The only player in the world of Bleach

"But then again, I also have a problem."

Aizen Sousuke slightly raised his hands, making a mocking gesture of surrender.

But that's all.

"Cheating is not the act of a gentleman, but since it's a contest over drinks, there's probably nothing more to say... The winner takes all, accept your fate, Mr. Matsushita."

What else is there to say? The championship is yours!

"Let's leave that matter for now. I actually have other things I want to discuss with Aizen-sensei today."

"Oh? What is it?"

Aizen had already brought the teacup to his lips, but then put it down and looked directly at Matsushita Yusuke.

Having experienced the previous party, Aizen Sousuke seemed more relaxed and 'sincere' in his demeanor.

"Regarding Yoruichi Shihouin's invitation to become a retainer... what do you think, Aizen-sensei?"

I have to ask.

Because tomorrow is the day for my next internship trip.

031: What kind of physical salvation?

They started talking about serious matters, such as volunteering.

Aizen Sousuke crossed his arms and murmured a few words.

Judging from his appearance, he seemed to be seriously considering what Matsushita Yusuke had said.

"If Mr. Matsushita were to ask for my opinion, I think it would be perfectly acceptable for me to join."

The reason is simple.

"From the current perspective, this organization itself doesn't seem to have any constraints; it's simply enjoying the resources provided by Shihouin, right?"

Yusuke Matsushita nodded.

"That's how it is in theory."

"That's enough."

Aizen Sousuke smiled and adjusted his glasses, speaking in a normal tone.

"It may be impolite to say this... but for Matsushita-kun right now, seizing every opportunity to improve himself is the most important thing."

He freed his right hand, slightly raised his index finger, and tapped his left arm repeatedly as he pondered.

"Although we Grim Reapers have long lifespans, it is meaningless to think too far ahead, after all, the job of a Grim Reaper is inherently dangerous."

In addition...

"As one of the four great noble families, Shihōin, to put it bluntly, even the resources that they mention are probably invaluable to Matsushita-kun."

Of course, Yusuke Matsushita understands this.

Just like how whales feed.

It filters out tons of shrimp in one go, and the scraps that leak out are enough to feed a school of fish.

It must be said that Aizen Sousuke's opinion was quite 'pragmatic'.

In fact... Matsushita Yusuke's thoughts were not much different from his.

When it comes to getting freebies, how can you ever have too many?

However, considering that her ultimate goal in the future was to join the Sky Club, she couldn't hide too much from Aizen at this time.

After all, honesty is the most genuine form of harm!

"So, Aizen-sensei thinks it's okay for me to join, right?"

"Yes, that's indeed my opinion. Matsushita-kun can certainly take it into consideration. Also..."

Aizen Sousuke hesitated visibly for a moment, and then smiled and said.

"To be honest, I received a similar invitation a few years ago."

"……Why?"

Yoruichi Shihouin once invited Sosuke Aizen to become his retainer.

What kind of 'unofficial history' is this...?

"The Shihouin family pays close attention to those who show promise during their student days. In order to maintain their own status and at the same time win over these rising stars... Such behavior is actually quite common."

Having started the conversation, Aizen Sousuke was generous with his advice and continued speaking.

"The four noble families of Soul Society each have their own strengths. Compared to other families, the Shihouin family is the most open-minded. The current head of the family is also quite generous, which has led to a lot of gossip."

Matsushita Yusuke nodded repeatedly in agreement with these words.

Yoruichi Shihouin's behavior is indeed quite different from that of other nobles, so it's not surprising that she receives such a comment.

Nowadays, Yusuke Matsushita is more concerned with other aspects.

For example...

"What was your answer, Aizen-sensei?"

"me?"

Aizen Sousuke lowered his gaze, pondered for a moment, and his eyes shone with a look of 'contemplation'.

After a few breaths, he pursed his lips and chuckled softly.

"I declined the invitation."

—How should I put it? Absolutely no surprise?

After all, given Aizen Sousuke's personality, he certainly doesn't seem like the type to accept an invitation.

"Because there's a guy I don't really like over there... But, never mind, it's all old news, bringing it up now would only make us laugh."

Aizen Sousuke shook his head with a smile, but Matsushita Yusuke caught the subtle emotion in his words.

There's probably only one person in the entire Three Realms whom Aizen would call 'hateful'...

That means it can only be Kisuke Urahara!

In the original work, Aizen cursed at him before being sealed away, and at the same time, through the character's words, he also mentioned that Kisuke Urahara had also conducted research on the Hogyoku.

Arranged chronologically, this man even predates Aizen, having discovered the 'truth of the world' through his own power and means.

The supreme Spirit King is controlling everything invisibly...

However, the two made completely different choices.

Aizen Sousuke chose to resist, while Urahara Kisuke gave up the struggle.

Two capable individuals who could have walked side by side chose completely opposite directions at this critical moment.

In the original work, Aizen's breakdown when faced with the collapse of his plan and his impending imprisonment was certainly a reason, but this kind of 'betrayal' is also infuriating.

That one shout from Kisuke Urahara, I despise you!

It's very likely that this was the dirtiest thing Aizen Sousuke could ever say in his life.

"Then I..."

"Mr. Matsushita, you don't need to act like me."

Seemingly fully understanding what the other party wanted to say, Aizen Sousuke's eyes curved slightly as he spoke in a calm tone.

“I have my own principles and opinions, and Mr. Matsushita, you naturally have your own unique perspectives… This rare and valuable mindset is the most precious thing. Just stick to your own beliefs.”

Having said all that, further debate would seem rather contrived.

After briefly reviewing the details in his mind, Matsushita Yusuke reached a consensus with Aizen.

"I understand... Thank you for your guidance, Aizen-sensei."

"It's nothing. I'm happy to discuss anything with you, Matsushita-kun, that's all that matters... So whatever it is, just let me know if you think of anything."

That does sound really heartwarming.

Having made up his mind, Matsushita Yusuke nodded and left, the two agreeing to meet again next week.

Aizen Sousuke watched the other person's back slowly disappear, and then casually tidied up the things on the table.

Perhaps it was just his imagination? Or maybe he was simply too relaxed... Aizen Sousuke always felt that for him now, these weekly meetings were one of the few pastimes he could find.

Is it because of the way the conversation is conducted, or simply because the other person is Yusuke Matsushita?

Aizen Sousuke pondered for a moment, but couldn't delve any deeper.

After all, for him...

Either way is fine.

The next day, during class.

Yusuke Matsushita arrived on time.

This time, the focus shifted to the soul burial ceremony. Everyone watched from below as hope Zhijin explained the material from the handouts, while a few people were selected to go up and demonstrate on the spot.

"The key to soul burial is to let the deceased rest in peace! Although we are all similar in nature... there will always be some people who will not have any regrets when that time comes."

Snapped!

He raised his hand and slammed it on the table, shouting with great force.

"It is our responsibility to help these people pass away peacefully!"

—What physical exorcism…

032: A Thousand Years of Bloodshed

Although Xi Zhijin's words were rough, the process of soul burial was actually quite complicated.

The entire process includes several stages such as presiding over the ceremony, opening the ceremony, and the passing away ceremony.

In the original work, when Rukia casually taps the hilt of her sword, she's simply sending her soul to Soul Society.

To truly enter the cycle of reincarnation and perform a soul burial ceremony is quite complex and tedious... Matsushita Yusuke wasn't mentally prepared for this, so this experience was quite enlightening.

And speaking of this...

What surprised Yusuke Matsushita the most was this mission.

[Learning is one of Death's tasks]

[Synopsis: The Soul Society, as a vital spiritual realm connecting the three realms, requires the salvation of thousands of souls daily. You are the most important scavengers of the three realms... Remember your duties and tasks, and become useful individuals.]

[Reward: Shunpo +2, Kido +2]

By normal standards, the rewards for this mission are definitely above average.

But just as Matsushita Yusuke had thought before... according to normal theory, the more generous the reward, the more difficult the task itself must be.

As the saying goes, "to see a leopard through a tube, one can only see a part of it."

Through this, Yusuke Matsushita roughly understood the importance of soul burial.

Even if I were to actually join the Gotei 13, I'm afraid I'd still have to devote a lot of my energy to these tasks...

Then I'll have to study hard!

After the first round of participants stepped down, hope Zhijin flipped through his lecture notes and said without looking up.

"Um... anyone willing to volunteer for the second batch?"

The response from the audience was quite enthusiastic.

Many people eagerly raised their hands and shouted, as if afraid of not being seen, and took the opportunity to stand on the stage and shout loudly.

"Senior, I'm willing!"

—It's not a proposal, don't get so excited...

Ultimately, it boils down to the same old argument. Many people are willing to put on a good show at such times to earn points.

Damn it... How can we build a healthy Soul Society with a bunch of parasites who only care about their own jobs?!

I want to go too!

"I!"