CHAPTER 458: CHAPTER 458: THEY’RE DIFFERENT

"Who dares barge in here without being announced!?"

The Inner Court Trooper turned around in shock.

Before he could react, a young man with brown, curly hair and glasses approached with a soft smile. His expression was calm, his demeanor bright and gentle.

He wore a sleeveless white haori, and a wooden badge with the character "一" (one) was tied to his arm.

The lords of the Central 46 Compound only glanced at the intruder briefly before shifting their eyes to the doorway beyond him.

There, a tall figure stood framed by the solemn stone gate, a radiant smile on his face—yet even under the sunlight, it sent chills down the spine.

"Masatsuki Aozaki, Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, and Lieutenant Sōsuke Aizen—why are you here?"

"And you—Gotei 13 is only authorized to patrol the outer perimeter. How did you get inside?"

"To draw your blades in the Council Hall... are you attempting a rebellion?"

"Guards! Someone! Arrest these traitors at once!"

Amid the rising clamor of scolding voices, a furious shout rang out.

From hidden passages, a flood of Shinigami guards poured forth—clad in white masks and wielding iron forks.

Their movements were swift. In moments, Masatsuki Aozaki and the 11th Division squad members were surrounded.

Surrounded by guards and facing wise men and judges treating them like enemies, Aizen merely smiled with a touch of mockery.

"My lords, why such harsh words? We’ve come to protect you."

"Nonsense! The Central 46 Compound has its own guards—we don’t need your protection!"

"For you to intrude into the Council Hall uninvited is a grave offense. You clearly have no regard for the authority of those present!"

"Exactly. Captain-Commander Aozaki, I advise you to retreat at once."

At these words, a flicker of disdain passed through Aizen’s eyes. He chuckled softly.

"Oh? Is that so?"

With that, he gracefully drew Kyōka Suigetsu from his waist—his gaze pausing for a moment on one of the wise men.

That wise man’s heart trembled.

Meeting Aizen’s cold gaze, a sense of dread surged through him. He turned to flee.

But in the very next moment, a sharp blade pierced his chest.

Before he could even cry out, the long katana sliced upward, cleaving him clean from chest to skull.

The chamber was instantly thrown into a scene of shocking bloodshed.

A brief silence fell before an enraged voice exploded:

"How dare you! Committing murder in the Council Hall!? What are you all standing around for—arrest this criminal!"

"My lords, there’s no need to panic. Perhaps you should take a look at this."

Unbothered, Aizen calmly shook his head.

A wave of unseen Reiatsu surged from his body, distorting the surrounding air as it swept across the entire Council Hall.

He bent down, retrieving something from the pool of blood.

The wise men and judges narrowed their eyes, leaning forward to see more clearly.

In his hand was a red orb, shaped like a pill.

Even more astonishing—both the corpse and the blood on the ground began to disintegrate, crumbling into ash.

"Is that... a Gikongan pill developed by the 12th Division!? How could the Shinigami Research and Development Institute dare to create something like this!?"

One of the wise men couldn’t help but cry out.

As a critical experimental tool directly tied to the safety of Shinigami operating in the World of the Living, any research related to the Gikongan had to be reported to the Central 46 Compound from the outset.

Even though these wise men rarely left their chambers, they could still recognize such an item at a glance.

The color might be different, but it was unmistakably a Gikongan pill.

But then... how did that wise man end up with one inside his body?

These men weren’t fools. It only took a moment of thought for a terrifying idea to dawn on them.

With a casual pinch of his fingers, Aizen crushed the pill like a candy bead.

"You’re mistaken, my lords. While this does relate somewhat to the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, the real responsibility... lies with you."

"What did you say!?"

"Do you remember Ōko Yushima? And his Spearhead Project?"

"Ōko Yushima?"

"Never heard of him."

"Who’s that?"

The sages and judges exchanged puzzled looks.

Clearly, a low-level researcher from the 12th Division wasn’t worth remembering to these dignitaries—even if their decisions nearly ruined his life.

But in Masatsuki Aozaki’s mind, these people had brought it on themselves. If they didn’t approve of the research, they could’ve simply shut it down.

The man hadn’t even done anything yet—and his original intentions had been good. Sentencing him outright was far too cruel.

Aizen stood in the center of the council hall, the floor beneath his feet glowing with light, making him appear like a poised and elegant speaker on stage.

"This one here is not a real wise man, but a Reigai—an artificial replica created by Ōko Yushima."

"A hundred years ago, he proposed the Spearhead Project based on this research. But you all rejected him."

"He harbored that resentment and eventually sought revenge—secretly replacing wise men and judges with his Reigai."

The sages’ worst fears were confirmed. A chill ran down their spines.

Hearing some of them start to breathe heavily, Aizen sneered.

"No need to panic, my lords. The Gotei 13 has already developed a way to identify Reigai."

"To ensure your safety, those whose names are called—please come with us."

The guards in the hall glanced at one another, unsure of what to do, then looked up to the six highest seats.

"Captain-Commander, the floor is yours."

A voice rang out from above. Everyone turned toward it and saw it was the judge from the Shihōin Clan before looking away again.

Everyone knew the Shihōin Clan and the Aozaki Clan were aligned.

If not for the Kuchiki Clan remaining neutral on the surface, and the Shiba Clan still lacking influence after their recent return...

Everyone here would have already become Masatsuki Aozaki’s people. There would be no room left for the other families to survive.

With one judge taking the lead, the others followed, all except the one who had called for Masatsuki Aozaki’s arrest.

Five judges were enough. The remaining wise men echoed their assent.

Masatsuki Aozaki looked toward that lone judge and said in a deep voice,

"Takeaki-sama, you’ll be coming with us."

He turned to the squad members behind him.

"Take him down. If he resists—kill him."

The Shinigami charged forward with their blades drawn, shouting loudly, completely unconcerned with the fact that their target might be a high-ranking official.

The wise men began to panic.

Some tried to shout over the chaos, hoping to stop the fierce charge of the squad members.

The judge seated in the high position looked on in shock as the Shinigami rushed in without hesitation. At last, he couldn’t stay calm any longer.

"Outrageous! You fools, let me go—I am a judge!"

"Hah... whether you’re Takeaki-sama or not, the Gotei 13 will determine that,"

Aizen replied with a smile, gently waving his drawn blade.

"My advice? Don’t bother struggling pointlessly. Otherwise..."

For a moment, the council hall echoed with the screams of sages and the roars of Shinigami.

Those who complied were escorted away.

Those who resisted were executed on the spot.

That was the brutal, straightforward style of the 11th Division.

The judges stared at Masatsuki Aozaki, standing beside Aizen and observing it all, and couldn’t help but feel a chill down their spines.

This new Captain-Commander was nothing like Yamamoto.

The era of playing house was over.

Though they had long seen the future coming... the judges could only taste bitter regret as they realized—they were completely powerless to stop it.