บท 405: 405 Bleach: The Kindness of Ukitake, Kyoraku and Nanao, A Man's Ugly Jealousy and the Beginning of a Huge Conflict.
The Senkaimon (Gate of World Penetration) opened from the other side, and a black butterfly emerged. This butterfly, called Jigokuchou (Hell Butterfly), serves as a guide for the Shinigami, ensuring they don't have to pass through the Dangai when traveling between the Soul Society and the human world.
"Good..."
Rukia arrived in the Soul Society. She hadn't left this place for long—just a week, a month. Such a small amount of time was insignificant for a Shinigami. However, in the human world, everything felt slower, as if every day, every hour, every second was meaningful.
That was the feeling Rukia had as she stepped into Seireitei after exiting through the Senkaimon.
Rukia looked around. There were Shinigami everywhere, but she had a mission and couldn't stray from it.
"Rukia, you came back quickly."
Behind her stood a tall man with red hair tied in a ponytail, visible tattoos, and a rugged appearance—Abarai Renji, a longtime friend of Rukia's and the lieutenant of Captain Kuchiki Byakuya, Rukia's older brother.
"Renji?"
Rukia's eyes widened as a drop of sweat fell from her cheek. She trusted Renji, but she knew her brother's personality—he was strict and traditional.
"What's with that face? It's only been a few years since we last saw each other."
Renji's voice sounded teasing as he noticed Rukia's stunned expression. People often said that Renji wasn't suited for the Sixth Division.
The Sixth Division adhered to the traditional organization of the Gotei 13. High-ranking members distinguished themselves by wearing a white, sleeveless haori (shorter than the one worn by captains), with purple borders and fastened with red string over their regular shihakushō. The Sixth Division was seen as a model division by all Shinigami and was known for its strict adherence to rules.
"Renji, I have something to do…"
Rukia knew that despite his appearance, Renji would also choose to follow the rules in this situation.
'I need to get away...' Rukia thought.
"Hey, hey, aren't you being a little cold?" Renji joked, "Did you commit a crime?"
Rukia shuddered. Essentially, she was committing a crime by not informing the Gotei 13 about Allen. A bitter sensation ran through Rukia's throat. She owed everything to the Kuchiki family and her brother.
"I… I'm sorry."
Rukia hurried away while Renji watched her with confusion.
"What's wrong with her?"
Rukia wasn't normally severe or strict, but she acted that way because she followed her brother's example. It was strange to see her so nervous. If it were anyone else, Renji wouldn't have cared, but seeing Rukia like this…
Renji watched as Rukia's back disappeared.
...
Rukia arrived at the Thirteenth Division headquarters, nervous because Ukitake was a man who was often indisposed due to his illness, and she didn't want to trouble him. After all, she owed him a lot too.
It took about two hours before Ukitake was in a condition to receive her.
Rukia nervously opened the wooden door, only to see Ukitake smiling while sitting on a futon on the floor.
Ukitake was an unusually tall man, with a slender physique, pale skin, white, loose hair, brown eyes, and a somewhat frail appearance.
Ukitake coughed slightly. Rukia noticed this and was about to approach, but he raised his hand, and she quickly stopped. His illness hadn't been specified, but the symptoms were characteristic of tuberculosis, although technically, it shouldn't be possible for him to have that as a soul.
"I'm back, Captain." Rukia sat down respectfully.
"It's a pleasure to have you back, Rukia. If you returned so quickly, there must be something important you need to tell me…"
"Captain Ukitake, I'm sorry!"
Rukia bowed her head to the ground, which caused Ukitake's smile to falter, replaced by a frown... not of annoyance, but of concern.
"What happened?"
"…Yes."
Rukia took half an hour to explain everything that had happened to Ukitake, who moved from astonishment to disbelief, then to suspicion.
Rukia waited nervously for Ukitake to speak.
"This is problematic. That young man could be in serious trouble…"
"I know. It's all my fault."
"You don't have to apologize. In the end, it's because of this that you're alive. After all, no one expected such an organized group of high-level Hollows to appear in the human world…"
Ukitake was also worried about that. Rukia had the potential to be a lieutenant, but because of her brother's interference, she was never given an official position. Even so, someone with her ability was cornered.
Rukia looked down. She regretted every moment of what had happened. Was there a way out? The situation with the Quincy had become almost legendary, with the Gotei 13 deciding to exterminate them. She understood that it didn't matter if the other side was an innocent human; they wouldn't hesitate to give the order.
Moreover, even if there were understanding captains, there was still the Head Captain, an elder who would kill anyone if necessary. Not only that but there was also the Central 46 (the 40 wise men and 6 judges), who, in the end, made the important decisions and judged the Shinigami, and even captains weren't exempt from their authority.
"Rukia…" Ukitake looked at her with comfort. "Don't worry. I also bear responsibility. I was the one who asked you to keep an eye on that young man…"
Rukia stood up in alarm. "That's not it, Captain. It's all my fault."
"You're a good girl and a reliable Shinigami…" Ukitake smiled warmly. He was a man who treated all his subordinates with affection, making him one of the most beloved captains in The Gotei 13.
"Captain…" Rukia lowered her head, unable to bear putting a man as sick as him through such a situation.
"Rukia, I have an idea, but I'm afraid I can't do it alone. I would like to ask Kyoraku for help…"
Rukia lifted her head, her eyes wide. Then her expression grew even more complicated. She wasn't in a position to ask for anything more, even though she didn't want to involve anyone else.
"You might not know this, being so young," Ukitake smiled, "but I've known Kyoraku for a long time, and if he hears the story you told me, he wasn't in favor of killing an innocent."
Rukia looked into her captain's eyes. After taking a breath, she nodded.
"I trust your judgment, Captain!"
...
(One day later)
"That's the situation, Kyoraku."
Sitting at a small table with sake served, Ukitake finished telling the whole story to the captain of the Eighth Division, Kyoraku Shunsui.
"Seriously?~ Ukitakeee, I thought you invited me to have a drink after all this time, and you came out with this?~"
Kyoraku's lighthearted and playful attitude contrasted with Ukitake's calmness and kindness.
"I'm sorry," Ukitake laughed.
"You're not sorry, are you?" Kyoraku accused him, then took a sip of his sake.
Kyoraku was a muscular man with the appearance of a mature, established, and extravagant individual. This was evident in his attire and his attitude. He wore a traditional farmer's hat and a pink, flowery kimono over his captain's uniform, which had sleeves.
His hair was tied in a loose, sky-blue ponytail with two small red flowers near the nape of his neck. His hair color was dark brown, his eyes were black and slightly squinted, and he also had a short beard on his pronounced chin.
Rukia observed the conversation between the captains from the side, sitting next to Ise Nanao, Kyoraku's lieutenant.
Ukitake smiled, a bit awkwardly. "I'm really sorry, Kyoraku."
"Ahh, Nanao-chan, help me~" Kyoraku, acting like a child, sought help from his lieutenant.
Nanao was a beautiful young woman with an extremely formal appearance. She had a slender build, or at least, that was how she had looked within canon; it seemed like she had been eating better in this world, improving her... proportions. Her pale skin complemented her black hair, which was neatly tied back, with a large strand falling to the right side of her face. Nanao had a fine nose and large, dark blue eyes, accentuated by thick lashes.
She maintained a stern and respectful attitude, with a slight frown, and wore round glasses that she adjusted frequently. She wore the standard Shinigami uniform without any customization.
Nanao adjusted her glasses. "Handle it yourself."
"How cruel?~" Kyoraku complained, then looked at Ukitake with a rare serious expression, "Yama-ji is going to be upset…"
"Yes... Sensei is a very strict person."
Kyoraku squinted his eyes. "Ukitake, are you really going to risk your position for a human child you don't even know?"
Rukia tensed and shuddered. She had realized all the trouble she was causing for her captain. But every time she closed her eyes she saw Allen's face, she knew that if she let him die without doing anything... she would never forgive herself. "I am sorry..."
Kyoraku sighed, "Bullying pretty girls is not my hobby..."
"It's too late to apologize; you already got us all involved; now just bear the consequences with a firm stare and remember to make it up to us in the future," Nanao whispered to Rukia.
"Nanao-san?" Rukia opened her eyes wide, surprised. She hadn't expected help from a lieutenant like Nanao, who should have been the first to oppose her.
"Nanao-chan is so cool I could fall in love~," Kyoraku said with amusement, but seeing his niece's bloodlust he shut up.
Ukitake grew serious and didn't avert his gaze. "We are old Shinigami, and we've done and seen things we're not proud of. This is the work of someone with malicious intent. The easy path would be to arrest Rukia and kill Allen-kun... I'm sure half of the captains would think that way. Kyoraku, if you could change an injustice, would you?"
Kyoraku lowered his head. "Heh, you've gotten good with words." He removed his hat. "Certainly, neither Rukia-chan nor Allen-kun are at fault. Someone planned this situation or at least Rukia's murder. Letting it happen would be playing into their hands... but the other option is complicated. Who has a plan?"
Ukitake smiled. Rukia widened her eyes, and Nanao sighed.
Just with Kyoraku's words, he showed that he would help them.
Ukitake picked up a decorated box next to him and turned to Rukia, opening it.
"First of all, Rukia, I want you to be my lieutenant..."
Rukia stared at the lieutenant's emblem of the Thirteenth Division. That emblem brought back painful memories of her former lieutenant.
"You don't need to worry about Kaien-kun. He definitely would have wanted you to succeed him..."
Kyoraku took another sip of sake and glanced at Ukitake. "We all know Rukia-chan's abilities, but this will upset Captain Kuchiki."
"Nii-sama?" Rukia didn't understand what her brother had to do with this. She couldn't have known that the only reason she hadn't been promoted was because of her brother's intervention.
"Kyoraku," Ukitake said, annoyed.
"Oh, sorry... I said too much. Forgive me, Rukia-chan. It's the sake; it makes me say foolish things."
Rukia pursed her lips but didn't ask further questions. For now, the captains' assistance took precedence.
"Captain Ukitake, I can't accept this after all the trouble I've caused."
"Don't worry, I'll handle everything. This had already been discussed with Sensei (Yamamoto)."
"But—"
Nanao sighed. "Kuchiki-san, this is also to help you. Can't you see that?"
Rukia looked confused but soon realized the truth. As in any society, a person's position is crucial. Depending on rank and influence, punishments vary. It might sound cruel, but it's reality.
A Shinigami granting powers to a human and a lieutenant doing so are two similar yet fundamentally different acts. Condemning a Shinigami to execution is one thing; condemning a lieutenant is another.
Ukitake gave her an apologetic smile. "Rukia-kun, I want you to be my lieutenant, but this was supposed to happen later. Still, I believe you are ready."
Rukia felt her eyes sting but she endured it and looked determined, "I will give my all!"
Ukitake nodded in satisfaction and looked at Kyoraku Shushui, "Kyoraku"
"Yes, yes, Nanao-chan~ I want you to accompany Rukia to the human world and see if there's a way to remove Allen-kun's powers... If not, perhaps you can try to contain them, hide him, or even turn him into a conventional Shinigami. It's better than this..."
"Captain, don't call me Nanao-chan. And if it's an order, please state it formally."
"Always so strict~" Kyoraku chuckled. "On one hand, it's a shame to send my beloved Nanao away, but there's no choice... let's just hope we don't lose our heads over this..."
With Kyoraku's words, the room fell silent.
...
(Kyoraku will regret to send his niece🍷🗿)
...
In the human world, a day had passed since Rukia left, frustrating Masaki, who accused Allen of being a bad boyfriend for losing the girl in less than a day.
The chat teased Allen mercilessly, but deep down, more than one person cursed him.
Allen had a normal day until it was time to meet Orihime and Tatsuki.
"Mou~ I told you I can't gain weight; I have a fast metabolism!"
"I just said you eat too much, not that you're fat," Tatsuki sighed in defeat.
Tatsuki hadn't meant it maliciously—or maybe there was a tiny bit of jealousy. After all, it was obvious Allen favored Orihime more, tending to spoil her. However, it was partly Tatsuki's fault for being shy about these things, despite the impression she gave others.
If she'd taken a bolder approach, she might receive the same attention from Allen. After all, he responded to Orihime in the same way an older brother would.
"Tatsuki, we both know where all those nutrients go..." Allen joked—or so he thought, as Tatsuki wore a dark expression while Orihime blushed.
"No, I didn't mean—"
Those kinds of jokes were fine for his girlfriends, but perhaps he'd gone too far this time.
"…!"
Just as Allen was about to apologize, he felt a Shinigami's Reiatsu and excused himself, saying he had something to attend to.
Tatsuki and Orihime exchanged confused glances.
---
Allen quickly reached the spot where he had sensed the Reiatsu.
The visitor's Reiatsu was similar to Rukia's in size and definitely that of a Shinigami, so Allen assumed it was Rukia. But Allen, being new to sensing Reiatsu, was not able to identify the difference between people. However, when he arrived at the park, he realized it wasn't her.
Red hair and an aggressive look—a mix between a delinquent, a Yakuza, and a rock star.
"Abarai Renji..." Allen's gaze turned cold. He shouldn't be here.
---
Renji had followed Rukia because he was worried about her strange behavior. However, knowing she was meeting with her captain made it impossible to approach, so Renji devised a Plan B. He investigated Rukia's assignments.
Normally, divisions didn't share such information, but as Kuchiki Byakuya's lieutenant, Renji had access. It wasn't the first time Byakuya, the head of one of the Four Noble Families, had requested information about his sister. And since Rukia still held no official title, it was easier to obtain it.
Renji gazed at the mortal world's evening sky. "Karakura Town... Rukia was in charge of this city?"
Allen watched Lieutenant Abarai Renji, recalling how, despite becoming a good ally later, he had tried to kill Ichigo multiple times early on.
This guy had also sided with the Seireitei when Rukia was to be executed, making their relationship feel strange. But as everyone knows in these types of stories, romantic relationships don't develop until the end... sometimes not even there.
But it didn't matter. Allen, aware of his precarious situation and how much trouble Rukia must be enduring, didn't want to cause more problems. So he simply pretended to be a passerby and continued on his way.
"...?"
Renji noticed Allen's presence but didn't react as he walked past him... or so it seemed for a moment.
"Hey..." Renji spoke.
"..." Allen ignored him as if he didn't exist.
"Hey! Why do you smell like Rukia?!"
Renji drew his Zanpakutō and slashed at Allen, who dodged the attack by stepping back.
"Are you the reason Rukia is in this state? What did you do to her?"
Allen's expression darkened. This guy could recognize Rukia's presence on him through her "scent"? How disgusting...
Allen felt the Renji of this world was degenerate. And despite what others might think, Allen wasn't overly kind. While he might forgive certain things from girls, Renji was just a stranger.
A stranger who attacked him...
Allen's eyes turned cold, but Renji, blinded by anger, failed to notice. It was a common mistake in this world to rely on an opponent's Reiatsu to assess danger.
Allen vanished—not using Shunpo, but raw speed enhanced with Chi—and struck Renji, driving his fist into Renji's stomach.
"Hey, redhead, I don't like being attacked," Allen said, his eyes glowing red and his black hair fluttering as he grabbed Renji's face and slammed it into the ground, creating a crater.
"Ahhh!"
Renji cried out, his Reiatsu flaring. He was a lieutenant, after all.
"Howl, Zabimaru!"
Renji's blade extended and split into segments, resembling a massive serpent-like weapon.
Allen extended his hand and stopped it.
"What?!"
Allen yanked on the weapon. Renji tried to resist but failed, getting pulled toward Allen, who struck him with a Chi-infused blow, damaging him both externally and internally.
Renji didn't fly back. Instead, he grabbed Allen's arm.
"Who are you?"
"I admit you've got guts, something fitting for someone from this world..."
"Answer me! Who are you, and what did you do to Rukia?"
"I just hugged her. That's why I smell like her."
"Huh?!" Renji felt something break inside his mind.
To clarify, due to the transfer of powers, there was still a trace of Rukia's Reiatsu in Allen. When Renji referred to the "scent," he was talking about Rukia's Reiatsu. However, Allen misunderstood and thought Renji was referring to Rukia's physical scent.
Renji recalled Rukia's uncomfortable expression, her frightened eyes, and her trembling body. In his mind, he imagined Allen forcefully embracing Rukia, and his thoughts spiraled out of control.
"...!" Allen stepped back.
When lieutenants and captains travel to the human world, they are equipped with a seal that suppresses their power to one-fifth of its full strength to avoid causing disruptions in the human realm. Normally, permission must be obtained to release this seal, but in a fit of rage, Renji did so without hesitation. He was ready to face the consequences but felt he had to kill the man who dared to harm Rukia.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
Allen extended his hand, summoning his black and crimson Zanpakuto. He then looked at Renji coldly. Not because Renji is important or famous means he wouldn't kill him if he had that intention against him.
"Try it," said Allen with red eyes; however, the Chat knew that Allen should not be able to activate his demonic power in this world.
Makima looked at Allen silently and spoke sarcastically. "Jealousy, anger, displeasure... this does not appear proper to our beloved young master..."
Thus began the conflict between Allen and the soul society.
...
Aizen looked out his window, feeling Renji's power expand as he increased his spirit pressure, "..."
===
A/N: I'm still having problems with my internet sorry... I don't even know if the images will upload properly.
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