Inside the Vice-Captain's office of the Second Division barracks, a burly man with a brownish-yellow pompadour stared at a letter in his hand, his thoughts turning grim. "It's time to call Suì-Fēng in for a talk…" he muttered to himself. The document was a formal Seat Officer Challenge, and Ōmaeda, the Vice-Captain of the Second Division, frowned as he reread the names written on it.
"Long Tao, Sixth Seat of the Second Division, wishes to challenge… the Third Seat of the Second Division, Captain of the Detention Unit… Suì-Fēng."
Lately, Ōmaeda had felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. The stout man, adorned with a large gold chain, sat at his desk late into the night. He was wolfing down his dinner, reviewing a massive pile of documents by the dim light of a lamp. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, he poured himself a full cup of wine and downed it in one go. The bitter liquid did little to soothe the ache in his heart.
"Sigh… life isn't easy," he sighed, a rare moment of vulnerability for a man who always presented a tough exterior to his squad.
The problems were piling up. First, his own Captain, the esteemed head of the Shihōin clan, one of the Five Great Noble Families, and leader of the Onmitsukidō—Yoruichi Shihōin—had defected.
Then, the Captain of the Twelfth Division and head of the Technology Development Bureau, a man who was once the Third Seat of the Second Division and a close friend for many years—Kisuke Urahara—had also defected.
And finally, the Chief of the Kidō Corps, Tsukabishi Tessai, another old friend who had served alongside him and Kisuke under Lady Yoruichi—he, too, had defected.
"And now this..." Ōmaeda's gaze fell back to the intelligence report in his hand. It was about the current Third Seat of the Second Division, a woman who was like an adopted younger sister to Yoruichi Shihōin, a girl he himself had watched grow up—Suì-Fēng. She, at least, had not defected. But the report was concerning.
"Severely injured and has recovered less than twenty percent of her original strength," Ōmaeda read aloud, sighing again. "Sigh, little Suì-Fēng… I really can't carry this burden alone."
The Second Division was going through its most difficult time. The "Captain Hollowfication" incident had shaken the entire Seireitei, and the official culprits were Kisuke Urahara and Tsukabishi Tessai. To make matters worse, Yoruichi Shihōin had broken into the Central 46 tribunal to rescue them and the other Hollowfied Soul Reapers. All three of them had once belonged to the Second Division.
Publicly, the Gotei 13 claimed their actions were personal, but behind the scenes, the Second Division and the Shihōin clan faced intense scrutiny and criticism. If it weren't for Ōmaeda's connections and prestige within the Soul Society, along with the Shihōin clan using all its resources to smooth things over, the Second Division and the Onmitsukidō would have likely been purged and completely restructured.
He picked up the other document again, the one that had started his grim mood. "A Seat Officer Challenge… from the Sixth Seat, Long Tao. And he's specifically challenging the Third Seat, Suì-Fēng."
Ōmaeda's eyes turned cold. "It's true… we have enemies both outside and within."
…
The next day, in a quiet, traditional room within the Second Division barracks, Suì-Fēng arrived promptly after receiving the summons.
"Good morning, Vice-Captain Ōmaeda!" she said, greeting him with a formal and serious bow as soon as she entered.
"You're here, little Suì-Fēng! Come on, sit down, have some tea!" Ōmaeda greeted her with a loud, hearty laugh, gesturing for her to take a seat.
Suì-Fēng sat down perfectly, her posture flawless. In her memory, Ōmaeda had always taken good care of her and was a trustworthy senior officer. But he also knew her well, so she had to be careful not to show any sign that something was amiss. I have to maintain this persona, she thought to herself. Fortunately, her usual personality was simple enough to fake: a serious, frowning face, with an occasional irritable outburst. It was enough to handle most situations.
"You're still so impatient, little Suì-Fēng," Ōmaeda said warmly. "Training before your injuries have even fully healed. Your dedication is admirable."
"Not at all, sir. With the Captain… gone, my heart is filled with anxiety. I can't just lie in bed and do nothing." As Suì-Fēng spoke, she frowned, her hands gripping the hem of her clothes tightly in her lap. It was a predictable question, and she had prepared her answer. For someone known as Yoruichi's most loyal follower, this behavior was perfectly in character. Her response not only justified her intense training but also allowed her to subtly probe Ōmaeda's own feelings on the matter.
"Is that so… If Captain Yoruichi knew, she would surely be very pleased." Ōmaeda's expression softened slightly.
Catching the respectful title he still used for Yoruichi, Suì-Fēng's eyes flickered, and she pressed on. "Lord Ōmaeda, do you know where Lady Yoruichi went? If I can help her, I'll go through fire and water. I'll do anything!"
Ōmaeda nodded, seemingly approving of her loyalty. "I don't know where Lady Yoruichi went, but I believe she must have her reasons for what she did." He then changed the subject. "As for us… Lady Yoruichi trusts us, and the Second Division needs us. We just have to do our jobs."
"Yes, Lord Ōmaeda! Suì-Fēng is always at your command!"
Satisfied with her response, Ōmaeda gestured for her to drink her tea. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before cautiously asking, "Little Suì-Fēng, how much of your strength has returned?"
Suì-Fēng thought for a moment before replying. "In terms of Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō… my Shunpo is at about forty percent. Everything else is around twenty percent."
"Hmm… that's not good news," Ōmaeda sighed, then asked directly, "Can you defeat the Sixth Seat, Long Tao?"
"Sixth Seat Long Tao?" Suì-Fēng was startled. After a moment of thought, her brows furrowed. "Did Sixth Seat Long Tao submit a Seat Officer Challenge? And he specifically challenged me?"
Ōmaeda nodded grimly.
Information about the Sixth Seat flashed through Suì-Fēng's mind. Long Tao was from a minor noble family. His strength was easily comparable to the Fourth or Fifth Seats, but he had always seemed content with his position and kept a low profile. He had easily won the Sixth Seat position nine years ago and had stayed there ever since, never challenging anyone higher. Because of him, the top six seats of the Second Division had remained unchanged for nearly a decade.
Suì-Fēng was immediately confused. Why? Why would Long Tao challenge me now, at such a critical time? Was he just trying to take advantage of her weakness to claim a higher rank? That didn't seem right. It would ruin the reputation he had built over many years. It would also be a dishonorable victory. Winning against her now to become the Third Seat would make him look shameless, as if he were deliberately working against the interests of his own division.
Wait a minute.
A thought suddenly struck Suì-Fēng. She looked at her Vice-Captain and asked tentatively, "Is this… aimed at the Shihōin clan? Is someone trying to interfere with the Onmitsukidō?"
A hint of appreciation appeared in Ōmaeda's eyes. "Exactly. The noble alliances that surround the Central 46 want to use this opportunity to suppress the Shihōin. The Shihōin are one of the Great Noble Families, so they have to be the first to follow the rules of the Soul Society. This time, with Captain Yoruichi, Kisuke, and Tessai all causing problems, the Shihōin are in the wrong. Since our enemies have issued a formal challenge, we have no choice but to accept it."
Taking a sip of tea, Ōmaeda continued his explanation. "Back when Kisuke was promoted to Captain of the Twelfth Division, we all knew it was because of his incredible talent. But in the eyes of the other noble families, it just looked like the head of the Shihōin clan was promoting one of her own confidants. As part of a political deal, the noble alliances sent Long Tao into the Second Division, and he was promoted to Sixth Seat."
A single word solidified in Suì-Fēng's mind: 'spy'.