"Shigure… Kenpachi?"
Rukia Kuchiki softly repeated the name, her voice tinged with curiosity.
For a young Shinigami like her, someone who had only recently graduated from the Shin'ō Academy
the name Shigure Kenpachi felt distant, almost belonging to another era. By the time she had even begun her studies, Shigure had already stepped down from his position.
Counting the years, he had been retired for decades.
Within the Gotei 13, time moved relentlessly forward. New captains rose, old names faded, and unless one deliberately studied history, figures of the past gradually disappeared from common awareness.
Rukia was no exception.
Even among the current captains, there were some she barely knew, let alone a former captain who no longer held any official post.
And yet she understood the weight of the title "Kenpachi."
At the academy, it had been described in simple but striking terms:
The title bestowed upon the strongest Shinigami.
That explanation had puzzled her at the time.
If Kenpachi meant the strongest Shinigami… then what of the captains?
Were they not the pinnacle?
Only after joining the Gotei 13 did she begin to grasp the nuance. The title "Kenpachi" was not an administrative rank like captaincy, but a designation earned through absolute combat supremacy, tied specifically to the Eleventh Division's traditions.
It was less about authority and more about overwhelming strength.
Whether the academy simplified or romanticized the concept for its students, Rukia could not say. But one thing was certain:
Anyone who had borne that name was no ordinary Shinigami.
"…He's still alive?"
Rukia suddenly asked, recalling another detail.
Her question caused Shiba Kaien to pause briefly before understanding her meaning.
"You're thinking about the Eleventh Division's succession," Kaien said.
Rukia nodded.
Unlike other divisions, where captains were appointed through examinations and recommendations, the Eleventh Division followed a far more brutal custom.
The title of Kenpachi was passed on through combat.
To claim it, one had to defeat and often kill the previous Kenpachi.
It was a tradition steeped in blood.
"Normally, that's true," Kaien admitted. "But Shigure Kenpachi is… an exception."
He glanced in the direction Shigure had departed.
"He's still alive. In fact, he's acquainted with Captain Ukitake. He occasionally visits the Thirteenth Division usually to drink with Captain Kyōraku."
Rukia blinked in surprise.
"…Captain Ukitake drinks alcohol?"
Given Ukitake's frail health, that seemed… unlikely.
Kaien gave a small, helpless shrug.
"Whether he actually drinks or not, I couldn't say. But the two captains certainly do."
The conversation ended there.
With Miyako's condition stabilized, Kaien wasted no more time. Together with Rukia, he departed the scene, heading toward the Fourth Division for proper medical treatment.
Though Shigure's Kaidō had been effective, it was, as he himself admitted, no substitute for a full recovery under Captain Unohana's care.
As for Rukia while she was concerned for Miyako's condition, her thoughts lingered elsewhere.
On that lone figure.
The man who had appeared, ended the battle in a single blow, and vanished just as quickly.
A former Kenpachi.
A name that carried the weight of legend.
Meanwhile, Shigure himself paid no mind to the impression he had left behind.
Rukia Kuchiki or anyone else was of little importance to him in this moment.
What truly occupied his thoughts…
Was the corpse he carried.
"If I remember correctly… this Hollow should be Metastacia."
One of Aizen Sōsuke's experimental creations.
Unlike ordinary Hollows, Metastacia possessed highly abnormal abilities. Its primary trait was fusion through consumption, allowing it to integrate with the spiritual bodies of its victims.
More dangerously
It could interfere with a Shinigami's Zanpakutō, effectively nullifying its abilities upon contact.
In the original course of events, this ability had been the key to defeating Shiba Kaien.
Even more troubling was what came after.
After its apparent destruction, Metastacia's remnants had returned to Hueco Mundo, where its fused essence was eventually devoured by Aaroniero Arruruerie, the future Novena Espada.
Through that consumption, Aaroniero gained access to Kaien's abilities and form.
A chain of evolution born from devouring.
While such evolution was not without limits, it was still a deeply unsettling phenomenon.
And one worth studying.
With that in mind, Shigure made no detours.
Using a spatial storage device developed by Urahara Kisuke, he sealed the Hollow's remains and transported them back to Seireitei briefly only to pass through a concealed passage and enter the Human World soon after.
His destination, Urahara Shop.
Inside the underground laboratory, Urahara Kisuke was immersed in research.
In recent years, his work had expanded in multiple directions: investigations into the Quincy, analysis of Hollowfication, and even early-stage studies related to Arrancar.
Following Shigure's earlier warnings, Urahara and even the Visored had conducted limited reconnaissance in Hueco Mundo.
The conclusion was clear:
Aizen's research had already advanced far beyond conventional understanding.
If they were to prepare for what lay ahead, ignorance was not an option.
Understanding Hollows
Their structure, their evolution, their limits
Had become essential.
Not only to counter Aizen.
But also, as Shigure had suggested, to potentially counter the Quincy, whose abilities stood in direct opposition to the balance of souls.
As Urahara worked, a small black cat quietly entered the lab.
"Your teacher has arrived," came Yoruichi's voice.
Urahara paused, setting aside his tools before making his way out.
When he emerged, his gaze immediately fell not on Shigure but on the corpse beside him.
A Hollow.
And not an ordinary one.
"Sensei…?" Urahara asked, his curiosity already piqued.
Shigure's response was direct.
"This is one of Aizen's experimental subjects."
He glanced at the remains.
"It nearly killed Shiba Kaien, Vice-Captain of the Thirteenth Division."
A brief silence followed.
Then Urahara's eyes sharpened.
Interest had turned into intent.
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