Chapter 32

"I understand, sister." Yushiro Shihōin used his authority to open the hidden compartment and led Yoruichi Shihōin into the place where the Shihōin Clan truly stored its Heavenly Gift Armaments.

"Wait a moment, Yushiro. I'm going to change." Yoruichi Shihōin took out her clothes and the black cloak Kisuke Urahara had given her, then went below with Yushiro Shihōin.

To make the Heavenly Gift Armaments easier to carry, Yoruichi Shihōin returned to human form. After seeing the real Yoruichi Shihōin, Yushiro Shihōin couldn't help crying and throwing his arms around her again.

"Honestly, you..." Yoruichi Shihōin looked helplessly at her younger brother. She hadn't expected him to still be so sensitive and prone to tears after a hundred years.

After selecting the Heavenly Gift Armaments she needed, Yoruichi Shihōin said goodbye to Yushiro Shihōin.

"Stop crying, Yushiro. Once this is over, maybe I'll be able to come back to Soul Society openly to see you."

"Huh?! Really, sister?" Yushiro Shihōin asked expectantly.

"So you have to keep this a secret for me."

"Yes, sister! I won't breathe a word!" Yushiro Shihōin promised.

Outside the Shihōin Clan estate, Miyako Amamiya finally saw Yoruichi Shihōin come out.

"Miss... Yoruichi?" Miyako Amamiya greeted her uncertainly as he looked at Yoruichi Shihōin in human form.

"Oh, come to think of it, this is your first time seeing me in human form, isn't it?" Yoruichi Shihōin said. "But that doesn't matter. Here, this is what you wanted. I've already removed its seal, so when the time comes, you can use it by channeling Reiryoku into it through your Zanpakuto."

Yoruichi Shihōin tossed over something resembling a shield. The Shihōin Clan's distinctive crest was stamped on its lower portion. Miyako Amamiya knew this was the Heavenly Gift Armaments that could destroy the Sōkyoku, and having it unsealed in advance would save him considerable time.

"Thank you, Miss Yoruichi. Now Aizen's goal won't be achieved," Miyako Amamiya said with a confident smile. As long as the Sōkyoku was destroyed, Aizen would be forced out of the shadows and into the open. Then everyone would see his true face.

Most importantly, Miyako Amamiya had already made his preparations. He was just waiting for everyone to gather...

At Ukan-dō in the Thirteenth Division, Ukitake opened his eyes. After a night's sleep, he had recovered considerably from his illness, but he still felt somewhat unwell and couldn't help coughing.

Kiyone Kotetsu, who was keeping watch outside the door, heard him coughing and hurriedly asked, "Captain Ukitake, are you all right now?"

"Sorry for making you stand guard here, Kiyone. I'm fine now," Ukitake said to her as he opened the door.

"Captain Ukitake, the members of the Court Guard Squad just sent some important news. They, they said..."

Seeing Kiyone Kotetsu's uneasy expression, Ukitake had a bad feeling.

"What did they say?"

"They said Captain Aizen was murdered..."

"What?" Ukitake exclaimed in shock. He had only gone to sleep, yet something so serious had happened. "When? Who did it?!"

"Early this morning. Neither the killer nor the motive has been identified yet..."

"Damn it, what on earth has happened lately...?" Ukitake's complexion, which had only just improved, began turning ashen again.

"Captain Ukitake, I'll go find Lieutenant Miyako right away. He seems to have something to tell you." Kiyone Kotetsu took her leave.

Ukitake also needed to find out what had happened in that short time.

Miyako Amamiya and Kiyone Kotetsu soon arrived at the Captain's Office. Ukitake looked at Miyako Amamiya and asked him about everything that had happened after the captains' meeting.

"Captain, I don't know what happened after the captains' meeting, because I went to see someone important."

"Someone important?"

"Yoruichi Shihōin." Miyako Amamiya spoke the name they hadn't heard in so long without a change of expression.

"Yoruichi... Shihōin?" Hearing that name again after a hundred years left Ukitake astonished.

"Could this incident be..."

"No, Captain. Yoruichi happened to be with me when Captain Aizen was murdered. She couldn't possibly have had time to reach the Fifth Division and kill him."

"As for why I went to see her, Captain Ukitake, do you know how to destroy the Sōkyoku?"

"I didn't expect you to have investigated that far..." Ukitake had naturally found out long ago how to destroy the Sōkyoku: use the Shihōin Clan's Heavenly Gift Armaments to destroy the Gōkakyū, which had the power of a million Zanpakuto.

"Something like that..."

"Don't you find this Ryoka invasion strange, Captain Ukitake? Of all the Ryoka, only Yoruichi Shihōin has Captain-level strength. The others had neither the ability nor the opportunity to kill Captain Aizen."

"Yet those few people somehow caused the chaos in Soul Society to erupt all at once."

"Is it the mastermind you mentioned before...?" Ukitake mused. He too had no choice but to believe that someone was manipulating this incident; far too many things about it didn't make sense.

"And Rukia's execution being carried out is the outcome the mastermind wants. No matter what happens, we have to stop him."

"I understand. I'll go find the current head of the Shihōin Clan right away." Ukitake made a quick decision and prepared to leave at once.

"There's no need. Miss Yoruichi Shihōin has already given me the Heavenly Gift Armaments, and its seal has been removed. It can be used at any time." The important matter Miyako Amamiya had mentioned was obtaining the Heavenly Gift Armaments capable of destroying the execution device in advance, so they wouldn't be too late when the time came.

"I didn't expect that..." Ukitake looked at Miyako Amamiya, surprised by how efficiently he had acted. "That's wonderful. Then we can stop the Sōkyoku on the day of the execution. But there's still Master Genryūsai..." The thought gave Ukitake a headache.

Just then, Sentarō Kotsubaki, whom Miyako Amamiya had sent out, returned as well.

"B-bad news! The Ryoka defeated Third Seat Madarame and Captain Zaraki of the 11th Division one after another. Now they've knocked out the Sixth Division's Lieutenant, Renji Abarai, at the entrance to the Senzaikyū!"

"What?!" The successive blows of news made Ukitake somewhat anxious. "Miyako, we're going to the Senzaikyū now. At the very least, we have to incapacitate the Ryoka."

"Yes, sir."

Meanwhile, at the top of the Senzaikyū, Rukia stared at the open cell door in amazement.

Could Ichigo and the others be here? Rukia wondered.

But the two people who appeared took her completely by surprise.

"Are you Ganju Shiba? And Hanatarō Yamada?"

"Hey, Soul Reaper, I'm here to rescue you. Hurry up and come with me." Ganju Shiba didn't want the person his elder brother had entrusted to him to die like this either.

"Mr. Ganju, why...?" Rukia truly couldn't understand why Ganju Shiba had come to rescue her.

"Enough already. Your Lieutenant, Ichigo and the others are all doing everything they can to save you. Now hurry up and come with me."

Rukia remembered Miyako Amamiya's warning and calmly said to them, "No, I can't leave yet. You should hurry and go instead. If you're discovered..."

"Hey, what are you talking about? I didn't come all this way just to have you..."

Ganju Shiba grabbed Rukia's hand and shouted at her, but just then, a powerful Reiatsu suddenly came from outside the door, leaving Hanatarō Yamada gasping for breath.

"Aaah! H-he's Byakuya Kuchiki, captain of the Sixth Division!"

Ganju Shiba began to feel intimidated too. A Captain-level figure was actually guarding Rukia.

He had heard the name from Ichigo Kurosaki and Miyako Amamiya. If even Ichigo Kurosaki was no match for him, then he had even less chance.

Rukia Kuchiki was about to warn them to run, but the long suppression from the spirit-sapping stone and the Reiatsu Byakuya Kuchiki unleashed made her collapse instantly.

Seeing this, Ganju Shiba made a quick decision and said to Hanatarō Yamada, "Hanatarō, take Rukia Kuchiki and get out of here! I'll hold Byakuya Kuchiki off!"

Ganju Shiba didn't know whether he could hold Byakuya Kuchiki off, but even if he couldn't, he had to go. After all, his elder sister had raised him to be a man who couldn't abandon his companions and run away alone.

Ganju Shiba endured the crushing Reiatsu, drew the sword at his waist and charged. But Byakuya Kuchiki slipped past him in an instant, and blood sprayed from Ganju Shiba's sword arm. He hadn't seen how Byakuya Kuchiki had cut it at all.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" Ganju Shiba asked, bearing the pain as he called behind him.

Byakuya Kuchiki was surprised. That blow should at least have incapacitated him, but he hadn't expected him to remain standing.

"Don't underestimate me! As one of the finest men in the Shiba Clan, I won't be beaten so easily!"

"Shiba? You're a member of the Shiba Clan?" After hearing Ganju Shiba's words, Byakuya Kuchiki made up his mind.

"I'm sorry for what I just did. From this moment on, I can't let you leave alive." As a member of the Four Great Noble Clans, Byakuya Kuchiki naturally knew about the Shiba Clan's circumstances.

Although the Shiba Clan had left the Seireitei and withdrawn from the Four Great Noble Clans long ago, Byakuya Kuchiki still respected them. But for the Shiba Clan, once nobles, to act against Soul Society was the greatest insult to noble dignity, and an insult had to be washed away with a life.

Seeing this, Rukia knew that Byakuya Kuchiki truly intended to kill him.

"B-big brother, no!"

But Byakuya Kuchiki ignored Rukia's cry and simply raised his Zanpakuto.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura..." The blade of his Zanpakuto vanished, replaced by falling cherry blossoms.

The cherry blossoms flew toward Ganju Shiba and were about to reach him from above.

"Run! Run!" Rukia shouted. She knew how powerful Senbonzakura was. If it hit him, Ganju Shiba really would die.

Just then, two arrows shot in from afar and swiftly landed at Ganju Shiba's feet. The next moment, they transformed into a white capsule that instantly enclosed him.

"What's this?" Byakuya Kuchiki frowned when he saw that Senbonzakura hadn't pierced the white capsule in a single strike, and prepared to channel more Reiryoku into it.

"That's enough, Captain Kuchiki." Ukitake appeared behind Byakuya Kuchiki and grabbed his hand as he spoke.

A moment later, Miyako Amamiya arrived as well, holding a bow.

"Ukitake, and Miyako Amamiya..." Byakuya Kuchiki frowned at the two of them. "Does the Thirteenth Division intend to let the Ryoka go?"

"Spare them when you can, Captain Kuchiki. Besides, the Ryoka are an important lead."

Meanwhile, the enhanced Gojūbaku Miyako Amamiya had used began to fade.

Rukia breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Ukitake and Miyako Amamiya.

Ganju Shiba still didn't know what had happened. When the Gojūbaku disappeared, he too saw that Miyako Amamiya had arrived.

"Ah, it's you! Didn't you say..." Ganju Shiba pointed at Miyako Amamiya in surprise, about to finish what he was saying.

Miyako Amamiya went past Ukitake and Byakuya Kuchiki, quickly reached Ganju Shiba and punched him in the stomach, stopping him from speaking.

"You bastard..." Ganju Shiba clutched his stomach and tried to grab Miyako Amamiya, but Miyako Amamiya turned, moved behind him and struck him on the back of the head.

Ganju Shiba staggered and fell.

"Mr. Ganju!" Hanatarō Yamada couldn't help shouting.

"What is the meaning of this, Thirteenth Division?" Byakuya Kuchiki frowned at Miyako Amamiya's actions.

"We only want to keep the Ryoka in custody. We still have questions for them," Ukitake said without a change of expression. In any case, he couldn't let Byakuya Kuchiki actually kill Kūkaku Shiba's younger brother.

Just then, a huge white wing emerged from the side. Ichigo Kurosaki had flown up with the help of a Heavenly Gift Armaments, and he saw Byakuya Kuchiki and the others.

He landed beside Rukia and said to her with a smile, "Rukia, I'm here to save you."

"Ichigo..." Rukia looked at Ichigo Kurosaki worriedly. "No, Ichigo, hurry and leave. Don't worry about me."

Rukia knew Ichigo Kurosaki was definitely no match for her elder brother and wanted him to give up.

"I've come this far, and you still want me to give up?" Ichigo Kurosaki stared intently at Byakuya Kuchiki, paying no attention to Miyako Amamiya nearby. He believed Byakuya Kuchiki was the greatest obstacle to rescuing Rukia. Although Miss Yoruichi had mentioned that he mustn't clash with a captain, it looked like he couldn't save Rukia without defeating Byakuya Kuchiki.

Ukitake looked at Ichigo Kurosaki and couldn't help feeling he was somewhat familiar. He asked Byakuya Kuchiki, "Byakuya, who is that?"

"None of your concern." Byakuya Kuchiki knew why Ukitake had asked him that question, because he too could sense the resemblance between Ichigo Kurosaki and that person.

"Right now, he's just a Ryoka," Byakuya Kuchiki said calmly. "And I'll deal with him."

"This tiresome dispute will finally come to an end." Byakuya Kuchiki believed that defeating Ichigo Kurosaki would put an end to the turmoil caused by the Ryoka invasion.

Ichigo Kurosaki also stopped chatting with Rukia and looked at Byakuya Kuchiki.

"Let's go, Rukia," Miyako Amamiya said to her, paying no attention to the fight.

"But, Miyako, my brother..."

"Ichigo Kurosaki will be fine. As for you, you have to keep waiting in the Senzaikyū," Miyako Amamiya said gravely.

Wait until that person's plan falls apart completely.

"You're Hanatarō Yamada, right? Thank you very much for coming to rescue Rukia, but now it's time for you to leave too."

Hanatarō Yamada looked at Miyako Amamiya's Lieutenant's badge, caught in a dilemma.

"Don't worry. Leave Rukia's situation to us in the Thirteenth Division," Miyako Amamiya reassured him.

Rukia also nodded to Hanatarō Yamada. Hanatarō Yamada didn't understand the situation, so he could only stand there without moving.

Seeing Miyako Amamiya take Rukia back into the Senzaikyū, Ichigo Kurosaki couldn't help shouting, "Hey, what's wrong with you?! Didn't you say you were going to save Rukia? What are you doing?!"

"You have time to pay attention to others while fighting me...?" Byakuya Kuchiki frowned, stepped in front of him and slashed down.

Ichigo Kurosaki hurriedly blocked the blow. The pressure Byakuya Kuchiki exerted left him unable to divide his attention.

After testing him, Byakuya Kuchiki finally saw how unreasonable Ichigo Kurosaki's improvement was and decided to use his full strength.

"I underestimated you. But... let me show you the decisive difference in our strength."