"What's this?"
Yoriichi suddenly reached out and steadily caught the gem that fell from the sky.
After he examined it carefully, a ripple appeared in his heart.
If he wasn't mistaken, he recognized this object.
"The Hōgyoku."
Yoriichi softly uttered these two words, but his voice was filled with deep confusion.
"Why is it shattered?"
This Hōgyoku was completely different from the one he had seen with Kisuke Urahara before.
The Hōgyoku now before him was covered in dense cracks, looking like a riddled, defective product.
However, the abundant power contained within it made Yoriichi realize that this was indeed the finished product.
Aizen's previous changes must have been inextricably linked to it.
He hadn't expected that now that Aizen had been sent to Hell, it would detach itself...
Yoriichi quietly looked at the Hōgyoku in his hand, falling into deep thought.
Not long after, Yamamoto Genryusai appeared before him, accompanied by Nigotsugu Saizo.
Their gazes inadvertently swept over the item in Yoriichi's hand, but they only glanced at it briefly before looking away, not paying much attention.
This was because the object was already broken, and even its shape had changed.
After Yamamoto Genryusai stood still, he subconsciously looked around.
Recalling the scene of Aizen being sent to Hell, his tightly furrowed brow relaxed slightly:
"Is it over?"
"That kid, Sōsuke Aizen…"
To be honest, Yamamoto's mood at this moment was quite complex.
It was like overturning a five-flavor bottle, with various emotions surging in his heart.
Because he clearly knew that Aizen's abilities surpassed his own during his peak.
And Yoriichi Tsugikuni being able to defeat him indicated that his strength had reached a realm he could never touch…
Only a few years have passed…
As he said this, and thought of this point, Yamamoto Genryusai couldn't help but feel a myriad of emotions, letting out a soft sigh.
Before he could finish speaking, Nigotsugu Saizo chuckled and interrupted, "Alright, Yamamoto, things are already clear."
"Aizen has been sent to Hell; he probably won't be able to get out in this lifetime. Why ask so many questions and add to your troubles here?"
"Let him rest well. Even with the power of Hell, such an intense battle must have exhausted him."
"Wouldn't you agree, Tsugikuni kid?"
Although Yoriichi didn't feel tired, he understood Nigotsugu Saizo's intention in saying those words.
It was probably for them to handle the aftermath.
Like dealing with the nobles who might appear later…
The battle with Aizen had left the Noble District within a three-hundred-meter radius in ruins, with hardly any intact buildings visible.
It was only because the sealed stone blocked most of the energy diffusion; otherwise, dozens of kilometers would likely have been razed to the ground.
Considering that the Noble District was originally sparsely populated.
Therefore, the destruction of buildings within this three-hundred-meter radius did not affect any Shinigami, which was the best outcome.
But there was no guarantee that nobles wouldn't seize the opportunity to cause trouble and suppress the Gotei.
Thinking of this, Yoriichi nodded slightly.
He was not good at dealing with nobles anyway, so it was better to let his teacher and these seniors handle it.
Thus, Yoriichi quietly took the Hōgyoku and quickly turned to leave.
At this moment, the Shinigami who came to support arrived in a hurry.
They first saw Yamamoto Genryusai and Nigotsugu Saizo.
For some reason, they only recognized the former and not the latter.
Even so, this scene made them gasp.
Some Freshmen widened their eyes, mistakenly believing with shocked faces that all this destruction was done by the Captain-Commander.
Because in their eyes, it seemed that only the Captain-Commander possessed such immense power.
Just as they were about to express their emotions.
The next second, someone spoke for them first.
"How amazing! Is this the Captain-Commander? Although I can't judge the exact distance, it's at least several hundred meters, right…?"
Someone immediately retorted:
"Idiot, what nonsense are you talking about? Have you forgotten what the textbook says about the Captain-Commander's Zanpakuto attribute?"
"This clearly looks like it was done by that old senior next to him."
Just then, Kuchiki Sōjun, who was lying not far away, slowly woke up.
He slowly opened his eyes, with a hint of confusion and daze, clearly having just woken up from a coma, his consciousness not yet fully clear.
He listened to the conversations of the squad members and couldn't help but frown.
Even though his thoughts were not very clear at the moment, he remembered that it was not these two who fought Aizen.
Kuchiki Sōjun propped himself up with both hands and quickly straightened his body.
At the same time, the squad members noticed the Vice-Captain.
They didn't show any unusual emotions regarding the Vice-Captain's disheveled appearance.
Such astonishing destruction, if they put themselves in his shoes, they wouldn't be in much better shape.
Kuchiki Sōjun slightly pursed his lips, rubbing the back of his head while observing the surroundings.
His memory stopped at the moment Aizen evolved into a monster.
There were no signs of fire scorching…
If nothing went wrong, this should all be Yoriichi's doing.
He hadn't seen him for a while, and he hadn't expected his strength to become so formidable…
It was truly embarrassing to think about.
The chattering voices of the squad members entered his ears, quickly bringing Kuchiki Sōjun back to his senses.
They were asking the Vice-Captain if he had seen the battle process earlier.
Because the oppressive force emanating from Yamamoto Genryusai was too strong, they dared not approach.
Coupled with the disparity in status, it also prevented them from interacting with Yamamoto Genryusai.
So they could only ask Kuchiki Sōjun.
Thinking of his relationship with Yoriichi Tsugikuni, Kuchiki Sōjun was silent for a moment, trying his best to calm his emotions.
Finally, he spoke softly:
"You're asking me how Aizen was defeated? That's a good question."
"But before that, I want to ask you all a question: Do you know the Captain of the Ninth Division?"
...
...
On the other side, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's speed was incredibly swift, and he was eager to rush home.
Just as the Sixth Division members were beginning to notice, Yoriichi had already disappeared from their sight.
So most people could only see a faint red blur flash before their eyes.
Yoriichi, while rushing, did not pay attention to the conversations of the Shinigami.
In fact, even if he had heard them by chance, with his current state of mind, he wouldn't have taken them to heart at all.
In his opinion, as long as the danger was resolved, that was all that mattered.
Everything else was irrelevant.
Yoriichi returned home and saw that Uta and Akane Shizuku were both safe and sound, which allowed his hanging heart to relax a little.
Beside them, Rukia and Hisana each held an asauchi, standing guard by their side.
They had all heard the rumbling.
Although the distance was far, the aftershocks of the earthquake had not disappeared.
They had even once thought that the Seireitei had been overthrown and had worried about it for quite some time.
Fortunately, the earthquake did not last too long…
When Yoriichi's familiar figure appeared before them, the tight string in Rukia's heart instantly loosened.
Plop.
She immediately threw the asauchi aside and couldn't help but run over:
"Brother, has the matter been resolved?"
"You're not hurt, are you?"
Rukia's eyes, full of concern, scanned Yoriichi up and down.
Yoriichi reached out and patted her head, indicating that he was fine.
Afterward, he turned his gaze to Uta.
Uta gently shook her head, indicating that everything had been calm during Yoriichi's absence.
"Is that so?"
Upon learning that the danger had been completely eliminated, Yoriichi's mood, which had been slightly heavy due to worry, relaxed a little.
He let out a slight sigh: "That's good."
Now, the greatest danger in the Three Realms no longer existed.
Even if anything else happened in the future, it should just be trivial matters.
He could finally enjoy a period of peaceful life with Uta; this was something Yoriichi had always longed for.
If it weren't for Yhwach's problem still being unresolved, the children around them not yet having grown up, and the Shinigami's strength still needing improvement.
Yoriichi had even considered resigning from his Captain position and living in seclusion with Uta in the outskirts of Rukongai.
Just like when he was human…
Gently exhaling, Yoriichi temporarily suppressed these complex thoughts.
With a longing for a peaceful future, he slowly stepped forward and reached out to help Shi up.
Not long after, the maids, who knew the danger had completely vanished and had hidden themselves, began to clean the house.
Due to the earthquake, many pieces of furniture had been toppled, and fragments were scattered everywhere.
During the cleaning process, Hisana and Rukia also helped out.
Akane Utazuku, adhering to the principle of not biting the hand that feeds you, also joined in the bustling cleaning work.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
Yoriichi went forward and opened the door to see Komamura Sajin and Kisuke Urahara.
"Captain, I knew you'd be here."
Komamura Sajin's tall figure blocked the sunlight outside the door, revealing an expression that said, "Just as I expected."
After dealing with the Menos Grande in East Rukongai, he went to the Noble District to look for Yoriichi Tsugikuni but couldn't find him.
So he guessed that Yoriichi must have returned home.
His purpose in coming to find Yoriichi this time was simple.
"Captain, I…"
Komamura Sajin had just opened his mouth and hadn't even spoken a few words when Yoriichi, looking at Kisuke Urahara, suddenly remembered something and interrupted:
"Wait a moment, Sajin, is your matter very urgent? If not, put it aside for now."
"Kisuke, I have something here that you might want to see first."
"Another Hōgyoku that fell from Aizen."
"I always feel it has a will, wanting to find me to become its master…"
Kisuke Urahara originally had a smile on his face. He had come this time to congratulate Yoriichi on successfully defeating Aizen.
If nothing unexpected happened, after this incident, Yoriichi becoming the Captain-Commander was just around the corner.
But he didn't expect to suddenly hear such significant news. The smile on his face instantly froze, replaced by a look of shock and surprise.
"What?"
...
The Hōgyoku Aizen controlled…
He actually tried to find Yoriichi Tsugikuni and make him his master…
These were clearly very familiar words, but when they were put together, Kisuke Urahara always felt a bit unfamiliar.
What on earth is going on…
His emotions were like the surging, fluctuating waves, difficult to calm. Kisuke Urahara took a deep breath and asked,
"Yoriichi, have you told anyone about this?"
He slightly lowered his voice, "I have to admit, you really startled me."
"When Aizen fought you before, and was able to fight so fiercely and evenly, was it also this Hōgyoku at work?"
"What does it look like?"
"…"
Kisuke Urahara's words were subtly urgent.
With his voice suddenly lowered, it was as if they were discussing something illicit.
Yoriichi, with a calm expression, led the two into the house and said,
"That Hōgyoku is dark blue and appears shattered."
"As for why it's shattered, I don't know. It was already in that state when it detached from Aizen's body."
"Aizen's increase in strength should be the effect of the Hōgyoku."
"Besides it, I can't think of anything that could grant a Shinigami an immortal body."
"Decapitation won't kill him, being cut in half won't kill him."
"It was as if all conventional methods of death in the world were completely ineffective against him. Only through sealing methods could he be restrained."
Decapitation?
Cut in half!?
Kisuke Urahara gasped. Was the battle between these two so dangerous?
He had lived for hundreds of years and had never experienced such a battle.
Because to sever someone's neck or body, one must possess completely overwhelming strength and reaction speed.
At the same time, there's no need to subject weaker opponents to such a death.
Firstly, this doesn't align with the Shinigami's attitude towards enemies, and secondly, it doesn't align with the Shinigami's fighting style…
It seems Yoriichi's conduct is still influenced by his time as a human…
The ripples in Kisuke Urahara's heart grew more and more, becoming increasingly difficult to calm.
Then, coming back to his senses, he said,
"So that's it. If the Hōgyoku granted Aizen an immortal body, and considering what you said about the Hōgyoku having a consciousness…"
"Then one point makes sense."
"The Hōgyoku is not an inanimate object; it enhances the host's strength according to the host's thoughts."
"However, this raises a problem."
"If the Hōgyoku can enhance the host's strength anytime and anywhere, then is its function to break the Shinigami's limits, or to fulfill the host's wishes?"
Thinking of this, Kisuke Urahara's researcher brain went into full operation.
Then, he realized the timing was not right, and quickly reined in those thoughts, laughing somewhat awkwardly:
"Sorry, sorry, I got carried away."
"Yoriichi, where is that Hōgyoku you mentioned?"
"Can I see it?"
He needed to examine it up close to verify his many thoughts.
Yoriichi took out the Hōgyoku.
To the side.
Although Komamura Sajin didn't understand, true to his duty and loyalty as a squad member, he said nothing, just standing there quietly.
He believed that the two Captains would not do anything detrimental to the Seireitei.
This was his intuition as a werewolf.
Kisuke Urahara reached out and took the Hōgyoku, examining it carefully. The shattered appearance of the Hōgyoku couldn't help but fill him with emotion.
At the same time, the faint sense of repulsion emanating from his palm also made him understand everything.
Just as I thought…
Exhaling deeply, Kisuke Urahara carefully chose his words, then raised his eyes and explained to Yoriichi Tsugikuni:
"I think I understand, Yoriichi. My previous research was probably quite flawed."
"This Hōgyoku is not merely a tool used to break the Shinigami's limits."
"Based on your description, if my conjecture is correct, it can sense the emotions of surrounding beings, such as resentment, anger, desire…"
"Because Aizen was decapitated by you once, he desired immortality. And because his strength was far inferior to yours, he desired to become stronger."
"Thus, he achieved his ultimate evolution."
"However, he ultimately still lost, and because of that, he began to question those obsessions in his heart."
"His desire was no longer firm. For this reason, the Hōgyoku abandoned him, which is why it detached from his body."
Kisuke Urahara spoke while extending two fingers, summarizing with a serious expression:
"From these experiences, it's not difficult to deduce two key points."
"Firstly, the Hōgyoku's power is not constant. Secondly, the Hōgyoku's power is not controllable."
"It possesses some ability to make one's wishes come true."
"But if the wish itself is too extraordinary, exceeding the host's inherent conditions, then it will transform the host to realize their wish in another way."
"Like the monster you mentioned."
At this point, Kisuke Urahara slowed his speech, looked directly at Yoriichi Tsugikuni, and said sincerely,
"Yoriichi, it might sound presumptuous, but please hand this Hōgyoku over to me."
"I've found another possibility from it. Now that it's shattered like this, if it's not repaired, it probably won't be usable many more times."
"I…"
Although his words did sound presumptuous, Yoriichi didn't mind. He interrupted:
"It's alright. If you want it, just take it. I don't need this."
"I originally intended to give it to you, but time was pressing before, and I didn't get a chance to find you."
"Now that you've come to visit on your own, it saves me a trip."
"…" Kisuke Urahara's words stopped abruptly. This sudden generosity made him hesitate.
He was silent for a long time, then raised his eyes:
"I'm sorry, Yoriichi. I know this is your spoils of war after all, but please rest assured, I will certainly not betray your trust."
"Speaking of which, I really must congratulate you on thwarting Aizen's scheme once again."
"This time, the Seireitei was attacked comprehensively, which must have been extremely perilous."
"It won't be long before you probably ascend to the position of Captain-Commander."
"After all, the Captain-Commander is quite old."
"And your experience, prestige, and even strength are already sufficient."
Experience refers to the number of times crises are resolved and missions completed; prestige refers to the recognition of other Captains; strength refers to the ability to command respect…
Previously, Yoriichi Tsugikuni had already achieved two of these, with only experience being slightly insufficient.
Now, with the emergence of the Aizen and Hōgyoku incident, it just so happened to fill the last blank in Yoriichi Tsugikuni's Shinigami career.
All that was left was for Yamamoto Genryusai to voluntarily step down and yield his position.
However, considering Yamamoto Genryusai's unyielding personality, this might still be delayed for some time…
Kisuke Urahara's thoughts gradually wandered.
Just then, Komamura Sajin slightly furrowed his brow.
He heard the content of their conversation clearly.
He really wanted to express his eternal loyalty to the Captain-Commander.
Because it was the Captain-Commander who picked him up, brought him back to the Seireitei, and encouraged him to become a Shinigami…
But then he thought, the Captain is the Captain-Commander's disciple.
In a sense, if Yoriichi Tsugikuni became the Captain-Commander, it would be Yamamoto Genryusai himself.
If Yamamoto Genryusai had no objections, then it wouldn't matter whom he was loyal to…
And based on Komamura Sajin's understanding of Yamamoto Genryusai's character.
If he raised these questions.
Yamamoto Genryusai would probably say, "Fool, do you think this old man cares about such things?!" something like that.
With a slight realization in his heart, Komamura Sajin took a step forward and said:
"My apologies for interrupting your conversation."
"Captain Yoriichi, I admire your contributions to the Seireitei. I wonder what your thoughts are on the Menos Grande that invaded the Seireitei today?"
As soon as he said this.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kisuke Urahara both looked at Komamura Sajin.
Very familiar rhetoric. If nothing unexpected happens, it seems I've used it before. x2
Yoriichi Tsugikuni was silent for a moment, recalling the scene when Kensei Muguruma became a Hollow, and softly said,
"Sajin, what did you encounter today?"
"You, who always detest Hollows, when did you start thinking of pleading for those Menos Grande?"
"!"
Komamura Sajin was startled. Is my attitude that obvious?
He hadn't even stated his purpose yet.
It couldn't be mind-reading, could it!
Seeing both their gazes fixed on him, and Kisuke Urahara wearing a look of amusement, Komamura Sajin felt a bit weary.
Let it be. It was one thing for Yoriichi to see through his thoughts, but Kisuke Urahara actually saw through them too…
Is this the insight of a Captain-level Shinigami?
It seems that even with enhanced strength, he still has a long way to go…
Sighing, Komamura Sajin stated his purpose.
In short, he was unwilling to stand by and watch those loyal and righteous individuals be killed by incompetent and evil superiors.
This had nothing to do with his position.
He believed in Gantenbainne's character, believed that he would not attack Shinigami after his resurrection, and believed that he could help the Shinigami.
Solely because of his intuition as a werewolf.
Furthermore, Gantenbainne's character of repaying Aizen until his death was also a strong corroborating factor.
Listening to Komamura Sajin slowly recount his experience, Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kisuke Urahara exchanged glances.
Both read the attitude of 'promising talent' in each other's eyes.
Yoriichi did not refuse. He believed in Komamura Sajin, for one, and for another, the more Menos Grande with suitable dispositions to manage Hueco Mundo, the better.
Relying solely on those few Vasto Lorde still seemed a bit insufficient.
And so, after Kisuke Urahara left with the Hōgyoku, Yoriichi Tsugikuni immediately delved into Hell and pulled out Gantenbainne Mosqueda.
The latter, due to his nature, harbored deep gratitude towards Yoriichi and Komamura Sajin.
After all, since his death, he no longer owed Aizen anything.
In other words, as a Freshmen life, from now on, he would serve the Shinigami.
Hope.
This was a correct decision.
And not long after.
Yoriichi suddenly heard the news of the two Hōgyoku merging.