Your Excellency Is Strong, but My Art Style Is Above Yours!

I only wrote Toyako because I was bored and remembered some of the gags from Gintama, okay?!

And what was with this CG's name? It was almost as long as a light novel title!

And what the hell was a Toyako Sage? A budget Yhwach, was it? Could he come out and give me a buff? Could he teach me that cool Getsuga Tensho transformation Gintoki had?

—Of course, Iori knew no one would answer his complaints. He could only marvel at the CG System's unpredictability.

Before long, Tenkai brought Iori to the Captain's room. He politely knocked and announced their arrival, but a woman's low voice came from within, sounding less than pleased.

Tenkai gave Iori a look that said, "Good luck," then pushed open the door and called out, "Captain, the newcomer you personally selected has arrived."

As the two entered the Japanese-style room, the sight before them made their eyes widen in astonishment:

A huge character for "righteousness" hung on the inner wall of the room. Beneath it stood Saitō Fuyōfushi, the dignified first captain of the Sixth Division and current commander-in-chief of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Army. She wore a plain white kimono, its sides pulled open to expose her upper body wrapped layer upon layer in bandages.

Before her sat a low table and a tray holding a wakizashi—she looked every bit like she was about to perform a traditional ritual.

"C-Captain, surely it hasn't come to this!" Tenkai cried in shock.

Iori was dumbfounded as well. He knew this over-the-hill violent loli was unreliable, but he had not expected her to pull something this huge right from the start.

Had she committed some terrible crime and decided to kill herself?

"I made a grave mistake... I'm over a thousand years old, yet I drunkenly teased a child and even broke my promise to a brat not even a hundred years old—ugh!"

Saito had even replaced her eyepatch with white cloth, her remorse plain for all to see. "To express my shame, I shall commit seppuku and apologize to the world!"

She secretly shot Iori a swift glance before hurriedly closing her eye again.

"Huh?" Iori blinked. "Are you talking about teaching me Shunpo?"

"If word gets out and people think Saito is someone who likes teasing little boys and breaking her promises, how am I supposed to survive in this line of work?!"

Saito took a deep breath and spoke to them in righteous tones. "My mind is made up. Do not try to stop me!"

With that, she decisively drew the wakizashi and raised it high—

"..."

"..."

"..."

Three seconds passed. Five seconds passed. Eight seconds passed...

"...Why aren't you stopping me?!" Saito was the first to break the nearly frozen atmosphere. "Tenkai?"

"No... I have no idea what you're even talking about."

Tenkai frowned deeply. "Also, could you please stop fooling around?

Hanging yourself today, taking poison tomorrow... There have been more than ten scenes like this just this year. You may be having the time of your life, but it's exhausting for everyone else to play along. I even have to clean up after you!"

Saito looked speechlessly at Iori, who maintained his stunned expression and innocently asked, "Excuse me, when can we begin?"

There was even a hint of anticipation in his voice.

"..."

"This is my first time seeing an actual seppuku. Nothing else—I just want to broaden my horizons."

Iori extended his right hand, gesturing for her to continue. "Please!"

"Uh..."

Captain Saito was sweating bullets now, wasn't she!

I, a Bleach, King of the Shura Field! ### Obviously, "Fuyōfushi" was merely Saito's name, not an ability. She was neither like some blond vampire who could survive having his head chopped off, nor did she intend to learn from Teacher Kaido next door how to creatively seek death.

She was just too bored and liked making a scene. Why take it seriously?

After all, when people were killed, they died!

"Sigh, since there's no second to behead me, I shall temporarily— Iori, why are you borrowing Tenkai's sword?

Are you looking down on me? You are, aren't you?! Careful, or I'll really die right in front of you!"

On his first day in the division, Iori had witnessed his superior's bizarre style. For a moment, he regretted whether he had come to the wrong place. Perhaps he should have gone to the World of the Living instead?

Then again, that was not quite right. Hueco Mundo was certainly dangerous, but the Quincy were no pushovers either.

The fact that the higher-ups had transferred so many elites and still felt it was not enough proved it. Central 46 truly feared the Quincy clan from the bottom of their hearts.

Of course, that might also have had something to do with the Thirteen Court Guard Squads currently lacking fresh talent.

"They're sending a student who hasn't even graduated to Hueco Mundo? Have the Thirteen Court Guard Squads really fallen to such straits?"

After getting dressed, Saito brought out the sake set. She seemed to want to treat Iori and Tenkai to a drink and put the previous unpleasantness behind them.

"No, I volunteered." Iori spoke with solemn righteousness. "At a time of crisis like this, everyone has the duty to stand up and protect Soul Society. Though I'm only a student, my blood burns just the same!"

"...Ah, yes. Very admirable..."

Tenkai and Saito held their cups, unsure how to respond. They too were willing to risk their lives for Soul Society, but at their age, saying such things aloud before others... was truly a little difficult!

They instinctively felt that Iori was lying, but it was not easy to call him out on it~

"Fine. I know your skills. Though you're still officially a student, you're no weaker than an elite seated officer. Even in the Expeditionary Army, you're a rare talent."

"Hm?"

Tenkai gave Iori a startled look upon hearing that. Because of the Killing Aura Stone talisman on him, it was difficult for others to judge Iori's true spiritual pressure. Seeing that he was young and lacked any particularly imposing aura, Tenkai had assumed he was purely a technician...

Yet Saito, a captain of a thousand years, had actually called him "a rare talent."

The Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Army consisted of elites selected through repeated rounds of elimination, while seated officers and Vice-Captain-class fighters were rare talents anywhere. How old was Iori, yet Saito considered him comparable to such people...

One truly could not judge a person by appearance!

Saito nodded. "I accept your transfer application, but you need to understand one thing in advance. Even if you join as support personnel, you'll still have to fight once you reach Hueco Mundo... No one will give you special treatment. Understood?"

"I'm not some spoiled young noble. On the battlefield, I can only rely on myself. I understand that much."

"Then it's simple. Go back and pack up. The Expeditionary Army has nothing besides essential supplies, so if you're fond of cleanliness or have any particular habits, get everything ready quickly.

Once you get there, if you still feel like asking me for instruction, I naturally won't begrudge you my time. Learn as much of the Shunpo technique as you want."

Saito gave it some thought. "We depart later than the main army heading to the World of the Living, so you still have time."

"The main army is about to depart?" Iori's heart tightened. "Are they finally going to formally go to war with the Quincy?"

"The old men of Central 46 have long disliked the Quincy. The only reason this has been delayed until now is because Captain Kuchiki went against the majority, insisting that we must make thorough preparations to minimize our casualties." Saito's words were full of disdain for Soul Society's highest authority, Central 46.

"Captain Kuchiki?" Iori noticed something else. "The Captain-General or Kenpachi won't be leading them?"

"Hah? You want to hand something this important to that idiot Kiyone? You're joking, right?!"

"Uh..."

Iori was left speechless by the question. Clearly, even a Candidate Shinigami like him had heard of Kiyone Kenpachi's "illustrious reputation."

Generally speaking, the Captain-General could not easily take action. In large-scale warfare like this, another powerful captain needed to serve as the frontline commander.

By the Thirteen Court Guard Squads' tradition, this position of "general" was usually given to "Kenpachi," the captain of the Eleventh Division.

"Kenpachi" was a title of special significance, hailed as the Strongest Shinigami aside from the Captain-General!

The Eleventh Division under them was also mostly filled with battle maniacs. Putting them on the battlefield would naturally allow them to sweep through all opposition. As for strategy and planning, clever administrative officers could handle that.

The awkward issue now was that something had gone wrong during the succession of the last few Kenpachi...

The seventh and eighth Kenpachi had both been true heroes, but one was now dead while the other had been sentenced to life imprisonment. The ninth was an utterly mediocre person, while the tenth who succeeded him was decent in strength, but his personality and intellect were... difficult to put into words.

Even if Central 46 trusted such a person with the army, the captains never could!

Thus, according to Saitō Fuyōfushi, the commander for this campaign had been changed to the universally acknowledged mature and steady captain of the Sixth Division:

Kuchiki Ginrei.

He was the moral model for the Five Noble Clans and indeed all nobles—the current head of the Kuchiki clan.

Strength, background, seniority, wisdom—he lacked none of them, and each commanded universal respect. Even the Captain-General greatly respected his opinions. He was a flawless choice for general, and even Central 46 had to take his battle plans seriously!

A completely different treatment from relics of the old era like Saitō Fuyōfushi.

"Actually, if we had to name someone else... no, that woman would never agree."

Thinking of something, Saito gave a wicked grin. "If she picked up her sword again, Central 46 would be uneasy too, wouldn't they?"

Tenkai did not know whom Saito meant, and confusion appeared in his eyes. Iori knew, but he merely lifted his cup to conceal it.

Unohana, the First Kenpachi. Her combat power was certainly sufficient, but now that Yamamoto's personality had gradually become more restrained, that woman was the most dangerous person in all Seireitei... Unless they had reached the end of their rope, it was better to let her keep her blade sheathed.

"I don't have much to prepare. I can join immediately."

Iori knew quite a few people in Soul Society, but Shunsui, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, and Shojiba were merely friends or partners. His departure would not affect them much.

Though Tousen Kaname was a subordinate Iori had only recently brought under his control, Tousen's temperament was firm and enduring, so his state of mind was the least concerning. Iori would only be gone for a while; informing him would be enough.

The people Iori truly cared about were his "family."

Yuki already knew, but Grandma... It was better not to tell her he was going to Hueco Mundo. He would just say that, as an outstanding student, he was going to intern in the World of the Living for a year or so.

He would have to tell Yuki in advance so she would not accidentally let it slip later. And for some time to come, she would have to take extra care of Grandma.

"Not a bad expression... Those are the eyes only someone determined to do something would show."

Saito held her cup and watched Iori with amusement. "You must have some special reason for joining the Expeditionary Army, don't you?

But you made the right choice. I'm not Yamamoto or Kuchiki, insisting on getting to the bottom of everything. In the Expeditionary Army under me, there are either fools who got taken advantage of or people burdened with all kinds of troubles, but I never ask about their private affairs.

Remember this: as long as you can kill enemies on the battlefield, you are my comrade. Everything else means nothing to me!

But before that, one final reminder:

Iori Aizen, you're about to step into a Shura Field~"

—

"A Shura Field, huh... But I'm a 'Bleach'!"

At the edge of the continent in the world of Akame ga Kill!, Iori stood by the sea, gazing at the boundless dark-blue waters. Far in the distance, a vast white line seemed to stitch the sky and sea together, like the end of the world.

But Iori knew that beyond the sea lay the mysterious Eastern Island Nation, a place that inherited extraordinary forging techniques.

"Captain Saito, the Shura Field I'll enter in the future will be far more than just Hueco Mundo~"

After sighing wistfully, the youth seemed to think of something and suddenly chuckled.

"Of course, that includes relationships between men and women!"

Who Is More Beautiful, Narcissus or Me? ### The day before yesterday, Iori had worked with the Revolutionary Army to ambush Syura and his subordinates. They successfully killed Enshin and Izou, while capturing Syura and Kosmiya.

The two prisoners had both been taken back to Revolutionary Army headquarters. Syura would be used as a bargaining chip against the minister. In the end, the minister would likely abandon him, and the Revolutionary Army would use his head to win over the people.

Kosmiya's fate still seemed open to discussion. She came from the Western Kingdom and, though she too had committed grave crimes, she did not share a blood feud with the Revolutionary Army. Some believed they could hand her over to the Western Kingdom in exchange for support, which would be more valuable than killing her outright.

But none of that had anything to do with Iori anymore. After receiving the agreed-upon reward, he found time to return to Soul Society before making his way to the coast of the East Sea.

It was said that no trade existed between the Eastern Island Nation and the continent, and no one could cross this sea, which was sometimes shrouded in thick fog and sometimes racked by lightning and thunder. Yet Izou had undoubtedly crossed the ocean from the island nation, so there had to be a way to traverse it.

He spent a long time making inquiries in villages near the coast. Using money to open doors and wiping out several bands of pirates plaguing the region, he gathered information through every means available. Only then did he obtain a sea chart and the necessary tools, including a boat and compass.

He had even specifically learned how to sail from an old sailor... Of course, the man told him that even a small boat could not possibly be mastered in just a few days. Sailing out alone was no different from courting death, and he sincerely advised Iori not to challenge the majesty of the sea.

But Iori had his own plans, secrets he did not explain to anyone else.

Ordinary people could not perfectly master navigation in a month, much less cross the ocean alone.

But Iori was no ordinary person. He was not even "human"!

As a Bleach, he did not need to prepare huge quantities of food and fresh water aboard the boat, nor did he need to worry about scurvy. Even if his spiritual pressure ran low, he could return to Soul Society to replenish it.

More importantly, he possessed the spatial Imperial Arm, Dimensional Square Array · Shangri-La!

If he set a marker on the coast and got lost at sea because he had taken the wrong route, he could simply teleport back to land and prepare another small vessel for going out to sea.