Bleach: I Love Making Friends

"Lord Aizen!"

Just as Haruki and Aizen were speaking, Tōsen suddenly interjected, "Look, White seems to be undergoing a change."

Both Haruki and Aizen turned their attention to the Hollow. They noticed that White, which had previously been pale, was now convulsing.

A dark substance began to flow out from the Hollow hole in its chest, rapidly spreading and turning its entire body black. At the same time, a dense, white material began to grow on its face, eventually covering it completely.

Aizen immediately walked over, his eyes filled with a mix of shock and intense curiosity about what would happen next.

Haruki observed the Hollow and realized it was transforming into the White he was familiar with from the manga.

Aizen murmured softly, "Fascinating, truly fascinating."

"Though it was named 'White,' it has now turned completely black. A Hollow created from a Shinigami's soul—it certainly hasn't disappointed me."

Haruki was also stunned because he noticed that White's favorability toward him had increased again, now reaching 61.

Wow, had he just effortlessly gained the Hollowfication ability?

This was amazing!

Haruki couldn't help but smile. "It seems I have a connection with White. I arrived just in time to witness this spectacle."

"Indeed," Aizen acknowledged, not shying away from giving Haruki credit. He carefully observed White's transformation before quickly moving to the instruments to monitor its soul data.

Finally, White completed its evolution. Horns grew on its head, and its appearance now perfectly matched the White from the manga.

Haruki also walked over and took a closer look.

It seemed that White, having just completed its evolution, had gained a tremendous amount of power, enough to sharpen its consciousness. As Haruki approached, White opened its eyes.

"Hey, looks like it's awake," Haruki said to Aizen. "Captain Aizen, what do you plan to do with it next?"

"Testing."

Aizen's eyes still held a trace of astonishment at White's birth, and even a hint of excitement.

For someone like Aizen, it was rare for anything to stir his usually calm and composed heart.

The look in his eyes reminded Haruki of the scene in the manga where Aizen, upon seeing White choose Masaki Kurosaki as its host, had that same 'unexpectedly excited' expression.

In truth, Haruki was also excited. After all, he had just gained a new soul ability almost effortlessly. Who wouldn't be thrilled?

Of course, it wasn't entirely effortless—he had contributed his own soul fragments.

However, Aizen, in order to test White's capabilities, had decided to let it start killing.

Of course, it couldn't do so within the Soul Society.

"Tōsen," Aizen said, "release White into the human world. Let it start with the Shinigami stationed there."

"...Understood," Tōsen nodded and went to make the arrangements.

"...I'm not really interested in this kind of scene," Haruki said at this point.

He had no interest in watching Aizen's schemes against the Shinigami.

"I'll go keep Captain Kyōraku company instead."

Aizen didn't mind.

His focus had already shifted to White, so whether Haruki stayed or left didn't matter.

Haruki nodded and left.

After spending so much time in Aizen's lab, the outside world had grown dim.

The sun was setting, and the streets were tinged with a sense of decay.

The lab behind him seemed like the source of this decay, its silhouette twisting like a demonic entity under the fading sunlight.

Haruki walked away from the lab, distancing himself from that den of darkness.

He had made plans to drink with Kyōraku Shunsui today, and he couldn't break that promise.

Kyōraku Shunsui was a busy man—well, perhaps not just busy.

He was more of a VIP, an upper-class noble.

Although Shunsui himself didn't care much about his status, others wouldn't casually invite him out for drinks.

Usually, it was the vice-captains or third and fourth seats who drank together. Who would invite a captain to join them?

Having a captain at the table would make the drinking less enjoyable.

People don't often drink with those too far above or below their social standing.

Even though the difference between a vice-captain and a captain is just one rank, that one rank is something many can't bridge even after years of effort.

Once you master Bankai and become a captain, your name is etched into the million-year history of the Soul Society!

That's why, even now, Haruki hadn't been able to obtain Shunsui's soul ability. His favorability was stuck at 50.

This just goes to show how guarded these century-old captains are. You think you can befriend them? Who do you think you are?

Just because you've shared a meal or a drink doesn't make you friends. If that were the case, they'd have friends everywhere.

A noble who's lived for centuries has walls thicker than a fortress around their heart.

Especially someone like Kyōraku Shunsui, a master of the art of subtlety. He's not only long-lived but also a cunning old fox. People like him aren't easy to befriend.

If it were Jūshirō Ukitake, it might have been simpler.

Unfortunately, Ukitake is a sickly man, and Haruki hasn't even had the chance to meet him yet.

What a shame.

Today, only Haruki, Rangiku, and Shunsui were drinking. The usual drinking buddies hadn't come.

Hisagi and Iba had recently been promoted to vice-captains and were swamped with work, so they hadn't been able to join for drinks lately.

Only he and Rangiku, carefree as ever, had the time to drink every day.

Today, they were drinking in the Sixth District, commonly known as the Noble Street. The restaurants here were naturally high-end, luxurious, and classy.

Of course, even such places have their hierarchies.

In the Sixth District, there are both high-end and ordinary eateries.

This time, they chose a relatively ordinary izakaya in the Sixth District called "Daruma-ya."

But "ordinary" in the Sixth District doesn't mean it's truly ordinary.

"Haruki! You're late!"

As Haruki entered Daruma-ya, he heard Rangiku's voice.

He walked into the private room and saw that Rangiku and Shunsui had already started drinking.

Haruki couldn't help but twitch his lips, saying with some exasperation, "Hey, you two, really?"

"I'm the one treating today, and yet you two started eating and drinking without me, the host. Is that really okay?!"

"Ah, don't worry about it!" Rangiku laughed, completely unbothered. "Besides, you're the one who was late. You can't blame us for that."

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