Help! I am bound to Aizen!-Chapter 204

Chapter 204

Another one! By the way, do you want me to change the clan name to his surname, Yurei, or just let it stay as is?

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For a Shinigami, the highest honor in life is probably becoming a Captain of the Gotei 13.

But once you widen your view to the entirety of the Soul Society, the top honor shifts to becoming nobility.

In the Soul Society, the birth of a new noble house is a tremendously important and solemn affair. Normally, forming a new noble lineage is a long, drawn-out process full of endless disputes. Beneficiaries, opponents, and fence-sitters all gather in the Central 46 chambers, bickering for ages without making the slightest bit of progress—nothing unusual.

The Kaelith family, however, was different.

Right after the Kuchiki clan raised the proposal, the Shihōin clan immediately seconded it. Then the Shiba clan announced their support. As for the Tsunayashiro clan—currently in a stage of rebuilding—they had no desire to become enemies of Kaelith, so after a brief discussion, they gave the green light.

And just like that, the Kaelith household was formally established with a single Central 46 meeting.

When this decision was announced, countless minor nobles looked on, their eyes practically green with envy. Even many great families that had long since secured their positions couldn’t help but sigh. None of them had ever risen so fast back in their day…

…

**Nobles’ District, A Certain Residence**

This estate had once belonged to a lower-class noble family. During the recent internal conflicts, that family was utterly wiped out, and their property fell into the hands of the Ōmaeda clan. After the Kaelith family was founded, Ōmaeda marenoshin boldly gifted this house to Kaelith.

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Though not huge, the estate was in a prime location—easy to access yet pleasantly quiet.

Out on the veranda, Kaelith stood with his arms folded across his chest, legs set firmly apart.

“Everyone!”

“The first official family meeting of the Kaelith household begins now, in grand style!”

“Clap clap clap!”

He raised one hand and, employing some martial-arts trick, clapped in several directions at once to conjure a bustling atmosphere. A few people in the courtyard joined in, with varying degrees of sincerity. Amid this lively mood, Kaelith cleared his throat.

“As we speak, the realm is in chaos.”

“And in chaotic times, heroes always emerge!”

“Look at that old bandit Yamamoto hogging the First Division. Sure, he wields immense authority for now, but he’s also become a giant target that every faction in the Soul Society has set its sights on. It won’t be long before they all rise to take him down, and his power will wane!”

“When that day comes—when that old bandit falls—it’ll spark an era of countless contenders vying for dominance. Who will seize control of the Soul Society then? That’s still anyone’s guess!”

“As founding members of the Kaelith household, we must heed destiny. In these troubled times, we should carve out our grand ambitions!”

“So the question is: how do we accomplish our lofty goals?”

“Yamada seinosuke, you start!”

With that, Kaelith pointed at Yamada.

“…?”

A large vein popped on Yamada’s forehead.

“Kaelith, you idiot… Other people might have a rebellious streak somewhere in their mind, but you’ve got an entire person living on yours.”

“And since when did I say I was joining your family? I ought to chop you up!”

Kaelith clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“seinosuke, you’re missing a once-in-a-lifetime chance to shoot to the top. But no worries—this benevolent noble will pardon your offense.”

He turned to Kuchiki Sōjun.

“Kuchiki Sōjun, your turn!”

Caught off guard, Sōjun paused in thought for a moment.

“Well…we could start by using the Kuchiki clan as a stepping stone. I know that household quite well and can guide you, helping you connect with key figures as quickly as possible. Once we absorb it, having the Kuchiki clan at our back would make controlling the Soul Society much simpler.”

Yamada blinked in disbelief.

“Lord Kuchiki, please get a grip—you’re a Kuchiki, not a Kaelith!”

“And even if you did change your surname, it’d be Kaelith Sōjun, right? Why is he calling you ‘Teacher Kaelith Sōjun’ now?!”

Not far away, Aizen—leaning against a tree with his eyes closed—found himself sneaking a glance at Kuchiki Sōjun. Ever since accompanying Kaelith on that last mission, this young Kuchiki heir had grown more and more awestruck by him. That could be an excellent sign. Once Kuchiki Ginrei passes away, a little push here and there might allow Kaelith to plant deeper roots in the Kuchiki clan.

Kaelith nodded in satisfaction.

“An excellent suggestion—truly the words of a genius strategist!”

“Kuchiki Sōjun, starting today, you are the National Advisor to the Kaelith family!”

“We don’t even have a ‘nation’!” Yamada snarled in exasperation.

Ignoring him, Kaelith turned to the next person.

“Yoruichi Kaelith, any ideas?”

Hearing Kaelith call her “Yoruichi Kaelith ”Yoruichi blinked. Her pulse quickened a beat, a slight flush creeping over her face. Luckily, her deeper skin tone masked it well. Clearing her throat, she answered swiftly:

“I could lead you to incorporate the Shihōin clan!”

At this point, Yamada was at a total loss for words. Kuchiki Sōjun was at least only an heir, but Yoruichi was the actual head of the Shihōin clan! And here she was, basically handing over her family on a platter?

From where she sat, Soifon couldn’t help placing a hand on her forehead at the unfolding farce.

“Brilliant! Two of the Great Noble Houses are effectively in our hands. Half of the Soul Society belongs to me already!” Kaelith exclaimed, clapping once in admiration.

He glanced at Aizen, standing a short distance away.

“Aizen Kaelith, I’m leaving the details to you!”

Aizen didn’t bother responding to that bit of nonsense. His mind was racing with larger concerns.

In recent days, he’d gone to the Great Spirit Book Library several more times. Amid countless ancient records, he had uncovered some extremely dangerous information—documents that not even the Tsunayashiro clan dared keep all in one place. They were stashed in hidden nooks throughout the library, requiring a complicated retrieval and decryption process to piece them together.

Through these files, Aizen discovered he had opened a veritable Pandora’s box of taboos. Combined with earlier investigations, he’d learned a few secrets about the Soul King: how its body was divided by the top five noble families and scattered across the Three Realms. If those fragments were collected, the holder would gain immense power.

And now, he’d stumbled upon an even more startling find: using those fragments in a special ritual might allow for the artificial creation of a new Soul King. The moment he arrived at this conclusion, Aizen’s heart pounded. If the Soul King could be replaced with a manufactured substitute, what would become of the current Soul King?

His curiosity as a researcher burned fiercely. Even though he sensed immense danger lurking behind it, he couldn’t resist inching further into the unknown.

So he made his decision: the next step was to obtain at least one Soul King fragment. He didn’t yet know precisely where to look, but he had plenty of time. And to move ahead more smoothly, he planned to help Kaelith climb even higher, just enough to clear his own path.

Glancing over at Kaelith, who was soaking up the glory of his noble status with smug enjoyment, Aizen’s lips curled slightly.

…

Later, in a pitch-black space, Kaelith walked along a path of reishi Aizen had fashioned, sighing as he went.

“Ugh, I’m bored.”

“Bored with what?” Aizen asked from up ahead.

“Bored with this whole noble gig.” Kaelith let out a long breath. “I liked it at first—calling meetings, throwing my weight around, playing the grand lord. But after so many days, it’s not as fun as I imagined.”

“I originally wanted to become a noble because I thought my talents were average and I’d never accomplish much else. I figured I could slap a big title on myself and laze around.”

“But it turns out I’m a once-in-a-millennium genius—only you can somewhat match me, Sōsuke…”

“With abilities like mine, why should I care about some petty noble status?”

Aizen paused. He’d half expected Kaelith to get tired of this act eventually, but not quite so fast. Was this guy becoming even less dependable by the day?

With a light jump, Aizen exited the Garganta and landed on the silvery sands of Hueco Mundo. Then he glanced at Kaelith, who joined him, looking listless.

Seeing Kaelith’s nonchalant expression, Aizen gave an approving nod. Good—no enemies nearby. After traveling with Kaelith more, Aizen had realized that this fellow was an uncanny early-warning system.

Thanks to his bizarre instincts, Kaelith often sensed foes far sooner than Aizen himself did. In unfamiliar territory, you could just watch Kaelith’s reaction to confirm if danger was near.

They found a secluded spot, performed a secret technique, and slipped into the shadows. Before long, they arrived at the secret laboratory hidden within Hueco Mundo’s darkness—what Kaelith referred to as a “branch” of his “Kaelith Technology Bureau.”

As Aizen deftly fiddled with the machinery, he said,

“If you’re fed up, you can hand over routine noble affairs to the Ōmaeda clan. With your ties to the Shihōin, he’ll be all too happy to manage things. That’ll mean less hassle for you down the road. And remember, your noble status was no small gift—it’s the Captain-Commander’s way of smoothing things out for you.”

“Don’t you dare say something like, ‘I don’t want it anymore’ or ‘Take back my noble title.’ Understand?”

He emphasized the last words, casting Kaelith a warning glare. Kaelith rolled his eyes.

“As if I’d do that. I’m not that unreliable.”

He started to say something else but suddenly froze. Kaelith’s gaze snapped toward the entrance. Then, without a word, he dashed off.

Aizen blinked.

“…Did he just run away because I scolded him?”

Perplexed, he heard Kaelith call back, “Sōsuke, c’mon—our golden-haired big…uh…companion is in trouble!”

Golden-haired big…? Aizen narrowed his eyes in brief thought, a certain figure popping into his mind. Realizing whom Kaelith meant, he vanished from the spot, following after him.

…

Under the moonlight, several figures raced across Hueco Mundo’s sands.

Ahead were two Hollows: Tier Harribel and one of her subordinates—a pale serpent-like Menos named Cyan Sung-Sun. Chasing them were over a dozen Adjuchas-level Hollows.

Panting with exertion, Sung-Sun struggled to keep pace with Harribel, casting anxious glances at their pursuers. Anger sparked in her eyes.

“Lady Harribel, let me fight them off!”

“Calm yourself, Sung-Sun,” Harribel said quietly, shaking her head. “This isn’t the time to act rashly. Saving Mila Rose and Apacci takes priority.”

At those words, Sung-Sun’s head drooped in guilt. Not long ago, she and her two companions had gone out hunting and run into two of Baraggan’s Adjuchas. For some time now, Baraggan had been sending his subordinates all over Hueco Mundo to capture them, trying to force them into his ranks. One harassment after another had left them furious and exhausted.

That day, they unexpectedly bumped into more of Baraggan’s patrol, a group of a dozen Adjuchas who easily overpowered them. Mila Rose and Apacci were captured on the spot and taken to Las Noches. Though Sung-Sun’s serpentine form let her escape by tunneling into the sands, she was soon cornered again—until Harribel arrived just in time to save her.

Still torn between panic and remorse, Sung-Sun wished she could’ve just died out there. But once her mind settled a bit, she realized something odd: why was Lady Harribel deliberately releasing so much spiritual pressure? Normally, if you’re fleeing, you’d keep your reiatsu suppressed…

Was this part of some plan?

Before she could figure it out, Harribel spoke again:

“You there in hiding…I know you’re around. I’ve sensed your presence here more than once.”

“I’m not sure exactly where you are, but I trust my senses. I’d like to request your assistance. In return, I’ll agree to one condition—anything that doesn’t violate my own principles.”

Sung-Sun blinked in confusion. Who was Lady Harribel talking to?

Suddenly, a voice echoed from the sky:

“Keh keh keh…interesting. A Hollow seeking help from a Shinigami?”

“Do you have any idea what that could lead to?”

“Who’s there?!” Sung-Sun exclaimed, coiling into a defensive stance. The dozen Adjuchas behind them also halted, scanning the surroundings warily. A Shinigami? Here?

Meanwhile, Harribel exhaled in relief and placed a hand to her chest.

“I’m well aware of the potential consequences. But no matter what might happen, my priority is rescuing my companions.”

The unseen voice gave a dismissive snort.

“Hmph…since you so sincerely beg my help, I suppose I can lend a hand. But as payment, once this is over, let me indulge myself in that impressive ch—”

Smack!

A quiet sigh drifted from somewhere as Kaelith clutched his stinging head.

Sung-Sun’s eyes went wide.

Did that unknown speaker just say something indecent about Lady Harribel?! She nearly exploded with rage. Whoever it was—she’d strangle them for that comment!

She whipped around to Harribel, about to protest, only to see her nod and say:

“All right.”

…She actually agreed?!

Sung-Sun’s jaw practically hit the floor. Then, in the very next instant, an even more shocking sight appeared. Like a shooting star plummeting from the night sky, a shining figure dove headlong into the mass of Adjuchas, trailing a dazzling streak of reiatsu behind it—

A colossal mushroom cloud of silvery sand erupted straight into the sky.