FINAL CHAPTER

The Kyogoku

While they were listening to Kisuke Urahara tell them the path to escape the Kyogoku, Hisagi stood in front of Kyoraku. Hikone had lost consciousness at that point and was being treated by Nanao using kaido.

“What a surprise. I had no idea you had learned how to use bankai, Shuhei.”

As though Kyoraku’s words had cut the thread of nerves stringing Hisagi up, he peered away in embarrassment.

“Well…I’m not sure how to say this, but today was the first day I could use it.”

“What? Really? Wait a sec! How did you make it manifest and submit?”

“Apparently, that happened before I realized it…”

Though he hadn’t been worried about it while using his bankai, when Hisagi realized he didn’t fully understand Kazeshini himself, he apologetically reported the truth to Kyoraku.

“Then, basically, you just had to go straight to using it? Well…I’m glad that Captain Zaraki didn’t kill that child and that Karakura Town wasn’t slowly wiped off the map.”

When Kyoraku considered what he saw of Hisagi’s bankai, he questioned something about its ability. “It looked as though that bankai were the culmination of bakudo. Though it seems it’d be difficult to use.”

Hirako, who had been standing off to the side, shrugged as he blurted out, “Better than my bankai, at least. It seems that you’re able to choose who you connect using the chains, at minimum. At worst, if we end up in a fight, Shuhei will be able to drain the spiritual pressure from the enemy, though he’ll sacrifice himself.”

“Uh…but if I don’t have any allies nearby, all I’d be able to do is hope for a draw…”

“Well, I understand the feeling.”

Kyoraku, whose own bankai had an element that required him to share pain, thought over the future suffering that Hisagi would have to endure and silently prayed for him.

Then, as Hisagi worried over Hikone’s well-being, Kyoraku told the Soul Reaper something that he felt he needed to say sooner rather than later. “It seems that you’ve become a candidate for captain as well, I suppose?”

One of the absolute conditions of becoming a captain in the Thirteen Court Guard Companies was the ability to use bankai. Along with the Thirteenth Company, there were currently several openings for the position of captain in many different companies. Given that situation, there was a possibility that Hisagi could become one of those captains…

“About that…could I just continue being the editor-in-chief of the Seireitei Bulletin for a while?”

“Hmm…well, we still have to deal with Tokinada, so I’m not sure what will happen to my position or how the Court Guards will fare from here on. But there are many who can use bankai right now, so I suppose it’s all right.”

“I see… Thank you very much.”

“So you’re choosing a path in which you can continue to be a reporter.”

Hisagi noticed that those words were filled with complex significance.

He glanced at Hikone.

“I decided that I’d show Hikone all kinds of worlds. And it’s not just Hikone. I want to expand the world for the readers in the Rukongai and the Seireitei who can’t go to other places on their own two feet.”

“I don’t mind that, but…there may be some things that are better left in the dark.”

“So the things that Tokinada said were actually…”

Kyoraku purposefully refused to confirm Hisagi’s suspicion. However, when Hisagi looked at Kyoraku with determination in his eyes, Hisagi told him, “Captain General Kyoraku…if you’ve decided that keeping the truth hidden forever is best for this world…then kill me and leave me behind before we depart this place.”

“We can’t assume the truth will save the world. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yes, so I won’t do anything specific immediately. I will research it for years or even decades if necessary in order to figure out what happened in the shadows. If I just accepted Tokinada’s words without questioning them, I’d be a failure as a journalist.”

When he heard that, Kyoraku smiled gently and put a hand on Hisagi’s shoulder.

“Be careful. If you decide to delve into the Soul Society’s past, there are still many, many more enemies out there. Even if the Kuchiki and Shihoin family heads say that it was wrong, there are a mountain of other relatives that won’t allow things to be put right.”

Then he looked around at the Soul Reapers, Arrancars, Quincies, and Fullbringers as he gave some advice. “If you plan on fighting the world, make more allies. Just as Ichigo did.”

“Like…Kurosaki?”

“At the very least, I intend to be your ally. But just as you yourself said, no need to do anything right away.”

Kyoraku thought quietly for some time, then pointed out a concrete time frame.

“Right… At least now there is a possibility that the dregs of Yhwach are still wandering about somewhere in the world. I think it won’t be too late to wait and see whether those get up to something wicked.” Then he considered the history Tokinada spoke of and said thoughtfully, “No…maybe I can’t call it ‘wicked’ anymore.”

“If…if the same thing happens again, I’d definitely fight for the Soul Reapers. But if there’s something I can do before that happens, I’d like to increase the number of paths we can take.”

What was hidden in Hisagi’s words wasn’t a reference to the war with the Quincies, but to Kaname Tosen. Kyoraku seemed to realize that and intentionally didn’t mention it.

They watched Urahara work at removing the barrier for a while.

Once Urahara had released several barriers, Kyoraku received a communication from his Soul Pager. When Kyoraku realized it was a message from Assistant Captain Okikiba, he took it and spoke with a solemn expression for a while.

Kyoraku hung up, and with a complicated look on his face he informed the Soul Reapers, “They found Tokinada.”

A shiver ran through the group as they tensed, but Kyoraku went on, seeming baffled. “I have no idea who did it, but…apparently he has already died.”

≡

Several Hours Later,
the Rukongai Shiba Residence

They returned to the Shiba residence from the Kyogoku, and those whose paths had temporarily crossed each headed their own way. Hikone was taken to Shino-Seyakuin in order to be put under the care of Seinosuke Yamada, while the Soul Reapers, Arrancars, and Quincies each went home to their own places.

Ginjo and the others who didn’t have a specific place to go back to were enjoying Ganju and his sister’s alcohol like freeloaders.

“Seriously, what was with that? If it was such a big deal, I shoulda definitely gone too! I would’ve taken that Tokinada guy and used my skills to give ’im a little bit of this and do a little bit of that, like this!”

“Lacking in vocab, much?”

“What did you say?!”

“Please calm down. The best medicine for appeasing indignation is abandoning oneself to pleasure occasionally.”

“I-is it?”

While Giriko soothed Ganju, who was all worked up about what the boy Yukio had muttered while playing his game, Ginjo said to Yukio, “You’re heading back to the world of the living, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, along with Kisuke Urahara. It’s a pain, but Aura asked me to deal with her religious group. Either way, it seemed like she was going to disappear from the world of the living.”

“So you’ve gotta manage a whole religious group. Seems tough being a young president.”

“This is easy mode for me. More importantly, have you got anything you want me to tell Riruka or Jackie?”

As he glanced from his game to Ginjo, the man shrugged.

“I haven’t. If they’re doing well, anything I could say to them would just be tasteless.”

“Would it? Then I’ll let them know that.”

“You’re as charming as ever…”

Ignoring Ginjo’s exasperation, Yukio simply called out to Tsukishima, “Right, his name was Moeh Shishigawara, right? Looks like he’s been visiting your grave or something. Have you got anything to tell him?”

Tsukishima raised his eyebrows slightly and closed his book. “I’m surprised I have a grave…but I haven’t got anything specific to say. I’ll pray that he forgets us and comes across a new book.”

“Moeh Shishigawara…that’s the kid with that irritating power, right?”

“Don’t look at me like that, Tsukishima. I’m not about to tell anybody to kill him or something.”

Ginjo smiled bitterly and started to ask Yukio about the state of the world of the living, but…

“Hey there, could I cut in for a moment?”

Kyoraku, who should have just gone home, was showing his face.

“What? You’re still around?”

“Yeah, I thought I’d tell you some things.”

“You’ve got downtime as Captain General?”

“No, no, I’m busy, of course. Especially since I lost a full day today. I’m about to head around to the government office and Nanao’s waiting outside right now, so I don’t have much time.”

“What’re you trying to say?”

Ginjo was skeptical as Kyoraku conveyed the message to him: “First, I already mentioned this to Kukaku and Ganju, but…we will be simplifying the means to move between the Seireitei and the Rukongai from now on. Everyone in the Rukongai will be able to come in more freely.”

“Haven’t got any interest in that.”

At Ginjo’s quick response, Kyoraku pulled something from his clothes.

“Since you say that, I’ve got this for you. I went out to get this just now.”

“The hell is that?”

It was a book. It seemed to be part of a series and was numbered with a one next to the title.

“It’s the adventure Ukitake was writing. I thought you might be interested.”

“…What the hell is ‘Warning of the Twin Fish!’ supposed to mean? Looks like some kind of romantic drama.”

As Ginjo had no idea how to react, Tsukishima said in an indifferent tone, “Oh, I’ve already read the whole series.”

“Seriously? You’ll read anything with pages…”

“It’s made for kids, but it’s pretty entertaining. In the last volume’s scene, where a shrine maiden is being saved, I think the personality of the author really shows through.”

He was clearly saying that because he knew about the relationship Ginjo had with the author, Ukitake.

Kyoraku was grateful for the help as he cut in with the main topic. “Are you still having reservations about Ukitake?”

“I told you, didn’t I? I don’t care about what Tokinada did. I’m the guy who became the enemy of Ukitake and the Soul Reapers. What’re you trying to ask me to do now?”

Kyoraku scowled slightly as he said, “Well, Ukitake was constantly asking old man Yama and me to overlook your wrongdoings.”

“Huh? What? You want me to be thankful to him or something? Don’t make me repeat myself. I haven’t got any regrets about making you guys my enemy at…”

“That’s not what I mean,” Kyoraku interrupted. “I’m not talking about your past crimes. I’m talking about if the time came when you would kill Ukitake.”

“…What did you say?”

“It seems that Ukitake was prepared to be killed by you. Of course, he was in a position where he needed to protect his company as captain, so I don’t think he would have let it happen without a fight, but…he said if something happened between the two of you, he wanted to shoulder all of the responsibility.”

Kyoraku righted his hat and slowly continued. “It might be inappropriate of me to tell you this, but I thought it would be okay to talk about it now. Tokinada also said this, but Ukitake was prepared to pursue you as an enemy when he gave the order to surveil you. It doesn’t make that part untrue.”

Kyoraku remembered his old friend’s face as he spoke that unshakable truth.

“It might be unfair of me to say, as someone who simply saw Ukitake while he was regretful… But even though Ukitake might have been involved with the Tsunayashiro family’s motives, he wasn’t the type of man to use that as an excuse to make himself feel better. That was all I wanted to tell you.”

“…”

“Well, I apologize for forcing you to humor my self-indulgence. With that, I suppose I’ll be heading out now.”

As Kyoraku started to leave, Ginjo, holding a drink, called out.

“So you were saying it’d be easier to get in and out of the Seireitei, weren’t you?”

“Yes, very soon.”

“And even I could go into the Seireitei?”

“Depending on what you were intending to do, you could. What are you planning?”

Kyoraku looked somehow relieved as he waited for Ginjo to speak. Ginjo remained silent for a while and then made an honest inquiry. He asked it in order to draw a distinction with his past, so he could walk new paths.

“Could you tell me where…Ukitake’s grave is?”

≡

Observing this, Kukaku sipped from her cup and murmured to herself, “Heh… Looks like the time for the Soul Society to change has finally come.”

Unnoticed, Kukaku offered up a drink to one who was not there.

“I hope that it’ll be a world you like…Kaien.”

≡

Several Hours Later,
Shino-Seyakuin Treatment Room

“I’ve been able to preserve Hikone’s life.”

When Hisagi heard Seinosuke Yamada’s words, he smiled in relief.

“I see… Thank you very much.”

“No need to thank me. More importantly, you’re even more severely wounded. Looks like you were reckless when using your zanpaku-to. Your saketsu and hakusui are both worse for the wear.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Well, I’ll heal them. It isn’t part of my job to heal anyone except the nobles, but I’ll consider this treatment as a pastime during my break.”

With that remark, Seinosuke nimbly continued to heal Hisagi using kaido. Hisagi inquired meekly, “Um…so, Tokinada Tsunayashiro is…”

“They brought him here, but a group with documents stamped by the Gilded Seal Aristocratic Assembly immediately came to collect him.”

Seinosuke’s face clouded slightly as he said, “Even I couldn’t resuscitate a corpse. Regardless, his konpaku was already in a sorry state due to the effects of using his zanpaku-to. Even if they treat him by turning him into a zombie, I don’t think he would retain his sense of self.”

“…I see.”

Hisagi gripped his hand into a fist, seeming somewhat frustrated as Seinosuke continued, “Hikone should be waking soon. They might commit suicide if you don’t let them know gently.”

“Oh!”

“Tokinada, the one who was propping up their mind, died. Hikone might be happier dying. Of course, I don’t intend to allow them to die. Even if they said they wanted to, I would make them live, even by force. Giving up is not an option.”

Hisagi put on a strained smile and shook his head.

“Hikone is…okay. I think they’ve developed something new to support them.”

Seinosuke looked at Hisagi, who was thinking of Aura as he spoke.

“I see…in that case, I will leave it to you to tell them. I won’t ask you to do it immediately though. You may tell them when you feel the time is right.”

At first it seemed as though Seinosuke were washing his hands of the responsibility, but when he looked into Seinosuke’s eyes, Hisagi understood.

Seinosuke had decided that Hikone should hear it from Hisagi himself, because that was most likely to result in Hikone staying alive.

“It seems that I really don’t have a human heart. I’m not suited for such things. Hanataro does have that… It is a talent he has that I am lacking.”

Seinosuke let a spiteful smile come over his face.

“If it is a Soul Reaper’s work to control life, then isn’t giving others the will to live part of your role?”

≡

Department of Research and Development

“I wonder why it is that you didn’t secure this Hikone in the Kyogoku? To think you would allow the subject to be given over to Shino-Seyakuin under your very noses—what a useless bunch you are. If you think you can wander the world doing just what is asked of you, then I have a wake-up call for your future as corpses.”

As Mayuri grumbled, Cirucci complained back, “But you electrocute us whenever we do anything on our ow…AGH AGH AGH AGH!”

“Looks like you understand that very well. However, a Corpse Unit that can truly do their work well would take that electrical current, use it to accelerate their neurotransmitters, and finish up their work more efficiently.”

“What you’re saying is absurd—GAAAAAAH?!”

After Dordoni and the others shrieked for some time, Mayuri cut the electric current and looked over the data collected on Tokinada and Hikone, nodding in satisfaction.

“Well, anyway, you did as you were instructed. As a reward, I will increase your free time by two thousand seven hundred seconds per day. Well then, be sure to show your gratitude.”

Behind Mayuri, who went right back to his work, Luppi sighed as though he were exhausted and, with a newly lively expression, said, “Well, all right. Once I’m free, that’s when I’ll bring Grimmjow to his end.”

“You haven’t given up yet?”

“All Grimmjow promised to the Captain General here was that he wouldn’t let his fight with Ichigo Kurosaki get in the Soul Reapers’ way, right? In that case, I’m not a Soul Reaper, so while they’re in the middle of their fight I could come in from the side and…”

“Stop right there! What would I do if you killed that orange-haired niño?!”

While Dordoni and Luppi argued, Chuhlhourne smiled as if taking another path.

“Ha ha… Rivalry is a beautiful thing. Yes, though Halibel and Nelliel are both half a step stronger than me, when it comes to beauty, I have a full step lead…and that perfect balance makes me even stronger! And more beautiful! And more radiant!”

Najahkoop watched them from afar and shook his head.

“So, in the end, I’m the only Quincy left here. Luck seriously is not on my side.”

When Mayuri heard these complaints, he responded, “I made it seem as though I’d released them. Naturally, I’ve put a collar on them. Though I’ll be using you as a stopgap until the time comes when I call them back.”

Once Luppi and the others heard that, they again started to complain to Mayuri.

“Then why us?!”

“What? There’s no need to worry. You’re already dead, so it’s not as though you’d die from overwork.”

“That’s not the issue!”

≡

A CERTAIN PLACE IN THE WORLD OF THE LIVING

As the Corpse Unit was sighing in the Soul Society, there was a moving corpse crying out in the world of the living as well.

“Seriously! I can’t believe two of you got captured because you weren’t paying attention! Looks like I’ve really got to keep levelheaded as your leader!” Bambietta Basterbine, whose skin was the same as always, but whose eyes had a strange liveliness to them, declared sonorously.

“Hey…what’s up with that?”

When Candice looked at Giselle with reproach, the zombie-tamer Quincy averted her eyes and spouted out excuses. “Umm, she ended up getting really beat up by that Tokinada guy, so I healed her, right? And I just accidentally gave her too much blood, I think?”

Candice and Meninas, who had superficially been released from the Corpse Unit but still contained tracking bacteria within them, apparently had some sort of communications equipment installed in their konpaku itself. It was likely that there were other apparatuses that had been inserted into their bodies. Though they had no idea when they would compulsorily be called back, for the time being, they had left with free will, which was a better result than Liltotto was expecting.

“Well, we’ll probably have a chance to disable those things at some point. Anyway, let’s just be thankful we survived.”

They presently weren't in their Quincy clothes, but were instead wearing their personal clothing and were at a cafe in a certain country. Though the zombielike color of Bambietta’s complexion garnered an occasional stare, they blended in like normal townspeople otherwise.

Bambietta, who was excited about having temporarily recovered her cognitive functions, was letting her mouth run without reading the mood. “Uhh…so ever since I fought that doggy and then he stopped being a doggy…what happened after that again? Ugh…my head… Well, it doesn’t matter! Anyway, if you’re saying his majesty is gone, then I’ve just got to succeed him in his place! I’m the queen for now, so how about we blast one of the countries around here and take over?”

A part of her brain was still zombified, so Bambietta’s memories and actions went off the rails occasionally.

“You think we’re terrorists or something? Sounds like a pain. If she keeps this up, she’s probably going to start offing hot guys again, eh?”

“We’ll be in trouble if she causes a commotion…”

“Ah well, guess I’ll have to just beat her up to get rid of some of that blood.”

“I think she’ll go back to normal soon even if you don’t.”

As they chattered on, just as Giselle had predicted, the spirit in Bambietta’s eyes started to wane.

“Huh…? I…what? Uh-huh…cake…is so good.”

Seeing Bambietta’s childlike smile, the Quincies looked at each other and sighed dramatically. Then, Liltotto half muttered as she ate her cake, “Well, we’ve got to think about what we’re going to do too.”

Giselle asked, “You want to go to Hueco Mundo again or something?”

Liltotto shook her head.

“Hollows aside, the Arrancars really are a pain to work with.”

“Most importantly, Hueco Mundo hasn’t got a ton of grub…”

≡

Hueco Mundo

Looking at the gigantic building halfway buried in the sand, Aura realized that she had collapsed on top of the soft and cool sands herself.

It was likely somewhere in Hueco Mundo.

Why was she in Hueco Mundo? As she wondered that, Aura confirmed that she was still conscious. She had no memories from after she drove the castle in the sky into the garganta. She had thought she would simply continue to wander within the endless expanse of the garganta and that her reishi itself would simply rot away, but for some reason she was stretched out on this sand.

However, she had done what she needed. She realized that this time, she had lost everything. She might have developed an attachment. But she didn’t regret that.

It was more likely that Hikone’s world would expand if they were raised by those Soul Reapers, rather than by her. Regardless, she didn’t have the strength to stand up. If her blood and reishi continued to flow out of her, she would probably become one with the sand.

Even as Aura thought that, she realized that the pain had disappeared. When she slowly raised her face, she realized her wounds had closed.

Though she was bewildered, a young woman right next to her spoke. “Oh…so you’ve woken, then?”

An Arrancar woman was standing there with unbelievably kind eyes. There was a thin thread extending from the woman’s hand sewing together the wound in Aura’s side, all the way down to the delicate blood vessels and nerves.

She heard another voice from a spot slightly further away. “Oh, can you get up already? You’re amazing, Roka. I thought she was a goner…”

“You’re the one…who was in the Kyogoku…”

“Yes, I’m Nelliel. And she’s Halibel, over there.”

When Aura looked over, she met eyes with an Arrancar who was leaning on the rubble a slight distance away. Though the woman looked at Aura for a while, as though the Arrancar had lost interest, she turned her eyes to the partially destroyed castle.

“She’s just being bashful. Halibel is instinctively kind to children and people who like children.”

When Aura looked, the Arrancar called Halibel was looking at a crowd of children—or to be more accurate, Arrancars in the shape of children. The children were playing hide-and-seek in the ruins of the floating castle, jumping around all over the place and releasing Ceros and Baras at each other.

“It seems that the castle you brought here has become the playground for Picaro’s child. Though it does not quite match Hueco Mundo, I believe it will become covered in dust and fit in very soon.”

“Why am I…here?”

“I brought you here. It wasn’t as though I could have left you in the garganta like that, right?”

When Nelliel said that, Aura’s eyes widened.

“You…saved me?”

“Ahh…half saved.”

“Half?”

“You might not have noticed…but you can’t exist as a human in the world of the living anymore…”

When she heard that, Aura understood what it meant.

As a human, she had died in the garganta.

“Since your konpaku was pretty beat up, I called Roka and had her treat you as soon as possible. The air here is concentrated with reishi, so your recovery is going pretty quickly because of her powers, right?”

“Why would you do so much for me?”

“Huh? Well, if we left you, even your konpaku probably would have disappeared.”

As though she were an entirely different person from when she had been battling Ikomikidomoe, Nelliel spoke in a mellow tone.

When Aura heard the woman’s words, her eyes opened wide again. She was bewildered when faced with the Arrancar’s honest goodwill.

Looking at her, Nelliel made a mistaken assumption and asked, “Are you hungry?” and pulled Aura into a building to the side.

“Pesche! Dondochakka! Let’s have our meal! And since they’re already here, how about we call Halibel and Roka over too?”

When the Arrancars in front of her began to prepare a meal before she had a chance to protest, Aura lost her opportunity to turn them down and was forced to sit.

“Umm, and this is…”

“It’s a meal made from Hueco Mundo’s lizards and characteristic snow herbs. Don’t worry, it’s not a person’s konpaku or anything.”

A meal.

When she saw the unfamiliar ingredients, a memory from Aura’s youth revived in her head.

She recalled the rotten foods she had eaten when she first left the glass case and had to steel herself as she brought the food to her mouth. Then, against her expectations, the taste was rich and colorful.

“…It’s…very good.”

Aura expressed her sensation with wonder, and Nelliel broke into an innocent smile, almost like a child’s.

As they continued with their meal, Nelliel asked Aura what she would do now.

“What do you want to do next? If you want to move on properly, I can introduce you to Ichigo.”

“No…I have no place to go. I’m not sure if I have the right to go through konso.”

“Really? Then do you want to rest here until you figure out what you want to do? Right. I’ve been interested in learning more about the palate and cuisine of humans in the world of the living! So why don’t you help out with our meals here?”

Nelliel spoke as though she had come upon a truly good idea, and Aura felt a swelling sensation.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to see Hikone, but…

I wonder what I should do.

Since she had lost her kishi body, there was no point in going back to the world of the living in order to continue serving as the leader of her religious group. She had left the rest to Yukio and would just cause confusion by going back.

As Aura pondered what to do, Nelliel asked her, “Hey, what about you? Do you like cooking? I do. I’d like Ichigo and his friends in the world of the living to eventually try out these meals!”

She would have the humans from the world of the living eat the cuisine of this land. Though it sounded absurd, it made Aura pursue a very specific line of thought.

Someday, after Hisagi and the rest spread out across the world of the Soul Society in front of them…

…eventually, Hikone might once again come to this land.

If that happened, wasn’t it likely that Hikone would try the food here as well?

If she were allowed to, she might even develop the courage to visit them in the Soul Society from here.

If she just had a reason—one little reason that would give her a slight push…

I’ll see Hikone again.

As she savored the food Nelliel and the others treated her to, Aura realized she had started to cry.

“What’s wrong? Were you so hungry that you’re crying?”

“No, Lady Nelliel. She must just be grateful for the delicious dessert I made!”

“Or she might’ve just burst out crying because of how horrible it tasted!”

“No…it’s very good.” While savoring the meal, Aura answered the earlier question. “I love…food.”

There was just one thought that had been conjured in her mind. It was a simple wish to someday feed Hikone this meal herself. In just the same way that her father had fed her when she was young.

“I love eating it… And I’m sure in the future…I’ll love making these meals too.”

As she cried, she realized she was smiling.

Then, after her modest exchange with Nelliel, she decided in her heart that she would live alone in a corner of Hueco Mundo.

She dreamed of Hikone at some future time breaking out into such a smile.

“What? It wasn’t an enemy? Lame.”

When Grimmjow saw Aura and Nelliel becoming acquainted with each other, he looked bored and stared out over the desert from on top of the rubble.

Halibel, who had finished her meal with Nelliel and the others, came to stand behind Grimmjow and said, “You’re not going to show your face in there?”

“I’ve got no interest in making friends.”

When he answered, somewhere in his lost soul—in his Hollow hole—something burned and seethed.

Though he had finally gotten to fight an opponent that was a true challenge for him, the fact that he had done it with others and that he had been beaten by Tokinada right after was a hard pill to swallow.

“I’ve got to settle things with the blockhead Luppi too.”

In order to make sure he never fell behind a second time, Grimmjow imagined his foe and smiled boldly. He didn’t think only of Luppi, but also recalled the face of the orange-haired boy he had appraised as an enemy.

“But he didn’t come out even after we made that huge commotion…”

“That Kurosaki better not’ve gone soft because of the peace.”

≡

The Next Day, the Soul Society

“Peace is…pretty nice.”

Hirako made that very out-of-character comment while munching on a rice cracker. Momo Hinamori looked at him and tilted her head, asking, “Umm…so in the end, what happened to the Arrancars in the Rukongai?”

“Right…lots of stuff happened.”

“Lots of stuff? So you drove them back without any problems?”

“When I say lots of stuff, I mean there was lots of stuff. Everything’s been settled just fine, so don’t worry about it.”

The series of events from the day before was being treated as classified. Though he had been told he could tell Hinamori some details of how the situation came to be, Hirako found it tedious to figure out how much to tell her, so he decided to handle it however he wanted.

“Ahh…”

Though many questions came to her mind, Hinamori was accepting. Because of that, Hirako decided to listen to some jazz over the Soul Pager that was equipped with music playback features, but…

The moment he put the earphones on, a voice called out to him from behind. “Hey, you baldy, Shinji!”

When he turned around, Hiyori Sarugaki, who should have been in the world of the living, was standing there.

“What? Oh, it’s just you, Hiyori. What’re you doing here? Come to think of it, I heard you started a part-time job in the world of the living. What kind of goofball situation would lead to tha…OOF?!”

Hirako cried out in agony after taking a kick right between the legs.

“Gah…guh…what do you think you’re doing?! That’s not the kind of greeting you give someone you haven’t seen in forever!”

“Shuddup! Apparently you told an assistant captain named Hisagi to tease me. And that guy went and did it! So how’re you gonna settle this, huh?”

“Th-that guy… He actually went through with it?! Wow, he really takes things seriously!”

Hiyori’s hair stood on end out of rage and she half smiled as she said to him, “Huh! So in other words, you actually did order that guy to do it, you baldy!”

“Wait a sec…!”

“They’re sure noisy.”

Kenpachi Zaraki watched from afar as Hinamori desperately tried to stop the fight between Hirako and Hiyori, then he asked Madarame and Yumichika behind him, “Hey, where’s Hisagi?”

“Assistant Captain Hisagi is in the world of the living.”

“Yeah, he headed over to finish his interview with Urahara.”

At Yumichika’s and Madarame’s responses, Kenpachi clucked his tongue as though he were disappointed. “Tsk…ah well. That guy’s bankai caught my eye a little, so I wanted to try fighting him…but guess I’ll wait until tomorrow.”

Kenpachi kept walking, and behind his back Madarame and Yumichika looked at each other.

“Well, guess that’s how it is. The captain really would be interested in that.”

“Hisagi…I think you’re going to be in hot water for a while…”

Imagining Hisagi’s future, the two of them each clasped their hands together, offering prayers for Hisagi, who was currently in the world of the living.

≡

The World of the Living, Urahara Shoten

“Yes, so that’s it for the interview. Once again…thank you for everything.”

Completely unaware of the fact that Madarame and Yumichika were pitying him from afar, Hisagi finished the interview and started to make preparations to return to the Soul Society.

In the end, because the plans for an article about Tokinada assuming office had fizzled, he had started to work toward putting together the reissue. He had also decided to go ahead with plans to interview Urahara and move forward with a special project titled Be Amazed! The Seven Great Mysteries of Urahara Shop!

The barrier around Karakura Town had disappeared, and the people Aura had been controlling had a confused recollection of what had happened, but were safely released. The religious organization was likely having a rough time due to Aura’s disappearance, but Yukio said he would fix that up, so all they could do was believe him.

“Thanks for your hard work. I’m sure things have been a real hassle with everything that happened yesterday. How are your wounds?”

In response to Urahara, Hisagi gave a fist pump as he answered, “Yes! When I took Hikone over there the director took a look at me, so I think I’m good as new now.”

“Well, that’s Mr. Seinosuke for you. Is he not getting flak for partnering with Tokinada Tsunayashiro, then?”

“No, the aristocrats made an appeal for him. But even now I really can’t tell if he’s a good person or a bad person.”

Though Hisagi had complex emotions about it, he recalled what Tokinada had said and once again looked Urahara in the face.

Internally, Hisagi reached a conclusion.

It was about why Kisuke Urahara had made a Hogyoku in order to strengthen the limits of a konpaku…

So had he wanted to create a konpaku that was as powerful as the Reio’s?

Or had he been trying to make it so any of the Soul Reapers could have the same power as the Reio, so they could all use their powers to gradually support the foundation of this world?

He was likely doing it so that he could release the Reio from his eternal sacrifice.

Hisagi, having made this assumption, said to Urahara respectfully, “This is separate from the interview, but…to me, you’re definitely a hero.”

“What? That was sudden. You can’t use flattery to get me to extend the payment date on your guitar loan.”

“I really will pay you back for that! I think…” Hisagi said without much confidence.

Two Soul Reapers who had appeared at Urahara Shoten’s entrance, Shino Madarame and Ryunosuke Yuki, called out to him. “Assistant Captain Hisagi! You really did save the town! I knew you would!”

“Oh…no, I didn’t really save it…”

“I’m so glad that weird wall is gone! Let’s pray that we can ride the trains free from harm from now on!”

“The trains?”

After a brief conversation with the Soul Reapers of Karakura Town who had come to greet him, Hisagi gave the two Soul Reapers a thumbs-up and told them, “It’s your turn to save the town next!” Then he was teased by Urahara for his self-satisfied grin, so much so that his whole body was blushing deep red by the time he disappeared through the Senkaimon.

A little while after Hisagi left, Yoruichi wound around Urahara’s feet in her black cat form and spoke to him. “Are you sure about this? Do you really think we can leave Shuhei Hisagi be?”

“Why would we have to do anything to him?”

“He’s supposed to be a ‘journalist,’ isn’t he? Don’t you think he stepped too far into the Soul Society’s…or, actually, into your own internal workings? I thought you’d do something to keep him quiet.”

“All this talk about shutting people up really isn’t like you, Ms. Yoruichi,” Urahara said in exasperation as the black cat leapt gracefully onto the shop’s shelves.

“Nonsense. I’m not saying you should kill him, as Tokinada would. You could’ve used the Kikanshinki Deluxe to wipe his memory or something.”

“That’s something you’re supposed to use on bodies made of kishi, so you know it would only work on humans of the living world.”

“I’m just saying, it’s not as though you couldn’t tamper with a Soul Reaper’s memory.”

Yoruichi spoke as though she were testing Urahara. The man sighed slightly and then responded with a serious expression, “Mr. Hisagi probably thinks that I created the Hogyoku for the Reio’s sake.”

“That’s not necessarily mistaken, though, right?”

“You’re wrong. Entirely wrong. It’s the opposite.”

There was both regret and self-derision in his words as Urahara looked back at his own past. “All I wanted to do was create something new. The goal for doing so was secondary. I just wanted to open a new door. I used the Reio as an excuse to open the lock to that door. I simply followed my own desires… Fundamentally, I am no different from Mr. Kurotsuchi and how he sacrifices so many in order to fulfill his craving for research.”

“Kisuke, you…”

“But Ms. Hiyori did see through me. That’s why, to take a neutral position…well to be accurate, it’s not neutral, but I decided to entrust some matters to a very Soul Reaper-like Soul Reaper.” His features softened then as he spoke about Hisagi. “When the time comes that I really do become someone who could be called a villain, it would be best to leave behind someone who can definitively determine that I’ve sinned, right? I’m sure that Mr. Hisagi, who saw how Mr. Tosen was and saw how he left, well, he would do that. Of course, Mr. Kurosaki or Ms. Kuchiki would work as well.”

Yoruichi jumped onto Urahara’s shoulder and protested close enough that she could have bitten his ear. “Are you saying I’m not cut out for that job?”

“No, no, but you’d be on my side no matter what anyone says, right? You’re not impartial.”

Urahara smiled, and Yoruichi acted exasperated, with her tail hanging down.

“I don’t even know where to start with that pretentious attitude you’ve got.”

“Also…if you thought I really crossed a line, you’d stop me even if you had to kick me, Ms. Yoruichi.”

“I’m telling you to stop being conceited. As if I’d stop at kicking you. I’d snap your neck to stop you.”

“You’re so severe.”

Urahara, who had returned to his usual demeanor, righted his hat as he gripped his cane and said to Yoruichi, “Well, let’s head off. Mr. Kurosaki and his friends might really be in hot water.”

Ichigo and his friends were in western Japan and had been caught up in some trouble. Though it wasn’t particularly urgent at the moment, if this were part of Tokinada’s strategy, there was a high possibility that it could turn into a thorny situation. Anticipating that, Urahara closed his store and planned to open an “Urahara Shoten Western Japan Branch” for the next few days.

“Really, you are such a busy man. Don’t you think you’re coddling Ichigo?”

“A small-town candy shop is supposed to coddle the kids.”

As he looked at Tessai, Jintaro, and Ururu, who were heaping together swim rings, beach parasols, and various other items outside, Urahara started on the path ahead of him in order to open the next door.

“Though I think Mr. Kurosaki is a bit too reliable to call a kid at this point.”

He would likely continue on to open another new door that day.

He would head on to worlds through doors yet unseen, carrying both fear and hope.