Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto's face twitched at Yuko's words. But in public, with an enemy before them, he could hardly reprimand her. He merely said in a low voice,
"Captain Tsugikuni, remember where you stand."
"Yeah, yeah."
Yamamoto was right. Yuko raised her hands in surrender.
"Toshiro, even a captain of the Seireitei sees the truth more clearly than you do!" Kusaka glared at Old Man Yama. "A rotten system, incompetent sages, and Soul Reapers who do nothing but carry out executions... Shouldn't a Soul Society like this be cleansed completely?!"
Toshiro gritted his teeth and charged at Kusaka with his Zanpakuto.
The two clashed again.
Rangiku still had no idea what had led to all this. "What exactly is going on?"
Captain-Commander Yamamoto had now confirmed that Captain Hitsugaya had not betrayed the Soul Society.
But no one knew what had happened between Toshiro Hitsugaya and the enemy before them, or why that enemy hated the Soul Society.
"...Kusaka was once a Soul Reaper who swore loyalty to the Soul Society, too."
After a brief silence, Kyoraku pressed down the brim of his hat and answered their questions. "But the Soul Society forbids two identical Zanpakuto from existing, so he was eliminated."
"Identical... Zanpakuto?" Rangiku's pupils widened slightly. "You mean he and Captain Hitsugaya..."
Rangiku spun around to look at the two fighters.
She was not alone. The other Soul Reapers also fixed their eyes on the Zanpakuto in the two men's hands.
It was true!
Two identical Zanpakuto!
How could such a thing happen?
From Tsugikuni Yuko's words, it was clear that the sages of Central 46 had ordered Kusaka's elimination, and Captain Hitsugaya had been the executioner.
"So that's why the captain wanted to give up his position and settle this alone..." Rangiku understood Toshiro's decision now. "Even