"By the way, what are you doing in the Rukongai so late at night?"
While waiting, Soifon leaned against a tree trunk and struck up a conversation with Byakuya Kuchiki.
"Hmph. Just passing by."
Byakuya Kuchiki turned his back, clearly feeling a bit guilty.
He could hardly say that the illustrious Head of the Kuchiki Clan had come to the Rukongai in the dead of night for a secret tryst with his young girlfriend.
Setting aside the possibility of being beaten to death by his grandfather, he would surely be subjected to a round of mockery from Soifon.
—As for why it wasn't his father he feared, it was because his father couldn't beat him in a fight.
"Tch. Fine, don't tell me then."
Soifon turned her gaze back to the Hollowfied Shinigami, propping up her head to pass the time.
Perhaps due to the lingering trauma of being bullied by Soifon in the past, Byakuya now treated her like a harbinger of plague, avoiding her whenever possible.
There was nothing he could do; he couldn't win a fight against her, so he just had to endure it.
Fortunately, the Seireitei's response was swift. Within a short time, several patrol squads arrived at their location.
When they saw the Hollowfied monster restrained by Rikujōkōrō, they looked at each other in confusion, not daring to step forward. Instead, they looked toward Soifon and Byakuya Kuchiki with awe.
"Go to the Twelfth Division and find Captain Mayuri. Tell him a new species has been discovered here."
Only after enough witnesses had arrived did Soifon begin to issue orders.
"Understood!"
"...Wait, there's no need for you to go." Byakuya Kuchiki pulled a Soul Pager from his pocket. "It's faster if I notify him now."
"Why didn't you say that earlier!?"
"You didn't say you were looking for Captain Mayuri. Didn't Captain Soifon just fire a signal flare earlier?"
"..."
"Furthermore, for Captain Soifon to go out without even carrying a Soul Pager is a bit negligent, to say the least."
Finally catching an opportunity, Byakuya Kuchiki made sure to give Soifon a heavy dose of snide remarks.
It was only the soldiers standing by on standby who suffered the awkwardness.
...
The news of capturing a Hollowfied experimental subject alive quickly spread among the high-ranking officers of the Gotei 13.
The next day, First Division barracks, during the Captains' Council.
"The above is the full account of the discovery of this monster."
Byakuya Kuchiki finished his report and respectfully returned to his place in the line.
Every Captain held a copy of the analysis report on the Hollowfied Shinigami—the result of Mayuri Kurotsuchi working through the night.
If the Captain-Commander hadn't insisted on holding a meeting, Mayuri would likely have handled all his biological needs inside the laboratory.
Thump—
The Captain-Commander tapped his cane against the floor. "Captain Soifon, you did well this time."
He was quite gratified that she had learned to capture subjects alive. It seemed her years of teaching at the Shin'ō Academy had made Soifon much more composed.
Sōsuke Aizen, standing diagonally across from Soifon, read through the analysis report with great interest, showing not a hint of panic at having his secrets exposed.
'So, the composition of this Hollowfication is like this...'
Aizen even used Mayuri Kurotsuchi's report to verify that there were no issues with his own ratios; it was a success.
'Then, if calculated according to this ratio, perhaps Arrancar experiments on Adjuchas would be feasible?'
"But... why has another Hollowfied Shinigami appeared?" Shunsui Kyōraku rubbed his stubbly chin. "After that incident, didn't they all flee to the World of the Living?"
As the words fell, the meeting room instantly became silent.
Several of the Captains present had only been promoted in recent years. They had only heard rumors of the Hollowfication Incident and had not experienced it firsthand, so they were in no position to comment.
"Perhaps... Kisuke Urahara left behind a secret laboratory?"
Isshin Shiba spoke up.
"Impossible," Soifon countered firmly. "We have thoroughly investigated every department Kisuke Urahara ever served in."
"What is certain now is that the power of Hollowfication is dangerous and immense."
"If it is not contained, I fear some unscrupulous soldiers might take risks to obtain it..."
Unohana Retsu diverted the topic at the right moment, casting a reproachful glance at Isshin Shiba in the process.
'Why bring up that name in this setting? What if Soifon loses her temper?'
"Captain Unohana is absolutely right." Byakuya Kuchiki nodded in agreement, frowning at the report. "Just a 7th Seat of the Thirteenth Division, yet he possessed such power after Hollowfication..."
"Tch—" Zaraki Kenpachi, at the end of the line, spat disdainfully. "It's just that you're too weak, Kuchiki."
The Captain-Commander, seated in the center, glared with wide eyes. "Zaraki!"
"Hmph..."
Only the Captain-Commander could truly suppress Zaraki Kenpachi.
"Captain Unohana is right. If left unchecked, someone will surely seek to pursue the power of Hollowfication."
"Just like that incident..."
Soifon nodded in agreement, and Unohana Retsu beside her also nodded with a gentle look.
'You really have grown, Captain Soifon.'
However, before the gratified smile could stay on her face for more than a few seconds, Soifon's next words gave both Unohana and the Captain-Commander a headache.
"Therefore, please let me cut this off at the source."
"Let me go to the World of the Living to bring that inherently evil Kisuke Urahara to justice!"
"Please issue the order, Captain-Commander!"
Her tone was almost pleading. Those who didn't know the truth might have praised Soifon for her unwavering loyalty.
'I told you, why did you have to mention that name?'
Unohana Retsu glanced at Isshin Shiba again, mentally adding another tally to his tab.
Rubbing his brow, the Captain-Commander slowly opened his eyes and stared at Soifon, who met his gaze without fear.
"This matter cannot be the work of Kisuke Urahara."
"The person behind this is surely hidden within the Soul Society."
After a long moment, the Captain-Commander spoke slowly, giving the final verdict.
"I was impulsive, Captain-Commander." Soifon lowered her head, then dropped another bombshell. "If it's not Kisuke Urahara, then my guess is the Tsunayashiro Clan did it."
As soon as these words were spoken, all the Captains simultaneously turned their attention to Soifon.
"According to my investigation, every spouse of the Tsunayashiro branch families has passed away due to various 'accidents' after giving birth to heirs."
"Perhaps the Tsunayashiro Clan is conducting some kind of forbidden human experimentation."
Soifon effortlessly pinned a scapegoat label on the Tsunayashiro family.
"That... isn't outside the realm of possibility."
Kaname Tōsen spoke for the first time during the Captains' Council.
"Captain Soifon, watch your words."
"This seated officer had no connection to the Tsunayashiro Clan."
The Captain-Commander squinted at Soifon for a while before speaking slowly.
However, he did not deny Soifon's suspicion about the Tsunayashiro Clan's human experiments.
...
The meeting ended with the conclusion to suppress the news and leave the research to Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
Unohana Retsu and Soifon walked out of the First Division gates side by side.
It wasn't until they were alone on the street that Unohana Retsu spoke. "Soifon, are you free tonight?"
"I am, Captain Unohana."
"That's wonderful~ I'll have Isane come pick you up. Let's have a get-together, shall we?"
"Understood. I'll be teaching at the Academy today."
Pausing to watch Soifon's departing figure, Unohana Retsu was once again worried about Soifon's mental health.
—After all these years, could Soifon still not let go?
____
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