When Blue Oni arrived at the First Division, he had been feeling a little apprehensive. He hadn't expected that he wouldn't even get inside the First Division barracks.
Let alone meet the Captain-Commander.
After the three captains went inside, Aoto found himself staring wide-eyed at Chojiro Sasakibe, the First Division's vice-captain, who had come out to deliver the message.
This vice-captain was extremely loyal to Captain-Commander Yamamoto, and Blue Oni didn't think they had anything in common to talk about.
Although many Soul Reapers considered him a vice-captain who relied on the Captain-Commander and didn't participate in combat, Blue Oni knew that his true strength was definitely greater than that of most Soul Reapers.
He was a powerful Soul Reaper who had learned Bankai before Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro were born, and who had left a second scar on Captain-Commander Yamamoto's face.
During his long tenure, other divisions had had many vacancies in the captain's position, but he had never chosen to become a captain. Instead, he had stayed faithfully at Captain-Commander Yamamoto's side.
Still, Blue Oni wondered how much of his old strength the vice-captain could have retained after so long without fighting.
Unless one was immortal, even a Soul Reaper couldn't stay at the peak of their strength forever.
Even Captain-Commander Yamamoto was nowhere near as strong as he had been in his prime.
And unlike the other divisions, all of which had changed captains and undergone changes as a result, the First Division remained as... conservative as it had been when the Gotei 13 was first formed.
Aoto had served in the other twelve divisions, but the fact that he'd never joined the First Division didn't mean he hadn't applied.
His applications had been rejected immediately, no matter how many times he sent them in!
Later, Aoto had found out that the First Division hadn't accepted a new member in four hundred years, and finally gave up on completing the achievement of having served in every division of the Gotei 13.
It was a real shame.
After waiting outside the First Division for a while, the gates to its barracks opened again.
All the captains filed out.
Seeing that Zaraki Kenpachi was about to take Blue Oni away for a fight, Ukitake Jushiro quickly stepped forward and called Blue Oni over to come with him.
He had something important to tell him.
Blue Oni was as relieved as if he'd been granted a pardon, and hurried after Captain Ukitake.
If he really fought Zaraki Kenpachi, there was a hundred percent chance he'd expose the fact that he wasn't Aoto's real body.
Unless he went straight to Bankai... but Blue Oni didn't dare.
After all, if he did that, he didn't know what would happen to the others.
He knew for sure that the Great Oni Head would eat him first.
Ukitake Residence stood in an area of Seireitei with particularly beautiful scenery.
After all, the Ukitake Family was a lower-ranking noble house and held some standing.
But aside from Ukitake Jushiro, the family had no other members of note. This left Ukitake Jushiro responsible not only for his health and his division's duties, but also for the family's fortunes.
The burden was far too heavy, and his health hadn't improved. It had only gotten worse.
Now Kaien's departure had become the final straw.
Although Blue Oni had told him that Kaien had been rescued, he still couldn't come back.
Ukitake Jushiro coughed lightly twice, then continued, "Tomorrow, I'll take all the available Seated Officers to the World of the Living to pay our respects to Kaien. You should come too!"
Blue Oni nodded... This was a necessary step to bring Aoto back. Then Blue Oni would be able to return to his Zanpakuto and rest.
Even though he'd only spent the day in Seireitei, Blue Oni felt more exhausted than ever.
It was far more painful than carefree days in the World of the Living.
There were still two more days... Blue Oni decided he'd lock himself in at home afterward and keep up his sorrowful act.
He'd surely be able to dodge a lot of questions that way.
And that included the public backlash after news that Aoto had personally killed Kaien spread throughout Soul Society.
Blue Oni had no desire to argue with those people... They were all idiots who just went along with what everyone else said.
But when Blue Oni returned home, he found that Toshiro was still waiting there for him.
What a good student. He really respected his teacher.
Then Aoto grabbed him by the back of his collar, dragged him to the doorway, and kicked him in the butt.
"Why do you keep hanging around my house? Go on, get back to training."
He needed Toshiro to focus on training his Hakuda and Kidō, instead of putting all his strength into his Zanpakuto.
Kaien's situation this time was a serious warning.
After all, even a vice-captain without his Zanpakuto shouldn't be left unable to return home because a Hollow ambushed him. Even Kaien had started reflecting on himself.
The World of the Living.
After looking around, Kaien used the money Urahara Kisuke had given him to find a place to stay.
That Urahara Kisuke might have been full of schemes, but he was genuinely reliable. He'd thought through every possible situation.
He could even forge identities, giving Kaien the cover of a highly educated returnee. Combined with his suit, Kaien would be welcome anywhere he went.
And Kaien really did understand the languages of all kinds of countries in the World of the Living.
He was more than qualified to work as a translator.
"See? With a start like this, you're far better off than the simple country boy you imagined yourself being, aren't you?"
Aoto teased Kaien. "As a translator who can work in several languages in the World of the Living, you could make more in a few minutes than most people could hope to earn in their whole lives."
"With some startup money, you can do whatever you want afterward."
After hearing Aoto out, Kaien decided he was right.
It wasn't as if he was good for nothing but fighting.
Kaien, the head of the Shiba House, was actually good at a lot of things.
But Kaien was also curious: if Aoto had to choose, what would he do in the World of the Living?
"Me?" Aoto thought for a moment. "I'd become a con man!"
Huh?
Even after being friends with Aoto for so many years, Kaien sometimes couldn't keep up with the way he thought.
A con man? What did he mean?
But Aoto smiled faintly and didn't explain at all. He just chuckled to himself.
That made Kaien start fighting with Aoto again.
Leaving half of what you meant unsaid was just asking for a beating!
Hueco Mundo.
The King of Hueco Mundo sat upon the Throne of White Bones, watching Grimmjow undergo evolution below.
After a century of fighting Hell's forces on the front lines, Grimmjow had returned and spent some time preparing. Now, at last, he felt the opportunity to break through.
He was evolving from an Adjuchas into a Vasto Lorde.
The many Vasto Lordes around him watched, witnessing the birth of another comrade.
The two-meter-long Pantera was already quite small among the many Adjuchas, but as his evolution began, he shrank even further!
When his spiritual pressure suddenly broke through to the third rank, another Vasto Lorde-level Menos Grande was born!
"Congratulations, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez!" The King of Hueco Mundo congratulated the newly evolved Vasto Lorde, who had risen to his feet and revealed half of a human face.
"Thank you very much, Your Majesty, King of Hueco Mundo!"