Different philosophies, different goals, parting ways is inevitable.
If Aizen had separated from the Gotei 13 on friendly terms, Kyoya's impression of him might have been slightly better.
But someone like Aizen, who ate the Seireitei's food, used the Seireitei's resources, used the souls of Shinigami and Rukongai's residents as experimental materials, and then ended up confronting the Gotei 13 with the Hollows...
He truly wanted to squeeze Gotei 13 dry.
As for sentencing Sosuke Aizen to twenty thousand years of imprisonment, such a punishment, in Kyoya's view, is no different from no punishment at all.
By that time, Aizen had completely fused with the Hogyoku.
Even if he were completely sealed in the Muken, his own Reiatsu would gradually increase until it reached the limits of Aizen and the Hogyoku.
Regarding the judgment against Aizen, Kyoya could also understand it.
Just like in Kyoya's previous world, the laws for crimes ordinary people might commit were very harsh.
Once violated, the punishment was severe, meant to deter ordinary people and prevent more from breaking the law.
But for those crimes only high-level individuals could commit, the sentences were much lighter, and there were even many convoluted loopholes allowing these high-level individuals to avoid punishment even if sentenced.
Ultimately, so-called 'laws' are merely 'reins' used by the upper echelons to bind the common people.
But the upper echelons themselves do not wish to be saddled with these 'reins'.
Those so-called 'heavy sentences' that are exposed are also just specially pushed out by the upper echelons for the ignorant masses below to see, to embody the so-called 'equality before the law'.
But in reality, is it really equal?
Ordinary people rot in prison.
But as for those high-level individuals, whether they are truly in prison or continuing their enjoyment in places unknown to ordinary people, no one can know until it's exposed.
After all, ordinary people are busy desperately earning money to support their families, so where would they have the extra money and energy to investigate whether those high-level individuals are truly being punished?
The world is one giant makeshift stage.
Even if the worlds are different, human nature is the same.
Those nobles weren't sure that they or their descendants might commit mistakes similar to Aizen's.
If they truly sentenced Aizen to death, never mind whether they could even kill him, their future selves or descendants would likely cause their entire families to fall into decline because of this precedent.
That is, Aizen Sosuke, in the final battle, only killed his own allies, Tosen and Gin, and didn't actually kill any of the Gotei 13's Captains or Lieutenants.
It was precisely because he knew this that Kyoya felt at ease letting the Revolutionary Army comrades engage in a simulated war with the Gotei 13.
Of course, if Aizen were to discard all courtesy, Kyoya wasn't exactly a pushover either.
"Kyoya-sama, we will not betray the Revolutionary Army!"
While Kyoya's thoughts were wandering, the Commander of the First Army, Kisaragi Shusuke, said solemnly: "Changing the Rukongai is not a grand achievement that can be accomplished overnight."
"And..."
"Even if we really do enter the Seireitei in the future and bring new choices to the people of this world, to prevent the future Revolutionary Army from becoming today's Seireitei, the existence of Baltigo in the Rukongai is absolutely essential."
"Rather, the changes we bring to this world, that time will be the true test for us!"
"Correct."
As soon as Amagai said this, it immediately gained the approval of many commanders.
Yumichika, Commander of the Third Army, twirled a strand of his shoulder-length hair with his index finger and smiled: "Kyoya-sama, from the beginning, when we went to the Seireitei, it was to follow you."
"Whether you were in the Gotei 13, or left the Gotei 13 to form the Revolutionary Army, Ikkaku and I will follow behind you."
"Correct."
Ikkaku placed his Zanpakuto on his shoulders, his wrists hooked behind his neck as if carrying a shoulder pole: "Kyoya-sama, I'm not really interested in changing anything."
"My greatest wish is to follow behind you, fight alongside you, even if I die on the way, I have no regrets."
"Sigh…"
Hitsugaya rubbed his forehead.
This wasn't the first time he regretted following Kyoya to the Revolutionary Army.
Just look at these people, mythologized by the ordinary residents of the Rukongai as the top leadership of the Revolutionary Army, what kind of people are they?
The Chief of Staff Koga is family-oriented. After the Vice Chief of Staff, Rukia grew up, he hardly ever comes to the meeting room to chair meetings unless it's for major events.
Shusuke, the Commander of the First Army, usually has a good personality and temper, and has gained the favor of many civilians and soldiers.
One could say Shusuke is the Revolutionary Army's Aizen, and no one would object.
Of course, this was also related to the fact that Aizen hadn't yet revealed his true colors.
With the assistance of his Kyoka Suigetsu, the persona Aizen had built over hundreds of years, even if he himself stood up and betrayed everyone, many people still deeply believed he wasn't a cold-blooded executioner.
But once issues involving the nobles within the Seireitei or the Gotei 13 were involved, Shusuke became very extreme.
Later, Hitsugaya also learned that this was related to Shusuke's father.
He heard that Shusuke's father was framed by the nobles of the Seireitei, and due to the Gotei 13's untimely rescue, he was heavily injured during a mission.
Although he survived, he lost his Shinigami powers.
If not for Kyoya's help, their entire family might not have been able to leave the Seireitei, and might have already been killed by assassins sent by those nobles.
The Commanders of the Second and Third Armies, Ikkaku and Yumichika, as they said themselves, are both battle maniacs, solely wanting to follow behind Kyoya and fight.
The affairs of these two armies are handled by the deputy commanders.
Yumichika is a bit better, as he will proactively complete some of the army's duties.
But Ikkaku, unless there is a combat mission, is either training or on the way to training.
Hitsugaya's own deputy commander, Abarai Renji, had received quite a bit of guidance from Ikkaku and had acknowledged him as his big brother.
The Commander of the Fourth Army, Kukaku, is very straightforward and doesn't place much importance on the Revolutionary Army's cause.
On the contrary, the deputy commander, Ganju, blends in well with the residents of the Rukongai.
When encountering unfair matters, he often steps forward, and his reputation is probably the best within the Fourth Army.
The Commander of the Sixth Army, Ashido, is considered the most qualified revolutionary in Toshiro's mind. (T/N: I don't know why Ichinose wasn't mentioned here.)
As for his own Seventh Army…
Thinking of this, Toshiro Hitsugaya felt his head starting to ache again.
'What a joke?'
'What do those guys think I am?'
'My daily training time is almost maxed out, and during rest time, I still have to struggle through fatigue to handle some affairs...'
Many times, Hitsugaya wanted to stop and rest.
But Kyoya said that the battle deciding the world's fate is coming soon.
At that time, as the possessor of the [Strongest Ice-type Zanpakuto], he must become the strongest in the Revolutionary Army after Kyoya, in order to protect more people in that battle.
It was precisely because of such desperate effort that Hitsugaya, in just these short twenty-plus years, not only managed to have the Sixth Army he leads catch up from behind, but his own strength within the Revolutionary Army is second only to Kyoya's.
At the same time, Hitsugaya might be the only one among the Revolutionary Army's high-level leadership who would continue to uphold the Revolutionary Army's will even if Kyoya left.
In the original Bleach World, Hitsugaya was seen by Yamamoto and Kyoraku as a 'genius' who would reach Yamamoto's level in the future.
It was certain that after Kyoraku, the only one in the Gotei 13 who could take up the banner of Captain-Commander was Hitsugaya.
Similarly, within the Revolutionary Army, Kyoya also cultivated Hitsugaya as the future Supreme Leader of the Revolutionary Army.
Whether it was the Revolutionary Army's philosophy, or the Shinigami's Four Basic Combat Forms of Zanjutsu, Hoho, Hakuda, Kido, or even the Rokushiki...
Except for Haki, Kyoya taught Hitsugaya everything he knew.
"Alright, Kyoya."
"You should first tell us what you need us to do."
Hitsugaya's attitude towards Kyoya wasn't very polite.
No one really minded this, though.
After all, everyone knew that Hitsugaya was being groomed by Kyoya as the Revolutionary Army's next Supreme Leader.
And Kyoya, after the future battle, would lead the Revolutionary Army into the Seireitei.
However, the Revolutionary Army's philosophy dictated that they couldn't all enter the Seireitei.
A part of the Revolutionary Army would remain in the Rukongai, to maintain the philosophy of 'giving the people of the Soul Society a second choice'.
That is to say, some among them might follow Kyoya-sama when the time comes.
What would be left for Hitsugaya then might just be a mess.
Truthfully, Hitsugaya could be considered the one 'abandoned' by Kyoya.
So, everyone could understand the resentment in Hitsugaya's heart.
As long as Hitsugaya was willing to take over the Revolutionary Army, no matter what he said or did, they wouldn't hold it against him.
Otherwise, if Hitsugaya were to refuse the responsibility, then inevitably one of them, no, at least three of them, would have to stay behind in the Rukongai to ensure the Revolutionary Army had the potential to nurture strength capable of fighting the Gotei 13.
One against three… that was the current value of Toshiro Hitsugaya.
In hundreds of years in the future, Hitsugaya, having reached his own limits, could even be considered a second [Millennium's Strongest Shinigami] within the Rukongai!
Similarly, they also agreed with what Hitsugaya said.
No matter how much they discussed here, in the end, they would do exactly as Kyoya said!
Even the Shiba siblings, who were single-mindedly focused on saving their sister-in-law, looked at Kyoya.
"Alright then, let me talk about the key points of this simulated war..."
"First, although this is a battle between our Revolutionary Army and the Gotei 13, our Revolutionary Army doesn't need to be the vanguard."
"As far as I know, that boy who received Shiba Miyako's Shinigami power, his Saketsu and Hakusui were severely damaged by the 6th Division's Captain, Kuchiki Byakuya. With the help of the former 12th Division Captain, Urahara Kisuke, he reawakened his own Shinigami power, correct?"
"What?"
"Awakened his own Shinigami power?"
Hearing Kyoya's words, everyone in the conference room was instantly shocked.
Why is Shinigami power called 'Shinigami power'?
It's because only the power of a Shinigami, when killing a Hollow, purifies the Hollow's soul and guides it to the Soul Society to continue participating in the cycle of spiritual particles.
Only those nobles in the Seireitei who followed the Soul King possess Shinigami power.
After Yamamoto established the Gotei 13 and forcefully entered the Seireitei, he took the Shinigami power from the nobles and made it part of the training for students of the Shin'o Academy.
Kyoya's Baltigo Academy naturally also had such training.
Ordinary people in the living world, unless they receive Reiatsu bestowed by a Shinigami, cannot possibly possess Shinigami power.
But now Kyoya was saying that boy awakened his own 'Shinigami power'.
But how could a human possess Shinigami power?
"Don't be so surprised."
Kyoya waved his hand: "That boy's father, even if you don't know him, you should have heard of him."
"It's the former 10th Division's Captain, Shiba Isshin."
"Back then, he was attacked, lost his Reiatsu in the living world, and then married a girl from the living world named Kurosaki Masaki."
"Kurosaki Ichigo is Shiba Isshin's eldest son. It's not strange for him to have Shinigami power."
"So that's how it is."
With this explanation from Kyoya, everyone could accept it.
In the Soul Society, children directly born to Shinigami have a high probability of also possessing Reiatsu.
"Barring any accidents, that boy named Kurosaki Ichigo will be guided by Urahara Kisuke to come to the Soul Society to rescue Shiba Miyako."
"Let Kurosaki Ichigo and his group be the vanguard."
"Your objective is to seek out the Gotei 13 Captains and Lieutenants yourselves, to measure your own strength."
"Kyoya-sama, even if it means seeking out Captain-Commander Yamamoto, it doesn't matter?"
Hearing this, everyone immediately turned their gaze towards Shusuke.
"Don't look at me like that!"
Being stared at by everyone as if he were an idiot, even with Shusuke's thick skin, he blushed in embarrassment.
"Aren't you all curious about how strong the Millennium's Strongest Shinigami really is?"
"Curious, of course."
Kukaku nodded: "But, even if we're curious, we also know that among us, besides Kyoya-sama, only Hitsugaya Toshiro has the potential to reach that level."
"Anyway, I wouldn't dare to face that one directly."
Ikkaku and Yumichika both nodded immediately afterwards.
They were former Shinigami of the 11th Division, so they had naturally seen Yamamoto before.
Even in his normal state, Yamamoto was incredibly terrifying in their eyes.