"Uchiha Yato."
"Here."
"Do you promise that every word you say from this point on will be truthful and without omissions?"
"Of course."
"Good." In the dimly lit room, the middle-aged Soul Reaper nodded and said sternly:
"Then, Uchiha Yato, please recount once more everything you saw in Hueco Mundo... Uh?"
The door creaked open.
A female Soul Reaper with braided hair and a pretty face but a cold expression pushed open the interrogation room door without hesitation.
"Vice-Captain Yadomaru? Why are you..."
"You may leave. I'll take over the final interrogation of Uchiha Yato."
"Yes, Vice-Captain."
The middle-aged Soul Reaper obeyed and left, closing the door behind him.
Lisa Yadomaru sat across from Yato, removed her vice-captain's badge, and set it on the table with a click.
"Vice-Captain Yadomaru." Uchiha Yato nodded in greeting.
The female Soul Reaper nudged her glasses up and mentally reviewed the boy's entire file.
Born in District 62 of Eastern Rukongai, exceptional in all four disciplines of Zankensoki, his Soul-Cutter Sword was suspected to be an extremely rare Multi-Stage Release type, no record of misconduct, and a sharp, restrained personality...
"Tch." In front of Yato, Lisa Yadomaru gave a soft snort.
"You flawless geniuses are usually the hardest to deal with."
"'You'?" Yato seized on the information that had slipped out. "So Byakuya Kuchiki will be treated specially like me?"
"Marechiyo Ōmaeda, the Second Division Lieutenant, will be handling Byakuya Kuchiki's final interrogation."
"My, they're being pretty strict with old Byakuya and me."
"This is both protection and respect." Lisa Yadomaru studied the boy, taking in every shift in his expression.
"With your talent and Byakuya Kuchiki's, you'll be able to become high-ranking Seated Officers as soon as you graduate. You're the future of Seireitei. And besides..."
"In Hueco Mundo, only you and Byakuya Kuchiki were capable of killing fifty-three Sixth-Year Students in succession!"
"Now, please recount once more everything you experienced in Hueco Mundo, Uchiha Yato."
The boy sighed and repeated the lengthy lie.
Over the past few days, he had already repeated it countless times.
And he was sure that the Soul Reapers across from him had read the account recorded on paper many times as well.
But Lisa Yadomaru was still listening intently. Her beautiful, delicate chin bobbed along with the story, making her look just like a model student paying close attention in class.
"...After I was lucky enough to achieve Second-Stage Shikai, I killed those Adjuchas and returned to the training area."
"By then, Byakuya had returned too. I chatted with him for a bit, then we both sat down to rest and recover."
"When it was time to return to Soul Society, it was obvious that several people were missing. Captain Shihōin left several times along the way, and her expression grew frightening."
"Finally, we returned to Soul Society through the Senkaimon, and then they brought us here..."
After finishing the long account, Uchiha Yato felt parched. He picked up the teacup on the table and gulped down its contents.
Lisa Yadomaru finished taking notes and compared his account with his previous statements. Aside from a few minor discrepancies, they were essentially the same.
"All right, Uchiha Yato. The Three-Day Interrogation is complete." The female vice-captain pointed toward the door. "You may leave. Be sure to get some rest."
"Yes, Ma'am Yadomaru." The boy set down the teacup, stood, and took hold of the doorknob.
The door swung open, but Yato suddenly froze in place instead of stepping out of the interrogation room.
A man was standing outside.
He looked to be around forty, with pale blue stubble on his chin. A wide-brimmed hat sat on his head, and a pink floral robe was draped over his white captain's haori, giving him a carefree, laid-back air.
He was none other than Shunsui Kyōraku, captain of the Eighth Division.
"Captain Kyōraku!" The boy straightened up like a model student.
"You must be Uchiha Yato, right?" Shunsui Kyōraku cheerfully patted him on the shoulder. "You look even better in person than in your picture!"
"You flatter me, Captain Kyōraku."
"Hey, kid, which division are you planning to join after graduation?"
"Uh, I haven't decided yet..."
"Join the Eighth Division!" Shunsui Kyōraku slung an arm around the boy's shoulders and leaned in to whisper conspiratorially. "Then we can go drinking together in the Red-light District. There are lots of rich, beautiful women there. Once they see you, they'll fight over who gets to pick up the tab..."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Behind them, Lisa Yadomaru rapped on the table with a dark expression, making a tremendous racket. She glared at her captain with undisguised contempt.
"Oh dear, our Lisa's angry." Shunsui Kyōraku raised his hands in surrender, pretending to be afraid. "Yato, how about we talk another time?"
"Yes, Captain Kyōraku."
The boy remained just as respectful as before and walked away.
Only the captain and vice-captain of the Eighth Division remained in the quiet interrogation room.
"Kids these days are scary."
Shunsui Kyōraku sat in the spot Yato had just occupied and used his hat to cover his face.
"A Multi-Stage Release type Soul-Cutter Sword, huh? Looks like the day we old-timers lay down our swords and retire isn't far off."
Seeing that her captain had finally started acting a little more seriously, Lisa Yadomaru picked up the report and shared her analysis.
"Uchiha Yato is in the clear. Throughout the interrogation, he was very forthcoming. He just seemed a little too indifferent about his classmates' deaths."
"But considering he skipped ahead into the graduating class, that's understandable... Byakuya Kuchiki next door had the same attitude."
Shunsui Kyōraku made no response. The shadow of his hat concealed his expression completely, and he seemed to have fallen asleep.
Lisa Yadomaru paid him no mind and continued on her own.
"So I'll issue a joint report with the Sixth and Second Divisions and submit the findings of our investigation to the First Division."
"The Sixth-Year Student Death Incident three days ago was caused by a sudden pack hunt by Menos Grande after the students ventured too deep into Hueco Mundo. It wasn't a human-caused incident."
"Incidentally, Uchiha Yato also encountered Menos Grande of Adjuchas level, but he successfully achieved Second-Stage Shikai and cut them all down."
"This indirectly confirms our theory: Adjuchas really were prowling outside the training area."
"The incident claimed the lives of fifty-three students. It was a heartbreaking lapse in safety, just like three years ago."
"Captain, that is the joint conclusion reached by me, Sixth Division Vice-Captain Sōjun Kuchiki, and Second Division Vice-Captain Marechiyo Ōmaeda. If you have no objections, I'll head to the First Division now..."
Shunsui Kyōraku, who had been dozing, suddenly pressed down on his hat and spoke softly.
"Just like three years ago? I remember that during the Shin'ō Academy's combat exercises that year, the second son of the Shiba Clan died at the hands of a Menos Grande."
"Captain, that was Moritora Shiba." Lisa Yadomaru paused, hesitating slightly. "Are you suggesting...?"
"No, nothing like that. It just happened to come to mind." Shunsui Kyōraku suddenly chuckled. "All right, all right. Your work here is done. Put on a good face when you go see Yamamoto, or he'll scold me again."
"Yes, Captain."
Lisa Yadomaru nodded and gathered up the documents. But just as her fingers touched the doorknob, she heard her captain speak.
"Oh, right, Lisa. One more thing. Which vice-captains were assigned to guard the rear and provide support this time?"
"Fourth Division's Kiyosuke Yamada, Fifth Division's Aizen Sosuke, and Twelfth Division's Hiyori Sarugaki."
The man named Shunsui Kyōraku closed his eyes. The faces and personalities of the three vice-captains surfaced in his mind.
"...Captain?"
Lisa Yadomaru called softly a few times, but got no response.
Before you continue