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Chapter 369 B
🕑 Added 2025-06-05 15:03:02 +0000 UTCChapter 369
2-in-1 chapter: Aizen: Reflection Finally
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This butler had served the Kuchiki family for many years. He had also met Kaelith a few times before and had some understanding of his personality.
Seeing Kaelith’s expression, he didn’t beat around the bush. He got straight to the point and told him that the Eleventh Division had arrested Bōjō Chōji in the Rukongai district.
Then, he continued:
“Lord Kaelith, this matter was due to our Kuchiki family’s poor judgment in associating with the Bōjō family. We’ve already revoked their status as an affiliated house. But how to proceed from here depends on your stance.”
Kaelith yawned, nearly drifting off.
This kind of trivial noble affair was exactly the type he disliked most.
When the butler finished speaking, Kaelith replied,
“My stance? What stance do I have? Just handle it according to the laws of Seireitei. How have these things been dealt with in the past?”
The Kuchiki butler patiently explained:
“According to traditional procedures, this would be considered a minor oversight during delegated management. It wouldn’t result in any serious punishment. What do you think?”
The so-called “minor oversight” was simply a polite way of saying no punishment at all.
Under normal circumstances, the Bōjō family would walk away untouched.
Even as a lower-ranked noble house, they were still nobles—completely different from the commoners of Rukongai.
And the street in question was one entrusted to them by the Kuchiki family. Even without that, in the past, beating up a vendor wouldn’t have caused the slightest stir.
Nobles had committed far more outrageous things—this was nothing in comparison.
Having dealt with nobles for so long, Kaelith understood the subtext clearly. Rubbing his chin, he said:
“I see. Then let’s follow the Thirteenth Division’s regulations. Unprovoked assault causing severe injury should be... uh…”
He trailed off, glancing toward Ōmaeda and Sōsuke for help.
He had forgotten what the punishment standard was.
Sōsuke sighed and answered:
“Severe injury from assault—eighty lashes, fifty years imprisonment.”
Kaelith nodded repeatedly:
“Yes, yes—that sounds about right.”
The Kuchiki butler immediately understood. Smiling, he said:
“Understood. However, the Bōjō family still holds noble status. By Seireitei’s regulations, the matter must be transferred to the Central 46 for judgment.”
He paused briefly.
“How about this—during tomorrow’s Central 46 session, the Kuchiki family will submit an accusation against the Bōjō clan for failing to uphold noble decorum. Their title will be revoked, and the issue can then proceed as normal.”
Kaelith yawned again and nodded.
The butler bowed and wisely took his leave.
This incident wasn’t particularly important. For either the Kuchiki family or Kaelith, it amounted to no more than a minor annoyance.
If both sides weren’t involved, it wouldn’t have stirred even a ripple in the tranquil waters of Seireitei.
But precisely because Kaelith was involved—even the smallest issue required a personal inquiry.
This was the burden of status. Whether one liked it or not, living within the rules of this system meant facing it.
Once the Kuchiki retainer was gone, Kaelith visibly relaxed. Smiling, he turned to Sōsuke:
“Let’s go, let’s go. If we’re late, Kisuke will disappear again.”
After saying goodbye to Ōmaeda, Kaelith dragged Sōsuke back to the Kaelith Technology Bureau.
This time, Sōsuke didn’t resist.
Upon arriving, Kaelith strode in and called out,
“Kisuke Urahara! Come out and see me!”
He didn’t need to give a command. Kisuke, who had been waiting, darted out excitedly and walked up with a broad grin. He presented something with both hands like it was a treasure.
Sōsuke glanced at it. It looked familiar.
“LSP2?”
He suddenly recalled—it looked just like the LSP2 he’d seen back in Rukongai, though with a few updated details. Handing it over, Kisuke said with pride:
“Kaelith, this is the culmination of my tireless labor—the newest model: LSP2 Pro!”
“I haven’t slept in three days and nights to finish this.”
He grumbled while trying to earn credit.
To be fair, he hadn’t slacked off this time. But Kaelith’s requests had been wildly unrealistic. Though none of it was truly impossible, much of it presented real technical hurdles—and Kisuke didn’t want to exhaust himself.
Still, he had plenty of experience bluffing.
All he had to do was exaggerate the difficulty, claim he gave it his all, and Kaelith would probably buy it.
The only risk was Sōsuke. He actually understood technology—and wasn’t so easy to fool.
Fortunately, Sōsuke had always looked down on the LSP line, thinking it was beneath serious research. The odds of him stepping in to expose anything were slim.
Kaelith, holding the newest model lovingly, admired it from all angles. Unable to tell if it was good or bad, he simply powered it on and started a game.
He didn’t understand the tech, but he did understand games.
As he played, his brow furrowed.
“Kisuke, why’s the graphics quality still blurry in places? And the controls still aren’t smooth. Are you seriously not cutting corners?”
Kisuke had already prepared a long-winded explanation and immediately cried out in grievance. He launched into a full technical rant.
About subpar materials, controller chip limitations, needing to redevelop the graphics processor… the list went on.
In short: this was the best anyone could possibly do—no one else could’ve done better.
Unfortunately, Kaelith was also a seasoned loafer. He knew Kisuke too well to bother listening. Without a word, he handed the console to Sōsuke.
“Sōsuke, you take a look.”
Sōsuke took it and began examining it. Though it was his first time seeing one, his knowledge was over a hundred years ahead of its time. He instantly understood how it worked.
Within a few minutes, he had a full technical picture—and a conclusion.
All in all, Kisuke had indeed exaggerated the difficulty, though not by too much.
Had it been the Aizen of this world, he probably would’ve responded vaguely and moved on.
But he was different.
Just seeing Kisuke’s relaxed, smiling face made his blood boil.
He cleared his throat.
“Kaelith, this device is crudely assembled. I suspect someone didn’t take it seriously. The supposed technical barriers do exist, but they’re entirely solvable. It really wouldn’t take much time…”
He began explaining in detail.
The moment Kisuke heard that opening line, his eyes widened.
*Aizen Sōsuke—you traitor!*
As Sōsuke continued speaking, Kaelith’s gaze grew darker and darker.
By the end, he turned silently—an oppressive aura suddenly froze the very air.
Kisuke broke out in cold sweat, frantically waving his hands.
“Mr. Kaelith, please let me explain! It’s not what you think!”
Kaelith stepped forward, grabbed his collar, and gave a devilish grin:
“Oh? Are you saying Sōsuke’s lying about you? Hmm~ Looks like you’ve been living too comfortably lately. Time to crank up the pressure!”
From inside the Kaelith Technology Bureau, a miserable scream echoed.
Sōsuke calmly adjusted his glasses and, for the first time in a long while, felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
...........................
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After giving Kisuke Urahara a task cruel enough to make even tycoons weep, Kaelith left with Sōsuke, quite satisfied.
By late morning, the two had left the Second Division and were walking along the streets of Seireitei.
Aizen, in a good mood, smiled and asked,
“Kaelith, where are we heading next?”
Kaelith glanced at the street on either side, his eyes flicking slyly. Then he broke into a smile.
“Sōsuke, how about we go do something big?”
“Oh?” Aizen’s interest was piqued.
For someone who had already merged with the Hōgyoku, he didn’t believe anything in Seireitei could truly be considered “big.”
Still, curiosity was curiosity—he wanted to know what Kaelith was planning.
Kaelith chuckled and led the way toward the First Division.
“Sōsuke, in a moment, when we see the teacher—watch my cues.”
Aizen’s steps halted. They were going to see Genryūsai Yamamoto? What was he planning?
A few ideas flashed through his mind, but he dismissed each one in turn.
Then he looked up and saw Kaelith swaggering forward with an almost offensively cocky gait. He pressed a hand to his brow.
Forget it. Best not to overthink it.
Before long, the two arrived at the First Division. Kaelith didn’t even wait for an announcement—he barged in like it was his own house, shouting loudly before even entering the door.
Inside the meditation chamber, Yamamoto’s right eyelid twitched violently. A moment later, the voice rang outside.
“Teacher, teacher! I came to visit! Are you there?”
Just hearing the voice gave Yamamoto a headache.
Why had no one reported this? Who had let this rascal in?
He sighed internally, just as the door was pushed open. Kaelith strode in laughing, even turning back smugly to say,
“Sōsuke, didn’t I say the teacher would be here? You didn’t believe me.”
Yamamoto paused. Only now did he notice that Kaelith wasn’t alone.
Aizen stepped in and bowed politely.
“Captain-Commander.”
Yamamoto nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly.
He knew Aizen was Kaelith’s friend, but although Kaelith had no sense of decorum, he rarely brought his companions to the First Division.
What were they planning?
As he considered this, Kaelith had already plopped himself down across from him.
“Teacher, I’ve recently had a revelation about the Dao of Chess. I’ve attained an unbeatable technique—'Heaven and Earth in Harmony'—and today I’ll defeat you completely!”
Come to play chess?
Yamamoto snorted.
Kaelith’s calligraphy was unmatched in all Seireitei—everyone knew this.
But his skill at chess? That was another matter entirely.
“Fine. Since you’re so eager to embarrass yourself, I’ll humor you.”
Yamamoto gave a short grunt, then turned to fetch the Chess board from a nearby cabinet.
But Kaelith raised a hand to stop him.
“Hold on, we’re not playing Chess today.”
Yamamoto said, “Fine. Not Chess—Shogi, then?”
Kaelith interrupted again.
“Not Shogi either.”
Yamamoto’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
“Boy, are you here to make trouble?”
Kaelith shrank back slightly.
“No, teacher. I was thinking—how about we play Xiangqi today?”
(Note: Xiangqi is a Chinese board game similar to chess, with unique pieces and rules reflecting ancient military strategy.)
Yamamoto was taken aback. He thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Xiangqi, huh? That works.”
Xiangqi, an ancient chess variant from a nation in the Living World, wasn’t mainstream in Seireitei—but plenty of people still played it. To someone who had lived over a thousand years, like Yamamoto, he was naturally familiar with it.
Privately, he smirked.
Kaelith had probably read a few opening manuals at home and thought he had a chance. Perfect. He’d use this opportunity to crush the boy’s arrogance.
He retrieved the board. Before long, everything was set up. The two sat down across from each other, and Aizen took a seat beside Kaelith.
He still hadn’t figured out what Kaelith was up to. Was this so-called "big thing" really just playing chess?
Each had their own thoughts, but the match began.
Kaelith had the first move, opening with a standard cannon to central five.
Yamamoto responded calmly, horse to eight-seven.
The opening proceeded evenly, both sides probing each other.
But by mid-game, Kaelith had clearly fallen behind.
Yamamoto was feeling quite smug.
This brat really thinks he can challenge me with those weak moves?
Victory seemed certain. Chuckling, he lifted a teacup to his lips.
Then Kaelith suddenly slammed a cannon piece onto the board and declared, “There’s an opening—check!”
Pfft!
Yamamoto nearly spat his tea everywhere.
He roared, “Brat! Since when can cannons move diagonally?!”
Kaelith grinned.
“Bet you didn’t see that coming! This is my ultimate technique: Modern Autonomous Artillery! It tracks its targets automatically—cool, huh?”
Aizen silently covered his face.
Yamamoto was seething. He called out, and with a swoosh, his cane came flying into his hand.
“Little bastard… I’ll show you a real cannon!”
But before he could move, a massive spiritual pressure burst from Kaelith.
In the next instant, Kaelith’s eyes focused. With spiritual energy coiled in his fist, he launched a strike at Yamamoto.
BOOM!
The shock was so great that even Yamamoto, with all his experience, hadn’t seen it coming. Reacting purely on instinct, he folded his arms to block.
Even so, the sneak attack forced him back a step. His cane flew from his hand.
A single thought flashed through his mind:
This brat—has he finally turned against me?!
But as confusion clouded him, Kaelith snatched up the cane and shouted,
“Got it! Let’s go!” And in the blink of an eye, he vanished in a blur.
Aizen was stunned.
The change had come so quickly that even he couldn’t react in time.
But he was still Aizen. He saw that something was wrong, and without waiting to understand it, he turned and followed after Kaelith.
Yamamoto came to his senses, his fury igniting.
“Brat! Today, I’m purging my house!”
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions shook the First Division. Kaelith laughed like a righteous hero while fleeing.
Aizen followed behind, utterly bewildered.
The two of them quickly left the First Division, fleeing into the heart of Seireitei. Behind them, Yamamoto, engulfed in flames, gave chase.
And just like that, chaos descended on all of Seireitei.
Up ahead, Kaelith and Aizen dashed through the streets. Behind them, Yamamoto tore after them like a humanoid tyrannosaurus, punching craters into the ground.
In the Second Division, Ōmaeda Marechiyo caught sight of two blurs streaking by—followed by the Captain-Commander himself, punching a hole into the street as he chased.
In the Fourth Division, Captain Unohana watched the chase with a gentle smile, pointing helpfully to a trash can at the corner.
Yamamoto’s eyes narrowed. Two figures leapt out of the trash can and resumed their escape.
In the Fifth Division, Shinji Hirako was calmly drinking tea.
BOOM!
The gates of the Fifth were blasted open. Three figures zipped past, the shaking ground spilling tea all over his face.
In the Sixth Division, Kuchiki Ginrei stood at the entrance, murmuring,
“Ah… youth truly is a blessing.”
In the Eighth, Kyōraku Shunsui lay lazily on a rooftop, calling out:
“Little brother, don’t go that way. Old man Yama’s circling around to block you!”
In the Eleventh, a gang of bald brutes stood beside the barracks cheering,
“Boss, don’t lose to the Captain-Commander!”
At the Twelfth, Kirio Hikifune stood at the gate waving,
“Good luck, Master! I’ve come up with a new dish! You and young Aizen should come taste it sometime!”
…........
Huff… huff…
No one knew how long they ran.
By sunset, Kaelith and Aizen had finally shaken off Yamamoto.
Now they lay panting on the grassy riverbank.
After a while, Aizen sat up. The setting sun bathed the river in golden ripples.
It had been so long since he’d run like this. So long, he’d almost forgotten how it felt.
Watching Kaelith laugh between gasps, he asked helplessly,
“So… you dragged me along to steal Ryūjin Jakka from Captain-Commander Yamamoto—what exactly do you plan to do?”
Kaelith cheerfully lifted the cane. With a bit of force, the wooden exterior dissolved—revealing the Zanpakutō within.
The most powerful fire-type Zanpakutō: Ryūjin Jakka.
He grinned.
“Sōsuke, did you know? Food grilled with Ryūjin Jakka tastes absolutely incredible. I’ve been meaning to cook you a meal for ages.”
“?”
Aizen stared.
“You went through all that trouble—just for this?”
Kaelith gave him a puzzled look.
“Isn’t that reason enough?”
Then he grinned wide.
“This is the best way I could think of to show hospitality. Back in my homeland, there’s a saying: ‘Is it not a joy to welcome a friend from afar?’”
“You came from far away. Of course I’d treat you to the best food.”
Aizen sat there for a long moment. Then he chuckled softly.
“When did you figure it out?”
Kaelith didn’t answer. Instead, he stood and smiled.
“Not important. Let’s fish. I’ll show you what I can do.”
Aizen smiled too, dropping the question.
Soon, a campfire rose by the riverside. Kaelith whispered something to Ryūjin Jakka, and astonishingly, the Zanpakutō cooperated—igniting flame on the ground.
Fish sizzled, fat dripping into the fire. Kaelith handed Aizen one.
“Try it.”
Aizen took a bite—and the flavor exploded across his tongue. It was better than anything he’d ever eaten.
His lips curved into a genuine smile. His heart felt lighter than ever before.
Then, white light enveloped his body.
“Sōsuke?” Kaelith turned to him.
Aizen looked down at himself.
He’d felt this once before.
He immediately understood—this was the Hōgyoku reacting, sensing that his wish had been fulfilled.
His emotions grew complicated.
It was such a simple moment.
Such a ridiculous, meaningless prank.
But…for a moment, he was truly happy.
Bathed in light, he turned toward Kaelith.
“I had a good time today.”
“Kaelith—if fate allows, let’s meet again.”
Kaelith was silent for a moment. Then he grinned brightly.
“Next time you come, I’ll prepare something even better for you.”
Aizen snorted.
“Let’s not go that far…”
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As the light faded, darkness returned.
On the black throne in Muken, Aizen slowly opened his eyes.
The corners of his lips lifted. In his gaze held something he hadn't experienced in a long while: It was anticipation.
Kaelith.
And the version of me from that other world.
What kind of different path… will the two of you walk?
Let me look forward to it.
(The End)
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Note: Hope you all like this side story! I certainly did. There is also another side story but I will leave that one for later ;)
Comments
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This deeper look into Aizen was done decently well. Though I do feel like you should've had Kaelith show off more of his good points in front of this Aizen. His raw combat power, his extreme intuition, Kaelith's own unique genius. What the visiting Aizen saw today was a brash idiot. And if it wasn't for younger Aizen vouching for their history, the visiting Aizen would've just seen the bad aspects and thought of Kaelith as a clown.
