The Accused
Snap!
Rangiku slapped Gin Ichimaru across the face. She pursed her lips, her eyes filled with tears, a look of sorrow and worry written on her face. The hand that had slapped her trembled slightly, a sign of her heartache.
"I'm sorry," Gin Ichimaru said softly.
"You didn't wrong me, so why did you do those things with Aizen?" Rangiku questioned through gritted teeth.
Gin Ichimaru gave Tsuna a strange look. He had assumed that Tsuna had brought him back and told Rangiku everything about him, but Rangiku still seemed to know nothing.
"What are you looking at? You don't expect me to mediate your problems, do you?" Tsuna retorted, then advised, "Hurry up and do what you need to do first. Chōjirō Sasakibe, should be on his way."
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto couldn't possibly be unaware that Tsuna were in the Seireitei; he might have already sent someone to invite them to the First Division.
"Yes!" Gin Ichimaru nodded heavily, opening the jar that sealed the Soul King's fingertip. "Rangiku, don't relax, don't resist."
Rangiku was completely confused by Gin Ichimaru's words. Before she could question him, she noticed a very familiar scent coming from the jar that Gin Ichimaru had opened.
What is that? A soul? Why is it pointed?
Taking advantage of Rangiku's momentary daze, Gin Ichimaru moved swiftly, sending the Soul King's Fingertip into Rangiku's brow without the slightest resistance, as it was originally a part of Rangiku's soul.
A warm feeling welled up in her heart. Rangiku felt her head was heavy, but her body felt perfectly fine, as if some kind of deficiency had been filled.
A streak of light flew in through the window and landed on Rangiku's Zanpakuto. The replenishment of her soul also affected Haineko, who, while enjoying her drink, subconsciously returned to the form of her Zanpakuto.
Rangiku's eyelids felt heavy, and her body felt weak. She needed some time to readjust to the feeling of being filled with spiritual fulfillment.
But Rangiku was resisting. She was afraid that if she closed her eyes Gin Ichimaru would disappear from her sight again. She had finally seen him again, how could she let him leave like this!
"Get some rest, everything will be alright."
Gin Ichimaru's comfort and embrace became the last straw that Rangiku's rationality. Rangiku could no longer resist her body's instincts and was deeply immersed in her gentle embrace.
Gin Ichimaru held Rangiku in his arms, gazing intently at her sleeping face. He wanted to imprint that face deeply in his mind, not knowing when he would see it again.
After a few breaths, Gin Ichimaru exhaled deeply. He was ready to face anything, and having fulfilled his wish, he was fearless.
Gin Ichimaru, holding Rangiku, laid her gently on the sofa and said, "Sawada Tsunayoshi, let's go to the First Division."
"Don't make me sound like a security guard, okay? Have you made up your mind? You still have time before the First Division arrives."
"Wouldn't it be better to turn yourself in than to be detained?" Gin Ichimaru rarely joked.
"Then let's go, First Division." Since the person involved had made the decision, Tsuna naturally had no objections.
Rangiku was left alone in the 10th Division's office again, and the light purple short hair stuck to her sleeve was a sign that Gin Ichimaru.
In the First Division, the storyteller Tsuna felt his mouth was dry and naturally poured himself some tea.
"I never expected that anyone from that expedition would survive." Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's gaze fell on Ashido first.
"To my shame, in order to survive, my body has been tainted with the spiritual pressure of most of the Hollows." Ashido expressed his remorse by Dogeda.
"That's what you need to survive, don't worry about it. In these two hundred years, you've made a name for yourself in Hueco Mundo Soul Society." After absorbing the Visored, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto no longer had so much prejudice against Hollow's power.
Thank you very much for your understanding.
"What are your plans after this? Return to the Squad 11? Or...?" Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto asked. He wouldn't let such a formidable fighter go to waste.
"I've heard that the current captain of the Squad 11 is also a formidable fighter, so I won't bother him." Almost all of Ashido's fellow members from the same cohort had died in Hueco Mundo, so he didn't have much attachment to the Squad 11.
"Since that's the case, how about listening to my arrangements?" Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto opened his eyes and said, "You have considerable insight into the control of Hollow's power, just like Sawada Tsunayoshi. How about you serve as an instructor? Your main role will be to teach Bleach how to control Hollow's power, and your salary will be under the Inquisition Bureau's name."
After purging most of the disobedient nobles, the Gotei 13's coffers were bulging, and it was no effort for them to maintain an instructor specifically for Hirako Gotei 13 Visored.
As for the Trial Bureau, it is a newly established organization under the Gotei 13 13, mainly responsible for the trial of various criminals, while the power to execute criminals still rests with the First Division.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's arrangement perfectly addressed Ashido's pain points. Having just returned to Soul Society, he needed a decent salary to make a living, and this job was both something Ashido was good at and wouldn't be too demanding.
After a brief moment of thought, Ashido replied, "I understand, Captain-Commander Yamamoto."
From the moment he addressed Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto as Captain-Commander, Ashido officially returned to the Gotei 13.
"Now it's your turn, Gin Ichimaru!" Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto also had the same habit of leaving troublesome matters for later.
"Gin Ichimaru, the sinner, awaits judgment." Gin Ichimaru's attitude was very sincere. From the moment he stepped into the First Division, he never thought he could leave unscathed.
Although it's said on the surface that Gin Ichimaru is an undercover agent for Aizen, Gin Ichimaru Seireitei never actually gave him any orders to infiltrate. Furthermore, during his time serving Aizen, Gin Ichimaru did a lot of things, such as harming souls and using Bleach for experiments.
This is why Gin Ichimaru calls himself a sinner. No matter what, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto must punish Gin Ichimaru in order to appease the persecuted Bleach.
"The sheer number of crimes you've committed is enough to warrant imprisonment in the Central Underground Prison, do you understand?"
"Yes." Gin Ichimaru never considered struggling. Whether it was voluntary or not, those sins were committed by him, and that was the truth.
Gin Ichimaru's attitude actually made Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto look at him with more respect. His act of going undercover for love slightly touched Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's heart, which had been lonely for thousands of years. Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto loosened his grip on the matter of dealing with Gin Ichimaru.
"Thank you for your Zanpakuto's ability." Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's words indicated that he was easing his treatment of Gin Ichimaru. "Considering the possibility of the Quincy invading the Seireitei, we will temporarily postpone imprisoning the Third Division Captain Gin Ichimaru in the Central Underground Prison."
"All punishments for Gin Ichimaru will be settled after the battle with the Quincy."
"Before this, Gin Ichimaru must hand over his Zanpakuto and be subject to 24-hour supervision. The person in charge of the preservation and supervision of the Zanpakuto is the Vice-Captain the 10th Division, Rangiku Matsumoto!"
Gin Ichimaru jerked his head up, hardly believing what he was hearing. Was this really a punishment? Or... a reward?
"Don't be too happy yet. If you dare to make any mistakes during this period of supervision, the primary objective of the Gotei 13 will be to kill Rangiku Matsumoto!" Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto squinted at Gin Ichimaru Gin Ichimaru, his immense killing intent pressing down on him. "Do you understand?"
Gin Ichimaru, seemingly unaffected, immediately bowed respectfully and said, "I am willing to die for the Gotei 13!"
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto nodded inwardly. Gin Ichimaru was indeed a genius. If he couldn't even withstand Yamamoto's killing intent, then Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto would have to downgrade Gin Ichimaru's status by a level.
While Gin Ichimaru was being dealt with, the side door of the room opened, Genjirō Ōko handed over two documents. Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto glanced at them briefly and then stamped them with the chrysanthemum seal belonging to the First Division.
"Go, don't waste your talent and strength." Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto handed the two documents to Ashido and Gin Ichimaru respectively. Talent and strength were what Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto valued most. With a powerful enemy on the horizon, he could make an exception for them as long as they had enough strength.
At the entrance of the First Division, Tsuna and Gin Ichimaru parted ways. He was going to take Ashido to the courtroom managed by Aikawa Love, while Gin Ichimaru was to go and be supervised on his own.
Bakudo Twenty-Six: Kyokkō Attached to the Body.
Although the Seireitei lifted the arrest warrant for Gin Ichimaru at the same time the document was issued, Gin Ichimaru still chose to wear Kyokkō to obscure his vision in order to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Since the Soul King's Fingertip was originally hers, the fusion with the 10th Division didn't last long before Rangiku slowly awoke.
She vaguely remembered seeing Gin Ichimaru before she fainted, and also Sawada Tsunayoshi and a stranger. The room was empty, as if nothing had happened.
Rangiku's eyes swept across the room's furnishings, finally settling on the two cups of tea on the table. Her pupils contracted slightly; it was exactly as she remembered it.
Sawada Tsunayoshi truly kept his promise; he brought Gin Ichimaru back!
But where is Gin Ichimaru now?
Rangiku hurriedly got off the sofa, frantically searching the room for any trace of Gin Ichimaru's presence. As she raised her hand, she noticed the trace of short, light purple hair left on her sleeve.
Rangiku's heart skipped a beat for no reason. Gin Ichimaru really had come back, but why did he leave again?
The only explanation she could think of was that Gin Ichimaru had been arrested!
This is the only explanation that explains why Gin Ichimaru appeared in Soul Society with Gin Ichimaru Sawada Tsunayoshi, met her briefly, and then left in a hurry. Sawada Tsunayoshi is the executor who apprehended Gin Ichimaru and brought him back to Soul Society!
Gin, so he still remembers her after all, doesn't he?
Even if he were captured, he still wanted to see her one last time. Doesn't this prove that Gin Ichimaru has never forgotten their friendship in Rukongai? The indifference he showed when they met in Seireitei was all an Gin Ichimaru; he still remembers her!
In a flash, an absurd thought popped into Rangiku's mind: she wanted to see Gin Ichimaru, regardless of being punished by the Seireitei or losing her position Vice-Captain.
Rangiku just wants to see that Gin Ichimaru one last time, to properly question him about why he's been so cold and indifferent all these years, and she wants to be by his side.
Thanks to the squad reform system under the state of combat readiness, there are no squad duties, Rangiku can get rid of the Vice-Captain position without any burden. After all, it's just a matter of signing and stamping, and anyone can take her place.
With this thought in mind, Rangiku rushed towards the door, but just as she took a step, the office door was pushed open, and the person she had been longing for came into view.
The same smile, the same gentleness.
"Rangiku, I'm back, as a guilty person. From now on, please..."
Rangiku had no interest in listening to what Gin Ichimaru was saying. Seeing the documents and Zanpakuto that Gin Ichimaru handed her, a fragrant breeze wafted by, and she threw herself into Gin Ichimaru's arms.
"Welcome back, I missed you so much..."