Bleach: Starting with Marrying Retsu Unohana

And so, the ill-fated relationship between Hirako and Aizen truly began...

After Aizen was transferred from the 'First Division' and joined the 'Fifth Division'.

The leaders of the other squads were also exchanging ideas.

The captain's room of the 13th Division—it was built right in the middle of a lake, a truly picturesque scene! Of course, this captain's room was sponsored by the Shihōin family...

The captain's room of the '13th Division' may not be the most luxurious, but it is certainly the one with the most beautiful scenery.

At this moment, several leaders dressed in haori (traditional Japanese jackets) gathered in the pavilion, warmed some fine wine, and set out a table of delicious dishes, intending to take advantage of their leisure time to have a good get-together and chat.

"I heard that our junior brother Aizen Sosuke didn't stay in the 'First Division' barracks to keep our Araki-sensei company! He also didn't come to our division. Instead, he went to the 'Fifth Division,' which is considered the weakest of the 'Thirteen Divisions.' I wonder what he was thinking? The treatment in the 'Fifth Division' isn't very good."

Compared to the others, Yoruichi, who was slightly thinner, sat cross-legged on a chair in the pavilion and addressed the crowd without any aristocratic demeanor.

"Well~ if it were me, I'd probably report to the 'Fifth Division' too~"

"After all, even if I stay in the 'First Squad' and stay by Araki-sensei's side, although I don't have to work hard, I can only push myself to the limit and reach the position of vice-captain, which is the limit."

"Even though the vice-captain of the 'First Division' isn't fundamentally much different in status from the captains of the other divisions, the difference in power is significant. After all, one is a vice-captain, and the other is the captain! And as far as I know, our junior brother is someone who's not content with the status quo."

"As for the 'Second Division,' 'Eighth Division,' 'Ninth Division,' 'Eleventh Division,' and 'Thirteenth Division,' they are all our fellow disciples, taught by the same master. If Aizen doesn't intend to reveal any of his hidden trump cards, we simply can't break through their defenses! We wouldn't even have a chance to become captains if we went!"

"And Captain Soi Fon of the 'Third Division' is one of your people, Yoruichi-senpai. It's really not a good idea for our junior brother to make a move. After all, if things go wrong, he could offend Yoruichi-senpai and the Shihouin family. It would be a losing proposition! As for the captain of the 'Fourth Division,' that's our master's wife. Unless our junior brother is under too much mental pressure and has completely gone mad and is planning to be killed, he won't go!"

"As for the '12th Division,' they mainly focus on research! Plus, Captain Hikifune is a genius; they'll probably catch up to us in a few years! Heh, how terrifying~ The '6th Division' and the '10th Division' are controlled by the Kuchiki and Shiba families, and Uncle Sugiki of the '7th Division' is one of our master's old subordinates. So, apart from the '5th Division,' there's practically no division left for us junior brothers~"

While sipping his warmed sake, Kyoraku chuckled and explained the current situation of the Gotei 13 in detail. He also revealed why Aizen insisted on joining the 5th Division: only there could he freely display his talents without provoking his master, Araki.

"This is a time of peace. In this era, it's incredibly difficult for a captain to die, even through underhanded means! I'm afraid the situation within the 'Gotei 13' will remain extremely stable for the next few centuries, and there won't be much change for us comrades. Our junior brother's chances are running out."

After taking a sip of his drink, Shi Tan smiled faintly and spoke.

Shi Tan could see Aizen's ambition. Unlike him, Aizen had given up his ambition after witnessing Araki's strength. Yes, it wasn't that Shi Tan had reformed, but rather that he had temporarily put it aside! As long as Araki was still in the Soul Society, Shi Tan would remain a peaceful captain in the Gotei 13!

However, Aizen was different. After witnessing Araki's strength, Aizen did not become withdrawn and desperate like Tokina. Instead, he seemed to have discovered a new continent, as if he had opened the door to a new world, and found his way forward.

In this respect, Tokida admitted that he was inferior to Aizen.

"Isn't peace good? Peace is wonderful! Peace means no war, and no war means no one dies. People nowadays are much happier than we were back then. It's a blessing for the whole world that Master Araki has succeeded Grandmaster as Captain-Commander!"

Instead of continuing the conversation about the 'Thirteenth Team', Ukitake pretended not to understand anything and started talking about peace, praising Araki incessantly.

"Ha ha……"

Shi Tan and the others simply smiled at this.

Shi Tan knew, of course, that Fu Zhu was pretending not to understand, not that he truly didn't!

Fuzhu was the one who hid the deepest among these fellow disciples; he was a master at feigning ignorance!

"Speaking of which, the Hueco Mundo expeditionary force should be returning soon, right?!"

Kyoraku first gently swirled the wine glass in his hand, then suddenly seemed to remember something and asked the person next to him.

"Yes, I heard Araki-sensei mention it when I passed by the 'First Division' barracks last time!"

Yoruichi nodded slightly after hearing Kyoraku's words.

"I wonder if that guy Kuruyashiki's conquest of Hueco Mundo went smoothly?!"

"To be honest, I quite like that guy! If he weren't so old, he might have become one of our fellow disciples, who knows~"

When Kyoraku mentioned the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force, he immediately thought of the current commander-in-chief of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force, Kuruyashiki.

"That guy is very strong. Even if we face him head-on, we might not have a chance of winning!"

"With his strength, defeating Hueco Mundo shouldn't be too much of a problem..."

Shida narrowed his eyes slightly as he recalled the strength of Kuruyashiki.

Since he became Araki's apprentice, there haven't been many people who can put pressure on him, and Kuruyashiki is one of them!

"I hope for world peace."

After hearing what everyone said, Ukitake raised his wine cup and sighed loudly.

Even now, Ukitake is still playing dumb; otherwise, how could he be considered a true master?

"Hahaha……"

After Kyoraku and the others heard what Ukitake said, they immediately burst into laughter. The whole scene was exceptionally joyful, and the atmosphere was simply wonderful at that moment.

And while Kyoraku and the others were having a joyful gathering...

After a hundred years of conquest, the expeditionary force led by Kuroyashiki of Hueco Mundo is finally ready to return to Soul Society.

Over the course of a hundred years, the soldiers of this expeditionary force have not only grown older and more mature, but each of them has also acquired numerous scars on their faces and bodies. These scars are marks of victory and honor, inflicted by the Hollows in their battles against the Great Hollows.

As for the leader, Kuruyashiki, his physique had become even more robust than it had been a hundred years ago. With his disheveled hair, he resembled a majestic lion, head held high and exuding boundless majesty! His unrestrained killing intent and heroic spirit inexplicably reassured the surrounding soldiers and instilled fear in his enemies even before a fight broke out.

"A hundred years have passed; it seems it's time to go back!"

Kuruyashiki muttered to himself. Since he arrived in Hueco Mundo, a hundred years had passed without him realizing it. In those hundred years, he had encountered far too many powerful figures in Hueco Mundo…

Yes, in the century that followed in Hueco Mundo, Kuruyashiki had put aside his contempt for the Hollows. This was because, after he had easily wiped out the Killian on the outskirts of the Hollow Forest and explored its interior, he encountered a colossal Hollow, taller than a mountain, completely ignoring his Shikai and virtually unharmable except by his Bankai!

They also encountered terrifying beings that were impossible to approach at will, beings that could age any ability, beings that symbolized death, and beings revered as kings by countless Hollows! Besides that colossal Hollow and the so-called Hollow King, there were also humanoid Hollows in Hueco Mundo that, in appearance, were almost indistinguishable from humans, and that could unleash unlimited Cero, forcing him into a retreat! At the same time, Kuruyashiki also interacted with these humanoid Hollows and discovered that they possessed emotions and intelligence similar to humans, and had their own social structure.

At the same time, Kuruyashiki also learned the name of these humanoid Hollows: 'Wastow'!

After conducting a comprehensive investigation of Hueco Mundo, Kuruyashiki recorded everything he saw and heard in the form of notes. He also drew a conclusion based on his understanding of the Great Menos...

Ordinary Shinigami soldiers are completely incapable of defeating a lower-ranking 'Menmoon' Killian. To eliminate Killian, one would need at least the combat power of a 'Vice-Captain' or even a combined force of several high-ranking officers.

As for the 'intermediate' Menos Grande Adjuchas, his power far surpasses that of ordinary Shinigami soldiers. Even Shinigami at the vice-captain level might not be able to defeat a Menos Grande at Adjuchas's level!

Some of the most elite Adjuchas possess spiritual pressure comparable to that of the captains of the Gotei 13. If the captains of the Gotei 13 are careless, or encounter multiple Adjuchas, they face a high risk of death!

As for the 'higher-ranking' Vastrock, its overall abilities surpass even those of a typical captain of the Gotei 13. If any member of the Gotei 13 encounters a Vastrock-level Hollow, whether captain or ordinary member, it is advisable to flee immediately.

Because the Seireitei had very little knowledge about Hueco Mundo and the Hollows, after Kuruyashiki returned to Soul Society, the Shinigami Academy compiled his understanding of the Hollows into teaching materials for the students of the Academy to study.

Years later, a Captain Hitsugaya, who wished to remain anonymous, after reviewing a vast amount of information, came to an astonishing conclusion: "More than ten Vastodes are enough to destroy the entire Seireitei!"

What poor Shiro didn't know was that, apart from him, the genius captain who hadn't yet reached his full potential, none of the other captains of the 'Gotei 13' at that time were the so-called ordinary captain-level Shinigami recorded in the Kuruyashiki Notes.

Meanwhile, the notes of Kuruyashiki affected more than just Toshiro. After all, it was the only way for the Shinigami to understand Hueco Mundo. Even the perfect, god-like Aizen fell into deep thought after reading the notes and came to the conclusion: "Perhaps I can create an army of Hollows, and then use them for my own purposes?!"

Chapter 144 Aizen: Araki-sensei, you tricked me! (To know...)

"boom!"

Accompanied by the constantly vibrating spiritual energy, the portal (black chamber) slowly opened in front of Captain-Commander Araki and the other captains of the 'Gotei 13'. For a moment, all the captains present narrowed their eyes.

Today is the day the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force returns. As the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Araki naturally gathered all the captains of the Gotei 13 and waited silently in front of the Transcendental Gate. The heroes of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force are returning to the Soul Society, just as Captain-Commander Genryusai did for Araki hundreds of years ago.

Some of the Shinigami soldiers, who had been tempered by countless years and served in the Gotei 13 for hundreds of years, had their eyes well up with tears as they watched the scene before them, the scene from years ago flashing before their eyes once again...

As time went by, the Captain-Commander standing in front of all the captains changed from Genryusai to Araki. The captains of the 'Gotei 13' behind Genryusai also changed. Although they hadn't read many books and knew few characters, they clearly knew in their hearts that this was probably what was called inheritance!

"That interdimensional portal gave me a feeling that something was off; something just didn't feel right."

As the newly appointed captain of the 12th Division and concurrently the director of the Technology Development Bureau, Kiryu Hikifune immediately noticed something amiss with the portal Araki had prepared. It was not a normal portal used by Shinigami.

"This is the first time I've ever seen a portal that can allow even a 'Captain' level of insensitivity to pass through and smoothly reach Hueco Mundo! And maintain stability for such a long time! It seems I'll need to set aside some time to properly study portals in the future."

As Kiryu spoke, she narrowed her eyes slightly. Although she was the director of the 'Technology Development Bureau,' her main focus was on the 'soul' field. The project currently underway at the 'Development Bureau' was to turn her discovered 'temporary soul' theory into a real-world experiment. Therefore, she didn't know much about 'interdimensional portals.' However, the ultra-long-distance interdimensional portal that Araki used in front of everyone today deeply attracted Kiryu's attention.

"Forehead……"

As for Ukitake, Kyoraku, and the others standing beside Hikifune, they clicked their tongues slightly after hearing Hikifune Kiryu's words. Their own disciple knew about their master's affairs, and based on their understanding of their teacher, this so-called Transcendent Gate was probably just a shady operation disguised as a Transcendent Gate...

Given their teacher's personality, whether it's the power of the 'Hollow' or the legendary power of the 'Queens,' as long as it can help him, their master will use it without any scruples.

As for the rule in the instructions issued by the 'Central 46 Chambers' to the 'Gotei 13' that explicitly forbids the use of 'Hollow Lords' powers, in Araki's eyes as the Captain-Commander of the 'Gotei 13', it's probably less than 'nonsense'.

This is the current captain of their 'Gotei 13', a man who is unconventional, completely unaffected by rules, and gives people a feeling of freedom and unbridledness! At the same time, he is also the greatest enemy in the hearts of the 'Central 46 Chambers'! Yes, in the eyes of the '46 Chambers', the greatest danger to the 'Soul World' in the 'Three Realms' is not in 'Hueco Mundo' or 'Human World', but in their damned 'Seireitei'.

Even after a hundred years, and with many of the sages of the 'Forty-Six Chambers' having grown old and unable to assume their positions, they would still remain in their families, guarding their decaying coffins, and shouting in their hoarse voices: "Araki, pay up!!"

cough cough...

"boom!!"

With the arrival of Captain-Commander Araki, all the captains of the Gotei 13 arrived.

The open portal finally changed. A ripple appeared on the portal, and then, led by Kuroyashiki, the members of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force walked out of the portal with their heads held high.

Although these soldiers are not in good condition, with many missing limbs, their spirits remain high! In Kuruyashiki's words: "My men, raise your heads! Remember this: no matter how you perform in Hueco Mundo, once you return to Soul Society, you will all be heroes!"

"Hehe, you're back~"

Kyoraku looked at the disheveled, unrestrained, and heroic-looking Kuruyashiki standing at the forefront of the expeditionary force and immediately smiled.

"I'll come back and have a drink with you~"

Kuruyashiki also spotted Kyoraku in the crowd. He first responded to Kyoraku with lip movements Kyoraku could understand, then immediately went to Araki's side, knelt on one knee, and loudly proclaimed, "Lord Araki, I have fulfilled my mission and explored the entire 'Hueco Mundo' in a hundred years! This is a map of Hueco Mundo's terrain that I drew during these hundred years. Of course, in addition to the map, there is also a written record of what our 'Expeditionary Force' saw and heard in Hueco Mundo during these hundred years!"

As he spoke, Kuruyashiki handed Araki his notebook and a map of Hueco Mundo that he had drawn himself.

"Oh? This map is incredibly clear, and the notes are also very well organized."

"I must say, Kuruyashiki, you have truly accomplished a great feat! From this day forward, the Shinigami of Seireitei will no longer be ignorant of Hueco Mundo!"

Araki stared into thought as he looked at the map and notebook in his hand.

To be honest, Araki never expected that the person who would ultimately betray him would be this simpleton in front of him!

Araki, genuinely wanting to ask, grabbed Kuruyashiki and said, "Wait, how come someone as rough as you has the habit of writing a diary?! Can someone who writes a diary be a decent person? Who writes daily records? Can the thoughts written in a diary really be considered true thoughts? Some things are clear to you and me, isn't that enough? With you making such a fuss, my 'Hueco Mundo' has been exposed to everyone else!"

Yes, in Araki's heart, he had already changed 'Hueco Mundo' to his own 'Hueco Mundo'.

"Send this 'notebook' to the 'Spiritual Arts Academy,' Teacher Yuan Liuzhai will need it!"

Araki handed the notebook in his hand to one of the 'First Division' members beside him.

Meanwhile, Araki planned to make good use of Kuruyashiki's diary and make sure to inform the entire Seireitei of the Hollows' immense power! In particular, he wanted Aizen to know.

Araki eagerly awaits the day when Aizen will use his and Urahara's techniques to strengthen Araki's 'Menmos'!

Years later, when Aizen learned the whole truth, he realized that even when he was young, the reason he was curious about Hueco Mundo and researched so much information about it was because of it!

All of this was part of Araki's plan. Even the information he obtained about Hueco Mundo was meticulously prepared by Araki for him, specifically for when he went to Hueco Mundo to strengthen the Hollows...

Aizen glared angrily at Araki and shouted, "Araki-sensei, you tricked me! You should know that back then, I was just a child who had just turned one hundred years old! My mind was not mature yet."