Compared to the ordinary squad members, the Captains of the various divisions showed no signs of surprise.
After all, they had long anticipated the convening of this Captains' Meeting.
The commotion from the 11th Division earlier that morning, though too distant for the Captains to sense the exact details, still allowed them to perceive the sudden surge and subsequent disappearance of Kiganjo's Reiatsu.
Given the circumstances surrounding the 11th Division, it was almost certain that someone had challenged Kiganjo for the Captain's position and succeeded in defeating him.
In all likelihood, this Captains' Meeting was being held to introduce the new Captain of the 11th Division!
…
"Aizen, prepare yourself. You'll accompany me to the Captains' Meeting later."
In the 5th Division' barracks, Hirako Shinji addressed his Lieutenant, Aizen.
"Understood, Captain."
Aizen adjusted his glasses slightly.
Over the years, Aizen had used his Zanpakuto's abilities to thoroughly investigate every corner of the Seireitei.
While he couldn't claim to know every single Shinigami in the Gotei 13 by name, he had at least gathered information on every seated officer capable of releasing their Zanpakuto.
This was part of Aizen's precautions… to ensure no one's Zanpakuto's ability could counter his Kyoka Suigetsu.
However, Aizen was certain that the spiritual pressure he sensed clashing with Kiganjo that morning was entirely unfamiliar to him.
'Is this a newly emerged wandering powerhouse, or does the Seireitei harbor another organization, or individual, that I've yet to uncover?'
'This is a good opportunity to probe further. I'll find a reason to spar with them and deploy Kyoka Suigetsu...'
At this stage, after obtaining the fragment of the Soul King's Nails from Rangiku, Aizen's progress in creating the Hogyoku was nearing completion.
The closer he got to his goal, the less he wanted any variables beyond his control to emerge.
Yet, this new Captain of the 11th Division was clearly one such anomaly.
…
Shinji glanced at Aizen but said nothing more.
From the moment he first laid eyes on Aizen, Shinji had felt an instinctive revulsion toward him… a nagging suspicion that Aizen was hiding something.
However, as the Captain of the 5th Division, Shinji wasn't the type to let personal biases dictate his actions.
Instead, he had deliberately appointed Aizen as his Lieutenant. On one hand, he wanted to observe whether this man he distrusted so deeply truly harbored some hidden secret.
On the other hand, Shinji believed that keeping Aizen under his direct supervision would allow him to suppress any schemes the man might be plotting.
Yet, in the years since Aizen became the 5th Division's Lieutenant, he had performed his duties flawlessly… handling matters with such efficiency that even Shinji himself couldn't have done better.
In fact, if a popularity poll were conducted within the 5th Division, Aizen would undoubtedly rank first by a landslide.
This only made Shinji even more annoyed.
He began questioning whether he was the problem… why did he still distrust Aizen despite the man's impeccable record?
At the same time, his innate aversion to Aizen didn't lessen in the slightest. If anything, it intensified, as though he could sense something fundamentally false about the man standing beside him.
But whenever Shinji focused his senses, everything seemed normal… as if his instincts were playing tricks on him.
Aizen was just Aizen!
For this very reason, Shinji's attitude toward Aizen grew increasingly hostile.
He hoped that by treating Aizen with such open disdain, he might provoke Aizen into revealing some flaw.
But unfortunately, to this day, he had found no concrete evidence of Aizen's wrongdoing.
But for Shinji, the absence of evidence could itself be a kind of evidence!
…
"Captain Hirako is growing more and more perceptive, Aizen-sama."
Beside Aizen, Gin Ichimaru narrowed his eyes and glanced up at him, "Should we kill him?"
"If things continue like this, there's a chance he might actually figure something out."
"Rest easy, Gin."
Aizen smiled faintly: "Captain Hirako's abilities are far from sufficient to perceive the 'truth' behind Kyoka Suigetsu..."
Indeed, because both of them use illusion-type Zanpakuto, Shinji can slightly sense the difference between the real Aizen and the 'person following him is named Aizen'.
But unless Aizen deliberately exposed his ability, no amount of suspicion would allow Shinji to grasp the full picture.
"What requires our attention now is the newly appointed captain of the 11th Division."
"Gin, I will be accompanying Captain Hirako to the 1st Division for the Captains' meeting. I leave it to you to investigate this new Captain."
"Understood, Aizen-sama."
"Then, I'll take my leave."
Gin's departure elicited no reaction from Shinji or the other Shinigami nearby… as if, to them, Gin had never been there at all.
This was the power of Aizen's Zanpakuto, Kyoka Suigetsu… Complete Hypnosis!
Anyone who had witnessed Aizen's Zanpakuto's release just once would forever have their five senses bound by Aizen's control.
What they saw, heard, smelled, tasted, and touched… all of it was an illusion woven by Aizen himself.
…
Once outside the 5th Division barracks, Gin glanced back at the compound, his understanding of Aizen's terrifying nature deepening further.
'Perhaps… my chance to turn the tables lies with this new captain of the 11th?'
For some reason, the thought surfaced unbidden in his mind.
But then, Gin dismissed it with a shake of his head.
Ever since his days in the Rukongai, fighting merely to survive, Gin had known better than to place his hopes in others.
And after Rangiku had suffered at Aizen's hands, he had learned an even harsher truth-
To certain beings, killing you was no different from crushing an ant. What concern was it of theirs.
So no matter how much it pained him, he had left Rangiku behind, walking a solitary path in pursuit of the power to exact vengeance.
Aizen's life belonged to him… and no one else would take it!