Ichigo leaves and takes up residence in Soul Society!

"If you insist on doing it this way, after this operation is a complete success, as a bonus at the victory celebration, I will kick him until you are satisfied."

"Then it's settled~"

Snapped,

Kukaku finally revealed a joyful smile and reached out to give Yoruichi a high five.

Completely disregarding Kisuke Urahara's pale face.

At this moment, Orihime walked up to her, bowed deeply, and said with utmost sincerity:

“Miss Kukaku…Miss Yoruichi already told me that Miss Kuchiki and your family don’t seem to have a good relationship. Even so, you are still willing to lend a helping hand. I really don’t know how to thank you properly.”

"This is my family's business. You're just a young girl, so don't worry about it. You should think about your own future. This trip... you're unlikely to come back alive, so I don't need the gratitude of a dying person."

As she spoke, Kukaku reached out and ruffled Orihime's hair without ceremony, grinning as she said:

"If you really want to thank me, then come back alive and have a drink with me."

"Miss Kukaku, you are so gentle! You are nothing like Mr. Ganju said, who has a bad temper."

Orihime was so moved that her eyes welled up with tears.

"...Let's leave that guy Yanjiu aside for now, but never say that sentence again from now on! This is the second time someone has said that to me, and it gives me goosebumps all over!"

"Really? Who else besides Inoue has said something like that?"

"A monster freshman who was able to defeat Adjuchas as soon as he entered the Spiritual Arts Academy."

Kukaku glanced at Yoruichi and said calmly.

"You're not talking about Shinomiya Takeru or Kurosaki Ichigo, are you?"

Yoruichi's expression was strange.

"Have their reputations spread to the present world? Well, it seems they did go to the present world once, and I heard they caused quite a stir. You should have met them, or you might even have known each other in their previous lives."

"So, Miss Kukaku also recognizes Kurosaki-kun and Shinomiya-kun!"

Orihime's eyes lit up, and she was pleasantly surprised.

"Yeah, we took down an Adjuchas together back then, so you could say we hit it off right away. But those two guys and two other brats, they praised me to the skies and kept calling me 'Big Sister,' but I haven't seen them visit for months. I wonder what they've been up to."

Kukaku kept grumbling.

Since being captured and assigned to the Second Division, the two sides have never seen each other again after saying goodbye.

She seriously suspected that those kids had forgotten about her.

"Those two... are probably doing the same thing as us."

Urahara Kisuke said with a smile.

The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.

It's not because he's unpopular, but because those words carry a heavy weight on one's heart.

"I just don't know if the plans of the two sides will conflict."

Kisuke Urahara then changed the subject.

"So I try not to make guesses and act in a seemingly reckless way so that they can easily grasp my movements and then use that information to do what they want."

"This can be considered a kind of... inside-outside cooperation."

"After all, even if we've never met, we all share the same goal."

Upon hearing this, Yoruichi pulled Orihime into the turret.

“That’s right… Let’s go, Kisuke, let’s sacrifice ourselves and create an opportunity for them.”

No, that's not what I meant.

Kisuke Urahara scratched the back of his head, shook his head and smiled wryly as he followed him inside.

"Hey, Urahara..."

Shiba Kukaku suddenly called him to a stop.

"Miss Kukaku?"

"...No, it's nothing...I had a question I wanted to ask you, but I think you're a complete liar, so I'll investigate it slowly after all this is over."

"...I see. Well, good luck then."

"Oh, and I wish you all the best in your mission."

……

Seireitei, First Division Barracks - Rest Room.

"Hinamori...!"

Toshiro suddenly woke up and sat up.

At this moment, someone handed over a towel and a water cup.

"Captain Hitsugaya, you're finally awake."

"You... Aizen?"

Seeing that harmless face, Toshiro's sensitive heart calmed down a bit, but he didn't take the towel and water glass. Instead, he muttered to himself, wary and confused:

"Where am I? I don't remember being at the Holy Wall of Todai... That's right! Hinamori, Hinamori is dead! It was that bastard Ichimaru who did this...! Who stopped me?!"

"It's Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni."

Aizen put down the towel and water glass, put his hands in his sleeves, and softly uttered a name that made Toshiro freeze.

"Commander-Commander...?"

"In that situation, the only person who could take you down unscathed was him."

"..."

Toshiro was silent for a moment, then got out of bed, picked up his Zanpakuto from beside the bed, and walked out.

"Wait, Captain Hitsugaya, where are you going?"

"Find Gin Ichimaru and get to the bottom of this. If he did it, I'll kill him on the spot."

"What if it really has nothing to do with him? Who should you go to then? You know, Captain Ichimaru has always been an unlikable person. He might just be... trying to provoke you."

Aizen's calm words brought Toshiro to an abrupt halt as he reached for the door.

"Besides, don't you want to know why I'm here? As Hinamori's direct superior, our positions should be reversed."

"Aizen..."

Toshiro suppressed his emotions and turned to stare at him coldly.

"What do you know?"

"I'm under house arrest."

"what?"

"There's nothing I can do right now."

"...What are you talking about? I didn't ask you that!"

Looking at the irritable Toshiro, Aizen said softly.

"—This is also the result the murderer hoped for."

"..."

Toshiro was stunned.

“It seems Captain Hitsugaya has figured it out. Yes, this is an extremely heinous murder case, and I happen to know something about it, but I won’t tell you anything, because Hinamori will explain everything for me.”

As he spoke, Aizen took out a letter and handed it to Toshiro.

"This is……!"

Toshiro's fingertips trembled slightly as he accepted the envelope, and the image of Hinamori Momo seemed to appear before his eyes.

Upon opening it, the familiar, delicate handwriting leaped onto the paper.

[Hitsugaya-kun, by the time you read this letter, I'll probably be dead.]

The very first sentence made Toshiro almost lose his composure.

I truly wish you hadn't seen me die. Shinomiya-kun said it's the cruelest sight for those close to you. I don't want to hurt anyone, but some things have to be done, not just for myself, but for everyone.

"Hinamori, what exactly are you...?"

[The specific details begin with Captain Ichimaru using me to blackmail Captain Aizen into doing things for him. I learned this shocking truth from Captain Aizen by chance, and I find it hard to believe that a fellow captain could be so despicable.]

At the same time, I am also terrified. Someone would resort to such despicable and vile means they must have some ulterior motive.

As expected, at the captains' meeting a few days ago, Captain Aizen once again gave advice against his will.

"So the suggestion that day was... instigated by Ichimaru?!"

Toshiro was shocked and furious, even though he thought his advice was mature and prudent.

[I can no longer sit idly by. The invasion of the Ryogoku and Captain Ichimaru's frequent actions foreshadow a major upheaval in Soul Society. I don't want to see everyone get hurt, but I have no evidence to prove he's guilty. Captain Aizen is even willing to obey him for my safety.]

So I decided to find the evidence myself. I figured someone as insignificant as me wouldn't be taken seriously by him, so the chances of finding the evidence were pretty high.

[But if something happens to me... Byakuya, I'm sorry, but I'm leaving the rest to you. I don't want to cause Captain Aizen any more trouble, or make him bear the heavy burden of avenging me.]

In this way, you're the only one I can rely on.

Toshiro's knuckles turned white from clenching his fists, and his breathing became rapid.

I know you'll definitely blame me for causing you trouble, but I won't feel embarrassed at all. After all, you're no longer that little brat who would just eat watermelon and call me a bedwet peach. You're the majestic captain of the 10th Division.

[With your incredible abilities, you're definitely not as clumsy as me who would mess things up, so I can confidently entrust everything to you... to the most amazing person in my eyes.]

"..."

"Captain Hitsugaya?"

"...I'm fine."

Toshiro turned his back to Aizen, his tone somewhat stiff and perfunctory.

A silence fell over the room.

No one spoke again; they probably all needed some time to adjust their mood.

Suddenly, a deafening roar came from outside the window.

"?!"

"—!"

Toshiro and Aizen quickly went outside to the corridor and looked up at the sky, their expressions changing drastically.

A meteor-like ball of light struck the protective membrane in the sky.

They forcefully broke through it.

The commotion was visible throughout almost the entire Seireitei.

The sunlight in the sky paled in comparison.

Toshiro wanted to ask what it was, but he was startled by an extremely terrifying spiritual pressure.

Too close, the distance is too close.

It felt like being in the crater of a volcano, which had now erupted.

boom!

Flames burst into the sky, and heat waves rolled in.

Under this intense heat, the empty sky seemed to melt, distorting and blurring.

"Arrogant brat, you don't take this old man seriously at all!"

The explosion of flames was accompanied by a deafening roar that echoed throughout the heavens and earth.

You don't feel old at all.

One can only feel that invincible spirit that disregards the passage of time.