Chapter 262: Shiba's Request
The news that Satoru had single-handedly defeated a coalition of six, ranging from vice-captains to the seventh seat, spread through the Eleventh Division at lightning speed.
Within days, it had reached half of the Seireitei.
Those unaware of the context might not have found it particularly impressive.
After all, the gap between captains and vice-captains, or vice-captains and third seats, was already vast.
Many in other divisions could achieve similar feats.
But... only those familiar with the Eleventh Division and this generation of Shin'ō Academy graduates understood just how absurd this was.
These weren't six ordinary members—this was one captain-level and five vice-captain-level experts!
With such a stellar lineup, few in the entire Seireitei could claim to have triumphed as effortlessly as Satoru.
When the news reached the First Division, Yamamoto stroked his beard, deep in thought.
Incidentally, the participants in the battle had grown closer than before.
Though they often trained together in the past, they usually kept to their own affairs.
It was through this joint effort to take down Satoru that they discovered the benefits of better communication.
Suddenly, a peculiar culture emerged within the Eleventh Division.
The strong frequently sparred together, exchanging combat insights.
They were also generous in guiding those of average strength.
Particularly patient individuals like Tōsen and Komamura often spent entire days in the training grounds, analyzing techniques for their comrades.
While helping others identify their issues, many of their own problems were also brought to light.
The overall strength of the Eleventh Division had climbed to another level.
Ōmaeda Marechiyo, however, had it rather rough.
As one of the more talented ordinary members, he was frequently singled out by the six seated officers for special attention.
After a period of time, his abilities were forcibly elevated by a significant margin.
The current Marechiyo was now fully qualified to hold a seated officer position.
The reason he hadn't been appointed was because, as an Ōmaeda, his first official position must be granted by the Onmitsukidō.
Satoru felt it was about time to send Marechiyo back.
...
...
"Lord Satoru... May I ask what brings you here?"
In an opulent Japanese-style building, Satoru sat on one side of the table.
On the other side were over a dozen elderly men dressed in luxurious garments.
The elders' clothing bore the Tsunayashiro family crest.
Though facing Satoru alone, they were all extremely tense, as if their group of more than ten people had been surrounded by this single individual.
Satoru picked up his teacup and took a gentle sip.
"Hmm, good tea."
Though he couldn't really distinguish quality, he still offered the perfunctory praise.
Setting down the teacup, he looked at the people before him.
This was the Tsunayashiro Clan residence in Seireitei.
Back when Tsunayashiro Senzaemon was exiled, he took many outstanding clan members with him to Hueco Mundo.
These were the Shinigami now working in Las Noches.
Those who remained in Soul Society consisted partly of less talented main family members with limited potential.
The rest were all branch family members.
Due to Tsunayashiro Senzaemon's "stain," the original main family members had gradually been marginalized.
Several branch families had absorbed the main family's resources and status, becoming the new "main family."
Through considerable effort, the Tsunayashiro had managed to preserve their most basic commercial interests, preventing other noble families from swallowing them entirely.
Just when they thought they could develop peacefully, Satoru had suddenly given them another surprise.
A Tsunayashiro branch family member had somehow offended Satoru and was swiftly suppressed by the latter's methods.
For the nobility, what Tsunayashiro Tokinada had done wasn't important—what mattered was the implied meaning behind this incident.
In their view, Tokinada's fate was an expression of Satoru's lingering anger toward the Tsunayashiro Clan.
Seeing Satoru visit them now, they naturally treated it as facing a formidable enemy.
Every elder in the clan was present without exception.
Under everyone's gaze, Satoru didn't beat around the bush. He directly took out an object and slapped it onto the table.
"Here, take a look at this!"
Seeing the cloth-wrapped box, the elders' expressions changed simultaneously.
Its size and style were all too reminiscent of a container for a severed head.
Could it be... that Satoru had killed another clan member and brought it here to flaunt his power?
For a moment, everyone shrank back, unwilling to approach.
After a few seconds, one elder finally gritted his teeth and stepped forward.
He unwrapped the cloth and opened the box.
Upon seeing its contents, he let out an exclamation.
"The seal!"
"What?"
Hearing it wasn't a head, the other elders quickly gathered around.
There in the box, cushioned by silk cloth, lay a large seal.
Seeing this object, everyone couldn't help but rejoice.
"The family head's seal!"
"But wasn't this taken away by Senzaemon?"
"Excellent... with this, our branch family will have legitimacy!"
For a moment, the elders celebrated joyfully.
But then, as if suddenly remembering something, they calmed down.
Looking at Satoru sitting across from them, they asked nervously:
"Lord Satoru, may we ask... how did you obtain this item?"
Satoru waved his hand dismissively: "Don't worry about how I got it. Just consider it fished out from a well."
"More importantly, I'd like to ask... what are you willing to pay to get this thing back?"
At these words, the elders looked at each other in confusion.
Money was definitely out of the question.
Satoru was close friends with the head of the Shihōin Clan, and naturally shared close ties with the Ōmaeda family as well.
Before the Tsunayashiro Clan's incident, they wouldn't have minded competing with Ōmaeda.
But now... they might as well forget it.
So, what could the Tsunayashiro Clan offer?
Seeing the group of elders pondering back and forth, Satoru cut straight to the point:
"Alright, no need to think about it."
"It's simple. The Tsunayashiro Clan and its affiliated families currently hold nine seats in Central 46."
"Replace four of them with my people."
"If you can do that, the seal is yours."
His words shocked everyone.
"Impossible!"
"How can this be?"
Seats in Central 46 were the greatest proof of a clan's power.
With only nine seats left, if they gave four to Satoru, what would be left for them?
As for the clan head's seal... although important, even if they couldn't retrieve it, it wouldn't really affect anything.
Hearing this, Satoru nodded.
He stood up, picking up the seal.
"In that case, I'll take my leave."
"Originally, when the main Tsunayashiro family in Hueco Mundo offered this to me, asking for my help to return to Soul Society, I found it troublesome and didn't want to assist."
"Since you're unwilling to cooperate, I'll have to go back and talk with them again."
After saying this, he turned to leave.
Clap clap clap clap!!
Before he could even take a step, several hands grabbed his clothes.
Sensing the utterly frantic emotions of the crowd behind him, Satoru turned his head and revealed a smile.
A demon's horn seemed to sprout from his forehead.
...
...
"Is that so? Well done."
Upon learning that Satoru had successfully secured seats in Central 46, Aizen nodded.
He stood in front of the control panel, watching the data flow across it, seemingly indifferent to Satoru's report.
Satoru immediately became displeased.
"Sōsuke, I've obtained four seats in Central 46. I'm practically a big shot in the Seireitei now."
"What exactly have I done to deserve such disrespect? You won't even call me 'Lord'?"
Aizen remained silent for two seconds, steadying his blood pressure.
Then he spoke: "You went bearing the Tsunayashiro seal, threatening them with the Hueco Mundo Headquarters. How could those nobles, who only know how to maintain the status quo, not concede?"
"I knew you would succeed from the moment you set out."
Hearing this, Satoru blinked.
So... the success wasn't due to his own overwhelming kingly aura leaking out?
Feeling somewhat dejected, he moved closer to the control panel and peeked at the screen from the side.
After knowing Aizen for so many years, while he lacked much professional expertise, he could now understand the basic information on the screen.
After watching for a while, he clapped his hands.
"The progress is fast!" "If it continues like this, this phase will be cleared soon... Truly cause for celebration!"
Aizen nodded.
"Yes. Thanks to that... peculiar experience, many key points in the research have been resolved."
"If I had to research it alone, it would likely have taken several times longer to overcome those challenges."
Looking at the crystalline gem slowly rotating on the screen, a trace of fanaticism appeared in Aizen's eyes.
If he succeeded this time... he would rewrite everything in this world!
Once, he thought his research could only break the boundary between Hollows and Shinigami, allowing one to ascend to a new level of power.
He never expected that as the research progressed, he would gradually discover that this gem, formed from the aggregation of souls, possessed abilities he had never conceived of.
Of course, those abilities were still rather distant. The current focus remained on breaking the boundary.
Thinking of this, he looked at Satoru.
"Satoru, it's about time to proceed with the experiment."
"For the Hollows, just find some random Hollows in Las Noches to use as experimental material."
"As for the Shinigami... do you have any ideas?"
Hearing this, Satoru thought for a moment.
Then he said: "Weren't there still plenty of those bullies and thugs left unused from before?"
Aizen shook his head: "No good. I discovered during Phase One experiments that the soul strength of Rukongai commoners is too low; they simply can't withstand the transformation."
"The experimental subjects need to be at least at the level of professional Shinigami."
Satoru stroked his chin.
Professional Shinigami, huh...
There were some among the Tsunayashiro clan members in Hueco Mundo with crooked morals who could be used for experiments.
But the quantity was still a bit lacking.
It was a pity that back then, to evade Yamamoto's pursuit, they had killed all those traitor Captains and the like.
If they had kept them until now, what excellent material they would have been.
After some thought, he nodded: "I understand. Leave it to me. I'll handle it as soon as possible."
Aizen gave a noncommittal "Hn," saying nothing more.
In truth, there was one particular subject he very much wanted to use for the experiment.
That was his captain, Shinji Hirako.
That guy had already accumulated a long list of grievances against him in his heart.
Even if he accidentally died during an experiment, Shinji wouldn't feel the slightest bit of guilt.
However... considering Satoru's personality, he probably wouldn't accept such a thing easily.
Better to plan this carefully.
...
...
Returning to the Eleventh Division, Satoru encountered a visitor.
The person had come bearing an invitation.
On the envelope was the Shiba family crest.
The contents invited Satoru to visit the Shiba residence for a discussion.
Looking at the invitation in his hand, Satoru felt somewhat surprised.
The Shiba family... was probably the noble clan he had the least contact with since coming to the Soul Society.
Even the elusive Saginomiya family he had interacted with several times, managing to acquire quite a few good materials from them.
Only the Shiba family, for various reasons, he hadn't had much contact with yet.
Having nothing particular to do, he threw on a new haori and headed to the Shiba residence.
The Shiba residence was located in the Noble Quarter, but the estate wasn't large, only at the level of an ordinary minor noble family.
Compared to the Tsunayashiro Clan's massive estate that casually encompassed several gardens, the difference was truly immense.
Seeing Satoru's haori, a servant at the gate hurried forward to greet him and led him into the courtyard.
Because the estate wasn't large, they quickly arrived before a room.
At the doorway, a figure was already waiting there.
Like Satoru, he wore a white haori, though not as new as Satoru's.
"Captain Shiba, long time no see."
Satoru cheerfully greeted the Tenth Division captain.
Shiba Shota smiled: "Though we don't meet often, I hear news about Captain Satoru every day."
As he spoke, he invited Satoru inside.
After they were seated, Shiba Shota reminisced about the past.
Back when Satoru took his graduation exam, Shiba had been one of the captains observing the proceedings.
The more Satoru listened, the more familiar this atmosphere felt.
He asked curiously: "Captain Shiba, you're not going to say you want to help me join the Five Noble Clans, are you?"
"Eh?"
Shiba Shota was taken aback, then laughed: "How could that be... I'm only acting as family head, and I'm from a branch family anyway. How would I have that kind of authority?"
Satoru made an understanding sound.
"That's good. With this setup, I thought you were going to entrust me with your orphan."
Hearing this, Shiba Shota fell silent for a moment.
"Captain Satoru, though it's somewhat different, there is indeed something I'd like to ask of you."
"I've heard you have quite a talent for nurturing newcomers."
"All the talented graduates from Shin'ō Academy this year received your guidance during their school days."
"Even the Ōmaeda family child became a capable warrior under your tutelage."
"To be honest with you, the Shiba family doesn't have many promising youths in this generation."
"All things considered, there are only two."
"The main family's Shiba Kaien-sama, and the branch family's Shiba Isshin."
"Though Kaien-sama is a genius, he's still quite young."
"Moreover, that one is too upright, insisting on becoming captain through his own efforts and achievements step by step, unwilling to accept early responsibilities due to his noble status."
"To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, that Isshin boy needs to grow up quickly and be ready to take up the Shiba family banner at any time."
With that, he bowed towards Satoru.
"If possible, I hope you can accept Isshin into the Eleventh Division. Just some basic guidance would be sufficient."
"If you're willing to help, I'll spare no effort to fulfill any request you might have!"