Chapter 253
Soi-Fon clenched her teeth tightly, her heart filled with hatred strong enough to crush her enemies.
Although she appeared cold and unshakable on the surface, deep down she was fragile. Ever since her mentor, Shihouin Yoruichi, had left without saying goodbye, the one person she could rely on had vanished. To take up the mantle as Captain of the Second Division and Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō, she had forced herself to adopt the image of someone ruthless and untouchable.
At that moment, one of the operatives from the Onmitsukidō reported urgently, "Captain! Although Zaraki Kenpachi-taichō and Kuchiki Byakuya-taichō were gravely injured by the enemy, thanks to the intervention of Captain Yuta, their conditions have stabilized. They'll be able to return to the battlefield soon!"
It was, at least, some small relief amid the chaos.
"Fortunately... Yuta is here," Soi-Fon thought, allowing that fact to soothe her for the briefest moment. Without him, the Gotei 13 might have already collapsed under the weight of so many disasters.
As she pondered this, Yuta suddenly appeared in the doorway. The sight of him caused her to move forward almost instinctively until she stood beside him. In the next instant, she stepped into his arms and held on tightly as tears welled in her eyes.
Yuta gently patted her back to comfort her. "Don't worry," he said softly. "I'm here now. Everything will be fine."
While speaking to her, he raised his head toward the others gathered before him. "Genryūsai-dono wouldn't want to see you mourning," he said firmly. "Afterall, the Gotei 13 doesn't exist to grieve for one man-it exists to protect Soul Society."
Komamura Sajin stood apart from the others, silently processing those words. Out of everyone present, he had been the most shaken by Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's death. If anyone embodied loyalty and righteousness, it was Komamura Sajin.
Toward Tōsen Kaname, he had been righteous.
Toward Yamamoto Genryūsai, he had been loyal.
Toward the Gotei 13 itself, he had been both loyal and righteous in measure.
Even his appearance-a lupine warrior-symbolized unwavering fidelity and honor. The kindness Genryūsai had shown him made his death unbearable, filling Komamura with fury and grief so intense it threatened to consume him.
"Bang!"
His massive fist slammed into the nearby wall, leaving behind a cratered hole.
"But our Bankai were stolen!" he roared. "How are we supposed to avenge Genryūsai-dono now?"
"Don't worry," Yuta replied calmly. "I've already thought of a way to reclaim your Bankai."
Soi-Fon wiped her tears quickly and placed her hands on Yuta's chest for balance. She suddenly realized everyone around was watching and flushed slightly, stepping back to compose herself before asking curiously, "What method do you have in mind to recover our Bankai?"
"Have you ever wondered," Yuta began evenly, "why the Quincy must completely destroy Hollows instead of simply purifying them?"
Silence blanketed the room as everyone exchanged muted glances. None of them seemed to have truly considered that question before.
At that same moment, Kyōraku Shunsui approached the barracks of the First Division. Standing in the doorway, he took in the sight of Yuta surrounded by the other captains and felt some measure of relief settle over his chest.
Though Genryūsai was gone, Yuta remained-and where Yuta stood, hope seemed to follow. The man who had once defeated Aizen Sōsuke had returned to lead once again. Shunsui's expression softened faintly into the ghost of a smile.
He listened as Yuta continued to speak about reclaiming Bankai. The idea alone made his heart race with anticipation.
Hitsugaya Tōshirō finally broke the silence. "Isn't it because the Quincies' relatives were devoured by Hollows?" he asked. "They resent them so much that they want to wipe them out completely-to erase that hatred forever?"
Tōshirō's tone carried frustration. He had trained without rest since the Aizen incident, honing his Bankai endlessly, only to have it stripped from him in mere moments. The power he had worked so desperately for had been rendered useless overnight.
Kyōraku frowned thoughtfully. "Your reasoning makes sense at first glance," he said. "However, it doesn't hold up entirely. If the Quincies only wanted vengeance for their loved ones, they'd seek out the individual Hollows responsible-not annihilate them as an entire species."
"From the Quincies' point of view," he continued, "they likely don't desire war itself. If Hollows avoided devouring their kind, there'd be no reason for the Quincies to initiate extermination on this scale."
Yuta nodded. "Exactly," he said. "There's another reason. The power of Hollows is lethal to the Quincies. Their bodies reject it completely-it's poisonous to them. That's why they view Hollows as abominations that must be erased."
He glanced over the group steadily. "Which means if we temporarily infuse your reiryoku with traces of Hollow energy, your Bankai will carry that same resonance. When the enemy tries to use your Bankai, the Hollow corruption will affect them directly, forcing them to return it."
Kyōraku clapped his hands together lightly. "As expected of Yuta-taichō," he said with admiration. "You solved what had us stumped for days in just a few sentences."
Ukitake Jūshirō smiled faintly along with the others, some measure of hope rekindled in their eyes. If they could reclaim their Bankai, then they could stand again against the Quincies without hesitation. Yuta's words had lit new determination within them, banishing some of the heaviness that had lingered since their defeat.
Ukitake stepped forward, bowing his head respectfully. "Yuta," he said sincerely, "we owe you for saving Soul Society once again."
Komamura nodded firmly beside him. "Yuta," he said, "whatever you do next-you'll have my full support."
Yuta studied him for a moment in silence. He knew how easily anger could blind Komamura, just as it had once blinded Tōsen Kaname. In time, Komamura might find himself walking that same path if he couldn't control his grief. Yet Yuta hoped that man-so loyal and steadfast-could one day find peace beyond vengeance.
For now, however, there was work to be done.
Yuta reached into his haori and pulled out a small cloth bag, handing it to Komamura.
Komamura accepted it with curious eyes. "What's this?" he asked.
"Dog food," Yuta said simply.
Komamura glanced inside to see small black pellets that gave off a faint, earthy aroma.
Yuta's expression remained calm as he added, "You're part wolf, so I thought you could use some extra strength."
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