Blood sprayed from the wound onto the ground. Byakuya Kuchiki's fingers trembled as he caught the blood in his palm. "You broke the rules. What are you going to do next, Muten Natsu?"
The scales on Muten Natsu's chest had shattered, exposing a wound deep enough to show bone. Only three flame tails remained behind him, and one of them was slowly shrinking. Scales crept back over his skin, forcibly sealing the wound. "Rules? What rules?"
"The guilty should be punished. Once a sentence has been passed, it must be carried out. Those are the rules."
Muten Natsu turned around. The scales over his chest had already finished repairing themselves. "Even the head of the Kuchiki Clan, one of the Four Great Families, has to obey the rules?"
Byakuya Kuchiki met his gaze directly. "The Kuchiki Clan is meant to be an example for all Shinigami. If even we do not follow the rules, then who will?"
Muten Natsu paused for a moment, then let out a mocking laugh. "Byakuya Kuchiki, you never really wanted to be the head of the family, did you?"
Byakuya Kuchiki's eyes narrowed.
"So I was right." Muten Natsu finally understood why Byakuya Kuchiki had tried to stop him. "You don't want to be the head of the family, yet you're the best possible choice for it. You don't want to carry that responsibility, yet you have no choice but to carry it. You're doing something you hate, so everything you do is half-hearted."
"Even after defeating me..." Byakuya Kuchiki's voice was cold. "You still intend to deny me?"
"You're the one denying yourself," Muten Natsu corrected him. "You half-heartedly play the role of family head and carry out the duties that come with it, but your inner resistance keeps you from thinking seriously about how to do it better. The position of family head prevents your true self from showing through. You are neither a qualified head of the Kuchiki Clan nor the real Byakuya Kuchiki."
"You make it sound so easy." Byakuya Kuchiki stared at Muten Natsu. "If one day the rules you are supposed to uphold come into conflict with your own beliefs, then how would you do better?"
"If a rule conflicts with my beliefs, then it isn't a rule I should uphold."
"I knew you would say that." Byakuya Kuchiki lowered his eyes in disappointment. "You still don't understand. The higher your position, the more you should uphold the rules. Because every move you make affects too much."
"You're already standing so high... so why is all you can think about protecting the rules?"
Byakuya Kuchiki's eyes widened.
"The higher your position, the more you should repair the rules," Muten Natsu said softly. "Rules are made by people, and they should also be changed for people. The Four Great Families are not just the guardians of the rules. They are also the ones who create them."
"And you?"
"Me?" The corner of Muten Natsu's mouth lifted. "I'm here to tell all of you that the times have changed, and the rules should change too."
"...Muten Natsu." Byakuya Kuchiki slowly unclenched his hand. "This time... you win."
Dust drifted through the air as Byakuya Kuchiki's figure disappeared.
"Next..." The Hell's Eye on Muten Natsu's forehead turned slowly. "That only leaves the rest of you."
He looked in a certain direction.
Defeating Byakuya Kuchiki was only the beginning.
Byakuya Kuchiki was merely the one enforcing the sentence. The ones who had truly issued that judgment were the Central 46 Compound.
Muten Natsu's gaze passed through layer after layer of barriers and several sealed doors, swept over the staircase leading downward, and saw... corpses inside the assembly hall.
Back when the Sōkyoku was first released, Captain Hitsugaya Tōshirō of Squad 10 and Lieutenant Matsumoto Rangiku had already come here to try to remonstrate with Central 46 and stop the Sōkyoku execution.
But the place was already littered with bodies. The forty sages and six judges who ruled over Seireitei lay in pools of blood, long since stripped of breath.
"So you really were here..." a voice called out. "Captain Hitsugaya."
"Kira!" Tōshirō Hitsugaya stared at the figure standing on the steps opposite him. "This wasn't... your doing, was it?"
Izuru Kira didn't answer. His figure flashed and disappeared from the stairwell.
"Quick, chase him, Matsumoto!" Tōshirō Hitsugaya immediately rushed after him, with Rangiku Matsumoto close behind.
They passed through winding corridors and long staircases, steadily closing the distance between them.
"Stop, Kira!" Tōshirō Hitsugaya shouted. "The people of Central 46... were they killed by you?"
"No." Izuru Kira burst out onto the surface. "I only unlocked the door from the inside before Captain Hitsugaya arrived, so you could enter the underground assembly hall."
"So I could get inside?" Tōshirō Hitsugaya pressed. "Who wanted me to go in there?"
"Do you really need to ask? Of course it was Central 46."
"Are you mocking me?" Tōshirō Hitsugaya grabbed the hilt of the sword on his back and pushed himself faster, narrowing the gap.
"Is this really the best idea, Captain Hitsugaya?" Izuru Kira said calmly. "Instead of chasing me... shouldn't protecting Hinamori be more important?"
"What did you say?"
"Hinamori is skilled in Kidō. As long as she sets up a barrier around herself, she can completely erase her Reiatsu while moving." Izuru Kira glanced sideways. "You didn't notice, did you? In order to uncover the truth, she's been following you the whole time."
"Matsumoto!" Tōshirō Hitsugaya made a quick decision and abruptly changed direction. "He's yours!"
"Got it!" Rangiku Matsumoto accelerated and continued chasing Izuru Kira.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya turned back the way he came, anxiety flooding his chest.
Hinamori...
Momo Hinamori leaned helplessly against the wall. The chaos in her heart had finally settled a little.
"Shiro-chan... really is innocent. That's such a relief..."
After her earlier breakdown, Momo Hinamori had finally calmed down and begun to notice the many inconsistencies in everything that had happened.
Deep down, she never wanted to believe that Tōshirō Hitsugaya could do something so terrible.
So that meant... the one who killed Central 46, the one who killed Captain Aizen...
"Hinamori."
A voice suddenly called from behind her.
Momo Hinamori couldn't believe her ears. That familiar voice...
She spun around abruptly, and the familiar figure entered her sight.
"Captain Aizen!"
Standing there was none other than Sōsuke Aizen, who was supposed to be dead. Beside him stood Gin Ichimaru.
"There was something I absolutely had to accomplish, and to do that I needed to hide myself. That's why I faked my death." Sōsuke Aizen's voice was as gentle as ever. "You've had a difficult time during all this."
"It... it's okay." Momo Hinamori's voice trembled, unable to hold back the tears. "As long as Captain Aizen is still alive..."
"Having a subordinate like you truly is wonderful." Sōsuke Aizen gently stroked Momo Hinamori's hair. "Thank you, Hinamori."
Then he thrust his sword straight through her body.