Chapter 37

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"Yo, Sōsuke, what are you doing up so late?" 

Kaelith Yurei stepped into the room, lowering his voice. 

Aizen looked up, about to reply, but suddenly frowned. 

He got out of bed, walked over to Kaelith, and pulled him out of the dormitory. 

"What happened? Did you run into danger?" 

Noticing Kaelith's school uniform was torn in multiple places and covered in dust, he asked softly. 

"Oh, this?" 

Kaelith scratched his head. "I went out with the heiress of the Shihōin family tonight, and we got caught up in some rebel trouble. Got a little singed." 

"But no big deal, the Captain of Squad Twelve stepped in and saved us. See? Just some torn clothes, no injuries at all." 

Kaelith chuckled as he tugged on the ripped fabric to show Aizen. 

Aizen paused slightly. 

The Captain of Squad Twelve… Kirio Hikifune, huh? 

Based on his observations, Hikifune was undoubtedly one of the strongest among the current captains. 

Her power might even rank just below Captain-Commander Yamamoto. 

With someone like Hikifune involved, there was indeed nothing to worry about. 

After a moment's thought, he casually asked, "Who were the rebels?" 

"Rebels… what was his name again?" 

Kaelith squinted, thinking for a few seconds. 

The captain he saw didn't appear in the original story, probably someone from a generation even older than a century ago. 

Recalling the guy's last words, Kaelith's expression lit up with realization. 

"Oh, I remember now! Kamikawa Renzosuke!" 

Aizen: "?" 

He nearly lost his composure, tempted to blurt out some expletives he'd learned from Kaelith. 

So, the "minor rebel trouble" Kaelith casually mentioned was actually involving the Captain of Squad Three?! 

After a few seconds of silence, Aizen took a deep breath. 

Kaelith Yurei was getting more outrageous by the day. 

Still, looking on the bright side, being around Kaelith was certainly training his patience and resilience. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise. 

As he self-soothed, Aizen motioned for Kaelith to recount the events of the evening. 

After listening to the full story, he frowned slightly, lost in thought. 

While Shinchira Renzosuke's power was mediocre, ranking in the lower tier of captains, he was still a captain. 

A captain openly betraying the Gotei 13 was a troubling signal. 

Up to now, rebel activities have been minor skirmishes, never involving top-tier combatants. 

Because of this, the Gotei 13 had maintained a watchful but passive stance. 

But with Shinchira Renzosuke's betrayal, the situation was different. 

Major factions would undoubtedly start getting involved. 

Once all five Noble Clans were drawn into the conflict, the Central 46 Chambers would no longer be able to maintain the current balance. 

The Gotei 13 war machine would be fully mobilized! 

At this thought, Aizen turned to Kaelith. 

"Kaelith, from now on, you must be extra careful." 

"Because of you, the rebels' plans may need to be completely revised, and they'll likely view you as an enemy." 

"I suggest you consult Captain-Commander Yamamoto and ask for his advice." 

"If possible, it'd be best to have him assign one or two bodyguards to ensure your safety." 

Kaelith was momentarily stunned. 

But soon, he pieced things together. 

On his way back, he had been focused on figuring out how to build a hot spring and hadn't given much thought to the larger implications. 

Now, after Aizen's explanation, he realized he was in deeper trouble than he'd thought. 

"Ugh, what a pain." 

Kaelith tilted his head, closed his eyes, and frowned. 

Then, a bigger problem dawned on him. 

With such a major incident tonight, Yamamoto would undoubtedly summon him for a lecture. 

The mere thought of Yamamoto leaning on his cane and nagging him for hours made Kaelith feel like his soul was splitting. 

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"Fool!" 

The booming voice of Yamamoto echoed from Squad One's barracks, loud enough to be heard from a distance. 

In the dojo, Yamamoto leaned on his cane, glaring at Kaelith. 

Well, to be precise, Kaelith wasn't entirely sure if it was a glare, given how small the old man's eyes were. 

As if reading Kaelith's mind, Yamamoto suddenly widened his eyes, turning the narrow slits into something resembling a broader line. 

"Stand up straight! Don't slouch like that—what kind of example is that?!" 

"Neglecting your training leads to getting wounded in real battles!" 

"If Captain Hikifune hadn't intervened, do you think you'd still be alive to loaf around here?!" 

Kaelith couldn't help but feel a mix of frustration and disbelief. 

No matter how much of a failure Shinchira Renzosuke was, he was still a captain. Was Yamamoto expecting him to defeat a captain single-handedly? 

Of course, Kaelith kept those thoughts to himself. 

He had long since figured out Yamamoto's temperament. 

The best strategy when being scolded was to play dead. 

Arguing would only add another thirty minutes to the lecture—at best. At worst, he'd get thrown around with Yamamoto's unique hand-to-hand combat techniques. 

Observing Kaelith's predicament, Kyōraku Shunsui couldn't help but grin. 

Usually, he was the one standing there getting scolded. Today, it was finally someone else's turn. 

What a lucky junior! 

His amusement was short-lived, though, as Kaelith suddenly spoke: 

"Reporting to the Captain-Commander, Senior Brother over there is secretly laughing." (t/n haha I love it)

Kyōraku: "?"

Before he could react, Yamamoto's furious gaze had already turned in his direction.

"Scoundrel! What are you laughing at?!"

"As the Captain of the Eighth Division, the intelligence division, you didn't detect any issues with Shinchira Renzosuke? If the circumstances weren't so critical right now, I'd send you to train under a waterfall for half a year!"

Kyōraku nearly burst into tears.

To others, Yamamoto's words might seem like an empty threat, but Kyōraku knew better—this old man was fully capable of following through.

Over the years, he'd been sent to "waterfall training" so many times he'd lost count.

Forget what he said earlier—this junior brother of his wasn't a lucky charm at all.

Yamamoto must have been losing his touch in his old age to accept such an unreliable disciple!

Initially, Yamamoto planned to continue scolding him, but reports from outside interrupted his train of thought—

"Captain-Commander, all division captains have arrived!"

"Hmm. Let them in."

After giving the order, Yamamoto turned to Kaelith.

"Kaelith, you'll stand aside and observe."

Kaelith blinked in mild surprise.

Yamamoto's captain meetings were typically closed-door affairs. Even vice-captains were required to wait outside unless summoned for specific questions.

Being allowed to stay as an observer? Quite the privilege.

He moved to the side of the room, leaning casually against the wall.

Before long, the doors opened, and one figure after another entered.

Second Division Vice-Captain Ōmaeda Marechiyo.

Since Yoruichi had not yet officially joined the division, Ōmaeda was representing the Second Division in the meeting.

Third Division Vice-Captain Iba Chikane.

An elegant woman with a dignified air. Though her hair was streaked with gray and her face bore wrinkles, her beauty in her younger days was still evident.

Fourth Division Captain Unohana Retsu.

Fifth Division Captain Hirako Shinji.

Sixth Division Captain Kuchiki Ginrei.

Seventh Division Captain Love Aikawa.

Eighth Division Captain Kyōraku Shunsui.

Ninth Division Captain Takada Yasu.

Tenth Division Captain Nagaki Sosora.

Eleventh Division Captain Gojō Kenpachi.

Twelfth Division Captain Hikifune Kirio.

Watching the line of figures in white haori file in, Kaelith couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

Despite having lived in the Bleach world for some time now, this was his first time seeing all the captains gathered in one place.

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