Years later.
"Gin, wait for me!"
Matsumoto Rangiku and Ichimaru Gin were walking on a small path in Rukongai.
Rangiku looked at Gin, who was walking briskly ahead, and couldn't help but shout:
"Can't you slow down?"
"We finally got a two-person mission from the Captain to investigate the disappearance of a group of Rukongai residents in District 62 of East Rukongai."
"Why are you walking so fast?"
"Do you hate me?"
"It's fine if we complete this mission a few days later. The Captain also said that since the people have already disappeared, even if we rush there now, we might not find them."
"Rather than risking ourselves to uncover the truth, it's better to prioritize our own safety."
"Have you forgotten what the Captain taught us?"
Ichimaru Gin stopped and turned to look at Rangiku, who wanted to spend time alone with him.
The breeze gently ruffled his hair, and Gin sighed slightly:
"I haven't forgotten, but a mission is a mission after all."
"Rangiku, do you still remember where District 62 of East Rukongai is?"
"That place is called Hanakago, it's where you and I first met."
"In a sense, it's our hometown. Now that our hometown has a problem, how can I act slowly?"
"What's more, the disappearance of Rukongai residents always means something big is happening."
"Before, it was Aizen, now…"
At this point, a hint of worry flashed in Ichimaru Gin's eyes.
He hesitated, the expression he had shown a few days ago when he first heard this news suddenly coming back to him.
At the time, he thought Aizen had been resurrected, but after asking the Captain, he found out that Aizen was still in Hell.
Because the incident location was quite special, the Gotei 13, after careful consideration, assigned this mission to the Ninth Division.
The Ninth Division then assigned this mission to Rangiku, and Rangiku called upon Ichimaru Gin.
Thus, the two formed a team and officially began their operation.
In Matsumoto Rangiku's eyes, this was an excellent opportunity.
But in Ichimaru Gin's eyes, Hanakago was fraught with danger, a veritable mountain of blades and a sea of fire. A slight misstep could lead to the dissipation of their spiritual bodies.
Because of this, he had no mind to joke around with Rangiku.
"Oh, I know, but what does that matter? I'm very capable, and if we really encounter danger, I'll protect you."
Rangiku patted her chest, putting on a bold front.
Seeing her ample bosom, Ichimaru Gin's eye twitched involuntarily.
"We'll see."
He turned around, "We can't waste any more time. According to the information provided by the Eighth Division, those who disappeared were all Rukongai residents with spiritual pressure."
"If they died, it means there's an unknown group secretly plotting something."
"What we need to do is find their clues and report to the Captain."
"If they didn't die, then our actions need to be carefully considered. It could be some kind of riot; one happened in South Rukongai before."
"A group of Rukongai residents, dissatisfied with the Seireitei's haughty attitude, took up arms and gathered companions, intending to attack the Seireitei and overthrow the regime."
"Although we usually don't care about these people, if other innocent Rukongai residents die because of their riot…"
"At that time, we will also bear a certain responsibility."
"Rangiku, you understand, right?"
Hearing this, Matsumoto Rangiku abandoned her usual relaxed demeanor and nodded seriously:
"I understand."
She also didn't want to see those innocent Rukongai residents die due to their negligence.
However, as the saying goes, there should be a balance between work and rest. Who says one can't enjoy a leisurely time amidst such a tense mission atmosphere?
—Let's act tonight.
Matsumoto Rangiku watched Ichimaru Gin's back, her eyes shifting slightly as she thought to herself.
…
At the same time, deep within a forest in Hanakago, it was the season for persimmons to ripen.
Inside a temple surrounded by persimmon trees, a young man leaned among a group of beautiful women, listening to his subordinate's report, and nodded slightly:
"Have one-tenth of the nearby residents already been recruited?"
"Not bad."
"It's not in vain that I think so highly of you, Rinshiro Tsukishima."
"Keep up the good work. As long as you do well and satisfy me, I will surely send you, who died unexpectedly, back to the Human World."
Rinshiro Tsukishima was a man who appeared to be in his early thirties, with a fair and handsome face, but a cold expression.
He was the grandfather of the later Tsukishima Shūkurō, and one could vaguely see the shadow of Shukuro in him.
Hearing the promise made by the man in front of him, he responded expressionlessly, then took the reward the other party threw at him and quickly left the temple.
Outside were golden-yellow persimmon trees, the fragrance of the fruits gently wafting through the air.
Seeing these, he felt as if he had returned to the Human World, but he knew in his heart that this was the world of the dead.
Unconsciously, a week had passed, and even now, he didn't understand why he had died…
He was still so young…
"I hope that guy keeps his word…"
"Resurrection, in the face of his so-called divine power, it might really be possible."
Rinshiro Tsukishima lowered his eyes, recalling his experiences, and couldn't help but feel somewhat lost.
As an ordinary Rukongai resident, when he entered Soul Society, he was assigned to District 62 due to extremely bad luck.
District 62 was already a relatively backward area, with extremely harsh living conditions, and the people lived in great misery.
He originally thought his future days would be exceptionally difficult, but he didn't expect to meet a guy who called himself a "god" halfway through.
That "god" saw him and immediately thought he was a talent worth cultivating, wanting to take him as a subordinate…
At first, Rinshiro Tsukishima refused, thinking he was a lunatic.
But unexpectedly, he really possessed divine power…
No choice.
Whether he was a god or not, in the face of the power the other party displayed, he had no capital to refuse.
Thus, he could only agree to the other party's invitation and, according to the other party's instructions, slowly guide the masses to join their ranks.
The goal of the group was to overthrow the rule of the Shinigami…
Rinshiro Tsukishima wasn't sure what Shinigami were, but since the other party claimed to be a god, they must be enemies, he supposed.
He had heard some stories of divine wars in the Human World, and whenever war broke out, ordinary people like them were always the first to die tragically.
In order not to become cannon fodder, he had to act quickly to gain the opportunity for resurrection and escape.
Whew…
Taking a deep breath, Rinshiro Tsukishima glanced at the reward in his hand, then absorbed it into his body.
His physical fitness was slowly improving.
He wasn't sure what this reward was, but he presumed it was a product of divine power, capable of turning an ordinary person into a superhuman with ease.
After absorbing it, he glanced at his surroundings and quickly left the forest surrounded by persimmon trees.
Immediately after, he appeared on the outskirts and began to rally the newly appearing members to move deeper.
To avoid being discovered by the Shinigami.
…
Soon after, on the other side of Hanakago.
"It's been investigated, Gin. The nearby residents didn't disappear at the same time; instead, they seem to have been gathered by someone."
"The footprints on the ground explain everything."
Matsumoto Rangiku and Ichimaru Gin summarized their information.
Gin nodded:
"My situation is similar. A child supposedly saw signs of those residents moving last night."
"If this is true, then the disappearances should be happening at night."
"Let's act after nightfall. For now, this is all the information we have."
"It's good that they weren't killed. A large-scale gathering might be a rebellion… They're a bunch of lunatics."
Ichimaru Gin didn't believe those Rukongai residents could succeed.
Among these Rukongai residents, there might be other people's husbands and wives.
Killing them all would also not be consistent with the Shinigami's usual conduct.
So, they could only try their best to find them, then persuade them and have them disband their group…
If they didn't disband and remained stubborn, then Ichimaru Gin would just have to be the villain…
He hoped such a thing wouldn't happen; he didn't want Rangiku's hands to be stained with blood.
Thinking of this, Ichimaru Gin gripped the hilt of Shinsō, lowered his head slightly, and sighed.
Then, he turned and led Matsumoto Rangiku to find a place to stay, quietly waiting for night to fall.
…
Late at night, the night in Hanakago always permeated a sense of dead silence.
Although it was late autumn, there was no sound of wind, and even the chirping of insects had disappeared.
Ichimaru Gin stood on the second floor of a house, gripping his sword hilt tightly. He leaned by the window, vigilantly observing his surroundings.
Based on the current situation, it could be inferred that if another disappearance occurred tonight, it would surely start from here.
Rangiku was sipping behind him.
Although drinking alcohol during a mission was a taboo, she intentionally controlled her intake, so the impact wasn't very severe.
Compared to Gin's tense mission mode, she preferred a more relaxed approach.
What's more, a disappearance had just been discovered yesterday.
It was hard to say if another would happen today.
If she were the mastermind, she would definitely pause for a few days after one operation before acting again.
Next, things unfolded much as she had imagined.
It wasn't until the early hours of the morning, when the sun was almost up, that there was still no movement around.
Having almost finished her drink, Rangiku looked at the empty glass, yawned, and said to Ichimaru Gin:
"It's time to rest, Gin."
"These people are very cautious. I think waiting any longer will be futile."
"Anyway, the mission deadline given to us is one month, so there's no need to rush."
"If you're too tense, it might affect your condition, you know."
"Once your condition declines, injury is inevitable, Gin. You're not trying to make me take care of you, are you?"
"Heh heh, it's not impossible, but in that case, bathing…"
Rangiku fully displayed the potential of a female hooligan.
Ichimaru Gin's mouth twitched slightly upon hearing her, and he suddenly felt that coming out with her was a mistake.
However, Rangiku was right about one thing.
No matter what mission they were performing, adjusting one's condition was essential.
After being tense all night, he was indeed a bit tired.
Whew…
Silently letting out a long breath, Ichimaru Gin slowly sat down, closed his eyes slightly, and leaned against the corner of the wall, preparing to rest.
He had just begun to feel a little sleepy, in a state between waking and sleeping, when Ichimaru Gin felt something covering him.
Vaguely, he smelled a familiar scent, very fragrant. Ichimaru Gin didn't want to think too much, perhaps it was a blanket or something.
However.
It wasn't until he woke up that he realized the thing was a thick yukata.
He vaguely remembered Rangiku only wearing a yukata last night…
… …
"…" He was silent for a moment.
Ichimaru Gin expressionlessly lifted the yukata off his body and stood up to stretch.
Then he walked to the window, squinting slightly to look at the sky outside.
The sky was already bright, and the roads were full of pedestrians coming and going; roughly estimating, he had slept for about five hours.
Rangiku was not by his side, most likely she had gone out; since she didn't call him, it meant that the group of people had indeed not taken action…
The task was arduous and the road long.
He wondered if the one-month mission deadline would be enough to complete this task.
Just then.
Matsumoto Rangiku returned.
She was carrying a pile of things in her arms.
Ichimaru Gin looked back.
Most of it was persimmon cakes.
"You're awake. How was your sleep? While you were sleeping, I went out to inquire about some things."
"Guess what I found out?"
Matsumoto Rangiku placed the pile of persimmon cakes on the table and teased Ichimaru Gin.
Just as Ichimaru Gin was about to answer, Rangiku preemptively said:
"Never mind, I don't think you'll guess it. It's not about the mission."
"It's related to Hanakago."
"About seven years ago, Captain Urahara developed a new type of seed. These seeds can effectively solve the problem of low productivity in some areas."
"Hanakago was chosen, and after decades of not returning, the yield of your favorite persimmons has actually tripled."
"If only I had lived in this time back then." She sighed with some envy, as if recalling past hardships.
Ichimaru Gin nodded. He actually knew about this; Hanakago being chosen was something he had asked Yoriichi to inform Kisuke Urahara about.
Otherwise, there would be no reason for such a coincidence.
But he hadn't told Rangiku about this matter.
After Matsumoto Rangiku finished speaking quietly, Ichimaru Gin walked to the table, picked up a persimmon cake, gently squeezed it, feeling its softness and elasticity, then softly spoke:
"What are we doing today, Rangiku? Do you have any ideas?"
"Regarding the disappearances of those Rukongai residents, there are still no clues. The hiding place, the reason, the leader—all are unknown."
"Although I really don't want to admit it, the efficiency of just the two of us is really too low. Should we request backup?"
"Let's call Toushiro and Hinamori Momo as well, to avoid any unexpected situations. Also, there's one thing I'm very concerned about."
"Why did they choose Hanakago?"
Ichimaru Gin took a bite of the persimmon cake, chewed a few times, swallowed it, felt a bit full, and continued,
"If it's for food, there are clearly other areas that also have those special seeds."
"Some places are even in areas like District 70s, where even the disappearance of a large number of Rukongai residents would not be easily noticed."
"Like Rukia's hometown, South Rukongai District 78."
"Of course, even if it's her hometown, Rukia doesn't have much affection for it."
"So theoretically, District 78 should be more suitable for accumulating strength."
"Now that they've chosen this place, in my opinion, there's only one possibility."
Ichimaru Gin paused, his gaze turning to the window, his tone carrying a hint of concern,
"That is, their leader originates from near Hanakago."
"This is what I thought of when I woke up just now. Perhaps it's a clue, and we can look for it based on this."
Matsumoto Rangiku was thoughtful; indeed, it was so.
Based on the time the first batch of Rukongai residents disappeared, even if the leader wasn't from Hanakago, they were from one of the surrounding areas of Hanakago.
Otherwise, their actions couldn't have been so swift; it was completely premeditated.
And if it was premeditated, there would naturally be no need to choose this place.
In other words.
Choosing this place was for convenience.
Rangiku nodded:
"Indeed, Gin, your mind is better. I understand. I'll go contact the Shinigami stationed here right away."
The number of Shinigami has increased over the years due to the peace in the Three Realms, so every region has Shinigami supervision, and there will no longer be cases of reincarnation without registration.
Therefore, they generally have resident lists in their hands.
From the list, it would probably be possible to deduce who was most likely the leader.
In order to quickly finish this mission and enjoy their time alone with Ichimaru Gin, Matsumoto Rangiku began to act swiftly.
After obtaining the list, she slowly sorted it according to the timeline and quickly filtered out about five hundred suspects.
The previous number of suspects was one hundred thousand, so reducing it from one hundred thousand to five hundred was already a great achievement.
But even so, it was still too many.
After thinking for a moment.
Rangiku began to look for help.
And so, Rinshiro Tsukishima, who was about to postpone his plan for a few days, was utterly bewildered.
He stayed at home, listening to the knocking at the door and the knocker's self-introduction, and couldn't help but wonder if he had done something wrong.
Why would Shinigami be drawn here?
This was too fast!
Plans couldn't keep up with changes. Although he really wanted to expel these Shinigami, he was, unfortunately, just an ordinary human at heart.
Unable to resist, he could only invite the knocker outside into his home.
The visitor was a delicate girl, with black hair and black eyes, appearing completely unthreatening.
But Rinshiro Tsukishima dared not be negligent in the slightest.
He knew very well that his actions were rebellion, and if caught, he would be sentenced to death…
What would happen if he, already dead, died again? Tsukishima couldn't even imagine.
Hinamori Momo, as soon as she entered, went straight to the point: "Hello, my name is Hinamori Momo, Mr. Tsukishima, could I trouble you to answer a few questions?"
"Where were you and what were you doing at eleven o'clock the night before last?"
"Don't worry, this is just a small investigation."
"Because someone reported that their valuables keep going missing…"
After Hinamori Momo finished speaking, she took out a small notebook, looking like she was seriously taking notes.
Seeing this, Tsukishima could only steel himself and answer, of course… not the truth, because the night before last he was inciting the populace.
In the Human World, he was a master at this, often able to twist white into black and black into white, thus offending many people.
Perhaps he died because of this? Tsukishima thought of other things as he spoke.
Hinamori Momo seemed not to notice the change in Tsukishima's expression. She listened, nodding gently:
"Mm-hmm, I understand. You were resting, right? It's alright, most people say the same thing. Thank you very much for your cooperation."
Clap.
When Tsukishima finished speaking, she closed her notebook, took a crystal ball from her pocket, and continued,
"Now, please place your hand on this ball."
"…"
Tsukishima's expression was hesitant. He felt there was something wrong with this ball, could it be…
"Yes."
Hinamori Momo, seeing his confused expression, replied,
"This is our latest product, a composite instrument combining lie detection and spiritual pressure detection."
"You've just arrived in Rukongai, so you probably don't know what spiritual pressure is yet."
"Simply put, if you can make this crystal ball glow."
"Then you have the qualifications to become a Shinigami and join us."
"Please rest assured, even if it doesn't glow, it's fine. Over 95% of Rukongai residents cannot make it glow; this is normal."
"Now, please begin."
Hinamori Momo made a gesture of invitation, a smile still on her face.
Tsukishima's scalp tingled, and he secretly cursed.
Honestly, he had no idea how he had been exposed.
In his opinion, these gentle words were completely an implicit suggestion for him to surrender.
Why would Shinigami have something like this?!
Having lived in Hanakago for so many days, he had thought the entire Soul Society was like Hanakago…
What to do?
He couldn't think of any way to avoid the test, because he knew his words definitely wouldn't fool these lie-detecting instruments.
As for the authenticity of the instruments, he never doubted it… Since they had already come to his door, they must have been fully prepared.
His thoughts were a tangled mess as Rinshiro Tsukishima slowly extended his hands, staring at the crystal ball.
What seemed like a very short time to outsiders, just two seconds, was actually a long inner struggle for him.
Finally, reason triumphed over impulse. Taking a deep breath, he looked up at Hinamori Momo and said word by word:
"Honestly, when did you discover me? I thought my operational procedures were perfect…"
"Is this the difference between humans and Shinigami? In such a short time… Fine, I confess, don't make a move."
As soon as he said this, Hinamori Momo seemed to not react, looking up blankly and saying, "What?"
After speaking.
She quickly reacted, urgently calling for Rangiku while restraining Rinshiro Tsukishima, to prevent him from taking desperate measures.
Her actions were so rushed, like a girl who wakes up with only ten minutes left before work, only to find she hasn't put on her makeup yet.
And at this moment, Rinshiro Tsukishima also reacted.
He widened his eyes.
No… you didn't discover me?
Then…
His heart was filled with regret, wishing he could slap himself. How could he have confessed so easily?
… …
"Rinshiro Tsukishima, you say?"
Yoriichi Tsugikuni learned of this five minutes later.
He looked at the report Hinamori Momo sent and, seeing her complete course of action, couldn't help but smile:
"A confession due to an information asymmetry?"
"Not bad. Although it relies on luck to a certain extent, luck is also part of strength."
"Let it be."
He sent a message to Hinamori Momo, signaling that she could return.
Regarding that persimmon orchard, Rangiku would later take Ichimaru Gin to investigate.
The immediate priority was to analyze what exactly the divine powers within Rinshiro Tsukishima's body were.
Divine… He hoped he was overthinking it.
If that fellow could arbitrarily create Fullbringers, this would be the greatest trouble in Soul Society's history.
At the same time, his identity also needed to be verified, as theoretically, no one could freely squander the power of the Soul King.
Except for…