Death: Then stood in the sky.

As they spent more time together, she increasingly realized that although the adult who saved her during the soul burial exercise was very gentle, he would always do some things that were hard to judge.

Then, Rukia felt a pair of hands reach under her armpits, lift her up and flip her over, and then her body fell into a soft embrace.

Huh?!

"It's alright, Rukia-chan." Matsumoto Rangiku's mature voice was full of concern. "Don't mind that jerk Seiji, you're the cute type."

Rukia: "......"

Waaaaah, Rangiku, how could you be like this too!

Just kill me!

Rukia was heartbroken.

At this moment, Shiba Isshin got up, clutching his back. Seeing that Matsumoto Rangiku was about to kick him again, he roared angrily, "Even if you beat me to death, you can't bury the truth!"

Rangiku Matsumoto sneered: "From now on, you'll have to handle your own team affairs."

Shiba Isshin immediately slid to his knees and clasped his hands together, saying, "Please forgive me for what I just said."

Rukia couldn't bear to look anymore. Were these people really this abstract, or was it just that living a long time inevitably led to developing this kind of illness?

"In short, we definitely skipped work." Shiba tried to steer the conversation back on track.

"But Captain Isshin, can Shinigami travel to and from Soul Society on their own?" Rukia asked, somewhat puzzled.

“Theoretically speaking, it’s not possible.” Seiji pointed at an old man and said, “But Captain Isshin obviously doesn’t want to talk about theory.”

Zhibo was determined to make fun of him.

Rukia couldn't understand, so Seiji continued to explain: "The Transcendental Gate is one of the control tools of Soul Society. After all, if Shinigami could travel freely between the human world and Soul Society, it would be a huge uncontrollable factor affecting the order of Soul Society and the stability of the human world."

"Therefore, theoretically speaking, the 46th Chamber does not allow anyone to privately possess a portal to another dimension."

"Another...theory?" Rukia realized something and showed an incredulous expression.

“Rules are meant to be broken from the moment they came into being,” Seiji said meaningfully. “The five great noble families all secretly possess interdimensional gates. Otherwise, why do you think Captain Isshin can travel between the human world and Soul Society so freely?”

Rukia gasped, "The five great noble clans? So, Kuchiki..."

Aoshi nodded: "That's right, the Kuchiki family naturally has a portal, but your brother obviously won't use it outside the rules."

Seeing that the topic seemed to be getting out of control, Shiba Isshin coughed lightly, subtly reminding him, "Seiji, try not to discuss matters concerning the nobles and the 46 Chambers when you're out."

A hint of disgust flashed in Matsumoto Rangiku's eyes. She had heard a lot about the 46th Chamber, and could only say that they were a very annoying bunch.

......

"Tsk tsk tsk, the 10th Division Captain Shiba Isshin has gone to the human world again."

In the room filled with surveillance cameras, Gin Ichimaru looked at the footage on the monitors and smiled like a fox: "Is this really okay? Blatantly ignoring the rules of Soul Society?"

As he said this, he smiled and looked at the man beside him.

He was a man with dark skin, wearing goggles, and purple hair braided into dirty braids.

Captain of the Ninth Division, Kaname Tosen.

"Therefore, most people in Soul Society are clearly not aware of why this is the case."

Although he was blind, Tosen Kaname stared coldly at the surveillance camera and said, "Being a little stupid is what those people want. If you're not stupid, they'll find out who the real problem is. Then, how will the two sides get along?"

“That’s a rather heavy thing to say, Captain Tosen.” Gin Ichimaru suddenly turned around with his arms crossed and said, “Aren’t you right, Captain Aizen?”

despair.

despair.

despair.

Footsteps sounded, and from the shadows, Aizen emerged with a gentle smile on his face: "From the very beginning, there has been no truth or lie in this world, only the harshest facts."

"But everyone in this world will mistake the truth that is favorable to them for the truth and live that way, because they cannot survive otherwise."

Aizen adjusted his non-prescription glasses, his gaze calm and his tone still gentle:

"Therefore, they will sincerely believe in people who are better than themselves. If they do not blindly follow, they cannot survive. So, in order to escape this heavy pressure, the trusted person has no choice but to seek out someone stronger, and the superior person will then seek out someone even stronger and more trustworthy."

"Thus, all kings were born."

"And so all the gods appeared."

"The so-called facts are nothing more than this, nothing more."

Aizen shifted his gaze, a smile playing on his lips: "Also, Gin, stop teasing him."

“But it’s really interesting, isn’t it?” Gin Ichimaru said with a mischievous grin, then turned his gaze back to the monitor. “So, Captain Aizen, shouldn’t we put the plan on hold for now? After all, the captain of the 10th Division is no ordinary guy.”

"Why stop?" Aizen's lips curled into a slight smile. "How are Haku's preparations going?"

Gin Ichimaru's narrowed pupils shrank slightly.

Is it a false claim?

Does this mean they're already preparing to deploy the virtual white for experiments?

Chapter 19 Can I Trust You, Silver

Gin Ichimaru glanced at a screen in the corner. The screen displayed a petri dish filled with circuits and physiological fluid, in which floated a pitch-black horned monster with only a pale white mask.

This is Aizen's greatest masterpiece so far, created using the Hogyoku. It is made by layering the souls of numerous Shinigami, Quincy, and Hollows, and is a Vasto Lorde-level Hollow.

"Isn't the risk too high?" Tosen asked seriously. "After all, the other party is Shiba Isshin."

Despite his carefree and easygoing nature, Shiba Ichishin is the current head of the Shiba family's branch family, and his strength should not be underestimated.

"It's not Shiba Isshin, the captain of the 10th Division, you know," Aizen whispered a reminder.

"What?!" Tosen Kaname and Ichimaru Gin were both startled. If it wasn't Shiba Isshin, then what could the object be?!

“That’s right, it’s Ukitake Seiji.” Aizen smiled as he looked at the ‘Hollow White’ in the petri dish with admiration: “Aside from the 10th Division Captain Shiba Isshin, do you really think Ukitake Seiji is some simple existence?”

"They've actually started to explore Bankai... Tsk... Young people these days are all terrifying." Gin Ichimaru revealed a fox-like smile to cover his inner surprise. He had only intended to give Aoji a hard time, but his words had come true.

“Gin, even now, do you still think… Ukitake Seiji has only come into contact with Bankai?” Under Gin Ichimaru’s shocked gaze, Aizen smiled and said, “He is much more interesting than you think. He’s been living with a body that is more of a burden than a body that should have died long ago, and he has all sorts of interesting research.”

"Bankai?" Tosen Kaname looked equally astonished, his blindness behind his goggles revealing the same emotion.

It should be known that those who can master Bankai are all geniuses that appear only once in a hundred years in Soul Society.

At the same time, mastering Bankai is a preliminary indication of being qualified to become the captain of the Gotei 13.

“For rulers, they hate chaos because chaos makes a stable situation unstable and introduces uncontrollable variables.” Aizen’s words suddenly changed, and he pushed up his glasses again, revealing a kind smile.

“So this is another reason why we need to experiment with ‘Hollow White’,” Gin Ichimaru said with a smile, his hands tucked into the sleeves of his haori coat as he leaned back in his chair. “For Soul Society, the appearance of ‘Hollow White’ will cause chaos and make the situation get out of control, but for Captain Aizen, this chaos is exactly under his control.”

Gin Ichimaru narrowed his eyes: "Tch, it was all planned out. How terrifying, Captain Aizen."

Aizen looked over: "Gin, can I trust you?"

Gin Ichimaru's heart suddenly began to race: "Captain Aizen... what do you mean by that? I've been working with Captain Aizen for so many years, I know all of his plans better than anyone and I've been involved in them. If you can't even trust me, then Captain Aizen's words are truly heartbreaking."

A hand landed on his shoulder.

Aizen smiled gently: "I was just joking, Gin, please don't take it to heart."

"Please don't make jokes like that next time, it will really hurt me." Gin Ichimaru's expression remained unchanged, but his narrowed eyes revealed a hint of venom, like a hissing snake about to bite its prey and inject venom.

We ran into each other!

Is there a chance?

some!

Close at hand!

At this distance, in just a moment, in just a split second, the power of the God-Slaying Gun is enough to kill anyone!

But could it be a trap?

Is the 'Aizen' in front of us really Aizen?

Or is it merely an illusion, like a reflection in a mirror or the moon's reflection in water, seemingly present before our eyes, yet fragile enough to shatter at the touch, forever untouchable?

As expected... I still have to be patient.

Gin Ichimaru quickly glanced at Kaname Tosen, then put on his foxy smile again. He wasn't some hibernating viper, but a harmless fox.

Aizen, who had been watching him intently, smiled slightly.

“But has Captain Aizen considered this issue?” Gin Ichimaru casually skipped over the question, bringing the somewhat strange atmosphere back on track: “What if ‘Void White’ fails?”

Or rather...

"The one who died was Captain Ukitake's younger brother, Ukitake Seiji."

Gin Ichimaru looked at Aizen.

Aizen simply chuckled: "Since a battle is going to happen, people will naturally die. It's something that's bound to happen."

“If ‘Xu Shiro’ fails, it means that ‘Xu Shiro’ is not perfect and there is still room for optimization.”

"If Seiji Ukitake died so easily at the hands of 'Hollow White,' then it proves that I misjudged him. Seiji Ukitake is just an ordinary man, nothing more."

A flicker of fear crossed Gin Ichimaru's eyes. So, it was all part of your plan again, wasn't it, Aizen?

“In that case, deploying ‘Hollow White’ for experiments was indeed a good decision.” Kaname Tosen’s tone was as calm as still water: “Ordinary Adjuchas have limited power and are simply unable to find the whereabouts of Kisuke Urahara and Shinji Hirako’s group.”

"But the destructive power of 'Void White' is not on the same level as theirs."

......

Shiba Isshin and Matsumoto Rangiku stayed in the human world for a few more days before finally returning to Soul Society amidst Matsumoto Rangiku's unwilling complaints.

The Gotei 13 are very busy. Even in just one day, a lot of team affairs will pile up in the squad, let alone when the captain and vice-captain are both skipping work.

As dawn broke, the rising sun appeared and disappeared among the rolling black clouds, eventually being completely swallowed up by the dark clouds.

Many pedestrians are continuing to walk uphill.

Soon we reached a turning point on the road, after which it was all downhill.

On a utility pole, Aoshi stood overlooking the street below, investigating the urban legend told by Kurumi Rin—a soul-devouring monster that had caused many people to become somewhat dazed.

But they gained nothing.

Just then, a girl holding an umbrella spotted him and greeted him with bright, skipping steps.

It's Masaki Kurosaki.

"What's wrong, Masaki? What are you greeting?" The female classmate next to her looked curiously in the direction she was looking, but couldn't see anything.

"Nothing, I just suddenly wanted to say hello." Masaki Kurosaki was still smiling and waving, bathed in sunlight, but her chest couldn't help but bounce a few times.

Aoshi could only helplessly wave his hand to indicate that he had seen her.

Instantly, Masaki Kurosaki's eyes crinkled into crescent moons with laughter.

"Hey!!! Mika, what are you doing!"

"Hehehe, let me touch it!"

"Ouch, are you trying to kill me?! Oh no! It itches!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, it feels so good. I wonder which man will end up with you."

"If you keep doing that, I'm going to fight back!"

Noticing the two girls struggling together, Aoshi sighed and said, "This is youth, it's so good. Of course, Nanako is also very youthful."

"Ok?"

Suddenly, Aoshi's eyes narrowed.

This spiritual pressure, it's definitely an illusion, isn't it?

......

On the other side of the street.

A girl with long black hair suddenly stumbled and almost fell to the ground. Her female classmate next to her quickly grabbed her and asked, "Kuroda-kun, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"