The incident involving Matsumoto Rangiku had come to an end, and Aizen once again appeared active, moving at an intense pace for quite some time.
He seemed to believe that the Hōgyoku had already accumulated enough energy to sustain its advance toward the next stage…
But reality is rarely that simple.
After half a year of attempts and adjustments, Aizen soon encountered another obstacle.
— The evolutionary process of the Hōgyoku is showing signs of stagnation. —
Standing before the bookshelf in his office, Aizen spoke in a calm tone.
While organizing the manuals and books before him, he spoke as lightly as someone discussing everyday trivialities.
— Even after countless trials, the Hōgyoku hasn't shown any clear response. —
— The spiritual demand has reached its limit. I can sense the emotions being conveyed by the Hōgyoku… it has already reached a state of satiety. —
— Therefore, to move one step further, we now need something different… —
Arima Shinya, drenched in sweat, sat in the chair with a visibly uncomfortable expression.
Was this really the kind of conversation they should be having in broad daylight?
It was worth noting that, at that very moment, Arima Shinya was inside the 5th Division's headquarters.
At first, he had merely taken advantage of a break during his field training to pay Aizen a visit.
The idea was simply to drop by and say a quick "hello."
But he didn't expect the man to start the conversation with something so explosive.
— Uh… Professor Aizen… —
The man paused for a moment, as if perfectly understanding what Shinya was thinking. Smiling, he replied:
— Don't worry. My office is right next to Captain Hirako's. Normally, no one passes through here. It's a very quiet place. —
No, no, no… talking about this kind of thing right next to the Captain's office is already absurd in itself…
Aizen returned.
In his hands were now two thick books, which he placed on the desk in front of Arima Shinya.
The young man quickly stood up and made a polite gesture of gratitude.
— I'm thinking of slightly adjusting the focus of our research. Perhaps by approaching it from another angle, we might make new discoveries. —
— Of course, that's something for later. For now, I just want to give you some guidance, Shinya-kun. —
— Take these books with you. I'm sure they'll be useful. —
Arima Shinya nodded, holding them up before his face to read the covers more clearly.
"Can Time Really Change Everything?"
"Pay Attention to Details and the Small Things — That's How You'll Also Achieve Success."
— …Thank you. —
Why do I have to read this kind of thing? And that self-help aura is so strong it's giving me facial cramps…
Considering that the flow of time in the Soul Society is confusing — with ancient and modern elements coexisting — even so, due to the high spiritual density of the place, electrical devices weren't very common.
On the other hand, books and printed publications weren't affected by such limitations.
It was even said that some popular reading series were well-liked among members of the Gotei 13.
— Shinya-kun, your abilities are impressive. That's why it's important for you to pay attention to this kind of knowledge as well. —
So this is his way of filling in my gaps?
All right, I get his intention… but my teacher's taste in books clearly needs an adjustment.
Placing the books against his body, Arima Shinya met Aizen's satisfied gaze.
— Also, Shinya-kun, regarding our next activities, I have some new ideas. Thi— —
Before he could finish the sentence, hurried footsteps echoed from outside.
Moments later, the door burst open with a loud bang!
— Hey, hey, hey! Arima Shinya! You may be interning here in the 5th Division, and I know you get along with Aizen, but sticking this close to the vice-captain is a bit too much, don't you think? —
With blond hair and wearing the white haori of a captain, Hirako Shinji wore a mischievous, teasing smile.
The two present immediately stood and greeted him.
— Captain.
— Captain Hirako!
The man waved casually, replying with a light laugh:
— Relax, relax~ This isn't a formal meeting. Make yourselves comfortable.
Well, that was true enough… this was the 5th Division's territory, after all.
Hirako sat down casually beside Aizen and, without hesitation, placed a hand on the vice-captain's shoulder.
— So, you've spent half a day here in our division, right? Arima Shinya, tell me — what are your impressions? —
You want me to give an internship report? Doesn't sound too difficult.
— From what I've observed, the 5th Division's work is quite diverse. Although it's classified as a rescue division, its functions differ greatly from those of the 4th Division, which specializes in medicine… —
— After all, the concept of "rescue" is broad. It requires active participation in combat when necessary, as well as a sense of coordination and leadership to act at the right moment. —
— Therefore, I believe the work here is far more demanding than it appears. —
Strength combined with support capability… it was a blend that encompassed the functions of other divisions.
Precisely because of that, it could truly fulfill its role as a "rescue force."
Upon hearing Arima Shinya's analysis, Hirako's grin widened even further.
— Kid, you really get it! I knew my judgment wasn't wrong. You're a true genius. Aizen, you've raised an excellent disciple! —
Aizen merely adjusted his glasses calmly and replied in a serene tone:
— Captain, overly close gestures may affect your image of authority. I would ask that you… —
— Still as stiff as ever~ What a boring man. —
With a laugh, Hirako turned his gaze back to Shinya, studying him closely before speaking again:
— Arima Shinya, what did you do this morning? —
The young man scratched the back of his head, thinking for a moment before answering:
— Rescue simulations, retrieval of injured soldiers, emergency coordination, and support requests… I think that was it. —
There was so much that, suddenly, he didn't even know what to list.
Hirako squinted slightly as he spoke:
— And you passed all those impromptu tests with perfect scores, didn't you? —
— Hahaha… yes. —
After all, it hadn't been that difficult.
— Seems like you're not taking this very seriously, huh? Well, not being in my position, it's natural that you don't understand how I feel. —
— But in truth, your performance is far above average. —
— As I said before, few truly understand and carry out the functions of a rescue division. —
— In that sense, your talent surprised me quite a bit. —
Then…
With a wide, toothy grin, Hirako spoke enthusiastically:
— I've been thinking about this for a while now, but I think this is the right time to say it. —
— Arima Shinya… —
— Are you interested in graduating early and joining my 5th Division? —
— I can handle the bureaucratic procedures, it's just a formality. A talent like yours shouldn't waste time at the Academy. —
— With your skills, you'd soon hold an officer's position. And who knows… —
Hirako laughed mischievously, nudging Aizen's shoulder.
— Maybe you'll even take this guy's place and become the new vice-captain, huh? —
(End of Chapter)
Hello everyone! How are you all doing?
Sorry for disappearing for a while — I had a university exam and needed to focus on that for a bit.
But I'm back now with new chapters!
Thank you so much for your support and patience!