from Hueco Mundo. We need to restore balance between the two worlds."
"Anyone could handle this task, right? I'm a captain of the Gotei 13, the mighty 11th Kenpachi, a towering idol in the eyes of my squad. Do you know how many admirers I have in Seireitei?"
Masatsuki Aozaki thought for a moment, then firmly shook his head.
"You want me to do this? Won't that ruin my image? How will all the sweet and gentle girls of Seireitei still adore me?"
Yamamoto's eye twitched. His grip on his cane tightened as he resisted the urge to draw his blade.
He knew this brat wasn't refusing because of kindness or morality.
No, Masatsuki Aozaki wasn't rejecting the mission out of compassion—he just didn't want to tarnish his reputation.
Then again, at their level, kindness was never a necessary virtue.
Yamamoto had discarded his own sense of mercy over a thousand years ago.
Still, even though he was willing to wield the blade for the sake of this world, he would never take such decisions lightly.
"Rest assured, if you handle this mission well, not only will you avoid blame, but you'll be rewarded. The Gotei 13 does not forget merit."
Yamamoto sighed, shaking his head.
He wondered if a thousand years of peace had softened him.
"The task I'm giving you is to purge the criminals from Rukongai's 80th District."
"Criminals? That's fine!" Masatsuki Aozaki scratched his head. "Give me three months, and I'll make sure not a single one is left. I'll clear out the entire district."
"Only the criminals!" Yamamoto's expression hardened, his tone firm. "Don't go overboard!"
He didn't want his most promising disciple to turn into a bloodthirsty madman.
A madman couldn't be a leader.
"I know, I know. But tell me, is there anyone decent left in that place?" Masatsuki Aozaki waved a hand dismissively.
Yamamoto fell silent.
He had nothing to say.
Good people?
Of course not.
No good person could survive in a place like that.
Masatsuki Aozaki looked at his master and understood—this silence was the best answer.
Even in the original story, Kenpachi Zaraki, a fan-favorite, had been a ruthless killer before joining the Gotei 13.
He lived for battle, never caring who died by his blade.
...
As soon as Masatsuki Aozaki returned to the 11th Division, he ran into Aizen, who had been waiting for him.
"Congratulations, Captain Masatsuki. Yet another opportunity to achieve great military success. The Captain-Commander certainly favors you."
Aizen nodded in acknowledgment.
"Sōsuke, you're not mocking me, are you?"
Masatsuki Aozaki's lips curled into a sly smile.
"Captain Masatsuki, you're overthinking things," Aizen responded with a perfectly polite smile.
"No need to deny it, Sōsuke."
"Being passive-aggressive is an essential skill between friends."
"I have to say, I'm impressed—you've made real progress."
Masatsuki Aozaki teased.
Aizen gave a meaningless nod.
"But, Captain Masatsuki… are you truly prepared for this? This operation will likely result in heavy casualties."
"If you're unwilling, there's no need to force yourself."
"You could always use your status as a high-ranking noble. With the Captain-Commander's personality, he wouldn't pressure you into something you don't want to do."
Masatsuki Aozaki waved a hand carelessly.
"I've long lost track of how much blood I have on my hands. What's a few more bodies?"
"Besides, the old man has high expectations of me. I should at least show some effort, right?"
"Hm?" Aizen's eyes narrowed slightly.
In his memory, this friend of his was an utterly self-serving man.
But now, Masatsuki Aozaki was considering Yamamoto's feelings?
That was unexpected.
Seeing Aizen's skeptical expression, Masatsuki Aozaki chuckled.
"Don't look at me like that. Humans are complicated creatures—difficult to understand."
"I'm still selfish. This is just another kind of selfishness."
"So, selfishness means acting in one's own interest while seeking connections with others?" Aizen mused.
"Something like that." Masatsuki Aozaki nodded. "Isn't that how all humans are? Whether they like it or not, they're always tied to others."
"That includes me. And it includes you."
"…That's an interesting perspective." Aizen smiled. "Should I start calling you the great philosopher Masatsuki Aozaki?"
Masatsuki Aozaki shook his head. "Not bad. Keep working on your jokes."
Aizen, after a brief moment of surprise, let out a smile—one that seemed just a little off...
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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