Hinamori Momo finally agreed.
This wasn't just because Rukia's words touched her; it was more due to a certain obsession deep within her.
Her family's faces constantly appeared in her mind; she longed for her family to live a better life.
West Rukongai District 1, Junrinin, certainly didn't lack food and could be considered stable and peaceful.
However, compared to the lives of Shinigami, it was undoubtedly far inferior.
Just like before, even though they lived in West Rukongai District 1.
Even if Yoriichi Tsugikuni hadn't become a Shinigami at that time, relying on his prestige and power, his status was still worlds apart from that of ordinary people like them.
Hinamori Momo kept pondering these thoughts, and her resolve hardened.
To give her grandmother a happier life, she had to bravely take this step.
She slowly exhaled, and her eyes became resolute.
She nodded to Rukia, and then dinner quickly passed in a relatively relaxed atmosphere.
After everyone dispersed, Yoriichi went to the study to prepare for the training lessons a few days later.
And then, he suddenly remembered that the deadline he had set with Retsu Unohana was approaching—tomorrow.
He wasn't worried about winning or losing; he just wasn't sure about Uta's attitude and thoughts on learning Kaido.
Yoriichi held a brush in his hand, lost in thought.
Suddenly, with a "creak," the door was pushed open.
Uta stepped in; she seemed to have known what Yoriichi was worried about all along.
She carried a bowl of soup and slowly walked up to Yoriichi, saying softly, "Don't worry, Yoriichi, Captain Retsu Unohana is very kind to me."
"You don't have to come to tomorrow's lesson; after all, you're busy, aren't you?"
"This is a bowl of soup I made for you. Drink it; it'll help with digestion."
"Also, that child, Hinamori Momo… do you plan to recruit her into the Ninth Division?"
Yoriichi slowly looked up, the bright lamplight illuminating the surroundings, and a hint of fatigue showed in his eyes.
He sighed softly and said, "Uta, I just feel that you shouldn't do so much for me."
"Back then, our dream was just to live happily and peacefully in a small house, with the three of us sleeping side by side, and that would have been enough."
"I personally don't have much ambition; I only became a Captain to find you."
"Now that I've found you, I suddenly realize that my identity seems to have become a burden to you."
"If I were neither a noble nor a Captain, you wouldn't have to be so tired, you wouldn't have to do so many things to help me…"
Uta deeply understood the meaning of Yoriichi's words, just like how young ladies from wealthy families had to learn various arts.
But now that they were living happily together, why bother with such things?
Uta stepped forward, gently shaking her head, and said, "You, you just think too much."
"I understand your worries, but don't forget we are husband and wife. Even when we were mortals, as humans, we still had to support our husbands and raise our children."
"After entering Soul Society, these trivial matters have just turned into learning combat styles."
"There's no difference."
"My identity is not a burden to you; I genuinely want to help you…"
"Just like, you suddenly appeared before me back then and saved me when I lost all my family to the plague…"
"Go rest; I see you're tired too."
She gently pulled Yoriichi up, her words full of encouragement.
Yoriichi was silent for a while, then said no more.
Perhaps it was as Uta said, but Yoriichi didn't want her to take even the slightest risk.
Maybe things would be better after the child was born…
Time flew by like a white steed.
In the blink of an eye, another sparring session with Retsu Unohana concluded.
Uta successfully became Retsu Unohana's disciple.
Yoriichi had reviewed the study plan tailored for Uta; its intensity was moderate.
It was more about targeted teaching based on Uta's actual situation.
It was like breaking down a major task into several smaller ones.
As long as each was completed, the whole could be perfectly resolved.
Just as Retsu Unohana said, there are no dull students in the world, only teachers who are not wise enough.
If a teacher is willing to accept a student, then the student's intelligence and talent must be up to par.
If the teaching results are not significant, the problem must lie with the teacher.
Fortunately, Retsu Unohana was certainly not such a person.
Even within the entire Seireitei, she was one of the most outstanding teachers.
Moreover, Uta was not resistant to learning Kaido.
Yoriichi felt relieved because of this.
With a touch of emotion, Yoriichi left the Fourth Division.
Immediately after, Yoriichi met Isane Kotetsu.
At this time, Isane had an armband on her shoulder, having already become a Vice-Captain.
It seemed Yoruichi's actions were extremely swift.
The two greeted each other, then passed by.
Returning to the Ninth Division, Yoriichi saw Ikkaku Madarame.
He was currently waiting outside the barracks, accompanied by a girl in her teens.
The girl wore a red hat resembling a lotus leaf, making her appearance very distinct.
As Yoriichi approached, Ikkaku quickly pulled the girl and walked over, eagerly saying:
"Big Brother, this is my younger sister, Shino Madarame. Can she participate in the Ninth Division's special training?"
"Call me Captain when we're outside," Yoriichi corrected Ikkaku Madarame's address.
Then, he turned his gaze to Shino Madarame… Ikkaku's younger sister?
She did resemble him, at least their expressions were very similar.
Both often frowned; she was quite a stubborn young girl.
"Okay, Big Brother," Ikkaku Madarame seemed not to have heard him.
Are you kidding? Calling him Captain would be too formal.
Yumichika Ayasegawa called Yoriichi "Big Brother" every day, and Yoriichi never got angry, so why couldn't he?
The closer the address, the better, as it would bring them closer.
The Ninth Division was not the Eleventh Division.
Yoriichi quietly glanced at Ikkaku Madarame, saying nothing.
Considering he was the highest-ranking in the Ninth Division, they could call him whatever they wanted.
His gaze fell on Shino Madarame again, and Yoriichi nodded slightly:
"No problem, come along. It looks like she has some reishi."
"Ikkaku, do you intend for her to become a Shinigami in the future?"
This was a routine inquiry.
If so, then she needed focused training.
During the special training, Shinigami techniques could also be taught to help her bridge the gap with others.
If not… it didn't matter.
Many souls wished to become Shinigami every year; one or two less wouldn't make a difference.
A stable life was the best.
Ikkaku hesitated for a moment.
Shino Madarame stomped her foot upon seeing this:
"Stupid big brother, what do you think I came to Seireitei with you for?"
"It's to become a Shinigami!"
"Of course, I'm too young now, and my reishi isn't strong, so I don't plan to apply to Spiritual Arts Academy yet."
"But it's better to be prepared than completely unprepared!"
Her temper was similar to Ikkaku Madarame's, but in some aspects, she was even more decisive than him.
Shino looked at Yoriichi Tsugikuni with bright eyes and said, "So you're my big brother's boss?"
"Nice to meet you, my name is Shino Madarame."
"Please remember my name; I'm a woman who's going to become a Shinigami Captain!"
Yoriichi Tsugikuni smiled: "Very ambitious, good."
"Currently, among the Gotei 13, only the Captains of the Second Division and Fourth Division are women. I hope you can become one of them."
"Keep up this momentum; I have high hopes for you."
These words made Ikkaku Madarame raise an eyebrow.
He said somewhat helplessly, "Big Brother, you don't really need to pay too much attention to what she says; she's just a little kid."
"She even said she wanted to become the Captain-Commander before, but because she couldn't even beat me, she had to lower her ambition to just being a Captain."
"Besides, even if there was a chance to contend for a Captain's position, it wouldn't be her turn."
"Stupid big brother, what did you say?!"
Their bickering livened up the atmosphere.
Yoriichi smiled and gently shook his head.
This was his ideal state for a Division.
Everyone was full of vitality and life, rather than being suppressed by combat.
"Come in," Yoriichi said, interrupting their bickering.
"Let's talk inside first; the special training still needs a few days of preparation."
"During this time, Shino, you can stay here for now."
"Of course, there's a girls' dormitory, so you don't have to worry about being crowded with them."
Shino Madarame's voice stopped abruptly.
She looked at her big brother disdainfully, then nodded to Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Immediately after, she followed Yoriichi into the Ninth Division.
Ikkaku stood in place with a complex expression.
Only when Yoriichi's voice sounded again did he follow him in.
He sighed softly in his heart.
He actually didn't want his sister to become a Shinigami.
But unfortunately, his status wasn't high enough to give her a better life.
At the same time, the area where Shino Madarame lived was too remote.
Considering all these factors, he invited Shino over.
He wanted to see if she had the talent to become a Shinigami and also to get acquainted with Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
After all, both of them had younger sisters…
But he didn't expect that this would only strengthen Shino's desire to become a Shinigami.
This was truly…
Ikkaku Madarame didn't know what to say.
He only hoped that after she became a Shinigami, she could take on a relatively safe job…
However, on second thought, if Shino could join the Ninth Division under Captain Tsugikuni, perhaps this idea could truly be realized.
His mood subsequently lightened.
Unbeknownst to him, he had already equated Yoriichi Tsugikuni with safety.
Perhaps, this was a result that the former Ikkaku Madarame had never anticipated.
His heart felt peaceful.
…
After a while, after settling Shino Madarame into the dormitory, Yoriichi entered his office, preparing to handle official business.
But at the same time, his gaze suddenly fixed on a certain spot.
Although there was nothing there, his intuition told him that "someone" was standing there.
Yoriichi frowned slightly, just about to speak.
In front of him, a pen suddenly flew over.
As if being controlled, it scribbled something on a piece of paper.
Once it finished writing, Yoriichi scanned the line of text, his pupils imperceptibly contracting.
This was because the text read: "Nice to meet you, I am Kenpachi Azashiro."
…
"Kenpachi Azashiro?" Yoriichi was filled with surprise; the scene before him was completely unexpected.
However, since he didn't sense any hostility, Yoriichi fell into a brief contemplation.
In his memory, wasn't this Kenpachi serving his sentence in Muken?
He couldn't quite remember how many years ago it was, but it was clear that the sentence was far from over, as the minimum sentence in Muken was a thousand years.
As the Eighth Kenpachi, it would at most have been a hundred years ago.
Did he escape?
At this moment, the pen seemed to come alive, as if it knew what Yoriichi was thinking, and continued to write rapidly on the paper:
"Don't be confused, I haven't escaped. I'm just communicating with you using my Zanpakuto ability."
"Please forgive me for not being able to come in my physical form to communicate with you."
"Yoriichi Tsugikuni, ever since you entered Seireitei, I have observed your every move."
"I must admit, you are a Captain who surpasses Yamamoto Genryusai in all aspects."
"I have something I'd like to trouble you with."
Yoriichi fell silent. Zanpakuto ability?
This was getting stranger. He had never heard of a prisoner confined in Muken being able to use their Zanpakuto.
As the Captain of the Prison Division, he knew the conditions of Muken better than anyone.
It was a lightless space where every prisoner's entire reishi was sealed, preventing even their bodies from moving.
How could they use or even touch a Zanpakuto?
"Kenpachi Azashiro" provided another answer:
"This is my Bankai. Please forgive me for not telling you its name."
"The only thing I can tell you is that it grants me the ability to control, dominate, and modify all reishi."
"My consciousness permeates the entire Seireitei. This pen right now is me."
"I know you are very confused right now, as this is also the first time I've communicated with anyone."
"But for everyone's sake, I hope you can keep today's matter a secret."
The writing stopped here for a moment, as if feeling the reason wasn't sufficient, so it added:
"Perhaps you might think that since I was imprisoned in Muken, I am a heinous villain, but at that time, I actually surrendered myself."
"Surrendered?" Yoriichi had never heard of this. While the judgment document of the Forty-Six Chambers mentioned it, there were no details of the trial.
Therefore, apart from those who knew the truth back then, no one would believe that someone imprisoned in Muken could be a good person.
Yoriichi wanted to hear what Kenpachi Azashiro had to say.
He straightened his posture, his gaze intently fixed on the paper.
Immediately after, the pen continued to write, filling about three pages. Yoriichi scrutinized every line of text, and before long, he generally understood what had happened back then.
Kenpachi Azashiro became the Eighth Kenpachi by killing Kenpachi Kuruyashiki.
During his time as Kenpachi, his ideas were too radical; he wanted to transform the souls of Rukongai into weapons of war to conquer Hueco Mundo…
From the description just now, it was confirmed that his Zanpakuto could indeed achieve this effect.
Everything in Soul Society was composed of reishi, including the physical body. Changing the body's structure could make any Rukongai soul incredibly strong.
However, because this plan was too dangerous and would cause an imbalance in the Three Realms' souls, he was noticed by Squad Zero, or the Royal Guard, before he could succeed…
Actually, Kenpachi Azashiro wasn't sure if it was Squad Zero or the will of the Soul King, but in the end, he failed.
To avoid being purged, and also to atone for his sins, he voluntarily surrendered and was imprisoned in Muken until now.
According to his experience, he was neither a good person nor a bad person.
Because even someone as mad as Mayuri Kurotsuchi never had the idea of modifying souls or attacking Hueco Mundo.
Hollowfication was merely to enhance the strength of some Shinigami, to prevent them from being suppressed by Menos Grande in the future.
After contemplating this, Yoriichi gently tapped the desk and asked:
"So, what do you want from me?"
"Since you know everything within Seireitei so clearly, then you must also know about the Hōgyoku, right? Is it because of it?"
"You shouldn't have come to me."
From Kenpachi Azashiro's description of "the first time communicating with someone," it could be inferred that he had a very strong purpose in seeking him out.
And as a Captain, no matter what the purpose was, he couldn't be led by the nose.
After all, whether he surrendered or not, he was still a prisoner.
Yoriichi wouldn't simply believe his words based on a few lines written by a pen.
Upon this, Kenpachi Azashiro seemed to sense the strong distrust emanating from Yoriichi. His writing paused for a few seconds, and the pen tip swayed helplessly, like a sigh.
He continued to write: "Hōgyoku? It's not for that."
"I am well aware of your research into the Hōgyoku, and I fully support it, but unfortunately, I do not wish to interfere too much with the affairs within Seireitei; I am already a prisoner."
"My appearance this time is out of necessity."
"Captain Tsugikuni, you should know about Hell, right?"
"I do." Yoriichi's face was expressionless.
"That makes it easier. Since my consciousness is distributed throughout the entire Seireitei, I can hear anyone's words, including those of the top Great Noble Families."
"Ultimately, sealed stone is also composed of reishi; there is no place I cannot infiltrate."
"Just recently, I learned a piece of news: there seems to have been a change within Hell."
"The Hell Gate has undergone an anomaly, and some Sinners have escaped."
"And as far as I know, Captain Tsugikuni, the ability your Zanpakuto possesses is related to Hell, isn't it?"
"Are you aware of this matter?"
"…" Yoriichi was indeed unaware.
Ultimately, although his Zanpakuto was related to Hell, it was not Hell itself.
If not released, it was just an ordinary sword.
He hadn't done that in a long time.
Even if there were problems within Hell, if he didn't enter, he wouldn't know what was happening inside.
It was like being in the Human World; without a machine, it was impossible to see Seireitei.
Kenpachi Azashiro's words stirred some vigilance in his heart, and he frowned slightly:
"Where did you learn about this?"
"The Five Great Noble Families." The pen continued to write, "Captain Tsugikuni, as a Great Noble Family member, you should know that someone among the Five Great Noble Families controls the true form of the Hell Gate."
"My information came from them."
"Currently, they have sealed off this news because it is too shocking."
"They have only dispatched some small teams to the Human World to capture those Sinners."
"They probably didn't notify you because they don't want to blow this matter out of proportion."
"However, I think you have the right to know about this."
"The change in the Hell Gate might just be a prelude. I hope you can resolve it to prevent it from affecting the safety of Seireitei."
"This is my plea as the Eighth Kenpachi."