Inside the Fourth Division barracks, things were "lively" in the worst way—almost every seated officer and member was so busy their feet barely touched the ground.
Only the three strongest in the Fourth were idle in a sense—two inside, one outside.
"Someone saw your reishi constructs last night."
"Without the captain's permission, releasing my Zanpakutō to Shikai (Initial Release) was my fault."
"But no one saw you."
"On my way to support, I found two Shin'ō Academy students being attacked by a Hollowfied Shinigami."
"Two captains died last night. Rennosuke of the Third, and Kurando of the Tenth."
"I'm heartsick. Those Hollowfied Shinigami the Kasumiooji made deserve to die."
"Set aside Captain Rennosuke's injuries—Captain Kurando wasn't among the very top, but he wasn't weak either."
"Captain, do you mean there were… other reasons behind Kurando's death?"
Retsu and Shuuichi traded questions and answers.
Shuuichi's face was all earnestness.
"Hmph."
Faced with his watertight replies, Retsu let it drop.
She knew she'd get nothing more from Shuuichi. Same as before; same as now.
Silence settled over the room.
Until a hell butterfly fluttered down to Retsu's shoulder.
"The Captain-Commander wants you at Central 46. Now."
Retsu's tone was light after reading the message.
"Understood, Captain."
Convenient—the sooner this needling talk ended, the better.
Retsu hadn't stated it outright, but every line might as well have read: "Was it you who killed Kurando, or Rennosuke?"
Because last night, Shuuichi had the time and the strength.
Motive?
Didn't matter. It would be known eventually.
And though Retsu wasn't the sort who'd necessarily move against Shuuichi even if she learned the truth, he still preferred not to stand out.
People change. What canon-Retsu would do didn't bind the Retsu of now.
Leaving the vice-captain's rest room, Shuuichi found Seinosuke outside, scowling.
"You weren't eavesdropping out here the whole time, were you?"
"In a crisis like this, why did Captain call you in alone—and keep you that long?"
Seinosuke ignored the question.
"For that, you should ask Captain. And since you said it yourself—it's tense right now. Why are you here?"
Shuuichi disliked Seinosuke's rudeness and shot back at once.
"There are patients only Captain can treat."
Seinosuke was sparing with words.
"Then go get Captain. I'm heading to Central 46—the Captain-Commander's orders. Any problem with that?"
If not for the summons, Shuuichi would have stayed and had it out with Seinosuke.
Watching Shuuichi's back recede, Seinosuke's mood soured further.
Before long, Shuuichi reached Central 46.
Compared to before, it was battered—fresh from a pitched battle.
Even the Hollowfied Shinigami's blood hadn't been fully washed away. The air still held a faint, rusty tang.
Inside the hall, there was only one man left to be judged.
The former Kasumiooji clan head—Masasuke.
"That Shinigami! The Fourth's vice-captain, Shuuichi! He's the one who gave me the Spirit King's heart!"
The moment Masasuke saw Shuuichi enter, he pointed and accused.
He'd witnessed last night's tragedy with his own eyes. He knew his dreams were shattered.
He knew he couldn't escape death for what he'd caused. But he had family; he had a clan. He couldn't let the remaining Kasumiooji bear sins that weren't theirs.
In Soul Society, to bear sin was terrifying.
The stain on the Chijō clan was still fresh.
In that case, once judged rebels, they lost their noble status and were driven into Rukongai as commoners—worse, the survivors became playthings for other nobles.
If not for that day, when a youth of the Chijō awakened in the Hollow Arena and annihilated all within—land and life alike—the rest would likely have been played to death.
Masasuke wouldn't let his kin end the same way.
A youth like that appeared once in centuries—if at all.
"The Spirit King's heart? What's that?"
Shuuichi had guessed why he'd been called.
Originally, he'd planned to strike in the chaos and kill both Masasuke and Gyoukaku.
But plans lag reality. He didn't expect Masasuke to be reckless enough to stroll into Central 46 with a single "demonstration piece" to face questioning.
Once the arrow was nocked, though… at least Gyoukaku—the one who knew more—was dead. A small mercy.
"Still pretending, Shuuichi?! You brought that 'Spirit King's heart' back from the Kenpachi District in North Rukongai—the thing that can Hollowfy Shinigami!
What excuse do you have now?!"
Masasuke roared. He had to spread the blame, to win a sliver of leniency for the clan.
If Gyoukaku were still around to take the fall, Masasuke might even have walked free.
But Gyoukaku died in last night's riot.
Killed by a Hollowfied Shinigami of his own making—ridiculous and pathetic both.
"Oh—Masasuke-dono, you mean that?"
Shuuichi feigned realization and turned to the ever-present Captain-Commander, Genryūsai.
"As I recall, I reported that to you first, sir.
And to both you and Masasuke-dono at the time, I was very clear: I said, 'I found a terrifying power.' I never said 'Spirit King's heart.' I don't even know what that is."
Genryūsai nodded.
Plenty present back then could attest to it.
He hadn't expected Masasuke's "evidence" to be this absurd.
The Spirit King's heart?
Even some captains didn't know of the Spirit King—let alone Shuuichi, a common-born Shinigami.
And with Shuuichi's level of reiryoku—captaincy would be the fruit of extreme effort. As for Hollowfying Shinigami… Genryūsai shook his head inwardly.
By no measure did Shuuichi have that kind of knack.
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