Undercurrents Surge

The evening breeze drifted by, carrying a faint dampness as it curled around Aizen's Light Brown curls.

Reishi stirred beside him. Aizen did not turn around, still gazing at the tranquil Night Scenery of the Soul Society as he spoke calmly.

"Gin, how did it go? Did you deliver that footage to the Tsunayashiro Clan?"

The Reishi fluctuations gradually subsided, and Gin appeared at Aizen's side. He stood half a step behind Aizen, his face still wearing that ever-smiling expression.

"It's done, Lord Aizen. If nothing unexpected happens, the head of the Tsunayashiro Family should be able to view that recording tonight."

Aizen nodded at this and said gently to Gin.

"Mm. You did well. I am glad to have companions like you and Tosen on the path toward fulfilling our plan."

Hearing Aizen's words, Gin merely narrowed his eyes and smiled without saying anything.

At that moment, Kaname Tōsen also appeared beside Aizen. There was a trace of anxiety on his face as he asked Aizen in confusion.

"Lord Aizen, only the captains present at the council knew of this recording. If the Tsunayashiro Family learns of it, the Captain-Commander may suspect every captain who was there. Once he begins investigating, there is a strong chance that what we have done will be discovered. Is taking such a risk for the sake of one Asano Kiyoshi really worth it?"

Aizen turned around with a gentle smile on his face, but his words were like ice from the deepest winter, devoid of even a trace of warmth.

"Tosen, you are mistaken about two things. First, I have no intention of targeting Asano Kiyoshi. At most, what I am doing is merely 'accelerating' his growth. That illegitimate son of the Tsunayashiro Family will most likely be unable to pose much of a threat to Asano Kiyoshi. Instead, he will become a stepping stone on Asano Kiyoshi's path to growth."

"Second, the matter of that recording is actually easy to explain. Do you know? The Gotei 13 is not an impregnable whole. Or rather, the Gotei 13 is essentially just a wooden board riddled with holes, full of loopholes everywhere. Within the Fourth Division, every major family has a few spies mixed in. After all, medical resources are what those nobles need most and what can most easily bring them money."

"When I discovered that they were fighting, I had already contacted my subordinates and sent them to observe the Fourth Division. Moreover, to avoid being discovered by Mayuri Kurotsuchi, I used Kyoka Suigetsu to hypnotize him. Although I initially wanted to hypnotize all the captains, the Captain-Commander's strength could not be underestimated. To be safe, I chose the more reliable method of hypnotizing only one captain."

"And the squad member who conducted the surveillance and made the recording was actually a member of the Tsunayashiro Family as well. I altered his perception with Kyoka Suigetsu. After he delivers that information, I will have him disappear during some mission, erasing every subsequent lead. As for the remaining investigation, you can rest assured. There will be no problems."

Looking at Aizen's gentle smile, Kaname Tōsen nodded. Yet shortly afterward, he asked in confusion.

"Then, Lord Aizen, what is your purpose in doing this?"

Aizen showed no impatience at Kaname Tōsen's question. He merely turned his gaze toward the distant Seireitei, his expression somewhat indifferent.

"Asano Kiyoshi undoubtedly belongs to the Captain-Commander's faction. Though the Tsunayashiro Family has not had many conflicts with the Captain-Commander's faction, their core interests are at odds. According to what I have learned, the Tsunayashiro Family appears to be seeking something within the Great Spirit Book Gallery. The prerequisite for obtaining it is to take first place among this year's Shin'o Spiritual Arts Academy graduates. Perhaps the Captain-Commander wishes to limit the Tsunayashiro Family's development, which is why he is having Asano Kiyoshi compete for that spot."

"The contradiction is there, as is the conflict. All I have done is make those contradictions and conflicts more complicated and more intense. As long as the situation descends into chaos, our affairs become increasingly secure. And it does not matter who wins or loses. They are all rotten things in the end. Whether they enter the coffin early or late, they are merely things on the verge of death."

After hearing Aizen's words, Kaname Tōsen understood his meaning. Under the moonlight, the figures of the three slowly vanished.

As the three disappeared, undercurrents hidden deep beneath the water began to churn and surge without restraint.

At the center of the Seireitei, the Tsunayashiro Clan residence.

The slightly plump Tsunayashiro Sosuke looked at the footage submitted by his subordinate, a grave expression appearing on his face. The hand holding his teacup trembled faintly, and the exquisite cup creaked beneath his grip. Scalding tea splashed onto his palm as the cup shook, jolting the plump man back to his senses.

Tsunayashiro Sosuke looked at the teacup, now faintly cracked, with a trace of apology on his face. Then he said to the elderly man beside him.

"Lord Yuta, it seems my self-control is still somewhat lacking."

The old man said nothing, merely nodding lightly. Then, looking at the recording, he said to Tsunayashiro Sosuke.

"Asano Kiyoshi's existence makes it highly likely that Kojiro will be unable to take first place this time. Should that happen, our plan will be delayed indefinitely... Therefore, no matter what, Tsunayashiro Kojiro must take first place and enter the Great Spirit Book Gallery."

Hearing the old man's words, Tsunayashiro Sosuke nodded. A vicious glint showed through his seemingly benevolent, plump face.

"Based on Asano Kiyoshi's information, he appears to be a direct descendant of Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's faction. We cannot make a move against someone like him for now. If we do, it would mean completely falling out with the Gotei 13. Though that old man most likely would not overturn the table, it would still be detrimental to the overall situation. Therefore, finding a solution through Asano Kiyoshi is not feasible at present."

At this, the elderly man named Yuta nodded and added.

"Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni will not overturn the table. You can rest assured about that. To him, the existence of the Seireitei is what matters most, and the Soul King will not allow him to do such a thing either. However, completely enraging him would also be an extremely unwise choice. It would lead to the collapse of the entire noble system and perhaps even a reshuffling of the Soul Society's powers. Therefore, of two evils, we must choose the lesser. It is time for Kojiro to make a contribution to the Tsunayashiro Family..."

Upon hearing the old man's words, a smile appeared once more on Tsunayashiro Sosuke's plump face. He said to the subordinate who had come to report just now.

"You have worked hard. Could you please bring Kojiro here?"

The subordinate nodded. Just as he was about to use Shunpo to leave, he suddenly discovered that his field of vision was spinning rapidly.

In his final glimpse, he saw his own headless corpse, as well as the bloodstained Zanpakuto in his lord's hand...

"I am sorry. You are very loyal, but the dead are more loyal. There cannot be the slightest accident in this matter, so I can only trouble you to die."