Chapter 117: Cleanup
"It's over!?"
Matsumoto Rangiku stood blankly in place. The Dankū before her had already dissipated.
That radiance purifying everything still left impressions on her retinas.
Gazing at that figure standing with blade in hand within the light, she spoke in daze.
Victory too swift and thorough left her somewhat disoriented.
"Yes, it's over."
Suoh spoke calmly. Kikou's radiance faded as the blade in hand returned to sheath.
Surrounding ground had been purified by him to uniform one-inch depth, leaving only clean soil layer.
If Metastacia could still survive under this degree of attack, he'd kneel on the spot and kowtow to it.
To express his respect for such tenacious vitality.
"Here, your sword."
Suoh stepped forward, picking up the zanpakuto revealed after the Hollow's remnant corpse purified, turning to return it to Matsumoto Rangiku.
Though unclear about the principle behind Metastacia's technique making Haineko vanish just now, the feeling it gave him somewhat resembled later Quincy methods from the Invisible Empire.
If not for extreme wariness toward its parasitic fusion ability, Suoh truly wanted thoroughly researching its spiritual core.
"Thank you."
Matsumoto Rangiku unconsciously accepted it. Fingertips touching the slightly warm hilt, familiar sensation allowed her to partially withdraw from shocked emotions.
"Don't mention it. Let's check the cavern. Nothing left to worry about here."
Suoh smiled faintly. After speaking, he turned toward the cave entrance direction.
Moonlight fell upon his upright figure, casting a long shadow on ground.
"Coming!"
She pressed her lips together, suppressing excess thoughts within.
Quickly following, ground beneath her feet solid, carrying a kind of newfound sense of security.
The noisy battlefield returned to silence, only night wind brushing past shihakusho creating subtle sounds.
Cave entrance.
Shiba Kaien watched both approaching figures.
Gazes meeting Suoh's, he revealed hearty, satisfied smile.
He'd witnessed the entire battle.
Suoh and the others had their battle, while his duty was standing here, completing the protection responsibility entrusted to him.
Even sensing Metastacia's final frenzied spiritual pressure eruption, his feet hadn't shifted the slightest.
Because of trust.
"Hard work. Everything alright?"
Shiba Kaien exited defensive posture, as though completing merely an ordinary guard duty assignment.
Gaze worriedly looking toward Suoh, confirming.
"Yes, I'm fine."
Suoh nodded in response.
Kikou's second-stage application consumed spiritual pressure far beyond expectations. Currently he felt somewhat empty.
"Let's go inside and see. Hitsugaya did excellent work. The squad member inside is already very stable."
Shiba Kaien stepped aside, yielding the cave opening.
Suoh brought Matsumoto Rangiku into the cavern.
The cave interior permeated with damp earth smell and heavy blood scent.
Suoh's fingertip emitted gentle light halo, dispelling deep darkness, illuminating the entire cavern interior brightly.
Space here wasn't too large. Rock walls rough, covered with erosion and scratch marks.
Ground scattered with some bloodstains and clothing fragments.
Borrowing the light, shifting vision slightly could take in the entire cavern.
Hitsugaya's figure stood at the cavern's side, back toward the entrance kneeling half on ground. Beside him lay that rescued squad member.
Hearing footsteps, he turned his head slightly.
"Tsukasa, Matsumoto-fukutaichou."
Hitsugaya offered simple greeting, voice carrying a thread of relaxation after fatigue.
Suoh approached, gaze falling upon the injured.
The squad member appeared relatively young, face carrying some untempered greenness.
Multiple wounds on his body had been treated by Hitsugaya using Kaidō.
Shockingly, his limbs showed varying degrees of mutilation, bearing clear gnaw marks.
But regardless, he'd survived.
Though extremely weakened, vital signs remained stable.
In Soul Society, as long as Saketsu and Hakusui held no problems, physical damage always held remedies.
As though sensing light changes and approaching figures, the squad member arduously opened his eyes.
Seeing another familiar figure, tears surged forth, choking out.
"Matsumoto... fukutaichou."
"We... fought until the very end. Please bring... them back together."
Speaking to the end, he painfully closed his eyes. Emotions hadn't collapsed, only persisting in low voice.
Voice hoarse, every word seemingly exhausting all strength.
Matsumoto Rangiku walked to the squad member's side, crouching, speaking gently.
"You worked hard. You all did excellently."
"I promise—I'll definitely bring them back together."
Tone pausing briefly, she solemnly pledged word by word.
Suoh watched all this, heart holding no victorious joy.
Shinigami lives proved very tenacious, capable of enduring millennia's grinding.
Yet so fragile, lost in one unprepared encounter battle.
Strong as the Shiba couple—they too fell to Metastacia's hands in the original story, much less these ordinary squad members.
"The injured's emotions shouldn't fluctuate violently."
Suoh spoke softly, breaking the cavern's heavy sorrow, voice gently soothing.
"Sleep first. Rest well. When you wake, everyone will have returned to Seireitei."
Palm brushing past the injured's face, he used hypnotic suggestion to plunge him into steady sleep.
"Handled very well, Hitsugaya."
"Your Kaidō level already exceeds most Fourth Division team leaders."
Suoh withdrew his hand, looking toward Hitsugaya beside him, nodding in approval.
"I only did what should be done."
Hitsugaya shook his head.
Speaking thus, his gaze swept across the young squad member's mutilated limbs.
Metastacia was dead, but those previously cruel scenes had already permanently, clearly branded into his memory.
Bringing the injured out of the cavern, clear air lifted everyone's spirits somewhat.
Matsumoto Rangiku inhaled deeply, exhaling chest's stagnant heaviness together.
Lowering her head to glance at the sleeping member, she gently adjusted his tattered shihakusho, then stood, spirit rallying.
"Kaien-fukutaichou, please escort the injured with Hitsugaya to safe area outside first for brief rest."
"Tsukasa, collecting... remains might require troubling you for help."
"No problem. Let's go."
The return journey's atmosphere proved even more somber than arrival.
At that previous bloody murder scene, the four split up.
The other two departed first with the injured. Suoh and Matsumoto Rangiku stopped in place, beginning meticulous search.
Approximately several minutes later.
Suoh brought multiple broken blades severed at the hilt, meeting her.
"Everything confirmable is here."
"Including the survivor, ten-person squad total. The count... is correct."
"Thank you for your hard work, Tsukasa."
Matsumoto Rangiku's expression showed sorrow as she accepted them. Extending hands to untie the scarf at her neck, she wrapped the variously damaged broken blades layer by layer, holding them in her embrace.
Squad members' bodies had long been completely devoured by the Hollow. These broken blades represented the only remaining marks of nine other members.
Bringing these back, at least they could erect memorial cenotaphs for mourning.
"Let's go."
She said.
Suoh nodded silently.
The four reunited outside the mountain forest, without excess words.
Coming, they'd moved extremely fast for tracking and combat, nerves taut.
Returning carrying injured, footsteps moved evenly, hearts even heavier.