The next day, the snow stopped, the skies cleared.
Morning sunlight spilled into the bedroom. Higashino Shuuichi stretched lazily on his bed, grabbed a jacket, and with a swoosh, disappeared, leaving only a blur behind.
Half an hour later, he arrived at the 4th Division barracks.
"Good morning, Shuuichi-san!"
"Shuuichi-dono, you're back from leave?!"
…
On the way to the resting chambers, several 4th Division members greeted him with delight. One young woman even tugged shyly at the hem of his sleeve.
"Shuuichi-fukutaichō, it's such a relief you're back. You don't know how hard it was… Yamada-fukutaichō has no patience teaching us kaidō. He just yells at us all the time!"
Higashino stopped, looking at the freckled, round-faced girl, and smiled helplessly.
"Yōko, I'm not vice-captain anymore. It's just that everyone is used to my lessons, so Captain Unohana makes an exception and lets me keep teaching. As for Yamada-fukutaichō—that's just his personality, don't hold it against him."
"But none of us like him. He's always gloomy, cold, unfriendly… and besides, Shuuichi-fukutaichō, you're way stronger than he is!"
Yōko pouted, clearly displeased.
"Shh\~" Higashino raised a finger to his lips.
"All right, I understand how you all feel. How about I bring this up with Captain today?"
His tone was gentle, reassuring.
To him, it seemed a good wedge to pry with.
Yōko's eyes curved like crescent moons.
"Then we'll be waiting for your good news, Shuuichi-dono!"
She skipped away happily.
Watching her leave, Higashino sneered inwardly at Yamada Seinosuke.
How incompetent must a man be, to sit as vice-captain for two years and win no one's trust? He looked more like a villain than Higashino himself.
And speaking of devils, there he was. Yamada Seinosuke appeared just ahead, face as dark as a storm cloud, arriving for duty.
"You came back?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Higashino's brow arched sharply.
"You took three days longer than scheduled. I thought maybe a Hollow in the Living World had killed you."
Yamada's voice was blunt, cutting.
"Don't worry. If anyone gets killed by Hollows, it won't be me."
Higashino shot back, showing no softness. Give Yamada an inch and he'd take a mile.
"That's not certain."
Yamada's tone was cold as ice.
At this point, Higashino almost laughed. If this man were a villain, he'd have attacked already. The real puzzle was how a mouth like his had survived this long.
"Then I'll look forward to that day. For now, I'm going to see Captain Unohana. Care to come?"
Higashino knew if he sparred with this man verbally, it would never end. Yamada would happily quarrel with him all day.
"You're going to see Captain?! What are you plotting?"
Right on cue, Yamada bristled like a cat. Unohana was his reverse scale. Even the mention of her set him off.
"Oh? Yamada-fukutaichō didn't know? While I was away, Captain herself went to the 13th Division asking after me. Seems she has something to discuss.
Don't tell me Yamada-fukutaichō wasn't informed?"
Higashino smiled slyly at him.
"I…"
Yamada's face went black, teeth grinding so hard Higashino could almost hear them.
"Captain doesn't need to report everything to her vice-captain. And for her to seek you personally… that may not be good news!"
Yamada's words were a thin veil over his wounded pride.
But in a way, he was right.
"Then, would Yamada-fukutaichō be so kind as to step aside? I woke early just to see what Captain needs from me."
Yamada glared at him for a long moment before finally shifting grudgingly, allowing just enough room for Higashino to pass.
Higashino thought to thank him, but as he walked by, he decided against it. Better not push him further. Another jab might actually snap him.
When Higashino reached Unohana Retsu's chambers, she wasn't there. He waited nearly half an hour before she arrived, wrapped in her long brown scarf.
"You've returned?"
Her voice was gentle as she removed it.
"Yes, Captain. Yoruichi-taichō of the 2nd wanted me to join her division, but I refused. She must've taken offense, so she dragged me off, taught me a lesson. I was injured badly, and only after recovering did I return."
Higashino's story was mostly true, sprinkled with just enough falsehood to stay safe.
"I see. You've worked hard, Shuuichi."
She moved to the window, tending to her flowers, her tone calm, free of reproach.
Was this a test of patience?
Higashino drew a steady breath.
Aizen's assessment was likely spot on—Unohana suspected, but lacked evidence. Her method mirrored Hirako Shinji's: keep potential threats under watch.
No accusations, only silent vigilance.
"Captain, there's one more matter I must report."
At this, Unohana froze, then turned, eyes steady. "Go on\~"
"After my battle with Yoruichi-taichō, I realized my reiatsu had broken through… to the captain level."
Yes—if he was to "reveal" himself to Unohana, it had to be with a plausible explanation. Aizen hadn't told him, but Higashino understood this instinctively.
If he confessed he had hidden captain-level strength all along, it would only confirm her suspicions.
She already suspected him. To suddenly admit he'd been concealing his true power would be like signing his own guilt.
So he'd searched all night for a reason. And he'd found one. During his spar with Yoruichi, at the very end, he truly had let slip a burst of his real reiatsu.
Even if Unohana checked with her, she'd find nothing amiss.
Her gaze sharpened. She spoke two words slowly:
"Captain level?"
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