Originally, Chiba Makoto had thought that having friends like Madarame Ikkaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika already made him unbeatable. He had not expected Aizen Sōsuke to be even fiercer...
Madarame Ikkaku simply found thinking about anything other than fighting to be too straightforward and simplistic a use of his brain, so he often did things that left people speechless.
As for Ayasegawa Yumichika, his mind was purely occupied with pulling Chiba Makoto into the Eleventh Division, giving himself more opportunities to further understand and study Makoto in depth.
Ayasegawa Yumichika thought he had hidden his intentions well, but Chiba Makoto had long since noticed that Ayasegawa Yumichika was plotting something improper against him.
All that could be said was that they were both old schemers whose Zanpakuto were half-released on a daily basis. They understood each other too well.
As for the friends Aizen Sōsuke had mentioned... Chiba Makoto naturally did not believe him.
It was just that... three seated officers and twenty-three rank-and-file Soul Reapers of the Tenth Division, who had only recently fought alongside him, had died.
Among them was Yoshikami Tsume, someone Chiba Makoto had interacted with rather often. His words could be sharp, but he was actually quite warmhearted.
"...Sigh."
Chiba Makoto let out a sigh, a trace of helplessness and sorrow flashing through his heart.
Still, an Adjuchas was a Menos Grande on the level of a captain-class Soul Reaper. Even if Chiba Makoto had not held back at the time, the enormous gap in spiritual pressure would not have changed the outcome.
On the contrary, under those circumstances, helping the Soul Reapers of the Tenth Division restrain that seemingly not-too-bright Adjuchas with Bakudo while waiting for support from the Seireitei had undoubtedly been the best decision at the time.
Suddenly, Chiba Makoto frowned as he