Another Day

Kotetsu Isane felt all the strength drain from her body at that "congratulations," and she slumped directly onto the floor. Tsukikage, separated by one person, fared no better; he remained motionless, staring blankly at Hongjiang.

Hongjiang didn't say another word to the pair. He grabbed Azashiro Kozo by the hair and yanked him up to face him. He remained silent, his narrow eyes coldly fixed on the man's pale, sweat-drenched face.

"No, it wasn't me." Kozo's eyes went wide, his voice trembling as he explained, "I didn't hold back just now; I truly wanted to prove my innocence!"

"You didn't hold back, but you were clear-conscienced a moment ago, and now you 'truly want to prove your innocence'? I never said that just because you took action, you were innocent!"

Exposed! Azashiro Kozo's expression shifted violently. His right hand clawed toward the hilt at his chest—not to resist, but to end his own life!

Hongjiang was faster. He snatched the Zanpakuto from Kozo's body in one motion. A pained roar tore through Kozo's throat, echoing through the hall.

"Quiet, you're too loud!" Hongjiang backhanded the wailing Kozo, knocking him unconscious. He then glanced at Kotetsu Isane. Seeing no reaction, he sighed and shouted, "Wake up! Stop the bleeding and save him! If he dies, you're the only one I'm holding accountable!"

Poor Kotetsu Isane had been reduced to a mere tool. As long as it was an order from Hongjiang, her body executed it subconsciously without her brain even needing to process it; this young Soul Reaper, much younger than her, was truly terrifying.

In fact, it wasn't just her. Even the heads of the Five Great Noble Families, who had seen their fair share of storms, felt a tremor of fear looking at Hongjiang right now.

Hongjiang's plan was simple: those who try the hardest to prove their innocence are often the most suspicious. It sounded easy, but executing it was no small feat.

First, the list of suspects couldn't include hotheads like Kamisawa or Yamagata. Those two never valued their own lives; if they really wanted to prove their innocence, it wasn't impossible, but if they were involved, they'd likely be shouting about death before dishonor without Hongjiang even prompting them.

Clearly, Azashiro Kozo and his ilk were not those kinds of people. How much could someone who hesitated to even save a life value honor?

Second, the accusers must never know what had transpired over the last one hundred and forty-three years. Hongjiang was lucky here; he had sealed the life force of the seven, so their memories remained frozen in time.

Finally, he had to coordinate with Old Man Yama and the others to make it appear as if only half a month had passed since the three woke up. They remained completely unaware that Yamamoto had been sidelined, or that the key positions within the Seireitei had been reshuffled.

As the frame-up artist, Azashiro Kozo had miscalculated, underestimating how much these people valued the situation.

Things had escalated far beyond a petty squabble or a clash of egos. Either catch the mastermind, or let none of them go. If they thought they could escape suspicion through suicide, their lives simply didn't carry that much weight!

Poor Kozo didn't know that while he was secretly gloating about his gamble, Yamamoto and the others were already looking at him as if he were a dead man. Decisiveness was his strength, but it was that very decisiveness that doomed him to exposure; death before dishonor was never his style.

"Everyone, I didn't disappoint you, did I?"

Yamamoto and the other five did not respond to Hongjiang's bid for credit. Hongjiang was puzzled—what was this? Were they going to slaughter the donkey after the millstone was used? Yamamoto couldn't watch any longer; he coughed deliberately, covering his mouth with his hand while pointing toward the space behind Hongjiang.

Hongjiang turned to see Tsukikage's stunned face. Fine, I got a bit carried away. He knocked Tsukikage out with a strike of his hilt, followed quickly by Kotetsu Isane, who had just finished her treatment. With the area cleared, the conversation could finally continue.

"You brat, you won't be shortchanged when the time comes, rest assured~" Shinji-no-Miya teased, his voice drifting ethereally once more. "With this matter settled, Daisuke and I will take our leave. Yamamoto, I leave the rest to you."

"And listen to this kid's opinions from time to time. As for the Azashiro clan, we still need to deliberate; keep them contained for now." After Tsunayashiro Daisuke finished speaking, he and Shinji-no-Miya departed together.

"That girl Yoruichi has been talking about you every day. If you don't bring her a gift, she won't let you off lightly, haha!" Shihoin Dozo laughed, turning to add, "Let's go too, and leave him to chat with Yamamoto."

The remaining two didn't tease Hongjiang further. After nodding to Yamamoto, they vanished from the room along with Dozo, leaving only Yamamoto and Hongjiang behind.

"You've worked hard all these years. You did well; you didn't disappoint me."

"It was alright!" Hongjiang rubbed his head, grinning smugly. "Just a tiny bit harder than working for you, Teacher!"

"You have no shame!" Yamamoto laughed and scolded. Hongjiang's words were subtle, but Yamamoto understood—he was complaining in his own way. After all, in Hongjiang's eyes, the Five Great Noble Families trusted him and were always on his side.

But was that trust without reason? Kuchiki Ginrei had been "recuperating" at Yamamoto's estate for over a century. The sidelining was a fact, the surveillance was a fact, and the final trust was merely the natural conclusion.

Yamamoto didn't intend to explain. He turned serious and asked, "The Sternritter Fortress—are you confident you can breach it?"

"Breaching it isn't difficult, but achieving your goal, Teacher, will be very hard!" Hongjiang shook his head and reported everything he knew to Yamamoto in detail.

Time ticked away. Yamamoto stroked his beard as he listened, seemingly lost in thought. When Hongjiang finished, Yamamoto stopped, his brow furrowed into a knot.

"I had intended to deal with those traitors first, but it seems we must act simultaneously." Yamamoto looked up, staring at Hongjiang. "How many days do you need to formulate a plan for the Sternritter Fortress?"

"What are the conditions?"

"No more than six captains, excluding the captains of the 11th and 12th Divisions, and no more than one thousand squad members!"

Hongjiang pondered for a moment, then held up five fingers. "Five days. A complete plan will take at least five days!"

"Five days from now, at dusk, bring them back to the Seireitei under the identity of Ao. Go straight to the Kuchiki estate; I will be waiting for you there!" Yamamoto said, dismantling his cane to reveal the black-sheathed, silver-hilted Zanpakuto inside, which he handed to Hongjiang.

Ao was ostensibly a friend of Yamamoto's living in seclusion in the Rukongai, but in reality, it was another identity he had prepared for Hongjiang. The blade he held now was, naturally, Hongjiang's other Zanpakuto.

"I am leaving. Remember, do not release this blade unless it is an absolute last resort!"

Yamamoto gave his warning and turned to leave, but Hongjiang stopped him, as if there was something else to say.

"Um, Teacher..." Hongjiang lowered his head, stammering, "You still need to help me settle the bill..."

"The bill?"

Hongjiang tilted his head and pointed at the floor. Renting out the whole place cost money, after all! Yamamoto was left between laughter and tears; he didn't carry money, so how was he supposed to pay?

"You're no longer a child, but if I catch you coming to a place like this again, I'll break your legs!"

"No, Teacher, believe me!" Hongjiang waved his hands, explaining hurriedly, "I didn't do anything! I was just looking for a place to hide!"

"Then find somewhere else to hide!"

Yamamoto finished his sentence and used Flash Step to leave, leaving Hongjiang standing there, at a loss. He had rented the place using a Zanpakuto as collateral; even if it belonged to someone else, he couldn't just leave it behind, could he?

Now that Old Man Yama had run off, he had no choice but to follow suit and pull a heartless dine-and-dash. He stuffed the seven people back into his pockets and, taking advantage of the pre-dawn darkness, slipped out of Huaixiang Pavilion.

As the sky began to brighten, the staff of Huaixiang Pavilion woke up to find the scarred man from the day before gone, along with the Zanpakuto the owner had prized as a treasure.

They did not know how many great figures had visited this place. Nor did they know how many lives had been decided within these walls.

"The hour of the Rabbit, the new sun replaces the old moon—another day begins~!"