At the same time, the scene shifts back to the Seireitei—
Night had fallen, and lanterns were already lit throughout the Seireitei, illuminating the crisscrossing streets with bright, warm light.
Inside the famous izakaya on South Street, Kaien Shiba, Shunsui Kyōraku, and Jūshirō Ukitake sat around a grill, drinking sake and eating meat.
"Big Brother Shunsui, I just don't understand… why did it have to be him?"
Kaien Shiba exhaled a mouthful of alcohol fumes, speaking drunkenly.
"Taichi… Fūjin Taichi is my good friend. I can't just stand by and watch him go to his death…
Tell me why—why would Captain-Commander Yamamoto choose Taichi to lead the expedition? Hic… He's inexperienced, not especially strong, and not exactly serious… most importantly, he has absolutely no experience fighting large-scale Hollow hordes!"
"Hoo…"
Kyōraku let out a long breath, set down his sake flask, and after a moment of thought said:
"Though I was a bit surprised too… I more or less understand what the old man is thinking."
"What?"
"Ever since Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen defected, the Gotei Thirteen's combat strength has been greatly diminished.
Later, Hitsugaya and Fūjin took over the Fifth and Ninth Divisions… but frankly speaking, their strength is far inferior to the three captains who fled.
So in order to guard against Aizen invading Soul Society, the old man has no choice but to remain stationed in the Seireitei. Captain Soi Fon belongs to the Onmitsukidō, which makes her unsuitable.
Captain Unohana of the Fourth Division possesses unfathomable strength, but she must stay to oversee medical operations.
Captain Hitsugaya of the Fifth Division may be called a genius, but he's too young… his Bankai is still immature. It's better for him to remain and restore order within the Fifth Division.
As for Captain Kuchiki of the Sixth Division, he represents noble interests and naturally wouldn't risk venturing into Hueco Mundo so easily. Captain Komamura of the Seventh bears the heavy responsibility of protecting the Captain-Commander and the Seireitei, so he cannot leave Soul Society either.
Captain Zaraki of the Eleventh Division is indeed a main combat force—but that battle-crazed man can only be restrained by the old man himself. It's safer to keep him here.
And you—you've already been assigned to guard the Human World. Compared to Hueco Mundo, that place is more likely to suffer an attack from Aizen.
As for the remaining divisions… I'm just a useless old drunk, and Jūshirō here is a sickly fellow who might collapse at any moment—
So no matter how you look at it, the responsibility of supervising the expeditionary force was bound to fall on Fūjin.
Besides… with that crafty Captain Kurotsuchi accompanying him, there shouldn't be any major problems."
"Heh heh…"
Ukitake shook his head with a bitter smile and continued drinking cup after cup of sake, only to begin coughing repeatedly not long after.
"Drink less, Jūshirō."
Kyōraku abruptly snatched away Ukitake's flask, poured himself a cup instead, and drank it before continuing thoughtfully:
"And… you seem to be underestimating Fūjin."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Kaien slurred, staring straight at Kyōraku with bleary eyes.
"The battle at Sōkyoku Hill... Fūjin single-handedly killed Tōsen without suffering a single injury—that alone proves he isn't weak.
Moreover, before Jūshirō and I arrived, another captain had already clashed with Fūjin… yet by the time we got there, her spiritual pressure had suddenly vanished.
And finally… there was Fūjin's fight with the old man."
At this point, Kyōraku frowned, staring intently at a charred slice of pork belly on the grill.
"Hmm? Seems like this piece got burnt?"
Pfft—
Kaien nearly spat blood upon hearing that and immediately shouted angrily:
"Hey, Shunsui! You're taking it too far!!"
"Don't rush me! Let me eat my fill before I continue!"
Kyōraku picked up the burnt pork and tossed it into his mouth, only to grimace from the heat before finally swallowing it.
"You—!"
Kaien slammed the table and abruptly stood up, only to sway and collapse to the floor the next second. Soon, faint snores filled the tavern.
"Sigh…"
Ukitake let out a soft sigh and said quietly to Kyōraku:
"You've noticed it too, haven't you… Shunsui?"
"Mm."
At those words, Kyōraku's drunken demeanor vanished. His deep eyes gleamed in the shadows, silently acknowledging Ukitake's statement.
"Taichi… that fellow—"
Ukitake's slender brows knitted tightly together, concern evident on his face.
"The power he's been hiding… it's Hollow power, isn't it?"
"!!!"
Though Kyōraku had long been aware of this, his heart still trembled.
After a long silence, he finally spoke:
"If even slow-witted people like us can sense it… do you think our teacher wouldn't know?"
"Mm…"
A strange glimmer flickered in Jūshirō Ukitake's eyes as he murmured,
"So perhaps Genryūsai-sensei chose Taichi to supervise the expeditionary force for another reason as well—namely, to 'eliminate all unstable factors within Soul Society.'"
"Exactly."
Shunsui Kyōraku slowly rose to his feet, gazing out at the pitch-black night sky beyond the window, and sighed softly.
"If that's really the case… then Captain Kurotsuchi is actually…"
He did not finish the sentence. He knew Ukitake would understand what he meant.
After all, the two of them were the earliest disciples of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto… and they understood better than anyone the almost obsessive justice he upheld.
…
At Sōkyoku Hill — beneath the forest tower — inside the Captain-Commander's residence, the Genryūdō Hall:
Yamamoto Genryūsai sat upright before a tea table, eyes closed in meditation. His Zanpakutō, Ryūjin Jakka, rested quietly at his side.
Moonlight streamed through the open window, gently cascading over his back and casting a sacred glow around him.
Tap… tap… tap.
A series of light footsteps stopped outside the doors of the Genryūdō Hall. Then the voice of Chōjirō Sasakibe sounded:
"Report, Captain-Commander. An envoy from the Royal Clan—the Kazama family—requests an audience with you."
"Mm. I understand."
Yamamoto abruptly opened his eyes, thinking to himself: So… they've finally come.
With a soft slide, the door to the Genryūdō Hall opened. A figure entered and knelt on one knee before Yamamoto.
In the bright moonlight, the person was wrapped entirely in a crimson robe, her face hidden beneath a hood.
Yet the graceful curves outlined beneath the robe made it obvious at a glance that she was a woman—and a beautiful one at that.
"Lady Nobume, what brings you to the Seireitei at such a late hour?"
Yamamoto calmly fixed his gaze on her and broke the silence first.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto, by order of my king—Kazama Momonosuke—I have come to eradicate the remnants of the Fūma clan hiding within the Gotei Thirteen!"
The woman called "Nobume" removed her hood, revealing a delicate and beautiful face.
"I have never heard of such a matter," Yamamoto replied impassively. "I ask that Lady Nobume return for now. Allow me to verify the facts before making any decision."
"Is that so? Then please inform me—where is the current Captain of the Ninth Division, Fūjin Taichi?"
"That concerns confidential matters of the Seireitei. I must decline to answer."
"I see… Then forgive me for my discourtesy."
As she spoke softly, Nobume flicked her right hand. Instantly, a short-handled tachi slid down into her grasp.
"Hmph… That is one of the Four Royal Blades passed down through generations—the Tonbokiri, is it? I never expected to see it again in my lifetime."
Even as Nobume revealed her weapon, Yamamoto's eyelids did not so much as twitch. Clearly, he did not regard her as a threat.
"Stop, Nobume!" A sharp shout rang out. A thin, sallow-faced middle-aged man slowly entered from outside.
"Lord Kinemon." Yamamoto slightly raised his right eye, staring intently at the man.
"So, two of the Four Wings of the Royal Kazama Clan have arrived. What is your true purpose?"
"Nothing much," Kinemon said lightly as he picked up a teacup from the tray and took a sip.
"We're simply here to help our king remove a small nail from his path. Once it's done, our king will continue to support your suppression of the Four Great Noble Houses."
He set down the cup and asked calmly:
"So… where exactly is Fūjin Taichi?"