Chapter 0030: The Advanced Execution Date

12th Division, Technology Development Bureau.

Returning here, Su Jin took off his tattered Shihakusho and put on a new set of clothes. He then turned to Inoue Orihime, who was covering her eyes, and said, "Thanks for your hard work just now."

"No, I only did a little, it wasn't hard at all, and…" Inoue Orihime waved her hands repeatedly, then looked at Su Jin with a peculiar expression, "Why did you have me heal that captain?"

Indeed, the one who saved the critically injured Unohana Retsu was none other than the meek, busty girl, Inoue Orihime. Her ability, "Sōten Kisshun," has healing powers so potent that they seem to reverse time. Only such an ability could save the nearly dead Unohana Retsu and give her enough strength to heal herself.

To be honest, seeing this ability firsthand made Su Jin consider taking Inoue Orihime to Little Garden. Having a top-tier healer on the team is never a bad thing.

In response to Inoue Orihime's question, Su Jin smiled and said, "After all, she can be considered my teacher. I couldn't bear to kill her."

As Unohana Retsu suspected, Su Jin sought her out to practice his swordsmanship. In Su Jin's view, his greatest deficiencies were in combat experience and sword technique. And who better to teach him than Unohana Retsu, the greatest swordmaster in Soul Society? Even though his method of seeking her instruction was quite brutal, he remembered her techniques with his divine memory, waiting to fully absorb and convert them into experience.

"Teacher?" Inoue Orihime blinked and tilted her head. She thought of the terrifying spiritual pressure when Su Jin and Unohana Retsu fought and the bloodbath everywhere. Then she thought of Su Jin's casual mention of a "teacher," and her mind was filled with questions.

Is hacking each other up the way Soul Society people communicate with their teachers?

At this moment, Su Jin took a sip of water handed over by Nemu Kurotsuchi and said, "Arrange for a map of a secret passage that leads directly to the Senzaikyū."

"Yes!" Nemu bowed slightly and then left.

Inoue Orihime, coming back to her senses, asked Su Jin, "Senzaikyū? What's that?"

"Where Kuchiki Rukia is being held."

Hearing this, Inoue Orihime's face lit up with joy, but Su Jin turned his attention to the door. It opened slowly, and Aizen Sosuke, wearing his 5th Division captain's haori, strolled in.

"I'm a bit surprised."

Aizen, entering the room, looked at the cut on Su Jin's right cheek, raising an eyebrow.

This statement had two implications: one, that Su Jin could be injured by Unohana Retsu, and two, that Unohana Retsu could only injure Su Jin to this extent.

The sudden appearance of the third person made Inoue Orihime instinctively hide behind Su Jin. Su Jin nonchalantly squeezed his cheek, forcing out a few drops of red blood. After the blood was expelled, the wound on Su Jin's face healed instantly.

"Unohana's sword is strong in its ability to dissolve matter. For her, creating a wound is enough."

Unohana Retsu's Bankai, once it caused a wound, was nearly a guaranteed kill. However, she hadn't expected Su Jin's spiritual pressure to far surpass hers, suppressing her abilities and ultimately defeating her.

It was a defeat in terms of the scale of power, not ability or strategy.

"The battle of Shinigami is merely a battle of spiritual pressure."

Aizen smiled, one hand in his pocket, glancing at Inoue Orihime before asking Su Jin, "You want to see Kuchiki Rukia?"

"That's right."

Su Jin nodded, then stroked his chin, saying, "Given the current situation, this might be the last chance."

Kuchiki Rukia, currently the host for Urahara Kisuke's Hōgyoku, piqued Su Jin's curiosity. From his perspective, after defeating Unohana Retsu and Ichigo Kurosaki causing another uproar, the Gotei 13 would surely react.

As a result, Kuchiki Rukia's execution would likely be advanced. Therefore, the next few hours might be the last opportunity to see her.

"I understand."

Aizen adjusted his glasses and turned to leave, saying, "I will 'die' tonight. The next time we meet will probably be at Sokyoku Hill."

Sokyoku Hill is where Kuchiki Rukia's execution is to take place. This meant Aizen's plan was nearing its conclusion.

Understanding this, Su Jin raised an eyebrow and asked, "You're not planning to kill a few more captains?"

"No need," Aizen smiled, "The new world will still need managers."

So, you think the Shinigami will pledge their allegiance to you when you ascend the throne? How arrogant… Su Jin thought but said nothing, letting Aizen leave the 12th Division.

Inoue Orihime, still hiding behind him, cautiously asked, "What was with that captain just now?"

"You're asking too much," Su Jin glared at her, then looked down, laughing, "Sure enough, all your fat goes there, using up all the nutrients for your brain."

"Eh?" Inoue Orihime blinked, then looked down, her face turning bright red.

"That's not true. I eat walnuts and other brain-boosting foods."

"You actually believe that?"

Su Jin gave her a strange look, and before she could retort, he said, "Get ready; it's almost time to see Kuchiki Rukia."

"Okay," Inoue Orihime nodded, looking down.

1st Division, Council Hall.

Yamamoto Genryusai sat silently in the main seat, staring at the empty room, a hell butterfly resting on his hand, conveying information.

"Unohana lost…"

"The Ryoka's goal is Kuchiki Rukia, and there's a hidden force pushing for her execution?"

"The opponent is disguised as a Quincy? The one who killed Kurotsuchi Mayuri wasn't a Ryoka but someone else?"

"Ridiculous! That kid Kyoraku was fooled without realizing it."

A Shinigami disguised as a Quincy? Ridiculous. If he could use a spirit bow, was he really a Shinigami? Perhaps it was a Quincy in disguise.

Using such false information to deceive him—did they think Yamamoto Genryusai had grown senile? Still, a Quincy capable of defeating Unohana Retsu… thinking about it, it could only be someone from that side.

With this in mind, Yamamoto Genryusai stood from his seat, walked to the edge of the floor-to-ceiling window, and looked out over Seireitei, saying, "Yhwach, is this your doing? I was too lenient back then!"

"But mistakes are only made once!"

Not long after, a hell butterfly fluttered within Seireitei.

[Notice: The execution date for former 13th Division member Kuchiki Rukia has been changed due to her grave crimes.]

[The new time is set for 8 a.m. the day after tomorrow, at Sokyoku Hill!]

13th Division.

Ukitake Jushiro looked at the hell butterfly in his hand and coughed, covering his mouth.

"Cough cough, it's been moved up again? And to the day after tomorrow. Is the Captain-Commander planning to catch all the small fry in one sweep?"

"But why, why are you targeting Rukia like this? At most, her crime warrants only a five-year sentence."

The sister-in-law of 6th Division Captain Kuchiki Byakuya, and adopted daughter of one of the Four Great Noble Families, the Kuchiki family. Even for severe crimes, such a person would receive some clemency. Not to mention, sharing Shinigami powers with a human has precedents. The humans involved were even recruited, and the Shinigami's sentence was just a hundred years or so. For a noble like Rukia, her crime couldn't possibly be that severe.

With this in mind, Ukitake Jushiro made a decision.

"Yoruichi Shihouin, I believe in you."

Outside the room, a black cat lying on the corridor floor scratched its fur with its leg, squinting its eyes.

"You should have said so sooner."

Seeing Ukitake Jushiro make a decision, the black cat—Yoruichi Shihouin—grinned.

"Well then, happy cooperation."