"Is it over!?"
Matsumoto Rangiku stood frozen in place, the Danku barrier in front of her already dissipating.
The radiance that had just purified everything still left an afterimage on her retinas. She stared blankly at the figure standing with his blade drawn amidst the fading light. The victory had been so swift and absolute that it left her in a daze.
"Yes, it's over," Suō Tsukasa said calmly. The light from Dawn receded, and he sheathed the blade in his hand.
The surrounding ground had been purified to a depth of exactly one inch, leaving behind nothing but a layer of clean soil. If Metastacia could have survived an attack of that magnitude, Tsukasa would have knelt on the spot and kowtowed to it out of sheer respect for such stubborn vitality.
"Here, your sword."
Tsukasa stepped forward to pick up the Zanpakuto that had been revealed after the Hollow's remains were purified. He turned and handed it back to Matsumoto Rangiku.
Although he wasn't clear on the principle behind the technique Metastacia used to make Haineko disappear earlier, it gave him a sensation somewhat similar to the methods used by the Quincies of the Wandenreich in the later arcs. If he hadn't been so wary of its parasitic fusion ability, Tsukasa truly would have wanted to conduct a proper study of its spirit core.
"Thank you."
Rangiku took it instinctively. Her fingertips touched the slightly warm hilt, and the familiar grip pulled her back slightly from her state of shock.
"You're welcome. Let's go check the cave; everything is fine here."
Tsukasa gave a slight smile and turned to walk toward the cave entrance. The moonlight fell upon his straight back, casting a long shadow on the ground.
"Coming!"
She bit her lip, pushing aside the stray thoughts in her mind. She hurried to follow him, the ground beneath her feet feeling firm, bringing with it a newfound sense of stability. The clamor of the battlefield returned to silence, leaving only the faint sound of the night wind rustling through their Shihakusho.
At the cave entrance, Shiba Kaien watched the two approaching figures.
His eyes met Tsukasa's, and he broke into a bright, satisfied grin. He had watched the entire battle from start to finish. Tsukasa and the others had their fight, while his duty was to stand here and fulfill the protective task entrusted to him. Even when he sensed Metastacia's spiritual pressure exploding frantically at the end, his feet hadn't moved an inch.
Because he trusted them.
"Good work. Are you alright?"
Kaien stepped out of his defensive stance as if he had just completed a routine sentry duty. He looked at Tsukasa with concern to confirm his condition.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Tsukasa nodded in response.
The second-stage application of Dawn consumed far more spiritual pressure than expected; at this moment, he felt a slight sense of emptiness.
"Go on inside. Toshiro did a great job; the seated officer's condition has stabilized."
Kaien stepped aside to clear the entrance. Tsukasa led Rangiku into the cave.
The interior was thick with the scent of damp earth and heavy blood. A soft glow lit up at Tsukasa's fingertips, dispelling the darkness and illuminating the entire cavern. The space wasn't very large; the rocky walls were rough and covered in marks left by erosion and scratching. Bloodstains and fragments of clothing were scattered across the floor. With the help of the light, one could take in the entire cave with just a glance.
Toshiro was on one side of the cave, kneeling on the ground with his back to the entrance. Beside him lay the rescued officer. Hearing footsteps, he turned his head slightly.
"Tsukasa. Vice-Captain Matsumoto."
Toshiro offered a simple greeting, his voice carrying the relaxation that follows exhaustion. Tsukasa stepped closer, his gaze falling upon the wounded man.
The officer looked quite young, his face still holding the greenness of one who had not yet been tempered. Many of the wounds on his body had already been treated by Toshiro using Kaido. What was heart-wrenching were his limbs, which were missing to varying degrees, bearing clear marks of being gnawed upon.
Regardless, he had survived. Though extremely weak, his vital signs were stable. In the Soul Society, as long as the Saketsu and Hakusui were intact, there was always a way to mend physical damage.
Seemingly sensing the change in light and the approaching figures, the officer struggled to open his eyes. Seeing a familiar face, tears welled up as he choked out a sob.
"Vice-Captain... Matsumoto."
"We... fought to the end. Please... take them back to the squad... with you."
By the time he finished, he closed his eyes in pain. He didn't break down; he simply made his request in a low, persistent whisper. His voice was hoarse, and every word seemed to take all of his strength.
Rangiku walked to the officer's side and knelt down, speaking softly.
"You've worked hard. You all did very well."
"I promise, I will take them back with us."
She paused for a moment, then made her solemn vow word by word.
Tsukasa watched this, feeling no joy from the victory. A Soul Reaper's life was tenacious, capable of enduring through thousands of years. Yet it was also so fragile, lost in a sudden encounter. Even a couple as powerful as the Shibas had fallen to Metastacia's hands in the original timeline, let alone these ordinary officers.
"The wounded shouldn't be subjected to intense emotional distress," Tsukasa said softly, breaking the heavy atmosphere of sorrow with a gentle, soothing tone. "Sleep for now. Get some rest. When you wake up, everyone will be back in the Seireitei."
His palm brushed over the wounded man's face, using a sleep-inducing Kido to send him into a deep, steady slumber.
"You handled this well, Toshiro. Your proficiency in Kaido has already surpassed most of the squad leaders in the Fourth Division," Tsukasa said, withdrawing his hand and nodding in approval toward Toshiro.
"I only did what needed to be done," Toshiro replied, shaking his head.
As he spoke, his eyes swept over the young officer's mangled limbs. Metastacia was dead, but the cruel scenes from earlier were now permanently and vividly etched into his memory.
Leaving the cave with the wounded man, the crisp air acted as a tonic for their spirits. Rangiku took a deep breath, exhaling the heavy weight in her chest. She looked down at the sleeping subordinate, gently tucking his tattered Shihakusho around him, then stood up with renewed resolve.
"Vice-Captain Kaien, I'll have to trouble you and Toshiro to escort the wounded to a safe area outside first for a short rest. Tsukasa... regarding the collection of... personal effects, I might need your help."
"No problem. Let's go."
The atmosphere on the return trip was even more somber than when they arrived. At the site of the bloody massacre from earlier, the four split up. The other two went ahead with the wounded man, while Tsukasa and Rangiku remained behind to begin a meticulous search.
Roughly several minutes later, Tsukasa met up with her, carrying several broken blades that had snapped at the tsuba.
"Everything I could identify is here."
"Including the survivor, it was a ten-man squad. The count... is correct."
"Thank you, Tsukasa."
Rangiku took them with a mournful expression. She reached up to untie the silk scarf from her neck, wrapping the broken blades of varying damage together, layer by layer, before cradling them in her arms.
The bodies of the officers had long since been devoured by the Hollow; these broken blades were the only remaining marks of the other nine members. By bringing these back, they could at least establish a cenotaph to mourn them.
"Let's go," she said.
Tsukasa nodded in silence.
The four met up outside the mountain forest without a word. When they arrived, they had moved with extreme speed and tense spirits for the sake of tracking and combat. On the way back, burdened by the wounded and a heavy heart, their pace was slow and steady.
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