Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō

The idea of surpassing opponents far above his level—a trope seen in countless novels—wasn't something Masatsuki Aozaki was focusing on for now.

In the world of Bleach, fighting above one's rank was incredibly difficult.

A Shinigami's combat strength was fundamentally tied to Reiatsu. No matter how refined one's techniques were, without sufficient Reiatsu, they were meaningless.

Of course, there were exceptions—special cases like Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, whose Zanpakutō was simply too overpowered.

Even at the time of his death, his Reiatsu had never exceeded the boundaries of what a Shinigami could achieve, yet the sheer destructive power of his Zanpakutō was enough to reduce everything to ash.

Masatsuki didn't know how his own talent compared to Sōsuke Aizen's.

But he believed that with a talent acknowledged by both Retsu Unohana and Yamamoto, coupled with their personal guidance, he would one day reach the pinnacle of what a Shinigami could be.

...

Knock, knock, knock!

A sudden knocking pulled Masatsuki from his thoughts.

He casually threw on a yukata and walked over to open the door.

"Masatsuki."

Standing outside was Gin Ichimaru.

"Captain Unohana sent over some Zanjutsu manuals."

Masatsuki nodded and smiled.

"Thanks for the trouble."

Gin signaled to the two 4th Division members behind him, and they quickly carried in several large wooden crates filled with books.

Creak—

The crates were placed inside in one swift motion. The two 4th Division Shinigami cast Masatsuki a look of admiration before respectfully taking their leave.

Masatsuki, unconcerned with formalities, plopped down on the wooden floor, flipping open a book from one of the crates. As he skimmed through it, he casually asked,

"How's Rangiku doing?"

Gin glanced at the immaculately clean floor, as if debating whether it had been wiped down… or if Masatsuki had simply sat it clean.

At Masatsuki's question, a peculiar smile crossed Gin's face.

"Not sure what got into her, but she's training in the dojo right now."

Masatsuki blinked, then let out a chuckle.

"Looks like little Rangiku's finally growing up."

Then again, he supposed it made sense.

Rangiku wanted to improve— but she was just too prone to slacking off. Now that she was feeling the pressure, it was only natural she'd start putting in effort.

Gin's expression turned serious.

"But Masatsuki, the nobles sent someone to find me again today. Are you sure that continuing like this won't cause problems?"

Masatsuki half-closed his eyes.

"My situation at Shin'ō Academy isn't exactly a secret from the Gotei 13. As long as those nobles don't want to drag me down with them, they won't touch you."

"Captain-Commander Yamamoto and Captain Unohana personally instructing me? It's not just about teaching—it's a form of protection."

Gin was silent for a moment.

"...I still feel like your situation is dangerous. It won't be long before the Gotei 13 starts digging deeper."

Masatsuki shook his head with a smile.

"Gin, don't overestimate how noble the Captain-Commander and Unohana are. And don't assume they're blind, either—they know exactly who I am."

"To them, human lives mean nothing—let alone some back-alley street fights in Rukongai."

"That was just a struggle for survival. The Captain-Commander won't blame me for something like that."

"As for my dealings with the nobles, that's even further outside his concern."

Masatsuki paused, then changed the subject.

"I heard Lieutenant Aizen came looking for me recently?"

Gin nodded.

"Yeah. He showed up while you were in Zanjutsu class. Apparently, he hopes you'll consider joining the 5th Division after graduation."

Masatsuki let out a cold chuckle.

"If Lieutenant Aizen comes looking for me again, pass along a message—tell him I'll seriously consider his offer... but my decision will be based on the Captain-Commander's opinion."

Aizen was still in the early stages of his plan—gathering Reiatsu from souls with Shinigami potential, laying the groundwork for the Hōgyoku.

According to the original timeline, in a few more decades, he'd begin hollowfying Shinigami for his experiments. Right now, what he needed most was manpower.

That's why he was so eager for Masatsuki to graduate quickly—to officially obtain Shinigami status.

Which division he ended up in?

Didn't really matter.

Because ultimately, the Captain-Commander had the final say on that.

For most recruits, Yamamoto wouldn't interfere.

But Masatsuki?

Masatsuki was half his student.

Gin nodded slightly but hesitated, as if there was something else he wanted to say—yet in the end, he held his tongue.

"Is there anything else?"

Masatsuki glanced at him.

Gin carefully considered his words before speaking slowly.

"Raito Tsunayashiro sent someone earlier, inviting you to his mansion."

"He's already pulled several classmates to his side, and the Tsunayashiro Clan is expanding fast."

"It's said that families opposing them have been severely weakened by the rebels."

He took a deep breath, his expression growing serious.

"Some students from noble families say the rebels are connected to the Tsunayashiro Clan."

"Most think it's just a rumor, but I doubt it's that simple…"

"Tsunayashiro Clan?"

Hearing the name, Masatsuki paused briefly before an odd expression crossed his face.

Whoever opposes the Tsunayashiro Clan ends up targeted by the rebels—there's no way the two aren't connected.

No wonder the old man Yamamoto made a point of transferring Kōga Kuchiki to lead the 1st Division's Special Forces.

To counter one of the Four Great Noble Clans, he deployed another noble house of equal standing.

Makes sense.

The Tsunayashiro Clan seeks to expand its power, while the Kuchiki Clan, as the model for all Shinigami, is responsible for upholding the laws of Soul Society. One's very existence naturally hinders the other's ambitions, making their conflict inevitable.

The old man Yamamoto is a monster who has lived for over two thousand years. Though he confines himself to Soul Society's rules, he knows exactly how to use them to his advantage.

If he can't act personally, he'll let the nobles fight among themselves.

"You're right. The Tsunayashiro Clan is probably…"

Gin trailed off, his tone carrying a trace of unease.

Masatsuki chuckled, cutting straight to the point.

"They're just a bunch of power-drunk fools. Right now, they're like rabid dogs, showing off their fangs and biting whoever they please."

Gin glanced at Masatsuki. After two years together, he had long realized that Masatsuki was reckless and utterly lawless.

But even so, hearing him mock the esteemed Tsunayashiro Clan with such blatant contempt still left Gin feeling exasperated.

"You're awfully calm about this."

He sighed, shaking his head.

"The rebels may have been suppressed by the Gotei 13, but if the Tsunayashiro Clan decides to make a move on us…"

"Raito Tsunayashiro is already using his clan's name to recruit classmates and expand his influence at Shin'ō Academy. If he sets his sights on us, we'll be in serious trouble…"

"If we keep refusing, we might even be made an example of. The rebels don't care whether we're students or not."

His expression grew uneasy.

"Masatsuki, should we report this to the Gotei 13?"

Masatsuki fell into thought.

The Tsunayashiro Clan was a real headache.

That family was full of lunatics, especially Tokinada Tsunayashiro—the worst of them all.

He didn't even take Yamamoto or Unohana seriously. If he decided to do something reckless, nothing was off the table.

"I'll handle this. Everyone has a backer, after all."

At times like this, Masatsuki couldn't help but appreciate having a certain cheap teacher.

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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