Tōsen's friend died. He would forever remember her beautiful figure sleeping peacefully surrounded by bouquets of flowers. Truly, she was incredibly beautiful.
However, her skin was thousands of times colder than late autumn dew, and the time she could remain was even shorter than that of the plucked flowers around her. She would never wake up again. She was dead...
Even though her image was imprinted in his heart, Tōsen could not see her one last time with his own eyes. Her laughter, her ideals, and the justice she upheld vanished forever with her...
Righteous people should be treated kindly. Tōsen still remembered how, just a few days ago, she had indignantly told him that her husband had murdered a colleague over trivial matters, and that such a thing was absolutely intolerable.
At the time, he had asked her, "Is it really worth judging your husband for someone else's sake?" only to be reprimanded by her. No matter who it was, if they did something wrong, they had to pay the price. Allowing evil deeds to go unchecked was more terrifying than slaughter!
*If one does wrong, they must pay the price. But she was clearly in the right, so why did she have to pay a price? The price of her life...*
Holding his friend's Zanpakutō, Tōsen swore an oath to avenge her. He would not let her die in vain! It was also in that moment that he heard the voice of the Zanpakutō.
*Suzumushi. Even if it is just a tiny bug, its clear chirp should not be ignored!* He believed this was his friend's wish. One day, this insignificant insect's cry would echo throughout the entire Seireitei...
"Therefore, although Tōsen harbored justice in his heart when he entered the Seireitei, it was tainted by a beast named hatred. Left unchecked, it would eventually swallow him whole one day."
Aizen tapped his finger on the table. "At first, it was directed at his friend's husband, that brat from the Tsunayashiro clan." He began to slowly trace a line. "Gradually, he realized that while that brat was despicable, what was even more detestable was Central 46, who tacitly allowed all of this to happen."
"In the end, everyone here was different from his friend. At the very least, they were completely different from the Shinigami she spoke of." Aizen's finger returned to its starting point. "What is truly hateful is actually the Seireitei, and all Shinigami. Tōsen hates everyone here. Without realizing it, he has already been completely devoured by the beast in his heart."
*Devoured?* Kōe pondered. He himself had almost been devoured once, only that beast was named disappointment.
The Seireitei was indeed a place where dreams were shattered...
"So, the reason he's so riled up is because Zaraki is the very incarnation of this hatred?"
Aizen nodded, confirming Kōe's statement. "Slaughter without right or wrong. In Tōsen's eyes, the chaotic Zaraki is surprisingly similar to the Seireitei in certain aspects. Both are demonic existences."
Kōe chuckled. *What a novel perspective.* In his view, it wasn't that the Seireitei lacked right and wrong, but rather that it had too much superficial right and wrong.
Perhaps in Tōsen's eyes, everyone should follow his friend's ideals. Fighting and killing without taking a stance—he viewed Zaraki as a devil precisely because he himself already held a predetermined stance.
"However, when you sent him to stall Zaraki, you must have anticipated this situation, right? Aren't you worried at all that his impulsiveness might disrupt your plans?"
"Whether he stalls Zaraki, or conversely, Zaraki stalls him, the result is no different."
"There's still a difference. At the very least, you must feel somewhat disappointed in Tōsen," Kōe said, shooting Aizen a sideways glance.
In his past life, he had always been curious as to why Aizen treated Tōsen so cruelly. At least compared to Ichimaru Gin, Tōsen, despite also being a subordinate, was clearly not valued as highly.
Previously, he thought it might be because Tōsen had failed. Now, it seemed that might not be the case. If the trigger was a single failure, then that failure might have occurred much earlier than imagined.
"Expecting the future in his heart, yet inevitably dominated by the past and the present." Aizen tapped the newly appeared Reiatsu record on the table. "He is no different from these people. They are all just ordinary Shinigami."
*Ordinary?* Kōe also glanced at the newly monitored Reiatsu on the table. If Kuchiki Byakuya heard someone evaluate him as ordinary, he would probably be so angry he'd question his own existence...
Perhaps this was what Byakuya subconsciously wanted to be—an ordinary person who would protect his family regardless of right or wrong.
But he couldn't do that. If he easily discarded the pride and honor of the Kuchiki clan, then all Shinigami would have no honor to speak of!
Therefore, even if he couldn't bear for Rukia to die, he couldn't just sit idly by knowing someone was coming to save her!
Thus, he stood before Abarai Renji. Even if the other party had already learned Bankai, he would not intentionally fall.
*Defeat me, and perhaps Rukia, who hasn't yet been escorted to Sōkyoku Hill, can be saved? But I will not intentionally fall. Such cowardly behavior could never come from me.*
Kuchiki Byakuya held Senbonzakura in a reverse grip and slowly released his hold on the blade. "Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."
*To cherish and see Rukia off on her final journey—this is my resolve!*
And Rukia saw this resolve as well.
As noon approached, under the escort of the Kidō Corps, Rukia finally left the Senzaikyū.
The sky, previously sliced into strips by the bars, became vast once more. It should have been overcast, but unexpectedly, it was so clear.
*Couldn't they indulge me just a little in my final moments?* Rukia felt melancholy. It wasn't the fear of impending death, but rather a genuine sadness born of regret.
She had wanted to see Byakuya one last time to beg him to spare Ichigo and Lord Kaien, but Byakuya had decisively refused her.
*Once I reach Sōkyoku Hill, whether it's the Head Captain or Brother, I'll plead with them one more time, won't I?*
Just as Rukia was mentally preparing herself, two astonishing bursts of Reiatsu erupted not far away. One was her brother, and the other was actually Renji.
*Is he here to save me too?* The Renji she knew had finally returned. Ever since she entered the Kuchiki clan, she had been waiting for this, but at this moment, she would rather he remained the stranger he had become.
*Run away. Don't come. Brother won't allow you to save me. Hurry and leave...*
Such prayers seemed to have no effect. In the direction of their battle, a sky full of cherry blossoms suddenly shot straight into the heavens. Even watching from afar, Rukia felt as though she was going to be swallowed whole.
"Ren... Renji..."
Rukia's body went limp, and she slowly sank to her knees. In almost an instant, she could no longer feel Renji's Reiatsu. She had no idea whether he was dead or alive.
"Do I really not deserve to live, Brother...?"
The sky full of cherry blossoms couldn't give her an answer. However, their appearance seemed to prove Byakuya's resolve—the resolve to not let anyone save Rukia.
"This should do it."
On the other side, Ichigo looked at the Tenshintai, which had reverted back to its human-shaped board form. "With this, I can save Rukia, right?"