Terrible News! Killing Intent! (2)

Unohana walked to the door, then stopped and turned back to Kiyōnosuke Yamada. "Kiyonosuke, use Tenteikūra. Notify the captains of the Third, Fifth, Seventh, and Ninth Divisions and ask them to come see me."

"Yes, Captain." Kiyōnosuke Yamada immediately began the spell.

A short while later.

Four figures appeared outside the Fourth Division Barracks almost simultaneously.

The Third Division Captain, Kamikawa Rensuke, was a scholarly-looking middle-aged man with glasses who always carried a book.

The Fifth Division Captain, Obana Danjirō, was a tall, powerfully built man with a stern face and an enormous Zanpakuto on his back.

The Captain of the Seventh Division, Kotsubaki Jin'emon, was a middle-aged man with a full beard, eyes as sharp as an eagle's, and two short blades at his waist.

The Captain of the Ninth Division, Kumenoi Entetsu, was a lazy-looking young man who was always yawning, but no one dared underestimate him—he was one of the youngest captains among the thirteen divisions.

The four captains entered the captain's office, their expressions grave.

Clearly, they had already heard about what had happened in the Trial Grounds.

Unohana looked at them with her usual gentle smile—but there was no trace of amusement in her eyes.

"I suppose you already know?" Her voice was gentle, but every word stung like a needle. "Those youngsters you had your eyes on in the Trial Grounds... we've lost contact with all of them."

Kamikawa Rensuke adjusted his glasses. "I heard. What exactly happened?"

"What exactly happened?" Unohana chuckled. "What happened was that all four commoner teams were wiped out, while the six noble teams were safe and sound."

She paused, then added, "And this... was very likely caused by my offending a little nobody from the Tsunayashiro Clan some time ago."

Obana Danjirō frowned. "The Tsunayashiro Clan?"

"Yes, Tsunayashiro Shigure—a member of a branch family." Unohana nodded. "I embarrassed him in public, and he held a grudge and planned this whole thing."

Kotsubaki Jin'emon snorted. "Him? A branch family member has that kind of influence?"

"Of course he doesn't," Unohana said calmly. "But the people behind him do."

She looked at the four captains, her tone turning serious. "This isn't simple revenge. It's a test—a test of the limits of those of us in the 'commoner faction,' of the Captain-Commander's attitude, and of whether... the rules of the Seireitei can still restrain the nobles."

Kumenoi Entetsu yawned, but his eyes were unusually alert. "So, what do you want us to do?"

Unohana smiled faintly. "It's simple. I'd like you to approach the Sixth, Eighth, Tenth, and Thirteenth Divisions and ask them to send people to carry out a rescue."

She paused, a hint of sarcasm entering her voice. "After all, there are a few noble members in those four teams too. People like us, who came from Rukongai... can't afford to offend them."

The four captains fell silent for a few seconds.

Then Kamikawa Rensuke nodded slowly. "Understood. We'll go."

Obana Danjirō clenched his fists. "Those nobles... they're overreaching."

A cold glint flashed in Kotsubaki Jin'emon's eyes. "It's time someone put them in their place."

Kumenoi Entetsu yawned again. "All right, I'll go. I've been bored stiff lately anyway."

Unohana nodded in satisfaction. "Then sorry for the trouble. Please go ahead—I still have to see the Captain-Commander."

The four captains turned and left.

Unohana watched them go, then left the captain's office herself.

Her destination was the First Division Barracks.

The Captain-Commander's office, First Division Barracks.

Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai sat behind a massive desk, resting with his eyes closed.

Hearing a knock, he slowly opened his eyes. "Come in."

Unohana pushed the door open and bowed. "Captain-Commander."

"Captain Unohana." Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto looked at her. "I've already heard about the Trial Grounds."

"Yes." Unohana nodded. "We've lost contact with four teams, all of them commoners. The six noble teams are safe and sound."

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto was silent for a few seconds before asking, "Do you think... that little nobody from the Tsunayashiro Clan could have done this?"

"Him?" Unohana chuckled. "Of course not. He was just a decoy—thrown out to test the reaction."

She paused, then added, "And I'm certain that after this, that little nobody's head will soon be delivered to the Fourth Division's doorstep."

A sharp light flashed in Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's eyes. "Killing him to silence him?"

"Or... sacrificing a pawn to save the king," Unohana said calmly. "After all, he's just a branch family member. If he dies, he dies. As long as they can protect the mastermind behind it, any number of pawns are worth sacrificing."

She looked at Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, her voice calm but firm. "Captain-Commander, some of the nobles... are overreaching."

"This time, they targeted those youngsters with the potential to become captains. But what about next time? And the time after that?"

"If we don't teach them a lesson this time, they'll only grow more brazen."

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto nodded slowly. "You're right."

He paused, then asked, "I heard... you think highly of that youngster called Liu Ziyun?"

Unohana smiled faintly. "Captain-Commander, you may have been misled."

"Oh?"

"First, I never said I wanted him to succeed me as captain." Unohana held up one finger. "Second, that youngster... isn't as simple as you think."

A playful glint flashed in her eyes. "His strength is definitely enough to easily defeat any lieutenant except Chōjirō Sasakibe."

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto raised an eyebrow. "He's hiding his strength?"

"And doing a very poor job of it." Unohana nodded. "He's clearly strong, yet he insists on pretending to be a dead last. His Kidō is clearly at a high level, yet he insists on pretending he can't remember the incantations."

She paused, then said softly, "I've been wondering... what exactly does a youngster who wants to hide his strength, yet does such a poor job of it, intend to do?"

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto was silent for a while, then smiled. "Hiding his strength? Then let him keep hiding it."

He looked at Unohana. "Bring him to see me when you have time. I'd like to see for myself... what kind of person this youngster who concerns you so much really is."

Unohana nodded. "All right. But..."

A sly glint flashed in her eyes. "Don't scare my little toy away. I keep feeling that this youngster is hiding from something—from his fear at the start to his hiding his strength later, it must be very interesting."

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto shook his head and chuckled. "You..."

Just then, Chōjirō Sasakibe's voice came from outside the door. "Captain-Commander, the captains have arrived."

"Let them in."

The door opened.

The thirteen captains—aside from the First Division's Captain-Commander and the Fourth Division Captain, the other eleven captains entered one after another and lined up on either side.

The atmosphere was solemn.

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto slowly spoke. "Four teams in the Trial Grounds have lost contact. The situation is urgent, and a rescue must be organized immediately."

He looked around at the captains. "Who will take charge of this?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Third Division Captain Kamikawa Rensuke stepped forward. "Captain-Commander, given that there are noble members among the teams we've lost contact with, I believe the Sixth, Eighth, Tenth, and Thirteenth Divisions should carry out the rescue."

No sooner had he spoken—

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

Fourth Division Captain Unohana, Fifth Division Captain Obana Danjirō, Captain of the Seventh Division Kotsubaki Jin'emon, and Captain of the Ninth Division Kumenoi Entetsu spoke almost simultaneously.

Before the other captains could react, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto had already nodded. "In that case—"

He looked at Eighth Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku and Thirteenth Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake. "Kyōraku, Ukitake. You two will be in charge of this. Organize a rescue team immediately and head to the Trial Grounds. You must ensure the students' safety."

Shunsui Kyōraku: "..."

He tugged at the brim of his hat and sighed. "Good grief... Old Man Yama just had to drag me into something like this. What a pain."

Jūshirō Ukitake said helplessly beside him, "Come on, Shunsui. Our teacher asked us to handle it because he trusts us."

He paused and lowered his voice. "Besides... some of the nobles really have been overreaching. Our teacher may also want to use this opportunity to put them in their place."