The extreme penalty for Kuchiki Rukia was, in reality, a front for someone in the Seireitei to seize a certain object—the Sōkyoku.
The Sōkyoku, which was only released during executions, possessed destructive power equivalent to millions of Zanpakutō. Its execution stand boasted an equal level of defensive power. Whoever controlled this terrifying weapon would stand above the entire Seireitei and Soul Society.
And the terrifying person who wanted to seize the Sōkyoku and claim it for himself was...
"Shihouin Kōe, the one who wants to seize the Sōkyoku is you."
Hinamori lowered her head and slowly read out the truth Aizen had revealed to her in his suicide note. Kōe didn't answer; he couldn't even be bothered to respond to such a question.
He knew there was more to come. He could feel the killing intent radiating from Hinamori Momo, but that killing intent wasn't directed at him.
As it turned out, Kōe's instincts were spot on. Hinamori slowly drew her Zanpakutō and whispered, "However, you are not the one who murdered Captain Aizen."
Hitsugaya stared at Ichimaru Gin. On the night of Aizen's murder, Kōe had been in Squad 4 the entire time, so he naturally couldn't have killed Aizen himself. But if he had an accomplice, it would have been entirely possible.
He remembered the first captain's meeting. The Ryoka hadn't even invaded the Seireitei yet, but alarms had blared everywhere, causing the inquiry into Ichimaru Gin to end prematurely. After the Ryoka fell from the sky, everyone temporarily pushed the matter to the back of their minds.
Now, everything connected. Aizen must have investigated the incident afterward and locked onto Kōe as the most capable person of orchestrating such chaos from the outside.
It was just that Aizen probably hadn't expected Kōe to be so cautious. Merely because of some suspicions directed at Ichimaru Gin, Kōe had decisively used the Ryoka invasion as a smokescreen to order Gin to eliminate Aizen.
"But, the last person Captain Aizen saw was you, so you must be the murderer who killed him..." Hinamori raised her Zanpakutō, tears finally bursting from her eyes. "It was you, wasn't it, Tōshirō!"
*'Are you kidding me?'* The fury in Hitsugaya's eyes instantly dissolved into sheer astonishment. *'I'm the murderer who killed Aizen? Did I hear that right?'*
Hitsugaya desperately wanted to deceive himself, but the cold blade resting against his neck told him this was all real. Hinamori truly wanted to kill him.
"How could I..."
"Don't move!!"
He merely tried to turn his head, but Hinamori sharply stopped him. Hitsugaya had no choice but to remain still, trying his best to speak calmly. "How could I possibly have killed Aizen?"
"Captain Aizen thought the same thing. He trusted you so, so much. He was willing to place his life in your hands..."
Hot tears rolled down her cheeks, ultimately feeling as though they were all pouring directly into her heart. The final words Captain Aizen left behind were so gentle, yet reading them aloud made Hinamori feel an overwhelming sorrow.
*'Such a thing must absolutely not happen, nor should it happen. I must go and stop it, tonight.'*
*'If I can persuade Kōe to let go of his wild ambitions, Gin should also be able to return to being the trustworthy person he once was. It's truly shameful to admit; he was once my lieutenant, yet I didn't even realize when he changed. Perhaps I really am not a competent captain.'*
*'Of course, I am also prepared to fight to the death.'*
*'However, going with Hitsugaya will give me more confidence. Just like you, Hinamori, he is truly a righteous and trustworthy comrade.'*
*'But if you are truly reading this suicide note, please forgive me, Hinamori.'*
*'Forgive me for leaving without saying goodbye, and for selfishly dragging Hitsugaya into this. And, please forgive my final, most irresponsible request. You must, without fail, avenge me and avenge Hitsugaya.'*
"So Captain Hitsugaya was your man all along, Mr. Kōe," Ichimaru Gin said, shaking his head, his tone brimming with schadenfreude.
Kōe crossed his arms and sneered, "Or perhaps that fool Aizen investigated the wrong person, yet still thought he was so clever?"
Their back-and-forth banter felt like two sharp swords plunging deeply into Hinamori's heart, and like two pairs of sharp claws tearing her already battered psyche to absolute shreds along the wounds.
"Then why are you still alive?!" Hinamori screamed hysterically. For the first time, she swung her blade at the childhood friend who had always been by her side, without a single shred of hesitation!
Drops of blood flew from the wound on his neck like red dandelions scattered by the wind. The gentle breeze was the best medicine; in an instant, Hitsugaya could no longer feel the pain.
Although he hadn't completely dodged it, Hinamori's strike only left a very shallow cut. However, Hitsugaya knew Hinamori hadn't held back. Her mournful gaze seemed to constantly interrogate him: *'Why wasn't it you who died? You are the one who truly deserves to die!'*
"Hinamori, you idiot, think about it! Avenge us? Neither I nor Aizen would ever say such a thing to you! Besides, I was the one who had Matsumoto hand that letter over to you. If I had killed him, why would I let you see this suicide note?! I never even received an invitation from Aizen!!"
Hitsugaya roared, hoping to make Hinamori calm down a bit. Perhaps Aizen had initially intended to ask him to confront Kōe together, but ultimately canceled it due to someone or something.
It was even more likely that the suicide note had been tampered with. In reality, the person he truly invited was someone else, or perhaps the entire second half of the letter was completely forged.
Aizen had always silently protected those around him; how could he possibly put others in danger for his own sake?!
Unfortunately, at this moment, Hinamori Momo couldn't hear a word of it, nor did she give Hitsugaya any more chances to speak.
"Snap, Tobiume!"
A pink halo rose from the hilt and traveled up the blade. The Zanpakutō, originally in the form of a katana, instantly transformed into a seven-branched sword. As the moonlight reflected off it, it looked as though Hinamori was truly holding a snow-covered plum branch.
Specks of crimson broke through the white snow and bloomed on the branches. Hinamori slashed downward, and the red plum blossoms danced in the air, transforming into three human-head-sized fireballs that surrounded Hitsugaya.
A deafening explosion suddenly erupted. Hitsugaya instinctively leaped upward, narrowly escaping the raging flames burning beneath his feet.
But how could he possibly evade the flames that represented Hinamori's absolute fury?
Hitsugaya wanted to extinguish this raging fire, but words alone could no longer restore Hinamori's reason. Now, he could only use his actions to prove his innocence.
*"Tobiume, it suits your Zanpakutō well. Only plum blossoms will bloom in the ice field. But don't be too cold, otherwise, Hinamori will never understand your feelings, Tōshirō."*
The one who had smilingly teased him with those words, yet now looked at him with sheer indifference, the one who had used Hinamori...
And, the one showing a mocking smile at him...
Shihouin Kōe and Ichimaru Gin—these two bastards were the ones who truly deserved to die!