This...

  What the hell is this?

  Seeing higher-dimensional ents? And turning the praise from those ents into reality?

  Isn't this ability a bit too ridiculous?

  And what does "higher-dimensional ents" even mean? Are they readers?

  Is Mareaeda really being some kind of god?

  If we interpret this ability normally, it means treating the world we live in as a manga, and ourselves as characters within it.

  Since we're characters, naturally, there would be readers enting on us.

  And this ability allows the user to selee of those ents and make it a reality.

  That's why Haruki was so stunned.

  Doesn't this mean he's living in a manga world?

  "..."

  Fet it, there's no point thinking about this now. Who made him so pitiful, weak, and helpless?

  Aside from the above, the vice-captains of the Third and Ninth Divisions had died in the previous i, so their positions were currently vat.

  The vice-captain of the Seventh Division was on aernal mission, so they couldn't atteher.

  In other words, out of the thirteen vice-captains, only ten were present. Apart from Haruki and Rangiku chatting a bit, the others barely said a word.

  Looking at Rangiku, Haruki remembered the "Great Tonic" he had created using her ability.

  He had given it to Aizen, but he had no idea what Aizen would do with it.

  Would he use it to feed the Hōgyoku?

  But...

  Haruki subsciously touched his chest.

  After using the Great Tonic ability, he felt as if a small piece of his soul essence had been lost.

  Even after so much time, that feeling remained.

  He estimated that the soul essened by using the Great Tonic would take at least a year to recover.

  Soul essence is the foundation of a Shinigami's soul. When a Shinigami awakens their Zanpakutō, they iheir soul esseo an Asauchi, eg it to their soul and awakening its corresponding abilities.

  If soul essence is diminished, it not only affects daily training but also the Zanpakutō's Bankai.

  Take Rangiku, for example. Even though many vice-captains could achieve Bankai ter on, she still fell short.

  Haruki suspected this might be reted to her inplete soul essence.

  Fortunately, Haruki felt that it would take about a year to recover the lost soul essence.

  For a Shinigami, a year isn't that long.

  The first Captains' Meeting ended just like that. Haruki memorized the soul abilities of the various vice-captains and po prioritize making friends based on their importance.

  Then, he obediently followed Aizen back to the Fifth Division.

  From today on, he was officially a vice-captain. Iei 13, vice-captains are undoubtedly an important rank, so he now had his own room in the Fifth Division, and his office had beuch rger.

  However, he still wasn't used to living in the division. After all, how could the division be as safe as his own home?

  His home was his safe room!

  "How was it?"

  On the way back, Aizen, walking ahead, said, "Did you find any new subjects of observation among the vice-captains?"

  Looking at Aizen's back, Haruki smiled faintly. "At least for now, everyone is a subject of observation."

  "But..."

  Haruki couldn't help but pin, "This Captains' Meeting is a bit fwed. Sinly you captaio attend, why do we have to e all the way to the First Division just to wait in the room for the results of your discussions?"

  "Expressing dissatisfa with the Seireitei's thousand-year-old system right after being a vice-captain isn't a good idea," Aizen said with a smile. "I might have to report this to Captain-ander Yamamoto."

  "What? Captain Aizen, you're the type to tattle?" Haruki pouted. He hadn't seen any of the captains during the meeting.

  Nor had he seen Captain-ander Yamamoto.

  To be ho, he was quite ied in Yamamoto's soul ability. After all, as the stro Shinigami in a thousand years, his soul ability shouldn't be weak.

  But the thought of having to raise Yamamoto's favorability to at least 60 to use it gave Haruki a headache.

  Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni was a stubborn old fossil. Gaining his favor wouldn't be easy.

  His status was too high, and Haruki had no opportunity to i with him.

  Oh well, some things 't be forced.

  Haruki watched as Aizeuro his office, while he stayed with the members of the Fifth Division.

  The squad members gratuted Haruki on being vice-captain, but Haruki didn't let it go to his head. He tio speak to them amiably, just as he had before.

  He thought the day would end like this, but just as he was about to leave work in the evening, a group of people arrived at the Fifth Division, specifically asking to see him.

  Haruki went out to meet them, and his eyes narrowed.

  He didn't reize them, but he khe emblem on their clothes.

  It was the symbol of the Tsunayashiro family, one of the five great noble families of the Soul Society.

  e to think of it, Haruki remembered.

  The Haruki family was a lower noble family, and lower noble families usually had a "patron" or "main family."

  Just as the Shihōin family had the Fēng family, the Haruki family, as a lower noble family, had once been affiliated with the Tsunayashiro family, one of the five great noble families.

  However, as the Haruki family deed, they were no longer qualified to be affiliated with the Tsunayashiro family.

  By the time it reached Haruki Murakami's geion, the Murakami family had only the name of nobility, not the substahey had long since severed ties with the Tsunayashiro family.

  Haruki clicked his tongue and walked over, asking, "How rare. A big shot from the Tsunayashiro family has e all this way to see me? What is it? Do the great lords have some task for me?"

  "Haruki Murakami," a servant of the Tsunayashiro family said, "The main family has a task for you."

  Haruki didn't respond immediately but instead gnced back at Aizen.

  Aizen shrugged, indig this had nothing to do with him.

  Haruki then asked, "What kind of task?"

  Although the Haruki family was once affiliated with the Tsunayashiro family, he was now a vice-captain and didn't have to obey every order from the Tsunayashiro family.

  Of course, if the Tsunayashiro family didn't mind the trouble, they could issue an order through the tral 46, and then he would have to ply.

  Not just a vice-captain—even captains and the Captain-ander had to obey the tral 46's orders.

  The Tsunayashiro family's messenger said, "The task will be delivered to you via Hell Butterfly in three days. This mission requires you to go to the human world, so please be prepared."

  Going to the human world...

  Haruki frowned, but this was actually a good thing for him.

  The human world also had plenty of people waiting for him to raise their favorability.

  So he nodded.

  "No problem. Just send the official dots in three days."