Without another word, Aoto and Hiyori started arguing outside the abandoned arsenal.
Neither of them cared that they would look extremely suspicious if anyone saw them like this.
"Now, now! You've had enough, you brat! You've been picking on Hiyori long enough, Aoto!"
A tall, lanky man with a blond bowl cut came out of the arsenal, muttering something incomprehensible.
Hirako Shinji, former Fifth Division Captain.
Hiyori and Hirako had known each other for so long that she could understand his sarcasm instinctively!
So the furious Hiyori kicked Hirako in the head, sending him tumbling back into the arsenal with her.
Seeing this, Aoto stopped being angry. The familiar scene made him stroll into the arsenal.
At this moment, many of Aoto's acquaintances had been waiting there for quite some time!
More than fifty years ago, all the captains and lieutenants who had Hollowfied after Aizen used the Hogyoku on them and had been exiled from Soul Society were here.
Because they had gained the power of Hollows, the Seireitei had issued orders to hunt them down. Unable to return home, they could only hide away and live in the World of the Living.
And now they had a name for their group: the Visored!
They were all waiting for their chance... When Aizen's mask finally fell, they would take him down and prove their innocence.
Then they should be able to return to Soul Society.
Of course, not all of them still felt attached to Soul Society.
At least Sarugaki Hiyori had nothing left to tie her there after Captain Kirio Hikifune was promoted to Squad Zero a century ago!
Back then, Aoto had been a 10th Seat in the Twelfth Division, serving under Hiyori, who was then the division's lieutenant. So she had grown used to treating Aoto the way she did.
Aoto had gotten used to it too... It even felt kind of familiar.
"Hello, captains!"
Aoto greeted the captains and lieutenants one by one.
As it happened, he had worked under all of them before.
Now that Aoto's strength was no longer far behind theirs, there was even less distance between them!
Of course, they were confident that they could still keep Aoto in check after Hollowfying... as long as he didn't use Bankai.
Aoto had come out mainly to see them and pass along intelligence from Soul Society.
When the Hollowfication Incident happened more than fifty years ago, Aoto had already been serving as an 8th Seat in the 13th Division!
Later, while patrolling the World of the Living, he had "accidentally" run into Hiyori, who was itching to cut down Hollows...
Before Muguruma Kensei could beat him into amnesia, Urahara Kisuke had rushed over and recruited Aoto as their "mole," tasking him with passing along intelligence from inside Soul Society.
Urahara Kisuke surely had his own ways of getting information from Soul Society, but an extra channel could only help.
Aoto had agreed, but on one condition: he would only be a mole for the Visored and wouldn't pass any information to Urahara Kisuke.
The reason was... he disliked Urahara Kisuke.
It was part of Aoto's persona!
As a devoted fanboy of former Twelfth Division Captain Kirio Hikifune, he and Hiyori had both opposed the changes Urahara Kisuke made to the Twelfth Division after taking over as captain.
But once their opposition proved futile, Hiyori couldn't leave as lieutenant, while Aoto simply transferred divisions as a 10th Seat!
So what Aoto had said back then made perfect sense.
Hiyori had been grinning from ear to ear.
Urahara Kisuke had looked quite disappointed, but he had still agreed!
But later, after Aoto rose to Fourth Seat in the 13th Division, Central 46 issued a transfer order sending him back to the 11th Division.
So now, whenever Aoto wanted to visit the World of the Living, he needed Shiba Kaien's help.
That meant Shiba Kaien inevitably learned about Aoto's connection to the Visored.
Ukitake Jushiro had probably found out too.
And Kyoraku Shunsui must have heard about it through them.
Otherwise, Aoto wouldn't occasionally receive "parcels" from the 8th Division!
Aoto was currently handing the "parcel" to Yadomaru Lisa with a blank expression before hurrying off.
Even though he was conscientious enough not to open the "parcel," Aoto was still sure it couldn't contain anything good.
Yeah, still...
But even though at least two captains knew about Aoto's connection to the Visored, neither had ever approached him to discuss it.
The Visored, for their part, also pretended not to know. They never asked Aoto to tell Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro what he knew about Aizen.
These people were all experts at playing dumb.
But the biggest expert showed up just as Aoto was about to leave!
"Hey, long time no see, Fourth Seat Hyakume!"
That same oily tone again. Aoto turned to leave as soon as he saw Urahara Kisuke appear.
But at nearly the same moment, a black cat appeared on Aoto's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.
"Hyakume, your Flash Step has improved quite a bit lately!"
The black cat spoke in a deep male voice, grinning with its whiskers twitching.
Aoto resisted the urge to pluck one of them and replied respectfully, "Captain Yoruichi!"
Back when he was in the 2nd Division, Aoto had received direct instruction from Shihoin Yoruichi.
Since Aoto had excelled at Flash Step, Yoruichi had even considered recruiting him into the Stealth Force, but he had refused.
Although the captain of the 2nd Division commanded the Stealth Force, it wasn't a subordinate branch of the Gotei 13. In theory, they were equals.
Aoto had come to Soul Society to serve in the Gotei 13, so of course he couldn't join the Stealth Force!
"Listen to what Urahara Kisuke has to say! We need your help."
Aoto didn't ignore Yoruichi. After letting out a long breath through his nose, he turned to face Urahara Kisuke's punchable face.
But as soon as he turned around, Aoto frowned.
"What's wrong?" Yoruichi quickly noticed the change in his expression.
"Nothing. A 13th Division member just called me on the Command Divine Machine. It's fine; my clone can handle the trouble."
Turning his attention back to Urahara Kisuke, Aoto asked, "If you have something to say, please hurry up! I'm in a rush, Captain Urahara!"
"In that case, I'll get straight to the point..."
Urahara Kisuke laid out his plan, one word at a time.
Aoto and the other Visored all changed expressions!
This lunatic!
Shiba Kaien looked at the hospital in front of him, his expression troubled.
Because this really was a problem.
Hospitals were where humans died in the greatest numbers, which also made them places where Hollows formed more easily.
If they weren't careful, the place could become a gathering ground for Hollows in the World of the Living.
And the hospital in front of them had already become just such a place.
Led by a powerful Hollow that had once been a bound spirit, more than a hundred Hollows had gathered here... It was a place that even Shiba Kaien would have trouble handling after releasing his limiter.
So, they needed to call in reinforcements from the 11th Division.
On the surface, Aoto had come to the World of the Living for precisely that reason.
Before long, Aoto arrived in front of Shiba Kaien.
After nodding to Shiba Kaien, he charged into the hospital.
Feeling "Aoto's" spiritual pressure, Shiba Kaien guessed... That should be Blue Oni, right?