Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō novel Chapter 140

Chapter 140 - 140: Children

When Shinji Hirako looked down, he sucked in a sharp breath.

Masatsuki Aozaki turned his gaze toward the field, only to be met with a warm, gentle smile—one that carried a faint trace of provocation.

"Interesting..." Masatsuki murmured, his tone laced with meaning.

Unlike Shinji, he had no intention of exposing Aizen.

First, words alone meant nothing. Yamamoto might not even believe it.

Second, he understood Aizen's strength. Aizen wasn't Yamamoto's match, but unless the old man was willing to destroy the world in the process, taking him down wouldn't be easy either.

Third, Masatsuki himself was too deeply entangled with Aizen. If certain things came to light, knowing Yamamoto's rigid nature, the old man might decide to "clean the house."

Aizen could always escape. Masatsuki? Not so much.

So, in that regard, he agreed with Shinji—Yamamoto was indeed stubborn.

The other captains, unaware of the thoughts running through Masatsuki and Shinji's minds, simply watched the scene unfold with intrigue.

Despite Aizen's arrogance, ruthlessness, and his countless murders—not to mention his ambition to overthrow Seireitei's order—most people still saw him as a model Shinigami.

Masatsuki could only admit one thing—when it came to acting, he had a lot to learn from Aizen.

The man could effortlessly charm young Shinigami, turn them against Seireitei, and even after everything, some still worshipped him.

If Aizen weren't so obsessed with overcomplicating things, he would've been an undeniable candidate for Captain-Commander once Yamamoto stepped down.

"If you make it to the top, what's left that you can't do?" Masatsuki mused, watching Aizen's confident stance. "A lone genius—unable to tolerate being beneath a group of incompetent fools once your goal is achieved?"

Taking a deep breath, Masatsuki smirked, as if he had seen right through everything.

"And now, you're stepping up to become a Captain. What changed your mind? Well, I suppose if used correctly, a Captain's authority can go a long way. Good luck."

Masatsuki knew Aizen had never stayed in the 5th Division as a Lieutenant out of duty—it had always been a game. He was simply passing time, waiting to see when Shinji would finally uncover his true nature.

Now, though, something new had piqued his interest.

After all, he is someone who could shave Shinji Hirako's head bald just for fun.

It sounded childish, but at the core of it, Aizen was like a child—one whose intellect was simply too advanced for his own good.

His extraordinary abilities set him apart from others, and his superior intelligence allowed him to see far beyond the surface of things.

It was as if he stood alone in a world far older than what ordinary souls could perceive—a solitary child crying into the void.

His mind was too sharp, too keen, and in the grand illusion he saw, he was always alone.

Yet, the very fact that he could feel loneliness proved something important—he was still human. A social creature by nature.

People could only grow through connections with others. No matter how far Aizen distanced himself, at his core, he was just a lonely child longing for companionship.

Looking back at his actions in another timeline, Masatsuki could see it—traces of childish defiance, masked by grandeur.

Aizen looked at Masatsuki Aozaki's smiling expression and felt an unprecedented sense of joy.

"So, you understand me? As expected, we are the same kind of person."

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Aizen Sōsuke let out a slow breath and stepped forward to face Kensei Muguruma.

"Your name is Sōsuke Aizen, right? Shinji Hirako's Lieutenant," Kensei suddenly spoke.

"I heard you're not even 200 years old, yet you've already mastered Bankai. Not bad."

"For Shinji Hirako's sake, I didn't really want to hurt you."

"But since the Captain-Commander has ordered it, I won't be holding back."

His tall, muscular frame exuded raw strength, making him seem overwhelmingly dominant compared to the seemingly frail Aizen.

The Lieutenants watching from the sidelines swallowed nervously.

Kensei stared straight at Aizen, as if expecting some sort of reaction.

However, Aizen didn't display the slightest hint of fear, contrary to Kensei's expectations.

The young man, his 5th Division armband neatly tied around his arm, simply gazed at him in silence.

"I'll take this exam seriously, so please don't hold back, Captain Muguruma."

Kensei was momentarily taken aback.

There was something unsettling about Aizen's calm demeanor—something that made even him feel a slight sense of pressure.

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