“Captain, are you in your right mind?”
Facing Hirako Shinji, who exuded an aura of laziness, Aizen maintained a calm expression.
“My abilities are weak, and my qualifications are shallow. I’ve been in the squad for less than a year. How could I serve as a lieutenant?”
Hirako waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t say useless things like that. Though I’ve never seen it firsthand, I know you’re more than qualified to be a lieutenant.”
Aizen’s pupils narrowed slightly.
Why was Hirako so confident?
Had he, without noticing, done something that revealed his true strength?
Feigning the shock of a timid youth, he showed a slightly anxious expression.
“Captain… what makes you say this?”
Hirako grinned. “Kaelith told me. He said you’re unbelievably strong—that becoming a lieutenant would be easier for you than eating a meal.”
Kaelith… that bastard!
Aizen took a deep breath, feeling his blood pressure spike through the roof.
Sensing the dark aura emanating from Aizen, Hirako sighed.
“Don’t be so quick to refuse. Actually, I wasn’t planning on rushing to find a lieutenant so soon. But you know the current state of the Seireitei—talent is scarce, and we have a shortage of capable people.
“We do have a few who’ve achieved Shikai in our squad. Under normal circumstances, I could forcefully promote one of them. But right now, I need a lieutenant who can truly fight.”
Aizen asked, “Why is that?”
“Because the Captain-Commander is planning a ceremony,” Hirako said with a shrug. “After the rebellion, several captains died. The Captain-Commander wants to give them a proper send-off, so he decided to hold the Konso Reisai ceremony early.”
Aizen tasted the words.
He knew what “Konso” was.
In the Living World, some souls couldn’t find their way to the Soul Society after death. A Shinigami’s Zanpakutō hilt pressed against their forehead would send them to the Soul Society—that act was Konso.
Every Shinigami learned this in the Academy.
But what was the Konso Reisai?
Before Aizen could ask, Hirako explained:
“According to Soul Society’s rules, twelve years after a captain-level Shinigami dies, a grand funerary ceremony is held to send them off. There are a lot of detailed rituals, and since this situation hasn’t happened often, I’m not too familiar with the specifics…
“But one requirement is that each division must send their lieutenant to the Living World to capture some Hollows alive to be used in the ceremony.
“Killing Hollows is dangerous enough. Capturing them alive is even more challenging. I can’t bear to send go.... I meant weak people to do this. So, Sōsuke, I have no choice but to rely on you!”
Just now, did this guy almost say he couldn’t bear to send the “good people” from his squad?
Though Aizen might not be considered a “good person,” he’d never shown that side to anyone.
This was blatant targeting!
Aizen opened his mental ledger and made a heavy note against Hirako Shinji’s name.
And Kaelith’s name—he wrote it in bold and enlarged the font.
After accounting for these new grudges, Aizen looked at Hirako.
“Captain Hirako, according to what you said, the Konso Reisai happens twelve years after a captain’s death. Why start preparing now?”
“Ah, that… The Captain-Commander said too many captains died this time. If we wait, it’ll cause trouble. So the ceremony is moved forward.”
Cause trouble if delayed?
Aizen’s keen sense caught a problem in Hirako’s words.
A funeral send-off was just a ceremony. Would a delay really matter? Unless the so-called Konso Reisai was a cover for some hidden agenda.
Well… after today’s duties, he’d revisit the Great Spirit Library and check.
As he considered this, he turned to leave.
“By the way, I just remembered,” Hirako called after him. “Over at the Second Division, it seems they’re sending Kaelith.”
He stopped and turned around, then realized something.
Since the Second Division’s captaincy was reserved for the Shihōin family, the captain’s seat was currently vacant.
Ōmaeda Marechiyo, though holding the lieutenant’s title, had been performing the captain’s duties. If he went off to capture Hollows, who would handle the captain’s work?
As the Third Seat of the Second Division, Kaelith would naturally take over that task. So it made sense that Kaelith would be heading to the Living World to catch Hollows.
The Living World, capturing Hollows, Kaelith…
Putting these words together, the danger level rose.
Normally, given Kaelith’s strength, capturing a few Hollows would be trivial. Even if a few Adjuchas-class Hollows appeared, it’d be a buffet for him.
After pondering for a few seconds, he looked at Hirako.
Hirako grinned, flashing a row of white teeth.
He reached into his robes and pulled out a scroll.
“Here’s the appointment form. Sign it, and I’ll submit it right away.”
Well prepared, indeed.
Aizen examined the appointment form carefully, confirming there were no traps. Then he raised his head.
“Captain Hirako, let’s be clear. Even if I become lieutenant, I’ll only do my share of the work. If you think you can shove the captain’s responsibilities onto me, that’s impossible.”
Hirako’s expression stiffened.
Aizen narrowed his eyes. “It’s not too late to back out now.”
Hirako quickly switched expressions, forcing a laugh:
“Sōsuke, what strange things are you saying!
I’m a dedicated captain—how could I have such thoughts?
Trust me. Just sign!”
For a moment, he seemed to see Kaelith’s face superimposed over Hirako’s.
What had he done to deserve being surrounded by such unreliable people?
Aizen shook his head slightly.
Taking the pen Hirako had prepared, he signed his name.
At the First Division barracks.
Yamamoto stood in the center of the dojo, both hands resting atop his cane.
After hearing Kaelith’s explanation, he stared wide-eyed in astonishment.
He’d already found it bizarre when Kaelith’s Shikai initially had no name. Now something even more outrageous had emerged.
This kid actually had two sets of Shikai?!
He couldn’t help suspecting Kaelith might have just woken up and confused dreams with reality before rushing here to brag.
Seeing Yamamoto’s disbelief, Kaelith decided to demonstrate on the spot.
As he released the blue-flamed twin blades, Yamamoto fell silent.
He had long suspected Kaelith was extraordinary, but this level of abnormality was mind-boggling.
Yamamoto had a hunch:
This boy would either become a pillar of the Seireitei’s future or… the source of chaos.
Which outcome would be depended on him, as Kaelith’s teacher!