"Is something the matter?" He-El asked calmly, waving a hand to let the Shinigami captains who had come to see him rise.
As for this son, He-El honestly felt as though he were a stranger.
Familial affection was merely a connection of genes and bloodline. To He-El, it meant little, because New Krypton could alter genes and bloodlines at will. If someone wanted to have a familial bond with anyone, they could adjust it immediately.
That was not to say New Krypton's civilians were indifferent to family. On the contrary, family was precious. Whether a child came from a genetic adjustment chamber or was adopted, they would grow up under care and nurturing. The affection forged through long-term companionship and acknowledgment was far more precious than so-called blood ties.
The problem was... He-El had not spent even a single day with Rangiku Matsumoto's child. There was no bond between them at all.
At most, he knew this fellow was the son Rangiku Matsumoto had borne for him.
This son had enjoyed the Shinigami World He-El had conquered, been honored as Prince, and then drawn his sword against him. That gave He-El a trace of displeasure.
"Something the matter? Something the matter?!" Hearing He-El's calm, utterly unconcerned question, the Prince grew even more furious. Energy from his body formed an azure pillar of light, swallowing his rage-reddened eyes. The surging energy became increasingly violent, blasting apart the white clouds in the sky.
With no other choice, Aizen used a little more strength to shield He-El from the dust thrown up by the Prince's erupting energy, preventing it from staining He-El's body.
The more than eighteen captain-class Shinigami nearby hurriedly scattered to evacuate the Shinigami members rushing over, lifted the alert, and formed a wide circle at a distance. They stopped the