The clash didn't last long. Madarame Ikkaku, already bearing wounds from earlier fights, finally crumpled under Amamiya Miyako's relentless—and frankly bizarre—barrage of attacks.
No matter how hard Ikkaku tried to close the distance, Miyako-kun was annoyingly cautious, constantly weaving in Kidō spells to keep him at bay. The few times Ikkaku's blade did get close enough to slash… were nothing but deliberate openings. Miyako-kun had set them like traps, each one punishing Ikkaku's straightforward style. For someone already injured, it was pure misery.
"Yare yare… you're definitely the kind of opponent we in the Eleventh Division hate the most," Ikkaku panted, lying on the ground, his zanpakutō stuck in the dirt beside him.
"Arigatō for the compliment," Miyako-kun replied lightly, crouching down to apply a burst of healing Kaido over Ikkaku's injuries.
"If this had dragged on, you'd have suffered even more," he added with a sly grin. Truth be told, Miyako-kun still had plenty of "unrefined" tricks up his sleeve—blinding flashes, trips, sudden sweeps, and attacks from odd angles. Against masters, those gimmicks weren't as effective… but against straightforward fighters like Ikkaku-san and Renji, they were deadly.
"Che… after fighting Renji, I almost forgot not everyone's as hopeless at Kidō as he is. Especially not someone like you."
"Oi, Ikkaku-san!" Abarai Renji called out, looking half-offended.
"Oi oi, that's a compliment, Renji," Ikkaku laughed, wincing from the pain. "Guys like you are exactly what the Eleventh Division's all about."
"Next time—when I'm fully recovered—I'm gonna beat you black and blue, Miyako-kun," Ikkaku growled, though his tone carried more eagerness than malice. He hated this kind of fight, but the fact he couldn't break through still made him itch for revenge.
"Gladly," Miyako shrugged, smirking. "A sparring partner of your quality? I'd be a fool to refuse."
His healing could only stabilize Ikkaku's condition, so Miyako-kun and Renji half-dragged, half-guided the bald fighter back toward the Seireitei, intent on letting Fourth Division handle the rest.
When Miyako-kun finally stepped back into the Thirteenth Division barracks, Kotetsu Kiyone and Kotsubaki Sentarō came running, panic written all over their faces.
"Vice Captain Amamiya! This is bad!" the two practically shouted in unison.
"What happened?" Miyako-kun's brows furrowed. For the usually bickering Third Seats to be this rattled… something serious had happened.
"It's Rukia-chan!" Kiyone blurted out. "The Shinigami Research and Development Institute just reported—her spiritual pressure in the Human World… it's vanished!"
Miyako-kun's eyes narrowed. (…So it's come to that.)
It all but confirmed it—Rukia Kuchiki had given her powers to Kurosaki Ichigo. And the total disappearance of her reiatsu likely meant Urahara Kisuke had already placed her in a Gigai.
"Calm down. What did taichō say?" Miyako-kun asked, his voice even. Now that the situation was in motion, it was better to focus on the next steps rather than panic.
"The Captain's waiting in his office to discuss what to do!" Sentarō added.
"I got it. I'll head there now."
When Miyako-kun slid open the office door, Ukitake Jūshirō was already seated, a worried frown etched on his pale face, a report in hand.
"Taichō, I'm here," Miyako-kun said without formality, stepping in.
"Ah, Miyako-kun… finally. Here—read this," Ukitake said, passing over the paper.
Scanning the document, Miyako-kun read aloud:
"According to the Shinigami Research and Development Institute's monitoring, one month ago, Kuchiki Rukia's spiritual pressure began to weaken drastically. Over the past month, it continued to decline until it could no longer be detected."
He set the paper down. "Captain, have the Hollow extermination orders for Karakura Town still been going out regularly?"
"Yes. Every time a Hollow appears, a mission is sent," Ukitake answered gravely. "Are you implying…?"
"And each time, they've been purified without delay?"
"That's right. All appearances have been handled."
"Then she's fine," Miyako-kun said without hesitation. "Whatever the reason, her reiatsu can't be detected—but she's clearly still active in the field."
Ukitake exhaled slowly. "…You're right. If something had happened to her, Hollows in Karakura would be running unchecked."
"I suggest dispatching a seated officer from the nearest sector to Karakura to quietly investigate—and if possible, make contact with Rukia-chan to learn the truth."
"…Unfortunately, that may be unnecessary," Ukitake said, his expression souring. "The Institute didn't only report to us… they also sent the matter to the Onmitsukidō."
Miyako-kun's gaze sharpened. "The Onmitsukidō?"
"Yes—the Fourth Unit, Shadow Corps. They specialize in tracking missing Shinigami. With them already deployed, our own request likely won't be approved," Ukitake said with a faintly bitter smile.
"Then at least we know she's alive and being monitored," Miyako-kun replied.
"Yes… but my real concern lies elsewhere," Ukitake admitted, folding his hands. "Tell me, Miyako-kun—how much do you know about the Substitute Shinigami system?"
"Substitute Shinigami…? I remember seeing a brief mention in our division's records, but nothing detailed."
"A Substitute Shinigami… is a human who doesn't belong to Soul Society or the Gotei 13, but somehow possesses the powers of a Shinigami," Ukitake-taichō explained slowly, his gaze serious. "They assist us in the duties of konsō and Hollow extermination, acting much like one of our own. But… this rule only came into being after the very first human to gain such powers appeared."
He set the report down with a faint sigh. "However… that first Substitute Shinigami betrayed Soul Society. Because of that, Central 46 was forced to add a severe clause to the regulations…"
Ukitake's expression hardened. "Granting Shinigami powers to a human is considered a grave crime under Soul Society law. This was declared after the betrayal of the first Substitute… Ginjō Kūgo."
I folded my arms. "Captain Ukitake… you're saying…?"
He waved one hand slightly, as if brushing away his own suspicion. "Ah, it's just a guess, Amamiya-kun. I'd rather believe Rukia-san wouldn't do something like that."
'Tch… yare yare, Rukia…' I thought inwardly. 'You really did it, didn't you?'
With her skill—especially after regaining her Shikai—Rukia shouldn't lose to any ordinary Hollow in the Human World. Which meant something big must have happened over there… something that left her with no choice but to give her powers away.
"Captain… if Rukia really has given her Shinigami powers to a human, what will happen to her?"
Ukitake's gaze was heavy. "Because of the Ginjō incident, Central 46 will act without hesitation. If her actions are confirmed, the punishment could be… execution."
'So it's that bad, huh? This isn't about some noble playing savior—it's about politics and old scars.'
I took a deep breath. "Captain Ukitake. If the situation really turns that way, please allow me to go to the Human World myself."
He smiled faintly. "Don't worry, Amamiya-kun. It's only a theory. Perhaps Rukia's reiatsu will return with time."
I didn't answer. I just met his eyes, letting my silence speak for me.
"…Very well," Ukitake finally said. "If the worst happens, you have my permission to go. I'll leave it in your hands."