Conflict

After leaving the Second Division's Guard Post, Amber followed the trail of Reiatsu left behind during the Ryoka invasion.

Marechiyo Ōmaeda of him and explained it to him. He already knew the patrol routes of the Patrol Corps by heart, which alleys were deserted at what time, which corners had sentries, and which section of the wall led to the warehouse.

He walked through several deserted narrow alleys, leaped onto the roof of a low warehouse, and crouched in the shadow of the roof ridge to look down.

The streets below were deserted, with the occasional clang of swords clashing against their sheaths and the short commands shouted by the soldiers in the distance. Just as he was about to make his way in the next direction, he suddenly heard a familiar voice coming from the rooftop diagonally opposite.

"Inoue, over here!"

Amber turned her head and saw Uryū Ishida crouching on the roof of a pavilion. Orihime Inoue was crouching behind him, her hands clasped in front of her chest, the Santen Kesshun gleaming from her hairpin.

Opposite them, a tall, shinigami-like Soul Reaper, resembling some kind of deep-sea fish, stood on the other side of the rooftop, holding a Zanpakuto in his hand.

"You're quite skilled at dodging that attack. If you hadn't faced me, you would have lived a little longer. Repent! I'll give you some time to repent while I count from one to ten." With that, he began counting to himself, but he had only counted to two.

With a Shunpo, Kou landed in front of Uryū. Shihakusho, with a dark red scabbard and half-black, half-white hair, he stood with his back to Jirōbō and beckoned to Uryū.

"Long time no see, Uryū. Was the last time we met when we defeated the Gillian in the World of the Living?"

Uryū pushed up his glasses, trying his best to keep his expression calm. "It's you?"

Orihime peeked half her head out from behind Uryū: "Is this... Uryū- kun's friend?"

"We wouldn't call each other friends; we've only met once in this World of the Living," Uryū said.

"Don't say such cold things. Aren't we comrades who fought together?" Amber turned her head to look at Uryū.

Just as the three were exchanging pleasantries, Jirōbō, standing opposite them, had already silently activated Shunpo.

His figure disappeared from the other end of the roof ridge, and the next instant he appeared behind and to the side of Amber, his Zanpakuto raised high in his hand:

"I am Jirōbō Ikkanzaka, the Fourth Seat the Seventh Division! Which division's lackey are you, daring to steal my credit!"

Although he said this to Kotomi, his sword was aimed directly at Orihime.

Uryū's pupils contracted, and he immediately drew his bow and nocked an arrow. "Danger!"

In Orihime's eyes, the sword was getting closer and closer.

"Whispering sound."

Amber conjured Phantom Blade in his right palm. He didn't turn around, nor did he even glance at Jirōbō. He simply flicked the blue blade at his side. The blade cut into Jirōbō's downward slash at an extremely small angle, precisely exerting force in the very narrow gap between the blade and the air.

Jirōbō's powerful strike was completely deflected, the blade gliding past Orihime's side and striking the roof tiles, sending shards of tile flying. Jirōbō staggered forward two steps from the force of her own blow, her hands going numb.

Jirōbō steadied himself, looked down at his trembling hand holding the knife, and then at the blue sword in Hu's hand, but the shock on his face was quickly replaced by shame and anger.

"You actually helped the Ryoka! It seems you are the Ryoka's traitor hidden within the Seireitei! I, Kamaitachi Jirōbō, will cleanse your house today, taking the place of your captain!"

He Zanpakuto above his head, and the Reiatsu on the blade exploded instantly.

"Spread your wings and fly high, Tsunzakigarasu!"

With a roar of liberation, the blade of the Tsunzakigarasu Sword split into several flying blades, drawing sharp screechs in the air as they circled around Jirōbō's body. He spread his arms, letting the flying blades draw irregular arcs around him. Jirōbō stood in the center of the flying blades, a determined smile playing on his lips.

"How about that? Too scared to even speak, huh?"

"Listen carefully to this release phrase—'Spread your wings and fly high'! That's very similar to the release phrase of that Supernova, Koko Yoru, from the Second Division. Do you know what that means?" He took a step forward, the flying blades of the Crow-Slaying Sword buzzing on his shoulder.

His voice was filled with undisguised smugness. "This proves that my sword is from the same source as that Supernova! And he's the man who cut the 11th Division's captain in half—today I'll cut you in half too, but the difference is, you won't have the Fourth Division to heal you! Haha!"

Upon hearing this, Uryū's eyebrows twitched slightly, and then his shoulders began to tremble gently. He put away his Spirit Bow, adjusted his glasses, and slowly shifted his gaze from Jirōbō to Hu behind the lenses.

He turned his head to look at Amber, who was standing in front of him holding the Phantom Blade, and used all his strength to suppress the spontaneous upward curve of his hair:

"Did you hear that? That sounds like a Yexing Hu from the same source as Yoru Zanpakuto. What should we do? Can you win?" His shoulders were trembling slightly.

Jirōbō, seeing Uryū's trembling shoulders, assumed it was a sign of fear and became even more smug. "Look, that Supernova's name has even reached the ears of the Ryoka, and look how scared he is!"

He shouted at Hu, "If you know what's good for you, get out of the way right now! That way I might spare your life!"

Orihime was standing right next to Uryū, the closest to him, and she could clearly see that Uryū was desperately trying to force the corners of his mouth down.

Hu stood there, still gripping the Phantom Blade, Jirōbō's words echoing in his mind—

His own name was being used to flaunt his power by someone who even targeted the weakest among his attackers. He suddenly felt not only offended, but disgusted.

Amber tilted the Phantom Blade to his side, its tip resting against the roof tiles. He slowly turned around, placing his left hand on the hilt of Jiku'a's sword.

Amber felt as if she'd been splashed with swill, and Jiku'a seemed to have heard Jirōbō's words as well. This guy had claimed in front of Uryū and Orihime that his Zanpakuto shared the same origin as Jiku'a's, and then used that sword to ambush the weakest girl in the group.

"Is this the release phrase for that Supernova?"

Hu was suppressing the urge to swear; he felt that if he cursed him, he would be reduced to his level. He pushed open the hilt with his thumb, and a ghostly blue light burst forth from the gap in the scabbard.

"Break free from your cage! Spread your wings and fly high, Jiku'a!"

As Hu whispered the words of liberation, the sound of space shattering was like glass being crushed in one piece. Cracks extended outwards from Hu's feet, sending roof tiles flying one by one.

Jirōbō froze on the spot, the flying blade that Tsunzakigarasu slipped from his shoulder and clattered onto the roof.

Unlike the precise, converging fissures of his usual Shikai, Jiku'a seemed to want to emphasize the difference between himself and the Tsunzakigarasu opposite him, deliberately making this Shikai a grander spectacle than his first.

A blue birdcage phantom rose from the ground, each bar sharp as a knife. The moment the birdcage shattered, a wing-shaped spatial rift exploded above the roof ridge, and fragments of Reishi scattered like meteors, enveloping the entire roof in the blue light of the Jiku'a.

Jirōbō was so overwhelmed by the Reiatsu that she instinctively raised her hand to block it.

When the Shikai was completed, Amber stood in the center of the slowly closing spatial rift, the blade held horizontally in front of him, the blue light illuminating his profile in a half-light, half-shadow.

"Sorry for the late Ego." He looked at Jirōbō, his voice quite cold. "Jiroubo-senpai of the Jirōbō. I am Yohoshi Yexing Hu, a member of the Second Division's Patrol Corps Lieutenant!"

My Zanpakuto is called Toki -Jiku'a. "Nice to meet you," he said, referring to himself as a senior from the same lineage.

One second later...

Amber sheathed his sword, and Jirōbō's Shihakusho was torn apart by countless fine cuts, each one oozing blood, causing him to tremble in pain. The flying blades of the Tsunzakigarasu lay scattered at his feet, their surfaces covered with dense, tiny cracks.

Jirōbō's pupils contracted sharply, his lips trembled, but he could only utter a few muffled sobs before falling straight backward. He lay on his back in the pile of broken tiles, and you could vaguely see his soul still floating up into the sky, while his body was still trembling.

Don't think that Amber tortured him. Amber only used one Judgment Cut from beginning to end. Although it tore through his Shihakusho and skin, it didn't damage any vital organs. And judging from the fact that Jirōbō wasn't broken into pieces, it's obvious that Amber let Kai go.

Uryū walked over, glanced down at Jirōbō slumped on the roof tiles, then at Ko, who had sheathed his sword. Uryū adjusted his glasses, the smile finally spreading across his face. "Looks like you've got quite a reputation here in Soul Society."

"I didn't want to be famous like this." Hu rubbed his temples.

Orihime Inoue glanced at Jirōbō's damaged Zanpakuto, then at Amber's scabbard still emitting blue smoke as she sheathed it, and whispered, "What he just said about sharing the same origin—is that Zanpakuto really related to you?"

"It has absolutely nothing to do with us," Hu replied decisively.

Uryū, who was standing to the side, finally couldn't help but chuckle.

Uryū stopped joking. After the four of them came down from the roof, Hu briefly explained the message he had brought:

"There's still a chance for Rukia- senpai's execution. Our Lieutenant is trying to persuade the captain and Lieutenant who disagree with the execution, but it will take some time. You must not force your way in now; lie low and observe the situation."

Uryū was silent for a moment, then nodded. Orihime Inoue clasped her hands in front of her chest, her eyes brightening. "Is there still hope for Kuchiki- san?"

"Yes." Hu said, rummaging through a nearby storeroom and pulling out two sets of Shihakusho and two communication Denreishinki, handing them to the two men:

"These are for you. Wearing them will make you less likely to be recognized by the patrolling soldiers. If you need anything, contact me using the Denreishinki. The channel is already set."

Orihime took the Shihakusho, carefully folded it, and put it in her bosom. Uryū glanced at the Denreishinki, stuffed it into his pocket, and then looked up at Amber.

"Why are you helping us?" Uryū asked.

"This execution was a mistake, and Rukia- senpai is my friend..."

At the same time

Yoruichi was running swiftly across the rooftops of Seireitei in the form of a black cat. Her four paws landed almost silently on the tiles, her tail trailing behind her for balance, and her golden eyes swept over the patrolling soldiers in every alley below.

As she was about to find a new infiltration route, a patrol team from the Third Division ran past the alleyway. The leading squad leader glanced at the rooftops and saw only empty tiles. "Nothing unusual here. Keep up the pursuit of the Ryoka, don't let your guard down!"

The soldiers dispersed at the sound of their footsteps fading into the distance along the stone path. Yoruichi poked half her head out from the edge of the eaves and flicked her tail slightly.

"Alright~ I found you, little wildcat..."

The voice rang out very close behind her, its breath almost brushing against the tips of her ears. Yoruichi's pupils contracted sharply, her limbs pushed off the ground, and her body was propelled forward as if electrocuted.

Yin stood not far from her, his hands tucked into his sleeves, a smile on his lips that was forever unfathomable.

"Stray cats are not allowed inside the Seireitei."

Yoruichi landed on the opposite rooftop, her tail bristling like a feather duster, her pupils shrinking into two extremely thin vertical lines.

Yin tilted his head and looked at her, still in that unhurried tone. "Don't be nervous, I have something I want to say..."

A breeze passed between the two, causing the tassels of the persimmon-colored bracelet on his wrist to sway gently.

Seireitei Lieutenant's Standby Position

Marechiyo Ōmaeda and Renji stood in the middle of a group of Lieutenant, surrounded by the hum of low conversations.

Marechiyo Ōmaeda and Renji were trying to persuade the Lieutenants, starting with the Second Division's investigation results, supplemented by Aizen's explanation of the anomalies in the verdict and his perspective. The Lieutenants gradually began to waver.

Rangiku Matsumoto was the first to speak. She crossed her arms and nodded. "I'll go talk to Captain Hitsugaya. He wasn't too keen on this execution to begin with, but he hesitated because of the Captain-Commander's attitude. Now that things have changed, he should reconsider."

Izuru Kira hesitated for a moment. "I'll talk to Captain Ichimaru. But knowing his personality, I don't think he'll take it to heart."

Sasaki Shūhei leaned against the wall, his brows furrowed. "Captain Tōsen is a man who pursues justice. If the execution itself is flawed, he won't stand idly by."

Nanao Ise adjusted her glasses. "The Captain Kyōraku usually seems carefree, but he knows better than anyone that he won't ignore a reasonable request."

Momo Hinamori clenched her fists, her eyes still slightly red. She thought of Captain Aizen's recent tension and exhausting research—she was convinced that Captain Aizen had been trying to stop the execution. She nodded firmly. "Captain Aizen has opposed this execution from the very beginning. He will definitely stick to it to the end."

Tetsuzaemon Iba stood with his arms crossed, his voice steady. "I will explain today's events in detail to Captain Komamura. The captain may have reservations about the execution, but given his character, he will likely prioritize the Captain-Commander's orders."

Isane Kotetsu placed her hands on her knees, her voice soft but firm. "Captain Unohana is a very kind person. I'll talk to her about it; she should take some action."

Only the two Lieutenant remained silent. Nemu Kurotsuchi stood quietly in the corner; everyone knew she would only obey Mayuri Kurotsuchi's orders and wouldn't bring up anything on her own. All eyes finally fell on Chōjirō Sasakibe.

Sasakibe stood by the window, his back to everyone. He remained silent for a long time, so long that Marechiyo Ōmaeda thought he would never speak again.

"I will report everyone's attitude today to the Captain-Commander truthfully." Sasakibe turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "But the Captain-Commander also has his Captain-Commander considerations. There must be a reason why the execution has been pushed forward to this point." His voice was flat, but it did not refuse.

That's enough. Marechiyo Ōmaeda and Renji smiled and bowed slightly to Sasakibe.

Just then, a messenger rushed into the standby area, his voice urgent. "Report! The Third Seat of the 11th Division, Ikkaku Madarame, and the Fifth Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa injured and have been removed from the front lines! The Fourth Seat of the Seventh Division, Jirōbō Ikkanzaka, is suspected of having his Ryoka damaged by Zanpakuto, and is mentally unstable; he has been removed Sequence combat!"

The waiting area was quiet for a moment. In Ikkaku was the Third Seat of the 11th Division, the second strongest Seated Officer in the 11th Division after Kenpachi Zaraki. The opponent who could seriously injure him was no ordinary character. Next was news of Jirōbō — his Zanpakuto was destroyed, and he was mentally unstable. Jirōbō was a veteran; unless he encountered some great terror, he wouldn't have suffered such a mental breakdown.

Renji's shoulder jolted violently. His fists clenched again, his nails digging into his palms. Ichigo Kurosaki. Ichigo Kurosaki. The culprit—he was the one who pushed Rukia into this dead end. Now that things were finally looking up, and the Lieutenant were finally willing to step forward, he was here to ruin everything.

Renji looked up, scanning the Lieutenants around him. "The Ryoka's target is most likely Rukia. If they storm the Senzaikyū now, it's like declaring war on the entire Seireitei. The Captain-Commander will probably just order the intruders executed on the spot, without even an interrogation."

Worse still, if he provoked the Captain-Commander — Rukia —he would really be executed. His chest heaved violently, each breath feeling like a handful of red-hot iron filings being stuffed into his chest cavity.

He stood up, hung the Zabimaru on his waist, and walked towards the door.

"Abarai!" Sasaki Shūhei called out.

"It's not appropriate for him to go alone, I'll go with him." Marechiyo Ōmaeda picked up his Denreishinki, typed in a message, and followed after him.

Although he didn't know how many members of the Ryoka were stronger than the Lieutenant, he knew that if Renji, anything could happen. After all, Renji was someone who could take down Ikkaku.

Abarai didn't wait for Marechiyo Ōmaeda; his pace quickened. His Zabimaru swayed at his waist, the scabbard striking his leg repeatedly. He couldn't let Ichigo Kurosaki ruin everything!