They had finally made it in time. Even though whether Ichigo successfully completed his training or not had no substantial impact on the plan, his ability to master Bankai at the very last moment still brought Shihōin Yoruichi a profound sense of relief.
In such a good mood, she wasn't even all that annoyed by Ichigo's stupid questions.
"Do I only need to take care of Kuchiki Byakuya? What about the rest of them?"
"You don't need to worry about them. And you must remember one thing: there will be a bald old man there later. You must absolutely not draw your sword against him. Absolutely..."
Right above them at the peak of Sōkyoku Hill, Kyōraku Shunsui probably couldn't have imagined that, even now, Yoruichi still planned to involve Ichigo in this mess—and that she hadn't even told him the full plan.
If Ichigo were to run up and declare war on him later, Shunsui would likely fall into another brief moment of contemplation.
Although he didn't know exactly where Yoruichi was right now, she had likely already sneaked into the vicinity, just waiting for him and Ukitake Jūshirō to make their move.
But right now, there seemed to be a slight problem with those responsible for the first step. Ukitake was still nowhere to be seen; he had only had Kōtsubaki Sentarō pass on a message earlier: "I will definitely make it before the execution."
He said "definitely," but using the phrase "make it" actually implied a degree of uncertainty. Even though he trusted Ukitake deeply, Shunsui still felt a trace of unease in his heart. What if Ukitake really didn't make it in time?
Kuchiki Rukia had also been escorted over as scheduled. Shunsui merely glanced sideways at her, and at Byakuya, who was strolling leisurely behind her.
The Senzaikyū wasn't far from Sōkyoku Hill to begin with, and the Reiatsu disturbance caused by the release of two Bankai was by no means small. One was Kuchiki Byakuya, and the other, though a bit unfamiliar, was definitely Abarai Renji.
The reason for their battle was undoubtedly Rukia. Judging by Byakuya following closely behind, he was likely the one responsible for escorting her. That meant Renji was the one trying to save her.
But in terms of their true intentions, these two might not actually be at odds. Shunsui noticed that Byakuya looked a bit different from usual. That rare scarf he almost never took off—the Ginpakukazaharu—was currently missing from his neck.
*'Did he forget it? He probably gave it away,'* Shunsui thought, turning his head with a faint smile. Giving a precious, personal item to an opponent—the Kuchiki clan certainly didn't have such a tradition. If this was Byakuya's personal choice, it was likely a form of acknowledgment toward the defeated Abarai. As for whether he was acknowledging his strength or something else entirely, who knew?
Regardless, he was just a guy who acted against his own heart...
Byakuya was indeed a man who went against his own heart. He knew this himself, which was why, even though his resolve was set, he still didn't dare to look at Rukia again upon arriving here. The faint sound of "Brother" from behind him felt like sheer torture, prompting him to involuntarily quicken his pace to escape this agonizing dilemma.
Among those present, there were definitely not many who could see through Byakuya's thoughts. At the very least, Rukia had no way of knowing. Otherwise, she wouldn't have swallowed the words that followed.
*'Is Renji still alive?'*
*'Could I ask you to let Ichigo and the others go?'*
Requests like these reached the tip of her tongue, but looking at Byakuya's somewhat resolute back, Rukia simply couldn't bring herself to say them.
Even if she did say them, it would be useless. Because her brother had already refused—he had refused before she even asked.
She had already given up. Secured to the base of the Sōkyoku stand, Rukia looked up at the absurdly towering execution frame. She was going to die here soon.
*'Right up to the very end, I still didn't have the power to change anything. I didn't do a single thing right...'*
*'Let it be.'* Just as Rukia surrendered to her fate, inwardly apologizing to Shiba Kaien, Ichigo, and everyone who had placed themselves in danger for her sake, an elderly voice suddenly rang out, unexpectedly bringing her a sliver of hope.
"Kuchiki Rukia, do you have any last words?"
It was Head Captain Yamamoto. Rukia could hardly believe it. To think that the one willing to listen to her at the very end would be this usually stern and unsmiling Head Captain.
"May I ask a favor of you?"
"I do not guarantee that I will grant it."
Such an answer was already enough to bring Rukia comfort. He didn't say he would definitely agree, but he also didn't say he definitely wouldn't.
"After I die, could I ask you to send Ichigo—I mean, those Ryoka—back?" Rukia continued, "Even though they came to save me, if I die, their failure means they haven't really done anything wrong, right?"
"I beg of you, this is my only request!"
Rukia's plea went unanswered for a long moment, which was only to be expected. Suì-Fēng crossed her arms and smiled disdainfully. From the moment those people stepped foot into the Seireitei, they had been doing nothing but wrong.
Let the Ryoka go? Impossible! Not a single one of them would be allowed to leave, including Shihōin Yoruichi. She would absolutely not allow the events of a century ago to repeat themselves.
"Very well. As you wish, after the execution is carried out, those Ryoka shall be sent back." Yamamoto gave a completely unexpected answer.
Even Rukia had never imagined it would go so smoothly—so smoothly that it felt somewhat unreal.
"T-truly... thank you so much."
Rukia expressed her gratitude through her tears. Kotetsu Isane, who was standing nearby, already disliked places like execution grounds, and seeing Rukia like this made her feel even worse.
"How cruel... He clearly has no intention of letting them return alive..."
Isane's whisper caught Unohana's attention. Fortunately, it seemed Rukia hadn't heard those words.
"This is not cruelty, Isane. Since the outcome is already decided, the least we can do is leave her without any lingering attachments, allowing her to pass on in peace."
If this was considered cruel, then there would be no words left to describe the Head Captain from thousands of years ago. To this man who embodied the very history of the Seireitei, this was absolutely not cruelty.
"This is called mercy."
Mercy? Isane, who hadn't lived through that bloody history, naturally couldn't understand. Of course, the word 'mercy' was merely Unohana's own personal sentiment.
But, was this really just a lie called mercy?
Shunsui looked at Yamamoto, who was now directing the start of the execution. *'Perhaps not just those Ryoka, but even Rukia will survive. This is a scenario you've considered too, isn't it, Sensei?'*
However, he was still incredibly curious. If Rukia's execution really succeeded, would Old Man Yama actually let those Ryoka go? It was a lie, but it also might not be.
He kind of wanted to see how it would play out. However, sensing the Reiatsu around him starting to grow restless, Shunsui still urged Ukitake in his heart. *'Please don't actually let me see that happen...'*
"Captain!"
"Yeah, the execution is probably about to begin."
In front of Central 46, Hitsugaya Tōshirō also noticed the anomaly—the oppressive sensation of that ancient, dormant Reiatsu slowly awakening.
"We have no choice. We're breaking in!"
With a single strike of his blade, Hitsugaya sliced open the tightly shut doors in front of him. Trespassing into Central 46—if he didn't have a valid reason, he would likely be the second person subjected to capital punishment.
But if he didn't do this, everyone would become prey to the Sōkyoku! This execution had to be stopped. Even if it meant taking those forty-six sages hostage, he absolutely had to stop it!