Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Long Time No See, Gin
Chapter 55: Long Time No See, Gin
Days passed one by one. The news that Kirio Hikifune was soon to leave her post had spread throughout the 12th Division. This highly experienced Captain was deeply beloved by her subordinates, so the mood within the Division was inevitably quite low.
Yato Uchiha wasn’t affected by this atmosphere; he just went about his business as usual. He even fully embraced his responsibilities as the 3rd Seat, taking over Hiyori Sarugaki’s workload. This made the blonde Lieutenant feel very embarrassed, and she promised that after Captain Hikifune left for the Soul King Palace, she would treat Yato to several huge feasts.
As for the things he had heard at Shintaro Arima’s funeral, Yato didn’t pay them too much mind.
The decline of the Shiba clan secretly aligned with the timeline. One hundred and ten years later, when Ichigo Kurosaki forcibly breached the Seireitei, this once-monolithic entity, formerly one of the Five Great Noble Families, had already thoroughly died out. The branch families had vanished entirely, leaving only Kukaku and Ganju in the main house.
If someone were to claim there was nothing fishy going on behind the scenes, even a ghost wouldn’t believe it.
However, as things stood now, Yato Uchiha’s forces were thin and his combat power was insufficient. He hadn’t even touched the threshold of Bankai yet. Unable to intervene in a monstrous whirlpool of this magnitude, he simply tossed it to the back of his mind and focused on the matters right in front of him.
Late that night, Yato was still hunched over his desk, writing furiously as he reviewed official documents.
By the time he finished processing everything, it was already well past midnight.
"This chair is really uncomfortable to sit in. It’s not good for the lumbar spine..."
Yato tapped his lower back. After thinking for a moment, he opened a document and scribbled a single sentence on the "Purchase and Sale Approval Opinion" page.
"Purchase three large, soft felt deer-skin chairs."
—When you arrange benefits for yourself, you must always include your boss!
Yato Uchiha nodded in satisfaction, got up, and left the 3rd Seat’s office.
He was a workaholic and typically slept in the barracks. But today, Yato left the 12th Division’s complex and headed toward the 5th Division’s encampment.
The 5th Division was situated next to a small lake. Half of its buildings extended over the water, and the other half nestled into the mountains, giving it a highly artistic and refined atmosphere.
Of course, despite its fresh and artistic style, its nature as a part of the Gotei 13 remained unchanged; the security was still extremely tight.
Wearing his Shihakusho, Yato Uchiha swaggered right through the front gate of the 5th Division, walked along the corridors, and headed into the mountains.
During this short trek, he didn’t encounter a single 5th Division officer!
This wasn’t because Yato got lucky. It was because whenever it was time for a gathering, Sosuke Aizen would specifically arrange the patrol routes within the Division. As long as Yato followed the exact steps to enter, absolutely no one would discover him.
To Aizen, trivial matters like this didn’t even require Kyoka Suigetsu; a little bit of brainpower was all it took.
Yato ventured into the mountains for about ten minutes before hearing a warm, mellow voice drifting over from the dense forest ahead:
"Truly outstanding. Although these few weren’t Seated Officers, they were all quite talented and had decent combat skills. Yet, you slaughtered them all easily without even using your Shikai."
"It seems this level of intensity is not enough to test your power."
"In a few days, the 3rd Seat, Shunsuke Kurokawa, will return from Hueco Mundo. Let’s see if you can kill him then."
"By the way... may I ask your name once again?"
"Gin Ichimaru." The boy with narrow eyes rested his blood-stained Zanpakuto against his shoulder. The corner of his mouth curled into a slight smile, looking exactly like a venomous snake preparing to devour its prey.
But very quickly, his smile stiffened for a fraction of a second.
Because he saw the young Seated Officer stepping out from the darkness.
Black hair, black eyes, handsome and tall. The thistle flower crest was embroidered on the cuffs of his Shihakusho, projecting an imposing sharpness amidst an aura of steady composure.
"Yato-kun, you’re punctual as always," Sosuke Aizen chuckled softly.
"I will leave this place to you. I must return immediately. As you know, our Captain Hirako is a highly suspicious and perceptive individual... Also, get acquainted. This is our new comrade."
"Understood, Lieutenant Aizen."
Yato Uchiha bowed respectfully, watching as the unfathomable man walked away.
Deep within the dense forest, only Yato Uchiha and Gin Ichimaru remained.
"Yo." In the darkness, the handsome 3rd Seat suddenly spoke up:
"Long time no see, Gin."
Gin Ichimaru’s expression violently shifted, revealing a look of hesitation. He gripped his Zanpakuto tightly, as if ready to unsheathe it at a moment’s notice.
His posture was the absolute spitting image of a tightly drawn bowstring.
Seeing what Gin Ichimaru was worried about, Yato Uchiha smirked and waved his hand dismissively:
"Don’t worry, Gin. You still don’t understand Lieutenant Aizen. When dealing with his subordinates, he never plays the ’feigned retreat’ trick to test their loyalty."
Someone confident in their complete control of everything disdained using such petty methods.
"Haien."
Yato discarded the incantation and released the Kido, tossing the ball of purple fire onto the clothes of the corpses.
There was no exaggerated blaze, yet the corrosive property was incredibly strong. This Hado was perfect for destroying corpses and erasing traces; in the original story, Kaname Tosen used this exact spell to burn away Grimmjow’s severed arm.
"You..." Gin Ichimaru’s narrow eyes squinted further.
"Why are you here?"
"And why are you here?" Yato Uchiha instantly dropped a bombshell, going straight for a one-hit kill:
"Where is Rangiku?"
"..."
"You abandoned her and came to be a Soul Reaper all by yourself?"
"..."
"You fell in love with someone else, didn’t you? So, your new lover is in the Gotei 13?"
"It’s not like that." Gin Ichimaru’s face twitched. Unable to maintain his sinister and vicious facade, he enunciated every single word:
"I will protect Rangiku, always. Forever."
"How truly touching..." Yato looked at his thin, frail body and let out a sigh:
"Wipe the blood off yourself first."
Gin Ichimaru remained silent for a long time, then took two steps backward.
His resistance and alienation were palpable.
Yato wasn’t surprised by Gin Ichimaru’s reaction in the slightest. He was already a paranoid, cold-blooded genius who resembled a venomous snake; did he really expect him to wag his tail enthusiastically like a puppy?
Eh? But thinking about it that way, Rangiku Matsumoto actually does resemble a Golden Retriever...
Yato shook his head, throwing the bizarre image out of his mind, and spoke seriously:
"Gin, it’s not my place to interfere with your decisions. But there is one thing you need to know... Lieutenant Aizen does not know that we know each other."
Kyoka Suigetsu was powerful, but it wasn’t omniscient or omnipotent. Aizen still had weaknesses, and there were loopholes to exploit.
A dark gleam flashed through Gin Ichimaru’s eyes; he instantly understood the implication.
He began to seriously evaluate this former "friendly neighborhood older brother," carefully pondering the true motive behind his presence at Sosuke Aizen’s side.
"Very good." Yato Uchiha nodded in satisfaction.
"Speak less, think more. You’re exactly the same as before; you still have incredible patience."
He waved his hand, turned around, and melted back into the darkness.
Deep within the dense forest, the boy resembling a man-eating snake stood motionless with his blade.
"Rangiku..."
Now alone, Gin Ichimaru no longer suppressed his emotions. Yearning and sorrowful memories continuously churned, washing over his mind.
Every little moment of their life together, the dilapidated yet warm little house in the Rukongai, the sea of blooming flowers outside their yard, the delicious dishes on the dining table of their neighbor’s house, the joyful upward curve of Rangiku’s lips when she laughed out loud...
Ultimately, the scenes in his memory froze on the pained expression between the girl’s brows as she lay unconscious on the ground.
Gin Ichimaru’s eyes instantly turned freezing cold.
"Rangiku... I will kill that guy."
☆☆☆
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