"My apologies for the intrusion, esteemed senpais."
Following Sasakibe's words, a young man stepped forward, clad in the white haori of a captain. Lean and sharp-eyed, he bowed politely to the assembled captains.
When his gaze landed on Makoto, a subtle, warm smile crossed his face, and he nodded in greeting, introducing himself.
"My name is Takasugi Konji."
An unfamiliar name.
The moment Makoto heard it, the thought flickered through his mind.
But after a brief pause, it felt vaguely familiar, as if he'd heard it somewhere before.
"...Oh!"
As he pondered, a low exclamation came from behind him.
Turning, he saw Ryoma Kuruyashiki staring at the new 5th Division captain, his face etched with astonishment.
"Ryoma, an acquaintance of yours?" Makoto asked, tilting his head.
"What're you talking about, Captain?"
Unlike Makoto, who could afford to be cavalier, Ryoma kept his voice low among the other captains. "That's Takasugi-kun, from our division back in the day… When I became 7th Seat, he was, what, 9th Seat?"
"And now he's a captain."
"Huh?!"
Makoto raised an eyebrow, then teased with a quiet chuckle, "Overtaken by a former kouhai, eh?"
"If another captain slot opens up, want me to put in a word for you?"
"Don't underestimate my intel network."
"You've already mastered Bankai, haven't you?"
"Hmph."
Ryoma crossed his arms, looking away. "I'm not interested in a captain's post."
"Besides, didn't you say it yourself, Captain?"
"True strength doesn't need titles to prove it."
"Plus, Takasugi-kun's been racking up merits in Hueco Mundo for the last century. His promotion makes sense."
Though his rebellious retort had a teenage edge, Ryoma didn't deny mastering Bankai.
Or rather, with such a leap in strength, the shift in his reiatsu's intensity was impossible to hide.
So far, he'd only tested his Bankai in the Dangai.
In terms of raw destruction, it was impressive enough.
But…
Ryoma's thoughts drifted, recalling the visceral terror of a distant, crushing reiatsu that seemed to grind his very soul to dust, a sensation he'd once experienced firsthand.
Would it even work?
A Bankai of that level?
Lost in thought, his wild, lion-mane hair framed his gaze as it settled on the man before him.
Makoto, half-turned, glanced at Takasugi, his usual roguish grin in place, as if nothing ever fazed him.
Just how strong is this guy…?
Ryoma wondered.
Even now, he couldn't glimpse the limits of Makoto's power.
Until he reached that goal, he'd never allow himself to flee to another division under the guise of a captaincy, like some coward.
His resolve hardened, quelling the faint stirrings of envy at a colleague's rise.
Makoto listened quietly to the new captain's inauguration speech, finding it somewhat novel.
After a moment, he recalled who this man was.
Back when the Shin'o Academy was first established, wasn't it Takasugi who represented the Genji School's commoner faction in a duel against that fool Tokinada Tsunayashiro?
That same class also included Jūshirō, Shunsui, and others.
Just three hundred years, and he's already a captain?
Impressive.
But… wasn't the first captain from that batch supposed to be Shunsui or Jūshirō in the original story?
His thoughts wandered as his gaze shifted to Shunsui, standing as vice-captain behind Kinroku.
Jūshirō, of course, was still his 3rd Seat.
Perhaps due to his deep integration into the Soul Society, or the numbing effect of centuries, Makoto's awareness of his impact on the world's timeline remained shallow.
He hadn't fully grasped the butterfly effect of his actions, defeating Yhwach early and saving countless captains and Shinigami, including Saito, from the Quincy's devastation.
The name Makoto had become a weight capable of tipping the scales of fate.
Before long, the new 5th Division captain's speech concluded, and the meeting adjourned.
The captains dispersed, filing out the doors in scattered groups.
Makoto yawned lazily, sauntering toward the exit.
How's the original plot supposed to unfold like this?
He mulled, a touch troubled.
Like anyone, he was prone to path dependency, hoping the future would align with the original storyline, though that was all but impossible now.
As he pondered, a sudden gust roared behind him, something large and fast closing in.
Makoto glanced back.
Whoosh!
A springy, unmistakable sensation collided with his back, accompanied by a hefty impact.
Swaying hair brushed his cheek, and a girl's face landed on his shoulder.
She clung to him like a koala.
"I'm hugging!"
A vibrant shout rang out from behind.
From that weighty sensation alone, Makoto knew who it was.
But his reaction was worlds apart from how he'd handled Katori.
"Hey!"
The usually carefree Makoto donned a rare, serious expression, his voice low and chiding. "Didn't I tell you?"
"No pouncing on other men!"
Ryoma, catching sight of a rare beauty leaping onto his captain, froze for a moment.
But when those words spilled from his captain's mouth, his rugged, chivalrous face twisted as if he'd seen a ghost.
Good grief.
How could that come out of the captain's mouth?!
But when his eyes landed on the woman's face, it suddenly made sense.
"Kirio-chan!"
Makoto dragged out her name.
"What's the big deal!"
Kirio, now grown into a young woman, pressed her cheek to his, giggling and nuzzling like a kitten, heedless of the detail. "It's not like you're 'other men,' right, Makoto-nii?"
"Or…"
Kirio peeked along his neck, her unadorned yet radiant face sporting a mischievous grin. The motion pressed her already snug form against his back, flattening her curves into an oval silhouette. "...are you finally seeing me as a 'woman,' Makoto-nii?"
Her voice purred in his ear, laced with a hint of provocation.
Is she regressing as she grows?
A three-hundred-year-old rebellious phase?!
Makoto's mind churned with exasperation, but his voice stayed firm. "No way!"
"I knew I shouldn't have let you hang around that Senjumaru!"
"She's completely corrupted you!"
"Heh~"
His words were cut off by a soft, mocking chuckle in his ear.
Clatter! Clatter!
The metallic hum of wheels rolled over stone as a woman glided forward.
Senjumaru stood poised on her wheeled platform, as elegant as ever.
Since becoming captain of the 12th Division, the array of ornaments in her hair had only multiplied.
At Makoto's complaint, Senjumaru's eyes flicked over him with a sharp edge, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Of all people, I'd rather not hear that from you, Makoto-kun!"
"The Casanova of the Three Worlds."
"???"
Makoto stared at her, baffled.
What kind of nickname was that?
Senjumaru stifled a refined laugh, her skeletal hand covering her lips as she feigned ignorance. "Oh? You didn't know, Makoto-kun?"
"That's what everyone's calling you these days."
"Otherwise, why would Kirio-chan be in such a rush to grow into such an… extravagant adult?"
Kirio, still clinging to Makoto's back, froze, then flailed her arms, stammering, "S-S-Senjumaru-sensei!!"
It was as if she wanted to slap a muzzle on her from afar.
Her face flushed crimson.
Makoto turned, squinting suspiciously at the girl on his back.
Kirio's cheeks betrayed an awkward smile. Meeting his gaze, she stuck out her tongue, trying to play it off with a goofy grin.
Then, she got a light tap on the head.
"No wild ideas!"
"Ehh?!"
Kirio whined, dragging out the sound, clinging to him like a child and playfully tugging at his neck.
Senjumaru, growing impatient, spoke coolly. "This month's experiment report…"
Whoosh!
Before she could finish, Kirio's tall, lithe figure flashed behind Senjumaru with shunpo, standing ramrod straight, the picture of obedience.
Makoto's gaze lingered, noting the [12] badge on Kirio's arm.
After all this time raising her, she'd still fallen to workplace power dynamics.
It left a bittersweet taste.
Senjumaru, heedless of his thoughts, gave a low hum, turned her platform, and rolled away.
Kirio followed closely, step for step.
At the corner, she glanced back at Makoto, giving a subtle wink.
Come home for dinner tonight, okay?
Something like that?
Makoto mused, a gentle smile creeping onto his face.
"Hmph!"
A sudden, muffled grunt came from behind.
"Move!"
Makoto's body stiffened.
Saito stormed past him.
As she brushed by, she paused deliberately, leaning in to sniff him lightly.
"HMPH!!!"
An even louder huff exploded in his ear.
Saito marched off, fuming.
That idiot!
He didn't even bother masking her scent!
It was her fragrance all over him!
He must've woken up at her place again.
Damn it.
At least pretend a little!
"Saito! Uh, about that…" Makoto tried to muster an excuse.
"Shut up, I'm not listening!"
Saito cut him off with a snarl, eyes forward, and stormed out the door.
She'd made up her mind long ago.
Until that jerk Makoto cut ties with that woman, she wouldn't let him touch so much as a finger!
Absolutely not!
But even as she thought this, once outside, Saito glanced down at her modest figure.
Her mind unwittingly replayed Kirio's bold, tank-like charge.
After centuries of emotional setbacks, even someone as stubborn as her had started noticing things she'd never cared about before.
"Damn it!"
"She used to be so tiny!"
"How did she?!"
Saito stomped her foot outside.
Meanwhile…
As Makoto stepped out, sighing, Takasugi stood quietly waiting.
Seeing him, Makoto instinctively scanned the area.
He was the only one left lingering.
Some gut instinct told him this guy was trouble.
"Makoto-sama! Kuruyashiki-senpai!"
Before Makoto could slip away with shunpo, Takasugi approached, his face warm with genuine delight. "It's been ages!"
"I wanted to greet you during the meeting, but the timing wasn't right."
Makoto flashed an easy smile. "Captain Takasugi…"
But before he could finish, Takasugi interrupted, looking slightly flustered. "Makoto-sama, please, just call me by my name, like before."
"You taught me at the Shin'o Academy, after all."
"Your lessons helped me survive in Hueco Mundo."
"It's really…"
Makoto blinked, the memory hazy, he'd nearly forgotten those small moments.
But for Takasugi, that experience was clearly a cornerstone of his life, his words brimming with sincerity.
"Alright, Takasugi then?"
Makoto grinned, relaxed.
In front of students, he was always the warm, dependable, mature Soul Society adult.
"Why're you waiting for me?"
"Something up?"
Takasugi exhaled, brightening. "Makoto-sama."
"Do you have time later?"
"I'd like to treat you to a meal."
"And… there's something I'd like to discuss."
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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