Inside the cage, Sugisaka was no longer restrained by any spiritual pressure.
He swayed slightly as he steadied himself and stood up slowly.
Shigure Segawa watched him with a faint smile, remaining silent.
Sugisaka raised his head to look at Shigure, his expression somewhat peculiar.
Shigure clapped his hands lightly, his smile unchanging.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Mr. Sugi, you truly put on quite the performance," Shigure said.
At these words, Sugisaka's gaze flickered, his tone turning cold. "When did you realize my disguise?"
Hearing this, Shigure's smile deepened.
"That's an interesting question. But how about I ask you this instead, Mr. Sugi—"
"When did you start believing in the illusion that I hadn't noticed?"
"!?"
Sugisaka's heart skipped a beat, and his breath caught in his throat.
In that instant, he suddenly understood why Shigure had given him that strange smile when he had called out to him earlier.
After a moment of silence, Sugisaka lowered his eyes and shook his head with a wry smile.
"I take back what I said earlier."
He took a step forward, exiting the cage. Looking at Shigure, he spoke earnestly, "I wasn't underestimating you… I simply never managed to see through you at all."
With that, he turned and staggered into the darkness, dragging his weary body along.
As he walked, he rubbed his shoulder and muttered, "Ah… this old body of mine nearly fell apart in there."
"You really taught me a lesson today."
Watching Sugisaka's retreating figure, Shigure's smile grew even wider.
The first real test of his Resonance Eye... was a perfect success!
Sugisaka's Zanpakutō also belonged to the illusion type. Although Shigure didn't know its exact abilities, his Resonance Eye had allowed him to uncover some clues.
It seemed that after release, Sugisaka's Zanpakutō could alter the appearance of both its wielder and itself. It could completely transfer the wielder's spiritual pressure to the sword, projecting the wielder's actions onto the blade.
Earlier, Sugisaka had transformed himself into the frenzied prisoner within the cage and disguised his Zanpakutō as himself, holding the blade.
Due to this Zanpakutō's unique nature, he could manipulate it remotely. If Shigure had relied solely on normal vision, he would have seen the frenzied prisoner in the cage and Sugisaka attacking him with a sword.
However, under the scrutiny of the Resonance Eye, all these illusions were rendered useless.
From the beginning, the one in the cell was Sugisaka himself. And the one attacking Shigure was merely a curved Zanpakutō.
When Shigure saw through the illusion, he realized the true nature of this "test." It was a test of loyalty.
Anyone with poor perception or ulterior motives would have been swayed by Sugisaka's words and actions. Coupled with the sight of "Sugisaka" attacking them, they might have instinctively believed the illusion and engaged in battle with the disguised Sugisaka.
By then, the test would be deemed a failure. The battle would also be lost, as the real Sugisaka would easily launch a surprise attack from behind.
Shigure's eyes glinted coldly.
"The old foxes of the Central 46 Chambers… they sure know their way around schemes and politics."
The mastermind behind this test was undoubtedly the Central 46. However, it was possible that Yamamoto Genryūsai, Retsu Unohana, and Shunsui Kyōraku were also aware of it.
Perhaps they, too, harbored some reservations about Shigure and wanted to observe how he would handle the situation.
Or maybe… this was precisely why Yamamoto Genryūsai had decided to move the trial here.
Still, while Shigure didn't appreciate their cautious mindset, he could understand it. The history of the Soul Society was rife with betrayals by those with ill intentions.
Having lived through it all, Yamamoto Genryūsai was naturally extremely cautious. The more he expected from Shigure, the more he feared betrayal.
Understanding this, Shigure suddenly felt a sense of clarity.
Regardless of their motives or expectations, they had indeed helped him significantly.
First, they had allowed him to evade Aizen's scheme and avoid exile to the Dead Zone.
Second, they had enabled him to complete this mission successfully.
Thinking of this, Shigure's eyes glimmered with amusement.
Meanwhile, in the 1st Division Headquarters.
Chōjirō Sasakibe was pouring tea for Yamamoto Genryūsai.
At that moment, Chōjiro Tōjū entered, kneeling on one knee with his head lowered respectfully.
"Head Captain, we've received word from Sugisaka in the Black Ridge Prison."
Hearing this, Yamamoto raised an eyebrow slightly and asked calmly, "And?"
Chōjiro Tōjū immediately replied, "As you expected, Shigure Segawa passed the test perfectly."
At these words, Chōjirō Sasakibe raised an eyebrow slightly, while a rare smile appeared on Yamamoto's face.
After a moment, Yamamoto said, "Shigure… though young, is exceptionally talented. I set up this test because I had some concerns."
"I feared that, in his youthful arrogance, he might follow the same path as that other prodigy…"
Hearing this, Chōjirō Sasakibe asked cautiously, "Head Captain, are you referring to Kōga Kuchiki?"
"Indeed."
Yamamoto nodded solemnly. "Though it's been a long time, his case left a deep impression on me."
Taking a sip of tea, Yamamoto continued, "Shigure Segawa's potential is limitless, far surpassing that of Kōga Kuchiki back then."
"Initially, I was worried that he might, like Kōga, be too young and impulsive, falling prey to rumors and deceit, and ultimately acting against the Seireitei."
"But now, it seems I was overly cautious."
He gazed into the distance, his expression thoughtful.
"Shigure Segawa… his future is boundless."
"Perhaps… the very survival of the Seireitei may one day rely on his strength…"
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Discover 10 Amazing Fanfics on My Patreon!Unlock 400+ Advance Chapters and Dive into the Story Early! 👉 [patreon.com/DarkGolds]