Traces of a Quincy

The pale, cold light in the morgue illuminated Retsu Unohana's calm, serene face.

She stood before the mortuary, her fingers just having removed from the fatal wound on the corpse's chest.

After receiving Wang Xun's report, Unohana took the matter very seriously.

After a quick tidying up, she arrived at the scene immediately.

"Indeed, as Wang Xun said."

"The cause of death for this body is something else entirely."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it made the Fourth Division member standing not far away instinctively straighten his back.

He was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his early forties, and he had a somewhat nervous expression on his face.

Unohana covered the body with the white sheet again, turned around, and looked at his face.

"Sugishita."

"Yes, yes!"

Sugishita's voice trembled slightly, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Did you prepare the preliminary autopsy report for this body?"

"Yes, Captain Unohana, I did it."

Sugishita lowered his head deeply. After receiving the notification from Vice-Captain Wang Xun, he arrived here immediately.

He had sensed something unusual while he was at the scene.

As a Soul Reaper had worked in the Fourth Division for most of his life, he knew all too well what this atmosphere meant.

The test results were incorrect.

And it wasn't a minor mishap.

Wang Xun stood to the side, while the Fifth Division Captain, Shinji Hirako, leaned against the opposite wall with his arms crossed, his long golden hair appearing somewhat dim under the light.

"Captain Unohana."

Sugishita swallowed hard.

Was my judgment... wrong?

Unohana didn't answer directly. Instead, she walked to the mortuary, lifted the white sheet again, revealing only the chest area of the corpse.

"Come here."

Sugishita stepped forward cautiously.

Unohana's finger pointed deep into the fatal wound, to the area covered by torn muscle tissue.

Sugishita a deep breath, and his right hand glowed with a pale green light as he Kaidō towards the wound.

His investigation lasted for about half a minute, when suddenly his hand trembled violently, and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face.

"This, this is..."

His voice became hoarse.

"Inside the wound, there's a penetrating mark... not caused by the Void's claws."

Sugishita's face turned deathly pale.

He abruptly took a step back and bowed deeply.

"I'm so sorry! Captain Hirako, Captain Unohana! It's my fault for failing in my duty!"

His voice trembled with self-reproach.

"It was my oversight that I didn't inspect carefully enough. Please punish me, Captain!"

The morgue was quiet for a moment.

Unohana turned around and covered the white cloth again.

"This concealment technique is extremely sophisticated; the wound is hidden in the deepest and most complex part of the injury. Your Reiatsu perception strength and accuracy are indeed insufficient to see through this layer of interference."

She paused.

"I'll work on improving my skills more in the future."

"After returning, write down today's experiences in a report and circulate it among all medical team members below the Fourth Seat. Let them know that autopsy work is never a matter of drawing conclusions based on a single glance."

"Yes, I understand!"

After receiving the order, Sugishita straightened up and left.

Unohana turned to look at Wang Xun.

"Wang Xun."

Do you have anything to add?

Wang Xun pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

"The captain's assessment is already very comprehensive; I have nothing to add."

After reaching a definitive conclusion, Shinji Hirako, who had been leaning against the wall, finally moved.

He walked to the mortuary, looked down at the lifeless face under the white sheet, and remained silent for a long time.

"So..."

His voice was a little hoarse.

"My Third Seat was indeed murdered."

"Yes."

Unohana gave an affirmative answer.

"The cause of death was the puncture wound that went through the heart, not the laceration caused by the Void Claw. The external laceration was a cover-up deliberately created after the puncture."

Hirako closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, a hint of doubt in his gaze.

But there's still one thing I don't understand.

"Since the murderer was able to create such a sophisticated concealment method, it means he had the ability to make the body disappear completely."

Why not just destroy the evidence and cover it up, instead of going through all the trouble of faking a fake attack?

"Saying it's to cover up something makes some sense, but I still find it a bit strange."

After the question was raised, the morgue fell into a brief silence once again.

Unohana did not answer.

Hirako's gaze shifted to Wang Xun.

"Vice-Captain Wang Xun, what do you think?"

Wang Xun remained silent for a moment, then shook his head.

I don't have an answer to that question either.

Logically, if you've committed murder, the safest course of action is to make the body disappear completely, leaving no trace.

However, the existence of this corpse is indeed somewhat unusual.

Wang Xun quickly analyzed the situation in his mind.

Aizen may never have intended to completely cover this up from the beginning.

He did the opposite, leaving behind a corpse whose disguise could be easily exposed.

This indicates that he needed someone to notice the anomaly, and that someone to realize that there were other hidden circumstances surrounding the death of the Third Seat of the Fifth Division.

The investigation should be directed toward a specific objective.

Quincy.

If Wang Xun's deduction is correct, Aizen has already begun to plan against the Quincy.

This death may be a test.

He simply couldn't say these things to Hirako and Unohana's faces.

Hirako took a deep breath, her voice returning to calm, but her eyes held a sharpness she hadn't shown before.

"Now that it's been confirmed that the death of the Third Seat was not an accident, I, as the captain, must give him an explanation."

o

He looked at Unohana and bowed deeply.

"Captain Unohana, thank you and Wang Xun for everything this time. I'll remember this favor."

"Captain Hirako, you're too kind."

The Unohana spoke in a flat tone.

"Investigating the cause of death is the duty of the Fourth Division."

Hirako straightened up, glanced at the corpse on the mortuary table again, and then turned and walked towards the door.

He stopped at the door without turning around.

"I'll trouble Captain Unohana with the file matter."

"I'll handle it."

Hirako nodded, pushed open the door, and left the morgue.

His footsteps faded into the distance in the corridor, eventually disappearing around the corner of the stairs.

Just as Shinji Hirako stepped out of the Fourth Division Barracks, night had completely fallen.

Hirako raised his head, glanced at the lights high above, then looked away and slowly walked along the street toward the Fifth Division.

His feelings were complicated at that moment.

The cause of death of the Third Seat was determined, which only made him feel more burdened.

The moment he confirmed it was murder, his last glimmer of hope was shattered.

If it weren't for his persistence and caution, Wang Xun wouldn't have noticed anything amiss, and the matter would have remained buried forever as a false alarm.

But why do these things always seem to happen around him?

How many people in my own squad have simply vanished without a trace...?

Hirako was feeling annoyed until he returned to the barracks and passed by the Fifth Division's training ground.

In the darkness of night, the training ground was empty and silent, with only a few Reishi lamps emitting a faint light.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a small figure wielding a knife in Ikkaku of the training ground.

He was a guy who looked very young.

The little guy was dressed in a Shinigami uniform, with Asauchi at his waist, and his silver hair was wet with sweat and stuck to his forehead.

His movements were repetitive and monotonous: swing the knife, sheathe it.

Hirako stopped and took a second look.

After thinking about it carefully, I remembered that this was a newly recruited member of the Fifth Division.

I heard he's a genius; he graduated from the Spiritual Arts Academy in just one year and enlisted in the Fifth Division, causing quite a stir within the divisions.

Last year, there was also a student Kaien Shiba who graduated in less than two years.

And Wang Xun, who was here two years ago, has now become a Vice-Captain-level.

The recent newcomers are really getting more and more terrifying.

Speaking of which, what was this kid's name again?

It seems so...

"Gin Ichimaru?"

Hirako tentatively spoke up.

Gin Ichimaru stopped what he was doing, turned around, and immediately stood up straight when he saw Hirako.

"Captain Hirako."

His voice still carried the crispness of a young boy, but his tone made Hirako raise an eyebrow slightly.

This kid doesn't seem like he's going to be an easy person to deal with.

"Still training so late?"

Hirako walked over and looked down at the new recruit.

"Yes."

Gin Ichimaru nodded.

"I want to become Seated Officer as soon as possible, so I come here for extra practice every night."

"Seated Officer?"

Hirako raised an eyebrow.

"You just graduated from the Spiritual Arts Academy, and you're already thinking about becoming Seated Officer?"

"Certainly."

Although Gin Ichimaru's tone was flippant, it was unusually serious.

"My goal is to become Seated Officer this year."

Hirako looked at Ichimaru's narrowed eyes and smiled slightly.

"Interesting."

Having goals is a good thing, but don't overwork yourself; your health is your most valuable asset.

"Yes, Captain."

Ichimaru nodded, but showed no intention of putting down his sword.

Hirako didn't say anything more, waved his hand, and disappeared into the night without looking back.

Fourth Division, Morgue.

After Hirako left, only Wang Xun and Unohana remained inside.

After tidying up, Wang Xun followed Unohana outside.

On the corridor of the Fourth Division Barracks, Unohana suddenly spoke.

"Wang Xun, you also examined the body earlier, and your assessment of the wounds is consistent with mine."

"What kind of attack do you think that was?"

Upon hearing Unohana's question, Wang Xun answered in a deep voice.

"That penetrating wound, with smooth and neat edges, is circular... it doesn't seem to have been caused by Zanpakuto, and there are extremely faint traces of Reishi burning around the wound, making it seem more like a mark left by Kidō."

"However, the Reiryoku of the Kidō is violent, usually covering a larger area, and its edges are often irregular."

He paused.

"That wound looks more like an attack that used Reishi condensed into an arrow-shaped object to penetrate the skin."

"The Reishi are highly concentrated and have extremely strong penetrating power, which is why the edges of the wound are so neat."

So... it's a bow and arrow?

Wang Xun's conclusion, based on his own observations and judgments, is very close to the actual result.

Then, Unohana softly uttered three words.

"Reishi Arrow."

Wang Xun noticed that her eyes flickered slightly when she uttered those three words.

"Reishi Arrow... Captain knows about this attack method?"

Wang Xun asked.

Unohana did not answer immediately.

She looked up at the night sky, gazing towards the direction of the First Division.

"You're young, after all. It's normal that some things are beyond your understanding."

She turned around to face Wang Xun.

"That's the Quincy's fighting style."

"The Quincy's abilities are centered around manipulating Reishi. They can control the Reishi around them and turn them into weapons."

"Reishi Arrow are their signature fighting style."

Wang Xun noticed that when Unohana uttered the words "Quincy," there was a faint sense of melancholy in her tone.

It's like a recollection, and also like a sigh.

Quincy?

Wang Xun frowned slightly.

"According to the records in the ancient texts, weren't they already wiped out by Soul Reaper?"

Unohana was silent for two seconds before speaking.

"Yes, that's why I'm also very curious about what happened to this Third Seat holder."

Wang Xun listened attentively, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"If the deaths of the Third Seat of the Fifth Division were truly the work of the Quincy, what would their objective have been?"

"Uncertain."

Unohana shook her head.

"But the fact that they dared to operate near Seireitei and even kill Soul Reaper shows that their ambitions are not small."

She paused.

"This matter cannot remain confined to the Fourth Division."

Wang Xun a chill run down his spine, realizing what Unohana was up to.

"The captain wants to..."

"I'm going to the First Division. You're coming with me."

Wang Xun was taken aback.

"I?"

"As the vice-captain of the Fourth Division, you can appropriately gain more exposure to matters at the higher-level decision-making level."

"We need to report today's events to the Captain-Commander. Let's go."

Wang Xun understood.

"Yes."

He followed Unohana out of the Fourth Division.

A night breeze blew through the streets of Seireitei, carrying a hint of coolness.

The path from the Fourth Division to the First Division is not unfamiliar.

Along the way, you can also see patrol soldiers. When they see Unohana, they will stop and salute. Unohana will nod slightly in response.

Soon, the high walls of the First Division Barracks came into view.

Two soldiers were on duty at the main gate, and they immediately saluted upon seeing Unohana.

"Captain Unohana."

"I need to see the Captain-Commander."

"Yes, please wait a moment!"

One of the team members quickly ran inside, while the other led Unohana and Wang Xun into a reception room.

The reception room was small, but it was tastefully decorated.

The wooden floor was spotless, several calligraphy works hung on the wall, and a neatly trimmed bonsai stood in the corner.

Unohana sat down in the chair, and Wang Xun stood behind her.

A few minutes later...

The door was pushed open.

Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai walked in slowly.

Although he used a cane, his steps were steady and powerful.

His aged face had slightly narrowed eyes.

Behind him, the Vice-Captain Sasakibe followed in and then gently closed the door.

As soon as the Captain-Commander entered the room, Wang Xun felt an invisible pressure wash over him.

The strongest Soul Reaper in a thousand years, the Captain -Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13.

These titles combined created an exceptionally powerful aura around Shigekuni Yamamoto.

"Unohana."

Yamamoto sat down opposite Unohana, his cane tapping lightly on the floor.

"What's wrong so late?"