After Aizen and the other two left, peace finally returned to the Seireitei.
But beneath that peace, ruins left by the fighting lay everywhere.
Several divisions began clearing the collapsed buildings, with Chad helping out. The Fourth Division took charge of treating the wounded, and Orihime Inoue helped with the healing as well. The bodies of Central 46 were also collected one after another, awaiting a joint burial.
The Sixth Division.
Byakuya Kuchiki leaned back in his hospital bed, his wounds already bandaged. Rukia stood at the doorway, hesitating to enter.
"Come in."
Only after hearing her brother's voice did Rukia step into the room.
"Brother, your injuries..."
"They are nothing serious."
Byakuya Kuchiki looked at her and remained silent for a long time.
"Rukia, there is something I should tell you."
Rukia froze slightly.
Byakuya Kuchiki turned his gaze toward the window and said calmly, "I brought you into the Kuchiki Clan because of Hisana's dying request."
"She wanted me to find you and care for you as my own younger sister."
Rukia lowered her head.
She already knew this.
"But I broke the Kuchiki Clan's rules."
Byakuya Kuchiki continued, "So I swore before my parents' graves that, no matter what happened afterward, I would never again violate the laws of the Soul Society."
"That is why I did not stop the execution."
Rukia clenched the hem of her clothes.
"You do not need to explain yourself to me, Brother. I have never blamed you."
"But I have blamed myself."
Byakuya Kuchiki looked at her. His gaze was as cold as ever, but his tone had lost some of its distance.
"I once sealed your power and refused to let you become a Seated Officer, but not because I thought you unqualified."
"Your status as a member of the Kuchiki Clan would draw more attention to you. Once you displayed sufficient talent, you would be drawn into the struggle between the nobles and the Gotei 13."
"I promised Hisana I would protect you."
Rukia stared at him in a daze.
Her brother had been protecting her all along.
He was simply so bad at expressing himself that he had turned protection into neglect.
"I am sorry, Rukia."
Rukia's eyes reddened slightly, and then she shook her head firmly.
"Brother, from now on, please do not bear these things alone."
Byakuya Kuchiki fell silent for a moment.
"Very well."
Outside the door, Renji had been standing against the wall for quite some time.
Hearing this, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Several days later.
On a hillside in Rukongai, Renji and Rukia sat side by side on the grass.
In the distance, several children were fighting over a piece of dry bread, arguing fiercely.
"Still remember this place?" Renji asked.
"Of course."
Rukia looked down the hillside and said softly, "We used to fight over half a piece of bread too."
"You were the one who stole mine first."
"Nonsense. You were the one hiding two pieces."
Renji was immediately at a loss for words.
That was decades ago. How did she still remember?
"After you joined the Kuchiki Clan, I always thought that as long as I became a lieutenant, I could catch up to you."
Renji lay back on the grass with his hands behind his head.
"But in the end, I couldn't even protect you."
Rukia glanced at him.
"Haven't you already done that?"
Renji froze.
"If you hadn't held on to me, Aizen would have killed me long ago."
Rukia stood and brushed the bits of grass off her Shihakushō.
"So stop talking like that."
Renji grinned.
"Got it."
The Thirteenth Division barracks.
Jūshirō Ukitake held out a wooden badge to Ichigo Kurosaki.
"This is a Substitute Soul Reaper License."
Ichigo took the wooden badge and turned it over several times.
"This thing?"
"Don't underestimate it."
Ukitake smiled. "From now on, the Gotei 13 officially recognizes your status as a Substitute Soul Reaper. When you enter the Soul Society in the future, you won't be hunted down as a Ryoka anymore."
Ichigo stared at the wooden badge and couldn't help asking, "Does this thing really work?"
"Of course."
"Then why didn't you give me one before?"
Ukitake gave two light coughs.
"We hadn't had time to make it yet."
Ichigo: "..."
The next day, the Captain-Commander notified everyone of captain rank and above to attend a meeting in the captains' conference room.
A member of the First Division came to Yoriichi Tsugikuni's door.
"Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the Captain-Commander requests your presence in the captains' conference room."
Yoriichi stood.
"Understood."
The captains' conference room.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto sat at the front, with the remaining captains arrayed on either side.
Soi Fon was reorganizing the Stealth Force, while Komamura was still recovering in the Fourth Division. Hitsugaya was investigating the records Aizen had left behind while also looking after Momo Hinamori, whose mental state was extremely poor.
As for Mayuri Kurotsuchi, he had already begun analyzing intelligence concerning the Hōgyoku and Hueco Mundo with the staff of the Research and Development Institute.
The captain positions of the Third, Fifth, and Ninth Divisions were now all vacant.
After Yoriichi entered the conference room, Yamamoto spoke without preamble. "Yoriichi Tsugikuni, I have decided to appoint you Third Division Captain."
Yoriichi stopped walking.
"I am human."
"Your strength is sufficient. Your identity is not an issue."
"I have not mastered Bankai yet."
"I will allow you to take the captain qualification test."
Yoriichi thought for a moment, then said earnestly, "I do not want to be a captain."
The conference room immediately fell silent.
Shunsui Kyōraku lowered his bamboo hat, fighting the urge to laugh aloud.
Who knew how many Soul Reapers throughout the Seireitei wanted to become captains? Yet this boy had rejected the Captain-Commander's personal invitation without the slightest hesitation.
A vein on Yamamoto's forehead twitched slightly.
"Ryoka trespassed in the Seireitei, destroyed the Sōkyoku, and attacked several captains. Under the laws of the Soul Society, they should be severely punished."
Yoriichi looked at him.
"You just said my identity was not an issue."
"This is a separate issue."
Yoriichi fell silent for a moment.
This was clearly a threat.
"I can agree, but I have one condition."
"Speak."
"I want to return to the World of the Living."
Yamamoto frowned.
"As Third Division Captain, you should remain stationed in the Seireitei."
"I am human. The World of the Living is where I belong."
The two stared at each other for a moment, neither giving ground.
Jūshirō Ukitake coughed lightly and said, "Captain-Commander, we could send Yoriichi to the World of the Living to monitor the movements of the Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki."
Yoriichi glanced at Ukitake without speaking.
This so-called monitoring was nothing more than a reason to let him stay in the World of the Living.
Naturally, Yamamoto understood that too.
"In that case, I grant you permission to be temporarily stationed in the World of the Living."
"Thank you."
Yamamoto brought his cane down heavily.
"Aizen has obtained the Hōgyoku and will undoubtedly create new forces in Hueco Mundo. According to our current intelligence, Karakura Town may become the site of the decisive battle in three months."
"From this day forward, every member of the Gotei 13 is to prepare for war."
Before you continue