Chapter 300
2-in-1 chapter:
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“Secret of the Universe’s Sole Champion!
Mightiest of All Under the Sky!
Righteous and Loyal, Unchanged by Ti!”
Genryūsai Yamamoto was in his study practicing calligraphy when the blaring, tuneless singing reached him outside.
“You fool! It’s first thing in the morning – what’s all this racket?”
He flung open the door and bellowed into the courtyard. There stood Kaelith, letting out a hearty laugh.
“Teacher, just in ti! I’ve beco absolutely unbeatable! There’s no one in this world who can stand in my way—no one, not a single soul!”
“…?”
This raving was so bizarre that, for once, Yamamoto didn’t even get angry. He shot a look at his lieutenant, Sasakibe, who was in the courtyard painting on a little easel.
“Chōjirō, has this brat swallowed sothing strange?”
Sasakibe shook his head lightly.
“No, Captain-Commander. He was like this even before breakfast. Speaking of which, he also ate your breakfast.”
“?”
Yamamoto felt his blood pressure spike as he turned to see Kaelith cavorting around the courtyard. He was belting out a Frank Sinatra classic one mont and switching into a lively Irish jig the next. Yamamoto grabbed his walking stick and headed over.
“Fine, child. You call yourself invincible? Let’s see just how unbeatable you really are.”
Half an hour later, Yamamoto lifted a hand to wipe the sweat from his brow. Not far away, Kaelith’s head was embedded in the ground, and he was currently struggling to yank himself out. Rolling his shoulders a bit to ease the soreness, Yamamoto snorted.
“Aren’t you unstoppable? So why are you on the ground?”
Whump!
Kaelith finally pulled himself free, spraying a ss of dirt everywhere. Shaking his head a couple of tis, like a dog climbing out of a river, he dislodged the dirt clinging to him. Then he smirked.
“Knocking down changes nothing. I’m still invincible.”
Yamamoto inhaled sharply, squeezing Ryūjin Jakka. He was about to launch into phase two when Kaelith suddenly sprang up onto the roof and bounded away with a loud cackle echoing behind him.
Watching his disciple’s retreating figure, Yamamoto couldn’t help feeling an unholy urge to curse at Komamura for no reason whatsoever.
…
Zaraki Kenpachi sprawled beneath a tree’s shade, head angled to watch the Eleventh Division’s training ground. He had a sense that he’d stumbled onto so secret.
A few days back, a large portion of Kaelith’s “inner circle” had suddenly vanished. They staggered back one by one the following day, all of them looking thoroughly wrung out – Gin Ichimaru, Tōsen Kana, Isshin Shiba. Every one of them seed exhausted, drenched in aches and bruises.
Kenpachi’s gut told him that these sneaky jerks had run off to fight so powerful foe behind his back. How infuriating. He was the vice-captain of the Eleventh Division, for crying out loud!
Suddenly, he spotted a familiar figure. Springing up, Kenpachi dashed over.
“Boss!”
Kaelith had just returned to the Division when the hulking shape of Kenpachi blocked his path. Spreading his arms wide, the big man grinned fiercely.
Kaelith frowned as though puzzled, then seed to understand. “Want a hug?” he joked.
Without waiting for a response, Kaelith opened his own arms and gave Kenpachi a boisterous squeeze. Bones cracked audibly, and Kenpachi’s eyes bulged in alarm. He hurriedly pulled himself free.
“Boss! You guys went off to brawl soone?”
“Brawl…?” Kaelith rubbed his chin thoughtfully. After a second, he shook his head. “I wouldn’t call it a ‘brawl.’”
Because that lopsided massacre in Hueco Mundo, if he were honest, hardly counted as a fight at all.
Kenpachi bared his teeth. “Fine, whatever it was—next ti, bring along!”
“Sure,” Kaelith said, readily agreeing.
Ordinarily, Aizen never brought Kenpachi on their secret outings. On one hand, Kenpachi was prone to blurt out things he shouldn’t. On the other, he didn’t always follow orders, and Aizen hated risking so chaotic outburst at a crucial mont.
Their gang might’ve been painfully short on manpower last ti, but he still hadn’t wanted Kenpachi along.
Kaelith, on the other hand, had no such worries.
Hearing Kaelith’s easy promise, Kenpachi bead like a kid handed a new toy. So passing Eleventh Division mbers, upon seeing Kenpachi’s carnivorous grin, shivered and quickened their steps.
…
At the Royal Palace’s main thoroughfare, Ichibē Hyōsube strolled out of his personal “Zero Division Quarters,” lightly rubbing the crown of his bald head. One of the palace’s guards had reported that Seireitei had launched a “Heavenly Pillar Palanquin” bearing no passengers but instead so kind of unknown cargo addressed to him.
Curious, Ichibē went to check personally, not sure if it might be sothing dangerous. After receiving it from the guard, he lifted an eyebrow.
It was a small paper box. The illustration on the front showed so handheld device with a screen, and next to it were letters that read:
*LSP*
portátil
He recognized the word “portátil” – that was a word in Spanish script – but had no idea what “LSP” ant.
Opening the box, he found a letter. Thick fingers deftly slipped the paper free.
“Oh… It’s from that brat Kaelith,” Ichibē chuckled.
The letter was brief:
> I heard you’ve lived a million years without any real diversions.
> So, I’m sending you a product of our company to try out. It might ease your boredom.
> If it works, maybe keep an eye on future releases.
> —from Kaelith, who’ll be challenging you again soon
Challenging him again soon, eh? Ichibē grinned. Fine by him – he was ready anyti. He tucked away the letter, eyes falling on the black rectangular gadget in the box. He hadn’t the faintest clue how to use it, but if that brat was so sure it could cure boredom, why not give it a try?
Whistling a little tune, Ichibē returned to his quarters with the box in tow. Afterward, the rest of the Royal Guard started noticing that the monk wasn’t stopping by to visit them like he usually did.
Kirinji Tenjirō, Nimaiya Ōetsu, and the others felt uneasy. Among the Zero Division, Ichibē was the liveliest – constantly popping in to chat. Now he was a shut-in?
Worried, Ōetsu rushed over to Ichibē’s domain, guided by the guards. From outside the door, he heard Ichibē’s grumpy voice:
“Curse it all!! I’m the Captain of the Zero Division, the first and foremost Shinigami! And you, a re black wolf-bird, dare run amok in my presence?! Today, I’ll wager my Shinigami honor on slaying you!”
Ōetsu blinked. “Huh?”
He glanced at the guard.
The guard bowed. “Sir, ever since receiving a gift from Kaelith of the Seireitei, Lord Ichibē has been acting like this.”
Ōetsu didn’t have ti for more questions. He slid the door open, stepping in, and soon there ca an uproar:
“You need to hold position! Don’t flail around!”
“Tch, you fool. Let handle this!”
“Ridiculous! It’s mine. I won’t let you ddle!”
“Damn it! I want one of those gadgets from Kaelith myself!”
A mont later, Ōetsu ca stomping out, cursing under his breath. Then he broke into a run straight back toward the main thoroughfare…
…
anwhile, Isshin Shiba was placing a small brazier by the veranda of an out-of-the-way building in the Eleventh Division. Pulling several jugs of sake from a cloth bag, he couldn’t help but grin ear to ear.
“Winter is the best ti to warm up so sake right here,” he said, settling down cross-legged and putting the white porcelain bottle in a shallow dish of water so it could heat evenly. He chuckled in satisfaction as he watched it.
“How peaceful,” ca a voice.
Isshin started, jumping up. “Aizen-senpai! What brings you here?”
He was in a hidden corner of the Eleventh Division, an ideal place to loaf around undisturbed. Aizen didn’t answer imdiately. Instead, he said:
“I hear Shiba Kaien is doing quite well in the Thirteenth Division – already promoted to Fifth Seat. Supposedly, they even offered him a lieutenant’s position, but he declined, believing he lacked the seniority. He’s both talented and grounded, it would seem.”
Isshin smiled. “Kaien, huh… yes, he’s quite remarkable.”
Aizen studied Isshin, noting no trace of envy in his expression. “Shiba House is in turmoil lately, short on strong heirs. If no suitable leader erges, tradition might have them invest the branch family with power.
By all rights, that would an you becoming the next head of the branch.
That honor and authority might have fallen to you, but it’s now slowly—surely—accruing to Shiba Kaien. Even though the family’s not what it used to be, it’s still one of the five great noble clans, with special status in the Soul Society.”
He leveled a thoughtful gaze at Isshin. “So tell , have you never considered doing anything about it?”
Isshin scratched his head. Then he flashed a lopsided grin, looking every bit the carefree fool.
“Aizen-senpai, I never even wanted to be a Shinigami, you know. I’m only wearing this uniform because I had no choice, given the instability of our main house. It’s true that ever since I joined the Eleventh, life’s been more interesting, but deep down I still feel the sa way I did before.
Becoming a clan head, leading a noble family—just thinking about it exhausts . Frankly, I’m glad Kaien’s so outstanding. ans I can kick back and enjoy my idle life.”
Aizen found himself at a loss. Indeed, many around Kaelith had decent moral compasses, so living among them was never too distasteful.
But precisely because they were so earnest, they made lousy accomplices for any wrongdoing. He pondered a mont. If Isshin wouldn’t act on his own, perhaps Aizen might make the problem “go away” for him—arrange a scenario where Kaien Shiba lost his life and Isshin was forced to step up.
Killing a vice-captain candidate was child’s play, after all. Then the main house would have no one left but Isshin. He’d be compelled to lead, and with that position, he’d lend more support to Kaelith and Aizen. Then there’d be nothing left in Seireitei that could block their plans—besides the Royal Guard, that was.
It’s tempting, Aizen thought. But if soone finds out I killed Kaien Shiba, they might throw a tantrum. He gave an inward sigh and patted Isshin on the shoulder.
“Fine. Follow your heart. I’ll support you.”
With that, he turned to go. Isshin bowed deeply, and Aizen’s lips quirked in a subtle smile. The best control of people, he reflected, wasn’t exerted through illusions or scheming, but by appealing to genuine emotions—the very lesson he’d picked up from a certain scoundrel. Though that scoundrel probably never realized it himself…
In good spirits, Aizen strolled off to find Kaelith, curious what he was up to. He reached Kaelith’s quarters, only to discover he wasn’t there. Soone ntioned that Kaelith had gone to the Shin’ō Academy. Aizen gazed up at the gloomy sky. Realizing it had been decades since he and Kaelith left the academy, it felt like re days in hindsight, yet so much had changed—so many feats accomplished.
In a million years past and a million yet to co, perhaps none can match us…
He went to Shin’ō, still musing on how Kaelith might behave now that he was a truly top-tier figure in the Soul Society—far removed from those carefree student days. Might he be more subdued in the classroom?
Following the corridor to the calligraphy classroom, Aizen heard Kaelith’s ringing voice echo from within:
“All right, everyone! The Hakuda instructor is suddenly out sick, so next period, I’ll be subbing in!”
Aizen paused, a twitch in his eyebrow.
“…?”
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