At dawn the next day, Rangiku woke and found herself tucked into bed, and at once knew last night hadn't been a dream.
In the living room, breakfast was already set out—prepared by Shuuichi.
"Shuuichi-sama."
A happy smile softened Rangiku's face.
As for Shuuichi, he wasn't at the 4th Division barracks. He had gone straight to a ramen shop in Seireitei he hadn't visited in a long time.
Long ago, he and Sōsuke used to meet here.
Today, unexpectedly, Sōsuke chose the same place.
Seeing the Zanpakutō on the table in front of Shuuichi, bound round with bandages, Sōsuke frowned.
"So—you've had your Zanpakutō release sealed by Yoruichi-taichō?"
People passed by on every side, and not a single soul reacted to Sōsuke's brazen words. Clearly, everyone here was under Kyōka Suigetsu (Mirror Flower, Water Moon).
"Yes, Sōsuke-sama. So I wanted to ask—do you have a way to remove these bandages without alerting Yoruichi-taichō?"
Shuuichi's expression wasn't good—in fact, it was grim. In front of Sōsuke, he didn't have to hide it.
"It's one of the Shihōin family's hereditary artifacts. I've seen records of it in the Great Spirit Book Corridor," Sōsuke said, meeting Shuuichi's expectant gaze before shaking his head without mercy. "Unfortunately, just like Seyabasa in your hand, it can't match a Zanpakutō's fine control—but it can still sense whether it's been unsealed."
"In other words, even you, Sōsuke-sama, can't remove it without tipping off Yoruichi-taichō?"
He'd half expected it, but having the answer laid out still left Shuuichi disappointed.
"It isn't a question of removing it quietly," Sōsuke corrected mildly. "In your Zanpakutō's current state, unless Yoruichi herself releases the bandage, no external power can destroy it.
"Otherwise, it wouldn't deserve to be called a sacred artifact."
Sōsuke shook his head.
Hearing that, Shuuichi knew only one road remained.
It was the only solution he'd wrestled out last night.
"Then, Sōsuke-sama… during the five years I was in Hell, did you finish the final preparations for that plan?"
Sōsuke saw the heat in Shuuichi's eyes—the opposite of the gloom from a moment ago—and immediately guessed his intent.
Shuuichi had served him for years; Sōsuke knew he wasn't one to surrender. Asking this now meant Shuuichi had found a solution—but a dangerous one he hadn't wanted to voice at first.
Put together, it was obvious.
"You want to join them?"
"Sōsuke-sama, I only have this one choice, don't I?"
Shuuichi's smile turned bitter.
If even Sōsuke couldn't solve his Zanpakutō problem, then his only option was to force Yoruichi to remove the seal herself.
But why would Yoruichi—on the same side as Genryūsai—ever make a decision that ran counter to Genryūsai's will?
He had thought it through last night. He had two roads.
The first: push Sōsuke to kill Yoruichi.
Artifacts, like Zanpakutō, require their owner to function. If Yoruichi died, then before the next Shihōin head reclaimed control of the artifact, Shuuichi would have time to shake off the bandage's control.
But that road likely wouldn't work. After seeing the Royal Guard (Zero Division) outstrip even his own cold-bloodedness, Sōsuke had realized killing more Soul Society shinigami was meaningless. He had no intention of piling on risk for no purpose.
And killing Yoruichi for Shuuichi's sake? Meaningless.
Besides, the new Shihōin head would probably still follow Genryūsai—and keep Shuuichi sealed.
Even if it worked, it wouldn't cure the root—unless Shuuichi slaughtered the entire Shihōin family.
The second: force a break between Yoruichi and Genryūsai, and at the same time join Yoruichi's side. Only then—wanting to strengthen her camp—would Yoruichi remove the limit on Shuuichi's Zanpakutō.
Compared to the first, the second looked far more feasible. Shuuichi knew Sōsuke's Captain Hollowfication plan had been brewing in the dark for a long time; it probably only needed a spark to begin.
And, just like in the anime of his previous life, the chosen captains this time were almost unchanged.
The problem was how to earn Yoruichi's—and especially Kisuke's—trust.
Shuuichi had never kept good relations with Yoruichi or Kisuke; only his connection with Soi Fon was decent or better.
So, to join Kisuke's exile crew, Shuuichi had exactly one path: do what Kensei and the others did—lose, then undergo Hollowfication, and passively wait for Kisuke to come rescue him.
It was a deadly gamble. If Kisuke was late—or ignored the "script" and didn't come—Shuuichi could truly die.
Without the Hōgyoku, trying to ride out Hollowfication on willpower alone was a fool's dream.
That was why Shuuichi hadn't opened with this idea.
But as things stood, there was no better choice.
Unless he intended to live forever under someone's thumb.
Besides, even if he didn't move, Sōsuke would never abandon Kisuke as a target.
And as long as Sōsuke moved against Kisuke, Yoruichi would stand with Kisuke to the end.
If Shuuichi stayed with Sōsuke then, he could forget releasing his Zanpakutō—at least until Yoruichi died.
"The plan's been ready for a while. We're waiting on timing.
"As for your idea—I think it's viable. If the plan fails and Kisuke escapes, you're the only one suited to embed at his side. Kaname is too straightforward. And Gin… hmph. In his eyes there's only me."
Sōsuke laid Shuuichi's thoughts bare and didn't disagree.
He'd lose a capable hand in Seireitei. But played right, Shuuichi could become a powerful hidden card.
And judging by Shuuichi's history, Sōsuke had no doubt he could manage it.
Whether Shuuichi could survive Hollowfication, however—that was outside Sōsuke's concern.
Saw the fierce reactions to the last chapter, so I pushed this one out early.
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