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Fate In Bleach (359)
🕑 Added 2024-12-03 17:00:07 +0000 UTCChapter 359 - Arrangements
“There’s only one truly good person in this world!”
Having said that, Ailin looked towards the sky above the Seireitei.
The Soul King.
He was the only one deserving of the title "good."
After being betrayed by the Tsunayashiro Clan's ancestor, the Soul King, with his ability to see the future, had foreseen his own imprisonment. Yet, for the sake of the world, he hadn't resisted and allowed the Four Great Noble Families to do as they pleased.
Ailin doubted he could have made the same choice. But he understood, to some extent. The Soul King wasn’t born like ordinary beings. He was a manifestation of the world's will, his purpose to prolong its lifespan. He wasn't human; he was a god, a god with boundless love for the world. And because of his sacrifice, the world had continued for millions of years.
Ichigo followed Ailin’s gaze, but saw nothing.
“Hahaha, Ichigo. With your current power, you can’t see him yet. Strive to become stronger. One day, you might be able to perceive his presence. But if you stagnate, you might become the next ‘good person’ yourself.”
Ailin’s words weren’t entirely a jest.
The Soul King sought release. Ailin respected his will and wouldn't interfere with Yhwach’s eventual ascent to the Soul King Palace.
After consuming the Soul King, Yhwach would become the most powerful being in the Soul Society. Even Ailin wasn't sure if he could defeat him. He hadn't reached his own limits yet. If they failed against Yhwach, Ichigo, with his unique lineage, might become the next linchpin, sacrificed to maintain the balance of the three worlds. He would become the next “good person.”
Ichigo, however, didn't understand the implications.
“Hinamori, open a Senkaimon. It’s time to send Ichigo back to the World of the Living.”
“Yes, Captain Ailin.”
Momo Hinamori bowed, then stepped forward, drawing her Zanpakutō and plunging it into the air. A Senkaimon opened before them.
“By the way Ichigo, when judging a person’s character, don’t be swayed by others’ opinions. Look at their actions, their words. Language can deceive, but actions reveal true intent.”
“Now go. Your friends are waiting.”
Before Ichigo could ask any questions, Ailin pushed him through the Senkaimon, watching as the portal closed. His smile faded.
If he remembered correctly, Ichigo should have completed his Hollowfication training by now.
With the Hollow’s power, Amagai’s Bakkōtō wouldn't have affected him. But he hadn't sensed any Hollow reiatsu from Ichigo. It meant his inner Hollow, White, was still suppressed by his Quincy powers.
To awaken Ichigo’s full potential, he needed to face stronger opponents, pushing him to the brink, forcing him to unleash White’s power to survive. He hoped Aizen’s Espada, Grimmjow or Ulquiorra, would provide the necessary… motivation.
Ailin stroked his chin. He was curious. What would happen if Ichigo’s powers were… reversed?
…
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The summons for a captains’ meeting echoed through the Seireitei.
In the Fifth Division, hearing the familiar sound, Ailin set down his pen and sighed.
“What’s wrong, Captain Ailin?” Momo Hinamori asked.
“Hinamori, our peaceful days are over.”
“Eh? Why?”
“Why not?” Ailin chuckled at her surprise.
“Aizen defected to acquire the Hōgyoku created by Kisuke Urahara, to merge it with his own, completing it. According to Urahara, the fusion will take at least six months. The Seireitei intends to attack Hueco Mundo before the process is complete. And Aizen, to ensure his plans aren't interrupted, will do everything in his power to prevent them from entering Hueco Mundo.”
“After four months of reorganization, the Seireitei has recovered. To buy more time, Aizen will create a diversion in the World of the Living, forcing the Gotei 13 to intervene. I suspect this meeting is related to that.”
He stood. “Hinamori, if you’re ready to face Aizen, I’ll take you to the World of the Living. But if you’re not… I’ll leave you here.”
With that, he vanished.
Ailin’s words to Hinamori had been deliberate. While they wouldn't encounter Aizen in the World of the Living, he wanted to… motivate her.
Aizen’s true nature wasn’t something that required debate. While Kyōka Suigetsu’s influence was a factor, no one could deny that his affable persona had been a facade, maintained for centuries.
The more one understood the Seireitei, the more one understood the Soul King, the harder it became to sympathize with the nobles.
Everyone who had encountered the Soul King’s will had made their own “correct” choices.
Ichibei Hyōsube, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, and Kisuke Urahara had all chosen to “protect.” Their methods, however, differed.
Hyōsube protected the world itself. As long as the world continued, the sacrifices necessary to maintain its balance were irrelevant. To him, the world’s survival superseded all other concerns.
Yamamoto and Urahara, however, protected the people within the world. Their primary concern was the Seireitei. Both were willing to sacrifice anything, anyone, to ensure its safety.
Aizen, on the other hand, had chosen to end the Soul King’s suffering, to rule the world himself. Yhwach’s goals were similar, but he lacked Aizen’s… purity. As the god of the Quincy, he wanted to destroy the existing world and create a new one.
Ailin differed from them all. This world, in his opinion, was beyond saving. Without external energy, the Soul Society would eventually wither and die, regardless of its inhabitants’ actions.
Therefore, he intended to cultivate his strength within the Soul Society, reaching his limits before breaking free, seeking new worlds to explore. Perhaps, if he became powerful enough, he might return, reshaping the Soul Society into a healthy, stable world.
…
“Oh my, Captain Ailin. You’re late.”
The other captains were already assembled in the First Division barracks when Ailin arrived. Shunsui Kyōraku, as always, couldn't resist a jab.
“Kyōraku, are you fully recovered? It seems the Captain-Commander is quite lenient with his disciples.”
“If I had been the one to… discipline you, you’d still be bedridden in the Fourth Division.”
The other captains remained silent, but their amusement was evident.
A month ago, Kyōraku, as the head of the intelligence unit, had withheld crucial information about Amagai’s true identity, allowing him to attack Yamamoto. After the incident, he had spent three days recovering in the Fourth Division. It was rumored that Unohana herself had treated him.
Bang!
“Silence!”
Yamamoto paused with his cane and said, “I’ve called this meeting because Mayuri Kurotsuchi has detected Aizen’s presence in the World of the Living. He appears to be using the Hōgyoku to create powerful Hollows and disrupt the human world.”
Kurotsuchi unfurled a screen, displaying images recorded by the Twelfth Division. Two humanoid Hollows emerged from a Garganta. Ichigo, in his Bankai state, severed one Hollow’s arm, but was then heavily injured and rescued by Kisuke Urahara.
“That’s the situation. According to the Eighth and Thirteenth Divisions stationed in the World of the Living, the Hollows are stronger and more numerous than before. Shinigami below lieutenant level are no match for them. Therefore, I propose sending two captains, their lieutenants, and two seated officers from the Eleventh Division to the World of the Living.”
Yamamoto paused, then continued, “Captain Ailin, Captain Hitsugaya, I’m assigning this mission to you.”
“No problem.”
Ailin had anticipated this. Yamamoto needed him to maintain order in the Soul Society. Sending Ailin to the World of the Living was the logical choice.
“I have no objections.” Toshiro Hitsugaya agreed. Despite being the youngest captain, his strength was among the highest.
The captains were divided into tiers based on their combat abilities.
The first tier, naturally, consisted of Ailin, Yamamoto, and Zaraki.
The second tier comprised Unohana, Kyōraku, and Ukitake.
The third tier included Byakuya, Hitsugaya, and Rukia.
Soi Fon and Komamura occupied the fourth tier.
With the captains selected, Yamamoto continued, “We all know Aizen’s true objective. Based on our analysis, he intends to sacrifice over one hundred thousand souls in Karakura Town, a spiritually dense location in the World of the Living, to create the Ōken and ascend to the Soul King Palace.”
“This is something we cannot allow.”
He looked at the assembled captains. “Perhaps some of you are unfamiliar with the Ōken. All you need to know is that if Aizen succeeds, even I might not be able to defeat him.”
Besides Retsu Unohana, Yamamoto was the most knowledgeable about the Zero Division.
Anyone invited to join the Zero Division had achieved a “great deed,” creating something that hadn't existed in the Soul Society, significantly impacting its history. They were then granted the honor of creating the Ōken, transforming their bones into the “bones of the Soul King,” before ascending to the Soul King Palace. Their reiatsu, having surpassed the limits of a Shinigami, existed on a higher plane.
Even Yamamoto could only reach that level in his Bankai state.
Of course, reiatsu wasn’t everything. While the Zero Division’s spiritual pressure surpassed Yamamoto’s, in his Bankai state, their reiatsu was comparable. Besides Ichibei Hyōsube, the other four members wouldn't be a match for Yamamoto unless they unleashed their full power.
The captains fell silent. They wouldn’t comment on the Zero Division, but they knew Yamamoto’s strength. If even he expressed concern, they couldn’t afford to be careless.
“Therefore, to prevent Aizen from creating the Ōken, we must make preparations. Firstly, the Kidō Corps will be deployed to Karakura Town, establishing a spatial distortion barrier around the designated area.”
“Captain Kurotsuchi, you will create a replica of Karakura Town within the Seireitei’s Rukongai district. When Aizen attempts to create the Ōken, the Kidō Corps will activate the barrier, swapping the two locations.”
Comments
Queen Pheromone
Yea, I'm still working on it.
Queen Pheromone
It will happen soon. The Mc will assist Ichigo in discovering his potential.
Zero Speed
What happened to mc training Ichigo to his full potential
