Restricted Death

Chapter 178 Aizen's Request

Hinamori is a girl with great potential.

She can coordinate perfectly with Shin, something that Kotetsu Isane can't provide.

Yuu-on's shyness made it difficult for Shin to act, while Hinamori seemed to have a thorough understanding of Shin's likes and dislikes. Sometimes, she only needed a glance to know what to do next and how to meet Shin's needs.

Hinamori's threshold is actually very low, but she is still willing to work hard to cooperate with Shin after she finishes her work.

This is something that makes Xin quite fond of her.

Xin gradually got used to her bothering him in the team dormitory every day. After all, he couldn't bear to show any indifference or impatience towards a girl who was so eager to please him.

Xin began to keep her by his side at all times, even when he went out to patrol the streets.

First Squad Barracks, Captains' Meeting.

With Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's announcement that "the meeting is adjourned," the team leaders left the meeting room.

Shiba Kaien familiarly approached and put his arm around Shin's shoulder.

"Shall we find a place to have a drink?"

"Hey Captain Shiba, our captain still has work to do this afternoon."

Before Xin could speak, Matsumoto Rangiku, who was standing to the side, spoke up first, "Unlike you, who are so idle every day."

Shiba Kaien knew Matsumoto Rangiku's personality all too well; he didn't believe that she was really saying that because of the heavy workload in the team.

He asked Matsumoto Rangiku, "Shall we go together?"

Matsumoto Rangiku's face immediately lit up with a smile: "Great!"

letter:"……"

Zhibo couldn't help but smile wryly.

Matsumoto Rangiku offered, "There's a nice izakaya nearby that I frequent."

Haiyan couldn't help but say, "Didn't you say you had work to do this afternoon?"

Matsumoto Rangiku said without batting an eye, "I suddenly remembered that the work that happened this afternoon didn't seem to be particularly urgent, and we can deal with it tonight."

Just as the group of four was about to leave, two more people blocked their way.

When Xin saw the visitor, his eyes showed surprise.

"Captain Aizen?"

The visitors were Aizen and Gin Ichimaru.

When Matsumoto Rangiku saw them, the smile on her face vanished instantly, and she stared intently at the silver-haired Shinigami. However, the Shinigami remained all smiles and ignored Matsumoto Rangiku's gaze.

"Captain Tachikawa, Captain Shiba, I apologize for disturbing you," Aizen said with a gentle smile. "There's something I'd like to ask Captain Tachikawa for help with."

"Please speak," the voice said.

Aizen said, "Captain Tachikawa, do you remember the Hollows causing trouble in Kusashika Ward of Rukongai a few months ago?"

Xin pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "I remember."

Aizen slowly said, "That incident seriously injured one of our 11th Division teammates, but when our division led the team to provide support, the Hollow escaped. It seems to have reappeared recently. I would like to trouble Captain Tachikawa to pay more attention to the edge of Rukongai when he is patrolling the streets. That Hollow is not weak; even ordinary seated officers are no match for it."

Xin looked at the gentle-looking, earnest, and refined man in front of him. He had rarely interacted with him before, but now the man had taken the initiative to come to him, even if it was only for work.

“I understand,” the letter said. “I will keep an eye on it.”

Aizen immediately showed a relieved smile: "Then I'll trouble you, Captain Tachikawa."

After saying that, he took Ichimaru Gin and left.

"What a responsible captain," Shiba Kaien said slowly, watching Aizen's retreating figure. "He's a role model."

That's true. In terms of reputation and public image as a captain, Aizen Sousuke, the captain of the Fifth Division, seems to be comparable only to Captain Ukitake. He is a captain who is loved and admired by many.

Although Shiba Kaien's relationship with the other party was not particularly close, he held the captain in high esteem.

The incident today, where Hollows appeared on the outskirts of Rukongai, was completely outside his jurisdiction. It was the 79th ward, and even if Shin, who was in charge of patrols and security, hadn't intervened, no one would have criticized him much. Besides, the Fifth Division was just a rescue team.

Being conscientious and responsible...

Shin chuckled and said, "Let's go, that izakaya is over there... Matsumoto?"

Matsumoto snapped out of his daze and immediately laughed, "Ah, come on, I'll take you there."

"What are you looking at?" asked Shiba Kaien curiously.

"What's it to you?" Matsumoto Rangiku said rudely.

Haiyan was furious: "Hey! Watch your tone! Xin, can't you control your adjutant? I'm a captain, you know! I'm the captain! I'm the captain!"

He kept repeating that he was the captain, while his wife, Shiba, smiled and pushed him forward from behind.

Once seated at the izakaya, Matsumoto Rangiku, who had initially been enthusiastic about drinking, seemed somewhat distracted, often resting her chin on her hand and lost in thought.

However, after a few drinks, he quickly put aside his many worries and, while holding Shiba, complained to her that men were all unreliable.

Shiba Kaien couldn't help but say, "I'm telling you, there are still two of us men here, and besides, don't say things like that to my wife!"

Matsumoto Rangiku glanced at him, then at the letter, and suddenly curled her lip in disdain.

This left Haiyan and Xin speechless for a moment.

Matsumoto Rangiku then said, "Forget about you, you are indeed my senior, and you are married, so you can barely be considered a man. But our captain... hiccup~ isn't he still just a little kid?"

Xin's face darkened.

I thought to myself, you haven't even tried it, how dare you judge me as younger!

Matsumoto Rangiku said with a smile, "You have no idea what our captain looked like a few years ago when he was still a student at the Spirit Arts Academy."

Zhibo just listened to her with a smile.

Haiyan also looked nostalgic and said, "A few years ago, the letters back then were indeed quite different from those now."

Xin said, "I don't think I've changed much."

Haiyan said, "It's mainly the feeling of spiritual pressure. Back then, we really treated you like a child, but now, you're completely unfathomable."

Their actual ages differ by several decades. Among ordinary humans in the modern world, Haiyan could easily be Xin's elder, while some of the other captains could be Xin's ancestors.

Haiyan, holding a wine glass, said leisurely, "Among all the captains of Seireitei, there are very few who give me this feeling. I even doubt whether your spiritual pressure has reached the level of second-grade spiritual power."

Xin simply smiled and remained silent.

Seeing his reaction, Haiyan laughed and said, "If that's really the case, then it's too strange. I remember your entrance exam score wasn't that high."

Matsumoto Rangiku then said, "It seems not high, maybe seventh or eighth rank spiritual power." Kaien said, "That's strange. Although I was also called a genius by many people back then, and graduated from the Spirit Arts Academy in a year, I was already a third seat when I joined the team, I was already a sixth rank spiritual power when I first entered the Spirit Arts Academy, not as low as you were at the beginning. Your team's Hitsugaya was like that too, and so was the Fifth Division's Ichimaru Gin."

Shin laughed upon hearing this: "A true genius is naturally extraordinary. People like you are just ordinary geniuses, while I am a once-in-a-millennium talent in Soul Society. Naturally, you cannot understand me."

Haiyan scoffed, "You're really not being polite."

The letter simply clinked glasses with him.

Haiyan then asked, "What about Bankai?"

Xin pondered for a moment, then slowly shook his head.

Although she encountered Hiyori Sarugaki and Lisa Yadomaru in the modern world, their favorability ratings were only in the single digits.
The only recent increase was thanks to Hinamori's affection level slowly rising to [95].

[Zanpakutō unlock progress: 59%]

It seems like they're just one step away from victory.

Haiyan laughed: "It seems that God is fair. It's impossible for everything to go your way. But you don't need to worry. You've only been a Shinigami for a few years. Some people can't master Bankai in their entire lives. It's normal to spend ten or twenty years learning it."

Shin's gaze drifted leisurely towards Matsumoto Rangiku.

Upon noticing this, Matsumoto Rangiku immediately said rudely, "Why are you looking at me? Your eyes are disgusting!"

Shin pouted helplessly, "If you had been nicer to me, I might have already mastered Bankai."

"Why should I be nicer to you? Aren't I nice enough to you? Why don't you look for the reasons within yourself? Why don't you be nicer to me?"

A person's favorability rating can't be improved just by saying a few casual words.

Xin put aside his thoughts, and Comrade Bo Haiyan started talking about other things.

How is Kira doing on your team?

"He's a very good kid. He works very hard and is very intelligent. He'll at least be able to become the vice-captain in the future," Haiyan said, giving him a high evaluation.

They were all rated as having the talent and ability of a Grim Reaper, but the vice-captain was already at the limit.

To become the team leader, one must consider various factors.

The captains of the Gotei 13 are all long-lived individuals, and given the current peace in Soul Society, it's normal for captains to remain unchanged for hundreds of years. Under these circumstances, the difficulty for someone below to become a captain is exceptionally high.

Which of those who can become captains isn't exceptionally talented? No one dares to predict that a promising newcomer who just graduated from the Spirit Arts Academy will definitely become a captain in the future.

Matsumoto Rangiku then interjected, "You should thank our 10th Division, otherwise why would we have given this top student to your 3rd Division?"

Haiyan rolled her eyes at her: "You don't need to tell me that, I already thanked you."

Given Shin's relationship with Kira Izuru, it was surprising that the latter didn't join the 10th Division. When Shiba Kaien learned that Kira's volunteer division was the 3rd Division, he immediately knew that it was Shin's doing.

Haiyan continued, "He is very promising and we plan to have him succeed Du in the future. The Third Division has had a captain vacancy for decades, and the members' abilities vary greatly. We need such an outstanding newcomer to add vitality."

Xin laughed upon hearing this and said to Haiyan and Du, "Then you two have to work hard."

He naturally understood the implication: the two were planning to have a child.

Haiyan laughed heartily, while Zhibo looked slightly embarrassed.

Matsumoto Rangiku asked with a curious look, "What are you all working hard for? What are you talking about?"

Zhibo leaned close to her ear and whispered a few words.

Matsumoto Rangiku looked surprised: "Really!"

Then she looked at Shiba Kaien with a doubtful expression: "Are you sure you can handle this?"

Haiyan was furious; this woman actually dared to question his abilities as a man.

It was already afternoon when the group dispersed. Matsumoto Rangiku had drunk quite a bit and was slightly tipsy, walking unsteadily.

"Are you alright?" Xin asked kindly, seeing her unsteady gait.

Matsumoto Rangiku turned around and said pitifully, "I can't take it anymore, Captain. Please give me a few days off."

"..."

Xin coldly refused: "Don't even think about it!"

"A heartless man."

Xin raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Didn't you just say I was just a little kid? Now you're a man?"

Matsumoto Rangiku turned her back and walked backwards. She leaned close to the letter, examined it carefully, and said, "I was wrong to say that first. You are a man now, but you are the kind of man who is very boring and somewhat low-class!"

Xin's face darkened: "I'm your captain!"

Matsumoto Rangiku, however, was not intimidated at all and said bluntly, "So what if I'm the captain? I'm still your senior. You used to be so nice to me, and you had such a sweet tongue. Look at you now, you're just a vampire who only knows how to exploit your subordinates!"

She sighed softly, "It's my bad luck that I haven't met a good man I can rely on and trust. Why are you glaring at me? Do you want to hit me? Go ahead and hit me, go ahead and hit me."

Snapped!
Matsumoto Rangiku abruptly stopped, quickly covering her buttocks with both hands. She stared wide-eyed at the letter, her previously hazy gaze now clear, filled with disbelief.

Xin raised his hand and said, "You're the one who told me to hit you. I've never heard such an unreasonable request in my life."

Matsumoto Rangiku's face changed from pale to ashen, her lips clenched, and after a moment she glared fiercely at Shin.

"Stinking rogue!"

"How disgusting!"

"Damn pervert!"

Xin wasn't angry at all when she heard her scolding her like that. Instead, she looked at her with a smile and said, "I clearly fulfilled your request, so why do you seem unhappy, dear sister?"

"Alas!"

Matsumoto Rangiku looked disgusted again. "I'm going to tell Hinamori what you did!"

Xin shrugged and said, "Go ahead, I don't care. You'd better tell the whole team so they know, then I'll go and explain and argue with everyone, and finally let everyone discuss and determine who made the mistake."

"you……"

Matsumoto Rangiku seemed quite angry, and she said fiercely, "Stay away from me! Don't follow me."

"I'm going back to the team barracks too. If I don't want to go back, that's fine too. You can handle all the work for today."

As he spoke, he turned and headed away.

"……Wait a moment!"

Xin turned around with a smile: "My dear sister really can't bear to part with me."

(End of this chapter)