After they were done fooling around, Aoto put on his Gigai and left Urahara Kisuke's place with Kaien.
Of course, they took everything Urahara had given them.
They headed outside to see how they would live in the World of the Living from then on.
By this time, the World of the Living had emerged from the shadow of war. Production was recovering across the board, and the old rules were being upended. If Kaien wanted to start a business, this was the perfect time.
Of course, if all he wanted was to live a normal life, things would be much simpler.
But if he wanted to stay in contact with Soul Society, things could get a lot more complicated!
"Actually, Kaien, I think you'd be perfect for the funeral business!" Aoto said, looking at the suit Kaien was wearing. "The cremation kind. It'd go perfectly with your outfit!"
"Really?" Kaien wasn't used to wearing a suit, but he'd looked in a mirror earlier and thought he looked pretty handsome.
"Absolutely!" Aoto said with a grin. "If everyone in the funeral business could perform Konso and send the deceased straight to Soul Society, the 13th Division would have a lot less work."
After all, when most people died, their souls stayed beside their bodies.
Unless someone died alone, people would be called in to handle the body right away.
The funeral business was an industry that would suit the Seireitei well if it wanted to get involved in the World of the Living...
Kaien looked thoughtful.
It was a shame he wasn't a Soul Reaper in the 13th Division anymore!
Sigh...
While Aoto and Kaien were exploring the World of the Living, Captain Ukitake and the others were returning to Soul Society through the Senkaimon.
Kotsubaki Sentaro and Kotetsu Kiyone had already heard that Shiba Kaien was dead. They were both dazed, following Captain Ukitake forward mechanically.
Rukia had also come to her senses, but she trailed behind Captain Ukitake on unsteady legs.
She kept glancing at Aoto on the other side, her expression full of sorrow.
Rukia didn't resent Lord Hyakume. She remembered that if he hadn't arrived in time, she might have been the one to kill Lord Kaien...
Even so, she couldn't help imagining: If Lord Hyakume had arrived sooner, would things have turned out differently?
By now, Blue Oni had perfectly disguised himself as Aoto. Even his Zanpakuto was the real thing, capable of several different Shikai.
He walked beside Captain Ukitake, his mood clearly somber... If Captain Ukitake hadn't witnessed the transformation himself, he wouldn't have believed this wasn't Aoto.
But Captain Ukitake still had no way of knowing whether Shiba Kaien had been saved. The sorrow on his face was genuine.
He was blaming himself... If he'd been more firm and refused Kaien's request, would things not have turned out so terribly?
When they finally arrived in Soul Society, the Senkaimon on the other side had just opened. Captain Ukitake saw the many 13th Division members waiting there.
Before they returned, Captain Ukitake had asked Kotsubaki Sentaro to send word to Soul Society that Kaien had died in the line of duty.
It was the middle of the night, but the members gathered there hoped it was a false alarm. They hoped to see their sun-bright lieutenant return.
Under the eager gazes of so many of his subordinates, Ukitake Jushiro felt something sweet rise in his throat. He spat out a mouthful of blood.
Droplets of blood splattered across the clothes of many of the members.
"Captain..." They all rushed forward.
Blue Oni immediately supported Captain Ukitake. Kotsubaki Sentaro and Kotetsu Kiyone snapped out of their daze and deftly produced a stretcher. They laid Captain Ukitake on it and hurried toward the 4th Division.
The other members followed.
Rukia didn't go with them. Standing beside Lord Hyakume, she saw Shiba Kūkaku facing them.
"Lord Hyakume..."
Rukia's voice was faint, but Aoto seemed to spring into action at the sound and walked toward Kūkaku.
Stopping in front of her, Aoto looked straight into her eyes. "Kūkaku... Kaien is gone!"
Shiba Kūkaku, who had just seen Shiba Miyako's body, finally couldn't hold herself together.
She covered her face and crumpled to her knees.
Aoto had never seen Kūkaku this vulnerable.
"That Hollow could merge with others. It invaded Kaien's body and began devouring his spirit, growing stronger at a terrifying rate!"
"So..." Aoto lowered himself too, meeting Kūkaku's gaze. "I killed him!"
At those words, Shiba Kūkaku suddenly raised her head.
Tears still filled her eyes, but all that remained in them was hatred.
"I'm going to kill you!"
Her Reiatsu surged, and she landed a punch squarely on Aoto's face.
But even at full strength, she only made Aoto's head turn slightly. A faint red mark appeared on his face.
That was all.
The difference in their strength was so great that even if Aoto let Kūkaku hit him as much as she wanted, she could barely hurt him.
So Kūkaku started throwing punches with both fists.
One uppercut did manage to make Aoto stand up straight again.
Seeing this, Rukia panicked. "Lady Kūkaku, Lord Hyakume..."
But Aoto raised a hand toward Rukia. "I'm fine. It might be good to let her vent..."
Another punch hit Aoto's face. It still didn't do much.
Seeing that Aoto was still completely unharmed, the red glow in Kūkaku's eyes grew brighter. She stepped back and suddenly began chanting at him. "Scattering beasts' bones, spires, red crystals..."
Rukia's face changed as she heard the incantation.
It was the incantation for Hadō #63: Thunder Roar Cannon. A Hadō of that level was powerful enough for Shiba Kūkaku to injure Lord Hyakume!
But just as Rukia was about to stop her, six shafts of light appeared around her, binding her in place.
Bakudō #61: Six Rods of Light Prison!
This Bakudō hadn't been cast by Shiba Kūkaku, but by Aoto.
Even as he faced such a powerful Hadō, he was wasting Reiatsu to restrain her... Even without the incantation, that had to take a lot of Reiatsu.
Rukia couldn't understand why Lord Hyakume would do this.
Shiba Kūkaku had seen everything, but she showed no mercy. At last, she finished the incantation. "The clash of spears fills the empty fortress. Hadō #63: Thunder Roar Cannon!"
A powerful explosive projectile crackling with lightning shot from Shiba Kūkaku's hand and struck Aoto head-on. He made no attempt to defend himself.
Boom!
This time, Aoto couldn't remain standing perfectly still!
He... took one step back.
Then his Reiatsu surged, and the Thunder Roar Cannon that Shiba Kūkaku had unleashed with all her strength was completely snuffed out!
"Is that all you've got?" Aoto looked at Kūkaku. "With power like that, you can't kill me. You can't even hurt me."
"If you still want revenge, then get stronger!"
With that, Aoto left in the direction of the 11th Division.
Shiba Kūkaku was left behind, crying softly once again.
Rukia was finally freed from Six Rods of Light Prison, and she could go comfort her.
She also needed to explain to Kūkaku what had really happened.
It was all she could do now!