CHAPTER 471: CHAPTER 471: SPECIAL FORCES UNIT

The reason Masatsuki Aozaki was seen as a great man in Yamamoto’s eyes had nothing to do with being a good person.

Compassion is a luxury only the strong can afford.

He simply had the qualifications—and the willingness—to wield that power when needed.

That was how he justified his actions.

As for how many in Soul Society considered him worthy of being written into the history books, Masatsuki Aozaki didn’t particularly care.

His focus lay on far more practical matters.

...

In the Aozaki family’s underground base within Soul Society, a hidden laboratory lay tucked away from prying eyes.

Masatsuki Aozaki stood quietly at the lab bench, casually tossing two white sheets over the figures before him.

On the two spotless white tables, the forms of two women stirred, slowly opening their eyes.

They looked around the room with faintly puzzled expressions.

"Good evening, Captain Katori. Captain Saitō."

A gentle greeting cut through the silence. Both women turned simultaneously, their gazes settling on the handsome young man before them.

His long black hair fluttered slightly in the air, and he wore a Shihakushō with a white haori draped over it. A faint smile lingered at the corners of his lips.

It had to be said—his appearance made a strong first impression.

"Who... are you?"

The woman with the long ponytail and glasses spoke first.

Her mind still lingered in the terrifying moment when a hand of Reiatsu had pierced through her chest, and the pain of her soul being torn apart still burned fresh in memory.

In its raw form, her soul had been plunged into a prolonged chaos. Her thoughts had become blurred and scattered.

"You seriously don’t remember? Masatsuki Aozaki! We’ve already fought twice—ring any bells?!"

Masatsuki waved a hand in front of her eyes, then leaned in close, clearly trying to jog her memory through sheer proximity.

The woman with the ponytail frowned slightly at his sudden closeness.

A few seconds later, her eyes widened in realization, and she gave a knowing look.

"Right... now I remember. You’re that ridiculously strong junior who left me completely helpless!"

"Whoa, the first thing you remember is my strength? Now that’s classic Batsuyunsai Katori-sensei!"

Masatsuki grinned and nodded in satisfaction.

According to the old man, every member of the original Gotei 13 had been the perfect blend of battle maniac and bloodthirsty killer.

So it no longer surprised him that Batsuyunsai Katori fixated on his power.

And indeed, the two women before him were none other than Batsuyunsai Katori and Furōfushi Saitō—the real ones.

Through his deep study of Ōko Yushima’s Reigai technology, Masatsuki Aozaki had succeeded in bringing them back.

But these weren’t mere Reigai. Their souls weren’t confined to small Gikongan.

By ingeniously harnessing the power of creation, he had refined Yushima’s methods, allowing them to return in their full glory.

Both Batsuyunsai Katori and Furōfushi Saitō were now genuine beings—able to exist freely across the Three Worlds.

They were neither puppets created by Kagerōza Inaba nor undead summoned from Hell.

What made this truly remarkable was that it marked Masatsuki’s first successful creation of true life.

This experience pushed his mastery over the power of creation to a whole new level.

And with that, he’d also gained a far deeper understanding of its nature.

Barring any surprises, his growth in wielding the power of creation was about to accelerate dramatically.

"It’s been years... and now we finally meet again."

"Listening to you talk makes it feel like it’s been forever. Honestly, I’ve been itching to fight you again."

Furōfushi Saitō looked at Masatsuki Aozaki, emotions swirling inside her.

But behind that was a flicker of confusion in her eyes.

"But... why? We should be dead. So why are we here, alive?"

She couldn’t help but ask, her voice tinged with shock.

This defied all logic.

"Because I made a few adjustments to your souls. I severed your connection to Hell and restored you as living beings. That’s how you’re here."

Masatsuki Aozaki explained calmly, spreading his hands as if it were nothing more than a minor procedure.

He paused thoughtfully for a moment, as though mentally reviewing the process for anything he might have overlooked, then nodded slightly.

"That’s all there is to it."

Furōfushi Saitō was stunned.

To snatch someone back from Hell—she had never even heard of such a thing.

They had spent countless years trapped there, yet never witnessed anything even remotely like this.

Even if it was difficult to process, the undeniable reality in front of them left little room for doubt.

"Is it just the two of us?"

Batsuyunsai Katori looked around, scanning the room with a puzzled expression.

The lab was spacious and brightly lit, immaculate from corner to corner.

The futuristic equipment and sleek design radiated a technological sophistication they’d never encountered before—unsurprising, given they were relics from a thousand years past.

But despite the clean layout, the space felt oddly empty.

Besides the three of them, there was no one else in sight.

Masatsuki Aozaki chuckled at Katori’s question.

"They’ve already reported in to the 1st Division."

"The 1st Division?"

Katori scratched her head in confusion and glanced at Furōfushi Saitō.

But Saitō looked just as lost, clearly unsure of what that meant.

Instead of answering directly, Masatsuki pulled a document from inside his robe and unfolded it in front of them.

As their eyes fell on the page, both women showed a flash of surprise—then frowned.

It was an official document from the Central 46 Compound.

It clearly authorized the resurrection of the original captains of the Gotei 13.

Even more shocking, it approved the Captain-Commander’s request to form a special unit directly under his command, composed entirely of those original captains.

The nobles must have been terrified at the very idea—an elite squad of first-generation captains, all under the command of an even more terrifying Captain-Commander.

Of course, had this simply been a standard Central 46 order, Katori and Saitō wouldn’t have thought much of it.

What caught their attention was something else entirely.

The document bore no signature from any Central 46 judge.

Instead, it was stamped with the seals of the Captain-Commander, the Chief Judge, and the Grand Wise Man.

"This is... strange."

The two women exchanged glances, their expressions filled with doubt.

They could ignore the two unfamiliar titles—but since when did the Central 46 require the Captain-Commander’s approval?

Could it be that old man Yamamoto had changed? Was he now using sheer strength to take control of Seireitei’s political system?

Though long since dead, the two couldn’t help but eye Masatsuki Aozaki suspiciously, as if hoping to find answers from the only living person in the room.

Katori stared at Masatsuki and suddenly said,

"Turn around. Let me see it."

Masatsuki shrugged—he already knew what she wanted.

He turned and pointed to the bold "一" emblazoned on the back of his haori.

"Yeah. I’m the Captain-Commander now."

He said it plainly, without a trace of pride or hesitation.

"You became Captain-Commander? Then... what about Yamamoto? Is he dead?"

Both women went quiet for a moment. Katori finally spoke, her tone unreadable—neither happy nor sad.

Masatsuki shook his head and replied,

"Of course not. The old man just retired. They even granted him noble status in recognition of his service. He’s living the good life now—no responsibilities, no worries."

As he finished speaking, he noticed the subtle relief in both of their expressions.