Chapter 456 - 456: Shinigami Instructor Momo Hinamori Lets Out a Confused “Huh?”

Senjumaru Shutara.

Creator of the Shihakushō and a member of Squad Zero.

'How the hell did I forget about her?'

Cyrus narrowed his eyes slightly as he studied the woman standing in front of him.

"Did you not hear what I said?"

Senjumaru looked over Cyrus's imposing build, a trace of excitement appearing in her eyes.

She had personally made Shihakushō for countless Shinigami over the years and had seen more bodies than she could possibly remember.

But this newly recruited Shinigami was something else entirely.

Even with his clothes still on, Senjumaru could roughly estimate his proportions.

A physique like this was practically made to wear whatever she designed.

"Sorry, but nobody told me this was part of the process."

Cyrus turned around immediately.

"You cannot become a Shinigami without a Shihakushō."

Senjumaru wasn't surprised by his reaction.

Plenty of prospective Shinigami, men and women alike, had balked when they reached this stage.

Usually, one sentence like that was enough to make them obediently turn around.

This time, however, she had clearly miscalculated.

Cyrus didn't stop.

He didn't turn back.

He didn't even answer.

Whoosh!

Senjumaru suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Did you fail to understand me? If you refuse to let me make your Shihakushō, you will not become a Shinigami."

"Heh."

Cyrus looked at the tall woman who had appeared in his path, his gaze briefly moving over the skeletal arms behind her.

"Then I just won't become one."

He grinned, revealing a neat row of white teeth.

"It's not like I absolutely need to be a Shinigami."

"Oh?"

A trace of confusion entered Senjumaru's eyes.

"Were you trained by one of the noble houses? You worked this hard to reach this point and now you intend to give up? Even your family would have little use for someone who threw everything away at the final step."

"I'm from Rukongai."

Cyrus stepped sideways.

"I'll just go back."

He walked past her.

Several threads silently wrapped around his body.

"Normally, if someone makes that choice, I let them leave."

Senjumaru's voice came from behind him.

"But not you."

"You will be staying today."

The instant she finished speaking, however, her expression changed.

The threads wrapped around Cyrus snapped apart.

They hadn't slowed him down in the slightest.

Senjumaru's eyes sharpened immediately.

'This man…'

Just as she prepared to act again, Cyrus stopped and looked back.

"One time."

His voice was calm.

"Try that again, and whatever happens afterward is your responsibility."

He didn't release any pressure.

There was no killing intent.

Nothing overtly threatening at all.

Yet Senjumaru, a veteran Shinigami with instincts honed over countless years, felt her body tense involuntarily.

She suppressed the impulse to attack.

'What exactly is this man?'

Senjumaru watched Cyrus disappear into the distance, one hand rising to cover her mouth as curiosity flickered through her eyes.

…

The Shinigami assigned to guide Cyrus was still waiting outside.

When Cyrus emerged so quickly without wearing a Shihakushō, the man stared at him in disbelief.

"You…"

"Take me to Aizen."

Cyrus looked at him calmly.

There was nothing loud or aggressive in his tone, yet the refusal implied by it was almost impossible to miss.

"Yes!"

The Shinigami immediately straightened and answered.

A second later, even he looked confused by his own reaction.

Still, he didn't dwell on it.

Captain Aizen should be at the Fifth Division anyway.

Before long, Cyrus arrived there.

Aizen's expression upon seeing him could hardly be called pleased.

"You shouldn't be here yet. You were supposed to be having your…"

He stopped.

Then understanding dawned on him.

"I think I know what happened."

His expression returned to normal.

"At least you didn't burn the place down."

"Stop imagining I'm that violent."

Cyrus frowned.

"I don't casually kill people just because they annoy me."

He held out a hand.

"Give me a sword. I'll be staying here for a while."

"Here?"

Aizen's voice remained even, but Cyrus could clearly tell he disliked the idea.

"I arranged for you to stay with the Third Division."

That reaction was understandable.

The next few days were extremely important for Aizen.

Now that he had learned where the Hōgyoku might be hidden, he would naturally begin preparing to retrieve it.

Even if the actual task was well within his abilities, Aizen's personality demanded that everything be controlled as perfectly as possible.

Having Cyrus nearby introduced far too many variables.

"I won't interfere with anything you're doing."

Cyrus looked at him.

"Not unless you personally ask me for help."

"Heh."

Aizen smiled instinctively.

"I doubt such a situation will arise."

Ask Cyrus for help?

Hardly.

"If that is truly your position, then fine."

Aizen considered it briefly.

"You may stay with the Fifth Division for now. I won't assign you any duties."

He paused.

"You will only be studying Shinigami abilities."

"I'll arrange someone to instruct you, but whether you can actually learn any of it is entirely up to you. I won't guarantee results."

"That works."

Cyrus nodded.

"Good. I'll have someone come find you shortly."

Aizen rose and started walking toward the door.

After only a few steps, however, he stopped.

Cyrus had also stood up and was already walking past him.

"This is your division."

Cyrus left the words behind as he went.

"Not mine."

Aizen's lips moved slightly.

He had instinctively started behaving as though he were the guest.

Why?

Because Cyrus had seized control of the conversation so naturally that Aizen had unconsciously begun reacting to him?

The smile slowly disappeared from Aizen's face.

'What an irritatingly difficult man.'

Then again, if Cyrus were easy to manipulate, he wouldn't be worth cooperating with in the first place.

…

Cyrus had barely returned to the quarters Aizen arranged for him when hurried footsteps approached from outside.

They were light.

The person running toward him was clearly small.

Of course, Cyrus had already identified her through Observation Haki.

Momo Hinamori.

At this point in time, she wasn't yet lieutenant of the Fifth Division.

She hurried down the corridor with a faint flush on her cheeks from running before finally stopping outside Cyrus's door.

Momo took a moment to steady her breathing.

This was an assignment Captain Aizen had personally given her.

She absolutely had to do well.

After all, it was the first time Captain Aizen had ever entrusted her with something on her own.

Still…

A genius discovered in Rukongai?

What kind of person could possibly impress Captain Aizen this much?

Could he be even more talented than Shiro?

Was Captain Aizen keeping him out of Shin'ō Academy because he was afraid another division might steal him?

Momo's imagination began running wild.

She raised one hand to knock.

The door opened from inside before her knuckles touched it.

Momo froze.

Her eyes widened.

Looking straight ahead, all she could see was an enormous chest.

She slowly tilted her head upward.

Higher.

Higher.

Until she finally found Cyrus's face.

"A giant…"

The words escaped before she could stop them.

Momo immediately realized what she had said.

It wasn't as though Seireitei lacked unusually tall people.

Cyrus had simply been standing far too close when the door opened, and the sheer difference in size had caught her completely off guard.

"You're the instructor Aizen found for me?"

Cyrus looked down at the petite girl with a calm expression.

"Mm-hm."

Momo nodded automatically.

Then her face froze.

"Huh?"

She blinked.

Then looked up at Cyrus again.