Chapter 161: Aizen's Doubts
Kisuke had been under a lot of pressure lately.
His utterly unreliable superior had forced work upon him under the threat of violence.
Ever since taking on this new responsibility, his slacking-off time had drastically decreased.
In the past, he only needed to work half an hour a day, but now he had to work for an hour and a half!
Damn it, this is outrageous!
If that were all, it might have been tolerable, but what was even more infuriating was that this guy had somehow found a genius.
That man, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, had a sharp mind and an incredible ability to grasp new concepts.
He quickly understood the game console designed by Satoru and began advancing the research and development at lightning speed.
That guy seemed to have no concept of fatigue; whenever Satoru made a request, Mayuri would work tirelessly, day and night, to deliver the results as soon as possible.
What was the point?!
Witnessing this, Kisuke grew anxious.
As a technical expert, the most important thing after joining a company was to define one's own capacity.
Whether you had ten units of ability or twelve, it was best to only deliver six when assigned a task.
If you showcased your full capabilities right away, the boss would set new demands based on that full capacity.
If you worked slowly, you'd be labeled as lazy or negligent.
Occasionally exceeding expectations a little could be framed as overtime effort, earning you recognition and rewards.
That was how a proper corporate drone should operate!
Someone like Mayuri Kurotsuchi, who had ten units of ability but insisted on exerting twenty, was nothing but a troublemaker disrupting the workplace balance.
Under Mayuri's relentless drive, Kisuke, with tears in his eyes, was forced to speed up as well.
With the combined efforts of these two geniuses, the game console Satoru wanted was almost within reach.
By the way, with Mayuri's arrival, Satoru's small research institution had finally begun to take shape.
It had upgraded from a two-person operation—just him and Kisuke—to a three-person enterprise.
With three exceptional talents gathered in the small Second Division, it was no longer feasible to continue using Kisuke's dorm room as the research venue.
Satoru approached Yoruichi and applied for an abandoned dojo.
On the day the paperwork was approved, he hung a sign at the entrance that read "Satoru Technical Bureau."
Staring at the sign, Mayuri was utterly dumbfounded.
Currently, the Soul Society had no established scientific research department.
However, since Captain Hikifune was deeply involved in this field, many assumed that if the Soul Society ever formally established a research department, it would naturally be placed in the Twelfth Division.
Even if not the Twelfth Division, it should be in divisions like the Third or Fifth, which leaned more toward administrative or cultural roles.
By no logic should it appear in the Second Division…
Having originally come from the Twelfth Division himself, Mayuri felt quite conflicted witnessing this scene.
Although he found it utterly absurd, once Satoru used his connections to procure various research equipment, Mayuri immediately changed his mind.
The research department should rightfully belong to our Second Division—what does the Twelfth Division even amount to?!
Satoru found Marenoshin Ōmaeda and had him arrange for a group of skilled craftsmen to completely renovate the dojo.
Kisuke and Mayuri were each given dedicated research areas where they could pursue their personal hobbies during their free time.
Satoru was deeply moved by his own thoughtfulness.
In reality, both Kisuke and Mayuri were quite pleased when they saw the completed Technology Institute built by Satoru.
Though they knew in their hearts this was just Satoru's new method to push progress, good facilities were still good facilities.
Despite their high technical skills, neither of them had much money.
To build such a fine laboratory building themselves, they would need to save for at least four or five hundred years.
In return for Satoru's generosity, Kisuke actually put in some genuine effort for once.
To be fair, although Satoru frequently had erratic episodes and loved assigning random tasks, working under him didn't feel particularly stressful.
In fact, it felt more reassuring than his previous life of slacking off and drifting aimlessly.
What an unusual fellow.
As for Mayuri...
He became even more work-obsessed than before.
...
...
"Boy, your current strength is fully capable of being a captain."
"Coincidentally, just a few days ago, Captain Chōjirō of the 11th Division resigned due to health reasons... How about you take over directly?"
In the First Division dojo, Yamamoto gripped his bamboo sword and began persuading someone during the break.
Satoru was wielding two bamboo swords, practicing his Starburst Stream technique.
Hearing Yamamoto's words, he shook his head without hesitation.
Just as he was about to speak, Yamamoto interrupted: "If you're worried about your agreement with the Shihōin girl, set your mind at ease."
"When the Shihōin girl said you couldn't leave the Second Division, she meant you couldn't leave in a subordinate capacity."
"If you go to become a captain, it would only benefit her."
"Given your relationship, you becoming captain of the 11th Division would greatly increase the Shihōin Clan's influence. It's a win-win situation."
Satoru blinked.
Win-win... win for whom?
Old man, you and the Shihōin Clan's win-win?
What about Lord Satoru's opinion?
He shook his head: "No, no. The 11th Division... a combat division full of muscleheads doesn't match my refined and elegant style."
Yamamoto: "?"
Seeing Satoru's serious expression, he couldn't help but feel complicated.
This kid, does he really have no self-awareness about what he's like?
As Yamamoto pondered this, Satoru asked curiously:
"Captain Chōjirō's health is failing? During the last captain assessment, he seemed perfectly fine to me."
Yamamoto shook his head gently: "Over a hundred years ago, Captain Chōjirō encountered a Menos Grande invasion in Rukongai and was severely injured."
"Captain Unohana's treatment saved his life, but his physical condition deteriorated significantly."
"Truth be told, I'm somewhat surprised he managed to hold on this long before resigning."
"Captain Chōjirō probably endured the discomfort to persist until the rebel forces were completely eliminated."
"Now that the rebel disturbance has basically ended, he no longer felt the need to continue."
Hearing this, Satoru nodded.
Normally, Shinigami cannot voluntarily leave their divisions.
To maintain the "sanctity" of the Gotei 13, the nobles established a rule that all Shinigami who voluntarily leave their divisions must be sent to the Maggot's Nest, spending the rest of their lives in prison.
Of course, for someone like Chōjirō Sakanoue, such a thing didn't exist.
After all, he was a veteran captain and deserved some face.
After repeatedly trying to persuade him and seeing that Satoru remained unmoved, refusing to go no matter what, Yamamoto had no choice but to give up on the idea of coaxing him into the Eleventh Division.
At present, the rebels had been mostly cleared out. As a combat unit, the Eleventh Division could manage without a captain for a short time without major issues.
As for this kid, he would inevitably become a captain sooner or later, so there was no need to rush.
Perhaps one day, when he was no longer around, the position of Captain-General might even be forcibly thrust upon him.
Thinking this, Yamamoto let out a soft chuckle.
...
...
As night fell, Satoru returned to the Second Division.
Attended by Suì-Fēng, he enjoyed a comfortable bath.
After changing into a clean yukata, he stepped into the courtyard and stretched lazily.
The moonlight was beautiful. On such a night, some fine sake from Kyōgokuya would surely be perfect.
As if in response to his thoughts, a small figure suddenly emerged from the darkness.
It was a black kitten, carrying a bag in its mouth.
Seeing the cat, Satoru grinned.
"Yoruichi? Why show up like this?"
He took the bag and set it aside, then picked Yoruichi up, rubbing his cheek against hers.
Suì-Fēng watched, nearly crying with envy.
The soft fur felt wonderful.
Since it was a cat formed through secret techniques, there was no risk of allergies, and he could indulge freely.
...Well, not entirely—getting too handsy in the wrong places would earn him a scratch.
After playing with the cat for a while, Satoru looked satisfied.
He glanced at the bag nearby.
Seeing several sake flasks inside, his smile widened.
"Yoruichi, you know me so well!"
Soon, Yoruichi reverted to her human form, donned a yukata, and joined Satoru on the roof.
The two lay side by side under the moonlight, toasting and drinking.
"Hey, Satoru, what do you think... of the current Seireitei?" Yoruichi asked lazily after taking a sip of sake.
"It's fine. I'm having a pretty good time, anyway."
Satoru also began to relax.
"And what about the Shihōin Clan?"
Satoru chuckled. "If we're including you, then the Shihōin Clan is an ally to me."
"If we're not including you, then the Shihōin Clan is just a bunch of strangers. What could I possibly think of them?"
Hearing this, Yoruichi's lips curled into a slight smile.
She turned onto her side, facing Satoru directly.
Sensing that Yoruichi had something to say, Satoru turned to look at her.
At a glance, his gaze was immediately drawn to a certain area.
The yukata, by its very nature, featured a deep V-neck.
Supported by Yoruichi's already well-developed assets, the deep V-neck curved even more prominently.
Seeing it up close like this made his heartbeat quicken slightly.
To give the two of them some space, Suì-Fēng had already gone outside the courtyard to keep watch.
Now, under the quiet moonlight, only the two of them remained.
Noticing Satoru's gaze, Yoruichi was momentarily taken aback, then broke into a smile.
"Are you blushing?"
Satoru couldn't help but laugh.
This was the same line Yoruichi had said to him when they first met in the First Division, hiding together under a Reiatsu cloak to evade Marenoshin.
He never expected to hear it again after all this time.
"Blushing? I'm just appreciating art."
"In the living world, many great artists love painting unclothed girls. Compared to them, I'm practically a saint for merely admiring the scenery inside your collar."
Seeing Satoru's stubborn denial, Yoruichi burst into laughter.
After laughing her fill, she caught her breath.
Then, with a serious expression, she said:
"Satoru, after what happened in Hueco Mundo last time, I realized something."
"Since I was a child, I've been called a genius. The elders of my clan always said I hadn't brought shame to the Shihōin Clan."
"According to the clan records, even the first captain of the Second Division, my ancestor, Chika Shihōin, was only at about my level when he was my age."
"I've always taken pride in this talent."
"Although I've never slacked off in my training, I've never pushed myself to work excessively hard either."
"But after witnessing your battles, I finally understood how complacent I've been all this time."
"Satoru, I want to become stronger."
"Just watch—I will definitely grow stronger and stand by your side!"
Seeing the determination in Yoruichi's eyes, Satoru set aside his playful demeanor.
He nodded and said, "I believe in you."
Hearing this, Yoruichi flashed a bright smile.
"As expected of the one I've set my sights on. That's a great response—I'm happy!"
Satoru blinked.
The one I've set my sights on?
Before he could ask Yoruichi what she meant by that, she continued, "As a reward, I'll teach you something new."
"This is something I've organized and improved from the notes left behind by the first captain of the Second Division, Chika Shihōin!"
"Believe me, this move is absolutely no less impressive than the techniques the Captain-Commander taught you!"
Hearing Yoruichi's words, Satoru suddenly guessed what it might be.
Could it be…?
"I've named this move 'Shunkō'!"
"Although it's still under development and not yet complete, I believe that once it's perfected, it will be the most perfect fusion of Hakuda and Kidō in the history of the Soul Society!"
Just as he thought.
Hearing the name Shunkō, Satoru couldn't help but light up with excitement.
He had always assumed Shunkō was something Yoruichi developed on her own after she matured.
So, although he was very curious about it, he had never rushed to ask.
He never expected that, once again, he was standing on the shoulders of giants.
As expected of the Shihōin Clan… with such a profound legacy and a genius like Yoruichi, it's no wonder they rose to prominence.
Since it involved the secret inheritance of the Shihōin Clan, this technique naturally couldn't be taught to others again.
The "Sōsuke Aizen-brand cheat training device" was once again rendered useless.
...
...
For nearly a week, Aizen had been in the Great Spiritual Library, poring over various materials.
Research might seem tedious, but if it piques your curiosity, it can be like a time machine.
Many people go to search for one term on an encyclopedia, only to end up clicking through related entries and losing half a day before they know it.
The more he read, the more alarmed Aizen became.
The texts about the Soul King were hidden in very obscure places by the Tsunayashiro Clan.
It took him considerable effort to finally uncover some fragmented clues.
But these clues alone were enough to send chills down his spine.
If the truth about the Soul King was as described in these records, then the history of the Soul Society—no, the entire existence of the three realms—could be called a history of sin written in the Soul King's blood.
He even felt as if the sky of the Soul Society had turned blood-red.
Though there was much more he wanted to read, Aizen decided he couldn't continue.
While his mindset was still relatively stable, he should leave this place and return to the surface to catch his breath.
According to Satoru, if he kept this up, his sanity would plummet.
Using the power of Kyōka Suigetsu, he bypassed the guards, returned to the surface, and made his way to his laboratory in Rukongai.
Along the way, he had already imagined the scene in the lab.
As expected, the room should be filled with a pile of messages from Satoru.
Each message would start with something like "Sōsuke Doraemon," followed by various outrageous requests for help.
Just thinking about Satoru's shameless face, Aizen suddenly felt that the shocking truths he had read in the Great Spiritual Library weren't such big problems after all.
However, upon returning to the laboratory, he was somewhat surprised.
There were no messages.
That guy Satoru hadn't asked him for any help.
...Had something happened?