And be prepared for it.
As long as the mission is completed and duties are fulfilled, what does a little infamy matter?
But now, it seems there's still a lot of room for improvement.
From aversion and rejection, to profound respect…
Suì-Fēng felt she had grasped the essence of justice. Under her leadership, Onmitsukidō and the Second Division would surely flourish, far surpassing the era when her predecessor was in charge.
Filled with a sense of exhilarating accomplishment, Suì-Fēng inadvertently spotted the talent who had provided her with so many good ideas.
"Shimiya?"
He was walking aimlessly along Seireitei's main thoroughfare, head bowed, looking very troubled.
Suì-Fēng's delicate brows furrowed slightly. She casually dismissed her followers and strode towards him, blocking his path.
"—Shimiya, what are you doing in the Second Division's jurisdiction, out of the blue?"
"Captain Suì-Fēng?"
His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden greeting.
Shimiya Takeru snapped back to reality and looked at the woman in front of him, who, as always, stood with her arms crossed, appearing cold and imposing.
"Who else could it be… To even ignore the spiritual pressure of someone approaching. Although this is my jurisdiction, you're too lax. This isn't like you… What happened?"
Suì-Fēng's delicate brows furrowed even tighter. Her string of words was sharp, but filled with an unshakeable doubt.
Shimiya Takeru didn't answer. He first looked around, as if understanding something.
"It's nothing major. I just came out of the Spirit Arts Academy to walk around."
"I usually think through problems this way. Perhaps because I've been to the Second Division once, I subconsciously chose a familiar path, so I ended up here without realizing it."
"I see."
Suì-Fēng nodded slightly, accepting the explanation.
"But you've walked quite far. Such a long journey hasn't allowed the always resourceful you to figure things out, so it's clearly not a trivial matter."
"Even a resourceful person will struggle when their memory fails them."
Shimiya Takeru sighed.
"…So, you're not thinking, but trying to recall?"
"That's exactly it."
Seeing that Shimiya Takeru's expression was not feigned, Suì-Fēng relaxed, a slight curve to her lips.
"For Shinigami with long lifespans, a poor memory won't do. I wouldn't want you to develop bad habits like being forgetful after you become a Captain."
"Coincidentally, I don't have any urgent matters at hand, so would you like to experience the Second Division's interrogation methods? They're very effective for memory recovery."
"…Should I not have appeared when you're angry…?"
Shimiya Takeru's expression stiffened.
"Just kidding, I'm not angry. In fact, I'm in a good mood. Thanks to you, the Second Division's reputation has improved. If I can repay your favor now, all the better."
"I appreciate Captain Suì-Fēng's kindness, but as for interrogation… I feel it might backfire."
"I said I was joking!"
Suì-Fēng snorted coldly, gave him a sharp glare, then turned her head.
"Follow me."
Shimiya Takeru looked up at the sun in the sky. From the scorching midday to the setting sun, he had indeed walked for a long time without realizing it, which seemed to foreshadow his tragic fate to come.
However.
That was not the case.
Suì-Fēng led him to an izakaya in the Second Division's jurisdiction.
"Oh, right, I forgot to mention… Thanks to you, this place used to have a lot of customers, but now the foot traffic has visibly dropped by a large margin."
"Captain Suì-Fēng, even if you try to frame me, I won't be coerced into joining the Second Division to be at your beck and call."
"…I really want to use that previous method to help you now."
Soon, the server brought sake and Japanese dishes like tempura.
After she respectfully withdrew, Shimiya Takeru looked thoughtfully at the ordinary-looking dishes, then picked up the sake and sniffed it gently.
"I think I understand what Captain Suì-Fēng means."
"The food at this place is mediocre, but the sake is excellent. It's just that because the Second Division's reputation has improved, everyone is busy with work and doesn't have time to come here to relieve work stress, leading to a decrease in customer traffic."
"The fact that you still maintain your keenness indicates that your mental state is indeed nothing to worry about."
Suì-Fēng's words made Shimiya Takeru look at her with some admiration.
She even learned to use this method to test him… No, perhaps she already knew how, but there were rarely situations that required it.
"Captain Suì-Fēng really thinks a lot for me. I'll treat you to this meal."
"No need, this is also part of me repaying a favor… More importantly, tell me about the trouble you've encountered. I'm more interested in that."
"…"
Watching her narrow her eyes like a cat, Shimiya Takeru could feel the surging curiosity beneath her stern and imposing exterior.
"Well… To put it simply, I'm just one step away from mastering Bankai, and I'm currently stuck at this step."
"My Zanpakuto asked me a question: what is the thing I have feared most in my life…?"
"Although the best way to overcome fear is to face it, if I can't remember it, how can I face it? Perhaps I don't even fear it anymore."
"So, I've been trying to recall all sorts of past events all day, trying to find clues, but so far, I've found nothing."
Hearing this frank confession, Suì-Fēng felt a sense of satisfaction from being respected and acknowledged, and at the same time, she was in a daze that he had reached this stage so quickly.
Just one step away… Just one step away from being able to engrave his name in the history of Soul Society, just like her.
How much time had passed since the tea party?
At most, half a month, right?
He was really going to achieve Bankai as a first-year student.
That other kid named Kurosaki ichigo probably wouldn't be far behind.
Rather than saying the world had undergone tremendous changes, it was more like it was accelerating towards the next era, so fast that even she, who was quite young, was almost becoming a remnant of the old era.
"Hmph…"
Suì-Fēng let out a breath, forcing herself to focus on the matter at hand and not to overthink.
"The thing you've feared most in your life… Is that right? Logically, something like that should leave a deep impression on you. Even if you no longer fear it later, you wouldn't forget it, just like you wouldn't forget a powerful enemy you once defeated."
"If you can't remember it, it can only mean one thing… You yourself wanted to forget it."
"Perhaps."
Shimiya Takeru admitted frankly.
After all, the pampered life and the strong inner self that power brought were not present from the beginning.
Now, he could undoubtedly face anything.
There was no escaping or fearing.
No one could make him bow his head.
The more this was the case, the harder it was to put himself in the shoes of his former ordinary self and recall what he feared at that time.
"That's troublesome. If you can't recognize your own heart, you won't be able to grasp the full extent of Bankai, you won't be able to… accept your Bankai."
"I've also experienced similar situations."
Suì-Fēng seemed to recall some unbearable past events, and her face became somewhat gloomy.
"But my experience definitely won't help you."
"Not necessarily. If I knew what Captain Suì-Fēng feared most, I might be able to make some connections, but I won't inquire about personal privacy rashly."
Suì-Fēng, who had not intended to answer, heard Shimiya Takeru say this and instead said unhappily, "You said it yourself, the best way to overcome fear is to face it. This level of privacy doesn't need to be hidden at all. That would only make people think… I'm afraid of others knowing that I've never overcome it!"
"Calm down, Captain Suì-Fēng, I'm not trying to provoke you."
Shimiya Takeru said helplessly.
"Of course I know. As the Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō, how could I not distinguish between sincerity and falsehood in others' words?"
"…Then I'm all ears. Please rest assured, once I leave this door, I'll pretend I was never here."
"…You don't have to go that far."
But these words still reassured Suì-Fēng quite a bit. Coupled with Shimiya Takeru actively pouring wine and showing full respect, she was no longer so resistant to what she was about to say.
Suì-Fēng composed herself and slowly recounted the history of the Shihōin Clan and Feng families, and her master-servant relationship with Shihōin Yoruichi.
But she still unconsciously concealed some facts.
She only mentioned that she had a close friend whom she desperately wanted to help, but who abandoned her when she encountered difficulties, betraying their precious friendship.
Bang!
The sake cup was slammed hard on the table.
Killing intent was fully revealed in Suì-Fēng's eyes. She was originally telling Shimiya Takeru as reference material, but the more she spoke, the more agitated she became, her teeth grinding audibly.
"That bastard didn't take me seriously at all! I valued her so much, admired her, looked up to her… But she chose to face it alone, and precisely for another bastard I detest to the extreme!"
"In other words, in her eyes, that bastard was more important than me, more important than our relationship."
"Otherwise, even if she wasn't doing anything good, she shouldn't have left me out."
"I know, she didn't want to implicate me… But it's precisely that self-righteous thought that infuriates me beyond words… What a joke, why make a decision without even asking, completely disrespecting my personal wishes."
"She simply… didn't treat me as a friend!"
"My promises, my beliefs… there was absolutely no possibility of them being realized."
"On that day, I felt a fear I had never experienced before."
"And on that day… my first half of life ended."
Shimiya Takeru remained silent, watching Suì-Fēng's pretty face, which was either red with anger or from drinking, until she slowly calmed down before he spoke:
"Although I don't want to comment on Captain Suì-Fēng's past, I think this outcome was bound to happen sooner or later."
"Are you trying to say she would betray me sooner or later? Shimiya, you might not understand her identity. If it weren't for that bastard implicating her, she would never have betrayed me."
Suì-Fēng's eyes turned cold, her face filled with murderous intent.
"What I mean is… your relationship development wasn't healthy. Things were bound to go wrong sooner or later. Even if it wasn't because of someone's involvement, conflicts in ideals would arise due to certain things. Think back, did she ever show particular impatience towards you?"
Shimiya Takeru's smooth and flowing reassurance dispelled Suì-Fēng's murderous aura. She unconsciously furrowed her brows in deep thought.
"It seems… that was indeed the case. In fact, it wasn't just occasionally. She… seemed to have a hard time listening to me. She always avoided my advice and counsel. Wasn't that the other bastard instigating her from behind?"
"I don't think it has anything to do with that bastard. Rather, there's a problem with the way you two interacted. As for where the problem lies…"
At this point, Shimiya Takeru unhurriedly pulled out his Soul Pager from his pocket. Under Suì-Fēng's puzzled gaze, he tapped open a recording and played it.
The speaker immediately broadcast a deep, rich, magnetic male voice, full of infectiousness and unique character.
[Admiration… is the emotion furthest from understanding].
"What… is this?"
Suì-Fēng was greatly shocked by Shimiya Takeru's actions.
"Are you referring to the identity of the voice's owner?"
"…Of course not! This is clearly the voice of Sōusuke Aizen, Captain of the Fifth Divsion, your teacher… I'm asking what this recording is about?"
"Oh, that… Well, that starts from the Spirit Arts Academy."
Shimiya Takeru placed the Soul Pager on the table, picked up a piece of tempura, took a small bite, swallowed it, and then slowly said, "Ever since the news of me being taken as a disciple by my teacher spread in the Spirit Arts Academy, girls from calligraphy class have been continuously coming to me for advice, wanting to know what my teacher taught."
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