"Yoshio! You bastard, you're actually alive! Where have you been these days?!"
Tanimoto Toru rushed over, ran up to Yoshio, and asked excitedly.
Yoshio glanced at Aizen. Aizen shrugged, signaling him to make something up.
"After we met, we headed back together. I let my guard down for a moment and suddenly realized you were all gone—only I was left."
Yoshio could only fabricate a story: "Later, I wandered near the Rukongai and was attacked by hollows several times."
"Just now, another heavily wounded hollow ran over. I barely managed to bring it down after a hard fight."
"That was… our captain," a nearby shinigami said darkly. "Our captain… was parasitized by a hollow in an unguarded moment. If not for his strong will, we would all have died then."
"It's all over," Aizen said softly. "The culprit has been eliminated. Everyone, return to the Seireitei."
Return to the Seireitei…
Faces relaxed across the group; after being out so long, they had been perpetually on edge.
They had to guard against external Menos Grande and also internal shinigami who might be possessed.
It was hard to trust anyone. Existing in such an environment is undoubtedly a massive psychological strain.
Now, could they finally go back?
Yoshio also exhaled in relief. Though he hadn't been scheming like others these days, the inner pressure was still heavy.
He had to face Aizen and survive alone in a dangerous place like Hueco Mundo.
Luckily, the Vasto Lorde he ran into was Nelliel. If it had been another Vasto Lorde, he would have had to flee for his life.
…
"You bastard, you're actually this strong?"
Back near the Seireitei, Tanimoto Toru elbowed Yoshio. "Even if that hollow hadn't fully taken over the Third Squad Captain's body, he was still a captain. Even badly injured, that's a tough enemy."
"I heard the Third Division suffered heavy losses because of him, even the Lieutenant died."
"…Luck," Yoshio said after a pause. "When he appeared before me, he had already been heavily injured by Captain Aizen. That's the only reason I could kill him."
"Whatever the case, that's a great achievement." Tanimoto Toru patted Yoshio's shoulder.
Yoshio gave a wry smile. The two had returned to Fifth Division territory by now.
Meanwhile, Aizen went to report to the First Division, and the Third Division members also returned.
"By the way, where are the others? Tanaka… and the Ninth Division?"
"Tanaka's alive but injured; he was sent to the Fourth Division," Guta answered. "The Ninth Division suffered about half casualties as well, but with Lieutenant Ichimaru there, it wasn't too bad."
"However…"
At that, Tanimoto Toru said sadly, "Fujita is dead."
Fujita…
Yoshio thought of the Fifth Division's Fourth Seat and sighed as well.
Fujita had split from the squad at the outset—intending to relay a message back to the Seireitei—but was killed by hollows halfway.
With a somewhat heavy heart, Yoshio returned home.
Only after he got back—back to his ["Safe House"]—did he finally relax completely.
He collapsed onto the bed and breathed deeply again and again.
Only then could he truly let go.
He'd been out too long. Often he appeared emotionless, but in truth his mind had been taut the whole time.
The only moment he relaxed was the instant he first reached Hueco Mundo and Aizen left briefly.
At that moment, his [Game Master] effect disappeared, proving the "game" had ended.
So Aizen should have truly left—but that only gave Yoshio a brief respite.
With no telling when Aizen would return, after a short exhale he was back to high alert.
Only now, in his [Safe House], did he finally feel absolutely secure.
No one could surveil him here.
He had already generated an illusion of himself coming back and sleeping, so whether Aizen or others were watching, all they'd see was that scene.
Thus he could finally fully relax.
"Hahh…"
After a long while, Yoshio finally recovered.
Maybe he understood why his Zanpakutō is the "Jigoku Zoku."
Even though he kept making friends, he himself was always lonely.
Because from the start, his friendships were purposeful.
If you begin with personal interests and aims, how could you not be lonely?
"Heh…"
Yoshio chuckled and lay back on the bed.
This kind of thing…
It no longer matters.
Whether alone or with others…
First, survive.
Those who survive have a future. Those who have a future…
Anything is possible.
…
By the next morning, Yoshio had dispelled all his late-night emo and stepped out the door in high spirits.
Whatever the case, the most intense part had passed, and now he could enjoy life.
Also, because he killed the Menos Grande parasitizing the Third Squad Captain, he had contributed.
The Gotei 13 should reward him, right?
Aizen also intended to promote him to Lieutenant.
Life was looking more hopeful.
Humming a little tune, Yoshio strolled down the street.
He didn't have to "work" today. Those who returned from the Fifth Division mission had been given leave, and Yoshio even requested a full month off.
For this month, he could fully enjoy life.
He planned to visit Ninth Division's Shuhei to see how he was doing.
He'd asked around yesterday; although the Ninth Division suffered heavy casualties, Hisagi Shūhei hadn't died.
But when he reached the Ninth Division, he learned Shuhei was seriously injured and had been sent to the Fourth Division for treatment.
He thought it over and decided to go to the Fourth Division.
There were also many people in the Fourth Division with Souls Abilities; he planned to see if he could make some friends there.
With that in mind, he headed to the Fourth Division.
Although each Gotei 13 squad has its own jurisdiction, the captains' offices are actually in the Seireitei's core area.
So visiting different squads isn't troublesome, though people rarely did so before.
Of course, the Fourth Division is a total exception.
They might not visit other squads, but the number of squad members from everywhere going to the Fourth Division is absolutely large.
Who hasn't been injured?
If you get hurt, you must go to the Fourth Division!
So the Fourth Division was crowded. Seeing the steady stream of Souls Ability users and Yoshio coming and going, he couldn't help but feel envious!