Aizen shook his head, his smile remaining as gentle as ever.
"There is no need to be deliberate; keeping things as they are is fine."
"From a Soul Society perspective, Suō Tsukasa is indeed interesting, but he is not our target."
"Excessive focus might instead lead us to deviate from our original intentions when we updated our plans."
This was not a dismissal, but a judgment based on a clear hierarchy of priorities.
Firstly, Suō Tsukasa's spiritual awareness and strength truly exceeded the level of an ordinary seated officer, surpassing even some lieutenant-class individuals. However, such keenness could simply stem from innate talent.
More importantly, the reaction pattern Suō Tsukasa displayed on the screen after sensing something was one of confirmation followed by doubt. After meeting the gaze of the surveillance source, his eyes fell back to his own feet. He could only determine that "something seemed to be watching," but he could not ascertain what it was or where it came from.
This also signaled his limitations.
Based on his own observations and judgment, Aizen reached a basic yet appropriate conclusion.
"Yes, I understand."
Kaname Tosen quickly grasped his meaning. The Seireitei was vast, and the scope requiring surveillance was immense; their resources and energy were ultimately finite. If they invested too much attention into every seemingly special individual, it would only run counter to their initial objective.
The web covering the entire Seireitei needed to be spread evenly and covertly, rather than becoming excessively entangled in a few specific nodes. Aizen's vision was never fixed on a single individual, but on the future trajectory of the entire Soul Society.
The failure of Metastacia had, to some extent, influenced Suō Tsukasa's weight in Tosen's mind, interfering with his judgment. That experimental subject could have been a more perfect creation, yet it had fallen easily at the hands of Suō Tsukasa. This lingering frustration had caused Tosen to subconsciously overestimate the young man's threat.
Aizen saw through this. He didn't need to state it plainly; he only needed to gently nudge the team's direction back on course.
Nearby, Gin Ichimaru straightened up and stretched. He suddenly spoke, his voice carrying his signature playful drawl.
"My, my, he's just a third-seat after all. If we had to pay special attention to every fellow who's a bit interesting, we'd truly be run off our feet."
"It would be the death of us."
His words were practical, even carrying a hint of intentionally exaggerated complaint. Beyond their daily duties, they had plans in the shadows that required completion. The core team consisted of only three people, and he had no desire to work night shifts constantly.
Aizen did not respond to Gin's grumbling, merely instructing Kaname Tosen.
"Continue according to the original plan. Squad 12 can make some targeted adjustments to their proposals; I expect a breakthrough by next week."
"Understood."
Tosen responded solemnly, adjusting the records back to the real-time feed.
The conclusion was reached, and the direction was clear. The three men left the dim room soaked in faint light one after another.
The door closed silently. Only the flickering glow of the screens remained, like eyes lurking in the dark, silently watching every corner of the Seireitei.
A short while later.
Suō Tsukasa's figure leaped down from the top of a wall. After all, at this time of day, having just dropped off Isane Kotetsu, he would be late if he didn't use a faster method of travel. Had it not been for the regulations of the Seireitei—and the fact that air-walking was far too conspicuous—he would have preferred to travel through the sky directly. That unconstrained mode of movement was far more exhilarating than jumping through streets and alleys.
However, upon arriving at the small courtyard outside the duty room windows on time, Suō Tsukasa's relaxed expression underwent an extremely subtle change the moment he landed.
Having parted ways with the others less than ten minutes ago, that vague sensation of being watched climbed into his heart once more. This time, the feeling was even more blurred and faint.
"Hiding so many surveillance devices... it should be Aizen."
Based on the current timeline and the known characteristics of the various factions, three out of four potential answers were instantly eliminated.
Aside from the Wandenreich and Kenpachi Azashiro, who could monitor the Seireitei entirely, and putting aside whether Mayuri Kurotsuchi had even invented his monitoring bacteria yet, Mayuri's suspicion was low based on motive alone. Working in Squad 3 was not like Squad 4; there wasn't much there to pique his interest. In Mayuri's eyes, monitoring Squad 3 would likely be a complete waste of his precious time.
The suspicion was now focused entirely on Aizen.
Upon realizing who was watching him, Suō Tsukasa actually felt a bit more at ease. Knowing who the opponent was and having a general idea of what they wanted was far better than facing an unknown source of scrutiny. The unknown brought imagination, and imagination often bred unnecessary anxiety. Now, the source of that anxiety had been personified.
He lingered no longer, skillfully pushing open the window of the duty room and flipping inside with a clean movement. He wasn't going to look for the devices—the courtyard was large, the environment was lush, and the types and numbers of insects were vast. Trying to distinguish a handful of mimetic surveillance organisms from countless real ones was too difficult and highly inefficient.
Moreover, unless absolutely necessary, there was no need for him to take the initiative.
"Yo, Tsukasa! It's rare to see you cutting it so close. What have you been busy with today?"
Kaien Shiba's energetic and hearty voice immediately rang out from across the room.
"Kaien-dono, Miyako-dono, morning."
"It's nothing. I've been trying to cultivate some rather precious medicinal herbs lately, so I've had to spend a bit more effort tending to them."
Suō Tsukasa responded with a smile, his expression natural and bright, showing no trace of anything unusual. He walked to his desk and sat down, his posture relaxed. He wasn't affected by the knowledge of the surveillance.
Everything had two sides. Regardless of whether Aizen's setup had eavesdropping capabilities, exposing minor secrets of daily life or unconventional actions didn't weigh on his conscience. Some information, even if obtained by the opponent, might form an informational mist if they couldn't understand its actual significance. This was good for both parties—he maintained his necessary room for growth, while the other side maintained their feeling of having everything under control.
"Tsukasa, if you need our help, just say the word."
"Don't wear yourself out too much. Sometimes it's okay to rely on others."
Miyako Shiba approached from the side carrying tea sets, giving him a gentle smile.
"Thank you, Miyako-dono, I will. I can manage for now, but if I really need help, I won't be polite about it."
Suō Tsukasa took the teacup, feeling the warmth spread through his fingertips, and took a sip.
Hearing this, Miyako Shiba turned to a matter she considered more important, asking softly, "I heard from Uncle Isshin that your New Year's holiday plans are settled and you're heading back to West Rukongai with Toshiro and the others."
"The main Shiba family estate is also in West Rukongai, not too far from the Teradaya."
"Kaien and I were thinking that if it's convenient, could we invite you over for a visit on the final day of the year?"
"The younger siblings at home are very curious about you; they often ask about you in their letters."
She finished speaking and looked at him with a smile, her eyes full of expectation.
"Sure."
"I'll definitely come to visit on time on the last day of the year. When the time comes, I'll have to trouble you and Kaien-dono to prepare plenty of delicious food," Suō Tsukasa replied with a grin, accepting the warm invitation with a touch of playfulness.
"Great, then it's a deal! I'll write a letter home later."
"Also, the estate's location is a bit secluded and hard to find. I'll have Kaien pick you up so you don't lose your way."
She clapped her hands lightly, her voice brimming with joy.
"Deal."
Watching her lighthearted figure as she turned away, Suō Tsukasa picked up his teacup again and took another sip.
Everything was as usual.
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