Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō
Chapter 285: Don’t Disappoint Me

Chapter 285 - 285: Don’t Disappoint Me

Masatsuki Aozaki's expression grew serious. After a brief pause, he continued,

"Apart from an old bald man named Yamamoto, you'd best not mess with him. That old man is not to be trifled with."

"If he gets angry, he might just spank you."

"And when that happens, even if I beg on your behalf, I might not be able to save you."

Rukia nodded obediently, looking as if she completely understood.

"I got it... I'll listen to you, Masatsuki-nii."

She answered earnestly, blinking her big eyes.

Masatsuki Aozaki smiled in satisfaction and gently ruffled Rukia's hair.

"As long as you understand."

"Oh, right, Nii-san! I can help you with chores now too! When I woke up, all my injuries stopped hurting—it's amazing!"

Rukia blinked curiously.

When she got up this morning, she realized that the dull aches from her wounds had completely vanished.

Masatsuki Aozaki patted her head and explained,

"That's the effect of Kaidō—it heals injuries."

"When you become a Shinigami in the future, you'll have the chance to learn this incredible power too."

"Shinigami can learn this kind of amazing power?"

Rukia clenched her fists, her face full of determination.

"Then I have to become a Shinigami! That way, I can help you, Masatsuki-nii!"

Seeing the girl's flushed cheeks, Masatsuki Aozaki chuckled and chose not to dampen her enthusiasm.

Learning Kaidō depends on talent.

Shin'ō Academy does offer Kaidō courses, but forget about mastering it—by the time they graduate, barely anyone has even scratched the surface.

For one, very few people are actually interested in Kaidō. Most are more passionate about sword combat.

And on top of that, Kaidō requires a high level of innate talent—those who can truly grasp it are one in a million.

...

Ten years later, the 1st Division convened another Captain's Meeting.

The reason was simple.

Masatsuki Aozaki's senior, the 13th Division Captain, Jūshirō Ukitake, had come across a rare phenomenon while on duty in the World of the Living—

A human Shinigami.

A human who had not yet transformed into a spirit, yet had acquired the power of a Shinigami.

And that human Shinigami was none other than Masatsuki Aozaki's old acquaintance—Kūgo Ginjō.

That kid had certainly honed his craft over the years!

Standing before the assembled captains, he spoke with remarkable eloquence and confidence.

Originally, he had relied on the Tsunayashiro Clan's influence to orchestrate an ambush and steal Shinigami powers in secret.

But the way he spun the tale, it sounded as if—

After a Shinigami was gravely wounded by Hollows, he had heroically stepped in to turn the tide.

Considering his active efforts in purifying Hollows and protecting humans during his time in the World of the Living, along with the fact that he possessed Reiatsu on par with a captain's, after some deliberation, Seireitei made a decision—

He was officially granted the title of "Substitute Shinigami."

He was assigned to the 11th Division, where he formed a Special Forces Unit for the World of the Living and took command as its captain.

And with that, the first Substitute Shinigami was born.

"Kūgo... can you talk to me?"

Inside the Aozaki family study, Masatsuki Aozaki sat in his seat, gazing at Kūgo Ginjō, who was sweating profusely.

When he had seen this man appear at the captain's meeting wearing a white haori, he had been so startled that his heart nearly stopped. Fortunately, his nerves were steely enough to keep his reaction from showing.

"Please speak, my lord. I will tell you everything..."

Kūgo Ginjō, kneeling before Masatsuki Aozaki, wiped his brow, forcing himself to remain composed.

Through his investigations, he had come to understand Masatsuki Aozaki's standing in Soul Society, and the realization left him in awe.

Masatsuki was not only a high-ranking noble of Seireitei, but he also had the open support of two of the Five Great Noble Clans, with another neutral clan leaning in his favor.

More than that, the most powerful military force in Soul Society was led by his own Master.

He even held the title of "Kenpachi," marking him as the strongest Shinigami.

Meanwhile, the once-dominant Tsunayashiro Clan, who had prided themselves as the rulers of Soul Society, had fallen into decline.

It made Kūgo Ginjō wonder—had Masatsuki Aozaki's initial approach been nothing more than a maneuver in Seireitei's internal power struggle?

If so, there was no doubt about who had emerged as the ultimate victor.

Soul Society might as well be his domain now.

Kūgo Ginjō had no choice but to submit.

"Have you brought me the information I asked for?"

Masatsuki Aozaki's fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest. His eyes were sharp, his voice calm—almost soothing—yet it seemed to pierce through to one's very soul.

But to Kūgo Ginjō, every tap sounded like a hammer striking his heart, making his breath grow unsteady and his pulse quicken.

Kneeling before Masatsuki Aozaki, he kept his head low. Sweat dripped from his forehead, his body trembled slightly, and his fists clenched tightly.

If he failed to provide a satisfactory answer, the consequences could be dire.

"I found the Tenshiyo Agata you mentioned, but..."

Kūgo Ginjō's voice wavered with hesitation and fear. He dared not lift his gaze, afraid of what he might see in Masatsuki Aozaki's eyes.

"Do I need to teach you how to speak? You're not that incompetent, are you?"

Masatsuki Aozaki's lips curled into a faint smile—gentle on the surface, yet to Kūgo Ginjō, it was nothing short of a devil's grin.

"But what? Just say it clearly. I don't have much patience."

Kūgo Ginjō's tremors grew worse. His lips parted as if to speak, but he hesitated, shutting them again.

How was he supposed to deliver this bad news? What if it enraged Masatsuki Aozaki?

But there was no avoiding it.

Taking a deep breath, he mustered the courage to stammer out—

"But... that man is dead!"

Masatsuki Aozaki's brows furrowed slightly, surprise flickering across his face.

"Dead?"

His tone carried both doubt and displeasure.

"Yes. By the time I found him, he was already dead."

"I examined his body... The situation was strange. There was a wound on his chest, clearly made by a long blade."

"It didn't seem fatal. I found no other wounds, yet he was dead."

Kūgo Ginjō spoke quickly, as if fearing that if he delayed even a second, he himself would end up with a blade in his chest.

"I didn't find his soul in the World of the Living, either. I don't know if he came to Soul Society or if he turned into a Hollow."

Masatsuki Aozaki's frown deepened.

A blade wound that shouldn't have been fatal—yet the man died, and his soul was missing.

It reminded him of Aizen and Kaname Tōsen.

Over the years, those two had frequently collected the souls of Fullbringers from the World of the Living for their experiments.

Aizen believed that the greatest obstacle standing between him and absolute power was the Zero Division of the Soul King's Palace.

If they were destined to clash one day, and the enemy was overwhelmingly powerful, then preparation was essential.

Soul King fragments—pieces of the Soul King's body—still held research value.

Masatsuki Aozaki spent his days idling, uninterested in such matters, but Aizen had his own grand ambitions. He wouldn't waste time following Masatsuki's example.

It was entirely possible that Aizen had taken Tenshiyo Agata's soul.

Of course, that was just speculation...

Masatsuki Aozaki couldn't be bothered to investigate further.

"Did you find anything else?" he asked.

"His family? Friends? Are any of them still around?"

Kūgo Ginjō quickly responded,

"I found his daughter. She was the one who showed me his body."

"Her name—is it Aura?" Masatsuki Aozaki asked.

"That's right. Aura Agata. After her father died, she changed her name to Aura Michibane. 'Michibane' was her mother's surname."

Kūgo Ginjō's voice was hurried, as if eager to report everything.

"But that girl is strange. She doesn't seem to care about Tenshiyo Agata's death at all. When she talks about him, she's so indifferent that you'd never think they were father and daughter..."

"Where is she now?"

Before Kūgo Ginjō could finish, Masatsuki Aozaki interrupted with a frown. Clearly, he had no interest in their familial bonds.

"She's in the Execution Division right now!" Ginjō responded.

Masatsuki Aozaki nodded in satisfaction, a faint smirk forming on his lips.

"You've done well, Kūgo."

"When you return to the World of the Living, bring her to me."

His voice was calm, yet carried undeniable authority.

"Don't disappoint me, Kūgo."

"Yes."

Kūgo Ginjō let out a breath of relief, feeling as if he had just narrowly escaped death.

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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