4th Division, General Treatment Facility.
"A Quincy, and someone using some kind of strange technique…" Mayuri Kurotsuchi stood beside Jirōbō Ikkanzaka's bed, tapping his forehead with the long black nail on his right middle finger. "A Quincy… a rare specimen. It's been years since I last saw a living one."
"Captain… my body…" Jirōbō Ikkanzaka looked utterly wretched. The source of his Reiryoku, [Hakusui], and the propulsive [Saketsu] had been destroyed. He would lose his Reiryoku, falling from a Shinigami to an ordinary soul.
"It's just [Hakusui] and [Saketsu]. I'll install new ones for you later, ne~" Mayuri Kurotsuchi didn't bother looking at him again as he turned and headed for the next ward.
A black-haired girl with straight bangs followed behind him, expressionless. She was tall and slim, a red collar circling her neck. Her long hair was tied into a whip-like braid that swayed as she walked.
Unlike the loose Shihakushō most Shinigami wore, hers was cut more like a black pencil skirt. A wide white obi cinched her narrow waist, emphasizing the fullness of her chest, and the hem exposed a stretch of smooth, pale thigh.
Lieutenant of the 12th Division—Nemu Kurotsuchi.
"Madarame," Mayuri Kurotsuchi ordered the bandage-wrapped Ikkaku Madarame on the bed, "tell me what you know about the Ryoka."
Ikkaku Madarame snorted. Other people might fear Mayuri Kurotsuchi, but as the 3rd Seat of the combat-focused 11th Division, he wasn't about to grovel to some lab rat. "Go find out yourself."
Bang!
A perfectly round hole suddenly appeared in the wall. Mayuri Kurotsuchi lowered his hand. "From that attitude, it sounds like you don't want to talk, hmm?"
"N-no… you can't do that, Captain of the 12th Division!" A 4th Division nurse in a pink uniform hurried over at the noise. "Quasi-combat actions are prohibited inside the facility—"
She didn't even get to finish. The doorframe beside her blew apart with a violent crack.
"Shut up!" Mayuri Kurotsuchi snapped, already seething.
Nemu Kurotsuchi spoke quietly. "Mayuri-sama…"
"You shut up too, Nemu!" Mayuri Kurotsuchi's eyes turned vicious. "Do you want to be taken apart again?"
"I deeply apologize…" Nemu Kurotsuchi said, face still blank.
Ikkaku Madarame flicked his gaze aside. He'd heard rumors that the 12th Division captain was a complete pervert, but they'd never had much contact. Seeing him in person now, "pervert" didn't even begin to cover it.
Not wanting to drag innocent people into this, Ikkaku Madarame reluctantly added, "It's not that I won't tell you. I really don't know anything."
"Hah?" Mayuri Kurotsuchi gave a cold laugh. "You lost without getting a single scrap of intel?"
"Yeah. I didn't see what they looked like, and I didn't hear their voice," Ikkaku Madarame said, as dismissive as he could manage. "I closed my eyes, opened them, and I was here."
"Then I suppose I'll have to use a few methods to help you 'remember,'" Mayuri Kurotsuchi said, lifting his gray-black hand. "After all, it's your fault for forgetting everything…"
"Ah~" A clear, airy voice drifted in. "I thought some little animal was making a mess of the 4th Division. So it's Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi."
Mayuri Kurotsuchi turned and saw Retsu Unohana stepping inside. "What, you didn't go save Hisagi, the one who was gravely injured by the criminal Muten Natsu, ne? Or did he already die here in the 4th Division, Squad Captain?"
"This is a general treatment facility, not your laboratory," Retsu Unohana replied with a gentle smile. "No one will die just because you're here."
"Looks like there's a problem with my memory backup." Mayuri Kurotsuchi tapped his head. "Muten Natsu stayed in the 4th Division for a long time, but you killed him… ah, my mistake, ne. He didn't die. Still, even if the one you 'killed' didn't die, and the one who didn't die went on to kill people, that can't be pinned on the 4th Division. Right, 4th Division Captain?"
"As head of the Research and Development Institute, and also taking on part of the Captain-Commander's workload, Director Mayuri must be working so hard…" Retsu Unohana's smile softened further, her tone light as a feather. "Ah, I misspoke. Research and Development Institute… second Director."
Mayuri Kurotsuchi's gaze sank into something dark and ugly. "You…"
Before he could finish, the Captain-Commander's summons arrived.
No matter how urgent anything else was, they had to assemble with the Captain-Commander first.
"The situation is critical!" Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto brought his cane down with a heavy pause. "The Gotei 13 has already lost a Lieutenant. Muten Natsu has regained his original strength. It is no longer appropriate to leave this mission to the lower ranks."
His eyes swept across Gin Ichimaru and Retsu Unohana. "As for punishment, we will discuss it after the Ryoka matter is resolved."
Gin Ichimaru kept his familiar smile. "Much obliged."
Mayuri Kurotsuchi shot Retsu Unohana a sideways look and snorted.
"All seated officers, including lieutenants, are to carry their Zanpakutō at all times within the Seireitei. You are also authorized to fully release them in battle. Return and relay this to anyone absent." Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto opened his eyes, voice low and heavy. "Everyone… a full-scale war may be about to begin."
It sounded like an overreaction—until you remembered what Muten Natsu had done in the Seireitei back then.
The gathered Shinigami wore different expressions. "Full release" meant the captains would be permitted to unleash the overwhelming destruction of Bankai.
From this point on, the operation would no longer be centered on searching with regular squad members.
The captains themselves would be going all out.
"Captain of the 4th Division…" As they filed out of the meeting room, Mayuri Kurotsuchi called after her. "Are you going to personally cut down Muten Natsu this time too?"
"If it's necessary," Retsu Unohana said, tilting her head slightly. "Not everyone has the ability to do it, after all. Don't you agree, second Director of the Research and Development Institute?"
"It's not just ability. It's intent." Mayuri Kurotsuchi turned his eyes toward the 9th Division Captain, Kaname Tōsen. "Isn't that right, Captain Tōsen?"
The one who had been gravely wounded by Muten Natsu—Shūhei Hisagi—was Kaname Tōsen's Lieutenant.
"There's no need to try provoking me with words like that," Kaname Tōsen replied. Behind his dark glasses, his blind eyes remained closed, yet he saw through Mayuri Kurotsuchi's aim with ease. "Shūhei still has a long road ahead on the path of justice. Setbacks are inevitable."
"Shūhei fulfilled his duty as a Lieutenant and did everything he could to stop the Ryoka. Even if he failed, I will not act rashly out of personal grievance."
The 9th Division was the prison unit. The more chaotic things became, the more tightly they had to guard criminals, to keep dangerous people from breaking out.
Kaname Tōsen truly didn't have time to go searching for the Ryoka the way other captains could.
"Hmph." Having his little jab exposed so plainly, Mayuri Kurotsuchi clicked his tongue and looked away, fixing his gaze on a towering figure close to three meters tall. "And you, Captain of the 7th Division? I just went to see your division's Jirōbō Ikkanzaka. Looks like he won't be a Shinigami much longer, ne."
Captain of the 7th Division of the Inner Court Guard—Sajin Komamura.
He stood there like a wall. Unlike the other captains, his head was covered by a bucket-like mask. Iron armor plated his shoulders and arms, gauntlets covered his hands, and even his legs were wrapped in metal. Not a single patch of skin showed.
"Jirōbō has shortcomings in his character," Sajin Komamura said, his voice muffled from inside the mask. "It may be for the best that he won't be a Shinigami anymore. One wrong step, and disaster follows."
"One after another, no one wants to do any work, ne. That's the Gotei 13 these days," Mayuri Kurotsuchi muttered, bored with the lack of reaction. "Fine then. Once we catch the Ryoka, no matter how I deal with them, if any of you so much as say one extra word—"
"Muten Natsu has already entered the Inner Court," Sajin Komamura cut in, ignoring him completely. "Whether it's duty, or for my friend's sake, I will carry out Genryūsai-dono's order and bring him to justice."
He turned slightly toward Retsu Unohana.
"Retsu Unohana-dono, please forgive me. I won't be holding back."
The "friend" Sajin Komamura meant was Kaname Tōsen.
They had known each other since they were young, and after entering the Seireitei, they had served together for years. Their bond ran deep.
Now Kaname Tōsen was tied up with his duties, and with Shūhei Hisagi gravely injured and unconscious, he was even less able to leave his post. As his friend, Sajin Komamura couldn't just stand by.
And with Muten Natsu now labeled a Ryoka and openly invading the Inner Court, Sajin Komamura had every reason—public and private—to capture him.
"I'm going to check on the 13th Division Captain," Retsu Unohana said, walking off as if the others weren't there. "He seems weaker than usual this time. I only hope his condition doesn't worsen."
The 13th Division barracks lay on the outskirts. Compared with the other divisions, their grounds were lush and green.
To soothe their frail captain, Jūshirō Ukitake—who was often bedridden—the squad members planted trees and flowers whenever they had time. Over the years, it had grown into a sea of blooms, to the point that even Shinigami from other divisions would come out of their way to admire it.
At the very back, beyond a long corridor untouched by the bustle, a separate residence sat in the middle of a pond, surrounded by bamboo groves.
The 13th Division's main chamber—Ugendō.
"So much has happened while I've been laid up…" Jūshirō Ukitake's white hair fell over his shoulders. He accepted the hot tea a seated officer offered him and let the steam moisten his dry eyes before letting out a long sigh. "When I learned Rukia had been imprisoned, I petitioned the Central 46, but no one paid any attention."
"Rukia… Muten…" His lips moved faintly, his expression heavy. "When Kaien died, I questioned the Central 46 then, too. There was no way Muten could have been the one who killed Kaien. I begged them to give me more time to investigate, but later…"
Later, before the investigation could reach any conclusion, Muten Natsu escaped from prison and slaughtered large numbers of the Noble Guard—along with several members of the nobility themselves.
Even if it were proven that Kaien hadn't been killed by Muten Natsu… it wouldn't matter anymore.
Retsu Unohana accepted the tea another seated officer offered her and gave the blond female officer a faint smile. "Don't you think what's happening now feels a little… familiar?"
"You mean, like back then…"
"If it were simply the same," Retsu Unohana said, lowering her gaze, "then the outcome wouldn't change much."
"But if the outcome doesn't change… Muten will make a scene."
"Muten…" Jūshirō Ukitake rubbed the back of his head. He knew Muten Natsu's temperament all too well.
Back when Muten Natsu was in the 4th Division, he often helped deliver medicine to Ukitake.
He was still young then, and every time he came by, Ukitake would stuff a huge pile of candy into his hands.
The next time, Muten Natsu showed up with Rukia Kuchiki in tow.
So Ukitake gave them two huge piles of candy.
After a few visits like that, the two of them grew familiar with the 13th Division's Lieutenant at the time—Kaien Shiba.
After Muten Natsu and Rukia Kuchiki graduated from the Shin'ō Academy and became Shinigami, Kaien Shiba would guide them whenever they visited, helping them improve their skills.
It didn't take long to see how different they were.
Rukia Kuchiki was serious and diligent. If she couldn't learn something, she'd keep at it again and again until she finally got it.
Muten Natsu was casual about it. If something didn't click, he'd set it aside for the time being. Then, later on, once he'd reached a deeper understanding, he'd suddenly be able to use what he hadn't grasped before as if it had never been a problem.
When it came to something especially difficult, Rukia Kuchiki would keep trying until she'd failed enough times to recognize the limit, then calmly give it up and look for other ways to make up for that weakness.
But if Muten Natsu's understanding went off in the wrong direction, he would get visibly irritated—like a bad case of waking up on the wrong side of the bed. And once that mood took hold, his behavior became noticeably extreme.
Just as Retsu Unohana had said, if this ended the same way it had last time, then Muten Natsu's actions would be even more excessive than before.
Last time, he had killed the Central 46.
So this time… who would he kill?
Kill the Central 46 again?
He wouldn't stop there. He'd kill more.
"I can understand how he thinks," Jūshirō Ukitake said, gathering his slightly messy white hair back into place. "He believed the problem was the Central 46, so he killed them. Now something similar is happening again. Anyone would be annoyed."
"It's like you already paid for something, and then someone tells you to pay again," he added with a weary sigh. "Looks like we need to prepare ahead of time this time."
"Last time, Muten nearly destroyed Sōkyoku…" Retsu Unohana sipped her tea, her tone pointed. "Nearly."
Jūshirō Ukitake's eyes shifted. "I wonder where Muten is right now."
...
Pitch-black spirit ink peeled off the blade and splashed across the Shinigami in front.
The force packed into it slammed him backward, sending him crashing into the Shinigami behind him.
The thick spirit ink hit exposed skin and immediately began to corrode it.
As screams rang out, Muten Natsu plunged into the crowd, Bokukō carving through them without restraint, drawing even more cries of pain.
"11th Division, Tenth Seat, Ara—ah!" The mustached Shinigami didn't even finish introducing himself before spirit ink blasted him off his feet.
Muten Natsu had planned to keep moving through the sewers, but after running all day, he needed to surface and find something to eat.
Unfortunately, a group of Shinigami had thought of the same thing.
With no other option, Muten Natsu drew his sword and fought.
A faint glow shimmered over his left hand. As more Shinigami were injured, the spirit ink corroded their spirit bodies, and the reishi that scattered from them mixed with his own reiatsu.
Compared to the reishi in the air, it was far easier to absorb.