Fifth Division.
Hirako Shinji stopped writing the document, his brows slightly furrowed.
He looked out the window, his confusion growing stronger.
He let out a soft "Tsk."
Then he turned his head.
Looking at Aizen, who was organizing documents with him, he asked:
"Sōusuke, do you know what's been happening in the Seireitei recently?"
"Why are there so many Shinigami patrolling outside?"
In his impression, there were only five shifts of patrolling Shinigami a day, but now that number had tripled.
Such a significant change could not help but catch the attention of a Captain like him.
Of course, since the increase in patrol numbers was not a major issue, he only paid attention and did not interfere.
It was like suddenly seeing many more police officers on a nearby street one day.
Any normal person would not connect the appearance of these police officers to themselves.
Aizen slightly turned his face, his features appearing even gentler in the sunlight.
His smile was like a spring breeze, bringing a touch of warmth.
He said softly:
"Perhaps it's due to the open and covert struggles between the noble families."
"Didn't a major event happen recently in the Kuchiki Clan of the Sixth Division?"
"Lord Kuchiki Sōjun, who had been frail for years, has recovered his health."
"Any noble family hostile to them would not miss this opportunity, would they?"
Hirako Shinji pouted:
"If you put it that way, then yes."
"Those nobles are always scheming against each other, dragging us Shinigami into their troubles. It's so annoying."
"Fortunately, we are the Fifth Division, the rescue squad."
"The Shinigami patrolling outside should be from the Seventh Division's Inner Guard, how pitiful."
His eyes showed obvious emotion, feeling grateful for choosing the Fifth Division back then, and this was not the first time.
Hirako Shinji gently exhaled, his breath like a faint mist, slowly dissipating into the air.
Suddenly, he remembered something.
He turned to look at Aizen:
"Oh, right, Sōusuke, putting aside the patrolling Shinigami for now, what do you think of that kid Ichimaru Gin?"
"What is Captain Hirako referring to?" Aizen asked, puzzled.
Hirako Shinji seemed a bit helpless: "His romantic life."
"The Captain of the Ninth Division has taken Ichimaru Gin's childhood friend as his adopted sister."
"Because of his heartless abandonment, Matsumoto Rangiku has been in the Ninth Division recently, receiving training from Tsugikuni Yoriichi."
"Tell me, if one day Matsumoto Rangiku comes knocking and defeats Ichimaru Gin, how should we handle this?"
"..."
"Does Captain Hirako actually worry about such a small matter?" Aizen asked in surprise.
After a pause, he said with a gentle smile:
"Don't worry, in my estimation, this should be impossible."
"Why?" Hirako Shinji frowned slightly.
In his opinion, this was not a small matter; it could easily affect the reputation of the entire Fifth Division.
Here, someone abandons his childhood friend to pursue power, and there, the friend directly stages a comeback for revenge...
If word got out, he, as Captain, would be known for being a poor judge of character and having no foresight.
Aizen gently shook his head, not explaining the reason.
Hirako Shinji, however, could see the difficulty in his expression.
Doesn't want to say?
Or...
Can't say?
...
...
"Murder Hirako Shinji?"
Ichimaru Gin's words were like thunder, slightly invigorating Yoriichi.
This was truly audacious.
To murder a Captain within the Seireitei.
How was that any different from self-exposure?
Even if Hirako Shinji was weak, he was still one of the veteran Captains, with his spiritual pressure having reached Second Class for over a hundred years.
To kill him.
One would at least need to use Bankai, right?
Once used...
Could they still escape?
And without using it...
Yoriichi suddenly thought of something and asked:
"Is the murderer one of his close associates?"
Only this could explain why they dared to carry out such a plan within the Seireitei.
A familiar person committing the crime, stabbing him directly in the back, wouldn't even give him a chance to use Bankai.
Ichimaru Gin was stunned, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "How did you know?"
After speaking.
He slapped his thigh, feeling foolish; this was clearly obvious.
"Alright, just tell me the result. What date and where will the murder take place?"
Seeing Ichimaru Gin's expression, Yoriichi suddenly found him somewhat cute, though only for now.
Ichimaru Gin, still annoyed, added: "I don't know."
"Captain Hirako is going to die, that's the only thing I know."
"Because only then can we safely leave Soul Society."
"Leave?" Yoriichi frowned slightly, "Where are you going? Does Rangiku know? Are you going to leave without a word again?"
"I don't want to either." Ichimaru Gin seemed to have lowered his guard, only the lingering smile on his face spoke of helplessness, his voice calm:
"It's only a matter of time before Tōsen Kaname, having been captured by you, reveals the mastermind."
"Although your actions were quite covert, he still figured it out."
"We are preparing to go to Hueco Mundo recently; only there is truly safe. The Seireitei cannot reach it, because Hueco Mundo is boundless."
"And, we can also conduct experiments there."
"Who is he?"
"He is he, I've made it clear, I cannot say, because even if I tell you, you won't be able to catch him. Rather than alerting him, it's better for me to continue acting as an undercover agent."
"Is he that powerful?"
"Of course, that's why I'm telling you to be extremely careful. Honestly, even if you know Captain Hirako might die, you might not be able to protect him."
Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu seemed unsolvable to Ichimaru Gin.
Especially since Aizen's own spiritual pressure was at the pinnacle of Shinigami, this situation further deepened the difficulty of breaking it, even Yamamoto Genryusai would fall victim.
Even if the true culprit was known to be Aizen...
Even if the entire Gotei 13 were to deploy...
But what then?
Can you be sure that the Aizen you see is actually Aizen?
Impossible.
As far as Ichimaru Gin knew.
In every Division, Aizen had his people. Once any changes occurred in these Divisions, he would know immediately and make appropriate deployments.
Tōsen Kaname's capture was only because Tsugikuni Yoriichi's actions were incredibly covert.
A full-scale deployment would be different.
And without a full-scale deployment.
Three or four, or four or five Captains wouldn't be able to catch him.
Not to mention situations like Kyōka Suigetsu's hypnosis leading to friendly fire.
As for using a scheme...
Ichimaru Gin didn't think Aizen would be foolish enough to fall for a trick.
Especially during the period when Tōsen Kaname's whereabouts were unknown, every move he made was extremely cautious.
Considering everything, he could only continue to conceal and remain undercover, revealing some information appropriately.
This information was inconsequential and would not lead to his exposure. Even if Aizen failed, having laid the groundwork beforehand, he would not suspect those around him.
Ichimaru Gin let out a heavy sigh.
After his words fell, the surrounding air seemed to instantly solidify, falling into an eerie silence.
Yoriichi quietly looked at him, his gaze like water, carrying an indescribable pressure that made Ichimaru Gin feel as if a huge rock was pressing on his heart.
Ichimaru Gin had expected Yoriichi to continue pressing him.
Unexpectedly, Yoriichi merely nodded slightly: "Understood."
After speaking, he said nothing more and did not press further.
"You're not going to ask why?" This unexpected action made Ichimaru Gin instinctively blurt out.
He couldn't explain what was happening to him; perhaps it was due to a guilty conscience, wanting to reveal more?
"Why should I ask? Do you want to tell me?" Yoriichi's voice remained calm.
Ichimaru Gin opened his mouth, struggled for a long time, and finally uttered two words: "No."
He couldn't say; the current information was the limit of what he could reveal.
Saying any more, such as revealing Kyōka Suigetsu's ability, Aizen, if he wasn't foolish, would know that someone close to him had a problem.
Yoriichi nodded slightly: "See, isn't that clear?"
"You believe that person cannot be defeated, which is why you reveal information to us but not all of it, to prevent our failure and your own exposure."
"Since you believe that, why should I force you?"
"He might truly be very strong, and we might truly be unable to defeat him."
"But given the current situation, as long as we protect Hirako Shinji, that should be our victory, right?"
"This information is enough."
"You're quite optimistic." Ichimaru Gin sighed almost imperceptibly, his narrowed eyes opening slightly, and even his faint smile diminished greatly.
"This is not optimism, merely confidence. If one lacks even confidence, what is there to protect?" Yoriichi shook his head slightly.
"Continue, besides the assassination attempt on Hirako Shinji, is there anything else you want to tell Rangiku?"
"There's nothing to say. Even if I told her, she would tell me not to go, and how could I not go?" Ichimaru Gin sighed and slowly looked up.
"If your sister, Captain Tsugikuni, were harmed by an outsider, would you give up revenge because of your sister's words?"
"Impossible, and I am the same."
"Only by staying close to him can I find an opportunity for revenge, and only then can I thwart all his plans."
Yoriichi looked at Ichimaru Gin and suddenly asked, "Even if it means sacrificing your life?"
Ichimaru Gin paused for a second upon hearing that.
Then, he said firmly:
"Yes, even if it means sacrificing my life."
"..."
Yoriichi remained silent, and the surrounding air seemed to grow heavier due to his silence.
After a while, he nodded:
"Alright, I understand. I will keep this matter a secret from Rangiku, but you must remember that nothing is more important than your own safety."
"Even if you succeed in your revenge, if you die, it will be meaningless."
"Don't forget, Rangiku is waiting for you in the Seireitei."
"Also, don't slack off on your strength. If you come back and can't even beat Rangiku, I can't guarantee what will happen next."
When it came to strength, Ichimaru Gin was full of confidence.
A smile appeared on his face:
"Rangiku can't beat me, but still, thank you."
Knowing that he was thanking him for bringing Rangiku into the Seireitei and taking care of her, Yoriichi slowly shook his head: "It's nothing, you take care of yourself first."
"Try not to die."
...
...
The facts proved that Ichimaru Gin's warning was extremely useful.
A few days later, Hirako Shinji was ambushed outside the Gotei 13.
Because the information was known beforehand, the assassination attempt was ultimately resolved without major incident.
Hirako Shinji only suffered some damage to his hair, not even a drop of blood was shed.
However, despite this, Hirako Shinji's expression was still extremely grim.
He watched his carefully styled hair fall out in clumps as the sharp blade grazed his scalp, and his mood instantly plummeted.
The image of the attacker was reflected in his eyes.
It was "Hiyori Sarugaki."
Although he had been told earlier that there would be danger, even life-threatening danger, Hirako Shinji had taken it to heart.
But he hadn't expected...
The one who wanted to kill him wasn't Aizen.
Nor Ichimaru Gin.
Nor any other Seat Officer in the Fifth Division.
But.
A friend he had known for nearly a century.
Why?
He completely failed to understand why Hiyori Sarugaki would want to kill him; there was no animosity between them, and even if there was, it was only minor squabbles.
To resort to murder.
Was it really necessary?
Hirako Shinji's gaze was fixed on the Zanpakuto in "Hiyori Sarugaki's" hand; the blade reflected a chilling gleam in the sunlight.
The lingering sensation on his head kept returning; he was just a hair's breadth away, just a hair's breadth away from his head being separated from his body.
If he hadn't been somewhat cautious of everyone...
Damn it!
Hirako Shinji clenched his fists tightly, clenching his jaw with all his might.
He desperately wanted to say that everything before him was an illusion, but his sight and senses told him that the person in front of him was indeed Hiyori.
Hirako Shinji was about to demand an explanation in a harsh tone, but he hadn't even uttered a single word.
Not far away, in just three seconds from the start to the end of the attack, a large group of Shinigami emerged.
The burst of spiritual pressure and Kido instantly suppressed "Hiyori Sarugaki" on the spot.
It was as if it were a carefully planned fishing expedition.
This scene instantly stunned Hirako Shinji.
His open mouth inexplicably closed.
Finally, he said with difficulty:
"What... are you doing?!"
...
"Hirako Shinji, clear your head!"
Soon after, Tsugikuni Yoriichi arrived with a group of people. He looked at the young male suppressed in front of Hirako Shinji and listened to Hirako Shinji's pleas.
Even though his relationship with Hirako Shinji was distant, he couldn't help but frown at this moment:
"He is not Hiyori Sarugaki at all."
"What are you doing?"
"Where is your dignity as a Captain?!"
It was somewhat inappropriate; someone who didn't know might think Hirako Shinji had some unclear relationship with that man.
The person was trying to kill you, and you're pleading for them...
He must have lost his mind.
However, the facts proved.
Half of those present were somewhat confused.
"Captain, what are you talking about? Isn't she Vice-Captain Hiyori of the Twelfth Division?"
At these words.
Someone's eyes widened, and they loudly retorted: "Huh? Hiyori, I remember she's a woman, isn't she? How did she become a man?"
There was a flurry of discussion, the voices somewhat noisy, but Yoriichi understood the problem.
His gaze swept around, his expression somewhat serious.
If there were no surprises.
Those Shinigami who called the person in front of them Hiyori Sarugaki were all under hypnosis.
Visuals can deceive.
But intuition will not.
According to the judgment given by Touhou Sekigan, this was clearly a man.