Chapter 7 – Sarugaki Hiyori
As Tachibana Kyūjō casually chatted with several lieutenants from various divisions, a calm voice interrupted the conversation. Sōsuke Aizen approached with his usual gentle smile and spoke softly,
"Kyūjō-kun, have you considered joining our Fifth Division?"
"Captain Hirako specifically asked me to extend an invitation. He hopes you'll come with me to the Fifth Division."
The other lieutenants stayed quiet, none daring to interrupt. But one small girl with short blonde hair and a sharp glare quickly stepped forward and blocked Aizen's path.
She was Sarugaki Hiyori, the Lieutenant of the Twelfth Division. Placing her hands firmly on her hips, she didn't waste time with pleasantries.
"Aizen! Tachibana Kyūjō is already claimed by the Twelfth Division! Go back and tell Hirako Shinji that I'm taking him with me. If he's got a problem, he can come find me himself!"
As the tension rose between the two, Kyūjō quickly stepped in to explain himself.
"Lieutenant Aizen, and everyone else… First of all, I truly appreciate all your recognition. However…"
He spoke sincerely, expressing once again his desire to stay away from conflict. What he truly wanted was to focus on Kaidō—the healing arts. From the very beginning, he had hoped to join the Fourth Division, which specialized in healing and medical care.
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"So, Kyūjō-kun wants to join the Fourth Division?" Aizen narrowed his eyes slightly, his voice calm and polite.
Kyūjō nodded slowly. "Yes, Lieutenant Aizen."
"I see. Then I won't force the matter." Aizen gave a faint smile, then turned gracefully and walked away.
But the moment his back turned, his expression subtly shifted.
His brow furrowed slightly, and his eyes narrowed with suspicion.
—Did Tachibana Kyūjō know something about him?
Why was Kyūjō the only one who showed even the slightest wariness toward him? None of the other lieutenants reacted that way.
Could it be the influence of his Zanpakutō, Infinity?
Aizen quietly began to connect the dots.
Even though Kyūjō masked his caution well, it didn't escape the keen gaze of Aizen—a master of observing emotions and unraveling the hearts of others.
Inwardly, Aizen mused, This boy… he's hiding something.
His curiosity toward Kyūjō only deepened.
But what Aizen didn't realize was that the moment he turned away, Kyūjō's face had also turned pale.
Don't tell me… he's starting to suspect me?
Kyūjō had never intended to provoke Aizen in this world of the Shinigami.
He had only one goal: to fully heal his fractured soul in this realm, whose Reishi-based spiritual system was perfectly suited for such recovery.
Who knew if the next world would even have Reishi? If he wasn't fully healed before moving on, his very existence—already unstable—might collapse entirely.
In fact, Kyūjō was starting to believe that the reason he had arrived in the world of Bleach was no coincidence.
This realm, with its detailed spiritual laws and high Reishi concentration, felt deliberately chosen—perhaps by some Higher Entity—as the ideal place for his soul to mend.
Why else would he have ended up here?
"Aizen… I really hope you're just curious. But if you start messing around—if you become a problem—I swear, you won't survive long enough to see the main plot begin."
With Kyūjō's intentions made clear, the rest of the lieutenants eventually dispersed.
Only one person stayed behind: the short blonde girl, Sarugaki Hiyori.
She stared at Kyūjō with an oddly serious look before asking,
"Eh? So you don't like Aizen either, huh?"
Facing her earnest gaze, Kyūjō didn't feel the need to hide anything. He gave a firm nod.
Seeing that, Hiyori clenched her fists in excitement.
"Hah! So you're just like me! And Hirako, too! You feel it, right? That Aizen… there's something way too smooth and fake about him!"
"Hmph! Too bad the people in Soul Society aren't exactly the brightest. Most Shinigami in the Gotei 13 are completely fooled by Aizen's fake kindness! I swear he's planning something big!"
Her conviction was clear, burning in her eyes. And Kyūjō couldn't help but be intrigued.
He already knew that both Hiyori and Fifth Division Captain Hirako Shinji didn't trust Aizen. In fact, Hirako had insisted on making Aizen his lieutenant precisely because he found him suspicious from the start.
—And all of that had been part of Aizen's illusion, created through the ability of Kyōka Suigetsu.
When you thought about it, it was an intricate web of deception.
Basically: "You think you've uncovered my mask? No… that was the mask I wanted you to see."
But then… why did Hiyori sense it too?
Was she also caught in Aizen's web? Or was it just her connection to Hirako that made her suspicious?
"Lieutenant Hiyori," Kyūjō asked, his voice curious. "Why are you so sure Aizen's a bad guy?"
Hiyori rolled her eyes as if the answer was obvious.
"C'mon! Do I need a reason? Look at him! Always smiling at everyone, acting all friendly—that's clearly the mark of a villain!"
"…That's… surprisingly logical," Kyūjō muttered with a conflicted expression.
Aizen (if he heard that): If I appear to be a villain in your eyes… is that really my fault?
Suddenly, Hiyori stood on her toes and clapped Kyūjō on the shoulder like an experienced senior.
"Well, since we're on the same side now, here's the deal! From now on, while you're in the Gotei 13, I—Sarugaki Hiyori—will have your back! Just don't slack off in the Fourth Division, got it? Stay sharp!"
Kyūjō chuckled at the declaration. This tiny, loudmouthed girl was unexpectedly charming.
He reached out and gently patted her head. "Thanks, Lieutenant Hiyori."
But she immediately swatted his hand away with a scowl.
"Hey! Don't treat me like a kid! I'm over three hundred years old! I'm probably older than your grandma!"
Kyūjō smiled quietly, not saying a word.
If they were talking about age, he had spent thousands of years wandering the world of Naruto, drifting through countless dimensions and eras.
In all of Soul Society, perhaps only Ichibe Hyōsube of the Zero Division could match him in age.
But Ichibe was no ordinary man—he had been born in the prehistoric age, long before the world had structure.
Together with the Soul King and the Five Noble Clans, Ichibe had named all things in Soul Society.
He had witnessed firsthand the mutilation and sealing of the Soul King by the Noble Families to preserve balance.
As the last survivor of the Age of Chaos, his age had long since exceeded any mortal count—rumored to have lived more than one million years…
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