Chapter 18: Unohana and Aizen |
Lilith followed Yeruashi into the Fourth Division's territory, while Soi Fon and a team of four from the Onmitsukido trailed closely behind. They now stood before the main gates leading into the division’s grounds.
Yeruashi and the others had come to take the Fourth Division's seventh seat into custody. This Shinigami hadn't committed a heinous crime; he had simply expressed a desire to leave the Gotei 13. For that choice alone, he had been sentenced to imprisonment in the Maggot's Nest.
Leaving the Gotei 13 is only possible by an order from the Central 46 or upon reaching a very advanced age, and even then, permission from superiors is required. It wasn't that resigning of one's own volition was strictly forbidden; it was simply that doing so meant trading the daily life of a Shinigami for a permanent stay in the Maggot's Nest.
The Central 46 refused to tolerate the presence of unwilling or unmotivated elements within the Gotei 13, viewing it as a noble organization that represented the entirety of the Seireitei.
During his time as the commander of the Onmitsukido's Detention Unit, Kisuke Urahara had been responsible for overseeing the Maggot's Nest. Later, after becoming the Captain of the Twelfth Division, he had liberated Mayuri Kurotsuchi from its deepest depths to serve as the vice president of his Research and Development Institute.
Creak!
Slowly, the heavy gates to the Fourth Division's territory swung open.
'Have you been here before?'
Soi Fon asked, glancing at Yeruashi as they entered the grounds. They had made only a few turns along the way, yet Yeruashi seemed to know the path from the Second to the Fourth Division perfectly.
'Of course not.'
Yeruashi shook his head. 'Haven't you looked at the maps of the layout and internal structures of all the Gotei 13 divisions?'
For the Second Division and the Onmitsukido, who were responsible for internal security, it was standard procedure to possess information on the internal structures of other divisions, as they often had to conduct investigations on their grounds.
'...'
The corners of Soi Fon’s mouth twitched with irritation.
'Where on earth did he find the time and energy to study maps?' she wondered. 'Hasn't he been buried in grueling Hakuda and Shunpo practice this entire time?'
'What an unreasonable monster...'
Each of the Gotei 13 divisions occupied a vast amount of land, as they needed to provide living space for a large number of Shinigami. The Fourth Division occupied the largest territory of all, requiring numerous specialized facilities to provide adequate medical care to every member of the Gotei 13.
They soon reached a small house and stepped unhurriedly into the inner courtyard.
Officers of the Gotei 13 were entitled to personal housing within their division's grounds. Lieutenants typically enjoyed more luxurious accommodations than lower-ranking officers, while Captains often maintained their own staff of servants.
An emaciated and weary-looking man sat in a corner of the courtyard—this was the seventh seat of the Fourth Division.
Soi Fon stepped forward, her voice flat and indifferent. "Your resignation has been approved."
"..."
The man remained huddled in the corner, seemingly oblivious to the presence of Soi Fon and the others.
At Soi Fon’s signal, the members of the Onmitsukido stepped forward and lifted the officer, who offered no resistance whatsoever. The hollow-eyed man merely spared a glance for Yeruashi before returning to his state of total detachment.
"How did he end up like this?"
Soi Fon muttered, a frown deepening on her face.
It seemed she couldn't stand seeing a Gotei 13 officer in such a haggard and unsightly condition.
One of the Onmitsukido members replied, "According to our intelligence, his lover was severely injured in battle, and his abilities weren't enough to save her. Afterward, he lost all motivation to perform his duties as a Shinigami and voluntarily submitted his resignation."
Soi Fon spoke with a note of contempt. "To lose your will over something like that... you truly were never a qualified Shinigami."
The Fourth Division officer let out a hollow, depressing laugh. "Heh... what could someone like you possibly know? You have no idea how much pain the death of a loved one brings."
Soi Fon’s gaze remained cold. "It’s true that I have no lover. But I had five brothers, every one of whom died in the line of duty. I mourned each of them, but I was also ashamed of their weakness. The death of your beloved is a pathetic excuse; the real reason for your resignation is your own incompetence."
Soi Fon waved her hand to the Onmitsukido members, having no desire to continue the conversation.
Yeruashi watched in silence as Soi Fon's subordinates carried the broken officer away.
People born and raised in different environments possessed vastly different psychological resilience and self-belief. Soi Fon, born into a lower noble family serving the Shihoin clan, was destined to become a cold-blooded assassin in service to one of the Four Noble Families of the Soul Society.
Such fundamental differences in upbringing led to equally fundamental differences in perspective and values.
Shortly after they stepped back out onto the street with the emaciated prisoner, Soi Fon suddenly signaled the group to halt. She bowed respectfully to a figure approaching them.
"Captain Unohana."
Yeruashi offered a polite greeting of his own.
Retsu Unohana, clad in her pristine white captain’s haori, approached them with measured steps. She spared a brief look at her former seventh seat, now held by the Onmitsukido, before turning to Soi Fon. "I am already aware of the situation. You may take him."
She then turned her gaze toward Yeruashi, a soft and welcoming smile gracing her lips. "However, I would like to ask the esteemed Lieutenant Hatake Yeruashi to spare me a moment of his time. You wouldn't mind, would you?"
As Soi Fon had expected, Captain Unohana did not interfere with their mission. In her eyes, the Captain of the Fourth Division was an exceptionally dutiful and reasonable woman. However, this sudden request was quite unexpected.
As if reading Soi Fon’s thoughts, Unohana explained warmly, "I have heard much of Lieutenant Hatake’s staggering spiritual potential. However, achieving Bankai prematurely and possessing such immense Reiatsu can sometimes place a strain on one's developing spiritual power. I would like to conduct a thorough examination of Lieutenant Hatake’s body to ensure everything is as it should be."
The explanation sounded perfectly logical and well-intentioned.
Soi Fon nodded without hesitation, not even waiting for Yeruashi’s response.
The corner of Yeruashi’s mouth twitched. "I appreciate Captain Unohana’s concern, of course, but I assure you, my body is in perfect condition!"
'A detailed examination?!'
Even though he was interested in Unohana's mastery of the sword, Yeruashi had no intention of being left alone with her for such a bizarre reason!
Unohana shook her head, her tone motherly. "Perhaps my worry is misplaced if Lieutenant Hatake feels no ill effects. Nevertheless, should any unpleasant symptoms arise, please feel free to seek me out at any time. Or, if you simply wish to visit, my doors are always open."
"I understand."
"Then I won't delay you any further."
Unohana gave a polite nod to both Yeruashi and Soi Fon.
"..."
The Captain of the Fourth Division remained where she was, her crystal-clear gaze following Yeruashi, Lilith, and the others until they vanished around a corner.
Soi Fon couldn't quite pinpoint where the sudden tension had come from, but that soft smile and those clear eyes of Unohana's had exerted an incredible pressure on her throughout the conversation.
Once they were out of sight, Soi Fon let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, surprised to find beads of cold sweat trickling down her temples. The members of the Onmitsukido behind her also let out sighs of relief, as if a massive weight had finally been lifted from their shoulders.
She had never experienced anything like this during previous encounters with the polite and friendly Captain of the Fourth Division. It seemed that taking one of her officers into custody had forced Unohana to reveal a glimpse of her darker side...
Fortunately, Captain Unohana had not stood in their way.
Soi Fon took a deep breath and glanced at Yeruashi, but he looked completely normal, as if he hadn't felt the slightest bit of oppression from Unohana's presence.
'Is he truly capable of remaining so composed even before a Captain?' Soi Fon wondered silently. She grit her teeth, feeling that massive gulf between them once again.
She had to train even harder!
Mastering Bankai was the only way to close the gap!
Yeruashi and the others left the Fourth Division the way they came and headed straight for the Maggot's Nest, located in the northwestern section of the Second Division's territory.
They encountered many Shinigami along the way, each of whom bowed politely to Yeruashi. While the rank of Lieutenant couldn't compare to that of a Captain, it still commanded respect, and failing to offer a greeting would be seen as a grave sign of disrespect.
Shinigami from other divisions didn't know Yeruashi by face, but they instantly recognized his status the moment they saw the Second Division's lieutenant armband.
Almost every Shinigami who greeted Yeruashi paused to watch him pass.
"That's the Second Division's Lieutenant... the one who achieved Bankai the very first time he touched an Asauchi at the Shin'o Academy, right?"
"Yeah, there's no mistaking him."
Some of the Shinigami began to whisper among themselves. Months had passed, but many still felt a jolt of shock whenever they thought about the legend that had begun at the academy.
As Yeruashi and his group neared the Second Division’s headquarters, another group of Shinigami appeared at the far end of the street. But this time, the situation was different—leading the group was the Lieutenant of the Fifth Division.
Sosuke Aizen!
'The Mafia Don has arrived,' Yeruashi thought with a smirk.
If he looked at it that way, the Gotei 13 was divided into black and red camps. Kaname Tosen and Ichimaru Gin were the mafia, with Sosuke Aizen as their Don. Shinji Hirako was the detective who had successfully identified the mafia but couldn't convince the 'town'—leading to the 'deaths' of the innocent civilians, Kisuke Urahara, Kensei Muguruma, and the others...
Sosuke Aizen was undeniably powerful, but Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihoin, and their allies were no lightweights either. Furthermore, the current Aizen had yet to conquer Hueco Mundo, let alone obtain the perfected Hogyoku. For now, he could only plan meticulously and move with caution, relying on a handful of subordinates.
Regardless of whether they were villains or paragons of justice, Yeruashi never withheld his praise from any individual capable of reaching the world's summit through their own effort and intellect.
'So, what will you do now?'
'Now that a Lieutenant who has already mastered Bankai has suddenly appeared among the peaceful residents...'
'Who knows, maybe I belong to the gray camp?'
Yeruashi smiled and offered a polite greeting. "Good morning, Lieutenant Aizen."
Ichimaru Gin followed behind Aizen, likely already having become his subordinate. If that was the case, Aizen must already be preparing the pieces for his grand plan, making his presence all the more significant.
Ichimaru Gin, who had graduated from the Shin'o Academy in a single year, could rightfully be called a true genius. However, he had completely masked his brilliance and rarely drew attention to himself—a fact that played perfectly into Aizen's hands.
"Good morning." Aizen approached Yeruashi with a warm, friendly smile. "Please forgive my lack of courtesy; I've been quite busy lately and haven't had the chance to pay a proper visit to Lieutenant Hatake."
Yeruashi shook his head. "There’s no need to worry. I, too, could have made the effort to visit the other Lieutenants."
Aizen’s smile widened. "You’re right. How about we share a drink at the next festival? What do you say, Lieutenant Hatake?"
"I would be happy to."
Aizen spoke with easy friendliness. "Then I won't keep you from your duties. I have quite a bit to attend to as well."
Yeruashi and Aizen exchanged polite nods before continuing on their respective paths.
As they passed each other, Aizen's friendly mask gradually faded into a expression of cool indifference. "That man... is far from simple."