Post-Battle Rumors

The next morning, when Liu Hao arrived at the Medical Guard Team's Training Ground as usual, he immediately sensed that something was different.

Training had yet to begin, and the team members had gathered in small groups, talking quietly among themselves. When they saw Liu Hao arrive, every gaze swung toward him—not with the usual respect or greeting, but with something close to... admiration.

Their gazes were so fervent and direct that Liu Hao felt a little uncomfortable.

He frowned slightly and walked to the front of the formation. Just as he was about to assign the training tasks as usual, a familiar voice called from a distance:

"Liu Hao, come here a moment."

It was Isane Kotetsu.

Liu Hao turned to see Isane standing at the entrance to the Training Ground, wearing an unusually serious expression. She beckoned him over.

"All right," Liu Hao replied. He told the team members to warm up on their own for now, then walked briskly over to Isane.

"What is it, Vice-Captain?" he asked quietly.

Isane did not answer immediately. She simply said, "Come with me. The captain wants to see you."

The two left the Training Ground, one following the other, and made their way through the corridors of the Fourth Division Barracks to the captain's office.

They opened the door and entered to find Unohana sitting behind her desk, a document in her hand and a slight frown on her face. When she saw them, she set the document down and smiled warmly, though a trace of concern lingered in her expression.

"You're here." She motioned for them to sit.

"Captain, what is it?" Liu Hao asked directly once he had sat down. Judging by Isane's serious expression and Unohana's subtle reaction, it probably was not a minor matter.

Unohana slid the document in front of Liu Hao. Her tone was calm, but her words carried deeper meaning. "News of your spar with Captain Hitsugaya yesterday... has spread. And it's traveled much faster and farther than we expected."

Liu Hao took the document and skimmed it. It was an intelligence summary, recording the various accounts circulating throughout the Seireitei from yesterday evening to early this morning.

Most of them pointed to the same question: if Tōshirō Hitsugaya, captain of the Tenth Division, could not even defeat a Fifth Seat of the Fourth Division, was he still fit to be a captain?

Some accounts were even more extreme, questioning whether Tōshirō Hitsugaya had been qualified to become a captain in the first place and claiming that his title as the youngest captain in history was nothing but a stroke of luck.

The more Liu Hao read, the deeper his frown became.

"This..." He looked up at Unohana. "Is someone deliberately spreading rumors?"

"Not all of them are rumors." Unohana shook her head. "You did have a spar, and you did... win. The problem is that it should have remained known only to the few captains and vice-captains who were there. But now, almost the entire Seireitei knows, and the versions going around have been deliberately embellished and exaggerated."

Her tone grew serious. "People everywhere are saying that Captain Hitsugaya doesn't deserve his reputation, that he can't even defeat a Fifth Seat of the Fourth Division."

Liu Hao put down the document and took a deep breath. "It looks like they want to throw the Tenth Division into disarray and create internal conflict. And..."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "They've also pushed me into the spotlight. Once I'm everyone's target, I won't be able to do anything in secret anymore. What exactly are they after?"

"There could be many purposes," Unohana said slowly. "Undermining Captain Hitsugaya's authority and throwing the Tenth Division into disarray; exposing you to everyone's scrutiny at the same time, restricting your movements; perhaps even..."

She paused, then added, "Trying to probe your true strength and background this way. After all, a Fifth Seat capable of defeating a captain is enough to draw attention on his own."

Liu Hao fell silent for a moment, then sighed softly. "What a nuisance. I just want to stay in the Fourth Division in peace and focus on my own affairs. Can't these people leave me alone?"

His tone carried unmistakable impatience and helplessness.

Unohana looked at him, a trace of understanding in her eyes, but also a hint of warning. "Your existence may already have threatened certain people. So they've pushed you out in front of everyone, making you the focus of everyone's attention. That way, you won't be able to do anything behind the scenes that might threaten them."

Her words went straight to the heart of the matter.

Liu Hao smiled bitterly. "What am I doing now that threatens them? All I did was save Kaien Shiba and his wife. As for Captain Isshin Shiba, I didn't even have a chance to intervene..."

"It's not that you didn't intervene," Unohana interrupted, her tone grave. "You wanted to, but someone was watching you, so you had no choice but to hold back. And those people... have probably already noticed your intentions."

Her words made Liu Hao's heart tighten.

Indeed, he had originally had many opportunities to change Isshin Shiba's fate—warn him in advance, protect him in secret, or even intervene directly in the White incident. But he had done none of those things, because Aizen's surveillance had followed him everywhere, and any unusual move could have triggered a chain reaction.

And now it seemed that even though he had done nothing, the other party had already grown wary of him.

"All right." Liu Hao rubbed his temples, looking a little weary. "There's no use talking about this now. Let's think about how to deal with the current situation. The captains' meeting... how do they plan to handle this?"

Unohana checked the time. "I was just notified that an emergency captains' meeting will be held this afternoon. You need to attend."

"Me?" Liu Hao froze. "A captains' meeting? I'm only a Fifth Seat... am I qualified to attend?"

"Special circumstances," Unohana explained. "One of the subjects of this meeting is whether Tōshirō Hitsugaya, captain of the Tenth Division, is still qualified to hold his position."

Liu Hao's expression darkened completely.

"They're going to strip him of his captaincy just because he lost to me in a spar? That's absurd!"

"Not 'strip him of it,' but 'discuss it,'" Unohana corrected. "But as you know, public opinion in the Seireitei can sometimes carry more weight than actual evidence. The Captain-Commander is fair, but he must also consider the stability and image of the entire Gotei 13."

Liu Hao gave a cold laugh. "How ironic. They want to maintain stability, yet they're handling the problem in the most destabilizing way possible."

Unohana did not pursue the subject. She merely said calmly, "There shouldn't be much of a problem for you. After all, at present... you really don't meet the requirements to become a captain."

Her words were both reassurance and a reminder.

Liu Hao understood what Unohana meant. Though he had performed exceptionally in the Fourth Division and served as captain of the Medical Guard Team, his seniority, background, and even his publicly recorded Reiatsu were not enough to support his appointment as a full captain. The Gotei 13 had strict procedures for appointing captains; strength alone could not decide the matter.

"That's true." Liu Hao nodded. "I just hope those people don't push too far. Otherwise... I don't mind stepping in and disrupting their plans."

He spoke softly, but the resolve in his words made Unohana raise an eyebrow slightly.

She looked at Liu Hao and, in the end, merely smiled faintly. "As you wish. All right, it's about time. Come with me. The captains' meeting is about to begin."

The three left the Fourth Division Barracks and headed for the First Division.

Along the way, Liu Hao could feel gazes coming from every direction. Some were curious, some probing, and some... carried obvious hostility or contempt.

Clearly, yesterday's news had already spread and gathered momentum.

When they reached the First Division Barracks, Liu Hao was told to wait in the vice-captains' lounge, while Unohana headed straight to the captains' meeting room.

The atmosphere in the vice-captains' lounge was delicate.

Nearly all the vice-captains from the other divisions had arrived. When Liu Hao and Isane entered, every gaze turned toward them, and the whole room fell silent in an instant.

Liu Hao could sense the complicated emotions in those gazes—curiosity, scrutiny, suspicion, and even some... hostility.

Rangiku Matsumoto in particular. The Tenth Division's vice-captain sat in a corner, and when she saw Liu Hao enter, her eyes held concern and confusion, as well as a complicated emotion that was difficult to put into words.

Liu Hao walked up to her and spoke first, his tone calm. "Vice-Captain Matsumoto, about the rumors going around... I didn't do those things. And as you know, I'm not qualified to become a captain at all. So please don't look at me like that."

His words were direct, but sincere.

Rangiku Matsumoto was stunned for a moment. Then she lowered her head and turned her face away without responding.

Seeing that, the other vice-captains abandoned their earlier thoughts of approaching him with questions. Clearly, this was not a good time to strike up a conversation.

But there was one exception: Yachiru Kusajishi, vice-captain of the 11th Division.

The petite vice-captain skipped over to Liu Hao, tugged at his sleeve, and tilted her little face up at him. "Fifth Seat Liu Hao, I heard you're really good at fighting. Is that true?" she asked quietly.

Her voice was clear and her eyes innocent, as though she truly were asking out of curiosity.

Liu Hao looked down at her with a warm smile. "Vice-Captain Kusajishi, my main ability is healing. This talk about me being 'good at fighting' is just a joke people make. After all, the Medical Guard Team needs a certain amount of fighting ability to protect ourselves and our comrades on the front lines."

"I see..." Yachiru Kusajishi bit her finger thoughtfully. "But Little Kenpachi said he wanted to fight you."

"Captain Zaraki?" Liu Hao put on a surprised expression. "Don't joke about that. Captain Zaraki is the 'Kenpachi.' He wants to fight a medical team member like me? Are you sure he isn't looking for an excuse to kill me?"

His tone was half joking, half self-deprecating, defusing the sharpness of the subject perfectly.

Yachiru Kusajishi giggled. "Of course not! Little Kenpachi just wants a match. If you can't beat him, you can just admit defeat!"

Her words were innocent, but the vice-captains present all understood that if someone really fought Kenpachi Zaraki, they probably would not even have a chance to "admit defeat."

Just then, Renji Abarai could no longer contain his curiosity. He leaned close to Liu Hao and lowered his voice. "Liu Hao, tell me the truth... did you really defeat Captain Hitsugaya?"

It was a direct and sensitive question.

Liu Hao looked around and saw that although all the vice-captains were pretending not to care, their ears were pricked. Clearly, this was a question they all wanted answered.

He sighed, wearing a helpless expression. "Renji, you know me. Captain Hitsugaya held back during the spar only because I'm a medical team member. If he'd really gone all out, how could I possibly have won?"

He paused, then added, "All the captains there yesterday could see that Captain Hitsugaya's Hyōrinmaru is the strongest ice-and-snow-type Zanpakuto. If he'd truly used its full power, that extreme cold alone would have left me helpless. The only reason I lasted until the end was that our attributes countered each other, and Captain Hitsugaya went easy on me."

The explanation was reasonable and also gave Tōshirō Hitsugaya plenty of face.

An expression of understanding appeared on Renji Abarai's face. He clapped Liu Hao on the shoulder and laughed. "I knew it! At most, you're strong enough to fight me to a draw. How could you possibly beat Captain Hitsugaya?"

His words were full of confidence, but they were also consistent with his understanding of his own strength—he truly believed he and Liu Hao were evenly matched.

But when Rangiku Matsumoto heard this from nearby, she grumbled inwardly.

Shiro-chan clearly said Liu Hao was far stronger than him... Why is Liu Hao saying this? Why is he hiding his strength? Does he really have some secret he can't tell anyone?

She was not the only one. Chōjirō Sasakibe, vice-captain of the First Division, stood in a corner, silently observing Liu Hao as well.

The veteran vice-captain who had served Captain-Commander Yamamoto for a thousand years had exceptionally sharp eyes. From the inadvertent fluctuations of Reiatsu around Liu Hao, he could sense a "quality" far beyond his apparent strength.

This kid... really can put on an act, Chōjirō Sasakibe thought. Judging by the quality of the Reiatsu he releases unintentionally, his strength is definitely not as simple as it appears. The "quality" of that Reiatsu has already reached the threshold of Captain-level, perhaps even... higher.

He turned his gaze to Kaien Shiba, wanting to see how the Thirteenth Division's vice-captain would react.

Kaien Shiba was standing by the window with his back to everyone. But Chōjirō Sasakibe could see his profile. When he heard Renji Abarai say, "At most, you're strong enough to fight me to a draw," the corner of Kaien's mouth visibly twitched, and he rolled his eyes dramatically.

His expression plainly said, Renji, oh, Renji, do you just boast without thinking? Fight Liu Hao to a draw? Even I'm no match for him!

That subtle expression made Chōjirō Sasakibe even more certain that Liu Hao's strength far exceeded everyone's estimates.

And if Liu Hao truly possessed Captain-level strength yet was content to serve as a Fifth Seat in the Fourth Division, then his purpose... was worth pondering.

Even if Liu Hao and Kaien Shiba weren't responsible for Isshin Shiba's disappearance, they must know the truth, Chōjirō Sasakibe concluded inwardly. I must report this to the Captain-Commander.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the captains' meeting room was just as grave.

Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai stood at the head of the room, leaning on his cane, his aged yet still-sharp gaze sweeping over every captain present.

"Concerning the claims circulating in the Seireitei today," he said, his voice deep and powerful, "that Tōshirō Hitsugaya, captain of the Tenth Division, could not even defeat Liu Hao, the Fourth Division's Fifth Seat... what are your opinions?"

It was a direct and sensitive question.

After a brief silence, Gin Ichimaru was the first to speak, his trademark smile on his face. "Well... we'd have to ask Captain Hitsugaya himself about that. For a captain of the Gotei 13 to be unable to defeat even a Fifth Seat, that is indeed... a little hard to justify."

His words seemed neutral, but they carried unmistakable doubt.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya's expression was gloomy, but he did not immediately retort.

Sōsuke Aizen spoke up at that moment, his tone gentle but firm. "Captain Ichimaru, that's not fair to say. Although Liu Hao is the Fourth Division's Fifth Seat, don't forget that he also serves as captain of the Medical Guard Team."

He paused, then continued, "Although the Medical Guard Team belongs to the Fourth Division, its function is to provide combat medical support on the front lines. As captain of such a special unit, it is only to be expected that he possesses combat ability comparable to a captain's."

The explanation was reasonable and also helped Tōshirō Hitsugaya out of a difficult situation.

But Gin Ichimaru clearly had no intention of letting the matter rest.

He narrowed his eyes, his smile growing brighter. "What if he is the captain of the Medical Guard Team? He isn't a 'full' captain of the Gotei 13, after all. For a full captain to be unable to defeat even a unit captain... that certainly affects the Gotei 13's prestige."

His words were sharper this time, directly questioning Tōshirō Hitsugaya's qualifications as a captain.

Aizen shook his head. His tone remained gentle, but it carried an unquestionable authority. "Captain Ichimaru, whether full captains or unit captains, they are all selected according to rules established by the Gotei 13. We cannot casually dismiss a person's qualifications based on the outcome of a single spar. By that logic, I'm afraid many captains in the Gotei 13's history would have to be reevaluated."

His words both rebutted Gin Ichimaru's argument and cited history as support, making them more persuasive.

The exchange between the two captains made the atmosphere in the meeting room even more tense.

Meanwhile, Unohana sat quietly in her place, watching it all with a calm gaze.

She knew that the outcome of this meeting concerned not only Tōshirō Hitsugaya's future, but Liu Hao's fate as well.

And she had to take every step ahead with care.

Because some undercurrents had already begun to stir.

And she and the person she had chosen were at their center.