"Shuuichi-sama, are you sure this is really okay?"
Inside Seireitei, in the Twelfth Division barracks of the Gotei 13, Yushima Ōko stared at what used to be the old captain's lounge—now Kurotsuchi Mayuri's lab—and fretted over the wreckage.
He'd thought when Higashino Shuuichi said he would "go talk to Mayuri," it would be just that—talk.
He hadn't expected Shuuichi's way of "talking" to be this rough.
"Your taichō already said it's fine. What are you worrying about?"
Higashino stood aside, watching Twelfth Division members rush in to salvage the lab, and spoke without a care.
He couldn't leave Seireitei just yet; otherwise even a fool would smell trouble. He had to wait here until Yushima's normal clock-out.
He could have wandered Seireitei, too. He wore a Gigai skin that gave him a completely different face; aside from being a little uncomfortable, it wasn't much different from the one Urahara Kisuke had made for him in the World of the Living.
But he chose not to stir up extra branches.
If the wrong person saw him, it'd be a pain.
"Then, Shuuichi-sama, is it really true that taichō will bring me into the next phase of research?"
Yushima scratched his head, a little sheepish.
The past had left him a bundle of contradictions: timid and self-doubting, yet desperate to show off his power.
"When have I ever lied to you? Only—Mayuri told me this too—if you don't meet his standards, he won't keep you just to save my face."
Higashino suddenly turned his head.
Because he saw the last person he wanted to see.
"Unohana-taichō? Why would you come in person? Where's Yamada Seinosuke?"
Outside the gutted lab, Kurotsuchi Mayuri looked at the gentle woman in a captain's haori and asked, puzzled.
To his knowledge, Unohana Retsu rarely handled incidents personally. Normally she left these to her fukutaichō. Long ago it was Higashino; later it became Yamada Seinosuke.
"I happened to be shopping nearby. I heard you had an accident, Mayuri-taichō, so I came straight over to take a look~"
Unohana turned her head and smiled.
She had just seen a strange man. Odd—though it should have been her first time seeing him, an inexplicable familiarity flickered.
"Then my apologies, Unohana-taichō. This incident was caused by a failed experiment of mine. There were no casualties."
Mayuri spoke as Unohana drifted step by step toward the ruins.
She didn't answer. She laid a hand on a broken wall, feeling.
Then she withdrew her hand and gazed into the empty underground.
"Is Mayuri-taichō… skilled with zanjutsu?"
Unohana asked, voice low.
"I'm only skilled at research."
Mayuri answered plainly, not following.
Then he saw Unohana smile. She lifted her gaze to the spot where that "familiar" stranger had been. It was empty now.
Outside Rukongai—fortunately word of the Twelfth's explosion hadn't spread, and Mayuri hadn't reported to Central 46 yet—the South Gate guard Higonyūdō still didn't know a severe accident had occurred inside Seireitei. Taking Yushima Ōko and Higashino Shuuichi as half "acquaintances," he didn't make trouble and let them pass quickly.
"Shuuichi-sama, why are we leaving in such a rush? Once the lab incident spreads, that Higonyūdō will smell something off and report us up the chain for sure!"
Panting after him, Yushima couldn't understand why Shuuichi had suddenly dragged him out of Seireitei.
"There aren't that many whys. You'll be fine. Just stick to the cover story I drilled into you. Your taichō will back you up!"
Higashino was already sweating cold.
He walked while pinging a signal through a device Urahara Kisuke had built using the principle of the Jigokuchō (Hell Butterfly), sending the "get me out" message—so Urahara could set up a Senkaimon (World-Piercing Gate) in the World of the Living and let him exit Soul Society at the rendezvous.
He had no choice. Urahara had only been gone from Soul Society a short while; a lot of future handy tools weren't invented yet.
As for why he was running—did that need saying?
When he'd watched Unohana Retsu ignore everything and walk straight to the broken wall whose corner had been shaved off by the residual wave of his single Nadegiri (Caress Cut)—the one that cleaved Mayuri's golden Ashisogi Jizō—Higashino knew: dead giveaway.
Of everyone in Soul Society who truly understood Nadegiri, Unohana had no equal. Not even Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, who had developed the technique, necessarily understood it more deeply than she did.
Because Unohana had once lost to that very strike.
And the one who knows you best… is your opponent. Especially one you've already beaten.
Now count: in all Soul Society, including the fugitives, besides Yamamoto and Unohana, only Higashino Shuuichi could use Nadegiri.
Add to that the meaningful look Unohana had given him the moment she stepped into the Twelfth—and unless he were a brick, he knew he had to run.
"Then, Shuuichi-sama… are you leaving?"
Yushima saw that Shuuichi wasn't heading toward his home but another direction, and a guess dawned—along with a sudden, inexplicable reluctance.
They'd known each other barely half a year, but it had been the half-year he'd felt most cared for, most valued.
"Mm. My body's recovered, and I've talked with Mayuri. It's time to return to the World of the Living."
Shuuichi nodded.
He'd already overstayed his Soul Society window.
The rest of the walk passed in silence.
Even after being told he didn't have to follow, Yushima still tailed him all the way to the planned exit point.
Breathless.
"Shuuichi-sa… Shuuichi-sama… may I… go to the World of the Living with you?"
Staring at Shuuichi's back, Yushima blurted a thought he'd never had before—no thinking, just the words.
"You want to come with me?"
Higashino was stunned.
Wasn't this kid set on making the Shinigami who'd looked down on him eat crow?
He'd laid the groundwork, paved the road—now the kid wanted to drop everything and run off with him?
No. Absolutely not. That wasn't the script.
Yushima Ōko should stay in Soul Society, master soul-modification, and, if possible, the Dangai (Precipice World). If he got good enough, maybe even open a second homeland someday.
Tagging along to the World of the Living—what was he thinking?
Like he didn't have enough baggage already.
Higashino decided to paint—no, to show—a future worth chasing.
"Ōko, you know I've always admired your talent. I wanted you at Mayuri's side for two reasons. One, to build real research experience. Two, to grow on your own.
No storm, no rainbow.
Think it through, Ōko—I'm a Shinigami. I can't stay in the World of the Living forever. One day, I will come back.
And when I do, I want you standing beside me as a taichō—my right hand—not as a child who never grows up, always trailing after me.
Do you understand?"
The sun was behind Shuuichi, but when Ōko looked up, he seemed as dazzling as the sun itself.
So that's where I stand in Shuuichi-sama's heart?
So those are the heights he expects of me?
Ōko, Ōko—how could you betray that faith?
He'd laid such a firm foundation, paved such a clear road. All he had to do was walk it and he could stand at Shuuichi's back—yet he'd still wanted more…
"I'm sorry, Shuuichi-sama. I was wrong."
Ashamed, Ōko lowered his head—and in that moment wanted to smack himself. He didn't dare. He only sneaked a glance upward to see whether Shuuichi-sama looked disappointed.
What he saw was Shuuichi crouch and lay a warm hand on his head.
"No, you aren't wrong, Ōko. You just picked the wrong direction. There are many ways to follow me. Being beside me isn't the only one."
"But, if I'm not at your side, Shuuichi-sama… how do I follow you?"
Confusion clouded Ōko's eyes.
"Silly child: stay with Mayuri and research soul-modification… the Dangai… Fullbring… so many things.
I'm not omnipotent. That's why I risked so much to come back here and find Mayuri.
I need allies. And you… will you help me?"
Shuuichi's voice was soft, like a spring breeze and fine rain—
Moistening things, silent.
It pried open the boy's heart… and welded it shut.
"I will!"
No hesitation at all.
Just then, behind Shuuichi, the long-awaited Senkaimon opened.
Ōko knew it was time to part.
"Shuuichi-sama, please believe me—I'll give it my all!"
He wiped at the corner of his eye and vowed with all his strength.
Higashino nodded, satisfied. "I believe in you, Ōko."
He turned to step into the gate.
And then… nothing.
Because the gate… split.
Literally, split in two.
"Since you've come this far, aren't you going to visit me?"
Beyond the rent gate stood a woman in a white kimono, a Zanpakutō in hand, smiling warmly—as if what she'd just cut were thin paper.
"Unohana-taichō, was that really necessary…"
Higashino gave an awkward grin.
With Unohana right in front of him, he couldn't pretend anymore. To do so would insult her—and her intelligence.
Why hadn't he sensed her until she cut the Senkaimon? He'd forgotten: he wore a disguise Gigai. It did many things well, but it completely insulated Reishi. Even at his level, he couldn't sense the slightest Reiatsu outside.
Otherwise, there's no way he wouldn't have noticed Unohana until her blade fell.
"Shuuichi-sama, run!"
What he didn't expect was Ōko reacting even faster than he did—charging Unohana and releasing his Zanpakutō.
"Roll, Bokugetsu-un (Ink-Moon Halo)!"
"Byakufuku (White Suppression)!"
Of course Higashino wasn't going to let Ōko slam into Unohana. With a single Shunpo (Flash Step), he appeared beside him, pressed a hand down, and shed Ōko's Reiatsu—and consciousness.
"Shuuichi… sama…"
In the moment before he blacked out, Ōko looked up, baffled.
Higashino answered with three words.
"Leave it— to me."
Unohana watched and only smiled, offering no comment. "I told you once, back when you were my fukutaichō, Shuuichi.
You can play vanish with me—but every time you come back, you owe me a surprise.
This time, you've been a little naughty~"
Higashino laid Ōko gently down, shed the Gigai, and revealed his true face. He smiled helplessly.
"Taichō, strictly speaking, I didn't 'vanish' this time. I was forced to flee to the World of the Living—barely had time to handle my Hollowfication. Where would I find 'growth'?"
"And the Hollow?"
"Mm. Under control."
"Then that's fine. Come on~"
Unohana set her stance. Her terrifying aura climbed and climbed.
"Wait, wait!"
A headache stabbed behind Higashino's eyes.
Suddenly, Zaraki Kenpachi didn't seem so bad—at least he wasn't this relentless.
"What is it?"
Unohana's eyes cooled.
"This place is bad. Let's change venues."
With no choice, Higashino triggered Hollowfication and tore open a Garganta—then stepped through toward Hueco Mundo.
If he fought Unohana in Soul Society, at his current level, the Reiatsu-dampening kekkai (barrier) Urahara had made wouldn't hold. When the dust settled, he'd step out to a ring of taichō… with Yamamoto in the middle. He'd be typing gg with both hands.
The Muken under Central 46 would be nice… but from the way Unohana pounced, she wasn't waiting for paperwork and a quiet escort.
And with Urahara's only Senkaimon just cleaved, Higashino ran the options. Only Hueco Mundo fit their fight's needs.
Watching him Hollowfy and open the Garganta, Unohana wore a "thought so" expression. She followed without hesitation—straight into Hueco Mundo.
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