Who Else Besides Me Could Pull This Off?! (4K)

Kyōraku was taken aback. "Is this the truth, or a joke?"

Do I look like I'm joking?

"..."

Shunsui really looked Iori over carefully, then shook his head. "I'm not kidding, what are you thinking? The treatment of a captain and a squad member is worlds apart."

"Of course I know," Iori pouted. "I'm just afraid of trouble."

"Using this as a reason to refuse to be the team leader—this is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing, haha!"

It was clear that Shunsui was genuinely happy. After laughing heartily a few times, she said between breaths, "It's okay if you're worried about trouble. You can just do what I did and find a very capable secretary, right?"

Whoosh!

No sooner had he finished speaking than a book flew through the air and slammed into Kyōraku Shunsui's face, knocking the mighty Shinigami Captain to the ground on the roof.

"Hmm~"

"Let me remind you."

"That voice..."

Iori peeked out and saw a bespectacled girl standing in the courtyard, looking at case files. It was none other than Yagyu Lisa.

He looked up at the ceiling with a displeased expression. "First of all, I'm not your secretary, I'm your Seated Officer. Secondly—get down here and deal with the documents!"

After saying that, she didn't actually wait for the Shunsui to boil down. Instead, she snorted, turned around, and left, quickly disappearing from Iori's sight.

"Oh my gosh... Little Lisa is getting more and more sadistic~"

Shunsui calmly sat up again, took the book off her face, but left a thin mark, making her look rather disheveled.

"What do you think, Iori?"

In my opinion, your worldview is clearly from 180 years ago, yet you not only master all kinds of high technology, but also have popular terms like S and M, which really makes me feel like I'm in a time warp.

"I'm afraid I'm not worthy of being a secretary."

That's a real shame.

Shunsui poured herself a glass of wine, looking quite pleased with herself. "Speaking of which, you have another option."

"Oh?" Iori raised her head. "Tell me about it?"

"Second Division".

Shunsui said in a casual tone, "The current captain, who is also the current head of the Shihoin, is about the same age as Captain Kuchiki. After the battle with the Quincy, he feels increasingly powerless and is already considering stepping down."

"... Me? Second Division?" Iori suddenly realized something, and her expression turned strange. "Could it be..."

"That's right, the Shihoin Clan wants you to marry into their family, heh!"

A mischievous glint appeared on Shunsui's face, typical of a middle-aged man. "The object of your affections is that Yoruichi ~"

"They haven't given up on this yet?"

"How could I give up so easily? A Bankai master is such a great help; I think you understand without me having to tell you."

Moreover, this involves factional infighting within the Shihoin, which is too complex to explain in a short time. In short, it would be best if we could have you as a son-in-law. If that doesn't work out, then that old man in the Second Division will have to continue working for several more decades."

"Decades?"

"Yoruichi seems confident that she can complete her Bankai within this time."

Shunsui sighed, "As long as she succeeds, no one can stop her, and the Shihoin will welcome its first female head of the clan!"

"That's really amazing~" Iori said sincerely, "I wish her success."

"Judging from your attitude, you definitely don't want to marry into the family, right?"

"I find even being a captain troublesome, let alone dealing with the feuds between wealthy families!" Iori grinned.

He truly has something he can't say:

The captain's benefits are excellent, but correspondingly, personal time decreases, and the target becomes much larger, with a large number of people watching you wherever you go. In the original work, Aizen was able to cause trouble under these circumstances thanks to [Kyoka Suigetsu], while Iori didn't possess a Zanpakuto capable of Complete Hypnosis people.

However, on the other hand, given the traditions of Soul Society, it seems illogical for someone to consistently refuse to become a captain when they have Bankai and there are gaps in the organization.

For a kid from Rukongai to become the captain of the Thirteenth Division would be like a fish leaping over the dragon gate; there should be no reason for him to refuse.

"Aren't there two gaps? Even if I choose one, I still can't fill them all, right?"

"There's no need to worry about this. The higher-ups have already decided to temporarily halt the dispatch of troops to Hueco Mundo and order most of the Expeditionary Army members to remain in Soul Society to recuperate. At the same time, Saito is relieved of his post as Okita of the Saitō Fuyōfushi Expeditionary Army and will instead be placed in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

Iori immediately perked up. "What are you doing...?"

"They're probably going to appoint her as a temporary team leader," Shunsui said casually.

"Temporary... at this point, they won't even give us a proper team captain position?"

"Sooner or later, Expeditionary Army will have to be formed, and she herself probably doesn't want to stay in Seireitei forever."

Shunsui sighed softly. Clearly, he was a highly experienced person and, although not the First, he understood the inside story.

"About Captain Saito... um?"

"Huh?"

Iori and Shunsui both looked up in surprise at the same time, looking into the courtyard.

Not long after, Yagyu Lisa returned to the courtyard, this time with another person.

With a handsome face, a pale complexion, and a head of dry, lifeless white hair, he wore a Captain's Haori. He was tall and imposing, but lacked the intimidating presence of a typical captain; instead, he looked sickly.

Behind him followed several soldiers and Seated Officer dressed in black, their expressions a mixture of determination and deep worry, making them look like a combination of bodyguards and nannies.

—Captain of the Thirteenth Division, Fujitora Shijuro!

"Jushiro? Weren't you sick and bedridden? Why..."

"Kyōraku, I have something important to tell you... And who is this? No, let's get down to business first."

The man, whose aura seemed somewhat weak, said with considerable annoyance, "Was Kurotsuchi Mayuri of the 12th Division ordered by you to steal the corpse?!"

Chapter 226: Who else but me could do it?! (4K)

"So you are Iori Aizen. I've often heard Souyuki talk about you. You are indeed a handsome man."

"Nice to meet you, Captain Ukitake. My sister has always been well taken care of by you." Iori greeted the handsome white-haired man politely.

"What did my older sister say? Did she think I'm too much of a worry for her younger brother and complain to her colleagues?"

"No, quite the opposite. She was complaining that her adorable little brother, who had been following her around like a little duck and calling her 'sister' not long ago, had suddenly grown up and become much more distant from her recently."

Perhaps she wants you to rely on her more.

"It turns out..."

"Um, may I call you Iori?"

"Sure."

"Iori, your sister is a very outstanding person, but that doesn't mean she has no weaknesses or doesn't feel lonely... Occasionally, put aside worldly matters and talk to her simply as family."

"I've learned a lot!" Iori nodded earnestly.

Inside the tea room, the four sat down according to their respective ranks. Shunsui, who was both the captain and the host, sat in the main seat, with Jushiro to his left and Iori opposite Jushiro. Lisa and the members of the Thirteenth Division could only sit a little further away, quietly waiting for their Captains' instructions.

Perhaps due to the overwhelming emotions he experienced when he rushed over, Jushiro had an unusual flush on his face. After sitting down, he smelled the aroma of tea and waited quietly for a while before slowly calming down. His attention to Iori had been obvious from the very beginning.

Thinking about it carefully, this was indeed the "first meeting". Iori had met most of the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Even if there was no direct communication, they would meet in the barracks or on the battlefield. Fujitora Shijuro was the only exception.

The captain of the Thirteenth Division was born with a weak constitution and was sickly. Although he was a veteran captain with a long service record and outstanding abilities, and like Shunsui, he was Yamamoto's beloved disciple, he rarely went to the front line because of his poor health. The division he managed was not a combat unit.

In the Seireitei, where there are many Problem Children, Jushiro is a rare normal person. He is gentle, polite, and kind to others, just like a sickly but kind-hearted male character in an otome game... It's just a pity that he accidentally entered a shonen manga.

He had an excellent reputation in Seireitei and was the most beloved captain among his subordinates. Even Iori, who was all smiles on the outside but dark on the inside, admitted that Jushiro was a genuinely good person. However, such a personality seemed somewhat inappropriate for a "Shinigami".

—And that's what caused his anger this time.

"Alright, let's get down to business, Kyōraku, no, Captain Shunsui." Fujitora Shijuro turned his gaze to Shunsui at the head of the table.

"You're so serious, it's really scary..." Shunsui's face showed a frightened expression. "I rarely see you angry. What happened? Has Kurotsuchi Mayuri gotten into trouble again?"

Although Sklaverei a different squad, Kurotsuchi Mayuri is a veteran of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and has been famous in certain fields for a long time. Moreover, he has now become Vice-Captain, so he can be considered a mid-to-high-level officer.

Shunsui had little contact with Kurotsuchi Mayuri, but he had heard some rumors about him and had a poor impression of him, especially since Kurotsuchi Mayuri had worked under him for a period of time when he was the commander-in-chief in the World of the Living...

In any case, as soon as Jushiro mentioned this name, Shunsui subconsciously concluded that Kurotsuchi Mayuri had caused some trouble again.

It's just a bit strange... why is Kurotsuchi Mayuri's trouble-making related to him?

"My team was cleaning up the aftermath in the World of the Living when they discovered that the number of pure-blooded Quincy corpses was always off. At first, they didn't think much of it and just assumed it was a data error left over from the chaotic period. But later they gradually discovered that someone was secretly moving the corpses!"

Jushiro was furious. "It was later found out that it was Kurotsuchi Mayuri who was using the corpse as research material!"

And it wasn't just a simple case of stealing corpses. He had already been transferred back to Soul Society, but according to records, corpse disappearances continued to occur. This means he had illegally crossed into the World of the Living, violating the laws of the Seireitei!

Upon hearing this, Shunsui's previously indifferent expression immediately changed. "Such a thing actually happened... Unauthorized use of Senkaimon technology is a serious crime!"

"Indeed, it's truly astonishing that Mr. Mayuri actually... sigh!"

Iori looked heartbroken. "If it's confirmed after investigation, not only will he be punished, but the reputation of our 12th Division will also be damaged!"

The playboy and the handsome man were both startled. Shunsui pushed her straw hat up, only then realizing:

Iori Aizen is nominally the Seated Officer of the 12th Division!

"Does Captain Hikifune know about this?" Shunsui asked Jushiro. "And why am I mentioned in this?"

"Because when my team members questioned Kurotsuchi Mayuri about this matter, the Vice-Captain said that it was an order you gave during the war, and he was just following orders."

Jushiro looked directly at Shunsui: "So I want to know if you've ever said anything similar."

"Ah?"

Shunsui was taken aback, his eyes slightly blank. He was very busy in the World of the Living, dealing with a lot of official business every day, and he couldn't delegate it to others... How could he possibly remember every word?

But when it came to orders, he vaguely sensed something.

At this moment, Iori spoke first, reminding him. "Captain Kyōraku, you may have forgotten, but Kurotsuchi Mayuri was once hunted down for privately excavating the Quincy family cemetery... I led the team to rescue him."

His excuse at the time was that he could use this to obtain more detailed information, further analyze the Quincy's abilities, and make it easier to develop targeted Kido or Spirit Particle Items.

If I remember correctly, the Captain Kyōraku agreed.

"Oh, yes, that's true!"

Kyōraku stroked his stubble-covered chin and sighed, "After all, it's wartime. As long as it's beneficial to the war effort, I'll turn a blind eye to some unethical methods... But in the end, it's just an exception, and it's been so long, it's too much for him to still be doing this kind of thing!"

Shunsui was a pragmatist. As he said, Kurotsuchi Mayuri technology could help the Shinigami fight the Quincy. But now that the war is over, the Quincy will not pose a threat for a long time to come, so Kurotsuchi Mayuri's research is no longer of much value.

Now that ethical issues have been exposed, Shunsui has no reason to take the blame for her anymore.

"However, in the end, this is just a procedural matter. A Vice-Captain does such a thing should naturally be punished, but it shouldn't be too severe..."

"The key issue lies in illegal immigration."

Yeah~

Shunsui and Jushiro both sighed, but their sighs carried different meanings.

Jushiro has a high sense of morality. He believes that such unethical research should not be conducted after the war, and that Kurotsuchi Mayuri's actions have had a negative impact on the work of the Thirteenth Division.

The souls of Quincy are of much higher quality than those of ordinary people. The near-annihilation of an entire Quincy clan inevitably led to the release of a large number of souls, which then circulate between the World of the Living, the Soul Society, and even Hell.

A soul reincarnation of this scale could easily disrupt the balance of the Three Worlds, so the Thirteenth Division is responsible for precise control, using Kido and rituals to methodically choose whether to leave the soul in the World of the Living or transfer it to Soul Society.

This process is troublesome but absolutely necessary, and Kurotsuchi Mayuri's act of stealing corpses will undoubtedly affect the efficiency of the Thirteenth Division!

The reason Shunsui sighed was because troubles had increased...

However, regardless of the circumstances, the Senkaimon technology should not be allowed to be manufactured and abused by private individuals—at least not openly. Therefore, Kurotsuchi Mayuri must be punished!

"Let's inform Captain Hikifune about this. After all, she's his deputy, and we shouldn't handle it on our own. Let her resolve it herself, and then report the result to the old man."

"You've thought of everything." Jushiro nodded in agreement.

Then, the two looked at Iori at the same time, and Kyōraku spoke first, "Captain Hikifune should be leading the team to study Gikai Maru and make final adjustments and improvements. Although she is a woman, she is very energetic. She will definitely not be able to resist dealing with this matter immediately after she finds out about it."

Hmm, Kurotsuchi Mayuri seems to be a very bold person. It's hard to say what he might do after finding out... It's not convenient for us to intervene, but you are a member of the 12th Division and you even saved Kurotsuchi Mayuri once, so it's perfectly legitimate for you to handle this matter.

"So, could you please go and subdue that mad scientist?"

Kyōraku had his own considerations. Hikifune Kirio was a very intelligent woman, otherwise she wouldn't have become the leader of the 12th Division. However, she was not a person who was particularly enthusiastic about fighting; she was more like a scholar or a support staff member.

Kurotsuchi Mayuri is a very troublesome guy, in every way... We still need someone who is good at handling all kinds of situations, especially someone with excellent combat power, to keep things in check.