The BOSS Appears (3)

Yoruichi Shihōin stood in her office, gazing in the direction where the two had disappeared, a complex mix of emotions welling up within her. She had a premonition—after tonight, many things would change. And she would be forced to make some difficult choices.

When they returned to the Fourth Division Captain's office, Chōjirō Sasakibe was already waiting there for quite some time.

"Gentlemen, is the matter settled?" the First Division Lieutenant asked respectfully. "Is there anything I need to convey to the Captain-Commander?"

"Thank you for your help, Vice-Captain Sasakibe," Liu Ziyun said. "From now on, we can proceed as planned. Hopefully, things will go smoothly from here on out, and we won't need to interfere anymore. Once this is done, we can prepare for the last thing. At that time, we won't need to be so wary."

Chōjirō Sasakibe looked at Liu Ziyun intently, then nodded. "Alright, I'll head back now."

"Okay, take care." Liu Ziyun and Unohana said at the same time.

After watching Chōjirō Sasakibe leave, Unohana turned to Liu Ziyun, her eyes filled with doubt. "How do you know Aizen would slander them? And how is Kisuke Urahara going to prove he has nothing to do with this?"

"That's why I insisted on bringing you along today." Liu Ziyun sat down at the tea table and poured himself a cup of tea. "I've explained to you the importance of witnesses."

"Oh?" Unohana raised an eyebrow. "So, there's a very influential person who will testify for them? Who is this person? Are they in cahoots with them?"

"They're not in cahoots," Liu Ziyun smiled mysteriously. "I don't know if it will change who it is. We'll see. If it doesn't change, you'll be quite shocked."

Unohana stared at him for a long time, then finally shook her head helplessly. "Fine, you can go back now, you annoying brat."

Upon hearing this, Liu Ziyun stood up. "Um... alright, thank you for your help tonight, Captain. I'll head back now."

After saying that, he turned and left the Captain's Office, returning to his dormitory.

Closing the door, Liu Ziyun against it and let out a long sigh. Tonight's operation had gone smoothly, but every step had been fraught with peril. He knew this was just the beginning. The trial, the escape, and much more awaited him.

[I hope Kisuke Urahara realizes the seriousness of the situation. Once he drags me into this, things won't be easy for him from now on.]

He walked to the window and gazed at the sky gradually turning white. The night had passed, and a new day was about to begin. And today would be a day that would change the landscape of Soul Society.

The news spread throughout the entire Gotei 13 by the next morning.

Captain Kisuke Urahara of the Twelfth Division and Tessai Tsukabishi, the Great Kidō Chief, were arrested on suspicion of conducting forbidden Hollowfication Experiments.

According to the Central 46, they conducted an illegal Hollowfication Experiment deep within Rukongai, causing eight captains and Lieutenant to fall into Hollowfication state. These included several high-ranking members such as Shinji Hirako, Fifth Division Captain; Love Aikawa, Captain of the Seventh Division; Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, Third Division Captain; and Kensei Muguruma, Captain of the Ninth Division.

The entire Seireitei was shaken.

During the trial, Kisuke Urahara insisted that it was all a conspiracy by Sōsuke Aizen, the Lieutenant of the Fifth Division. He provided detailed evidence and reasoning in an attempt to prove that Aizen was the real mastermind.

However, just as the trial reached a stalemate, an unexpected witness appeared.

Eighth Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku, along with several members from various divisions, jointly testified that on the night of the incident, they personally witnessed Sōsuke Aizen carrying out a mission within the Seireitei and could not possibly have been present at the scene of the incident in Rukongai.

This news was like a heavy hammer blow, shattering all of Kisuke Urahara's arguments.

"This is impossible..." Kisuke Urahara was completely stunned when he heard this testimony. "Aizen was clearly there... I saw it with my own eyes... and Captain Hirako and the others..."

But he didn't have a chance to continue. The Central 46 quickly delivered its verdict— Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi were found guilty and sentenced to death, to be carried out immediately.

At that moment, Yoruichi Shihōin appeared.

Using her authority as the Second Division Captain and her Stealth Force skills, she silently infiltrated the Central 46 and rescued Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi. The three quickly escaped the Central 46 and arrived at Secret Base they had prepared beforehand.

There, the eight Hollowfication figures had been waiting for quite some time.

"Everything is just as Liu Ziyun said..." Kisuke Urahara stared at the scene before him, his voice filled with bewilderment and shock, "What exactly happened? Why did the Captain Kyōraku and the others give false testimony? They clearly..."

"Don't think about that anymore," Yoruichi Shihōin interrupted him. "Hurry up and get ready, we're going to escape to the World of the Living. Liu Ziyun said he'll definitely go to the World of the Living to explain things to us when he has the chance. Leaving here is the most important thing now—if we're found, not to mention the consequences Liu Ziyun mentioned, we'll die here too."

Kisuke Urahara a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "Alright. Wait a moment, I'll start making Gigai that can hide Reiatsu now. Although time is tight, I should be able to finish the basic version before the pursuers arrive."

He began to operate the complex instruments and materials rapidly, his fingers flying across the keyboard and the lab bench, so fast that they almost left afterimages.

Meanwhile, at the Fourth Division Barracks.

Unohana was completely shocked when she heard the news.

[How could he be the witness? And they all saw Aizen? How is that possible... Right, the importance of witnesses. That brat mentioned the importance of witnesses. I see... Were they manipulated? But how did Aizen manage that? It seems that brat knew, but didn't tell us.]

Thinking of this, she immediately got up and walked towards Liu Ziyun's dormitory.

Pushing open the door, Liu Ziyun was sitting by the window, his back to the door, seemingly waiting for something.

"You knew all along that Shunsui Kyōraku would be the witness, didn't you?" Unohana asked directly, her tone filled with suppressed anger. "You knew all along that Aizen a way to create an alibi, didn't you? Why didn't you tell us? If we had known beforehand, perhaps we could..."

"Can what?" Liu Ziyun interrupted her. "Can we prepare in advance? Can we avoid all of this? Captain, don't you understand—it was all inevitable. The Hollowfication Incident, Kisuke Urahara's escape, the formation of the Visored... all of these are part of fate. If any one of these links is changed, many things in the future will spiral out of control."

He sighed, his voice turning somber. "I know it's hard for you to accept. Watching your comrades get framed, watching the truth be distorted, watching justice fail to prevail... it's painful. But sometimes, for the sake of greater justice, we must endure temporary suffering."

Unohana fell silent. She looked at Liu Ziyun, at this young man who had been hidden in Seireitei for nearly a hundred years, and suddenly understood his pain.

Knowing everything, yet unable to speak; able to change everything, yet afraid to do so. This dilemma, this heavy burden, is not something ordinary people can bear.

"I understand," she finally said, her voice weary, "But Liu Ziyun, you have to promise me one thing."

"What's up?"

"When the time is right, when that 'Cheat B' appears, when everything has settled... you must tell me the whole truth. Everything, all the secrets, all the pain."

Liu Ziyun looked at Unohana, whose face, which always carried a cynical smile, showed a rare serious expression.

"I promise you, Captain. Once it's all over, I will tell you everything, why I did all this."

He paused, then added, "But until then, please continue to believe in me and continue to support me. The road ahead is long and difficult."

Outside the window, the sun is shining brightly.

But both of them knew that under this bright sunshine, a storm sweeping across the entire Soul Society was only just beginning.