Bleach: Awakened — Chapter 29 - The Meeting Once More

Even having lived a thousand years, having cut down so many people that she was once called a great villain, the Captain of Squad 4, Retsu Unohana, could not help but widen her eyes. As a fellow captain, she knew Gin Ichimaru's strength well. Being defeated by someone within Seireitei was already an inconceivable thing.

And yet... she thought back to the explosion of spiritual pressure she had sensed from far away, just moments ago. If the battlefield had been that distant, yet Gin Ichimaru had ended up collapsed at the gates of Squad 4, then the force behind it was something else entirely. Far too terrifying.

She set the thought aside and walked briskly to the Squad 4 main gate.

What greeted her was complete devastation. Looking outward from the gate, the structures beyond were in the same state, rubble stretching as far as she could see.

And there, one of the sources of all this destruction: a certain white-haired Soul Reaper, lying amid the wreckage, more dead than alive, seemingly on the verge of departing this world in quiet, peaceful silence.

Without hesitation, Retsu Unohana moved to Gin Ichimaru's side and pushed the Kaido in her hands to its maximum output. This was Squad 4. Saving lives came first.

"Huu..."

After a long while, she finally let out a slow breath. The Kaido dissipated from her hands, and fine beads of sweat had formed on her brow. Even for her, Captain of Squad 4, stabilizing Gin Ichimaru's condition had been no small feat.

"No vital organs struck. And only one blow."

She examined the injuries carefully. Aside from the wound on his chest, there was not a single other mark on his body. The two of them had exchanged only a single move.

"To be capable of this... just what kind of terrifying person is this..."

A broken Zanpakuto was embedded horizontally in Gin Ichimaru's chest. At the break was a massive sword wound. Fortunately, neither the wound nor the embedded blade had gone particularly deep.

To be more precise, the attacker had held back deliberately. They had chosen not to cleave Gin Ichimaru in two, releasing the excess force outward as a shockwave instead.

"Is this... a show of dominance," Retsu Unohana murmured. "Or is it... a gesture of goodwill."

"Captain!" Beside her, a tall woman with white hair approached. "The captains' meeting!"

"Understood." Retsu Unohana nodded but did not move to leave. "Have the others carefully carry Captain Ichimaru back inside. Isane, stay with me to treat him first. Third Seat Fujino, go ahead and report that Captain Ichimaru has been gravely injured and is at Squad 4—I will attend the meeting once treatment is finished."

"Yes! Captain!"

Squad 1. The meeting hall.

"My apologies. I am late."

The meeting had already been underway for half an hour by the time Retsu Unohana arrived. Her complexion was pale, one look was enough to know she had been overworked.

"No matter." From the high seat, Captain-Commander Yamamoto spoke. "How is Captain Ichimaru's condition?"

"Out of danger." Retsu Unohana said quietly. "His will to survive is strong, and whoever struck him showed considerable restraint. He should recover before long."

"Restraint?" Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Captain of Squad 12, could not help but cut in. "Captain Unohana, do you have any idea how many buildings Gin Ichimaru was sent crashing through? Not just the squad barracks—noble residences as well. Many of Squad 12's assets were destroyed in the process. Do you have any idea what those things were worth?!"

"But Captain Ichimaru is still alive." Retsu Unohana's voice remained even. "If the other party had wished it, we would currently be collecting his remains."

The assembled captains fell silent. They all understood Gin Ichimaru's strength, he was no placeholder who had stumbled into the rank of captain. His abilities were the real thing. Yet from the traces left at the scene, Gin Ichimaru appeared to have been incapacitated in a single move. Among everyone present, there was only one person capable of that.

"What exactly do you mean?" The eyes of Captain-Commander Yamamoto, which had been narrowed shut, snapped open. Cold light radiated from them. "You refer to the enemy who wounded Captain Ichimaru as 'the other party.' Captain Unohana—are you suggesting that person is not yet an enemy?!"

"...I am not certain." Retsu Unohana lowered her head. "But Captain-Commander, you are also aware that far too many things have occurred recently. In a time like this, I believe we cannot afford rash judgments."

The assembled captains did not contradict her. There had been too many inexplicable events of late. First, the adopted daughter of the Kuchiki family had been found colluding with the criminal Kisuke Urahara from a hundred years past. Then a human appeared possessing Soul Reaper powers at an abnormally terrifying level.

And finally, the highest judicial authority in Soul Society had sentenced that same adopted daughter, Rukia Kuchiki, to capital punishment. Colluding with Kisuke Urahara was a grave offense, but Rukia Kuchiki had not yet actually done anything. And yet she had been sentenced to execution. All of it was thoroughly unreasonable.

"Regardless, attacking a captain is a provocation against the Gotei 13!" Sui-Feng's face was ice. "No matter how many irregularities there are. No matter the reason. None of it justifies provoking us!"

"Captain Sui-Feng is correct." Captain-Commander Yamamoto's voice filled the room. "Pass the order down. Due to the presence of Ryoka coming from the World of the Living, Seireitei is hereby placed under full martial law, effective immediately. All captains are permitted to release their Zanpakuto, and to use Bankai if necessary. If it comes to that, the lives of the Ryoka are of no concern!"

"Yes!"

After the meeting was dismissed, the captains departed in small groups. Squad 8 Captain Shunsui Kyoraku and close friend Squad 13 Captain Jushiro Ukitake left together.

"Rukia's crime does not warrant death, you know that, Shunsui... cough, cough!" After coughing twice, Ukitake continued. "The situation right now is strange. Someone is definitely scheming something. We need to act."

"Yeah, yeah... I know." Shunsui Kyoraku nodded. "The old man knows something is off too. The order was 'if necessary, lives are of no concern', meaning he's not actually encouraging us to go for the kill."

"The enemy is hiding in the shadows. Perhaps it is one of the captains themselves."

"Perhaps several of them. Let's make preparations first. Setting everything else aside, the fact that they intend to invoke the Sokyoku? That is absolutely a problem."

"Indeed..."

The other captains made their way back to their respective barracks. Only the Captain of Squad 10, appearing to be around ten years old, white-haired and perpetually frowning, carrying the bearing of someone far older, Toshiro Hitsugaya sought out Retsu Unohana.

"Captain Unohana." Toshiro Hitsugaya said. "That guy, Gin Ichimaru... is there any possibility it was intentional?"

"...You mean Captain Ichimaru used this as a way to remove suspicion from himself?" Retsu Unohana understood the question and shook her head. "It is not entirely impossible. But very, very unlikely."

"How so?"

"If Captain Ichimaru had not happened to land at Squad 4, he might already be dead. On top of that, he has fallen into a deep coma, he will not wake for several days, and if it comes to a fight, he will be out of action for at least ten days to two weeks."

"Is that so... meaning Gin Ichimaru is completely harmless for the time being?"

"I would ask Captain Hitsugaya not to prejudge a fallen comrade." Retsu Unohana's tone was gentle, and flat. "Even if Captain Ichimaru truly had ulterior motives, right now, he is the one who fell protecting Seireitei."

➤ Next: Each (Fool's) Their Own Mission