No Cheat in Bleach ? Watch me help Aizen then.-Chapter 48: You Know, Yachiru-chan...

The night was full moon. The sky, awash with stars.

Aizen didn't stay long at Higashi Shuuichi's home.

And in the end, he never asked the question that lingered on his tongue.

After he left, Shuuichi sat alone by the window, propping up his chin, staring silently at the lonely street outside.

Beside his elbow, a steaming cup of Longjing tea from the Human World.

He had already confirmed in his memories that Matsumoto Rangiku and Ichimaru Gin were both surviving somewhere in East Rukongai. Finding them wouldn't be hard.

At first, Shuuichi had wanted to handle it himself.

But after his recent trip to Hueco Mundo, it was clear—Szayelaporro didn't have the answers he needed.

Szayelaporro might've known how to extract a Spirit King fragment from a Shinigami, but he lacked the means to re-embed it, to integrate it anew into someone's soul.

That kind of fusion could only happen at birth by chance—like what happened with Matsumoto.

Or with overwhelming external power.

Unfortunately, Shuuichi had neither.

And so, after going in circles, he had no choice but to report the matter of Matsumoto to Aizen.

He wasn't sure what that final look from Aizen had meant.

"He knows what I want, doesn't he?"

Tonight, Higashi Shuuichi's heart was unsettled.

It was the first time he'd ever asked Aizen for something.

Before, Aizen had offered him private lessons in Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Kidō, and Shunpō—but those were things Aizen had initiated himself.

Maybe because he was irritated by Shuuichi's lack of natural talent.

But this time, even though no words were spoken...

Shuuichi was sure—Aizen understood.

And at least, he didn't say no.

Whether or not Shuuichi could seize the opportunity... would depend entirely on his performance.

Aizen doesn't keep useless tools.

"...Still, it's a good start, isn't it?"

Shuuichi murmured, sipping his tea, watching the moonlit street fade into silence.

Since the day he pledged allegiance to Aizen, he'd pinned his hopes on Hollowfication.

That the Hōgyoku would someday shatter the chains on his soul.

Now, Hollowfication was still a distant dream—but the Spirit King's fragment was within reach.

Specifically, Rangiku's fragment—the fingernail, with the innate power of limitless regeneration.

A power even greater than the Arrancar's High-Speed Regeneration.

So long as the soul survived, the body would regrow infinitely.

The perfect survival tool.

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And maybe—just maybe—it would even synchronize with Shuuichi's current, nearly useless Bankai.

This shard was non-negotiable. He had to have it.

By sunrise, Higashi Shuuichi reported to Squad 4 as usual.

He was just beginning to sort herbs when the noise started.

"Yōko! What's all that commotion outside?"

He frowned, hands still working, and called out from within the dispensary.

"Vice-Captain Higashi! It's that big bad guy from last time! He's fighting his way into Seireitei!"

Sato Yōko's panicked voice called back.

That "big bad guy"...

Shuuichi smirked.

So, he's here.

A bit noisy, sure, but he didn't mind.

He immediately dropped what he was doing and stepped outside.

Squad 4's courtyard was already overflowing with medics carrying injured Shinigami to the infirmary.

The more seriously wounded were being treated right at the gate.

Among the chaos, Shuuichi saw Yamada Seinosuke, now demoted to third seat, urgently using healing Kidō to reattach a severed arm.

Diligent as ever...

Shuuichi gave him credit where it was due.

Since being stripped of the Vice-Captain title by Unohana twenty years ago, Seinosuke had been frantic in his efforts to redeem himself.

But no matter what you do, that Captain you admire so much... will never look your way again.

Shuuichi spared a silent moment of pity, then turned and walked away.

"Eh? Vice-Captain Higashi, where are you going?"

Yōko's voice chased him.

He waved over his shoulder.

"Squad 11."

In the original timeline, Higashi couldn't remember exactly why Zaraki Kenpachi stormed into Seireitei and killed the previous Squad 11 Captain, Kiganjō Kenpachi.

But now?

He understood perfectly.

In recent weeks, the casualty rate among Kasatani Mayuu's personal forces had skyrocketed. And the one responsible for the carnage—was none other than Zaraki.

Zaraki might not grasp the political consequences of that.

But Yachiru Kusajishi definitely would.

And Shuuichi remembered their conversation.

"Yachiru-chan, do you know what kind of people your Ken-chan has been killing?"

"Aren't they just regular Shinigami?"

"They're from the Kasatani clan. The noble house ranked just beneath the Five Great Clans."

"So what? The stronger the enemies they send, the more Ken-chan'll enjoy it!"

"Can your Ken-chan survive standing before Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni himself, the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society's history?"

"...He... Ken-chan... he can...!"

(smiling) "You know, Yachiru-chan... if all you want is good fights, you don't have to stay in the chaos of Rukongai's outer districts."

That was the day Higashi tracked down Zaraki again.

The day they fought once more.

That time, Shuuichi used one of Yunoi Yōgaku's reiatsu-sealing devices, recovered years ago.

He spent half of his entire reservoir of spirit clones stored within Peach Blossom—just to draw even with Zaraki, who was still suppressing his own power.

Both collapsed. Both bleeding.

And as they lay among the broken ruins, Shuuichi spoke to an ecstatic Yachiru.

He never saw Zaraki again after that.

And that, Shuuichi thought, was the true reason Zaraki Kenpachi stormed Squad 11 today.

Because Squad 11 was unlike any other.

It had one unique rule:

To become Captain... you must kill the previous one.

"Go on, Zaraki Kenpachi,"

"Raise hell."

Higashi Shuuichi smiled quietly to himself.

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