Bleach: I Love Making Friends

Haruki sat cross-legged, his Asauchi resting across his lap. Despite the alcohol he'd consumed earlier, his mind was now utterly clear.

He closed his eyes, focusing inward. Somewhere in the depths of his soul, he heard a voice—soft, faint, but unmistakable.

"…My name is…"

The voice wavered, sometimes loud and near, other times distant and indistinct, as though echoing from a mountaintop. Haruki tried to grasp it, to pin it down, but it always slipped away.

"My name is…"

A deafening rumble followed, like thunder cracking through the heavens, drowning out the final syllables.

Haruki slowly opened his eyes.

Though it felt brief, nearly an hour and a half had passed in the outside world. He could sense that he had moved one step closer to Shikai, yet it still wasn't enough. Full liberation of his blade would require more time.

In theory, a life-or-death battle would accelerate the process. But in the serene stability of Seireitei, such situations were rare. After all, before Ichigo Kurosaki's arrival, the Gotei 13 had gone centuries—perhaps millennia—without much upheaval.

Once Kurosaki appeared, however, the wheels of conflict began to turn, and the captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13 grew exponentially stronger through constant battles. It wasn't strange; true growth often required facing death itself. The soul's innate energy surged when threatened with obliteration.

If I want to grow quickly, Haruki mused, I'll need the kind of intense battles that push me to my limits.

...

He also realized that such opportunities would eventually come. After all, Aizen was already watching him.

The recent promotion to Ninth Seat was confirmation enough. Though the rank wasn't high, it signified that Aizen had taken an interest in him. Haruki suspected the Metastacia attack had been orchestrated by Aizen, and his swift elimination of the Hollow had only heightened that interest.

Being under Aizen's scrutiny meant his future wouldn't be smooth sailing. It was only a matter of time before another trial came his way.

...

In the months following his promotion, however, things remained oddly quiet. Aizen gave no further instructions, allowing Haruki to focus on strengthening his connections and training. He deepened his ties with the Squad Five members, the academy's "Four Little Stars," as well as Rangiku and Shuhei Hisagi.

He even tried fostering a relationship with Shunsui Kyoraku, though the Squad Eight captain's goodwill grew at a snail's pace. After several drinking sessions, Kyoraku's affection barely reached 30. Haruki decided not to waste too much effort on the inscrutable veteran captain.

Still, progress was made elsewhere. Shuhei's affection reached 79, just shy of the crucial 80 threshold. Unfortunately, raising affection levels became exponentially harder as they climbed. Hitsugaya's meteoric leap to 80 was clearly an exception.

...

One quiet winter day, Haruki arrived at the Squad Five barracks to find a mission waiting for him.

"East Rukongai, District 62—Withered Flower. Reports of a large-scale soul disappearance. It's suspected to be a resurgence of the Soul Vanishing Incident from seventy years ago."

"Ninth Squad is already on-site," explained Sixth Seat Tani Motooru, clapping Haruki on the shoulder. "But the Commander-General wants us to send reinforcements, just in case. This will be your first mission as a seated officer. Don't worry; with Vice-Captain Ichimaru leading us, nothing can go wrong."

Nothing can go wrong? Haruki thought wryly, glancing at Ichimaru Gin's ever-smiling face. That's exactly why I'm worried.

The mission reeked of Aizen's machinations. The Soul Vanishing Incident was Aizen's doing, and East District 62 was none other than Gin and Rangiku's birthplace—the same place where Aizen had gathered souls in the past.

But Haruki didn't feel fear—only grim determination. So, the games begin again. Let's see how far this will go.

...

The Squad Five reinforcement team included Vice-Captain Gin Ichimaru, four seated officers (Fourth through Ninth Seats, including Haruki), and over sixty squad members. It was a formidable force, reflecting the seriousness of the potential threat.

This was no ordinary mission. The Soul Vanishing Incident decades prior had led to the Hollowfication of several captains and lieutenants. Even the faintest possibility of such danger warranted a robust response.

...

"Are we leaving immediately?" Haruki asked, feigning nervousness.

"Yes," Tani Motooru confirmed. "Vice-Captain Ichimaru is already waiting for us. Let's go."

Haruki followed Tani to the assembly point, where Gin sat casually on a step, greeting the arriving Shinigami with a relaxed wave.

"Don't worry, everyone," Gin said with his signature grin. "As long as I'm here, you'll all be safe."

The words seemed to reassure the gathered Shinigami. Tani raised his voice, rallying the troops. "With Vice-Captain Ichimaru leading us, even if the infamous Kisuke Urahara himself showed up, we'd have nothing to fear!"

"Exactly! I heard the Vice-Captain has already mastered Bankai. He's just waiting for a captain's seat to open up!"

"Not to mention he graduated from the Shin'o Academy in just one year! Truly a genius!"

The squad buzzed with admiration, their faith in Gin unwavering. Haruki joined the chatter, observing the scene through half-lidded eyes.

...

And then he noticed it—Ichimaru Gin, still smiling, was watching him intently.