After the Battle (1)

Gin Ichimaru's eyes snapped open. His eyes, which had been half-closed, were now wide open, revealing their deep pupils. The ever-present smile on his face vanished, replaced by a genuine, undisguised emotion. That emotion contained tension, worry, heartache, and a certain sense of relief at finally letting go.

In a flash, his speed seemed to defy time. The next moment, he was behind Rangiku Matsumoto, holding her steadily in his arms. His movements were gentle and careful, as if he were holding a fragile treasure, the entire world. He looked down at the unconscious Rangiku in his arms, a complex light flickering in his eyes.

"Gin, don't worry." Liu Hao's voice came from behind, gentle and calm. "Rangiku needs time to adapt to the return of this wisp of soul. Her unconsciousness is simply her spirit's self-protection mechanism. Once her body has fully accepted that part of the soul, she will wake up. At that time, she will be a complete Rangiku Matsumoto."

Gin Ichimaru looked up at Liu Hao. His eyes held gratitude, relief, and a rare vulnerability. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found himself unable to utter a word. In the end, he simply nodded slightly, then lowered his head again, looking at Rangiku in his arms.

Just then, Yoruichi Shihōin's voice broke the silence. Her voice carried a hint of teasing and mockery. "Who knew Captain Ichimaru was such a romantic?"

Upon hearing Yoruichi Shihōin's words, everyone's attention returned to Gin Ichimaru. Gin Ichimaru's face remained smiling, the smile returning to his expression as if the momentary reality had been merely an illusion. He didn't reply, but simply held Rangiku quietly, his fingers gently stroking her hair.

Meanwhile, the Visoreds who had walked nearby looked at Gin Ichimaru with blank expressions. Their expressions varied, some were complicated, some were angry, some were hesitant, and some were sympathetic.

Hiyori Sarugaki grim, gritted her teeth and said, "Even if his goal is to kill Aizen, that doesn't mean we can so easily let bygones be bygones for the harm he caused us! Don't forget, he cut me! I remember that stab clearly!"

Her voice was filled with suppressed anger, her fists clenched tightly, as if she were about to charge forward at any moment. But she didn't move, because she knew that now was not the time to settle scores.

Shinji Hirako stood to the side, silently watching Gin Ichimaru. His expression was complex, his eyes holding an indescribable light. As the leader of the Visoreds, and one of the people most harmed by Aizen, he had every reason to hate Gin Ichimaru. But he didn't speak, simply standing there quietly, as if deep in thought.

Mashiro Kuna glanced at Hiyori, then at Shinji Hirako, and whispered, "Maybe... maybe we should just let it go. After all... it's all about dealing with Aizen. Besides, he hasn't really done anything too outrageous to us..."

"Shiro!" Kensei Muguruma pulled Mashiro Kuna behind him, interrupting her, and whispered, "Don't talk nonsense."

His voice was stern, but there was no real anger in his eyes. He simply didn't want Bai to be involved in this feud, and he didn't want her to become the target of everyone's anger.

Liu Hao's gaze slowly swept over everyone in the Visored. His gaze was calm and profound, carrying a power that seemed to see through everything. After a moment, he spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"What harm has Gin done to you? Every time he attacked, he only injured you slightly; he never killed you. Besides, even without Gin, wouldn't you have been used as test subjects by Aizen? Aizen's Plan started a long time ago. You were his target from the very beginning, regardless of whether Gin was there or not."

He paused, his gaze sharpening further.

"Besides, Aizen used you as test subjects, Kaname Tōsen ambush you, and what did Gin do besides slashing Hiyori once? You can hate Aizen, you can hate Tōsen, but Gin... he has his reasons, he has his purpose. Everything he did was to protect those he wanted to protect. In this respect, there is no difference between you and your desire to protect your comrades."

Upon hearing Liu Hao's words, Hiyori Sarugaki opened her mouth as if to refute something. But Shinji Hirako reached out and blocked her way. His hand was steady, carrying an undeniable strength.

Shinji Hirako looked at Liu Hao and slowly spoke. His voice was calm, but every word carried the weight of careful consideration. "Regardless of whether he has taken action or not, he has always been by Aizen's side whenever he does something."

He stood behind Aizen, watching Aizen do those things. He witnessed us being framed, witnessed our comrades being hurt, witnessed our suffering. He could have chosen to tell us beforehand, could have chosen to betray us at the crucial moment, could have chosen to end it all sooner.

But he didn't. He chose silence, chose to wait, chose to act at his own pace. How can we believe that he never made a move? How can we believe that he wasn't Aizen's accomplice?

After Shinji Hirako finished speaking, silence fell once more. His words were not without merit, and his doubts were not unfounded. Gin Ichimaru's choice had indeed hurt many people. His silence had indeed made things worse.

Just as Shinji Hirako finished speaking, a series of steady footsteps approached. Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, holding a cane, slowly walked forward. His steps were slow, but each step carried an undeniable authority. He stopped in front of everyone, slammed his cane on the ground, and made a dull thud.

"Alright." The Captain-Commander's aged yet authoritative voice rang out, carrying an undeniable authority. "We'll discuss the matter of Gin Ichimaru once we return to Soul Society. Now, everyone, begin packing up and prepare to return to Soul Society."

He looked at Shinji Hirako, his gaze scrutinizing yet also carrying a hint of promise, "Shinji Hirako, you shall all return together."

Hiyori Sarugaki opened her mouth, wanting to say something defiant, but Shinji Hirako had already reached out and covered her mouth. His movement was gentle, yet firm. Hiyori made muffled protests from behind his palm, but ultimately did not struggle.

Shinji Hirako smiled at Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, a smile tinged with both mockery and a hint of probing, "Captain-Commander, we need the Seireitei to guarantee our safety. Otherwise, we dare not return. After all, our current appearance... is not that of an ordinary Soul Reaper."

He phrased it tactfully, but everyone understood his meaning. The Visoreds all possessed Hollow powers. In Soul Society, they were always seen as outcasts, even threats. Returning to Soul Society without sufficient guarantees would be tantamount to walking into a trap.