Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō-Chapter 214: A Good Day

A special day—the birthday of the 11th Division Captain, the 11th Kenpachi, Masatsuki Aozaki.

In truth, birthdays didn't mean much to Masatsuki. He often forgot his own.

But even if it didn't matter to him, it seemed to hold significance for others.

A birthday with no one to celebrate it was just another ordinary day. But when too many people gathered, it became a mix of joy and awkwardness.

He woke up early to the sound of Yoruichi Shihōin snoring. She was exhausted—it wasn't surprising. Considering how many people had seen her in far more embarrassing states, this was nothing.

Still, if he ignored the faint sound of her snores, her sleeping posture—curled up like a kitten—was undeniably cute.

Masatsuki slowly climbed out of the pile of bodies around him, the very thing that made him feel both overwhelmed and oddly content.

Glancing at the others still asleep, he felt... nothing.

Tired of it already.

That thought lasted about two seconds before he pushed it aside. Who was he kidding? He could never get tired of this.

Throwing on a loose bathrobe, he noticed a Jigokuchō fluttering toward him.

"Respectful greetings on this auspicious day. Wishing you joy on your birthday. —Kōga Kuchiki."

An old-fashioned blessing—clearly the kind of message only someone who had lived for centuries would send.

Masatsuki was mildly surprised that anyone other than his lovers even remembered his birthday. Though, of all people, it had to be a man he had no interest in.

Kōga Kuchiki, current Lieutenant of the 6th Division, also happened to be a spy under Aizen's command—with Masatsuki himself as his direct handler.

Technically, his superior was Yamamoto, but the old man had no clue what Kōga was really up to.

Kōga was diligent in his work, but Masatsuki wasn't entirely sure how reliable his intel was.

Not that it mattered. Right now, Kōga Kuchiki was unimportant—both to him and to Aizen.

So, was this his way of sucking up to a superior?

Shouldn't he be offering an actual gift or something? That's how it worked in the movies.

No wonder he'd been a Shinigami for so long and was still just a Lieutenant.

Masatsuki was still lost in thought when another Jigokuchō arrived.

"The operation is about to begin. Make sure you don't miss it. This time, we'll make them pay."

"Tch. The nobles really do have too much money. One Jigokuchō wasn't enough? They had to waste resources just to send the message twice?"

Masatsuki muttered to himself. He wasn't exactly short on money these days, but he still found this kind of extravagance ridiculous.

"Well... today really is shaping up to be an interesting day."

...

A few miles away, in an underground facility on the outskirts of Seireitei...

Footsteps echoed, steady and deliberate. The door to the lab was pushed open.

Kaname Tōsen stepped inside, his dark clothing nearly blending into the dim surroundings.

It was hard to say what kind of admiration he held for Love Aikawa, but he had even grown out an afro similar to his.

Not exactly Masatsuki's idea of good taste.

"It's not often that both the Captain and Lieutenant are sent to the World of the Living for guard duty. You should be getting ready, Tōsen."

Sōsuke Aizen's voice was as smooth and calm as ever, yet it carried an unsettling chill.

"Isn't it risky to have Kōga Kuchiki handle this mission alone? The target is..." Tōsen frowned.

That man was insufferable. Though he had become more emotionally stable than before, his arrogance and authoritarian nature still made him difficult to tolerate.

"Don't worry," Aizen said softly.

"Someone will be there to assist him."

...

The midday sun filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled light over the empty courtyard.

Kōga Kuchiki paused, looking down at the chaos below. People screamed and scattered in all directions, their terror consuming them.

Behind him stood a cloaked figure, shrouded in black robes. Twin blades extended from the sleeves, their tips angled downward, fresh blood dripping slowly to the ground.

More white-masked creatures crawled out from the buildings, but Kōga no longer had the time to direct their attacks in an orderly fashion.

The people fleeing below were just as powerless as he had been before his imprisonment.

Back then, he had done nothing wrong.

But now, he was committing a crime of his own volition.

You wanted to destroy me?

Then I'll destroy you all.

...

Tsunayashiro Clan, Elders' Meeting Hall.

"Who are these intruders?" Tokuyasu Tsunayashiro asked, glancing at the clock on the wall. "How long until the Gotei 13 arrives to assist us?"

The captain of the clan's samurai knelt below him as the assembled elders stared him down.

"They're Hollows," the captain answered, bowing his head. "A group of Menos with Lieutenant-level Reiatsu has launched an attack on us. They look identical and possess strange abilities—we can barely hold them back."

"And we can't send out a distress call. Our messages aren't getting through to the Gotei 13."

"Strange abilities?" one of the elders snapped. "What kind of abilities? Speak clearly!"

A bunch of lowly beasts had invaded the Tsunayashiro Clan's territory—something unheard of in their thousands of years of existence.

Was the Seireitei's Sekkiseki just for show?

Were the Gotei 13 supposed to protect the nobility, or were they just a bunch of useless corpses?

"These Hollows can possess and control the bodies of our guards," the captain explained grimly. "At first, the guards didn't take them seriously, but by the time they realized what was happening, it was too late. They were caught completely off guard."

The elders exchanged uneasy glances. Clearly, none of them had ever heard of such an ability before.

"Tokuyasu-sama," Tamaba Tsunayashiro whispered as she stepped closer, "the branch family has sent a representative."

"The branch family? At a time like this?" Tokuyasu frowned. "What do they want?"

"They're under attack as well," Tamaba replied. "Their defenses have collapsed, and they're requesting permission to temporarily release that man and borrow the clan's treasured artifact."

"That man?" Tokuyasu muttered.

He knew exactly who she meant—Tokinada Tsunayashiro.

Right now, he was the only capable warrior the branch family had left.

The main family was still relatively secure, guarded by Captain-level fighters, but the branch family had lost nearly all of its Lieutenant-level retainers.

"They're offering to double their tributes for the next fifty years," Tamaba continued.

A massive sum.

"Fine. Release Tokinada Tsunayashiro—for now. But he is not to leave clan territory." Tokuyasu's expression remained unreadable. "Give him the Enrakyōten as well, but it must be returned once this battle is over."

"This is unacceptable!" one of the elders protested immediately. "The Enrakyōten is a treasure left behind by our ancestors! Fifty years of tribute isn't nearly enough—we should demand at least a hundred!"

"The Tsunayashiro Clan cannot be destroyed by a pack of Hollows," Tokuyasu said coldly, giving the elder a sharp glance.

"Not even the branch family is allowed to fall."

"Thirty years ago, our clan was invaded, and we lost several Captain-class warriors. The damage nearly crippled us, and ever since, we've been the laughingstock of the nobility."

His voice turned frigid.

"I will not let the other noble clans mock us again. Deploy all guards and assassins—we must wipe out every last one of those creatures."

"When this is over, have the Central 46 convene a meeting."

"The Tsunayashiro Clan has been invaded time and time again. Let them question Yamamoto directly—what is the point of maintaining the Gotei 13 if they're just a pack of useless fools!?"

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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