West Great Holy Wall
The atmosphere grew heavier by the second, as the rapidly escalating spiritual pressures clashed in silence.
The air itself seemed to vibrate with danger.
Just when the tension reached its breaking point, a commanding voice sliced through the quiet.
"What are you all doing?!"
Cold yet dignified, the voice came from behind the two men.
Guided by two members of the Ninth Division, Byakuya Kuchiki arrived at the scene.
The moment his eyes caught the two figures facing off, he immediately raised his voice to halt their actions.
"Wait—!"
Byakuya's sharp gaze then shifted upward—and froze.
There, hanging lifelessly from the wall of a high tower, was Tōsen Kaname.
His expression was blank, limbs limp, scarlet blood trailing down the pristine white stone beneath him.
The scene before them painted the very picture of despair.
"Captain Tōsen…"
Byakuya's pupils contracted, though he quickly suppressed his surprise.
As head of the Kuchiki Clan—one of the Four Great Noble Houses—he was responsible for upholding and enforcing the laws of the Soul Society.
In certain situations, his authority even surpassed that of an ordinary captain.
At this moment, he was the only one still thinking clearly.
Both Komamura Sajin and Hisagi Shūhei stood frozen, their minds overwhelmed by grief and disbelief.
Byakuya spoke coldly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"We will wait for the other captains to arrive. I've already sent word to summon all captains and lieutenants."
---
Fourth Division Barracks
When Shimo heard the news, his usually composed face betrayed a flicker of shock.
"Captain Tōsen… is dead?"
"This kind of thing…"
He didn't finish the thought. In the next instant, his body blurred—vanishing into a flash step.
As the only person in the Gotei 13 unaffected by Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu, Shimo decided to investigate the scene himself.
---
Back at the West Great Holy Wall, the standoff between Komamura and Hisagi had only intensified.
Even Byakuya, who stood guard between them, began to feel the strain.
If they started fighting here, he would be forced to release his Zanpakutō completely.
Several strong spiritual pressures began to converge on the scene.
When Byakuya sensed a familiar one approaching, he finally exhaled softly.
"He's here. That should prevent this from escalating."
Shimo appeared at his side, calm yet alert.
"What's the situation?"
His eyes swept across the tower—and then widened slightly.
Something wasn't right.
"Wait… Why is Captain Tōsen's body hanging from the wall?"
Shimo's mind sharpened. Drawing upon his unique ability, he invoked time reversal—the same technique he once used to purge Kyōka Suigetsu's illusion from himself.
He expected to see a plain white wall, or perhaps a sword impaled through it.
Instead, what he saw left him unsettled.
Byakuya's voice broke his focus.
"I don't know the full details. But from what I've gathered, Lieutenant Hisagi believes Komamura may have been responsible for Tōsen's death."
Shimo didn't respond. His gaze remained locked on the hanging figure, spiritual pressure gathering in his eyes.
When his power flared, faint black lines appeared across Tōsen's body—intricate, web-like patterns tracing over the skin.
The lowered head, the dripping blood—it all seemed too lifelike.
Shimo frowned.
What is this? Why does his corpse bear spiritual circuit markings?
Then, something clicked in his mind.
"The Shared Soul Barrier…"
His eyes flashed with realization. Could this be the effect of that new ability?
When he had first obtained the technique, he had tried entering his Zanpakutō's inner world through meditation.
But the Staircase of Time within remained impassable. The ability's true nature had eluded him—until now.
He hadn't expected to see its manifestation here.
Though he didn't yet understand the full picture, one thing was clear: Tōsen's body was not what it seemed.
Shimo nodded, speaking quietly to Byakuya.
"Looks like we'll have to leave this one to professionals."
Byakuya gave him a brief look, faintly puzzled by his composure, but didn't question him further.
He trusted Shimo completely.
Moments later, the captains began to arrive one after another.
Once the situation was assessed, Tōsen's body was carefully taken down from the tower, and the two lieutenants were separated.
"Komamura Sajin! I'll be watching you!"
Hisagi's voice was cold and sharp as steel.
"Until the real killer is found!"
Komamura's voice rumbled with pain, yet his tone held unshaken conviction.
"I'll be waiting. Because I know I didn't do it."
Their words hung in the air as Shimo considered everything he had heard.
"So, last night, Captain Tōsen went to visit Komamura for a private conversation?"
Byakuya nodded, sighing.
"That's what they both said. But I don't know Tōsen well enough to confirm whether he made a habit of such visits."
He shook his head slightly.
"Their exchange seemed simple—nothing particularly meaningful."
Shimo's mind, however, was already forming a hypothesis.
"Bring Captain Tōsen's body to the Fourth Division barracks. Captain Unohana and I will examine it ourselves."
---
Fourth Division Medical Hall
The invasion of the Ryoka had pushed the Fourth Division back into chaos.
Medics rushed through the corridors, wheeling stretchers and hauling medical supplies from one room to another.
When Tōsen's body was brought into the medical chamber, Shimo stood before the door and raised a hand.
"Everyone, please wait outside. Captain Unohana and I will determine the cause of death."
The gathered captains exchanged glances but complied.
This fell under the Fourth Division's jurisdiction, after all.
Shimo's eyes scanned the crowd.
He noted the absence of Mayuri Kurotsuchi—which was, perhaps, for the best. Otherwise, that eccentric scientist would have caused a scene.
...
Inside the room, Unohana Retsu was already waiting.
"Let's begin," she said softly, glancing at Kotetsu Isane beside her.
What followed was not for the faint of heart.
To determine the true cause of death, they had to perform a full autopsy.
Over half an hour later, the room returned to its pristine state—restored effortlessly by Unohana's mastery over healing Kidō.
Shimo, who had been observing closely, now understood both the purpose of the Shared Soul Barrier and the secret behind Tōsen's body.
To the naked eye, it appeared perfectly normal—but under Shimo's gaze, he saw traces of artificial tampering.
And from those patterns, he knew one thing for certain:
"This body… was created by Aizen."
Only someone capable of forging the Hōgyoku could possess such a level of mastery over spiritual reconstruction.
Perhaps only Urahara Kisuke could match him in that domain.
But why would Aizen go to such lengths?
If he could already manipulate perception through Kyōka Suigetsu, wasn't that enough?
What was his true goal here?
Shimo frowned, deep in thought.
Unohana noticed immediately.
"Shimo-kun," she said gently, her voice like calm water, "is something troubling you?"
Her tone washed the tension from the room.
Shimo smiled faintly and shook his head.
"Just thinking… what kind of power could kill a captain of the Gotei 13 without alerting anyone? Even Captain-Commander Yamamoto shouldn't be able to do that."
Unohana's eyes softened.
"No. The Head Captain's abilities wouldn't allow for such an incident. From the wounds, Tōsen's soul link and soul core were both destroyed, and his heart suffered a fatal blow. In truth, he appears to have been assassinated."
Shimo's eyes glimmered.
Even Unohana didn't notice the fabrication…
That makes sense. Without the Shared Soul Barrier, I wouldn't have seen it either.
He had tested the ability earlier, turning it on Unohana and Isane—yet saw nothing unusual.
Thus, he concluded that the Shared Soul Barrier must have limits: it cannot analyze living beings.
What it could do, however, was reveal the true nature of non-living constructs—like the residual spiritual energy circuits left in Aizen's imitation of Tōsen's body.
Shimo shook his head, dismissing further speculation for now.
"Let the captains in."
---
Moments later, the medical room filled with figures.
All captains were present except Kenpachi Zaraki, still pursuing the Ryoka; Mayuri Kurotsuchi, whose whereabouts were unknown; and Ukitake Jūshirō, resting in his quarters.
The death of a captain had shaken the entire Seireitei to its core.
The atmosphere in the room was suffocating—like the eye of a spiritual storm.
Shimo's gaze found Aizen in the crowd.
His expression seemed tinged with grief, but the gentle composure in his demeanor was as immaculate as ever.
Shimo's eyes narrowed slightly.
Unohana lowered her gaze and spoke softly.
"After thorough examination, this body has been confirmed as genuine. There are no signs of substitution or forgery.
Captain Tōsen Kaname of the Ninth Division—officially confirmed deceased."
The grief that followed was palpable.
No one looked more shattered than Hisagi Shūhei, whose mentor had guided him through life.
Tears welled at the edges of his eyes as his fists clenched tight, every muscle straining to suppress his emotions.
Unohana continued gently:
"From the nature of the wounds, Captain Tōsen was likely killed in an ambush—by someone he trusted."
The air vibrated.
Hisagi's spiritual energy exploded uncontrollably, flooding the room.
Eyes wide with fury, he shouted—
"Komamura Sajin!"
Shimo's brow furrowed sharply.
"This is the medical ward. Suppressing your reiryoku is mandatory!"
Hisagi hesitated, then forced his pressure back down—but the hatred in his bloodshot eyes remained.
Unohana looked around, her calm restoring order.
"For now, this matter will be handed over to the Central 46. Once the Ryoka affair is settled, they will decide the Ninth Division's leadership."
She bowed her head slightly.
"Everyone, return to your posts. The battle continues."
...
The captains dispersed one by one.
As Shimo exited the infirmary, his eyes drifted south—toward the direction of the Thirteenth Division barracks.
A faint spark of orange spiritual energy flickered at the edge of his perception.
He smiled faintly.
"So… that's Kurosaki Ichigo's spiritual pressure, huh?"
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