The explosions of reiatsu at Sōkyoku Hill had drawn many eyes—but while people stared at the cliff, one man slipped into the deepest level of the underground great prison: Muken.
Unlike the Maggot's Nest—which held potential threats, sparks Central 46 wished to snuff preemptively—the Eighth Prison, Muken, sealed away the worst offenders: a handful of souls, each one an existential threat who had almost destroyed Soul Society… or had actually done so.
No light. Sekkiseki stone swallowed reiatsu. Up or down was indistinguishable—a man-made void.
Throw a prisoner into it, and they could no longer feel the world. In time, the world would forget them too.
"Ahh, ahh—say what you like, but here I am."
Gin Ichimaru padded along like a cat, produced a key from who-knows-where, opened the gate to Muken, and found his man.
The prisoner's senses and limbs were sealed in physical kidō bindings—the standard in Muken. You couldn't break them with kidō finesse; they were forged at great cost. Only a key held by Central 46 could undo them.
Gin had those keys. He freed the man without breaking a sweat—and led him out.
"Never thought I'd see daylight again," the prisoner murmured, eyes closed, breathing in the scent of grass and earth, listening to the wind, soaking in the warmth of the sun. A stagnant heart stirred. When he opened his eyes, golden irises burned with imperious pride.
"Getting you out was a hassle," Gin said, lounging on a branch.
"One Twelfth Division captain decided it was safer to split and scatter Muken's seals. I had to run all over creation. But that was fine. What really gave me a headache was the Sōkyoku."
"That's the core lock—tailor-made for you. There's only a brief window when it's released. Otherwise, even with the keys, even with your bindings undone—you'd never take a step out of Muken."
The prisoner lifted his chin, looking down at Gin in sheer defiance.
"You wrung your brain dry and spent no small effort, all to free the man who nearly razed Soul Society alone. Why? And how did you even know I existed? I've been 'dead' for two thousand years. Time should've erased every trace of an outsider like me."
"Oh, that," Gin said, palms up, rueful. "An Adjuchas popped up in Rukongai recently. It wandered into a friend's lab and ate some… questionable scraps. Mutated a little. Learned to hide its reiatsu."
The prisoner frowned, not quite following.
"It trashed the place. As we were leaving, I happened to glance down and saw a line—no, a name—on the floor."
"Arturo Plateado."
Gin watched the other man's face shift.
"By the way, the Hollow's name was Kus Cukabro. Dog-type."
"Kus…?"
Understanding dawned.
"So you saw that name, got curious, dug through the old records—and found my story."
"Very loyal subordinates you had, Mister Arturo. Seems they've been looking for a chance to bust you out."
"Heh. If he had the skill, he wouldn't still be a mid-tier Adjuchas," Arturo said, brushing the mask fragment at his brow. He wore a tattered cloak; save for the remnant mask, he could have passed for human.
But Arturo Plateado was a self-arrancarized high-class Hollow—a mask broken by his own hand, a soul nucleus forged into a zanpakutō. Sealed as he was, he still lived, and his blade still existed. He knew exactly what an ambitious subordinate would be plotting.
"That waste likely only evolved recently into something that can gnaw on a blade. Even so, he's no match for a Shinigami. Get near Seireitei and he's dead—or limps away half-dead. And with that mutated trick of a body, regression into a mindless mutt seems likely, no? Hahaha! Fitting. Trash should end as trash!"
"And you, Mister Arturo?"
Gin's soft question cut off the gloating laugh.
"What do you mean?!"
"Don't mind me. I'm not mocking you—only curious. The arch-criminal who nearly took Soul Society alone two thousand years ago… how much courage do you have left to stand against it today?"
"...Heh."
Arturo gave Gin a long look.
"I see. You'd use me to crush Soul Society. I can do it. But I'm not at my peak. That much is fact. As for you—a Shinigami who released me and goads me into rebellion—looks like that fossil Yamamoto's lost his grip if his own people slip the leash."
"Don't say that~ The Head Captain's spry as ever. As for you being below peak—I've thought of that too. There's a lovely little thing waiting for you that'll restore you—and push you beyond what you were."
"The Hōgyoku, you mean?" a boy's voice cut in.
"Eh?"
Gin blinked at Hitsugaya Tōshirō stepping from the trees.
"Captain of the Tenth, is it? How long have you been tailing me?"
"Doesn't matter," Tōshirō said, face like ice. He held up a denreishinki. "I recorded your conversation. Not clean audio—but once we take you both in, the truth will come out."
"Take us in…" Gin's mouth twisted. "Captain—there's only one of you. Sure you can handle both of us?"
"He's not that foolish," Arturo sneered. "Short he may be, but he wears the same black you do. Not that bright, though."
He flicked an amused glance toward two women who'd just arrived.
"Just not bright enough."
"C-Captain…"
At the first look from the green-haired, gold-eyed mask-wearer, Isane Kotetsu felt her blood run cold.
"Easy, Isane," said Retsu Unohana, voice soft. Eyes on the field, she added, "Cast Tenteikūra. Tell our entire squad: a high-felon has colluded with a traitor. That alone should keep heads cool… Honestly, I'm tempted to call what Captain Ichimaru did a good thing."
"My, my. The back-line healer at the front lines—bold of you," Gin said, clapping lightly.
The relaxed air stabbed at Tōshirō's worst memories. He throttled the surge of killing intent and asked, cold enough to burn, "Ichimaru—before we start… tell me this. That girl… who killed Lieutenant Hinamori?"
"—!"
The question speared Tōshirō's heart. He gripped his sword and glared at Gin, reiatsu spiking like a storm. But Gin's smile stayed unreadable, as ever.
"You won't believe me… but the girl took her own life."
"What?!"
Tōshirō's pupils shrank. Rage roared up.
"Is that so? Then you won't talk. Fine by me. If I can't sort suspects—I'll cut them all down!"
"Captain Hitsugaya—! Isane!"
Unohana knew reason wouldn't reach him now, so she urged her lieutenant on.
"R-right!"
Isane began Tenteikūra, the high-level binding that captures reiatsu and transmits information to many at once. Those with Kaidō talent rarely lack in kidō.
Arturo simply lifted his hand and made a grasping motion in her direction. The forming lattice of Tenteikūra imploded—more precisely, the spiritons composing the spell went feral.
"Ah—!?"
Isane fell to her backside, terrified.
Unohana and Tōshirō traded grim looks.
"He manipulates spiritons? No… an alternate use of absorption…?"
Either way, she knew in front of this Arrancar, kidō was a non-starter.
"Captain Hitsugaya—where's Vice-Captain Matsumoto?"
"We ran into Kira on the way. She went to intercept him. She's out of touch," Tōshirō ground out.
"Then we get Isane out first and notify the others another way," Unohana decided—just as Arturo moved first.
He released a crushing reiatsu that formed a white, circular arena around them, sealing the three inside.
"Oh~ impressive. How long does this one last?" Gin asked.
"An hour or two. A hunting pit to keep prey from running. Didn't think it'd be useful here…"
Caging two captains and a lieutenant for hours was no small feat, but Arturo only felt shame. Still—so long as he wasn't dragged back, so long as he could regain strength and take revenge on Yamamoto—the shame would only harden his will.
"Let's go. We'll take this 'Hōgyoku' you speak of."
"Just like that? You don't even know what the Hōgyoku is," Gin mused.
"Another divine trinket. I know too well what such things can do. That it could restore me—push me past my best—doesn't surprise me. As for trusting you—don't be ridiculous. I've never had that feeling."
Arturo strode past the tree where Gin perched without looking back.
"I'm indulging you for getting me out. If you don't value the favor of Hueco Mundo's king, I'll kill you. That simple."
"…Mm. Not the kind of subordinate Captain Aizen would enjoy," Gin murmured, feigning a troubled look—then smiled.
"Which is… perfect."
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