"This is what a cute yet scheming girl looks like… One day, she's going to completely devour me."
As Masatsuki Aozaki walked back to his dormitory, he recalled the girl's shyness, the warmth of her lips, and the sweetness of her breath. He nodded to himself in satisfaction.
"A young girl's love really is sweet. I can still taste it even now."
"It's probably just because you ate too many peony cakes. A normal person's mouth wouldn't taste sweet!"
A voice cut through his pleasant daydream, dragging him back to reality.
Looking up, Masatsuki found himself facing an old… no, a silver-haired boy.
His expression grew serious. "Even Ran has grown up, but you still look like a kid. Don't tell me you're going to stay this size forever?"
"Even if I've crushed your fantasies, isn't that a bit too personal? Rangiku's case was special. My growth rate is perfectly normal!"
The white-haired boy squinted slightly, just enough for Masatsuki Aozaki to pause.
Most of his old friends had already grown into adults, making him unusually self-conscious about his own youthful appearance.
"Alright, alright, Gin, I was wrong. Don't get mad!"
Masatsuki Aozaki grinned, though his expression lacked even a hint of sincerity, which made Gin Ichimaru itch to punch him right in his smug face.
No one else in the 11th Division dared to tease Gin about his height—either they had been beaten into submission or they simply chose to be polite.
Masatsuki Aozaki was the only one bold enough to do it, and the worst part? Gin couldn't even win in a fight against him.
It was downright frustrating.
How had he been so blind back then, trailing after Masatsuki like a lost puppy? If he had known better, he might as well have just died in Rukongai. Now, he was stuck repaying his life debt.
Come to think of it, Masatsuki had saved him once again back in the 2nd Division. That made two times now.
How long was he going to be paying this guy back?
"So, does this mean everything's ready?"
Masatsuki Aozaki folded his arms and leaned lazily against the wall, the captain's haori crumpling against the pressure.
Gin Ichimaru didn't know what to say to this guy who treated his captaincy like it was nothing.
Most captains—except maybe Yoruichi Shihōin, who was just as much of a rogue—still carried some level of authority in their demeanor.
Masatsuki Aozaki, on the other hand, ran the 11th Division like a gang boss, no different from when he ruled over Rukongai.
And the worst part? His squad members absolutely ate it up.
They called him "Kenpachi," "Captain," or even "Oyabun" with respect, but their attitude toward him was the same as Rukongai thugs fawning over their leader.
Still, Gin wouldn't have expected this so-called captain—who spent his days beating up male squad members while going easy on the female ones—to actually take time out of his busy schedule to handle division matters.
Then again, it made sense.
On the surface, Masatsuki acted like he didn't care about anything, but in reality, he was always working behind the scenes on things best kept in the shadows.
There was no way someone like him would be truly indifferent.
This guy was rotten to the core.
Clearly, he had been keeping an eye on the rebels all along. But since this whole mess involved too many people, he had just chosen to keep everything to himself.
A thousand thoughts flashed through Gin Ichimaru's mind in an instant.
On the surface, however, he remained expressionless, simply staring into Masatsuki Aozaki's seemingly gentle black eyes.
"Kōga Kuchiki is waiting for you in the reception room. Lieutenant Yamazaki is seeing to him," Gin Ichimaru said, his tone laced with irritation.
"Oh? That's perfect," Masatsuki Aozaki replied, a smirk playing on his lips. "Looks like he's in quite a hurry."
"The rebels have been acting like cornered rats lately. It's as if they know their time is up, so they've started attacking the major noble houses. Even the Kuchiki Clan's vassals have been affected."
The two strolled toward the meeting room, chatting casually.
"They know they've been abandoned," Masatsuki Aozaki murmured to himself.
Yamamoto had made up his mind to move against the rebels, and it was clear the order came from above.
That meant the noble power struggle was reaching its conclusion.
However, the Tsunayashiro Clan wouldn't be able to keep up their petty schemes much longer.
One captain-level Shinigami after another had died, and even a true captain had fallen.
Raising a captain-level fighter required enormous resources and effort— not even the mighty Tsunayashiro Clan could afford such losses.
For them, this war was like sinking into a bottomless swamp. If they didn't pull out soon, they'd be dragged into a slow and inevitable demise.
The war had to end.
But the rebels… were still rebels. They had tried to overthrow Seireitei.
For them, this war was already lost. And when the war ended, so would they.
Still, before they died, they might as well make themselves useful.
Watching Masatsuki Aozaki's indifferent, almost amused expression, Gin Ichimaru could tell—the rebels were in for a very bad time.
He didn't know what Masatsuki was planning, but it definitely wasn't anything good.
"…Whatever. What do their lives have to do with me? If they die, they die. Serves them right."
Following behind Masatsuki Aozaki, Gin mused to himself. There were few people he truly cared about, and the rebels certainly weren't among them.
"What does it matter? They're just rebels. I've taken plenty of lives before."
"The person I need to protect is right in front of me. No matter how many lives I take for that, I'll never regret it."
Masatsuki Aozaki glanced at Gin Ichimaru, who had suddenly fired up with determination, and raised an eyebrow in confusion.
He wasn't sure what Gin was thinking, but judging by his expression, he was feeling particularly dramatic.
"Young people, always letting their emotions run wild. He's been following me for so long, and he still hasn't learned any composure," Masatsuki sighed to himself.
"…Why is he looking at me like that? Has his brain finally snapped?"
Gin Ichimaru twitched slightly as Masatsuki suddenly sighed and shook his head, giving him a look of exaggerated pity.
All the way to the reception room, the two—trusted friends who would stake their lives on each other—kept up an easygoing conversation, while internally questioning each other's sanity more than once.
"We're here. I'll go in first and bring Lieutenant Yamazaki out. You two can discuss command matters in private—no need for us to get involved," Gin said, stepping ahead and stopping outside the door, the very picture of professionalism.
"Oh! As expected of my personal secretary—so thoughtful. I'll leave it to you, then." Masatsuki Aozaki nodded approvingly at the door. "Looks like I'll have to give you a raise."
"Don't call me that weird name!" Gin snapped, though he made no move to refuse the pay raise. Instead, he knocked lightly on the door.
Less than a minute later, Gin Ichimaru emerged with Ittora Yamazaki.
"Captain, Kōga Kuchiki is inside."
"Appreciate it."
Exchanging a glance with them, Masatsuki Aozaki pushed open the door and stepped inside.
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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