What…
What even is this?
Viewing higher-dimensional comments? Then turning the praise from those comments into reality?
That ability is way too outrageous, isn't it?
So what does "higher-dimensional comments" mean?
Did Ōmaeda just become Deadpool?
If you interpret this ability straightforwardly, it treats the world they're in as a manga, with himself as a character in it. Since he's a character, readers would naturally comment about him. His ability is to select one of those comments about himself and make it reality.
No wonder Yoshio was so baffled.
Doesn't this mean he's living in a manga world?
"..."
Forget it—thinking about that now is pointless. He's so weak and helpless at the moment; what could he do?
Aside from that, the Third and Ninth Divisions' Lieutenants had both died in previous incidents, so those positions were vacant. And the Seventh Division Lieutenant was on an external assignment, so couldn't attend either. In other words, out of thirteen Lieutenants, ten showed up. Everyone sat in their designated places. Other than Yoshio chatting a bit with Rangiku, no one else spoke much.
Looking at Rangiku, Yoshio remembered the [The Animals] he had created using her ability. He had already given it to Aizen—he wondered what Aizen would use it for. To feed the Hōgyoku?
However…
Yoshio subconsciously felt a tug at his heartstrings. Ever since activating ["The Animals,"] he felt as though a small piece of his soul essence was missing. Even after all this time, the feeling remained. He felt that the cost in soul essence for one activation of ["The Animals"] would take at least a year to recover.
The soul essence is the foundation of a Shinigami's soul. Shinigami inject their soul essence into an Asauchi, connecting it to their own soul and thus awakening the Zanpakuto's corresponding abilities. If the soul essence is reduced, it affects not only normal training, but also the Bankai of the Zanpakuto.
Just like Rangiku—though many Lieutenants later managed to achieve Bankai, she still wasn't proficient. Yoshio suspected this likely had to do with her soul essence being incomplete.
Fortunately, Yoshio felt he could probably recover the lost soul essence in about a year. For a Shinigami, a year isn't that long.
The first captains' meeting thus ended. Yoshio memorized each Lieutenant's Souls Ability and planned to befriend them later according to importance. Then he obediently followed Aizen back to the Fifth Division.
Starting today, he officially became a Lieutenant. In the Gotei 13, Lieutenant is an important rank, so within the Fifth Division he now had his own quarters, and his office got bigger. Still, he wasn't used to barracks life; nothing felt as safe as his own home. His home was his safehouse!
"How was it?"
On the way back, Aizen, walking in front, asked, "Among the Lieutenants, did you discover any new observation targets?"
Gazing at Aizen's back, Yoshio smiled faintly. "For now, everyone is my observation target."
"However…"
Yoshio couldn't help complaining: "There's a problem with these captains' meetings. You captains should go; we can just wait in the next room for the outcomes. Why do we have to run all the way to the First Division for this?"
"Grumbling about a thousand-year-old Seireitei system right after becoming a Lieutenant isn't a great look," Aizen chuckled. "Next time I'll tell Captain-Commander Yamamoto."
"What? Captain Aizen, you're a snitch," Yoshio muttered. He hadn't seen any of the captains during this period—nor had he met the Captain-Commander. To be honest, he was quite curious about Captain-Commander Yamamoto's Souls Ability. As the strongest Shinigami in a thousand years, it shouldn't be weak, right?
But thinking about how, no matter how strong a Souls Ability was, it required favorability above sixty to use made Yoshio's head ache again. Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto was a rigid, stubborn old man; earning his favor wouldn't be easy. His status was too high; Yoshio had no opportunity to interact with him.
Forget it—these things can't be forced.
Yoshio watched Aizen return to the squad office, while he stayed with the Fifth Division members. The members congratulated Yoshio on becoming Lieutenant, and he didn't get arrogant because of the new position; he chatted with everyone as amicably as before.
He thought the day would end like that, but in the evening, just as Yoshio was about to get off work, a group arrived outside the Fifth Division looking specifically for him.
Yoshio went out to greet them, his gaze sharpening. He didn't know them, but he recognized the crest on their clothes. It was the emblem of the Tsunayashiro Clan, one of the Soul Society's Five Great Noble Families.
At this moment, Yoshio remembered. The Kamado Clan was a lower noble house; lower nobles generally had their own "branch" or "main house." Like the Feng Clan to Yoruichi Shihoin, the Kamado family, as a lesser house, was also attached to a great house—namely the Tsunayashiro Clan among the Five Great Noble Families.
But as the Kamado Clan declined, they no longer qualified to be affiliated with the Tsunayashiro Clan. By Yoshio Kamado's generation, the Kamado Clan had only the title of nobility and none of the true status; they'd long since had nothing to do with the Tsunayashiro.
Clicking his tongue, Yoshio stepped forward and asked, "Now this is a surprise—the Tsunayashiro bigwigs came all this way to see me? So the nobles have important business?"
"Yoshio Kamado," said a servant of the Tsunayashiro Clan. "The master has a task for you."
Yoshio didn't answer, but looked back at Aizen. Aizen shrugged, indicating it had nothing to do with him.
"What task?" Yoshio asked. Though the Kamado Clan was an affiliate of the Tsunayashiro, he was now a Lieutenant and didn't have to obey their every arrangement. Of course, if the Tsunayashiro didn't mind the trouble, they could issue an order through the Central 46, and he'd have to comply. Not just Lieutenants—even captains and the Captain-Commander must obey the Central 46's orders.
"The task will be conveyed to you by Jigokuchō in three days," the Tsunayashiro envoy said. "You will need to go to the Human World. Please make preparations."
To the Human World…
Yoshio frowned, but this was actually a good thing for him. In the Human World, there were a bunch of people waiting for him to raise favorability with them. So he nodded.
"No problem. Send the paperwork in three days."