Bleach: The Fifth Division Captain

Upon hearing those words, Seiya Arima's face lit up with an expression of "I knew it."

Kisuke Urahara's foundational philosophy wasn't far off from Yoruichi's. No surprise, considering they were practically a couple—both sought to reform the Soul Society through calm and measured means.

They were reformists, operating within the rigid pro-monarchist system.

Their approach was indeed gentle, their methods meticulous.

But if…

If not for Aizen's influence, Seiya might have obediently followed in their footsteps, attempting to reshape the Soul Society with their imaginative solutions.

But now, it was far too late.

As Employee #002 of Aizen Industries, Seiya was firmly committed to standing by Aizen's side!

"By the way, while my Gikongan project hasn't yet reached the mass-production stage, I've already developed the ability to customize it for specific spiritual bodies."

Kisuke chuckled as he patted Seiya on the shoulder.

"If you let me study your physical data, I could use it to refine my research. As a trade-off, I'll make a personalized Gikongan just for you."

Huh?

A custom-made version?

Although slightly tempted, Seiya realized he didn't really need it. For now, the World of the Living held little allure for him.

And even if he ever had to go there, it would likely be decades down the line.

More importantly, sharing his physical data carried potential risks. Seiya hesitated to hand over such sensitive information, even to someone like Kisuke.

He was just about to decline when Aizen approached from nearby, holding a bottle of non-alcoholic drink and smiling gently.

"Seiya-kun, I think you should give it a try. Having a Gikongan custom-made by Captain Urahara himself would be, quite literally, a collector's item."

Kisuke raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

"Oh, you get it, don't you? That's exactly it~ Seiya-kun, what do you say?"

Kisuke added persuasively,

"And don't worry about unexpected risks. The Gikongan only requires basic parameters like height and weight. It doesn't delve into anything invasive."

What else could he say?

They'd made it nearly impossible to refuse without seeming overly cautious.

Besides, with Aizen and Urahara both pushing for it, how could he decline without appearing ungrateful?

"Then I'll leave it to you, Captain Urahara."

"Haha, splendid~ Swing by my lab tomorrow morning, and I'll gather the necessary data."

With the matter settled, Kisuke finished his drink.

As he turned to leave, Seiya suddenly remembered something and called out,

"Captain Urahara! Earlier, you mentioned working on two major projects. If one is the Gikongan, what's the other?"

Pausing mid-step, Kisuke turned back, his face slightly flushed from the lingering effects of alcohol.

"Ah, that? It's true, there's another project…"

But, to Seiya's frustration, Kisuke flashed a mischievous grin.

"Unfortunately, it's classified. Not something you're cleared to know just yet. Maybe in the not-too-distant future, I'll share it with everyone?"

...Then why bring it up?! Was he just trying to tease me?

Seiya sighed as he watched Kisuke walk away, grinning ear to ear.

His antics really did remind Seiya of Yoruichi… spending time with either of them felt a lot like playing with a mischievous cat.

"Ah, so leaving people hanging like this is part of Captain Urahara's signature style when dealing with juniors?"

Aizen approached, carrying two trays, and naturally sat beside Seiya.

"Perhaps it's his way of piquing curiosity."

"Thanks." Seiya forced a smile, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

"That's exactly it… getting someone intrigued but refusing to elaborate is just plain frustrating."

"For now, set that aside. You haven't eaten yet, have you? Drinking on an empty stomach isn't good for you."

"Ah, thank you, Aiz—err, Sakaki-san!"

Aizen smiled faintly, seemingly unbothered by Seiya's slip of the tongue. Instead, he picked up his spoon and scooped some curry from his bowl.

"If Captain Urahara doesn't intend to explain, we'll just take a look ourselves tomorrow."

"..."

Did he plan to use Kyōka Suigetsu to break in?

That he could casually discuss such audacious plans was a testament to how formidable his abilities were.

Upon reflection, Seiya realized that there might not be a single place in the Seireitei where Aizen couldn't gain access.

It was, quite literally, a one-man open sesame.

"Um, will this really be okay?"

"Hmm. If there are any problems, they'll arise from your nervousness giving us away."

Wow. Aizen could be surprisingly sharp-tongued at times.

"Guess I'd better tread carefully tomorrow…"

"While I don't want to put undue pressure on you, you should indeed exercise caution."

"Just hearing that is already making me sweat…"

"Growth comes through experience, Seiya-kun. You'll get used to it."

Aizen's signature air of calm authority was almost soothing—until, as he took another bite of the curry in front of him, his expression shifted ever so slightly.

His normally placid features tightened in faint confusion, then distaste.

Aizen turned his head slightly and brought his left hand to his mouth, pulling out a long, thin, unfamiliar appendage from his curry.

"...What is this?"

His tone carried genuine perplexity.

"Let me see? Oh, that's a cricket leg. Happens sometimes—they didn't clean it properly during processing. But don't worry, it's edible and non-toxic."

Seiya's casual response left Aizen visibly puzzled.

"...Insect curry?"

"Yeah. Didn't you check the label before grabbing it, Sakaki-san?"

"I just noticed it was popular…"

Ah, that explained it.

And popular it certainly was—Seiya glanced across the room, where Nemuri Nanagō was enthusiastically devouring plate after plate under Mayuri Kurotsuchi's watchful eye.

"Seiya-kun… are you accustomed to eating this sort of thing?"

"Hm? Me? Ah… At first, I thought it was strange, but once I started thinking of it as chicken, it wasn't so hard to accept."

Plus, it's high in protein.

Aizen appeared to want to say something but instead coughed lightly and abruptly rose from his seat.

"Excuse me for a moment."

Huh?

Watching as Aizen made his way toward the restroom, Seiya belatedly realized something.

It seemed introducing such avant-garde cuisine to the Seireitei might remain an uphill battle.

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Powerstones?

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