Chapter 316: Szayelaporro's Request
Yamamoto was quite satisfied with Satoru's response.
Based on his understanding of Satoru Mikami, he could tell at a glance whether the latter was lying.
Fortunately, although this troublesome disciple often angered him, he had never disappointed when it came to matters of principle.
Just as Yamamoto was about to speak, Satoru declared triumphantly:
"Dealing with you, Sensei, I alone am more than enough. Why would I need to team up with others?"
"?"
The First Division barracks erupted with towering flames.
Satoru's figure, accompanied by a pained cry, soared into the sky.
Yamamoto sheathed his Zanpakutō and let out a long sigh.
His feelings toward Satoru were truly complex.
He had witnessed Kōga Kuchiki's fall from grace step by step.
Kōga Kuchiki suffered from deep inferiority, while his mentor Ginrei Kuchiki never spoke plainly.
Put together, they were a recipe for tragedy.
Satoru was the complete opposite of Kōga Kuchiki—this kid probably didn't even know how to spell "inferiority."
The problem was, the kid was overly confident.
If he continued down this path of invincibility, there might come a day when no one could keep up with him, leaving him lost.
In the worst-case scenario, he might even become psychologically twisted and do something foolish.
As his teacher, guiding this kid was of utmost importance.
At least while he was still alive, he had to make sure Satoru understood that there was still someone who could keep him in check.
As for after his death...
Yamamoto's eyes lowered slightly.
Yhwach's revival was drawing nearer with each passing day.
Facing Yhwach's return, even he couldn't guarantee a hundred percent victory.
If he were to die, the future of the Soul Society would truly fall into that guy's hands.
Sorry, kid. I know this burden is being placed on you too soon.
But time waits for no one...
...
...
"My deepest apologies, Lord Mikami."
In the main hall of Las Noches, Ulquiorra knelt on one knee, his head bowed deeply.
His eyes were shut tight, his heart filled with regret.
He had been so foolish to cause such a major incident.
If not for the Shinigami of the Mikami Group in the Soul Society stepping in to assist, he might have ruined Lord Mikami's plans!
Upon returning to Hueco Mundo, he even considered ending his own life.
Satoru lounged on his massive throne, watching Ulquiorra kneel below.
Not far away, Baraggan sat in another large chair, watching with schadenfreude.
Although he had surrendered to Satoru, he mostly stayed out of Hueco Mundo's affairs.
For instance, he hadn't participated in Satoru and Aizen's Hollowfication procedures.
On one hand, his abilities were too lethal—unsuited for routine tasks.
On the other, his love for Las Noches ran deep.
Even now, with Las Noches transformed beyond recognition by Satoru, he remained its steadfast guardian.
Whenever Satoru took others on missions, he left Baraggan behind to watch over the palace—more reliable than a guard goose.
A Shinigami may not be loyal to the Seireitei, but they will always be loyal to Yamamoto Shigekuni.
As for Baraggan, perhaps he wasn't loyal to Satoru, but he was certainly loyal to Las Noches.
Besides guarding the fortress, Baraggan had recently developed a new hobby.
That was the LSP in his hands.
For the past half month, he had been controlling Joshua and Estelle, happily adventuring across the fantasy continent.
Compared to games like Monster Hunter or League of Legends, RPGs were clearly more suited to him.
Hearing Ulquiorra's words, he paused his gameplay and looked up.
"Hmph... What use are empty words?"
"In my reign, fools like you would have been torn to shreds and fed to my subordinates."
Satoru waved his hand:
"Show me what happened back then."
Upon hearing this, Ulquiorra stood up and without hesitation gouged out one of his eyes, crushing it into fragments.
As he did so, a recorded image materialized in the air.
The scene showed his interaction with the noble from the Kijima family, culminating in the killing.
Seeing the young noble's comments about Satoru in the recording, the Arrancars' expressions turned grim.
If it were up to them, such scum wouldn't even get three chances.
They'd kill him after the first remark!
Satoru shook his head in amusement.
"I thought something serious had happened... and it's just this."
"There are plenty in the Soul Society who dislike me. If you start any conversation in the Noble District, hundreds would express similar opinions."
"If you tried to kill every single one, you'd have no time for anything else - you'd be busy killing them all day."
Hearing this, Ulquiorra frowned:
"Why? Lord Mikami is so powerful, why don't these people in Seireitei respect him?"
"Because Seireitei is different from Hueco Mundo. It's not just about fighting and killing—social etiquette matters too."
"Honestly, I'm not very good at that sort of thing myself. If you're interested in learning, you could ask Sōsuke."
Satoru said cheerfully.
Ulquiorra fell into thought.
If he mastered social etiquette, would he finally understand the human heart?
Grimmjow scoffed, "I don't need to learn any of that. The strong deserve respect, the weak are trash."
"You're being a bit extreme," Satoru remarked with a sigh.
In the end, Ulquiorra's punishment was to go to the human world and work as a salesman at Satoru Paradise Games, promoting the new LSP gaming console.
Satoru believed this position would thoroughly teach Ulquiorra about social etiquette.
Next, he turned to Tier Harribel and the others, asking what they had gained from their trip to Soul Society.
Aside from Nel, who found Soul Society nice and interesting, the others thought it was somewhat boring compared to Hueco Mundo.
Satoru was shocked by this response.
What was so good about Hueco Mundo? A desolate place with nothing but sand and moon—not even birds would shit there.
Maybe it was just homesickness.
After the discussion, Satoru found a gigai for Ulquiorra and sent him to the mortal realm... ahem, to the human world.
Before he left, Satoru specifically instructed Ulquiorra not to use violence and to act like an ordinary human.
Ulquiorra promised to do his best.
...
...
Seireitei, Noble District.
A elder from the Tsunayashiro Clan sneaked up to a house, confirmed no one was around, quickly entered, and closed the door.
Inside, Aizen sat at a table, leisurely drinking tea.
"Welcome back, Elder Kohei."
"Please, you flatter me."
The elder wiped his sweat and hurriedly waved his hands.
"How did it go?"
Aizen set down his cup and asked calmly.
Tsunayashiro Kohei quickly replied, "It's been resolved... just as you said, the other three families came out to support Mikami Satoru, and I immediately stepped forward as well."
"With all the great noble families taking sides, who else would dare object?"
Aizen nodded, unsurprised by this outcome.
"And how did Captain-Commander Yamamoto react?"
His glasses gleamed with a silver light, obscuring the expression in his eyes.
But Tsunayashiro Kohei knew that behind them lay eyes constantly scheming.
He lowered his head, "Yamamoto didn't seem to care much. When he saw the four families supporting Mikami Satoru, he softened his previously firm stance and left quickly."
"Oh... and before he left, he seemed to say something to Mikami Satoru."
Hearing this, Aizen thought for a few seconds.
Then, he curled his lips into a smile.
"I understand."
"You've done well, Elder Kohei."
Tsunayashiro Kohei hurriedly said he didn't deserve the praise.
Seeing that Aizen seemed to be in a good mood, he cautiously probed,
"Vice-Captain Aizen... about my grandson?"
"Don't worry, I'll ensure his safety."
Aizen smiled.
"As long as you cooperate well, I'll not only protect him but also train him to become a powerful warrior like Shiba Isshin."
"Among the younger generation of the Tsunayashiro Clan, aside from Tsunayashiro Tokinada, there are no promising descendants left... and since Tokinada has offended Satoru, he can no longer lead the Tsunayashiro Clan."
"If your grandson proves capable, I need not elaborate on who will guide the Tsunayashiro Clan in the future."
Hearing this, Tsunayashiro Kohei couldn't help but reveal an excited gleam in his eyes.
"Vice-Captain Aizen, rest assured! This old man will spare no effort!"
After repeatedly thanking Aizen, he retreated backward and left.
Watching the door close again, Aizen shook his head lightly.
Such are the nobles... Even as turmoil rages outside and the entire world faces crisis, their sole desire remains seizing more power within their clans.
In contrast, that fellow Shiba Isshin is truly an oddity among the great nobles.
Come to think of it, if he seriously mentored Tsunayashiro Kohei's young grandson, molded him into the shape he desired, and supported his rise to become head of the Tsunayashiro Clan—wouldn't that improve this family?
The moment this thought emerged, Aizen suddenly felt a peculiar mood.
Had he not embarked on this path of revolution, he might have considered becoming an educator.
Rotting, foul adults were beyond his ability to change.
But the next generation of the Soul Society—he could still transform them.
Well, he should visit Shin'ō Academy more often when free and conduct some research.
...
...
In the following period, the Noble District incident gradually subsided.
However, rumors about Satoru Mikami multiplied.
Some claimed the Kijima family had offended Satoru Mikami, leading to their public execution by his subordinates, with Yamamoto unable to intervene.
Others whispered that Satoru Mikami sought rebellion, and killing nobles was merely the prelude.
Yamamoto hadn't acted initially because Satoru's faction outnumbered them.
Afterward, Yamamoto lured Satoru to the First Division and launched a fierce assault.
Witnesses reported towering flames erupting from the First Division that day, with Satoru wounded by Yamamoto.
Regardless of the version, one fact remained undeniable: Satoru Mikami had defied rules to publicly execute nobles, yet was shielded by four of the Five Noble Clans, leaving Yamamoto powerless.
Many nobles who had previously resented Satoru and the Eleventh Division shifted their attitudes.
Aizen expressed satisfaction with this development.
Satoru himself remained largely indifferent.
After all, to him, most people in the Noble District were no different from NPCs, aside from a few acquaintances.
NPCs could call you "brother" one moment and turn hostile the next—such fickleness was commonplace.
For him, Yamamoto's lessons on Ura Hadō brought far more joy than noble attitudes.
Over the past millennium, Yamamoto had rarely practiced Ura Hadō, so applying it in combat felt somewhat unfamiliar.
Against ordinary opponents, this wouldn't be noticeable.
But... Satoru was different.
This boy's growth evolved at a staggering pace, refreshing daily like software updates.
During training, Yamamoto often left openings after using Ura Hadō, which Satoru keenly exploited with relentless combos that left him flustered.
On several occasions, the boy even managed to injure him.
Yamamoto felt as vexed as if he'd been bitten by Komamura.
Had he ever improved this rapidly in his youth?
This kid was truly a monster!
However, aside from the displeasure, there was even more joy.
Only someone as powerful as Satoru Mikami could lead everyone to the end.
If he were to disappear one day, the administrative affairs of the Gotei 13 could be handed over to that troublesome disciple, Kyōraku.
Charging into battle could also be entrusted to that troublesome disciple, Mikami.
As for mediating relationships and smoothing things over, that task would naturally fall to that obedient disciple, Ukitake.
He truly was a successful teacher~
...
...
"Boss, these are all my research materials from over the years, all compiled here."
"Who knows when we'll meet again next time."
"If luck isn't on my side, we might never see each other again."
"Please take care of yourself from now on."
Under Satoru's somewhat surprised gaze, Szayelaporro smiled and placed a briefcase in front of him.
Seeing that Szayelaporro didn't seem to be joking, Satoru asked doubtfully:
"Has your time come?"
"...Not exactly, but it's close enough."
Szayelaporro pointed to his own head.
"You should remember, boss, my long-standing research goal."
"How to become more perverted?"
"..."
"Sorry, just joking."
Satoru coughed: "I remember, your research goal is to complete the 'Annunciation' and become an existence capable of laying eggs anywhere and giving birth anytime."
"That's right, exactly so."
Szayelaporro nodded with a smile, seemingly pleased that someone with such poor memory could actually remember something so complex.
"After all these years of research and preparation, combined with all the experimental equipment you provided me, I've finally seen hope of completing this research."
"To complete the research, I need to split myself into two parts."
"After the split, one part of me will become someone who only understands combat, no longer understands science or art - a Mikami... ahem, I mean, an idiot."
"Should I make you physically split right now? Believe it or not?"
Satoru's voice turned icy.
Szayelaporro gave an awkward laugh: "The other part of me will completely inherit the talent for science and art, with targeted physical modifications to successfully complete the Annunciation."
"After splitting, I'll try my best to preserve memories in the second body."
"But... no one can guarantee how complete the result will be."
"If by then, I no longer remember you, boss, and no longer have any value worth utilizing, I hope you'll leave me with the most basic research resources so I can slowly fulfill my long-cherished wish."
"I'm counting on you."