Tap... tap... tap...
Tap... tap... tap...
Tap... tap... tap...
On the bluestone road leading to the Senzaikyū beneath Sōkyoku Hill, a series of crisp footsteps echoed. Before long, Kaname Tōsen appeared from the corner of the street, escorting Kaien Shiba along with four Shinigami dressed in white robes.
"Hey… Captain Tōsen, do you really believe I killed Captain Aizen?" Kaien finally broke the silence.
Tap... clack!
Tōsen suddenly stopped. He turned around calmly to face them.
"What's wrong, Captain Tōsen?" the four escorting Shinigami asked nervously.
"Nothing… I just feel apologetic."
"Apologetic??"
The four guards—and even Kaien—were bewildered.
Apologetic? About what?
"Slash—"
Without further explanation, Tōsen swiftly drew his Zanpakutō and slashed diagonally. In an instant, two of the guards collapsed, crimson blood spraying from their chests.
"What?! Tōsen, what are you doing?!" Kaien shouted in shock.
Without a word, Tōsen reversed his blade and cut through the tendon of Kaien's right leg. Blood poured from the wound.
"Ugh!"
Kaien fell to his knees with a thud, clutching his leg as blood seeped through his fingers and stained the ground red.
"C-Captain Tōsen? W-what are you doing?!" The remaining two guards were frozen in terror, nearly dropping their swords.
"What am I doing…?"
Holding his blood-dripping blade, Tōsen spoke evenly:
"Preparing for the arrival of justice… by removing all obstacles in its path."
"Tōsen!! So you and Ichimaru are in this together—you bastard!!"
Half-kneeling, Kaien glared fiercely at Tōsen, then shouted to the two guards behind him:
"Run! Tell the Captain-Commander that Tōsen and Ichimaru have betrayed Soul Society!"
"Oh? So you finally figured it out, Captain of the Tenth Division."
With a faint voice, Gin Ichimaru appeared before the two guards. Two sharp sounds followed—scarlet blood burst from their backs.
"Ichimaru… Gin! So it was you scheming in the shadows, you slit-eyed bastard?! Damn you!!"
With his spiritual power sealed, Kaien could not muster the strength to resist. He could only watch helplessly as Gin killed the remaining guards.
"My, my… don't go accusing people falsely, Captain," Gin said with a smile as he approached.
"The one pulling the strings is someone else. You've guessed wrong again."
"What?! You mean…?"
Kaien's mind raced through past events. His eyes widened.
"Captain Ukitake…? Is it Captain Ukitake?!"
"What an idiot," Gin chuckled, shaking his head.
"Well, since you're about to die anyway, I'll tell you the truth.
The one truly manipulating everything from the shadows… is the person you believe least capable of it.
Still don't understand?
Then I'm afraid you'll have to search for the answer in your next life.
Now then—shoot him, Shinsō."
"Thrust!"
Gin's short blade suddenly extended at blinding speed, piercing straight through Kaien's chest.
"Splurt—"
A spray of vivid blood blossomed in front of Kaien like a scarlet flower, raining down and soaking the dirt beneath him.
"Ichimaru… Gin… you bastard…"
With blood at the corner of his mouth and fury in his eyes, Kaien growled one last time before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
"Well now… to think a captain could be taken down so easily. Hard to believe," Gin said lightly as he retracted his blade.
Turning to Tōsen, he added:
"The plan has changed, Captain Tōsen. Please proceed to Sōkyoku Hill and rendezvous with Captain Aizen at once—"
Shing! Shing!
Suddenly, Tōsen vanished and reappeared behind Gin, driving his blade downward.
"Agh!" "Gah!"
The two guards whom Gin had merely gravely wounded were finished off completely, their final screams echoing briefly before falling silent.
"You were careless, Ichimaru," Tōsen said calmly as he returned to Gin's side.
"…"
Gin fell silent for a moment, though his expression did not change. Shrugging lightly, he replied:
"Yes, yes—good thing Captain Tōsen was here.
Otherwise… I might have ruined Captain Aizen's plan."
"Hmph! You're always so careless… sooner or later, it will lead to trouble!" Kaname Tōsen said coldly.
He then lowered his head slightly, "examining" Kaien Shiba's body, raising his Zanpakutō as if to deliver the finishing blow—
"Captain Tōsen! Did you notice?!" Gin Ichimaru suddenly said with a frown.
"Notice what?"
"Someone's heading this way."
Gin slightly opened his eyes and looked toward a dark figure approaching in the distance. The corner of his lips curved upward.
"Oh? It's that person… In that case, I'll handle things here. Hurry and rendezvous with Captain Aizen, Captain Tōsen."
"I see… Understood."
Tōsen had also recognized who was coming. He nodded, sheathed his sword, leapt onto a rooftop, and vanished after a few Shunpo steps.
Honestly… such troublesome fools. That idiot captain and his idiot vice-captain…
Gin sighed inwardly as he watched the approaching figure draw nearer and nearer.
"Gin Ichimaru!!"
When the newcomer saw the scene before her, she cried out in shock. Without hesitation, she thrust out her right hand and cast a Kidō spell:
"Hadō #31: Shakkahō!"
BOOM!
The crimson orb of fire roared toward Gin, but he merely smiled and swiped his hand to the side, batting the flames away with ease.
"I didn't expect you to follow me, Rangiku."
Seeing Rangiku Matsumoto rush toward him, Gin subtly retreated more than ten meters.
"Captain! Captain!!"
Rangiku threw herself at Kaien's side, calling his name urgently. Seeing that he was completely unconscious, she drew her Zanpakutō and pointed it at Gin
"Gin Ichimaru—what did you do to Captain Shiba?!"
"What did I do? Hmm… let me think. It seems I accidentally wounded the Tenth Division captain," Gin said, stroking his chin as if pondering seriously.
"Damn it!" Rangiku gripped her sword tightly and shouted, "Gin Ichimaru, what are you doing? Why… why did you attack Captain Shiba—"
"Rangiku…"
Gin suddenly called her name in a serious tone.
"What?"
"Is there any meaning in wasting time here asking questions that have no answers?"
He glanced at the unconscious Kaien lying on the ground before narrowing his eyes again.
"Or… are you really going to raise your blade against me?"
"Gin… Ichimaru…"
Rangiku hesitated, staring at him. Then she sheathed her sword, lifted Kaien into her arms, and in a flash sped toward the Fourth Division barracks.
"Well then… goodbye, Rangiku."
Gin watched her figure grow smaller in the distance, smiling faintly.
In the next instant, his body flickered—and he vanished from the spot.