"No, no, this is not some kind of test."
Rosse chuckled softly. With a firm motion of his arm, he pulled Kurosaki Masaki's tall, full figure into his embrace, letting her sit on his lap like a well-behaved large cat.
His fingers traced lightly along the flawless curve of her cheek, his tone filled with lazy control.
"This is just a casual chat. Nothing more."
When he first saw this body, it had already become that of a somewhat ordinary mature woman, even carrying traces of time, only a few steps away from fading into the crowd.
But fate was strange.
Because of Yhwach's Auswahlen, and because of Rosse's timely intervention and reshaping, this body seemed to turn back time. Not only did it regain astonishing vitality, under his nourishment, its charm and radiance surpassed any peak she had ever reached in her life.
Of course, that did not come without a price.
In exchange for rebirth, she had long lost her soul. And this unmatched beauty belonged to Rosse alone, a private possession.
"I have no particular thoughts."
Masaki leaned obediently against his chest, not sparing even a glance at Orihime sitting hollow-eyed in the corner. She calmly voiced what Rosse was thinking.
"If things continue according to your script, after this purge, there will be at least two vacant captain seats in the Gotei 13. You intend to have those two fill them, do you not?"
She had lost her soul and self, but not her ability to think.
Standing by Rosse's side and seeing the whole board, she understood more of the truth than even Aizen.
Naturally, she also understood what awaited Yoruichi and Ichigo if events followed their current perception.
Because of that coincidence in Central 46, suspicion that should have fallen on Rosse shifted dramatically.
From their perspective, Kyoraku Shunsui became the root of all evil.
And Rosse, the true mastermind, became an innocent man who had done nothing and was even taking the blame.
From mortal enemy to misunderstood potential ally, while believing they had discovered the truth.
This should have been something chilling and tragic upon reflection, yet Masaki felt nothing. Not even a ripple of sympathy.
It was not that she had become emotionless.
It was that, after standing beside Rosse, she had finally seen the true face of the world.
Even without Rosse, there was Aizen's plotting and Yhwach waiting in the shadows.
This world had never possessed even a single inch of pure ground.
Before, it was merely rotten.
But with Rosse involved, it was rotten to the core.
"Not a bad suggestion."
Rosse smiled with satisfaction, lightly tapping her lips with his finger.
"Then how about making Ichigo the new Captain of the Thirteenth Division? When he puts on the captain's haori, I will take you to his office in private to celebrate properly."
"If that is what you desire, Master, it can be done at any time."
Masaki answered calmly, her beautiful eyes showing no resistance.
She understood his twisted tastes too well.
When the time came, even if something happened in that solemn captain's office, Rosse would perfectly conceal it with his spiritual pressure.
Only they would see Ichigo sitting straight in his chair, while that foolish child would process paperwork in empty air, unaware of what was happening.
Such small games no longer stirred shame in her.
'Too dull.'
"If we are going to play, once this incident ends, why not visit the Human World?"
Masaki suddenly raised her head, voice steady and emotionless.
"We can go to the Kurosaki Clinic together. You only need to block Kurosaki Isshin's sight, leave his other senses intact but unable to locate us. Let him participate a little more. What do you think?"
After years of conditioning, she had grown used to it. Sometimes she even felt Rosse's tricks lacked creativity.
If she was destined to be a toy, then instead of passively accepting it, she would take the initiative.
When he grew bored, perhaps that would be her release.
To be honest, the moment she made that suggestion, she clearly felt her obedient body respond with a strange excitement born from that taboo.
Once, she would not have dared think such thoughts.
Now, she had grown accustomed to corruption.
'How pitiful.'
"Good."
Rosse's smile widened with clear interest.
"I look forward to it, Masaki."
After two days, once the conclusion was set, this game would still have much to offer.
But before that… Rosse glanced at the moon outside the window, lips curling faintly.
For the next two days, he would not be playing himself.
He hoped the actors about to step onto the stage would perform well enough to spark some long-lost interest in him.
———
[Late Night, District One of Rukongai, Safehouse]
"Ahhh! What the hell are we supposed to do now?"
Inside the cramped house, Ichigo grabbed his bright orange hair in frustration and slumped on the floor.
He looked terrible. His shihakusho was torn from battle. His exposed skin was covered in fresh cuts and bruises, as if he had been dragged from a pool of blood.
"Yelling will not change anything. We can only keep moving forward."
Yoruichi sat cross-legged on a mat, holding a bottle of medicine she had probably taken from somewhere, speaking casually.
"That said, you really are getting stronger. Not bad, kid. You defeated a captain one-on-one."
Though she liked to tease, she could not deny Aizen's teaching ability.
'How long has it been? This kid's growth rate is frightening.'
It was one thing when he went wild in his Hollow state. But today, without Hollowfication, relying only on his Shinigami form, he had faced and defeated Zaraki Kenpachi.
Yes, the Eleventh Division beast could not use kido or Bankai. But aside from Rosse and Captain-Commander Yamamoto, no one dared underestimate the terror behind the name Kenpachi.
As for being cut down by Rosse before, that was not weakness. Rosse was simply absurdly strong.
Even the fully Hollowfied bull-headed Ichigo would likely have died in two strikes without that insane regeneration.
"Can someone like that even count as a captain?", Instead of feeling proud, Ichigo grumbled.
"Barely reaches second-grade spiritual might. No kido, no movement techniques, no release. Not even proper defense. Even Hollows at the same level have more tricks."
Though he said that, he knew he had nearly died.
Kenpachi's instincts and brutal swordsmanship had pushed him to the brink.
If not for Kenpachi lacking recovery ability and if not for his own high-speed regeneration awakened after Hollowfication… the one lying there would have been him.
"Still, that guy is a one-track brute. If you run into someone with a weird Zanpakuto, you are in trouble," Yoruichi laughed.
She remained optimistic. The destruction of her clan still weighed on her, but she knew she had to move forward.
She did not hate Byakuya. That was a matter of position.
She could not yet hate Rosse. That was a matter of power.
Her hatred was directed at Kyoraku Shunsui and the Kyoraku family, who used dirty methods to rise.
If not for them forging a will and using others to kill, the Shihoin clan would not have been annihilated.
Revenge would come.
But not now.
Now she was a wounded beast waiting for the right moment.
"After these two days, I have figured something out," Ichigo muttered angrily.
"You Shinigami look respectable, but most of you are shady. These Zanpakuto abilities are even worse. Control the five senses, create projections. Impossible to guard against."
He truly felt direct types like Kenpachi were hopeless.
Rushing in to slash only to find you were cutting air or your own ally.
How could that be fought?
"Well, not all of them are like that."
Yoruichi counted on her fingers.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto's Ryujin Jakka is pure fire and destruction. Hitsugaya's Hyorinmaru is direct ice. Komamura's Kokujo Tengen Myo'o is brute force."
"Yeah…"
Ichigo rolled his eyes.
"An old stubborn man, a short hothead, and a big dumb dog. Personality matches the sword."
"They are straightforward, sure. But so are they simple," Yoruichi smirked.
"Maybe your Bankai will turn out to be something sinister."
"I doubt it. My spiritual pressure barely reaches second grade. Compared to you monsters, I am nothing," Ichigo sighed.
"Honestly, I do not even know how to expose Shunsui. If what we see and hear can be fake, how do we fight that?"
"His ability is troublesome. But he is only one person."
Yoruichi's expression turned serious.
"That is his weakness. If he wants to control all of Seireitei, he must slip up," She paused, "And from what I heard tonight, he may already be exposed."
"What?"
Ichigo sat up straight.
"The news is, after we were chased off by Ichimaru Gin, they found Orihime in the Fifth Division."
"What happened? Is she okay? How did the captains react?"
"After they found her, none believed it was the Fifth Division. Byakuya denied reporting it. Everyone realized someone was manipulating things. Rosse and Unohana arrived too."
"Under Rosse's suggestion, the captains stormed Central 46 to demand answers."
Yoruichi almost laughed imagining it. A group of captains forcing their way in.
Shunsui could not cover all of Seireitei at once. At captain level, such illusions would show cracks. And both Yamamoto and Rosse went there.
"Did they catch him?", Ichigo's eyes shone.
"I do not know the details. But Captain-Commander Yamamoto announced he would personally guard Central 46 and not leave until the execution day."
"That is it?"
Ichigo sounded disappointed.
"What more do you want? If Yamamoto is personally guarding it, that is huge," Yoruichi analyzed, "He probably intends to settle everything on execution day. We might see him personally kill his rebellious disciple."
"But what if Shunsui pulls something again?"
"That is Captain-Commander Yamamoto," Yoruichi waved it off, "With that overwhelming spiritual pressure, tricks are meaningless."
She trusted the old man blindly.
"Hope so…"
Ichigo nodded, though unease lingered.
Two days remained. No matter what, he would go to Sokyoku Hill. To help Aizen-sensei. To save Rukia. And to give himself an answer.
Even if he was weak.
Even if he could not change much.
He had to be there.
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