Restricted Death

Chapter 224 Captain Aizen, Can I Trust You?

In this world, Karakura Town.

The space rippled like water as a doorway opened. Kyoraku Shunsui adjusted his straw hat and stepped out of the portal first, followed closely by Ukitake Jushiro.
A team of well-trained Shinigami members, clad in Shinigami uniforms, silently filed out, standing in neat rows behind their two captains, hovering high in the air. The city below was still bustling with noise, its vibrant scene laid out before them.

"It's been a long time since I've been to the real world. It's developed really fast." Kyoraku looked at the tall buildings that had been built below and sighed, "No wonder so many team members want to come to the real world to have fun now."

Compared to the previous few centuries, the development of the world in recent decades can be described as rapid and dramatic.

"Even without this incident, I think it's understandable that Captain Tachikawa would have smuggled himself across the gate," Kyoraku Shunsui remarked casually, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Jushiro Ukitake, standing beside him, appeared quite calm. He coughed lightly twice and said calmly, "Rather than saying that the development was rapid, it's more accurate to say that the relatively low concentration of spiritual particles allowed human creativity to be released to the greatest extent."

As the captain of the 13th Division, he had the closest and most frequent contact with the human world regarding division affairs. Although he did not often go there in person, his understanding of its dynamics was far more in-depth and accurate than Kyoraku's.

"It's more important to take care of business first."

Ishida family.

The once peaceful mansion suddenly became tense, with all the members gathering around Ishida Sogen and the atmosphere becoming as oppressive as solidified stone.

Meanwhile, Ishida Sogen walked out of the room with a tense expression, coldly looking at the many Shinigami surrounding his mansion in the sky. When he saw that the leaders were two people wearing white haori, his pupils contracted even more.

"Oh dear, don't be so nervous, we mean no harm."

Kyoraku's tone was light as he slowly landed in the air along with Ukitake.

“Let us introduce ourselves,” Kyoraku said, his flamboyant kimono standing out against his skin as he landed. One hand casually rested on the hilt of his Zanpakuto. “I am Kyoraku Shunsui, captain of the 8th Division of the Gotei 13. And this is…” He gestured to the side. “Captain of the 13th Division, Ukitake Jushiro.”

Kyoraku, Ukitake...

Ishida Muneyuu knew these two names; they were veteran Shinigami captains in Soul Society.

Forcibly suppressing his surging unease and hostility, Ishida Sogen's voice struggled to remain calm: "What brings the two captains here?"

Kyoraku chuckled and said, "Why don't you invite us in and have a seat? We can have a proper talk."

"..."

The suffocating silence lasted only a moment.

Ishida Sogen pressed his lips together, finally stepping aside silently to make way for the entrance. He knew that under the pressure of absolute power and status, any resistance was futile; only submission could offer a sliver of hope. The Shinigami team members tacitly dispersed outside the mansion, forming a seemingly loose but actually tight blockade.

Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro followed Ishida Sogen into the house. In the living room, all the Quincy members focused their attention on the two uninvited guests, and vigilance and unease filled the air.

There are children too...

After a quick glance, Kyoraku's eyes flickered. Sure enough, every race considers reproduction and continuation as their primary goal.

Ishida Muneaki quickly whispered a few instructions to his family. The adult Quincy and children, who had been looking at him with wary eyes, silently left the living room with complicated expressions, leaving only him and the two captains.

"Please take a seat."

Kyoraku and Ukitake didn't stand on ceremony and sat down on the sofa. Kyoraku said, "We came here to talk to you about Captain Tachikawa. You should know him, right?"

Ishida Sogen sat down opposite them and said, "I don't know him."

"Is that so?" Kyoraku raised an eyebrow. "As far as I know, you two should have met before."

Ishida Munen calmly replied, "I have seen the Grim Reaper, but I don't know which one you are referring to."

"Then which Grim Reapers have you encountered?"

"Among the many people who claim to be from the Twelfth Division, there is one named Takami Shin."

Takami Shin...

Kyoraku and Ukitake exchanged a glance, surprised that Shin was still using an alias in the real world.

#
Meanwhile, in the Soul Society, inside the 8th Division barracks.

Time passed silently, and Shin, immersed in the sound of turning pages, had already spent more than half a day in the Eighth Division's archives.

For the past half day, he seemed to have taken root here, not taking a single step out. Occasionally, members of the Eighth Division would push open the door to look up information, and when they saw his figure buried in stacks of yellowed ancient scrolls, they could not hide their surprise.

Unlike the solemn and strictly managed First Division's archives, the Eighth Division's archives are laid out more like a large library, spacious and bright, with huge bookshelves arranged in a beautiful and orderly manner, and a long table and comfortable chairs set up in the middle area for people to study.

Earlier, Vice Captain Ise Nanao had meticulously compiled all the documents related to the keyword "Queens" according to his needs and placed them on the table beside him. After completing this, she left quietly without disturbing him any further.

The unique smell of ink and old paper lingered in the air, and the rustling sound of turning pages became the main rhythm. This atmosphere, a blend of busyness and tranquility, was clearly the norm for an open-style document review space like the Eighth Division's archives.

The team members come and go much more frequently than the First Division, which is probably why this archive room was built this way.

Just as Xin was engrossed in the pile of documents and lost track of time, a sound suddenly came from the doorway.

"Captain Aizen, I won't bother you any longer."

The letter's fingers moved slightly as he turned the pages, but his expression remained unchanged.

With a soft creak, the door was pushed open.

A male figure wearing the iconic white haori of the Fifth Division entered the room. His gentle and peaceful gaze first swept over the space filled with bookshelves and documents, and then landed on Shin.

"Nobu-kun."

Aizen Sousuke's face immediately lit up with his signature gentle smile as he took the initiative to walk towards Shin and greeted him warmly.

Shin looked up as if startled by the sound, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "What a coincidence, Captain Aizen."

Aizen laughed and said, "It's quite a coincidence. I didn't expect to find Shin-kun in the 8th Division barracks. I thought I was the only captain who would come to a place like this."

Shin raised his eyes slightly, asking with a hint of curiosity, "Oh? Does Captain Aizen come here often?"

“I wouldn’t say I visit often,” Aizen said modestly. “It’s just that in my spare time I often like to read some ancient books, and the only places to store such books are the First Division and the Eighth Division.”

"Captain Aizen has a wide range of interests."

"I've just always been more interested in the unknown," Aizen said, his gaze sweeping over the stack of books on the table.

"Queens?" He let out a soft exclamation, then asked the same question as Ise Nanao had asked before: "Why is Captain Tachikawa suddenly interested in Quincy?"

His face showed genuine surprise, both at the books on the table and at the purpose of the letter itself.

Upon hearing this question, Shin's smile gradually faded. He didn't answer directly, but instead raised his clear eyes to look directly at Aizen and asked a question that seemed to be somewhat off-topic: "I remember, Captain Aizen, you've been captain for less than a hundred years, haven't you?"

Aizen pushed up his glasses and smiled, "Yes, but now that I think about it, it's been a long time."

"I wonder how much Captain Aizen knows about the war with the Quincy more than two hundred years ago."

The war with the Quincy...

Aizen paused for a moment, then spoke calmly: "I did not experience that period, but according to records, the Shinigami achieved a complete victory more than two hundred years ago, almost wiping out the Quincy."

He paused, then asked, "Is there anything wrong with this?"

The letter did not reply immediately, but seemed hesitant to speak.

A brief, thought-provoking silence fell over the archives room.

Xin said slowly, "There might not be anything wrong with it, and I can't be sure about anything."

These words sounded quite meaningful, and seemed to have completely piqued Aizen's interest. He then sat down on the side opposite the letter, no longer caring that he had come to the archives to look up books.

A barely perceptible glint flashed beneath the lenses of Aizen's glasses as he asked with a faint smile, "Does this have anything to do with Shin-kun's desire to enter the Great Spirit Book Corridor?"

Xin smiled bitterly: "I was too naive. The Great Spirit Book Corridor is not so easy to enter. I was a bit impulsive at the time."

Aizen said, "I was also taken aback when Shin-kun told me he wanted to enter the Great Spirit Book Corridor during the captain's meeting."

He placed one hand on the table, his fingertips tapping the table unconsciously.

"So, Mr. Xin, have you discovered something that makes you so eager to verify it?"

"..."

Xin sighed softly, his gaze drifting back to the window. The bright light brought life to the courtyard, and the shadow of the big tree swayed gently in the breeze, the sunlight filtering through the branches and leaves in a dappled and hazy way.

The struggle beneath the silence seemed to have reached its peak. Shin's gaze lingered several times between the swaying shadows of the trees outside the window and Aizen's gentle, calm face, as if he were engaged in a fierce internal battle.

Finally, a question, light and airy, brimming with probing and incredibly complex emotions, like a willow catkin blown by the wind, carrying an indescribable weight, was gently and clearly posed:

"Captain Aizen, can I trust you?"

"..."

A gentle breeze stirs the leaves.

Aizen sat there staring blankly at the letter, a look of astonishment on his face.

Xin replied with a smile, "I'm sorry, Captain Aizen, I said something strange."

Aizen adjusted his glasses and chuckled, "It's quite surprising. Is it perhaps something that's inconvenient to discuss with outsiders, Shin-kun?"

Xin closed the book in his hands and pondered, "I suppose so. A few days ago at the captain's meeting, I mentioned wanting to enter the Great Spirit Book Corridor. Afterwards, the Captain-Commander summoned me privately to ask me for my reasons. It was only then that I realized that the reason I had prepared was too absurd and childish. Therefore, I can't tell the Captain-Commander anything. I can only say that I want to look up some information..."

Aizen nodded and slowly said, "In that case, it's normal to be rejected. Besides, even if Shin-kun's reasons are convincing enough, they won't let you in to a place like the Great Spirit Book Corridor. It's more likely that they'll have the Kyoku Band leader do it for you."

Nobunaga sighed: "Yes, it's my fault for not thinking this relationship through back then."

Aizen chuckled: "I'm more curious about what you're currently trying to verify, Shin-kun. Haven't you told anyone else about it yet?"

“No.” Shin slowly shook his head. “I don’t know who to tell or how to tell him. Haiyan is indecisive, so telling him wouldn’t make much sense. The only other captains I’m relatively close to are Captain Kyōraku and Captain Ukitake. If they knew, they would definitely tell the Captain-Commander. But actually, I know the reason why this matter is inconvenient to tell outsiders. Moreover, this matter itself cannot be verified, and I’m afraid it would only cause me a lot of trouble.”

Aizen listened quietly without saying anything more.

Xin stopped talking and simply looked out the window again.

In the silence, Aizen had no choice but to speak again: "If you think it's okay for you to tell me, I might be able to give you some advice."

"..."

Shin reached into the books on the table, rummaged through them, took out one, flipped to the specified page, and placed it in front of Aizen.

Aizen carefully examined the contents and discovered that it described the war that took place a thousand years ago.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto founded the Gotei 13 and fought a fierce battle against the Quincy. In the end, the Shinigami (Soul Reapers) emerged victorious, and Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni defeated the Quincy King.

Aizen had already seen and knew this text. He read it carefully several times but found nothing strange about it.

The letter then extended its finger and pointed to a line of text.

Aizen reread the words and finally understood the meaning of the letter.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni defeated the Quincy King, but did not kill him.

Aizen paused, then said, "Shin-kun, you mean..."

"Does Captain Aizen know about the Holy Emperor's Hymn?"

The sealed Quincy King, after 900 years of regaining his heartbeat, 90 years of regaining his consciousness, and 9 years of regaining his power, reclaimed the world in just 9 days...

Aizen subconsciously pushed up his glasses and chuckled, "Did you find all these things in these documents, Shin-kun? Aren't you being a little too...sensitive?"

Shin shook his head: "I've met the Quincy and had contact with them. Doesn't Captain Aizen find it strange? There have been two wars between Shinigami and Quincy, but the one more than two hundred years ago was much easier and smoother than the one more than a thousand years ago. Is it just because the Quincy King wasn't there more than two hundred years ago?"

"..."

Shin stared directly at Aizen and slowly said, "The Quincy are not only not on the verge of being completely wiped out, on the contrary, their elite core strength has been preserved and they did not participate in the war more than two hundred years ago. According to the prophecy of the Holy Land Hymn, the Quincy are waiting for an opportunity, and... it is not far away!"

(End of this chapter)