Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, two and a half months had passed.
On this day, members of the 11th Division arrived at the 1st Division, carrying a thick report. Their faces radiated pride and satisfaction.
This report marked the successful completion of the Rukongai cleanup mission!
Ever since the addition of powerful members like Kenpachi Zaraki, the 11th Division's efficiency had skyrocketed—even with Masatsuki Aozaki leisurely "coasting" through his days.
Like an unstoppable war machine, they had tackled and completed this arduous mission swiftly and efficiently.
Along with this achievement, an official report was also submitted regarding Kenpachi Zaraki's induction into the 11th Division, where he would serve as a Lieutenant alongside Gin Ichimaru.
Though having two individuals share the same rank was uncommon in the Gotei 13, it wasn't unheard of.
Take the 13th Division, for example—Masatsuki Aozaki's sister-in-law, Kiyone Kotetsu, and her colleague, Sentarō Kotsubaki, both held the position of 3rd Seat and Acting Lieutenant.
Yamamoto, rather than being troubled by Masatsuki's unconventional and legally questionable demands, accepted them with surprising ease.
In fact, it only reaffirmed what he had long suspected—his young disciple was a master at poaching talent.
First, he had successfully recruited Isshin Shiba, the Captain of the 10th Division. Now, he had brought in Kenpachi Zaraki, whose Reiatsu surpassed even Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake.
And then there was that guy from the Shinigami Research and Development Institute… what was his name again? Ah, Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
Not much of a fighter, but undeniably brilliant—he even managed to cure Jūshirō Ukitake's illness.
More talents like this? Yamamoto would welcome them all.
This kid… he's actually going out of his way to make my life easier!
Originally, when Yamamoto pushed for Masatsuki to become the Captain of the 11th Division, it was simply to give him some real experience—a chance to lead after taking down Kiganjō.
But Masatsuki's performance had far exceeded expectations.
Whether it was tightening discipline within the division or venturing deep into Rukongai to seek out exceptional talent, he displayed the qualities of an outstanding leader.
Yamamoto couldn't be more pleased.
"Captain Masatsuki, you have done an excellent job."
"This mission… you've gone beyond expectations."
"Not only did you complete the assignment from the Central 46, but you also brought exceptional talent to Seireitei. We will surely reward you."
Leisurely sipping his tea, Yamamoto smiled in satisfaction—though, as always, it wasn't exactly a pleasant sight.
"As for your request to have Kenpachi Zaraki train here, I have approved it. From now on, he will report to the 1st Division weekly."
"Now, I must attend a meeting at the Central 46, so I won't have time to spar with you today. You may take your leave."
With that, Yamamoto turned and departed gracefully, accompanied by Chōjirō Sasakibe.
Watching Yamamoto's retreating figure, Masatsuki Aozaki crossed his arms, deep in thought.
A reward? Like that even matters to me.
He was already a high-ranking noble—what could the Central 46 possibly offer?
Make him one of the Five Great Noble Houses?
Not a chance.
It was just another entry in his record, nothing more. A fancy excuse to "prepare" him for a future transfer to the Shin'ō District.
But why would he settle for a cushy bureaucratic post when he commanded one of the most formidable armed forces in the Gotei 13?
The real takeaway from all this was…
With Gin Ichimaru and Kenpachi Zaraki as his right and left hands, there wouldn't be much for him to worry about moving forward.
One had the brains, the other had the brawn—if they worked together, they could handle all sorts of problems.
No more unnecessary hassles for him…
…Wait.
Masatsuki suddenly froze.
Something wasn't right.
The last time he became Captain, he hadn't had the squad's full recognition.
To establish his authority, he'd ended up leveling the entire division barracks.
This time, though, Kenpachi Zaraki's battle with him had been witnessed by the squad members. But people like Yachiru Kusajishi and the others had essentially been dropped in from nowhere.
Could history be repeating itself?
No way.
That barracks belongs to me.
If those lunatics dare to destroy my division again, I swear I'll make them pay for it with their salaries… for life!
A sudden sense of doom washed over him, and without hesitation, Masatsuki Aozaki bolted toward the 11th Division barracks…
...
Masatsuki Aozaki's worst fears had come true.
When he returned to the 11th Division, the sight that greeted him was utter devastation—collapsed buildings, shattered walls, and debris everywhere.
In the middle of the ruins, Kenpachi Zaraki was still swinging his sword, clearly having gotten caught up in the excitement of the brawl after watching his subordinates fight.
The only silver lining? At least he had shown Masatsuki some courtesy by not outright slaughtering the squad members.
Without hesitation, Masatsuki took action, delivering a merciless beating to the troublemakers.
"Aozaki is amazing!"
Inside the only intact section of the barracks, the sole uninjured member of the group—a certain young girl—clapped her hands in excitement.
"Trying to flatter me won't help you," Masatsuki said, narrowing his eyes as he swept his gaze over the battered group.
"You lot will be repaying this debt for the next 3,000 years. Understood?"
"Yes!"
Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa, their faces bruised black and blue, trembled slightly as they shouted in unison.
Three thousand years of work?
Didn't that mean they'd be stuck working for him for the rest of their lives… for free?
As for Kenpachi Zaraki, he was in no condition to respond. Masatsuki had been particularly ruthless with him—right now, he was sprawled on the ground, completely out cold.
"Ken-chan is fine with it, of course!"
Yachiru Kusajishi enthusiastically raised her hand and declared.
"Oh? And what about you, Yachiru?"
Masatsuki reached out and grabbed the little troublemaker by the head.
"I haven't forgotten who started all this."
In reality, with their current strength, Ikkaku and Yumichika could never have caused this much chaos on their own.
If not for this little brat constantly egging them on, provoking them at every turn, Kenpachi wouldn't have stepped in himself. And if he hadn't, this friendly sparring session wouldn't have escalated into an all-out battlefield.
"But I still wanna buy lots and lots of toys and snacks!"
Dangling midair, Yachiru flailed her tiny hands, looking pitiful.
"…How much can you possibly spend on those little things?"
Masatsuki's mouth twitched.
This brat really wasn't afraid of anything.
"Alright, alright, stop whining. I'll save your wages for you—you can treat it as your allowance. Whenever you need it, just come find me."
"But you still have to work for me for 3,000 years—no skipping, no slacking, no absences!"
...
At the entrance of the 3rd Division, Aizen received a stack of documents from his subordinates.
Just as he was about to turn back, he noticed something unusual—lines of 11th Division members being carried away on stretchers.
His brow furrowed slightly.
He had heard that the 11th Division had recently recruited new members, and judging by the current situation, things weren't going smoothly.
Though Masatsuki Aozaki himself was completely unharmed, bringing such uncontrollable beasts under his command so recklessly was… questionable, to say the least.
How could someone like that be taken in so casually?
Just how big-hearted was Masatsuki Aozaki supposed to be?
Aizen narrowed his eyes, watching Masatsuki's lazy, unconcerned expression.