You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

On that day, she will let Iori know that the older sister is the older sister after all, and the foolish younger brother can never catch up with her!

However, she still needs to lie low for now... In a few more years, she will be able to completely master the "library" under Chamber 46. At that time, with all the knowledge and secrets accumulated by the entire Soul Society over the years, she will be able to easily leave Iori behind.

Since she can't compete head-on, she'll use her brain to overtake her by taking a shortcut!

Just as Iori understands her, she also understands Iori well, knowing that although this younger brother has a boundless imagination and superhuman action, he is extremely averse to tedious and repetitive work, simply put, he has no patience.

Even if Iori were to dedicate her energy to the field of "technical development," she would still be no match for her.

Unless Iori has an assistant who can do a lot of heavy calculations for him, but the only one who might be, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, has already been captured.

Therefore... the advantage lies with her!

Thinking of this, Yuuki relaxed. Seeing her grandmother approaching with two girls, one tall and one short, she immediately raised her bowl: "Grandma, Otomu-chan, and Akame-chan, please try some! It's refreshing and delicious!"

A moment later, in the bright afternoon sun, a group of people lined up in the corridor, scooping shaved ice bit by bit with spoons. Every now and then, someone would comment on it, and everyone was chatting and laughing, creating a harmonious scene.

-

A few days later, at the newly convened team leaders' meeting, for the first time ever, all the team leaders and deputy team leaders were required to attend, simply because a rather important appointment was to be announced there.

Before that, Yamamoto, who was standing at the head of the group, looked to his left and right, nodded in satisfaction, and showed a rare relaxed smile.

He saw Kyoraku, Ukitake, Iori, Yuuki... and felt a pang of emotion, realizing that these people were all graduates of the Shinigami Academy, and the first three were his personal disciples.

Kyoraku Shunsui is a steady, respected, and shrewd person, making him the best candidate for the next Captain-Commander.

(Chunshui: After the meeting, do you want to go to the flower market?)

Jushiro Ukitake is gentle, polite, and mature. Although he is physically weak and sickly, he is a responsible person.

(Ukitake: The weather is nice today, I should take the blankets out to air them... Ah, the teacher has more wrinkles on her face, time really does wait for no one~)

Aizen Iori, though young, possesses the demeanor of a great general. His strength, temperament, character, and integrity are all impeccable, making him his most prized and last disciple!

(Iori: Finally, it's time to start researching Hollowfication.)

Aizen Sōyūhime is gentle, reliable, and exceptionally powerful. Many consider her the most likely candidate to awaken her Bankai next.

(Yuki: This is so troublesome. Should I sneak off to the "Corridor" to decipher the information on the five noble families and the Spirit King?)

Take a look!

Yamamoto was filled with pride:

They are the elites I, Yamamoto, have trained for the future of Soul Society!

Chapter 278: We Have No Enemies Ahead (4K)

Everyone knew why the captains' meeting was being held, since the head of the Shihouin family had proposed the recruitment plan in public, and the things Iori had done during this time had already spread throughout the entire Seireitei.

Rukongai is not without its brave and valiant individuals. It's worth noting that when the Gotei 13 was first established, many of its captains were heroes from Rukongai. Although Rukongai is not as powerful as it once was due to long-term deliberate suppression, it's still a place teeming with hidden talents.

After all, in a sense, the Shiba family is now considered a powerful force in Rukongai...

Iori's sweep through Rukongai, especially the lawless zones, was not, as before, aimed at reducing the number of souls to balance the three realms, but rather at selecting the strongest individuals to replenish the Thirteen Divisions' fighting strength.

So this time he didn't disturb the civilians, focusing all his efforts on the gangsters entrenched in various districts and the ronin in the lawless zones. Although these people or forces were scattered, with such a large number, a few powerful individuals were bound to emerge. If someone else were to try to conquer them, it might really turn into a protracted war.

However, Iori's efficiency was second to none in the entire Seireitei. He worked tirelessly, eliminating these unstable elements and sweeping away any obstacles he encountered like a bulldozer. Regardless of their background or status, even if they had powerful figures in Seireitei as their backers, they were all suppressed without exception!

Over the course of several months, although he couldn't say he had completely eradicated the entire Rukongai (after all, the area was too large), he had dismantled twenty or thirty well-known yakuza groups, from the strongest to the weakest!

He defeated more than a dozen renowned ronin and heroes in the area, and countless villains and thugs in the lawless zone were beaten or killed...

In this way, Iori not only completed the task ahead of schedule, but even exceeded the target, and managed to create a team of 150 people out of thin air!

This isn't the kind of forced recruitment—Iori wouldn't drag innocent civilians into it. Those he chooses are all people with a certain level of combat ability and experience, and most of them are not exactly clean...

Of course, this team was only temporarily assigned to an expedition to Hueco Mundo, and in nature it was similar to the Lishan convicts led by Zhang Han. They were cannon fodder anyway, and no one would care what they had done before.

While they certainly couldn't match the well-trained, serious Shinigami in terms of overall quality, their sheer numbers were enough to put up a semblance of strength. The time was ripe, so Yamamoto convened this captains' meeting.

The commander-in-chief's original intention was to allow everyone to freely elect the next general of the expeditionary force, which was the position previously held by Saito. In order to show impartiality, the meeting was expanded to include people at the vice-commander level.

After all, his preferred candidate was Iori, but Iori has made great contributions since his debut and is already the most dazzling new star in Seireitei. Now, not only the Third Division, but also the Expeditionary Force will be under his command... Entrusting such important tasks to a young man who is not even thirty years old (by Shinigami standards) seems to be too much of a reliance.

Yamamoto is a person who values ​​procedural justice and traditional rules, and doesn't want to be accused of nepotism or abusing public power, especially since the 46th Chamber might have reservations. Since proposing the establishment of a "Technology Development Bureau" would likely displease those people with Iori... he plans to convince everyone through a public recommendation.

But he soon realized he was overthinking it:

Everything went smoothly!

No one volunteered to be the "general." From Kyoraku Shunsui to Shihōin Hyakuhū, almost everyone thought Iori was the most suitable candidate. Even without Yamamoto's prompting, after Iori volunteered, the captains unanimously praised him. Even those who weren't very familiar with Iori joined in and said a few words.

As a result, Iori's appointment was unanimously approved, and he obtained the position of "Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force" at the conference. He will continue to serve as the captain of the Third Division, but because he is leaving Seireitei, Rojuro Otori will temporarily act as his representative.

It's almost as if everyone is eager to get rid of Iori...

The reason it went so smoothly was twofold: firstly, this team was originally built by Iori, who had the ability to turn a group of unruly individuals into obedient warriors... This skill is not something everyone possesses.

Most captains aren't exactly managerial talents. They might have the ability to suppress these people, but they might not be able to command them efficiently. They're not stupid; if they can't even manage their own squads, why would they be so foolish as to challenge a high-difficulty expeditionary force?

Secondly, in terms of strength alone, Iori is also an extremely suitable candidate, which needs no further explanation; all the captains know this.

Finally... it was out of good intentions.

Now that the idea of ​​the [Technology Development Bureau] has emerged, it will definitely continue to be promoted no matter how much the nobles oppose it, because the experience of the 10th Division has left a deep and unforgettable impression on the entire Gotei 13!

From Yamamoto himself down to the students at the Shinigami Academy, no one will allow something like this to happen again.

When the entire Gotei 13 reached a consensus, the 46 Chambers would not forcibly protect the interests of the nobles. After all, some things are only a few ounces on the scale, but a thousand pounds on the scale!

If this matter is investigated and punished indefinitely, then some people in the 46th Chamber will also be implicated. Therefore, they also hope that the 10th Division incident can be put to rest as soon as possible, and that the relevant files should be sealed forever, with no one allowed to mention them again!

We can't really investigate, can we? What if they find something wrong?

If they want to downplay the issue, they must show sincerity; no one can stop the Technology Development Bureau!

For this reason, the nobles who suffered losses and were banned from conducting related research in the future will definitely blame the Gotei 13, especially Aizen Iori, who was very active in this incident!

Kiryuu Hikifune, who was actually the one who carried out the act, didn't attract as much hatred as Iori.

Iori is naturally not afraid of the covetousness of petty villains, but the nobles have many disgusting methods. Letting Iori leave Soul Society now can alleviate this undercurrent. When he returns from Hueco Mundo, his hatred will be diluted and he will have battle merits to protect him, so he will not have to worry about anything.

—With Kyoraku as an example, several captains from prestigious families shared this view.

Although they were also nobles, they supported Iori both in their hearts and actions, and naturally agreed to let him go to Hueco Mundo. In their view, even if Iori encountered Vasto Lorde, he could escape unscathed. Hueco Mundo was safer for him than Soul Society, at least there were only open attacks and no hidden dangers.

At this point, the importance of personal connections becomes apparent. Looking around, most of the captains are on good terms with Iori, and even those they are not very familiar with are just nodding acquaintances. No one has a bad relationship with him.

Shunsui and he were longtime best friends, Ukitake was Shunsui's close friend and Yuuki's boss, and both of them were Iori's senior classmates.

Saito has been saved by Iori more than once, and Kiryuki wants to repay his kindness. Yoruichi, the most outstanding successor of the Shihouin Hyakuhou, is Iori's friend, and Ginrei Kuchiki admires this rare and outstanding young man in Seireitei from the bottom of his heart.

Honestly, if Iori were truly a native of Bleach, with that kind of network, he might as well just settle down and wait to take over Yamamoto's position...

-

Iori recruited about 150 people from Rukongai, but the expeditionary force could not really be composed of only these people. After taking on the role of "Commander-in-Chief", about 50 more people came to Iori's command. These were not ordinary people from Rukongai, but proper members of the Seireitei, drawn from the sons or clan soldiers of lower-ranking nobles.

Just before their departure, another important figure arrived—the actual leader of this noble squad.

Rotten wood, ancient and pure!

"Nice to meet you. I am Kuchiki Sojun. From now on, I will serve under you and will do my best."

"It is an honor to have the opportunity to work with the next head of the Kuchiki family... I know you don't want your status to affect our relationship, so what you said just now was just necessary politeness."

From that moment on, in my eyes you were just an officer in the Expeditionary Force, my adjutant, and nothing more.

Well, that's the premise... Nice to meet you.

Iori smiled slightly: "As for my name, you already know it."

“Of course, Captain Aizen.” The handsome young man raised his head, his smile as warm as a spring breeze.

Kuchiki Sojun, son of Kuchiki Ginrei, looks almost exactly like Kuchiki Byakuya... no, it should be said that Byakuya completely inherited his father's genes.

He had medium-length, smooth, jet-black hair, with a noble ornament called "Qianxingqian" pinned to the left side of his hair near his ear. He was handsome, with gentle eyes and a peaceful smile. He was neither as stern as his father nor as cold as his son (in adulthood), making him a perfect young nobleman.

Standing next to Iori, they were equally brilliant, except that Iori was younger and had more delicate features... The combination of these two handsome men attracted the fiery gazes of countless female Shinigami.

He will join the expeditionary force as Iori's first adjutant (the head of the Four Heavenly Kings), while even Esdeath can only nominally hold the second position.

At this moment, a little distance from the assembly point, on the top floor of a towering pavilion, two aged but imposing figures stood before the railing, gazing at the expeditionary force waiting for the large interdimensional gate to open.

One of them fixed his gaze on Kuchiki Sojun, a hint of sadness and apology flashing in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared and turned into a look of determination.

"Is it really necessary to do this?"

Slightly hunched over, Captain-Commander Yamamoto, wearing a haori, asked his old friend a question in a deep voice.

Kuchiki Ginrei remained unfazed, his gaze distant as he calmly stated, "It's just a routine personnel transfer. Regardless of his surname, he is ultimately a Shinigami of Seireitei, and naturally he must dedicate his strength to protecting Soul Society."

“Even so, the patient should not be sent to the battlefield.” Yamamoto squinted, his thick white eyebrows furrowing slightly. “It’s not fair to him.”

"What fairness is there in this world?"

Kuchiki Ginrei didn't take it seriously: "People in the world are divided into different classes, and the Soul Society is not much different. If someone is born in the Tei, they are destined to be superior to others, and their material enjoyment is far beyond that of the residents of Rukongai."

Although we are in a position of advantage, I will not deny this fact or forcefully claim that the world is fair.

No, it is precisely because they are nobles that they must face these differences squarely and deeply understand why they deserve such preferential treatment!

Without the corresponding awareness, one cannot be a qualified nobleman, even if that is my son…

"Even the noble Kuchiki clan?"

"It is precisely because of this awareness that the blood of rotten wood is worthy of the word 'noble'!"

After speaking these words with a stern face, Kuchiki Ginrei couldn't help but sigh softly:

He was actually reluctant and felt guilty.

Cang Chun is his eldest son. As the direct descendant of the Kuchiki family, he naturally possesses outstanding talent and ability. Compared to Yinling, he is more tolerant and kind, winning the favor of both inside and outside the family. Everyone believes that he will become a competent family head or captain.

However, like Jushiro Ukitake, Sojun was born weak. Although he was not as exaggerated as Ukitake, who was always on the verge of death, he was indeed sickly and weak and could not endure long battles.

Therefore, even though Yinling is so old, he has not stepped down and handed over the command to his son, fearing that his son would not be able to shoulder the responsibility and pressure of being the captain. This time, transferring him to the expeditionary force was a choice made out of necessity...

According to the plan, the expeditionary force will eliminate many Hollows in this campaign against Hueco Mundo to adjust the balance of the three realms. At the same time, the expeditionary force itself will undergo a bloody and fiery trial, weeding out the bad and selecting qualified Shinigami, who will become the backbone of the new 10th Division after their return.

The reason for conscripting noble sons and clan soldiers into the expeditionary force was to allow nobles to contribute to the creation of this new 10th Division, to wash away the sins of the explosion with their blood, and to restore their status and image in the Gotei 13!

This is not an easy task, because many people have been nobles for too long and have completely forgotten their responsibilities and obligations, and have also lost their sense of shame and courage, and are simply unwilling to go to a hellish place like Hueco Mundo.

However, once the Shihōin and Kuchiki families took the lead and even put forward the reserve family head, Kuchiki Sōjun, those people had no reason to refuse and could only let their disciples participate in the war.

Kuchiki Ginrei certainly knew how harsh the environment of Hueco Mundo was, and how dangerous the battle with the Menos Grande was... but this was no other way!

No matter how serious the differences are, the Seireitei must be a unified whole; the noble and commoner Shinigami cannot truly be at odds!

As a model of nobility, the Kuchiki family must set an example at this time!

“Cang Chun… Although that child is weak, he is still a man of the Kuchiki family and will inherit the position of family head sooner or later. I originally intended to appoint him as the vice-captain in twenty years.”

Yinling spoke as if chatting or comforting himself: "We've just gotten a step ahead. Captain Aizen's combat strength and leadership are both excellent. Cang Chun should be able to learn a lot from him."

Meanwhile, the interdimensional portal in the distance had already opened—

"Gentlemen, let's set off."

The road may be dark, but please don't be afraid of getting lost, because you have reliable partners by your side, and I will always stand in front of you!

There's nothing to fear in Hueco Mundo, except for one thing I can assure you right now:

We are invincible!

Chapter 279: Let's have a magnificent demise (4K)

【Ding! 】

[CG included]

We are invincible.

Category: Art Style CG

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