Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni stood grim-faced, his stern gaze fixed on the two collapsed bodies before him. Ukitake was first to move, checking their conditions. When he saw the horrifying wound in Unohana's chest, he sucked in a cold breath—but upon confirming that Shin was merely unconscious, he relaxed slightly.
"How did it go this far?" Kyōraku Shunsui stepped in beside him, sighing toward Unohana.
Unohana remained composed. She gently pushed Shin off of her, then sat upright. Though the bleeding at her chest had stopped, the pain remained—sharp, insistent, gnawing at her nerves.
Suddenly, she noticed something strange. Her hand touched her clavicle—the old scar had… changed. Its shape had morphed, the texture completely different. It had shrunk—now it resembled a flower.
Silent, she began healing herself with Kaidō.
"You have nothing to say in your defense?" Yamamoto's voice was cold steel.
Unohana lifted her gaze, sweeping across those present—Kyōraku, Ukitake, Soi Fon… just the three captains besides Yamamoto. She quickly understood. He was still trying to contain this incident.
"It was just a sparring match," she said plainly.
Yamamoto's brow twitched as he glanced at the gaping wound near her heart.
He'd seen her moments ago sprawled across the floor, barely clinging to life.
His voice deepened: "Detain her."
"Old man…" Kyōraku murmured, trying to interject.
"I said detain her."
When Shin awoke, he found himself locked in a dimly lit cell. There were no restraints on his body, but the surrounding walls were made of Sekkiseki stone.
There weren't many prisons in Seireitei. Judging by what he'd seen before passing out, Shin guessed he was in the 2nd Division's holding cells.
He rubbed his forehead and sighed. Time to start preparing for the interrogation.
The worst-case scenario? Indefinite imprisonment. Execution was unlikely—but the sentence could be long.
The best case? He got off scot-free.
Not long after he stirred, footsteps approached. A petite woman appeared—short hair tied in a bell adder braid, sharp gaze, her shihakushō crisply worn beneath the captain's haori.
Soi Fon, Captain of the 2nd Division and Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō.
"Captain Soi Fon," Shin greeted her with a nod.
Her first words were a cold accusation: "Why were you there?"
She meant the hidden space beneath Sōkyoku Hill.
Shin glanced at his system screen:
Favorability: 3
They hadn't interacted much, but he was certain it hadn't been that low before. What had he done to piss her off?
…Could it be she knew about Yoruichi's secret hideout?
Possibly. But enough to hate him?
"I was sparring with my captain," Shin answered. "We wanted a quiet place."
Her gaze hardened. "I asked how you knew about that place."
So it was that.
"Found it by accident. Is there a problem?" he replied casually.
Her stare sharpened. "Do you know what crime you've committed?"
Shin nodded lightly. "I do."
Her expression turned glacial. "A 3rd seat of the 4th Division, and yet you knowingly violated Soul Society's laws?"
Shin chuckled. "There's no law prohibiting captains and subordinates from sparring, is there?"
"There is a law," she snapped, "that says you follow orders from your superiors—especially the Captain-Commander! What did he command you to do?"
"Captain Soi Fon," Shin said with a tired shrug. "Do you want to hear my reasons?"
"No."
"Then I've nothing more to say."
"You don't think you did anything wrong?"
"I did something good."
Soi Fon's lips pressed thin as she stared at the man inside the cell. She remembered him clearly from the last Shinigami Exchange Tournament—crushing every representative from the other Divisions. She hadn't liked him then.
Now, she despised him.
Favorability: 2
"…Tch."
Without another word, she turned and left, Shin watching her go with an exhausted sigh.
What a difficult woman.
In the 1st Division barracks, inside the Captain-Commander's office—
Unohana now sat across from Yamamoto, dressed in clean robes, though her long black hair remained loose. Her treatment, it seemed, was considerably better than Shin's.
"You truly test the limits of my patience," Yamamoto growled, slamming his staff on the floor. The impact echoed through the chamber, a groan of wood and power. Reiatsu pulsed like magma, drawing sweat from the foreheads of Sasakibe and Isane standing just outside.
Unohana lowered her gaze to her tea cup. Her voice was calm.
"I've done it already. There's nothing more to explain. Whatever punishment you deem fit, I'll accept."
That response only enraged Yamamoto further. Whether she pleaded or resisted, either would've been better than this… indifference. It was like punching a cloud.
He didn't even know how to punish her. Lock her up for decades? A century?
But who in the Gotei 13 could replace her?
And, truth be told, nothing terrible had happened. There was no rule forbidding sparring. Only his prior order had been defied.
What frustrated him most was their timing—right after Shiba Kaien's dismissal. They'd chosen now to make their move.
He couldn't very well reinstate Kaien, and Central 46 wouldn't allow it.
He hated rule-breakers.
If not for Shin's overwhelming strength and potential, Yamamoto might've already ordered his execution.
What he'd witnessed beneath Sōkyoku Hill still left him shaken.
Unohana, unconscious and bloodied—her heart pierced.
Had Shin not stopped her bleeding, she might not have survived long enough for medics.
Did Shin… actually win?
Knowing Unohana, she wouldn't have held back.
Graduating just a few years ago… defeating Gin Ichimaru, Kenpachi Zaraki… and now Unohana?
Even counting his time in the Shin'ō Academy, Shin had taken less than ten years to climb higher than most Shinigami would in a lifetime.
Not even "genius" seemed adequate anymore.
Yamamoto wondered—if given a hundred years, how far could this boy go?
Could he… reach him?
That possibility unnerved him.
Another like Kenpachi—raw, unchained, monstrously gifted. At least Kenpachi was honest in his barbarism. Shin was different. Calculating. Dangerous.
A true threat if turned against Soul Society.
Ichimaru and Kaien were called prodigies, but they had limits.
Shin and Zaraki… they were bottomless.
Yamamoto was confident he could suppress them now. But the seeds were growing. He could not allow them to bloom into disaster.
The last tournament? He'd forgiven Shin. A Rukongai kid resenting nobility wasn't a crime.
But this—this was calculated rebellion.
He looked again at Unohana's impassive face and felt another surge of anger.
He couldn't reach her anymore.
"House arrest," he said at last. "You are confined to the 4th Division barracks for one month. Further disciplinary measures will be announced later."
Unohana said nothing. She stood, bowed slightly, and left the room.
Isane followed quickly behind.
"Captain…"
The walk back was silent. Isane's worry was written on her face.
"Captain… and Shin…"
"He'll be fine," Unohana replied blandly.
Isane couldn't respond.
Seeing her captain drenched in blood, a gaping wound in her chest—it had nearly broken her. Was that really Shin's doing?
Why…?
She remembered Ukitake's assurance that Shin was alive—that had kept her from despair.
Both her captain and Shin mattered to her deeply. She didn't understand—how could "sparring" go so far?
She couldn't bring herself to ask.
In Yamamoto's office again, Sasakibe entered.
"Captain Soi Fon has reported: Tachikawa Shin is awake."
"Keep him detained," Yamamoto said with a scowl.
Sasakibe hesitated. "We'll need justification soon, sir. The news hasn't spread yet, but if it does… the incident with Captain Unohana may leak too."
Yamamoto gave a cold chuckle.
"That boy calculated all this. Believes that with the Captaincy pending, I won't dare punish him."
Sasakibe fell silent.
"He did keep his promise," he finally said. "He didn't deal a fatal blow."
Yamamoto snapped, "When did I agree to his conditions?"
Turning away, he growled:
"Summon Aizen and his lieutenant, Ichimaru Gin."
Sasakibe blinked, then bowed and left.
He knew then—the Captain-Commander was furious.
Bringing Gin here meant… he was ready to pass the 10th Division to him?
Shortly after, Aizen Sōsuke and Gin Ichimaru arrived.
Gin knelt immediately. "Please forgive me, but I must decline."
Yamamoto's brow furrowed. "Why? You had no objection when you competed for 3rd Division against Kaien."
Gin bowed lower. "I realize now I lack the qualifications to be captain. I was overconfident before. Losing to Kaien saved me from damaging a Division."
Yamamoto frowned deeper. "You're being too humble. You and Kaien were equals in tenure and talent. A single loss doesn't define your worth."
Gin kept his head low. "I believe Tachikawa Shin is far more suitable. He's stronger than I am."
Yamamoto exhaled heavily. "He's only been a Shinigami for two years. He lacks the experience."
"True," Gin replied. "But the whole Gotei watches the Exchange Tournament now. That's Shin's doing, too."
Yamamoto turned to Aizen, who nodded.
"I agree. Tachikawa 3rd Seat is more qualified than Gin."
"…"
The Captain-Commander clenched his fists, then finally said, "Return. Consider it further."
After they left, he summoned Sasakibe again.
"Sir."
Yamamoto rubbed his thumb along his cane, deep in thought.
"Deliver the formal punishment for Captain Unohana."
"Yes, sir."
"…Bring me Tachikawa Shin."