Since receiving Kuchiki Byakuya's endorsement, Shunsui Kyoraku no longer appeared to intercept them on their late returns at night. Regarding the Yellow Turbans' massive construction projects in the Rukongai, the Seireitei also remained quiet, offering not a single reaction.
Time quietly passed while Suzuki Makoto played the role of a 'civil engineering bro,' and the days drifted by until the first batch of students from the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy Branch Campus were ready to graduate.
"Captain Aizen, it has truly been a long time, hasn't it?"
"Indeed. Suzuki-kun has been busy with matters in the Rukongai for these past few years, so we have not met in quite a while. Hello, Captain Kuchiki."
Sosuke Aizen pushed up his glasses, looking at the ever-immaculate Kuchiki Byakuya standing beside Suzuki Makoto.
"Hello... You two chat, I will head back first."
Kuchiki Byakuya's mind was truly not present at the moment. After all, Rukia was about to graduate, and he was pondering exactly what kind of gift would be best to give her.
Should he go to the Shihoin family and request a Heavenly Armament?
"Captain Kuchiki seems very busy."
"Rukia is graduating, so he has been in a very good mood these past few days."
"Oh? That is Captain Kuchiki's sister-in-law, correct? I heard they will be participating in an internship together with the main campus inside the Seireitei this time?"
"Yes. Are you here for this matter as well?"
In these past few years, aside from his time in Hueco Mundo, Suzuki Makoto hadn't really seen the real Aizen walking around within the Seireitei.
With the completion of Las Noches, Aizen had moved all his experimental devices to Hueco Mundo. Experimenting there was much freer than in the Seireitei, and the test subjects were countless.
By now, the vast majority of Adjuchas-class Menos Grande in the entire Hueco Mundo had been captured and brought into Las Noches for Arrancar experiments. It could be said that the elite forces of the entire Hueco Mundo were already under Aizen's command.
On the few occasions Suzuki Makoto went back, it was basically to spar with those few Vasto Lorde Menos Grande—mainly Ulquiorra and Baraggan. He had only fought Starrk and Lilynette once; after seeing their resistance to combat, Suzuki Makoto didn't force them to fight again.
"That is correct. There are quite a few good seeds among this year's Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy graduates. I want to pick two capable assistants for Gin and Kaname. After all, the energy they can spare for their Divisions is dwindling, so they really need capable Lieutenants to help out."
"How do you plan to pick them?"
Suzuki Makoto felt a spark of interest. He had seen the content of the graduation internship; the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy side was basically just going through the motions, quite boring. However, he remembered that Aizen had indeed selected Hisagi Shuhei and others during this period, and these individuals were all quite outstanding Lieutenants.
"Send a Gillian over, observe their reactions, and then step in to save them. However, it seems this plan is likely impossible now."
Having heard earlier that the Branch Campus would be joining them, Aizen had wanted to discuss testing them with Suzuki Makoto. But seeing Kuchiki Byakuya's demeanor just now, he knew the plan had likely changed. Judging by his attitude toward Rukia, Kuchiki Byakuya would undoubtedly go to protect her during this internship.
"Then just arrange it like that. I'll hold back Kuchiki Byakuya."
"Is your relationship with Captain Kuchiki that good now?"
The man was somewhat surprised. He knew Kuchiki Byakuya had been assigned to monitor Suzuki Makoto's external missions for the past few years, but hearing this, it sounded as if Suzuki Makoto had already turned the head of one of the Four Great Noble Families to his side.
"This is also thanks to Captain Kuchiki being a man of high moral character himself. Otherwise, if he were a typical Noble, even another ten years would be meaningless."
Even Suzuki Makoto was surprised by Kuchiki Byakuya's performance. Although he knew from memory that the man wasn't someone who thought himself high and mighty, seeing such a man sitting by a bonfire eating a boxed lunch calmly for the first time was truly impressive.
One had to know that Kuchiki Byakuya had truly helped the Yellow Turbans process timber for these past few years, and later even took on the stone materials. Given his background and status, doing this much already demonstrated Kuchiki Byakuya's own moral standards.
"Since that is the case, I will let Kaname continue the arrangements."
"You returned to the Seireitei just for such a small matter?"
"Not entirely—the Nobles seem to have some other ideas."
"Me, or the Yellow Turbans?"
"Compared to external threats, internal strife naturally takes higher priority."
Aizen's lips curled into a mocking arc; this mockery was naturally not directed at Suzuki Makoto.
"They want to make a move on the Shiba family. For this, they are even communicating with Ichimaru Gin."
Since the Nobles began secretly recruiting the Captains of the Gotei 13, Aizen had directed Ichimaru Gin to lean toward them. Tosen Kaname's past was no secret; a little investigation would reveal the conflict between him and the Nobles. And Ichimaru Gin was most adept at tasks involving interacting with people.
So, when the Nobles wanted to move against the Shiba family, they thought of Ichimaru Gin first. After all, his Zanpakuto was simply too professionally suited for backstabbing others.
"The Shiba main family only has one Lieutenant, Kaien Shiba, left. And he hasn't learned Bankai yet. If Ichimaru Gin goes, it would indeed be very easy."
"Yes, that is why I returned from Hueco Mundo to the Seireitei. Since the Shiba family is destined to be swallowed by conspiracy and ambition, I might as well make use of the waste and see how the bodies of the Four Great Noble Families differ from ordinary Shinigami."
Clearly, for Aizen, experiments on Hollows were already second nature, but experiments on Shinigami had obviously been delayed somewhat.
"Need help? I can grab a batch of Nobles and send them to you. The Tsunayashiro family works too."
"No need. I know you wouldn't leave any traces, but sometimes, the absence of any traces is itself an extremely distinct trace."
Clearly, Aizen didn't wish for Suzuki Makoto to be suspected because of such a thing, potentially leading to an early outbreak of conflict. After all, before the means to deal with the Captain-Commander and the Zero Division were ready, early exposure would be disadvantageous to their plan.
"I will handle the matters regarding the Nobles. You just need to take care of those children who just graduated—if you want to insert a few people into the Gotei 13, just arrange them into the 3rd, 5th, or 7th Divisions."
"I have no interest in such petty infiltration. With that manpower, it's better to keep them all in the Rukongai. As long as they can get the inspection system running in the Rukongai, I will be satisfied."
Anyway, with Sosuke Aizen around, Suzuki Makoto couldn't be bothered to use such an inefficient method of intelligence gathering.
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