Aizen carefully examined these few swords.
Just as Suzuki Makoto had said, the ones he used the most were those two uchigatana. Even that red-and-black odachi was frequently seen in his hands. However, the Western Branch-style cross greatsword that housed Jeanne d'Arc was the only one Aizen had never seen Suzuki Makoto use in battle, not even during his spars with Retsu Unohana.
Aside from those three swords, there was also an Asauchi stained with Suzuki Makoto's Reiatsu. However, this Asauchi was still just an Asauchi; it could not yet be called a Zanpakuto.
"So, Suzuki-kun, you actually intend to merge all three of these swords you frequently use into this single Zanpakuto?"
"Yes. The reason I have this thought is that these three swords all share a similar quality, and they have been with me for a long time. I cannot bear to discard any of them, so I can only attempt this method that has never been tried before."
This was evidently the difference between the two men. After discovering his limits, Aizen sought to break through the boundaries of a Shinigami by modifying his body. Suzuki Makoto, upon discovering his limits, sought to break them by modifying his sword.
Aizen was also very interested in this approach. Gentlemen seek harmony but not uniformity; if Suzuki Makoto lacked his own independent way of thinking, Aizen would actually have felt disappointed.
"In that case, has Suzuki-kun's plan made any progress?"
"At least these three swords are responding to my will more and more like an extension of my arm. Perhaps because I am too greedy and want to smelt them all into a whole at once, the synchronization rate is still somewhat low. If I were to do it one by one, perhaps there would have been substantial progress by now."
"In that case, it might actually be harder to succeed. After all, every sword is unique. Kneading them into a whole all at once might be difficult at first but easier later. But taking turns one by one would certainly be easy at first but difficult later."
The two chatted further about Shigekuni Yamamoto's Zanjutsu and Reiatsu, as well as possible moves and even countermeasures.
"For the time being, I cannot verify these methods over there, but perhaps I will find an opportunity later."
"There is no need to put yourself in danger. Neither of us is in our prime state right now. I need to continue completing the Hogyoku, and you need to continue completing your Zanpakuto. I am full of confidence in our future—especially since we are both still very young and have plenty of time."
Aizen was very open-minded about this point. If there was no opportunity, he would continue to wait slowly; he was never one to rush for quick results.
"Then I will not disturb your rest, Suzuki-kun. We will meet again tomorrow when you return from the 1st Division barracks."
Time passed quickly in the Seireitei. Suzuki Makoto had even gotten used to this life of sparring with the Captain-Commander on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; clashing blades with Unohana on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; and beating up Kenpachi Zaraki on Sundays.
Until this day, people from the Western Branch came knocking.
"Um, Lord Suzuki, these people say that the last person their Captain met before leaving was you, and then she never returned. So they implore you to help find Captain Jeanne. They can't delay any longer and must return to the Western Branch."
Nanao Ise of the 8th Division was currently acting as a translator, helping Suzuki Makoto communicate with the people from the Western Branch.
"Has your Captain not contacted you?"
"Ever since their Captain left the Seireitei with her luggage that day, they haven't had much contact. Although the call connects, Miss Jeanne always says she is very busy and tells them not to worry. If it weren't for that, they wouldn't have dragged it out until now to come find you."
Suzuki Makoto scratched his head. He seemed to vaguely recall hearing something about this in his communications with Black Jeanne. This Miss Jeanne seemed to have a very favorable impression of the Yellow Turbans founded by Suzuki Makoto. Even in the current situation of manpower shortage, she had actively shouldered the duties of the Inspection Team. Like Black Jeanne, she patrolled the Rukongai with high intensity every day, helping with the villages under construction or hunting down Hollows that had inexplicably crossed over.
"How about this? I will write a letter for you and ask the Yellow Turbans to help look for her."
The people from the Western Branch were on the verge of tears of joy. They really didn't know how to fob off their superiors anymore. They couldn't very well say they came to the Eastern Branch and managed to lose the Vice-Leader of their Sabres unit, could they? If they went back like that, they would probably be finely chopped into mincemeat.
After first glossing over these people and sending them away, Suzuki Makoto immediately dialed the communication with Black Jeanne.
"Huh? You actually reached out to me voluntarily? What happened? Are we going to blow up the Seireitei again?"
"...I told you to learn self-cultivation and moral character from your sister. It seems you haven't learned a single thing."
"Who is my sister!"
The other side bristled instantly, but Suzuki Makoto's expression remained calm.
"Where is Miss Jeanne? Is she next to you?"
"She's not. Didn't I say she is also one of the leaders of the Inspection Team now? She must be somewhere else. I don't have the ability to lead people; she's good at leading, so I let her lead."
The man held his forehead. You can't do it, but can't you learn? Are you really going to treat the foreign aid as a local player and play her for a lifetime?
"Forget it. Anyway, the people from the Western Branch are going back. Go find Jeanne and tell her to come back."
"Oh, just that? She said to let her people go back first; she wants to stay a while longer."
Ah, are they really going to stay and be sisters for life?
Suzuki Makoto was a bit stunned.
"Why?"
"She said she hasn't lived a life like this for a long time, so she wants to stay here and help the people a bit more. Also, she wants to learn more from the Yellow Turbans' experience; she says it might be useful for the Western Branch later—that's roughly what she meant. Anyway, she should have already told her subordinates. As for why they came to find you, probably because they wanted to drag their Captain back in person?"
So it was the International Brigades. Suzuki Makoto had been a bit superficial there.
"Since that's the case, I'll talk to the people from the Western Branch first. You also go find Jeanne and tell her it's best to meet her subordinates and talk in person, otherwise they might think I deliberately kidnapped their Captain."
"I know, I know."
"Also, since she is willing to stay, don't go acting alone anymore. Learn from her more, whether it's leading people or other aspects, understood?"
"Why are you so long-winded! Of course I know. You don't need to tell me that. It's all because you ran off that I'm busy to death! Where would I find time to learn!"
Hearing the communication cut off on the other end, the man's face was full of helplessness.
It increasingly felt like a rebellious daughter and an incompetent father.
____
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