After concluding the matters, Yamamoto issued the order to dismiss the meeting.
The Captains left one after another.
Hikifune Kirio led Kurotsuchi Mayuri outside.
Kyoraku Shunsui pulled down his bamboo hat and walked out shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukitake Jushiro.
The two did not speak, but Ukitake paused for a step at the door and glanced back in Hasumi Ren's direction.
Then, he sighed softly and followed Kyoraku, disappearing at the end of the corridor.
Hasumi Ren took a step back from Unohana's position and turned toward the main entrance.
No one spoke to him along the way, but just as he turned into the corridor, the sound of footsteps came from behind.
"Lieutenant Hasumi Ren, you are walking quite fast."
Hearing the voice, Hasumi Ren stopped in his tracks.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri circled around from behind.
He walked to Hasumi Ren's side, hands tucked into his sleeves, head tilted.
On that face painted with black and white makeup hung an elusive smile.
"Captains undergoing Hollowfication, and so many of them at that. When I found out, I was truly a bit surprised."
"But I heard that it was the doing of that guy, Urahara Kisuke."
"Although I do not know exactly what happened, how could a cautious and meticulous guy like Urahara Kisuke have the guts to lay a hand on these Captains?"
Kurotsuchi Mayuri's voice was lowered, but his tone retained that peculiar, eerie cadence.
"Furthermore, based on my understanding of him, he always leaves a backup plan for everything he does."
"Would someone with that kind of personality suddenly lure a group of Captains deep into the Rukongai, Hollowify them, and then leave behind a massive pile of evidence for Central 46 to catch him red-handed?"
"No matter how you look at it, this simply does not make sense."
He paused, his yellow eyes scanning back and forth across Hasumi Ren's face.
"Lieutenant Hasumi Ren, could it be that you know some inside information?"
At this moment, Hasumi Ren slightly raised his eyes. His peripheral vision caught a figure walking by at a leisurely pace behind the corridor pillars.
Aizen did not stop walking, nor did he cast a single glance in this direction. He merely passed by the other end of the corridor, as if he just happened to be walking by after the meeting concluded.
But Aizen's appearance was a silent warning.
Hasumi Ren retracted his gaze and looked at Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
"I do not understand Urahara Kisuke's thoughts, and I am not as familiar with him as you imagine."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri narrowed his eyes.
His gaze lingered on Hasumi Ren's face for quite a while before his shoulders slightly shrugged, letting out a sigh tinged with a hint of disappointment.
"Is that so? What a pity."
But then, as if Kurotsuchi Mayuri had thought of something, the corners of his mouth stretched into an exaggerated curve.
"However, speaking of which, I did not expect this matter to actually be connected to the Quincies."
"A hundred years ago, when Central 46 ordered the extermination of the remaining Quincies in the World of the Living, I was still an ordinary member of the Twelfth Division, yet I handled quite a few Quincy corpses."
"Dissection, analysis, classification, and archiving... At that time, I came into contact with a lot of precious materials and accumulated a massive amount of valuable experimental data."
"I did not expect to have another opportunity to encounter Quincies this time. I imagine there will be no shortage of fresh materials."
His smile deepened a fraction.
"For this, I must thank Urahara Kisuke who discovered that space, as well as you... Lieutenant Hasumi Ren."
Hasumi Ren's expression remained completely unchanged.
"This has nothing to do with me. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri did not stop him, casually waving his hand.
He then tilted his head, watching Hasumi Ren's back as he walked step by step toward the main gate of the First Division.
Hasumi Ren left. Kurotsuchi Mayuri stood in place, pondering over the information he had come across, and muttered softly to himself.
"That guy, Urahara Kisuke, previously mentioned wanting to establish an organization called the Department of Research and Development."
"To separate the scientific research functions of the Twelfth Division, integrate technological resources, appoint a president and a vice-president, and set up several research departments underneath."
His voice carried a tone that was hard to distinguish between mockery and lamentation.
"This concept is somewhat interesting. It is just a pity that he has no chance to realize it. However..."
At this moment, an excited gleam appeared in Kurotsuchi Mayuri's eyes, as if he had thought of something amusing.
"In the future, when Urahara Kisuke comes into contact with the Soul Society again and hears that it was I, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, who established the Department of Research and Development... I wonder what kind of expression he will have."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri smiled and turned to walk toward the main entrance, his low laughter echoing in the empty corridor.
The barracks of the Second Division appeared exceptionally quiet in the afternoon sunlight.
The Stealth Force's daily training had ended. Squad members left the training ground in twos and threes. Some saw Hasumi Ren, nodded slightly in greeting, and hurried past.
After going through the upheaval of their Captain's defection, the entire Second Division was enveloped in an oppressive silence.
Hasumi Ren crossed the stone path and saw Soi Fon under the corridor in the inner courtyard.
She was crouching by the edge of the corridor, holding a small dish of dried fish, surrounded by a few stray cats drawn from who knows where.
The cats rubbed against her ankles, their tails raised high.
Soi Fon distributed the dried fish to them one by one. Her movements were meticulous and focused, yet her expression carried an indescribable loneliness.
Hasumi Ren walked up behind her, his shadow falling onto the stone slab in front of her.
Soi Fon's fingers stiffened for a moment. A piece of dried fish slipped from between her fingers and was snatched up by the fattest cat with a leap.
"Is training over for today?"
Hasumi Ren's voice was casual.
"...Today, I wasn't feeling well, so there was no training."
Soi Fon did not look back, and her voice sounded somewhat dry.
She picked up another dried fish from the dish, but pinched it between her fingertips for a long time without handing it out. The cats circled anxiously at her feet.
Hasumi Ren nodded and stood beside Soi Fon.
"Did you... rest well last night?"
The dried fish in Soi Fon's hand snapped.
She abruptly stood up but did not turn to face Hasumi Ren. Her face flushed completely red, from the base of her neck all the way to the tips of her ears.
Her mouth opened and closed, then closed and opened.
It seemed she wanted to argue that it was just an accident, or perhaps claim that she remembered nothing.
But every single word was incredibly difficult to force out.
Even merely bringing it up evoked her blurry and chaotic memories of last night.
Soi Fon was left speechless.
She simply lowered her head. Her short hair slid down the side of her ears, covering her burning red auricles.
She still pinched the broken half of the dried fish in her hand. The cats pawed at her trouser legs, but she was completely oblivious.
Hasumi Ren reached out, took the half piece of dried fish from her hand, crouched down, and handed it to the fat cat that was on the verge of going crazy from impatience.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."
Soi Fon looked at Hasumi Ren's side profile as he squatted on the ground teasing the cats, her lips pressing tightly together again and again.
"No, I don't blame you..."
Soi Fon's voice was as small as a mosquito's buzz.
After all, Soi Fon vaguely remembered that it seemed she had used her slight intoxication to pull Hasumi Ren in, and only then did the subsequent events occur.
Silence fell between the two of them for a moment before Soi Fon, seeming to have adjusted slightly, asked softly.
"What are you doing here today?"
Hasumi Ren looked up at her.
"To see you, and to handle some matters in the Second Division on the way."
Following that, Hasumi Ren handed over the paper bag in his hands.
Soi Fon glanced down at the paper bag.
"Here, I brought you some yakitori. It's still warm."
Hasumi Ren said.
Soi Fon hesitated for a moment before reaching out to take the paper bag.
Her movements were very light. When her fingertips brushed against Hasumi Ren's palm, she slightly shrank back before fully accepting it.
She looked down at the skewers inside the paper bag and checked the flavors; they were the ones she loved eating last night.
"You certainly remember clearly."
Her voice was much softer than before, and her words carried a deliberate hint of nonchalance, but her tone had already softened.
Soi Fon took out a skewer and ate it in small bites, then muttered quietly.
"In a few days, I will be conducting Shunko training again. Are you coming?"
Hearing this, Hasumi Ren felt slightly surprised, then smiled and asked in return.
"Do you want me to come?"
Soi Fon pursed her lips and turned her back to him, her ears so red they were practically bleeding.
"Suit yourself. The training ground is empty at night anyway. Come if you want."
Hearing this, Hasumi Ren smiled and stood up.
"Then I'll come over when the time comes."
Soi Fon let out a soft snort, dumped the remaining dried fish from the dish onto the ground all at once, and then stood up, walking toward the training ground without looking back.
After a few steps, her pace faltered slightly, as if she wanted to look back, but ultimately she did not. Instead, her steps became a fraction faster than before.
Hasumi Ren looked at Soi Fon's receding back, his heart relaxing significantly.
It seemed that Soi Fon's level of acceptance regarding this matter was much higher than he had thought.
Furthermore, it was evident that the blow of Yoruichi's departure was subtly fading for Soi Fon.
It was nothing more than him putting in a little extra effort.
How could this not be a good thing?
Hasumi Ren turned around and walked toward his destination for this trip.
The entrance to the Maggot's Nest was as heavily guarded as always.
Before coming, Hasumi Ren had already prepared to be stopped.
He no longer had the access privileges provided by Urahara Kisuke, so theoretically, the Maggot's Nest would restrict his entry and exit.
But when the gatekeeper saw Hasumi Ren, he hesitated.
Hasumi Ren frequented this place and was well-acquainted with them.
"Lieutenant Hasumi Ren, your visit this time... do you have an official dispatch?"
The gatekeeper asked.
"No, I am just here to see Captain Unohana."
"If you need one, I can go ask Lieutenant Omaeda for a permit."
Hasumi Ren said.
The gatekeeper fell silent for a few seconds.
Hasumi Ren could tell that this person was hesitating.
There were many complex reasons for hesitation. With layers of relationships intertwined, the gatekeeper had every reason to refuse him.
But ultimately, the gatekeeper did not refuse.
He merely remained silent for a moment before stepping aside to clear the path.
"Captain Unohana is in one of the deeper cells."
"Thank you."
The iron gate closed behind him, shutting out the sunlight.
Hasumi Ren walked step by step down the staircase into the darkness. The glow of the Reishi lamps grew fainter, and the air became increasingly damp.
He passed through the hall where the crowds gathered and arrived at the solitary confinement area. From the cells on either side, low murmurs and the sound of chains dragging across the floor occasionally drifted out.
In the deepest solitary cell, Unohana sat on the stone bed.
Her clothes were neat and clean, her long hair untied and draped over her shoulders. Her hands rested on her knees, her posture tranquil.
Sensing the movement at the door, Unohana opened her eyes and looked at Hasumi Ren standing outside the iron bars.
"Hasumi Ren?"
Her voice was very soft.
"What, you still remember to visit your Captain?"
Hasumi Ren stood before the iron bars, silent for a moment.
"There are some things I did not explain to you in advance. That was my fault."
Unohana did not speak, quietly waiting for him to continue.
"But all of this now cannot be considered a complete deviation from the plan; there is just a bit more improvisation involved."
"Aizen's power is vast, and his Kyoka Suigetsu covers the entire Seireitei. There is no chance of winning in a head-on battle; any attempt would be dismantled by Kyoka Suigetsu. Left with no choice, I could only resort to this worst-case scenario."
His voice was pressed very low, so low that only the two of them could hear it clearly.
"The Hollowified Captains will be fine. Shihoin Yoruichi and Urahara Kisuke will take good care of them."
"Captain, please trust me and temporarily keep the secret hidden in here."
He raised his hand and pointed to his own chest.
"I promise you, there will be a day when the clouds part and the sun shines through."
Unohana looked at him and fell silent for a long time.
Then, she gently spoke.
"Does Aizen know what you are saying right now?"
Hasumi Ren lightly shook his head.
"He does not know. My words were not dictated by anyone else; they are entirely from the bottom of my heart."
"I only hope that you trust me, Captain. The current situation will not last for too long."
Unohana closed her eyes. It was a long time before she spoke again.
"Understood," she said. "Go. I leave the Fourth Division in your hands for now."
Hasumi Ren lowered his head, took a step back, then turned around and slowly returned along the path he came from.
Behind him, beneath the glow of the Reishi lamp, Unohana remained sitting on the stone bed, slowly closing her eyes.
By the time Hasumi Ren walked out of the Maggot's Nest, the sky had already grown dim.
The gatekeeper gave him a slight nod, saying nothing more.
The iron gate closed behind him, issuing a dull metallic thud.
He walked toward the Fourth Division. Upon arriving at the entrance of the Fourth Division, he saw a squad member from the Fifth Division.
Aizen's message had arrived.
Soon, Hasumi Ren arrived in Aizen's laboratory, where Aizen was standing in front of an experimental bench.
Hasumi Ren walked up to the bench and stood still.
"Lieutenant Aizen, what did you call me here for?"
Aizen turned around. He picked up an opened document from the bench and handed it to Hasumi Ren.
"I shouldn't need to elaborate too much; it is about Kurotsuchi Mayuri participating in the research and development of the Shadow Realm."
"Yes."
Hasumi Ren took the document and glanced down at it. It was a preliminary assessment of Kurotsuchi Mayuri's research report submitted by the Stealth Force.
"The Soul Society wants to make a move on the Quincies. In my expectations, they would be stuck trying to find the Quincies' location for a period of time."
Aizen's voice was calm.
"The spatial barrier of the Shadow Realm is fundamentally different from the Kido barriers commonly used by Soul Reapers. With only the Twelfth Division's current technological reserves, attempting to reverse-engineer it and lock onto the entrance is no simple task."
"However, I did not expect there to be an anomaly like Kurotsuchi Mayuri."
"Urahara Kisuke researched spatial technology with him in the Maggot's Nest, allowing him to grasp the core principles of the Shadow Realm and even reproduce the method to open the entrance. This indeed exceeded my expectations."
Aizen turned around and looked in the direction of the Hogyoku.
"However, it doesn't affect things much regardless."
"My alliance with the Quincies never had any moral foundation to speak of anyway. They wanted to use me to fight the Seireitei, and I wanted to use them to pin down the Gotei 13. Both sides are well aware of this."
"Now that the Seireitei is preparing to act against them, it is merely that the planned conflict has been moved forward slightly."
The corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
"With Kyoka Suigetsu in play, there is no fear that those Quincies can leak secrets to the Soul Reapers."
"Even if they claim that Aizen Sosuke is the true mastermind, the Seireitei will only treat it as slander during their death throes."
He turned around and looked at Hasumi Ren, an expectant look in his eyes.
"I am actually quite looking forward to seeing what kind of outcome will arise when the current Seireitei faces off against those underprepared Quincies."
"We must make our preparations. Perhaps this battle can provide quite a few suitable materials for the Hogyoku."