The estate where the three Quincy sisters resided was funded by the Ishida family.
Coincidentally, it was located directly above the previous gathering place of the Quincy.
From the outside, the Ishida family's mansion still looked the same, but inside, it was surrounded by mountains and forests.
To the right were rolling mountains, and to the left, dense woods.
The mansion was nestled within this thick forest, and through the windows, children could be seen happily running and playing on the lawn.
The children would see Aozaki and Masaki from the windows far away and would smile and greet them.
Aozaki was still very easy to get along with when facing non-hostile entities.
In his opinion, there were many sights to behold in life, and there was no need to always look like he was burdened by deep-seated grudges; learning to enjoy life was very important.
With his looks far above average, his warm smile always made the children feel safe and happy.
Therefore, he had a pretty good relationship with these children.
Upon arriving at a room door, the atmosphere became exceptionally solemn.
Aozaki looked at Masaki with a serious expression, a hint of worry and tension in his eyes.
He asked gently and earnestly, full of concern:
"Have you made up your mind? Once you step through this door, you can never turn back."
Facing Aozaki's serious questioning, Masaki placed her hand on the doorknob, feeling the cold touch of the metal.
The air was filled with a faint masculine scent, and her mind was full of thoughts.
It was a refreshing scent, yet it also made one feel tense, but it was so familiar that it evoked nostalgia, and memories from the past flashed through her mind.
That older sister who loved to smile foolishly at the moon, that Quincy Lord with a quick temper but not violent, and that gentle and kind Shinigami brother…
All these beautiful memories flashed through her mind, everything overlapping with the empty room before her.
Suddenly, a strong determination surged within her.
The former little sister, now a graceful young woman, straightened her back and opened her eyes, looking directly at Aozaki.
She answered without hesitation:
"I have made up my mind!"
Her voice was clear and resonant, as if it would pierce through the entire space.
Masaki knew what she was about to face; she had fantasized about it countless times in the dead of night.
...
After Aozaki experienced many days and nights in the Human World.
Soul Society.
Night fell, and a bright full moon hung in the sky, like a giant silver plate, suspended quietly above the firmament.
Moonlight poured down like water, illuminating a tranquil scene.
However, corresponding to that tranquility was the calm within the Squad One Barracks.
The houses here emitted faint light, appearing somewhat dim, but they complemented the moonlight outside, forming a unique and beautiful picture.
Suddenly, a slight sound broke the tranquility.
With a "whoosh," a wooden door slowly closed.
Aizen stood at the doorway, holding a stack of documents just delivered by the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, his gaze sweeping over the three people in front of him.
They were Third Division Captain Hitsugaya Tōshirō, Fifth Division Captain Hirako Shinji, and Seventh Division Captain Komamura Sajin.
Hitsugaya Tōshirō maintained his usual arrogant expression; the brat seemed to disdain everything around him.
Komamura Sajin, with his large wolf head resembling an Akita dog, tried his best to imitate Captain-Commander Yamamoto's serious expression, staring intently at Aizen.
These were all perfectly normal scenes; if it were a usual time, Aizen might not have noticed anything unusual about the three.
However, the problem lay precisely with the third person—Hirako Shinji.
Since becoming Vice-Captain of the First Division, Aizen's workload had drastically increased, so much so that even his time for playing games had significantly decreased.
And Hirako Shinji, for some reason, always picked fights with him, hindering his efforts to make this world a better place.
How could he tolerate this?
It already annoyed him to be subordinate to Aozaki and to have to feign obedience to those nobles.
How could he possibly endure this frustration from a mere Hirako Shinji?
Thus, to punish Hirako Shinji, this villain who hindered the world's development, and also to vent his own frustration.
He discovered a new hobby.
That was to give Hirako Shinji a hair treatment once a year.
The benefits were obvious.
It could lighten Hirako Shinji's burden on his head, make his abnormal mind a little clearer, and also relieve his own work pressure.
Seven years ago, the urban legend of the "Hair Thief" caused a sensation throughout the city.
He committed crimes every year and was never caught.
And it only happened once a year, with only one victim.
It was said that once, Captain-Commander and his Vice-Captain personally went to apprehend him, but the culprit still escaped.
Since then, Hirako Shinji basically never took off his wig.
And today happened to be the day Aizen relieved his stress; he had just returned from Hirako's house less than two minutes ago.
Logically, Hirako Shinji should have no hair on his head right now.
However, he was now standing before him with a head of smooth, medium-length hair.
That hair looked like it had been growing for about a year!
With Aizen's meticulous observational skills, he could tell at a glance that the hair was genuine, definitely not a wig made of inferior materials imitating real hair.
"Are you the Reigai that Reiji mentioned? Then... before you bid farewell to this world, I have a question I want to ask you."
Aizen's tone was extremely gentle, like a kind and approachable older brother next door.
Unfortunately, there were no girls here who would blush because of it; the only long-haired creature was the annoying blonde man in front of him.
"He really is an arrogant fellow, just like that Aozaki."
Hirako Shinji said, crossing his arms, full of mockery.
Aizen adjusted his glasses, a ray of light reflecting off them, and his proud head slightly lowered, making his expression unreadable.
He didn't respond, but continued to ask:
"Why didn't you let me do it myself? Do you three dare to appear before me?"
Hirako Shinji sneered:
"Idiot, do you take me for a fool? Why would I tell you something like that?!"
"Also, standing before you are three Captains. Instead of worrying about such insignificant matters, worry about yourself."
"Vice-Captain, that's because your Reiatsu is too strong, so we temporarily couldn't find suitable materials."
Komamura Sajin scratched his head, looking unconcerned, as if he were talking about something trivial.
"Moreover, our Reiatsu has been strengthened compared to our original bodies. Our Lord believes that with the three of us working together, we should be able to fight you."
"Hey! Are you an idiot? Why would you tell him that?!"
Hirako Shinji looked at his dog-headed teammate beside him, who was calm and composed as if nothing had happened, utterly speechless.
Isn't this an obvious giveaway?
"That's Aizen, the most sinister and cunning guy in the Gotei 13, and one of our biggest enemies!"
Komamura Sajin scratched his head with a wry smile:
"Sorry, perhaps this is the loyalty and righteousness that Genryūsai often spoke of to you."
"Loyalty and righteousness, my ass! Your current Lord isn't that old man, nor is it Reiji or Aizen!"
Hirako Shinji rubbed his forehead helplessly.
"Forget it, what's said is said and can't be taken back. But dead men, I guess, don't have to worry about talking."
"Perfect, I've wanted to deal with this annoying guy for a long time."
Looking at the calm man under the moonlight, Hirako Shinji grinned, forming a dangerous arc, revealing a mouthful of chilling white teeth.
"Fall, Sakanade!"