A name—one she had been searching for over decades, one that had almost become an obsession.
It lingered on her lips, threatening to slip out uncontrollably.
She had tried searching on her own, tried utilizing the resources of the Fourth Division, but she still couldn't find him.
And now, could Captain Aizen, who stood before her, help?
His brilliance was obvious to all; perhaps he could offer some substantial assistance?
Reason tugged at her, warning that this was inappropriate. This was her private matter, and she shouldn't bother the Captain of the Fifth Division with it.
But the deep-seated yearning in her heart ultimately overpowered her reservations.
She took a deep breath, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the fabric of her cuffs, her voice a few pitches lower than before. "Captain Aizen... actually, there is one thing, but it's a personal matter..."
"I am looking for someone, or rather, a soul... For many years, I haven't been able to find any trace of him."
The gentle expression on Aizen's face remained entirely unchanged. He looked at her attentively, like a teacher listening to a student's troubles.
"Oh? What kind of soul has you so concerned?"
"A wandering soul..." Shinobu Kocho's thoughts seemed to transcend time and space, returning to the Butterfly Mansion filled with the scent of medicinal herbs, back to that clumsy figure. "His name is Asuka. He should have been... born in the Inuzuri District of the Rukongai. He is a very special person..."
She briefly described Asuka's appearance and personality, but out of safety concerns, she hid the fact that he possessed a Zanpakuto.
As the Sixth Seat of the Fourth Division, she already knew that Asauchi were standard issue from the Seireitei. As for why Asuka had one... she didn't know, so it was best not to cause unnecessary complications.
"Captain Aizen, you... are highly knowledgeable and have a wide network. I want to know if he has already... completely dissipated and returned to the cycle of Reishi? Or has he already reincarnated?"
She spoke the last few words with extreme difficulty, exhausting all her strength.
The warm smile on Aizen's face seemed to stagnate for a fraction of a second.
It was incredibly brief—so brief it was almost imperceptible.
He lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze falling on his folded hands. His glasses reflected two small, impenetrable patches of white light, perfectly concealing the turbulent waves deep within his eyes.
When he raised his eyes again, his gentle smile had returned to normal. "Asuka... the Inuzuri District... that is the area where you requested to establish the clinic, isn't it?"
Aizen's voice was deep and slow, as if dredging the name up from the deep sea of his memories.
"That is indeed a somewhat chaotic area with a frequent flow of souls..." He frowned slightly. "This name... I have no impression of it at the moment."
"The Soul Society is so vast, and the trajectories of souls' fates are erratic."
"Searching for a soul that has been missing for many years is like finding a needle in a haystack... Miss Kocho, your persistence is moving. If he knew of your feelings, I believe he would be deeply grateful."
Aizen's words soothed Shinobu's anxiety. "How about this: I will have the Fifth Division keep an extra eye out for the name 'Asuka' and his related traits during our daily intelligence gathering and Rukongai patrols."
"Although I cannot guarantee any results, if there are any clues, I will notify you immediately."
"Thank you... thank you so much, Captain Aizen!" Shinobu hadn't expected such a solemn response. A warm current of mixed gratitude and hope surged in her heart.
She immediately stood up and bowed deeply in respect.
"There is no need for such formalities, Miss Kocho." Aizen's soft voice drifted over. "Helping a troubled comrade is simply part of my duty. I hope to bring you good news soon."
The heavy door of the Captain's office closed silently after Shinobu left, isolating the space within from the outside.
Shinobu felt a genuine sense of joy.
Captain Aizen was indeed as understanding as ever. If she had known, she would have come to him sooner.
'Asuka... I hope I can see you again...'
At this thought, Shinobu put away her documents and hurried toward the Rukongai.
"I have to tell Mr. Gyomei and the others this good news..."
Inside the room, Sosuke Aizen maintained his posture—hands folded and body leaning back slightly—like a frozen sculpture.
"Hah... this is truly, this is truly..."
Even for someone as calm as him, the gaze behind his glasses couldn't help but grow excited.
"Shinobu Kocho, Shinobu Kocho..."
He kept repeating the name, frantically searching through every shred of his memory.
Demon Slayer Corps, Insect Hashira, human, Breathing Styles...
He quickly retrieved these terms and matched them against the Sixth Seat of the Fourth Division he knew so well, his body trembling involuntarily.
"No wonder... no wonder a girl who appeared out of nowhere in the Rukongai would have such an outstanding foundation in swordsmanship..."
"Is the powerful spiritual power within you a result of Number 78's influence... Asuka? Is his name Asuka?"
"But why is it that you have been in the Soul Society for over seventy years... while Asuka only appeared a few days ago? What did you encounter in the Dangai?"
Aizen's fingers continuously tapped against the back of his hand, as if trying to untangle the train of thought in his mind.
"Or is this the risk of crossing into another world? Time becomes chaotic? Ah... there are truly too many mysteries surrounding you, Number 78, Asuka..."
The eyes behind the glasses had already shed all their disguised warmth, leaving only a bottomless frenzy.
"Asuka... Asuka..." Low murmurs, like sleep talking, continuously escaped his lips.
"...Wait a little longer, just wait and see." He forced himself to calm down, casting his gaze toward the distant sky.
"...This detestable Throne in the Sky, compared to an even vaster world..."
The World of the Living, Karakura Town.
*Ding—*
Behind the counter, Kisuke Urahara tapped the tip of his fan against the beckoning cat. "Order number seven, Asuka. The address is Naruki City, Chohara 3-chome, 'Inspiration Fortune Telling Shop'."
At this moment, Asuka was wearing a navy blue apron printed with the words "Urahara Shop." Facing the afternoon sun, he stuffed a wooden box labeled 'Special Spirit-Repelling Incense' into the cardboard box on the back of his bicycle.
Hearing Kisuke Urahara's voice, his brow twitched. "I say... I haven't even finished the last order, why are you assigning another one?"
Urahara smiled, his eyes narrowing into slits, as he handed over the receipt and brought over a clay pot plastered with a talisman.
"The capable do more work! Have a safe trip!"
Asuka pushed the bike out the door, the rusty chain clicking and clacking.
This was his daily routine now, responsible for delivering goods for the shady merchant every day.
According to the shady merchant, his Spiritual Pressure had suffered a catastrophic collapse that night, and he had almost died.
Until he could properly balance the Spiritual Pressure in his body, Urahara had no intention of letting him out of the Gigai.
"What an unreliable guy..." Asuka muttered.
He had also tried sinking into his mind to communicate with the inner existence and Nugata, but those two had stopped talking again. He had no idea what they were up to...
He recalled the battle that night and the words of the black-haired young man.
Could it be that being knocked out of the Dangai really caused them that much damage? So much so that they still hadn't recovered?
On the sweltering streets, the bicycle tires rolled over the sun-softened asphalt.
When the red light came on, Asuka stopped in front of a convenience store. The glass reflected his figure, clad in a cheap World of the Living T-shirt—
His black hair was messy, and dark circles shadowed his eyes, overlapping with the glamorous smile of the celebrity spokesperson on the window poster to form an absurd collage.
"Whatever, at least I'm still alive."
"I just don't know... I don't know if Shinobu is really in the Soul Society..."
He pushed down hard on the pedals, and the bicycle shot forward with a whoosh.