Five days later, under a different identity, Diezuka Hiroe finally returned to the familiar Seireitei.
No one could have mistaken the old Soul Reaper before them—wearing a white mask and a coarse, cabbage-colored robe, and going by the name Ao—for him. One was an old friend of Lord Ginrei of the Kuchiki Clan; the other, a notorious fugitive. The difference was simply too great.
"Being gravely ill for over a century without making anyone suspicious," Hiroe said in a hearty voice, now fully in the role of Ao, in the Kuchiki Clan's main hall. "So that pretty face of yours is still useful after all!"
Yamamoto had gone to great lengths and taken painstaking care to establish Ao's identity. During Hiroe's six years at the Spiritual Arts Academy, most of his time had been spent memorizing every detail and familiarizing himself with Ao's background.
For instance, because Kuchiki Ginrei had always cared about his appearance and had been handsome in his youth, the others had given him the nickname "Pretty Boy." By now, few people still knew about it.
Hearing the old nickname for the first time in ages, Kuchiki Ginrei's wrinkles seemed to deepen. "Zhuyun? Or Nobushige? Now that you're here, there's no need to hide behind a mask!"
Quite a few of his old friends had chosen to live in seclusion or wander the world back then, and Ginrei couldn't tell which one Ao was at a glance.
"The past is like smoke on the wind. Why bring it up?" Hiroe replied coolly. He pointed at his mask and continued, "If it bothers you that much, you can take a look for yourself. I'd also like to see whether you really can't lift a sword anymore."
Old Man Yama had told him this too: the Kuchiki Clan was the proudest family and the one that cared most about noble honor. They considered fighting without cause crude and ugly, so they ignored ordinary provocations and only drew their swords in defense of honor and rules.
Just as Old Man Yama had said, Kuchiki Ginrei didn't even bother to respond. He gestured for Hiroe to do as he pleased, then sat seiza-style before the tea table and drank his tea alone.
Hiroe, meanwhile, leaned in with a cheeky grin, cupped his hands like a megaphone, and whispered into Ginrei's ear, "Hey, you still want to know who I am, don't you? Ask nicely, and I'll show you. How about it?"
Ginrei choked on his tea before he could even swallow. Watching him cover his mouth and cough, Hiroe burst out laughing. These old men were all like robots most of the time, but they were pretty adorable when someone called them out on their hidden feelings!
After that, Ginrei used his spiritual power to block his hearing and didn't speak to Hiroe again. The two remained silent until the moon rose and night had fully fallen.
Quite a few guests were visiting the Kuchiki Clan today. Hiroe had arrived early; this was only the time when the others were due to show up.
Yamamoto was the first to arrive. After nodding to the two in the room, he took the seat of honor at the far end without a word and closed his eyes to rest.
Next came Shihoin Dozo. Unlike at Huaixiang Pavilion five days earlier, this time he wore his Captain's Haori. That meant he wasn't here as the head of the Shihoin Clan, but as the Second Division Captain of the Gotei 13.
"Looks like I got here pretty early," Dozo said with a smile. Spotting Hiroe nearby, he guessed that this was the Ao Yamamoto had mentioned and was about to exchange a few pleasantries when a soft voice came from behind him, making him change his mind.
"Following Lord Dozo, it seems I'm not late after all~"
The newcomer was a woman with glossy black hair braided into two plaits that hung over her chest. Her petite face had delicate features, and her smiling eyes, often curved like crescents, inspired tenderness in anyone who saw them.
But the Captain's Haori she wore proved that she was no ordinary frail woman. The number "4" on its back identified the division she led: Unohana Retsu, Captain of the Fourth Division of the Gotei 13.
From the moment she appeared, Hiroe couldn't take his eyes off her. So many years had passed, yet Captain Unohana was still as beautiful as ever!
Yamamoto cleared his throat from the seat of honor. Hearing him, Unohana and Dozo immediately stopped chatting. Dozo stood in front, Unohana behind, both to Yamamoto's left.
Actually, Yamamoto had meant to remind Hiroe, who was staring at Unohana in a daze. He'd been running off to the Fourth Division since he was a child; did Yamamoto not know what was on his mind? The boy had grown up now. Should he consider helping him find a partner for life? Yamamoto mused to himself.
Just then, four Captains arrived together: Aikawa Love, Captain of the Seventh Division, with his round afro; the sharp-looking Muguruma Kensei, Captain of the Ninth Division, with his short white hair; the newly appointed Third Division Captain, Otoribashi Rojuro, with long golden curls and the face of a beauty from behind and a handsome man from the front; and Hirako Shinji, Captain of the Fifth Division, who was yawning with his forehead completely hidden beneath thick bangs.
The four were around the same age and got along well in private. With Otoribashi Rojuro recently taking over as Third Division Captain, the four had even earned the title of the strongest quartet. Talented people naturally gravitated toward one another. That was probably just the kind of group they were.
"First it's secret authorization, now it's a private meeting. I can practically see those grueling days of running around coming back to haunt me! Sigh~" Hirako Shinji complained with a sigh.
"Funny, I see the same thing!" Captain of the 8th Division Kyōraku Shunsui had just arrived and heard Hirako speak his mind. He put an arm around Hirako's shoulder and quietly suggested, "So, why don't we take advantage of some free time and go for a drink later?"
Ukitake Jushiro, Captain of the 13th Division, had come with Kyōraku and was just about to say something when another man joined the pair Kyōraku was chatting up. He wore a Captain's Haori marked with the number "10"—Shiba Isshin, Captain of the 10th Division.
"Count me in. And let's invite Hiyori and Lisa too, so they can pour us drinks! Heh!"
"You two go ahead. Staying up late'll make your hair fall out." Hirako wriggled free of their hold and stood listlessly across from Unohana. He muttered to himself, "If I actually went bald, wouldn't Hiyori laugh herself to death?"
"Sorry, am I late?"
"Kirio? Don't worry, one person still hasn't arrived. You're not the last!" Shiba Isshin spotted the purple-haired woman who had just come in. He circled his thumb and forefinger and mimed drinking. "Want to grab a drink together when this is over?"
The newcomer was Hikifune Kirio, Captain of the 12th Division and the only other female Captain in the Gotei 13 besides Unohana.
Twelve Captains had now gathered in the room. With the exception of Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, Captain of Squad 11, the Seireitei's strongest fighters were all assembled in the Kuchiki Clan's main hall.
One Captain was still missing, but Yamamoto didn't seem inclined to wait. He opened his eyes slightly, tapped the floor with his cane, and called out, "Everyone, take your places!"
The somewhat noisy hall fell silent at once. But if anyone had been outside, they would have found that not a single sound had escaped the hall at any point.
The eleven Captains other than Yamamoto stood facing one another in two rows, even-numbered divisions on the left and odd-numbered divisions on the right. As for Hiroe, he shamelessly stood in front of Hirako, staring straight across at Unohana.
Yamamoto, seated at the head of the room, temporarily ignored Hiroe and slowly rose from his chair. "The emergency Captains' meeting is now in session!"
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