CH 121: DARK DETERMINATION

After discussing with Unohana and setting up a date to meet with Senjumaru, Gojo was about to stand up and leave when he was stopped.

"Gojo tell, do you think you are strong?"

Gojo stopped and smiled at Unohana,

"Why the question? Do you think I would be affected by the mention of how powerful the members of Division 0 are?"

Unohana nodded. She knew very well that Gojo was different from her.

For people like her and Zaraki, the knowledge that there were stronger people out there was like music from heaven — something that filled them with much joy and happiness.

They did not fight to become the strongest. All they enjoyed was the rush, the adrenaline that coursed through their veins while they fought stronger the opponent.

On the other hand, Gojo was different. While he did enjoy fighting, what he really enjoyed was the feeling of dominating his opponents and proving his might to the world.

For him, the knowledge that people stronger than him existed was like a curse from hell — something that should fill him with bitterness and despair.

"I am not the same as when we first met, you know? Furthermore…what if they are stronger than me now? In the end, We alone will be the honored ones. It might take ten years, or hundred years, even thousands but…so what?"

Laughing out loud proudly, "And…even as I am now, who would lose and who would win is still something left to discuss."

Waving his hand, Gojo left the office of Unohana. As for her, looking at his back, a small smile of satisfaction filled her face.

'He has indeed grown up very well.'

If she was worried previously, now she had no doubt—The last fight between them would fill her heart with much joy.

As for Gojo, currently he wasn't thinking of such a complicated problem. He was just wondering how to convince the women of the healing department to all disguise themselves as Santa.

A bunch of sexy women in red and white skirts were always something beautiful to look at.

—

"What do you think are your chances of winning against Satoru Gojo?"

"Hum…None whatsoever."

"..."

"..."

Deep down in a laboratory, Aizen was observing a small bluish orb that was floating in one of his testing tubes.

Standing behind him, with the same creepy smile, was Gin Ichimaru.

Taking away his attention from the orb, Aizen looked at Gin and smiled,

"You do not seem particularly motivated? Where is the child who killed his superior just to appeal to me?"

Back then, Aizen had not really been the one to recruit Gin, since it was Gin who appealed to Aizen. In order to prove his worth, Gin did not hesitate to assassinate his direct superior as well as many other shinigami.

By doing so, he also put himself in the same boat as Aizen since the Soul Society would never forgive him for his crime if it was discovered.

Of course, Aizen knew the true goal of Gin, but it was simply something too amusing to discard.

"It isn't about what I want. If we go through a vote, Gojo already has Soi Fon, Unohana, Byakuya, Shinsui, Isshin, Zaraki, and Jushiro.

I am also sure that he has Mayuri in the bag since his daughter follows Gojo everywhere. As for Yamamoto, with that Toshiro Kid, and Gojo's own talent, chances are high that he will also vote for Gojo in the end."

Gin shrugged. There were three ways to become captain.

First was the Captain's Proficiency Test. A test that requires the ability to perform Bankai. Nearly all Shinigami become captains using this method. At least three existing captains, including the Captain-Commander, have to witness the test.

The second way was Personal Recommendation, which was, as the name implied, to have personal recommendations from at least six captains and approval from at least three of the remaining seven.

Finally, there was the Trial by Combat. To defeat a captain in one-on-one combat with at least 200 witnesses from the captain's division.

Gojo already had the nine votes required, and since what happened five years ago, even though it was never witnessed, there was no one who doubted that he had a Bankai.

This would leave the last option, but not even Gin could say with assurance that he could win.

If he really used his full power, Aizen would know all his cards and his plan would be a failure.

He had already invested too much time and killed too many people to let this plan fall through. It was why he couldn't bet everything just to win against Gojo.

He knew that Aizen was suspicious of him and that all his actions were perhaps just a game in the eyes of the man. But, it didn't matter. As long as Aizen did not find the true power of his Bankai, Gin knew that he still had a chance—A chance to take his revenge.

Settling his gaze on the small bluish orb, Gin could barely control his rage and as such, gave a wider smile.

'Damned Hogyoku[1]'

He could never forget that day when he saw Aizen absorb a part of Rangiku's soul.

In the past, Rangiku was far more talented than him. In fact, the difference in spiritual power between the two of them was pretty wide. Sadly, her growth had been stunted after what Aizen did.

It was only later that he understood what he had taken away.

A nail of the Soul King.

Gin was not clear about what really happened, but it seemed that the Soul King had lost many parts of his body for some unknown reason.

Each of those parts were enough to change someone normal into a powerhouse or give them strange abilities.

The best example were the Fullbringers on Earth — Humans who had obtained the ability to manipulate the 'Souls' of certain objects. Most likely, Rangiku had been a Fullbringer or had the potential of one when she was alive.

In the end, this did not matter. What mattered was that Aizen destroyed the future of Rangiku, and might even have killed her if things didn't work out.

Gin would not—could not, forgive nor forget. On that day, he swore that he would avenge her and punish Aizen one day.

Until then, he knew that he would have to stain his hands with the blood of many innocents.

His own end would most likely not be a happy one.

But...So what?

So what if he had to kill hundreds of people?

So what if there was no happy end for him?

Rangiku was more than a friend to him. She was family, the first and only person to have ever shown concern for him.

For her, he was ready to fall into the deepest part of hell and become the most wicked Devil.

Hearing his answer, Aizen smiled deeply.

He felt a weird sense of satisfaction at the realization of how influential Gojo had become after just 10 years.

He saw Gojo as his equal and his arch-enemy, in the same way, he saw Kisuke Urahara.

It was even more so because the man was negatively affecting his plans.

Even so, it pleased him. The stronger Gojo was, the happier Aizen was because only then would his victory be much sweeter.

Compared to the pleasure he would have when crushing those two, destroying that 'thing' that dared to call itself King was nothing more than a mission.

Ignoring the small killing intent Gin was unconsciously leaking, Aizen began to observe the Hogyoku once again.

The orb was still not up to the standards he wished. But, once he managed to steal the one created by Kisuke, everything would be perfect and he would finally become a transcendent.

[1]: Crumbling Orb

(AN: When I think about it, Gin is a little like the Itachi of bleach. He killed many people, all this to avenge and protect Rangiku. The same way Itachi didn't hesitate to massacre his clan to save his brother. Does it make Gin a good person? No, not at all. But does it make him an endearing character? Yep. Many like me are fans of him. Anyways I will see what I will do with Gin in my story.)

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