Hibiki Must Die

"Gulp..."

Feeling the scorching heat before his forehead, Hibiki Hoshino swallowed hard.

The ferocity in his eyes turned to fear.

If Ailin's sword had moved down even a fraction just now, his head would likely have been blown apart.

At the final instant, Ailin had still raised the Heaven-Piercing Sword slightly, allowing Hibiki Hoshino to narrowly escape disaster.

"Third Seat Hoshino, compared to how you are now, I think I prefer the unruly you from before."

"At least that version of you gave me a bit of a sense of accomplishment when I killed you."

"As for you now..."

Ailin shook his head, a trace of disdain flashing through his eyes. "You're not even worth a finishing blow."

"Cherish this last bit of time you have. Once you're dead, I'll take you back to the First Division to report."

"Consider this my final mercy toward you!"

"Damn you!"

Hibiki Hoshino was humiliated beyond words.

He had risen to fame in his youth and had been invited early on to join the strongest division in the Gotei 13, the First Division.

After awakening his own Zanpakuto, he had flawlessly completed numerous troublesome missions. Well-liked by his fellow division members, he had steadily risen to become the Fourth Seat of the First Division.

Five years ago, after Captain-Commander Yamamoto's disciple Kisaragi Taiho died, he had taken another step forward and become the captain of the Special Forces.

As proud as he was, when had he ever suffered such humiliation?

"Pfft..."

In the end, Hibiki Hoshino spat out a mouthful of blood. His eyes flew wide, his body convulsed once, and then he fell silent.

He had not died beneath Ailin's sword, but had instead been angered to death by Ailin's words.

Sensing Hibiki Hoshino's spiritual pressure vanish, Ailin dispelled the Heaven-Piercing Sword in his hand.

"Kidō: Haijō #4!"

A rope condensed from spiritual pressure bound Hibiki Hoshino's corpse, and Ailin carried it as he used Shunpo to race through the air toward the First Division.

Hibiki Hoshino could originally have avoided death.

But who had told him to use Bankai on Ailin, allowing Muramasa to infiltrate Ailin's soul space?

The true form of a Zanpakuto, an Asauchi, was forged by Nimaiya Ōetsu, who had already ascended to the Royal Guard.

Through the cultivation method known as Blade Zen, Shinigami merged their souls with their Asauchi, ultimately giving birth to the Asauchi's "spirit"—the Zanpakuto.

As long as the Shinigami remained alive, even if their Zanpakuto's spirit died, it would be condensed anew by the Shinigami after some time.

Just like the Shinigami of the Seventh Division and Ninth Division whose Zanpakuto had been controlled by Hibiki Hoshino.

Their Zanpakuto had now all been destroyed by Ailin.

But as long as they practiced Blade Zen for a while, their Zanpakuto would be restored completely.

At most, they would be unable to use their Zanpakuto's abilities before they recovered, greatly diminishing their strength.

Within Ailin's Inner World, Muramasa had learned many secrets that Ailin did not want anyone to know.

Once those secrets became known, Ailin would be hunted by the entire Soul Society.

Therefore, Muramasa had to die!

Hibiki Hoshino, who could revive Muramasa and might even learn of Ailin's true abilities from Muramasa, also had to die!

Even if Captain-Commander Yamamoto stood before him in person, he would not be able to change Ailin's decision.

Within Ailin's Inner World, Muramasa was resisting the attacks of one materialized Zanpakuto after another.

Each of the dozen or so Zanpakuto attacking him was stronger than he was.

With his power of temptation proving utterly ineffective, he could only become a punching bag for everyone's amusement.

At one point, the besieged Muramasa suddenly felt that the source of his spiritual power had been cut off.

"Hibiki..."

Muramasa's pupils abruptly contracted.

A Zanpakuto's spiritual pressure and spiritual power both originated from its Shinigami.

Even the Zanpakuto that Muramasa had turned against their masters were no exception.

When a Zanpakuto's spiritual pressure could no longer be replenished, there were only two possibilities.

Its master was already dead!

Or their consciousness had been sealed.

From the moment he entered this Shinigami's soul space, Muramasa had known that Hibiki had no chance of winning against this Shinigami.

But he had never imagined that Hibiki would be defeated so quickly.

When Muramasa was struck by several powerful Zanpakuto at once due to the interruption in his spiritual power, he hoped with all his heart that his master had been sealed rather than killed.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

Even while carrying Hibiki Hoshino's corpse, Ailin's speed was not affected in the slightest.

In less than thirty seconds, Ailin had arrived at the First Division and entered the Captain's Meeting room.

"Captain-Commander, the Seireitei traitor Hibiki Hoshino has been defeated."

"Unfortunately, Third Seat Hoshino was too powerful. I had no choice but to go all out, and thus failed to capture him alive. I ask the Captain-Commander for forgiveness."

In the meeting room, Ailin gently placed Hibiki Hoshino's corpse in the center before asking Captain-Commander Yamamoto to pardon him.

After all, Hibiki Hoshino had been the Third Seat of the First Division.

Even though he had ultimately betrayed the Seireitei, that did not mean Captain-Commander Yamamoto held no feelings for him.

Now that Hibiki Hoshino had died at Ailin's hands, no one knew what the Captain-Commander was feeling.

Of course, everyone knew that no matter how heartbroken the Captain-Commander was, he would not punish Ailin based on personal feelings.

The captains looked over Hibiki Hoshino's blood-covered corpse and could not help but marvel at the power of Ailin's final strike.

If it had been them, few would have dared claim they could emerge unscathed from that attack.

"Hibiki Hoshino was already powerful enough to defeat the Captain of the Ninth Division and the Captain of the Seventh Division in succession."

"If you had held back and lost to Hibiki Hoshino as a result, allowing him to stir up even greater unrest, that would have been your crime."

The one who said this was Ginrei Kuchiki, Captain of the Sixth Division.

Ailin nodded gratefully to Ginrei Kuchiki in thanks.

Though he knew that old man Yamamoto would not bear him ill will over personal feelings, Ailin might be serving under Captain-Commander Yamamoto for a long time to come. He was still grateful to have his superior hold a little less dissatisfaction toward him.

This old man was all right.

His own captain, Shihoin Yoruichi, merely folded her arms and watched Hibiki Hoshino's corpse with interest, showing no intention whatsoever of speaking up for him.

"Captain Kuchiki is right. Vice-Captain Ailin, you rendered great service in suppressing this traitor. What crime could you possibly have committed?"

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto slightly opened his eyes, setting the tone for Ailin's merits this time.

In just five short years, the First Division had lost two juniors he thought highly of.

It would have been a lie to say that Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto felt no sorrow.

But when he saw Hibiki Hoshino's twisted expression in death, all the sorrow in his heart turned into fury at his refusal to repent even in death.