Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō-Chapter 239: Making Friends

Seireitei, the new residence of the Shiba Clan.

The brightly lit hallway was eerily silent. At this moment, Gyōkaku Kumoi stood by the window, gazing quietly at the luminous full moon in the night sky. Under its glow, his figure appeared particularly ominous.

As a true schemer, Gyōkaku understood the value of power and status all too well.

After years of effort, he had finally won the trust of Rurichiyo Kasumiōji's parents, and following their deaths, he successfully seized control of the main family's authority. Under his careful manipulation, the strength of the main household had steadily grown, even to the point of suppressing the elder faction that once held real power.

Gyōkaku gently stroked his beard, calculating his next move in silence. He knew that to fully solidify his hold, there were still some troublesome obstacles to eliminate. And the most vexing of them all was Rurichiyo herself.

"My lord..."

A soft footstep suddenly broke the eerie silence of the corridor.

A figure clad in black hurried forward, dropping to one knee and lowering his head in deference.

"What's the situation? Have you found Rurichiyo-sama?"

Gyōkaku turned, his brows furrowing as he fixed a sharp gaze on the kneeling man. These assassins were personally trained by him—his most trusted and reliable subordinates. Yet at this moment, he found himself dissatisfied with their performance.

"She has been found," the man in black replied, his voice carrying a trace of nervousness. He did not dare to lift his head, knowing full well they had nearly made a grave mistake.

Gyōkaku's expression darkened. He clenched his fists, the crisp sound of his joints cracking in the tense air.

"How could you allow Rurichiyo-sama to disappear right under our noses?"

Cold sweat beaded on the assassin's forehead as he hurriedly explained, "Please forgive us, my lord. Here is what happened..."

"We found Rurichiyo-sama in a garden. She is unharmed, but the assassin assigned to secretly guard her has been killed. By the time we discovered him, his body was already dissipating."

"Oh... interesting... She wasn't harmed at all?"

Gyōkaku ran his fingers through his beard thoughtfully.

He still needed Rurichiyo in order to maintain control over the Kasumiōji Clan—he couldn't afford anything to happen to her just yet.

"Do we know who was responsible?"

"We're not certain... The seventh unit member died before he could even send a signal. However, the only person with the ability to do something like this is Masatsuki Aozaki."

"I see." Gyōkaku's eyes narrowed slightly. "So, he's taken an interest in the head of the family, has he? That could be troublesome."

Recalling the rumors surrounding Masatsuki Aozaki's many romantic escapades, Gyōkaku fell into deep thought.

"My lord... should we eliminate him?" A sharp glint flickered in the assassin's eyes as he cautiously posed the question.

"No... absolutely not." Gyōkaku quickly waved his hand, cutting him off.

This was the problem with assassins. They were raised and conditioned from childhood, subjected to rigorous brainwashing to ensure their unwavering loyalty. But in the process, their ability to think critically had been dulled.

Eliminate Masatsuki Aozaki? That would be no different from inviting the destruction of the entire clan.

"The seventh unit member is dead—so be it. For now, leave it alone," Gyōkaku said coldly.

Assassins were expendable. As long as the Kasumiōji Clan remained standing, there would always be more to take their place. There was no need to waste concern over a single loss.

"From now on, none of you are to appear before that man. I refuse to believe he would truly dare to make a move against Rurichiyo-sama."

After a long moment of contemplation, Gyōkaku let out a cold snort and addressed the assassins behind him.

"Once the Bakkōtō is forged and I take full control of the Kasumiōji Clan... I'll personally pay this so-called rising star of Seireitei a visit."

...

The vast room exuded a rugged atmosphere in every detail, yet within that roughness, there was an unmistakable touch of elegance.

This was the unique aesthetic that Kūkaku Shiba loved.

Lying alone in bed, Kūkaku tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

Like Masatsuki Aozaki, she had little interest in social gatherings. Drinking was fine, but exchanging meaningless pleasantries? She had no patience for that.

It was all just empty words—she didn't even need to hear them to know that none were spoken with sincerity.

Her current residence was far more spacious than her previous home. In fact, her personal quarters alone were as large as their entire old house.

Yet deep down, Kūkaku still preferred that small home on the outskirts of Rukongai, where she had felt truly free.

"Sigh..."

She let out a long breath, as if she carried an endless weight in her heart that she couldn't shake off.

"What's with the sighing? Tell your husband about it."

A deep, gentle voice suddenly murmured beside her ear.

Before she could react, a pair of familiar arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a firm embrace.

She flinched slightly and instinctively tried to break free, but the moment she recognized the familiar presence and voice, her body relaxed on its own.

Turning her head, she met Masatsuki Aozaki's gaze, a mix of helplessness and mild irritation flashing in her eyes.

"You really have too much energy."

Her tone carried a hint of reproach, but there was a touch of affection in her gaze.

Masatsuki chuckled, holding her even tighter as he whispered,

"I'm just helping you train... Haven't you noticed your Reiatsu has increased again? That's all thanks to my hard work."

Lowering his head, he inhaled her familiar scent, enjoying the warmth of her body against his. His mood couldn't have been better.

A slight blush spread across Kūkaku's cheeks as she huffed,

"You and your ridiculous theories... Can't you just let me get some rest?"

Masatsuki only smiled, offering no reply, merely tightening his embrace.

The two remained like that, quietly wrapped in each other's arms, savoring the warmth and peace of the moment.

"...My Reiatsu really has improved," Kūkaku murmured, a flicker of delight in her eyes. "You sure you're not some kind of legendary spiritual furnace?"

"Oh? So you've read that novel too? I thought only Lisa would be into that." Masatsuki looked at her in surprise.

"I read it when I'm bored," Kūkaku said, winking mischievously. "Not like I have much choice when a certain someone keeps disappearing on me."

Masatsuki let out a helpless chuckle, saying nothing more.

No matter how well he managed his time, situations like this were unavoidable.

"...By the way, you just went to see the Kasumiōji Clan's young lady, didn't you?"

Kūkaku hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"You know about that too?"

Masatsuki narrowed his eyes at her. He had deliberately spread his spiritual awareness earlier and confirmed that Kūkaku had been here the whole time.

"I could smell her," Kūkaku wrinkled her nose slightly, as if sniffing the air. "So? What did she want?"

"She wants to be friends with me," Masatsuki replied flatly.