Fourth Division, General Relief Station.
Injured Shinigami and Ryoka were being sent in one after another, keeping the Fourth Division members running around nonstop.
Fortunately, there weren't too many gravely wounded. Most only needed short sessions of Kaidō treatment to recover. As for the severely injured, they were already resting on the Fourth Division's beds, their conditions stabilized.
Among them, the most heavily wounded was Kuchiki Byakuya. First, he had fought Kurosaki Ichigo and Abarai Renji. Then he suffered deep cuts from Aizen himself. Even after Unohana-taichō's careful treatment, the truth was clear—his recovery now depended on his own will and endurance.
Night eventually fell.
Amamiya Miyako lay on a bed in the quiet ward. He had been told to rest obediently, but yare yare… being obedient had never been his strong point. Tomorrow, he planned to find Orihime-chan and ask her directly to heal his wounds with Sōten Kisshun.
Just then, a knock came at the door.
"Come in," Miyako called out, wondering who would visit him first.
The one who entered was not a Fourth Division nurse, not Rukia-chan, not even one of his own squad members. It was Ishida Uryū.
Miyako let out a small sigh. "Haa… so it's you, huh?"
"What's with that reaction?! Why do you look so disappointed to see me?" Uryū snapped, a vein twitching on his forehead as he adjusted his glasses.
"Nothing, nothing," Miyako said with a light shrug, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. "I'm just impressed at your speed. How are Ichigo and the others?"
"With Inoue-san's healing, their wounds have mostly closed. But their stamina hasn't returned, so they're already asleep."
"Sou ka…" Miyako muttered. Orihime's Sōten Kisshun really was terrifying in its ability to reject phenomena themselves. Truly, she was amazing.
Uryū frowned. "Let's cut the idle talk. I didn't come here to exchange pleasantries." His sharp eyes glinted behind the reflection of his glasses.
"Alright, alright, I get it." Miyako raised both hands lazily. "Let me give you the answer you came for."
He leaned back against the pillow. "By the way, I won't say those three words out loud. Considering their relationship with the Gotei 13, best to avoid being overheard."
Uryū's expression stiffened. He understood exactly what Miyako was implying.
"Yes," Miyako said simply. Those light words made Uryū's heartbeat skip.
"That's all I can say here. The rest will have to wait until I've healed. Then, in another place, I'll tell you everything." He spread his hands helplessly.
"What do you mean by that?" Uryū's frown deepened. He hadn't come all this way just to hear one vague confirmation.
"If you want answers faster," Miyako said with a sly grin, "how about calling Inoue-san for me? The quicker I heal, the sooner I can talk."
"Tch. I refuse." Uryū's reply came instantly, his tone cold. "I won't help a Shinigami, even if you are…" He trailed off, but the intent was clear.
Even knowing Miyako bore Quincy power, it didn't matter to him now. His purpose in coming to Soul Society had already been fulfilled. He had lost his Quincy abilities, too. Coming here tonight was only to satisfy his curiosity, to hope that Miyako would clear his doubts.
"Then what if I told you… you could still recover?" Miyako asked quietly, his gaze sharp, lips curling into a knowing smile.
Uryū's eyes widened. "Nani…?!" His heart thumped. Does he… know how to restore my Quincy abilities? No—how did he even know I lost them?
"I'll say it again," Miyako cut in firmly. "I'll explain when I'm healed. Until then… you'll have to wait."
He hated lying in bed when there were still so many things to do. But for now, it was unavoidable.
Uryū stared at him long and hard, then turned without another word. He understood that Miyako held the initiative. No matter how many questions he asked, Miyako wouldn't answer unless he accepted those terms.
As Uryū's figure disappeared through the door, Miyako let out a long sigh.
"…Yare yare. I've become a riddle-spouting type myself."
He finally understood why people always seemed to speak in riddles. It wasn't because they wanted to be mysterious. It was because once certain truths were spoken aloud, the consequences would follow. Some things could only be revealed at the right time. Until then, silence was the only option.
And so, Amamiya Miyako had already prepared himself for the worst-case scenario. By using Quincy techniques inside Seireitei, he had not only drawn Ishida Uryū's attention… but perhaps even those from the Wandenreich had already noticed him.
"… tch." Miyako clicked his tongue and drew his twin Zanpakutō, vanishing into his inner world. This time, he wasn't here to fight them—he came to confirm the state of something far more dangerous… the Hōgyoku.
The inner world stretched before him, silent and cold, a night sky where the only light came from the pale moon. But tonight, another glow pierced the darkness. Floating in the air, a blue-black jewel shimmered ominously—the Hōgyoku, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Miyako had seen it here before, long ago. Back then, it had been nothing more than a dormant stone, still and silent. But now… it was different. It radiated an undeniable energy, impossible to ignore.
"…What the hell is going on…?" Miyako muttered.
A voice, calm and deep, broke the silence.
"Your will drew it out, Miyako."
Miyako turned sharply. Before him stood two figures—the black-haired Zetsun and the white-haired Kojin, his Zanpakutō spirits. It had been a long time since both appeared together.
"It responded to your desires," Kojin said evenly, his pale hair gleaming under the moonlight.
"My will and desires…?" Miyako raised an eyebrow, but his expression betrayed no shock.
"Exactly," Zetsun replied. "The Hōgyoku slumbered in Kuchiki Rukia, its awakening a process that should have taken ages. But the moment you touched it, your will—your longing—forced it awake."
Kojin nodded. "The Hōgyoku manifests the inner hope of whoever holds it. But remember—such wishes only take form if you have the strength to realize them yourself."
Miyako folded his arms, narrowing his eyes. "…So it was my desires that stirred it awake? Was it when I saw Ishida Uryū use Quincy: Letzt Stil?"
That battle was still etched into his memory—the overwhelming power of Uryū's desperate form. His own yearning for strength had reached a fever pitch that day.
"Yes," Kojin confirmed. "The vibrations shook this entire spiritual world."
"And when you saw Aizen's overwhelming might," Zetsun added, "your desires resonated even stronger." He gave a small smirk, then nudged Kojin's arm playfully. "Though, you should be thanking this guy, you know."
"Eh?" Miyako tilted his head, genuinely puzzled.
"It was him," Zetsun continued, "who sealed the Hōgyoku's aura after it merged with you. That's why Aizen never realized its presence. Otherwise… you'd have been discovered long ago."
Miyako's eyes widened slightly. So that was it. No wonder Aizen hadn't noticed anything when they crossed paths. It wasn't just luck—his Zanpakutō spirit had been protecting him all along.
"…So you've been helping me this whole time…" For the first time in a while, Miyako's lips curved into a small, relieved smile. Though his Zanpakutō had refused to acknowledge him before, in truth, they had always been watching over him.
"Hmph," Kojin said bluntly, his tone sharp. "If you'd accepted my strength earlier, you wouldn't have had to flounder like a fool. That display of yours was disgraceful."
"Oi, oi," Zetsun chuckled. "Don't mind him, Miyako. This guy's just a tsundere."
Miyako chuckled softly. "Arigatō, both of you. I think… I finally know what I have to do now." He gave them a small bow of gratitude before stepping away.
For the first time in a long while, Amamiya Miyako felt at ease. His Zanpakutō had always been by his side, not to protect "Amamiya Miyako the fighter," but to protect Miyako, the person. That knowledge alone was enough to steel his resolve for the battles yet to come.