Night in the Seireitei was deep and boundless.
In his home at No. 14 on Ryūō Street in the Seireitei, Higashino Shuuichi sat quietly as his consciousness sank into the void.
The way to contact Kisaragi Shūsuke and the others was actually very simple—so simple that Higashino Shuuichi had never even thought of it before.
It was the Kabuma clan's divine sigils that connected to Hell.
He had always subconsciously assumed those sigils could only be used to communicate with Hell. But in truth, even creatures like Hell Butterflies (Jigokuchō) could freely travel back and forth between the three worlds, and wouldn't be affected even within the Dangai.
If a power like that was tied to Hell, how could the divine sigils' function possibly be so limited?
If a divine sigil could reach souls in Hell, there was no reason distance within Soul Society would block it.
However, the divine sigils weren't like telephones in the World of the Living; you couldn't just dial someone who bore the sigil and have them chat directly with Kabuma Sayako. Instead, Kabuma Sayako could use her clan's heirloom artifact, Seyabasa, to summon the bearer over.
For Hell, because of Hell's restraints, that kind of summoning could only be degraded into simply guiding its power to descend.
But for Shinigami in Soul Society, that limitation didn't exist.
Even so, in Higashino Shuuichi's current situation, he clearly couldn't just leave Soul Society on a whim. He had a mountain of important matters to deal with.
So the best option was—
"Waaah…"
A baby's cry.
In the World of the Living, inside a shabby wooden house, a middle-aged man who looked a bit on in years was flusteredly picking up a baby and gently rocking it in his arms.
Kurosaki Yuki…
Higashino Shuuichi spoke the name in his heart with a hint of exasperation.
Lately there had been too many matters piling up in Soul Society, and he still hadn't found a way to replenish his Quincy body. On top of that, there was the issue of Yhwach, and Aizen showed no sign of making a move anytime soon—so this body had been completely shoved to the back of Shuuichi's mind. He had simply left it in the World of the Living, following the commands he'd planted in it, steadily reinforcing its Quincy abilities and gradually awakening its Schrift.
After spending quite a long time going through this Quincy body's experiences over the past years, Higashino Shuuichi could only sigh at the fickleness of fate.
Originally, the couple Kurosaki Yuki and Kurosaki Mai hadn't planned on having children. Yet this child had arrived just as the two of them were both about to step into their fifties.
That left Kurosaki Yuki and Kurosaki Mai with no choice but to end their wandering, traveling life and settle down in Tokyo Prefecture.
As their disciple, Kabuno Takuya—this Quincy avatar of Higashino Shuuichi—had naturally followed them and settled as well.
Over this period, however, Kurosaki Yuki had noticed some oddities about Kabuno Takuya.
For example, in seven years both he and Kurosaki Mai had gained streaks of white in their hair, but Kabuno Takuya's body showed no trace of the passing years.
That was because, in essence, Kabuno Takuya couldn't really be called a complete person. He was merely a stand-in, a "tool man" who acted according to pre-set routines whenever Higashino Shuuichi didn't have the time to pay attention.
Everything about him had been simulated into existence by Shuuichi, using reishi and Quincy Schrift powers, so naturally he couldn't possess the usual hallmarks of human life.
Even so, Kurosaki Yuki had never once called him out on it.
Higashino Shuuichi had inferred all this from Kabuno Takuya's diary, based on Kurosaki Yuki's little actions and words over time.
He guessed this was also because Kurosaki Yuki and Kurosaki Mai were simply getting older.
The older one got, the more one yearned for stability and shunned risk. That was a common ailment, and very few people could break that curse.
"This little fellow sure is energetic—still making such a fuss in the middle of the night."
Using Kabuno Takuya's body, Higashino Shuuichi rubbed his sleepy eyes, one hand resting on the living room doorframe as he spoke with a faint smile.
"Isn't he just? The kid's mom is about losing sleep because of him. I brought him out to the living room so he wouldn't keep Mai awake."
Kurosaki Yuki gazed down at the baby in his arms with loving eyes.
"Have you thought of a name for the little one yet?"
Higashino Shuuichi asked.
"Of course. Kurosaki Sawa. What do you think?"
"It's a nice name. By the way, Yuki-sensei, I might have to leave for a while—and I don't know if I'll ever be coming back."
After a few casual pleasantries, Higashino Shuuichi finally spoke his true purpose.
He could have left without a word, but he remembered that while he hadn't known this couple for very long, this Quincy body of his had been with them far longer.
And it was thanks to the Kurosaki couple that this body had been able to master Quincy abilities so quickly and live a stable life in the World of the Living for so long.
Emotionally and logically, he owed this kind couple a proper farewell.
He had originally thought Kurosaki Yuki would politely ask about his future plans. Instead, Yuki simply looked at him, a meaningful look in his eyes.
"Do your best~"
Just two simple words, yet they carried countless unspoken thoughts.
Kurosaki Yuki recalled that he had seen this look in Kabuno Takuya's eyes once before. That had been seven years ago, when he and Mai had been attacked by an extraordinarily powerful Hollow and had nearly died together.
That look in Kabuno Takuya's eyes back then was exactly the one he saw now.
Not the usual muddled, empty, vacant gaze.
But a look brimming with confidence and intelligence.
Kurosaki Yuki didn't know what "possession" meant, but he was very clear that the Kabuno Takuya standing before him now was probably the true form of Kabuno Takuya.
Now that he was leaving, Yuki found he had nothing he could say. A thousand words condensed into those simplest of two.
If he were still young, perhaps he would have thought of repaying Kabuno Takuya for saving his and Mai's lives back then, and for all the years of quietly resolving their troubles.
But now, out of the corner of his eye, Kurosaki Yuki glanced at the child in his arms.
He had formed a bond he could no longer cut away. He wasn't capable of that kind of thing anymore.
"Heh…"
Higashino Shuuichi chuckled softly. He hadn't expected that sort of answer from Kurosaki Yuki, though thinking it through, it made perfect sense.
"I will."
Another short, three-word reply—but in this small living room the two men had already exchanged more than a thousand words.
Everything was understood without needing to be spoken.
After that, Higashino Shuuichi turned and left without any lingering hesitation.
The Kurosaki couple, Yuki and Mai, were destined to be only fleeting passersby in the long life of a Shinigami like Higashino Shuuichi. He knew very clearly that once he left this time, he would never return.
He also knew that Kurosaki Yuki, in his heart, likely understood that as well.
Fortunately, most of the more powerful Hollows in Hueco Mundo had perished in that incident seven years ago. For quite some time to come, Hueco Mundo would need to lick its wounds and rebuild its strength, so the Kurosaki couple would, in all likelihood, be able to live out the rest of their lives in peace.
Higashino Shuuichi returned to his room and deftly channeled his spiritual power, tracing onto his body the divine sigil he hadn't used in a very long time.
At the same time, far away in the city of London, within West Administration territory, Kabuma Sayako was sitting on a river cruise ship, enjoying English afternoon tea. Leaning on the railing beside her, Matsumoto Rangiku chatted with her.
"I heard that Count Locke Martin has invited you to the opera again recently?"
"Don't even mention it, Sayako-san. Just seeing that man's face makes me want to throw up."
Matsumoto Rangiku said with a bitter expression.
"Shouldn't you be happy about it instead? After all, Count Locke Martin bought several wineries for you. All you have to do is crook your finger and you can drink as much as you like there~"
Standing on the ship's deck, enjoying the river breeze, Nagasawa Satomi teased her with a smile.
After so many years together, she had already become part of the group with these Shinigami.
"You've got some nerve to say that!
If you hadn't told that man I love to drink, do you think he would have done all that?!"
The moment Nagasawa Satomi brought it up, Matsumoto Rangiku couldn't take it anymore and immediately launched into a verbal barrage.
However, Nagasawa Satomi was already long used to Rangiku's mock reproaches and didn't mind them at all.
"With how often you drink, Rangiku, I think even if I never said a word, he could find out just by asking any random neighbor near where we live.
A great beauty like you who spends almost every day in the same bar—it'd be hard not to notice, right?"
"All right, all right, it's my fault, okay?"
Knowing she was in the wrong, Matsumoto Rangiku could only plant her hands on her hips and pout.
"Hahahaha!"
Seeing her like this, Nagasawa Satomi burst into unrestrained laughter. Teasing Matsumoto Rangiku really was the best entertainment.
"But it can't be helped. That Count Martin just happens to like your type, Rangiku.
He's not into my type at all. Even if I wanted to step up, there's nothing I could do~"
Nagasawa Satomi spread her hands and laughed.
"Sure, sure, Satomi-san, just you wait. Next time it's your turn, I'll make sure to help you real hard."
Matsumoto Rangiku said fiercely.
Watching the two of them bicker like they did every day, Kabuma Sayako could only smile helplessly and turn her gaze toward the distant city.
"By my count, Shūsuke-kun should be back soon, right? I wonder what kind of intel he managed to pry out of that count this time?"
"Yeah… my great Shūsuke-kun, here's hoping you pull your weight this time and get me free from Count Locke Martin's harassment as soon as possible!"
Matsumoto Rangiku pressed her palms together like in prayer, as if beseeching some higher power.
She'd picked up that little gesture in a church here in London and found it amusing, so she used it all the time for show.
In truth, there was another thought in Matsumoto Rangiku's heart: that they could quickly fulfill the deal they'd made with 8th Division Captain Kyoraku Shunsui back then, and fully unravel the case of the missing asauchi from Soul Society. That way, they—and Lord Shuuichi—would no longer have to live this kind of life, hiding and drifting in the World of the Living.
Although she had seen all sorts of people and things over these years, for a standard Soul Society native like Matsumoto Rangiku, life in Soul Society still suited her more.
That was why, seven years ago, even though Kisaragi Shūsuke had already sensed Higashino Shuuichi's return, they still chose to remain here in West Administration.
Always being protected by Lord Shuuichi, they wanted to accomplish at least one brilliant deed of their own—something that would make Lord Shuuichi see them in a new light.
And now, all clues regarding the missing asauchi case from back then had finally converged on this modern-day earl, Count Locke Martin. Matsumoto Rangiku and the others at last saw a sliver of dawn.
At first, they had thought this so-called earl would be extremely difficult to handle, since over the years in West Administration, Rangiku had discovered a distinctive trait among the humans here: they were generally very fond of money.
The aristocrats and bigwigs even more so. Which made things extremely troublesome for Shinigami from another world like them.
After all, they couldn't exactly go rob a bank, could they?
If they did, the people in West Administration would be the first to come down on them.
Luckily, Count Locke Martin didn't care much for money—he cared only for beautiful women. And from everything they'd learned about his taste, it almost felt as if it had been custom-designed for someone like Matsumoto Rangiku.
So of course, Matsumoto Rangiku had been the obvious choice to deploy a honey trap on Count Locke Martin.
Kisaragi Shūsuke, in turn, had slid naturally into the count's household as Rangiku's distant cousin, working there under that guise.
And that investigation had already stretched on for nearly half a year.
So even as Matsumoto Rangiku prayed with her hands pressed together, in truth she didn't hold out much hope for Kisaragi Shūsuke.
Sometimes, you really couldn't judge someone's overall ability based solely on their combat strength.
In Rangiku's view, although Kisaragi Shūsuke was the strongest fighter in their little team—leaving aside Sayako-san's life-burning fighting style—he was definitely not cut out for intelligence work.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have spent nearly twenty long years wasting away in West Administration.
Rangiku had no doubt that if Lord Shuuichi were the one handling this case, it wouldn't take more than a year—two years at most—before he had everything dragged into the light.
As Kabuma Sayako watched Matsumoto Rangiku's amusing prayer pose, she was just about to say something when she suddenly felt a strange tremor from her zanpakutō.
"This is…"
Kabuma Sayako could sense it clearly. Someone had just inscribed a new divine sigil.
Up to now, she had taught the technique of engraving divine sigils to only two people: Higashino Shuuichi and Shihōin Yoruichi.
She had told the latter after they came to West Administration, during one of their chats.
From Kabuma Sayako's perspective, power like the divine sigils was meaningless if all you could do was draw them. Without the Kabuma clan's artifact Seyabasa to guide them, those sigils were no different from ordinary tattoos.
If anyone else drew them, all it would do was further increase Sayako's own power.
So when Yoruichi asked, Kabuma Sayako had hidden nothing.
This time, feeling the location of the new sigil, Kabuma Sayako was certain it wasn't Shihōin Yoruichi.
Because the new sigil was in East Administration territory, whereas Shihōin Yoruichi and the rest of Urahara Kisuke's former captain-class group were all still here in West Administration.
"Is that you, Shuuichi-kun?"
A smile tugged at the corner of Kabuma Sayako's lips.
She knew it had to be that one sentence she had left with Kyoraku Shunsui back then finally taking effect. Otherwise, Shuuichi-kun would never have thought of using this method to contact her.
Surprised, aren't you~?
Kabuma Sayako pictured the scene of Shuuichi-kun learning of this method from Kyoraku Shunsui, and could practically see his dumbfounded expression in her mind.
"Ahh… might be kind of cute like that."
She rested a hand lightly against her cheek, murmuring to herself.
Then she drew her zanpakutō.
"Ferry the world to the far shore—Seyabasa!"
Silver butterflies took wing, and a door opened in the void. From within it, a strange man stepped out.
"Uh? Old man, who are you?"
Nagasawa Satomi was the first to speak.