Kapitel 219: The Rules
"Sigh..." Ailin let out a quiet sigh, observing the flicker of hope in Kitada Yōsuke's eyes.
"I apologize, Kitada. According to the new rule I implemented a few days ago, I cannot intervene unless I see a distress flare, not even for you.
As you witnessed, I punished my subordinate for his mistake. If I were to break the rules myself without facing consequences, it would undermine my authority and erode the trust and respect of those who serve under me. So, Kitada, will you launch your distress flare?"
Yōsuke's pupils constricted as he heard Ailin's words. Of course, he knew the new rule. After all, it was the loophole he had exploited to regain his eligibility for the exam.
It was also the rule that had made him a pariah among his fellow students.
Initially, for his own safety, Yōsuke had always kept his distress flare in his left hand, ready to launch it at a moment's notice.
Later, having discovered a more effective "human shield," he had tucked the flare into his pocket, relying on the presence of civilians to attract the rescue squad.
Now, his cunning tactic had backfired.
Gazing at Ailin, who maintained a deceptively kind smile, Yōsuke knew that if he didn't use his distress flare, Captain Aizen wouldn't lift a finger to help him.
But…
The impact of the Hollow's attack had dislodged the flare from his pocket.
His eyes darted towards the flare, lying three meters away. Despair washed over him. His limbs were broken, his bones shattered, each breath a reminder of his fading life force.
Three meters felt like an insurmountable chasm, separating him from life and death.
Sensing the Hollow's gaze shift towards him, Yōsuke steeled himself, summoning the last vestiges of his strength to roll onto his stomach.
Although Captain Aizen stood beside him, he knew that without the distress flare, he would be left to die.
If he pushed himself, he might reach the flare before the Hollow noticed him.
To give up meant certain death. To fight meant clinging to a sliver of hope.
So, with his body practically paralyzed, Yōsuke, using his chin to drag himself forward, began his agonizing crawl towards the flare.
His mind, hyper-focused on his desperate struggle, heightened his senses.
Every jolt of pain, every scrape against the rough pavement, felt as if his skin was being peeled away layer by layer.
Each movement threatened to send him spiraling into unconsciousness. But the primal urge to survive kept him going, driving him forward, inch by agonizing inch.
In his single-minded pursuit of the flare, Yōsuke ignored all the inconsistencies that should have raised alarm bells in his mind.
For instance, in the past, whenever he had led a Hollow into a populated area, the rescue squad had arrived within seconds. Why, today, after fleeing for so long, hadn't a single Shinigami appeared?
He had seen dozens of terrified civilians scattering as the Hollow approached. While he, as a Shinigami, possessed a more appealing soul, shouldn't the Hollow, driven by its hunger, have attacked those humans by now? It was highly unusual for a Hollow to ignore such easy prey.
Moreover, the Hollow had relentlessly pursued him earlier, easily tracking his every movement.
But from the moment he was struck down until now, as he slowly dragged himself across the ground, the Hollow had shown no signs of noticing him. Its behavior was completely different from before, as if it were a different creature altogether.
The most glaring inconsistency was the speed of his crawl. It had taken him a full thirty minutes to cover the three-meter distance to the flare.
During those thirty minutes, the Hollow had been steadily approaching him. By now, it stood less than five meters away.
Under the moonlight, its shadow already enveloped him.
Yet, the Hollow remained oblivious.
Perhaps Yōsuke had sensed these discrepancies, but in his mind, there was only one path forward - reach the flare, launch it, and secure his rescue.
"Ugh…" He coughed up another mouthful of blood, finally reaching the flare.
He used his mouth to pick it up, turning his head towards Ailin.
"Well done, Kitada. You've retrieved your distress flare. Now, if you require assistance, launch it. The moment I see the signal, I will come to your rescue."
"What?" Yōsuke's jaw dropped as he heard Ailin's words.
The distress flare was a device developed by the 12th Division's Shinigami Research and Development Institute, a beacon designed to summon help.
It was incredibly easy to use. Simply grasp it firmly and channel reiatsu into it, triggering an explosion of reishi that would propel a colorful plume of smoke high into the sky.
The rescue squad, upon seeing the signal, would immediately rush to the location and provide assistance.
But with all his limbs broken, how could he possibly activate the flare?
"Heh… heh… hahaha…" Laughter, laced with despair and bitterness, escaped his lips as the flare tumbled from his mouth, rolling a short distance away.
It finally dawned on him. He had been played. Captain Aizen had never intended to save him.
"Captain Aizen, I'm just a lowly insect from Rukongai. Why go to such lengths to torment me?" He asked.
"Kitada, what are you talking about? I am the chief examiner of this graduation exam. Fairness and impartiality are my guiding principles. How could I possibly stoop to such a petty act as targeting a single student?
In fact, I should thank you for highlighting a flaw in our rescue procedures, making it clear to the rescue squad when they are permitted to intervene.
Thanks to your contribution, seven students perished last night, devoured by Hollows before the rescue squad could reach them. They didn't have time to launch their distress flares… Actually, including you, that makes eight.
They could have survived. Kitada, do you know why they died? And it's not just them. From this point forward, every year, more than twenty students might die because they couldn't launch their distress flares in time…
You, single-handedly, have contributed to a significant increase in the mortality rate of Shin'ō Academy students. I wonder how long the Hollows of Hueco Mundo will sing your praises for this achievement.
Perhaps, thousands of years from now, you will be hailed as the 'God of Hueco Mundo,' the Shinigami slayer…"
Yōsuke's eyes widened. He had never imagined that his selfish actions would have such dire consequences. But then, a twisted smile spread across his face.
"Hahaha, to think I, Kitada Yōsuke, could achieve such a feat! So many have died because of me, and even more will perish in the years to come! My life… It's been worth it!"
Ailin shook his head, watching Yōsuke's descent into madness.
"You're truly beyond redemption…"
"Heh, Captain Aizen, don't you find it hypocritical to say that to me now? You never intended to save me, did you?" Yōsuke scoffed.
"No, Kitada, you misunderstand. It wasn't that I 'never' intended to save you." Ailin looked down at Yōsuke.
"You betrayed the Shinigami who saved you to achieve your own goals. While I found your actions repulsive, I also admired your quick thinking. Your ability to find an opportunity in such dire circumstances led me to believe that you might bring a unique perspective to the Seireitei.
But when you repeatedly used innocent lives as shields to ensure your survival, did you forget the duty of a Shinigami?
A Shinigami is tasked with protecting the living from Hollows, guiding lost souls to the Soul Society, and maintaining balance between the three worlds.
Kitada, tell me, how can someone who, upon encountering a powerful Hollow, chooses to flee into a crowd, using innocent lives as bait to ensure their own escape, be considered a Shinigami?"
Yōsuke's mind drifted back to his childhood. Over a decade ago, he had been an ordinary boy living in Rukongai. One day, a Hollow had descended from Hueco Mundo, appearing near his village.
It was a Shinigami who had saved them, battling the Hollow and leading it away from the village.
That day, Yōsuke had vowed to become a Shinigami, to be as heroic as the one who had saved him and his village.
AUTORENGEDANKEN 
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