"Gather up!"
The booming voice came from Ōmaeda Marechiyo.
"Have any of you been harassing civilians in the Rukongai lately?"
The members of the Onmitsukidō looked at each other in confusion.
What's this about?
"Someone filed a complaint! Said members of our squad were bullying the weak, making life miserable for folks out there!"
Let's get this straight—
"We're currently stationed in Rukongai. We may still be Shinigami, but under no circumstances should we be abusing our strength."
"This isn't just the captain's will—it's a direct order from the Head Captain!"
"Is that clear?!"
Such warnings were echoed across multiple squads.
In a way, it highlighted how serious the Gotei 13's responsibilities had become.
Nearly half a month had passed since the chaos stirred by Aizen Sōsuke and his group.
Though the complete destruction of Seireitei didn't lead to catastrophic loss of life, the instability brought by displacement caused a cascade of complications.
Temporarily relocating the Gotei 13 to the Rukongai was a move made out of sheer necessity.
"By the way, Vice-Captain, weren't you seriously injured before? You doing alright now?"
A well-meaning question—but even mentioning it sent a chill.
"Thanks to Squad 4, I'm doing fine now. Quite a few in our squad were treated by them. We owe them a lot—show them proper respect, got it?"
Lifesavers deserve that much.
After finishing his announcements, Ōmaeda quickly left Squad 2's temporary base.
—The reconstruction was being handled by others. His captain had other matters to deal with.
And him?
Time to make some money with his old man!
Rebuilding Seireitei would take massive resources, after all.
Ka-ching—what a golden opportunity!
Sure, it felt a little wrong to be thinking of profit now, but hey—he did get stabbed a few times thanks to that whole mess. That ought to count for something!
Having convinced himself, Ōmaeda quickened his pace.
With him gone, Squad 2 relaxed a little.
No longer bound by Seireitei's strict structure, their behavior loosened considerably.
"By the way, didn't Squad 4's vice-captain have some connection to that traitor?"
"Oh… you mean Isane? Yeah, people are talking about her lately."
"Let's not gossip. Word is she was found in Squad 4's barracks, covered in blood… nearly died."
"What, self-harm?"
"Of course not! Must've been that traitor who hurt her. She seems kind of clueless—getting duped wouldn't be a stretch."
"She's got that easy-target vibe, you know?"
"I like big girls."
"Bro, what?!"
The chatter turned crass fast, but someone eventually changed the topic.
"So, the guy who destroyed all of Seireitei… he was from Squad 5?"
"Former Squad 5 Captain. Don't forget the former. Our captain would lose it if he heard you skip that."
"Got it. So what's going on with Squad 5 now? I always thought they were super professional."
"They're in a slump. They had close ties with him. Classic example of falling hard after a betrayal."
"And their vice-captain? I heard she's out sick?"
"Maybe just laying low. Everyone saw what happened that day."
"Could she be a traitor too?"
"Let's keep that kind of talk in-house. If word spreads, it'll stir up unnecessary rumors…"
Words are dangerous.
Even with repeated orders to avoid discussing it, gossip still swirled.
Facts don't bend to human will—that's just how things are.
Meanwhile—
Sasakibe Chōjirō, dark circles under his eyes, organized the documents in his hands, preparing to enter the hall.
This was the first official meeting since Seireitei's fall.
If they couldn't convey solemnity and control, the Gotei 13 would lose credibility.
As First Squad's representative, Sasakibe had rehearsed this several times.
Today had to go perfectly.
But just as he prepared to enter, Yamamoto Genryūsai stepped past him.
"From today on, let's skip unnecessary formalities."
"But…"
"This is my decision. I believe streamlining is necessary."
That firm tone, along with Yamamoto's aging figure, left Sasakibe momentarily speechless.
With Seireitei gone, those old formalities seemed meaningless now.
Efficiency first.
Situations really do change people—before all this, Yamamoto would've never accepted such a proposal.
The old man walked on. Sasakibe returned to his position by the door.
Bowing slightly, the vice-captain whispered:
"At least… allow me to announce your arrival."
"…"
No reply.
Their thousand-year partnership led them into the temporary council hall.
They were here.
The mood shifted as eyes turned toward the Head Captain.
Yamamoto inhaled deeply and spoke softly:
"Let's begin."
The captains' meeting resumed after a long absence.
Though the venue had changed, the topics remained largely the same.
"You all understand the scale of our losses. I'll keep this brief."
"The confirmed casualties, property damage, estimated resources and time for reconstruction…"
The figures listed were staggering.
Even Shunsui, normally the optimist, closed his eyes in resignation.
"That covers the losses. If there are no objections, we'll move to the next topic…"
Sasakibe stepped back as he announced:
"Due to recent events, the captain positions for Squads 3, 5, and 9 are currently vacant."
"For Squad 10, following internal nominations and recommendations—"
A loud rustle interrupted him.
Hitsugaya Tōshirō, dressed in full captain's attire, stepped forward solemnly.
After much upheaval, he'd taken up the captain's post.
Still, the empty seats in the hall brought a somber weight.
"Captain Hitsugaya, a few words."
It was a captain's duty to lift morale.
Prompted, Hitsugaya nodded.
"Thank you for your trust. I will give this my all."
—He still sounded like a kid, honestly.
Sasakibe stifled a chuckle and moved to the next item.
"Regarding the ryoka incident—does anyone have further input?"
Thanks to Aizen's betrayal, Ichigo and the others had been cleared of wrongdoing.
Still, they had trespassed into the realm of the dead—something not easily dismissed.
Yet—
"We owe them. We can't now turn around and harm them."
That set the tone.
Shunsui nodded thoughtfully.
"In that case, no need to pursue charges, right?"
Ichigo's actions had ultimately helped the Soul Society.
Process and legality aside—results mattered.
"We're not so stuck-up as to make things worse, right, old man?"
"…"
Yamamoto said nothing. Ukitake picked up the thread.
"That boy is strong. If that's the case, making him an official Substitute Shinigami could solve a lot."
Komamura asked:
"A Substitute? You mean one who works in the living world, hunting Hollows?"
"Exactly."
Yamamoto offered no opinion.
—He didn't seem interested in the matter.
The others, sensing his disinterest, turned to look at Squad 6.
Byakuya Kuchiki.
Wrapped in bandages, looking worn—clearly not well-rested.
As soon as the ryoka were mentioned, so too was Rukia Kuchiki.
With Central 46's manipulation exposed, charges against Rukia were quietly dropped.
The matter should've been addressed—but given Byakuya's expression, everyone decided to skip it.
Some things don't need to be said. Everyone intuitively moved the conversation along.
"On to Seireitei's reconstruction."
Handled by the Department of Research and Development.
As all things in Soul Society were built from Reishi, efficient methods were possible.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi, now fully recovered and freshly made up, spoke with detached calm.
"Progress in Reishi studies exists, but don't get your hopes up."
"Even with my genius and resources, restoring all of Seireitei quickly is unlikely."
"And frankly, I believe something else deserves more attention."
The sudden shift in topic caught everyone off guard.
—Sasakibe nearly crushed his papers in surprise.
Couldn't he give a heads-up next time?!
"Ahem—excuse me…"
Before anyone could object, Mayuri raised his hands and clapped.
"Nemu, come in."
His vice-captain, loyal and emotionless as ever, entered silently.
"As you may recall, Seiya used the Eightfold Method before his departure."
Seriously, now? That topic?
Just hearing the name made Byakuya clench his fists.
It was practically a reflex. The other captains exchanged looks, shaking their heads.
He just wouldn't let it go.
Mayuri, of course, was oblivious—or indifferent—to such feelings.
He only cared about his own satisfaction.
"He destroyed Seireitei and used the Reishi for an attack. But his true target wasn't us."
"So, aren't any of you curious…?"
What was Seiya's real goal?
Some were, naturally.
But in the rush of chaos and other priorities, the question had been pushed aside.
Now that it was back on the table—
Shunsui scratched his chin and asked with a grin:
"So, Captain Kurotsuchi, what did you find?"
"Plenty."
No humility at all.
Mayuri calmly took something from Nemu's hands.
"That spell invaded an alternate space. I traced and analyzed it."
"I found… a hidden dimension within the shadows."
"It's destroyed now, but it clearly existed long ago."
Let me ask—
"Someone's been watching the Gotei 13 from the shadows."
"We don't know who they are, or what they want."
"So—does anyone have any idea who… or what… they might be?"
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Powerstones?
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