Bleach: The Captain of the Fifth Division Becomes Stronger Through Training.

Chapter 136 135: Like Ashes

"Lord Aizen, this is the content of my recent work."

Dong Xian knelt on one knee, buried his head deeply, and spoke in a pious and respectful tone.

"Please give me other instructions."

The scene was still the familiar 5th Squad barracks, but it was not the evening time when they usually gathered there - it was still bright outside the window, and it was obviously still daytime.

Aizen listened to Tosen Kaname's report calmly and calmly, and at this moment he just hummed without commenting.

"Well done."

Praising is an act of recognition, which essentially means affirming the behavior of others.

There is no doubt that at this moment Aizen had no dissatisfaction with Tosen Kaname's behavior.

So at this time, Aizen could only give some advice.

"The situation of the Ninth Division is still not stable. We should take this opportunity to work harder and strive to move up in the rankings."

Faced with Aizen's advice, Tosen Kaname buried his head three-quarters deeper.

"Chengzhi!"

"That's good. I don't have anything else to hand in for the time being."

"Then I will sue first..."

There was a grunt.

Before Tosen could finish his words, the door was pushed open.

No one has entered the room yet.

A head with blond hair poked its head in.

"Yo~ Sorry Aizen, I have something to trouble you with again... Uh, is anyone in the room?"

Mako Hirako showed a rather surprised expression, and looked Tosen Kaname up and down for a while.

His brows wrinkled unconsciously.

"Have we met somewhere before?"

The latter just shook his head with a normal expression and spoke in a calm tone.

"I am just a new member of the team. It is normal that you cannot remember me, Captain Hirako."

"Is that so?"

Such a subtle sense of disharmony made Mako Hirako subconsciously want to explore it.

But Aizen, who was standing beside him, interrupted at the right time.

"Captain, please don't make things difficult for the new members. Besides, training new members is part of my job, so please don't put too much pressure on the new members."

Justified and convincing.

Mako Hirako could only turn his gaze back to Aizen.

Dong Xianyao beside him took half a step back at the right time and walked out of the room carefully - but as soon as he left, his expression changed from relaxed to tense.

Subconsciously quickened my pace.

Only after they had put some distance between them did he finally stop himself and start breathing heavily.

The situation just now was extremely urgent.

After all, he was not a newcomer in the 5th Division, and facing a captain-level figure in that situation... Tosen Kaname's pressure was exaggerated.

But fortunately.

In the end, thanks to the magic of mirrors and water, he managed to get away with it without any danger.

But then again...

We used to wait until late at night when everyone was asleep to meet, but for some reason, we suddenly adjusted to meeting during the day.

"Is it to test the ability of us as subordinates?"

Apart from this, Tosen couldn't think of any other reason for the time being.

If Arima Shizuka was present, that idiot would have been able to handle it easily.

Just a simple comparison was enough to make Dongxian feel the sense of urgency called pressure.

It turns out that I am still a little too green and immature.

We have to keep speeding up.

I was imagining things like crazy here, and on the other side, Yu Aizen...

Mako Hirako was explaining some daily tasks to Aizen. Both sides had a very peaceful attitude, and they seemed to be completely accustomed to this way of negotiation.

The position of captain was delegated to the deputy captain.

But no corresponding power was given.

This behavior, which many people think is deliberately making things difficult for Aizen, does not seem to cause any "pressure" to the person involved.

Still smiling, he agreed.

"Chengzhi, I'll take care of it later."

"Oh, I'll leave it to you then~"

Considering the recent delicate relationship between the two parties, communication would usually end here.

But today is a little different.

Mako Hirako couldn't help but twitch his nose. He seemed to have noticed something new and started looking around the office.

Soon, his eyes were fixed on the object on the table.

It was a wooden product no bigger than a palm.

At first glance it looks like a pitch-black thing, but after observing it carefully for a moment, it is discovered that the base of this thing is actually a gloomy crimson purple.

"Um, Aizen, this is..."

Looking at the direction that Mako Hirako pointed, Aizen raised his eyebrows slightly, then couldn't help but smiled and said.

"You mean that? It's just some entertainment to kill time. Sorry to make you laugh."

I don't mind being stared at by others.

Aizen stood up, held the small wooden item in his palm, and gently opened the veil.

There is a burnt yellow smoked object inside, which now looks like the ash left after burning out.

Mako Hirako's eyes suddenly widened significantly.

"Ah! I know this one... It's the kind of incense altar that's used to decorate a room, right?"

"It made you laugh."

"Are you still saying such polite things? Really...can you show it to me?"

"Of course, it's just a little hot, please be careful."

After receiving it in his palm, Mako Hirako brought it under his nose and began to look at it carefully.

To be honest, Hirako Mako has seen this kind of thing quite a lot.

After all, there is no lack of a strong religious atmosphere in the Soul Society, due to the needs of worshiping ancestors and offering sacrifices to immortals and Buddhas.

There are naturally many similar items.

But those things are not as sophisticated as this.

It has four supporting legs and a round body with a tumbling dragon engraved around its plump belly. Even the decorative edges are adorned with obvious carved patterns.

Hirako Mako is not going to brag about craftsmanship, but at least you can see that...

This thing certainly won't be cheap.

After all, it is necessary to carve out obvious patterns in such a small space, and at the same time, good heat insulation treatment must be done.

You have to know that this thing is made of wood... and it has to contain internal combustion materials.

While thinking, he moved his gaze to the small veil in Aizen's hand.

The other party handed it over as if they had telepathy, and Mako Hirako couldn't help but speak.

"Oh, thank you very much~"

Since you're going to look at it anyway, don't you have to take a careful look at it?

It was only after taking it in her hands that Makoto Hirako noticed the densely packed holes on the veil... It looked like the louvered windows on an ancient castle, dense yet not creepy.

There is just a subtle sense of order.

These things are designed to allow the objects placed in the altar to exchange air with the outside world.

It is indeed worthy of praise.

Even someone like Mako Hirako couldn't help but whisper at this moment.

"What an amazing thing..."

Aizen seemed to enjoy these words, and the smile on his face became even more intense at this moment.

"Aizen, where did you buy this?"

"Is Captain Hirako also moved?"

"Who wouldn't like something so beautiful and fun?"

"To be honest, this thing was given to me by someone else, so I really don't know where it came from."

Is that so? That’s really a pity.

"But it's not bad... Your office is always kept very clean, there's no smell." "If I could be immersed in this kind of incense, it would at least make me remember it."

"Since you are the vice-captain of the 5th Division, you have to have some personal characteristics. What do you think?"

It is rare to see such a long speech.

It even made Aizen look thoughtful.

After hesitating for a moment, he responded.

"I see. Thank you Captain Pingzi for the reminder."

"You are so polite..."

He returned it to the table with emotion, Makoto Hirako raised his eyebrows slightly, and looked up at Aizen in front of him.

"By the way, it seems that you have a very close friend who can give you such a precious gift."

friend?
"Maybe so."

Aizen responded calmly, and the brief exchange between the two sides seemed to have come to an end at this moment.

"Then I won't bother you anymore. If you have any difficulties in your work later, remember to tell me."

"Well, then I won't see you off, Captain Hirako."

The two sides are not on the same path.

To outsiders, it seems to be a close relationship, but to both parties involved, it is just a disguise to deceive everyone.

——I've been watching you.

——I know you’re always watching me.

If the two parties have such a tacit understanding and a close relationship, they may even be able to become comrades-in-arms who trust each other.

But the other way around.

Now that high walls have been built in their hearts, it seems that there is no longer any possibility of reconciliation between the two sides.

He is also a user who wields an illusion-type Zanpakutō.

The two sides were in contact with each other, but they also seemed to dislike each other.

After Mako Hirako walked out of the room, Aizen returned to his seat.

"..."

Wordless silence.

The order that could make Dongxian break out in a cold sweat did not have any unique meaning in itself.

Rather, Aizen simply wanted to take further tentative action.

My mirror image.

To what extent can one fool people and play tricks?
It's a really curious anecdote... Although it may make people feel that my character is bad, I'm telling the truth.

At this moment, Aizen really felt some kind of nameless emotional fluctuation from the bottom of his heart.

Regret and emotion.

But at the same time, it was mixed with a bit of contempt.

As expected, you and I have never been on the same path from the beginning to the end.

I am not willing to admit it, but it is an established fact.

Hirako Mako, I do have some similarities with you.

——Same type of Zanpakutō, does not like to share secrets with others, and is good at looking down on everyone and everything from a high position.

He thought he was in control of the situation.

Yes, that's it.

Aizen pushed his glasses up wordlessly and pursed his lips at this moment.

What we are unwilling to admit are the commonalities, while what makes us sigh are the differences.

Hirako Mako, I am not the same as you.

"Since you want to defeat your opponent and take control of the overall situation."

"Blindly giving in, just thinking about keeping a vague distance, do you think this will be foolproof?"

What to say.

"You treat people like monkeys in a theater?"

if that's the case.

This is really arrogance in another sense.

after all……

“People always grow.”

Absorbing nutrients and extracting essence.

Even if it is just one step at a time, the so-called "people" are constantly repeating the action called moving forward at this moment.

At the same time, Aizen believes that there is another way in which he is different from Hirako.

A comrade worthy of trust and entrustment.

Placing his right hand on the desk, Aizen lowered his brows and began to calmly stroke the small incense altar in front of him.

The corners of his mouth were raised lightly at this moment in a fairly gentle arc.

To be honest.

Aizen doesn't like things with such a strong smell because it makes him feel out of place, as if the guest is overshadowing the host.

Aizen Sosuke will learn and make up for his shortcomings.

But I will never allow the colors of others to cover myself.

Yes, if it was in the past...

But at this moment, I looked at the exquisite object in my hand and thought about how I felt when I received the gift.

The light in Aizen's eyes unconsciously softened by three points.

seem.

It is not unacceptable to make some 'unnecessary' changes occasionally.

As mentioned before, as long as people remain in this world, they will continue to move forward and look for the next way out.

But now it seems.

"That's...enough."

A low groan came out, and Aizen's eyes narrowed slightly.

I'm already starting to feel disgusted.

Whether it is tedious clerical work or an unchanging office.

Interpersonal communication itself has no meaning, and making friends with others is nothing more than an act of compromise for the sake of covering up.

Everything is to achieve the ultimate goal, and for Aizen at this moment...

He could no longer learn anything under this man.

Even his own experiment had entered a frustrating period of stagnation.

Since it is waste, it needs to be used reasonably.

Therefore.

Burn it fully.

Like the ashes in the incense altar.

Trying your best to make something shine is another way of dedicating yourself to research.

When his thoughts were at a trance, Aizen subconsciously took out a pen and paper.

He will send a handwritten letter.

This seemingly insignificant thing also means that Aizen made a certain decision at this moment.

Pick up the pen and think.