[First Division, Captain's Meeting Room]
"Yo, looks like we're the last ones."
When Rosse and Unohana arrived, all the other captains were already present, even Kenpachi Zaraki was already standing in place.
The moment the two walked in, eleven pairs of eyes swept toward them in unison.
"Rosse! Come fight me!", Kenpachi Zaraki was the same as always. The moment he saw Rosse, he excitedly issued a challenge, as if he had forgotten that just not long ago he had been chopped into Fourth Division twice.
But Rosse didn't bother responding to him at all, and Kenpachi Zaraki seemed to restrain himself a little, probably because this was First Division.
Otherwise, with that reckless personality of his, he would have already drawn his sword and charged over.
"Oh yo, Captain Rosse, over here."
Kyoraku Shunsui was lazily standing in the fourth spot from the left. Beside him was an empty space, and on the other side stood Sixth Division Captain Kuchiki Byakuya. Further in was another empty spot, then Second Division Captain Sui Feng.
Judging by the placement, the captains' meeting was arranged according to division number.
But...
"There aren't any seats in this captains' meeting? That looks a bit too sloppy," Rosse threw out a complaint and walked over to Shunsui's side.
Unohana also smoothly returned to her spot, standing in the empty space between Kuchiki Byakuya and Sui Feng.
"Hahaha! Right! Right! When I first became captain I mentioned this to the old man, but he just wouldn't listen," Kyoraku Shunsui was overjoyed, looking at Rosse as if he had found a soulmate.
Although there weren't many captains' meetings, having to stand every time really didn't match their status.
"Tsk! Looks like we've got another guy who loves showing off," A piercing voice came from Rosse's right, neither male nor female, the tone full of arrogance.
Raising an eyebrow, Rosse glanced at the person beside him, Twelfth Division Captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri, and clicked his tongue.
"So just anyone can be a captain, huh. A werewolf is whatever, but even a black-faced alien counts?"
Hearing this, Komamura Sajin, who was standing opposite Kuchiki Byakuya, suddenly clenched his fists, but with that huge metal helmet on, no one could tell what expression he had.
Compared to him, Mayuri's reaction was much more obvious, "What did you say? You actually called me a black-faced alien?"
Mayuri pinched his orchid fingers, and that pitch-black face turned black-red from anger.
'Isn't this the first... no, who knows how many times this is already? Why do people insult me every day?'
'The oaf from Eleventh Division insulted me before, and now even the clown from Tenth Division dares to insult me?'
"You bastard, I'm going to..."
Before Mayuri could finish, Rosse's eyes lit up, "You want to duel me?"
"I... I... cough cough... I'm reporting you to the Head Captain!"
Mayuri took a deep breath and still didn't dare say anything about dueling.
This was the guy who had beaten that oaf into Fourth Division twice. He didn't think he was stronger than that oaf.
They were intelligent people who did science, not reckless buffoons who only knew how to swing swords.
"The Head Captain is right here, go ahead and report me. You're like a kid who runs to get his parents when he can't win. And by the way, you're the one who insulted me first, wasn't it?", Rosse pressed his advantage, continuing to verbally pound Mayuri.
Just as Rosse finished speaking, a heavy sound rang out.
Thud!
In an instant, all the captains who had been enjoying the show withdrew their gazes and turned them toward the Head Captain standing front and center.
That dull sound was from his cane striking the ground, with a bit of spiritual pressure intimidation mixed in.
It didn't affect captains, but it was enough to make everyone quiet.
"Silence!"
The Head Captain had no intention of dealing with the captains' petty conflicts, nor did he mention anything about seating. He went straight to the point.
"Not long ago, the entire Tsuneyashiro family, except for one person, encountered tragedy. Regardless of age or gender, all were killed."
Hearing this, the captains' expressions varied.
Some showed surprise, some indifference, some anger, some schadenfreude, all sorts of reactions.
The relationship between nobles and the Gotei 13 was not exactly good.
All the nobles who were friendly with them had already joined the Gotei 13, so those counted as their own people.
As for the other nobles, whether they lived or died had nothing to do with them.
If the Head Captain wasn't watching over them, these nobles would have been divided up by the captains long ago. They were nothing but a bunch of idiots who only knew how to whine.
"Was it you, Rosse?", Sui Feng immediately stepped forward, pointing straight at Rosse.
"Don't frame me, I've been with Captain Unohana all night. Unless Captain Sui Feng wants to say Captain Unohana was my accomplice? Or that Captain Unohana couldn't keep an eye on me?", Rosse said with a smiling expression.
Even so, not everyone's doubts were gone.
The Tsuneyashiro family could have only been killed during the day. They had just had a possible killing involving the Tsuneyashiro earlier today, and the family died at night. No one believed that kind of coincidence.
"I can testify. Captain Rosse and I have been together in Tenth Division this entire night," Unohana said softly.
As expected of a thousand-year-old captain's credibility.
The moment Unohana spoke, even the Head Captain's suspicion faded.
Before anyone else could speak, the Head Captain continued.
"In this incident, the only missing person is Tsuneyashiro Tokikawa. His strength is captain-class. He was previously the head of a branch family within the Tsuneyashiro clan. According to Twelfth Division's investigation, he has already escaped to the living world, and he also took the Tsuneyashiro clan's inherited Zanpakuto, Enrakyoten."
"Oh my, oh my. Looks like this is a case of killing one's own family for treasure and then fleeing out of guilt," Ichimaru Gin smiled like a poisonous snake, saying aloud exactly what everyone was thinking.
Although Gin hadn't personally participated in this matter, he still knew it was Aizen and Tosen who made the move.
It washed away suspicion from Rosse and also gave Tosen the chance to personally take revenge. A win-win.
A bit unfortunate though. The one who killed Tosen's best friend was Tsuneyashiro Tokinada, and Rosse had already killed him.
Tosen had slaughtered the entire Tsuneyashiro family, yet the true culprit was missing.
"It may be like that, but we cannot exclude other possibilities. Central 46 has issued an order to capture Tsuneyashiro Tokikawa alive," The Head Captain spoke calmly, looking downward.
No captain ever wanted to handle these kinds of troublesome tasks.
Just as he thought he would have to call someone out by name, Rosse suddenly stepped forward with a smile.
"Head Captain, leave this to me. I haven't been to the living world yet."
Seeing it was Rosse stepping forward, many captains showed suspicious expressions.
Even with Unohana's testimony, it only proved he hadn't acted tonight. The suspicion of killing Tsuneyashiro Tokinada earlier was still unresolved.
Taking the mission so proactively looked very suspicious.
"Approved. Another captain will be needed."
The Head Captain, surprisingly, didn't question him this time. He simply nodded and approved Rosse's request.
To him, sending Rosse was actually the best option.
No matter what Rosse did, he could use this to see what the man intended.
If it truly endangered the Soul Society's order, killing him later wouldn't be too late.
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