In the days that followed, Seireitei remained calm and peaceful, as clear and serene as the skies over Soul Society.
It seemed as though the leadership change hadn’t stirred the waters within the Gotei 13. The Shinigami were remarkably composed about such a major event—there wasn’t even a single celebration held for the appointment of the new Captain-Commander.
Yet, Masatsuki Aozaki had been anything but idle in recent days.
Order after order flowed from his hands, swiftly reviewed and approved by the Central 46, then distributed to each division through the Inner Court Troop. In a short span, the Gotei 13 underwent another wave of personnel reshuffling.
First, the 11th Division’s Lieutenant, Kenpachi Zaraki, was promoted to Captain. Although he was eager to follow Masatsuki, the chain of command between a Captain and a Captain-Commander had to be respected. After being coaxed by his subordinates, he reluctantly accepted the promotion. In their eyes, with Masatsuki gone, no one was more suited for the position than him.
After all, he had the biggest fists.
Next, the 3rd Division Captain, Sōsuke Aizen, was transferred to the 1st Division as Lieutenant. The vacancy he left behind was filled by the 11th Division’s Lieutenant, Tōshirō Hitsugaya.
Finally, Nemu Kurotsuchi, the 8th Seat of the 11th Division, and Nanao Ise, the 3rd Seat of the 9th Division, both joined the 1st Division as the Captain-Commander’s secretaries.
With that, a new power structure within the Gotei 13 took shape—one that retained part of the previous Captain-Commander’s personnel arrangements while also implementing Masatsuki’s own new initiatives.
Everyone just figured it was the usual case of a new boss shaking things up.
After all, establishing authority is a critical step in becoming a strong leader. Their former Captain-Commander had also used various methods to prove himself before earning his squad’s recognition and respect.
Still, there was no denying that this new Captain-Commander had an extraordinary presence and ambition. He had even convinced a dignified Captain to step down and serve as his Lieutenant!
And mind you, the Gotei 13 had never had a Deputy Captain-Commander position.
Even though the 1st Division’s Lieutenant holds considerable authority, the title still ranks just below that of a Division Captain.
But since Sōsuke Aizen himself had no objections, no one else had anything to say.
With the strength he showed this time, no one would dare see Aizen as the overly nice guy who could be pushed around.
And yet, even someone capable of facing two founding Captains at once now quietly follows the orders of the Captain-Commander.
It’s impossible not to be impressed.
"It’s already dinner time... Huh? Why are you working here today?"
Ever since Aizen Sōsuke joined the 1st Division, Masatsuki Aozaki had barely touched any official work. Instead, he left everything to Aizen, as if he were the real Captain-Commander.
Masatsuki spent his days idling around, never once concerning himself with the team’s affairs.
The workload for managing the Thirteenth Division had indeed grown heavier than ever, but Aizen was nothing like Masatsuki. He was fully dedicated to the job and even seemed to enjoy it.
Still, the guy was too trusting—handing over all the responsibilities without hesitation. Didn’t he worry about Aizen abusing his power?
This idiot clearly had no concept of how important power was!
Aizen could only shake his head in resignation.
"Heh, take a look and see if I made any mistakes. Help me polish it up."
Masatsuki stood up, handing over a sheet of paper with one hand while casually tugging at the hem of his shirt with the other.
He said softly, "This haori doesn’t fit quite right, so I’m planning to ask a friend to help me make a new one."
Doesn’t fit? Aren’t haori supposed to be loose by design?
Even if Masatsuki Aozaki was taller and more muscular than the old man, that still shouldn’t make it ill-fitting. And if he wanted a new haori, why not just go to a professional tailor—or make one himself?
Why write a letter asking someone else?
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