The morgue's pale and cold lighting illuminated Unohana Retsu's perfectly calm face.
Currently, she stood before the autopsy table, her fingers having just pulled away from the fatal wound on the corpse's chest.
After receiving Hasumi Ren's report, Unohana treated the matter with the utmost importance.
After briefly tidying up, she arrived at the scene immediately.
"Indeed, just as Hasumi Ren said."
"The cause of death for this corpse is something else entirely."
Her voice was not loud, but it made the Fourth Division member standing nearby subconsciously straighten his back.
He was a middle-aged man in his early forties, currently wearing a somewhat nervous expression.
Unohana pulled the white sheet back over the corpse, turned around, and let her gaze fall upon his face.
"Sugishita."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Sugishita's voice trembled slightly, and fine beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
"Did you perform the preliminary autopsy report for this corpse?"
"Yes, Captain Unohana. I did it."
Sugishita bowed his head deeply. After receiving Lieutenant Hasumi Ren's notification, he had also rushed here immediately.
He had already sensed an unusual atmosphere at the scene.
As a Soul Reaper who had worked in the Fourth Division for most of his life, he knew all too well what this atmosphere meant.
There was a mistake in the examination results.
And not just a minor one.
Hasumi Ren stood to the side, while the Fifth Division Captain, Hirako Shinji, leaned against the opposite wall. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his long blonde hair appeared somewhat dim under the lights.
"Captain Unohana."
Sugishita swallowed hard.
"Was my assessment... incorrect?"
Unohana did not answer directly. Instead, she walked back to the autopsy table and lifted the white sheet again, exposing only the corpse's chest area.
"Come here."
Sugishita stepped forward with trembling legs.
Unohana pointed to the depths of the fatal wound, an area covered by torn muscle tissue.
Sugishita took a deep breath. His right hand glowed with the pale green light of Kaido as he reached toward the wound.
His examination lasted for about half a minute. Suddenly, his hand twitched violently, and a look of sheer disbelief washed over his face.
"T-This is..."
His voice went dry.
"Inside the wound, there are traces of a piercing injury... It was not caused by a Hollow's claws."
Sugishita's face instantly went deathly pale.
He took a sharp step back and bowed deeply.
"I am terribly sorry! Captain Hirako, Captain Unohana! It was my dereliction of duty!"
His voice was filled with trembling and self-blame.
"My examination was not thorough enough. Please punish me, Captain!"
The morgue fell silent for a moment.
Unohana turned around and covered the body with the white sheet once more.
"The concealment method used here is extremely precise. The wound was hidden in the deepest and most complicated part of the injury. The strength and precision of your Spiritual Pressure perception are indeed not enough to see through this layer of interference."
She paused.
"From now on, hone your skills further."
"When you return, write a report on what you learned today and submit it to be circulated among all medical staff below the Fourth Seat. Let them know that autopsy work is never a job where you can draw a conclusion just from looking at the surface."
"Yes, I understand!"
Upon receiving his orders, Sugishita finally straightened his back and left the room.
Unohana turned her head to look at Hasumi Ren.
"Hasumi Ren."
"Do you have anything to add?"
Hasumi Ren pondered for a moment and shook his head.
"Captain's assessment is already very comprehensive. I have nothing to add."
Having received a concrete conclusion, Hirako Shinji, who had been leaning against the wall, finally moved.
He walked over to the autopsy table and looked down at the lifeless face beneath the white sheet, remaining silent for a long time.
"So..."
His voice was slightly hoarse.
"My Third Seat was indeed murdered."
"Yes."
Unohana gave an affirmative answer.
"The cause of death was the piercing wound that penetrated the heart, not the laceration caused by Hollow claws. The external laceration was a cover-up intentionally created after the piercing."
Hirako closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
A moment later, he opened his eyes, a trace of doubt in his gaze.
"But there is still one thing I do not understand."
"Since the killer was able to create such a precise concealment method, it shows they had the ability to make the body disappear completely. Why go through the trouble of disguising it as a Hollow attack instead of just destroying the corpse to remove all traces?"
"Saying it was to cover things up does make some sense, but I still feel like it is quite strange."
After this question was thrown out, the morgue fell into a brief silence once again.
Unohana did not answer.
Hirako turned his gaze to Hasumi Ren.
"Lieutenant Hasumi Ren, what do you think?"
Hasumi Ren remained silent for a moment before shaking his head.
"I do not have an answer to that question either."
Logically speaking, since the killer had committed murder, the safest approach would be to completely erase the body and leave no trace behind.
However, the existence of this corpse was indeed somewhat abnormal.
Hasumi Ren rapidly analyzed the situation in his mind.
'Perhaps Aizen never intended to completely cover this up from the very beginning. He did the exact opposite, leaving behind a corpse whose disguise could be seen through. This means he needed someone to discover the anomaly, to notice that there was a hidden truth behind the death of the Fifth Division's Third Seat. He wanted to steer the direction of the investigation toward a specific target. The Quincy. If my deduction is correct, Aizen has already begun setting his schemes in motion against the Quincy. This death incident is perhaps just a test.'
It was just that he could not possibly say these words out loud in front of Hirako and Unohana.
Hirako took a deep breath, his voice returning to a calm state, but his eyes carried a sharpness they lacked earlier.
"Since it is certain that my Third Seat's death was not an accident, then as his Captain, I must give him a proper explanation."
He looked at Unohana and bowed solemnly.
"Captain Unohana, thanks to you and Hasumi Ren for your help with this matter. I will remember this favor."
"There is no need to be so polite, Captain Hirako."
Unohana's tone was flat.
"Determining the cause of death is the duty of the Fourth Division to begin with."
Hirako straightened up, cast one last glance at the corpse on the autopsy table, and then turned to walk toward the door.
When he reached the door, he stopped without turning his head.
"I leave the matter of the files to you, Captain Unohana."
"I will handle it."
Hirako nodded slightly and pushed the door open to leave the morgue.
The sound of his footsteps gradually faded down the corridor, eventually disappearing at the corner of the stairs.
By the time Hirako Shinji walked out of the Fourth Division barracks, night had fully descended.
Hirako raised his head, glancing at the lights shining from high above, before pulling his gaze back and walking slowly along the street toward the Fifth Division.
At this moment, his mood was incredibly complicated.
The cause of the Third Seat's death had been ascertained, but this only made his heart feel heavier.
The moment it was confirmed to be a murder, the last shred of hope in his heart was completely shattered.
Had it not been for his persistence and caution, Hasumi Ren would not have discovered the anomaly, and this incident would have been forever buried under the conclusion of a Hollow attack.
'But why do these things always happen around me?'
'Within my own division, just how many people have disappeared for no clear reason like this...'
Hirako felt a stifling annoyance in his heart until he returned to the barracks and passed by the Fifth Division's training grounds.
Under the night sky, the training ground was empty and silent. Only a few Reishi lamps used for illumination emitted a faint glow.
From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a short figure swinging a sword in a corner of the training ground.
It was a guy who looked very young.
The little guy wore a Shihakusho, an Asauchi hanging at his waist. His silver hair was soaked with sweat and plastered to his forehead.
His movements were repetitive and monotonous—drawing the sword, swinging, and sheathing it.
Hirako stopped in his tracks and took a closer look.
After thinking about it carefully, he finally remembered that this was a newly recruited member of the Fifth Division.
He had heard this kid was a genius who graduated from the Spiritual Arts Academy in just one year. He signed up to join the Fifth Division, stirring up quite a commotion among the various squads.
Last year, there seemed to be someone named Shiba Kaien who also graduated in less than two years.
And two years ago, there was Hasumi Ren, who had surprisingly already become a Lieutenant-level figure.
The recent newcomers really were more terrifying one after another.
Come to think of it, what was this kid's name again?
It seemed to be...
"Ichimaru Gin?"
Hirako called out tentatively.
Ichimaru Gin paused his movements. He turned his head and, upon seeing Hirako, immediately stood up straight.
"Captain Hirako."
His voice still carried the crispness of youth, but his tone made Hirako raise an eyebrow slightly.
'This kid doesn't look like someone who would give me peace of mind either.'
"Still training this late?"
Hirako walked over, looking down to examine the newly enlisted youth.
"Yes."
Ichimaru Gin nodded.
"I want to become a Seated Officer as soon as possible, so I come here to do extra practice every night."
"A Seated Officer?"
Hirako raised his brow.
"You just graduated from the Spiritual Arts Academy, and you're already thinking about becoming a Seated Officer?"
"Of course."
Although Ichimaru Gin's tone was somewhat flippant, he was exceptionally serious.
"My goal is to become a Seated Officer within this year."
Hirako looked at Ichimaru's squinting eyes and smiled faintly.
"Interesting."
"Having a goal is a good thing, but do not train yourself into the ground. Your health is your greatest asset."
"Yes, Captain."
Ichimaru nodded, but showed no intention of putting down his blade.
Hirako said no more. He waved his hand and disappeared into the night without looking back.
Fourth Division, the morgue.
After Hirako left, only Hasumi Ren and Unohana remained inside.
After tidying up, Hasumi Ren followed Unohana out the door.
In the corridors of the Fourth Division barracks, Unohana suddenly spoke.
"Hasumi Ren, you examined the body just now. Your assessment of the wound was identical to mine."
"What kind of attack method do you think that was?"
Hearing Unohana's question, Hasumi Ren replied in a deep voice.
"The edges of that piercing wound were smooth and neat, perfectly circular... It did not look like it was caused by a Zanpakuto. Furthermore, there were extremely faint traces of Reishi burns around the wound, which looked more like the aftermath of Kido."
"However, the spiritual power of Kido is violent. It usually covers a larger area, and the edges would appear irregular."
He paused.
"That wound looked more like an attack using Reishi condensed into an arrow-like object to penetrate the target."
"The Reishi was highly concentrated with extremely strong penetrative power, which is why the edges of the wound were so neat."
"So... it was a bow and arrow?"
The conclusion Hasumi Ren reached based on his observations was infinitely close to the truth.
Following that, Unohana softly uttered two words.
"Reishi Arrow."
Hasumi Ren noticed that when she said those words, her gaze flickered slightly.
"Reishi Arrow... Captain knows of this attack method?"
Hasumi Ren asked.
Unohana did not reply immediately.
She looked up at the night sky, gazing off into the distance in the direction of the First Division.
"You are still young, after all. It is normal that some things fall outside the scope of your knowledge."
She turned around and faced Hasumi Ren.
"That is the combat method of the Quincy."
"The core ability of a Quincy is the manipulation of Reishi. They can manipulate the Reishi around them and manifest it into weapons."
"The Reishi Arrow is their signature combat method."
Hasumi Ren noticed that when Unohana mentioned the Quincy, her tone carried a faint sense of melancholy.
It sounded like she was reminiscing, or perhaps lamenting.
"The Quincy?"
Hasumi Ren frowned slightly.
"According to the records in our archives, haven't they already been eradicated by the Soul Reapers?"
Unohana remained silent for two seconds before speaking.
"Yes, which is exactly why I am extremely curious as to what this Third Seat actually encountered."
Hasumi Ren listened intently, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face.
"If the death of the Fifth Division's Third Seat was truly the work of a Quincy, what could their goal be?"
"I am not sure."
Unohana shook her head.
"But since they dare to operate near the Seireitei and even murder a Soul Reaper, it shows that their schemes are not small."
She paused.
"This matter cannot remain contained solely within the Fourth Division."
Hasumi Ren's heart skipped a beat, realizing what Unohana intended to do.
"Are you going to..."
"I am heading to the First Division. You are coming with me."
Hasumi Ren was taken aback.
"Me?"
"As the Lieutenant of the Fourth Division, it is appropriate for you to have more exposure to matters at the upper-decision-making level."
"Today's incident needs to be reported to the Captain-Commander. Let's go."
Hasumi Ren understood.
"Yes."
He followed Unohana out of the Fourth Division.
The night wind blew across the streets of the Seireitei, bringing with it a trace of chill.
The route from the Fourth Division to the First Division was not unfamiliar.
Along the way, they spotted patrolling squad members. Whenever they saw Unohana, they would stop and salute, and Unohana would give a slight nod in response.
Soon, the high walls of the First Division barracks appeared in their line of sight.
Two squad members were standing guard at the main entrance. Upon seeing Unohana, they immediately saluted.
"Captain Unohana."
"I need to see the Captain-Commander."
"Yes, please wait a moment!"
One of the guards quickly ran inside, while the other guided Unohana and Hasumi Ren into a reception room.
The reception room was not large, but it was exquisitely decorated.
The wooden floor was spotlessly clean, several works of calligraphy hung on the walls, and a neatly pruned bonsai tree sat in the corner.
Unohana sat down in a chair, while Hasumi Ren stood behind her.
About a few minutes passed.
The door was pushed open.
Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni walked in slowly.
Although he leaned on a walking stick, his steps were steady and powerful.
On his aged face, his eyes were narrowed slightly.
Behind him, Lieutenant Sasakibe followed and then gently closed the door.
The moment the Captain-Commander entered the room, Hasumi Ren felt an invisible, oppressive presence crash over him.
The strongest Soul Reaper in a thousand years, the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13.
These titles layered together to form an exceptionally powerful aura around Yamamoto Shigekuni.
"Unohana."
Yamamoto sat down opposite Unohana, tapping his walking stick lightly against the floor.
"It is quite late. What is the matter?"