Several years later.
Fifth Division
Aizen was speaking with Renji Abarai.
Renji had a serious expression on his face.
"Captain, this matter shouldn't be handled like this."
"That is enough, Renji!"
Aizen cut him off, his voice carrying a hint of authority.
"In all matters, you should obey your captain's orders instead of acting on your own judgment. We need to maintain discipline and unity within the division. Only then can we complete our missions more effectively."
Renji Abarai was born in Rukongai.
Although his temper was not very good, deep down, he was full of human warmth.
He was the kind of person who prioritized emotions and acted with hot-blooded sincerity.
After hearing his captain's reprimand, his expression darkened slightly.
He was not convinced at all, but he still gritted his teeth and nodded, showing that he had accepted the criticism.
However, when he left the captain's office, Renji could not help muttering under his breath,
"Why make me carry out this mission? There are clearly people more suited for it."
Aizen watched his departing back and frowned slightly.
He knew Renji was dissatisfied with this mission, but as a captain, what he wanted from his subordinates was absolute obedience.
After Renji returned to the division barracks, he was still in a very bad mood.
He felt that he had been assigned work unsuited to him, and on top of that, he had been reprimanded by Captain Aizen.
Although he understood that as a squad member, he had to obey his captain's commands, and even if he was dissatisfied, he had to endure it for the time being, he still could not help feeling resentful.
...
Inside the captain's office, Aizen thought carefully.
Renji Abarai did have some potential, but he had already disobeyed Aizen's instructions several times.
Although some of those missions might not have been entirely reasonable, they were actually methods Aizen used to test Renji's loyalty.
After all, Aizen had a grand plan.
If his subordinates refused to obey orders at crucial moments, it would easily cause trouble for him.
Therefore, he needed to ensure their absolute loyalty before he could carry out his plan with peace of mind.
In Aizen's eyes, Momo Hinamori and Izuru Kira were two excellent examples of loyalty.
When carrying out missions, they always obeyed his instructions without hesitation, which made Aizen very satisfied.
Because of that, he decided to send Kira to the Third Division to assist Gin Ichimaru while also serving as a watcher.
This way, not only would the Third Division's strength be reinforced, but he could also ensure that Gin Ichimaru would not make any strange moves.
As for Momo Hinamori, she had Aizen's trust even more.
Not only was she deeply loyal to Aizen, but in the future, she might also become a key piece used to restrain a powerful combatant—Tōshirō Hitsugaya of the tenth division.
This was undoubtedly a choice that benefited him in two ways.
It ensured that Aizen's plan could proceed smoothly, and it also allowed him to use Momo Hinamori to hold Tōshirō Hitsugaya in check.
Over the years, through his sharp insight, Aizen had already noticed some clues.
Although Kazuma, as captain of the Seventh Division, was not very active within the Gotei 13, he was undoubtedly an extremely dangerous person.
The reason Aizen had started paying close attention to Kazuma was actually thanks to Renji and the others.
It was from them that Aizen had obtained some information about Kazuma.
In fact, Aizen had conducted detailed investigations into every captain of the Gotei 13 and collected intelligence on them.
At first, he believed that Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto and Retsu Unohana of the Fourth Division were the people most capable of obstructing his plan.
One level below them were Kazuma of the Seventh Division and Shunsui Kyōraku of the Eighth Division.
He had not even taken Jūshirō Ukitake of the Thirteenth Division into consideration.
That sickly man did not pose much of a threat.
However, ever since Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira, and the others joined the Fifth Division, Aizen had unintentionally learned just how powerful Kazuma's Zanjutsu was.
It was simply beyond imagination.
Although he had learned through records in the Spiritual Arts Library that Kazuma's Zanpakutō belonged to the support type, and although his previous probe at Shin'ō Academy had shown that Kazuma's Reiatsu was only at a second-class level, once all of this information was considered together, Aizen had every reason to believe that Kazuma was absolutely an extremely dangerous figure.
Therefore, he raised Kazuma's threat level to the same level as Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.
Fortunately, Kazuma's personality was rather lazy.
Judging from the Hollowfication incident involving Shinji Hirako and the others that Aizen had planned last time, Kazuma had not taken any action.
Aizen firmly believed that as long as he did not do anything that threatened Kazuma's personal interests, the situation would remain controllable.
"Sigh. I truly have too few people."
Aizen could not help sighing.
If his strength were enough to run rampant through Soul Society, why would he need to devise such a complicated plan?
He would simply cut down everyone who stood in his way and find the Hōgyoku hidden by Kisuke Urahara.
Aizen sat silently in the captain's office for a long time, so long that the sunlight outside had already begun to slant westward.
Finally, he spoke.
"Hinamori, come in for a moment."
Outside the door, Momo's face lit up with joy when she heard Aizen call her.
She quickly pushed open the door and walked in. After standing still, she immediately said,
"Captain! Do you have any orders?"
Aizen looked at the young girl before him, a barely noticeable light flashing in his eyes.
Then he slowly said, "Go inform Renji and Hisagi to come to the captain's office."
"Yes, Captain!"
Momo Hinamori answered respectfully, then turned and left.
Aizen sat there quietly, his gaze revealing a deeply contemplative look.
He knew that what he was about to do next might be somewhat cruel to Abarai and Hisagi, but he would not care about such things.
Before long, Abarai and Hisagi followed Momo Hinamori back to the captain's office.
When they saw Aizen, a sense of nervousness rose in their hearts.
They did not know why the captain had suddenly summoned them.
After bringing them in, Momo Hinamori tactfully prepared to leave.
After all, Captain Aizen must have something important to discuss with Abarai and Hisagi.
It might not be appropriate for her to stay.
Abarai and Hisagi exchanged a glance, both feeling confused. Still, they stood where they were and waited for Aizen's instructions.
"Hinamori, you can stay here. It is nothing too serious." Aizen spoke and asked Momo to remain.
He would still need Momo Hinamori to spread his righteous and admirable image afterward.
When Momo heard Aizen ask her to stay, she stood where she was.
"You may all sit. It is not anything urgent, so there is no need to be so stiff."
Aizen smiled as he spoke.
The others knelt down and sat.
At that moment, the corner of Aizen's mouth rose slightly. With a faint smile, he slowly said,
"Renji, Hisagi, I have made a decision. I intend to transfer the two of you out of the Fifth Division."
Hearing this, surprise instantly appeared on Abarai and Hisagi's faces.
Their eyes were filled with confusion and incomprehension, along with a trace of reluctance.
They did not understand why they had suddenly received such an order.
And this was precisely why Aizen insisted on transferring them away.
When facing their captain's instructions, they did not immediately choose to obey.
Instead, their first reaction was to question him.
"There is no need for you two to get worked up."
Aizen's tone was gentle as he tried to calm their emotions.
Then Aizen began explaining to Abarai and Hisagi in detail why he had made this decision.
"Abarai, haven't you always regarded my strength as the goal you are chasing? That is why I have decided to send you to the Eleventh Division. This is entirely out of concern and expectation for you."
Aizen spoke earnestly to Abarai.
"The Eleventh Division has an excellent seated officer named Ikkaku Madarame. I believe that as long as you learn under him, you will definitely be able to quickly improve your strength and become an outstanding Shinigami sooner. In the future, you will also be able to assist me better."
"Hisagi, I know you originally joined the Fifth Division to repay me for saving your life, but that is already enough."
Aizen continued in a sincere tone.
"Think about your original reason for joining the Gotei 13. Was it not because of Captain Kensei Muguruma of the Ninth Division? That is why you tattooed the characters '69' on your face. I cannot keep you in the Fifth Division because of my own selfishness. That would be too disappointing. As your captain, I should understand and support the goals of my subordinates."
Hearing this, Hisagi's eyes became slightly moist.
He lowered his head, his voice somewhat choked.
"Captain… You're right. When I joined the Gotei 13, I always wanted to follow Captain Kensei Muguruma, even though he has already defected. But during my days in the Fifth Division, I also learned many things from you. You are also someone I respect."
Aizen smiled and patted Hisagi on the shoulder.
"Hisagi, you are an excellent Shinigami. No matter where you are, you will be able to display your abilities. I believe that even if you are no longer in the Fifth Division, the bond between us will not change. Go. Pursue your true goal."
Hisagi raised his head, his eyes shining with determination. He nodded firmly.
"Thank you, Captain! I will work hard!"
After saying that, he bowed deeply to Aizen.
"Abarai, what about you? Have you considered it? If you do not wish to go to the Eleventh Division, I will not force you."
Abarai struggled internally for a long time.
He knew this was a rare opportunity, one that could make him stronger.
But leaving the Fifth Division and leaving his captain behind made him somewhat reluctant.
In the end, however, he still made up his mind.
"Captain! I am willing to go to the Eleventh Division and learn under Ikkaku Madarame. Once I become stronger, I will come back and continue helping you."
Aizen smiled and nodded.
"Very good, Abarai. I believe you will definitely become an excellent Shinigami."
Momo Hinamori watched all of this from the side, her heart filled with admiration for Aizen.
She felt that Aizen truly was a good captain.
Not only did he care about the growth of his subordinates, but he was also willing to create better conditions for them.
In Momo Hinamori's eyes, everything Aizen had said was clearly for the long-term sake of his subordinates.
He might also feel reluctant inside about sending Renji and Hisagi to other divisions, but his willingness to endure that pain for the sake of his subordinates was truly admirable.
Aizen looked at Momo, his gaze carrying a hint of gentleness.
"Hinamori, you must not slack off either. I hope you can grow quickly and become my lieutenant one day. I hope you can lead everyone forward."
Momo Hinamori stood up somewhat nervously.
"Captain, I will definitely work hard! Please rest assured."
Aizen nodded in satisfaction, then turned and left the captain's office.
...
A few days later, Renji and Hisagi arrived at their new divisions and began their training lives.
They did not forget Aizen's teachings.
They trained hard and continuously improved their strength.
As for Momo Hinamori, she took on the main responsibility within the Fifth Division.
Taking Aizen as her role model, she worked hard to manage the division well, while silently paying attention to Renji and Hisagi's growth.
In the Eleventh Division, Renji relied on his outstanding talent and was promoted to the position of Sixth Seat.
Renji also greatly respected the division's Third Seat, Ikkaku Madarame, and Fifth Seat, Yumichika Ayasegawa.
Under the guidance of Third Seat Ikkaku Madarame, Renji also began learning Shikai.
"Third Seat Madarame, before I came to the Eleventh Division, I heard Captain Aizen praise you. He said you are a powerful Shinigami. It truly is my honor to learn under you."
When Ikkaku Madarame heard Renji Abarai say that even Captain Aizen had praised him, he was very happy inside. However, he still spoke modestly.
"Haha! Captain Aizen overpraises me. My strength is nothing much, Captain Aizen is the one who's truly powerful."
"Still, you're not bad yourself, kid! You became Sixth Seat as soon as you arrived."
Ikkaku Madarame patted Renji on the shoulder and laughed.
"It is all thanks to you, Third Seat Madarame. If not for your careful guidance, I would not have improved this much."
Renji scratched his head and laughed.
"Enough flattery!"
Ikkaku Madarame laughed and scolded him.
"Today, I will teach you about Shikai! Shikai is the initial release of a Zanpakutō, it is also the ability every Shinigami must learn to master. Otherwise, a Zanpakutō can only be used like an Asauchi."
As he spoke, Ikkaku Madarame drew his own Zanpakutō and showed it to Renji.
"My Zanpakutō is called Hōzukimaru. Its Shikai command is: 'Extend, Hōzukimaru!'"
In an instant, Hōzukimaru lengthened and emitted a dazzling light.
After its release, Ikkaku's Reiatsu also rose greatly.
"So amazing!" Renji exclaimed.
"Third Seat Madarame, then how do I master the release of my Zanpakutō?"
"To master Shikai, you must first learn the name of your Zanpakutō."
Ikkaku Madarame spoke with a serious expression.
"Every Zanpakutō has its own name. Only by communicating with it heart-to-heart can you learn that name."
Renji nodded, seeming to understand but not fully.
Then he asked, "Then what do I have to do to communicate with my Zanpakutō heart-to-heart?"
"That requires you to continuously train, temper your will, and then practice Jinzen."
Ikkaku Madarame continued.
"Only when your will is strong enough can you awaken the power within your Zanpakutō and learn its name."
After saying this, Ikkaku Madarame turned and left, leaving Renji behind with a thoughtful expression.
"Of course, there are freaks who don't need to go through that step."
At that moment, Ikkaku Madarame suddenly turned back around, curled his lip, and said,
"For example, that brat…"
Renji naturally knew who Ikkaku Madarame was talking about.
He meant Tōshirō Hitsugaya of the Tenth Division.
Now, Hitsugaya had already become Third Seat, and his strength could not be underestimated.
Before even entering Shin'ō Academy, Hitsugaya already knew the name of his Zanpakutō.
He was praised as a young genius of Soul Society.
However, he also had one small flaw.
Because he had mastered the power of his Zanpakutō too early, his physical development had been affected, making him relatively short.
But this did not prevent him from becoming an outstanding Shinigami.
Instead, it made him even more eye-catching.
"I understand, Third Seat Madarame!" Renji said with a firm gaze.
"I will definitely train hard and master Shikai!"
In the days that followed, Renji trained even harder, building a connection with his Zanpakutō.
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