Chapter 57: The Severed Ring Snake Braid
Junrinan, District 1, West Rukongai.
"Oh, it has been over a hundred years since I came back. This place really has not changed at all, and everyone is still as warm and hospitable as ever."
"Do not be ridiculous. Does this look like warm hospitality to you?"
Yoruichi's golden eyes reflected the silent street.
"Everyone… they are all hiding. Is it because of us?"
The streets looked abandoned, but Orihime could clearly sense many presences watching from the shadows.
"I would like to say no, but given the situation…"
Kisuke Urahara's gaze drifted past the empty district to the looming walls of Seireitei behind them.
Nothing inside could be seen.
The high walls formed an iron fortress, completely blocking any view of the interior.
"It seems everyone not only considers us ill intentioned intruders, they also expected intruders to appear at their doorstep."
"It is probably their doing. Normally, the walls of Seireitei are not lowered like this."
Yoruichi's expression did not change, but her tone grew a little more serious.
"Mr Urahara, Ms Yoruichi, how do we get in now?"
"Hm… first, we should have Kisuke here change out of that eyesore of an outfit. Otherwise, even if we manage to sneak in, we will be exposed immediately."
"Is there a problem with it?"
Kisuke turned in a circle in front of the two, genuinely puzzled by the criticism.
"Is this not a standard Shinigami uniform? I thought it would help me blend into the Gotei 13. That is why I am wearing it."
"Are you planning to stroll into the First Division, sit in on Captain meetings, and gather intelligence at will?"
Orihime watched in alarm as Yoruichi seized the white haori on Kisuke's shoulders, the one emblazoned with the number twelve, and tore it off in a single motion.
She could not help shrinking back a little.
"There. Much better. Let us go."
"Ms Yoruichi? Where are we going?"
"To Seireitei, of course. There is a gate, is there not? We will just walk in through the front door. Relax, I know the gatekeeper very well."
"Eh, eh, eh!"
Orihime was stunned. Even Kisuke muttered, "Is that not exactly what you call 'at will'…"
Still, with Yoruichi in the lead, there was nothing they could do but follow.
They arrived at the base of the Hakutomon.
As expected, a giant leaped down in front of the gate.
"Yo, Jidanbo, long time no see. Still remember me?"
Yoruichi lifted a hand in greeting to the honest, axe wielding gatekeeper.
"Of course I remember… Yoruichi Shihōin…"
Jidanbo's gaze slid past her to the man now wearing only a plain Shinigami uniform, his Captain's haori gone.
"And the great criminal Kisuke Urahara, who escaped with your help. How dare you return to defile this sacred land."
The hostility in his eyes was naked.
Orihime instinctively looked to Yoruichi.
Had she not just said they were on good terms?
Kisuke's eyes flicked back and forth. He kept his mouth shut, as if the person Jidanbo was referring to had nothing whatsoever to do with him.
Yoruichi, on the other hand, looked slightly embarrassed.
"Ahem. Jidanbo, this is a misunderstanding. We were framed back then. Even if you do not trust Kisuke, you should at least trust me. We have come back this time to clear our names. Open the gate and I will owe you a favor."
"Do not say I did not warn you, for old time's sake. Once you step into Seireitei… you will die."
Jidanbo's voice was solemn.
"Do not worry so much. Ms Yoruichi and I are very strong, and the young lady with us is also a master. Saying we can run wild in Seireitei might be pushing it, but we can certainly protect ourselves."
Seeing his tone soften, Kisuke hurried to persuade him.
Jidanbo gave him a flat look.
"They all say you are very smart. I think that is a bit of an exaggeration."
"?"
Kisuke turned to Yoruichi in confusion.
"What does he mean?"
"Perhaps he thinks we are underestimating Seireitei's defenses."
While they spoke, Jidanbo braced himself and slowly lifted the massive gate.
Yoruichi shouted up at him, "Thanks, Jidanbo!"
Orihime bowed gratefully as well, missing the odd look in his eyes.
The three of them slipped under the rising gate and entered the other side.
The moment they stepped through, they felt a crushing Reiatsu bearing down on them.
"Ah…"
A man like a coiled viper approached at an unhurried pace.
He smiled at the three who stood frozen in surprise and doubt.
"Should I say… welcome?"
"He is…"
"Gin Ichimaru. Captain of the Third Division. And the one who reported Rukia."
Yoruichi's voice dropped to a whisper as she explained.
"Even if they were expecting us, you alone cannot hold us here. So where are the others? Come out."
The frivolity in Kisuke's tone was gone. He stepped forward, calm and serious.
Even so, what followed was a little too much, even for him.
"As expected of the first director of the Research and Development Institute. Your mind is sharp, not like a simple technician."
A heavy thud.
A tall figure in a wooden helmet like a samurai's dropped from the sky.
"Sajin Komamura, Captain of the Seventh Division."
Before Orihime could ask, Yoruichi spoke first.
In her eyes, this was basic information they needed to know.
"A villain who violates justice, executed before the gate of Seireitei. It is a beautiful sight that I regret being unable to witness. How regrettable."
A dark skinned man followed, his presence like a drifting storm cloud.
"Kaname Tosen, Captain of the Ninth Division…"
By this point, both Yoruichi's and Kisuke's expressions had changed.
But it was not over yet.
"To walk in so brazenly. It really makes my blood boil."
A white haired boy appeared with a serious face, hand resting on the sword strapped across his back.
"Those who trample order will be judged by that same order."
A noble young man descended gracefully, aloof as ever, followed by a red haired lieutenant bristling with fury.
"Kisuke Urahara… I will kill you with my own hands, you bastard."
Seeing this trio, Yoruichi did not announce who they were.
Her first reaction instead was to look back at Jidanbo.
He still bore the weight of the gate on his back, expression righteous and unyielding.
As if silently saying, "I warned you."
"A trap, then?"
Five Captains lined up in front of the gate. Kisuke could think of no other word.
"They not only anticipated our return. They ordered Jidanbo to open the gate and let us in on purpose. They intend to bury us here in one strike."
"Jidanbo, you fool, close the gate!"
A sharp shout cut across the air.
Hearing that familiar voice, Yoruichi abandoned any thought of fighting.
She grabbed Orihime and spun to flee.
Kisuke.
"Cry, Benihime."
Kisuke released his Zanpakuto without hesitation.
The blade let loose a crescent of crimson light that scattered the incoming sakura petals, then he chained several Kido spells together to briefly slow the rest of the Captains' attacks.
Only after all that did he turn and run without looking back.
What a joke.
Five… no, six Captains at the gate.
If the gate closed behind them, it would be like a dog thrown into a sealed cage. The only thing left would be a cornered beast's last struggle.
"Damn it."
Arriving late, Suì Fēng caught only the last glimpse of that familiar figure disappearing from sight. Her face went pale with anger.
"Five Captains could not even keep one man here. And Jidanbo, why did you not block their retreat?"
"This was Aizen's suggestion, approved by the Captain Commander. Driving them off is enough. Pushing cornered criminals too hard will only create unforeseen complications and disrupt the normal execution."
Toshiro explained calmly.
"Letting the escaped criminal walk into a trap… clearly the intention of Central 46 has already been fulfilled."
"That extra month's reprieve was more than enough time for him to prepare. He will not easily give up on reclaiming the Hogyoku."
"What we must do is guard Seireitei, maintain a solid defense until the execution is over. When that is done, we can take down Urahara and the others, whose whereabouts will be exposed and whose means will be exhausted."
"Everyone must stay calm and absolutely must not let him manipulate you into abandoning your post."
Click.
Byakuya silently sheathed his Zanpakuto and left with Renji, whose expression was equally dark.
"Oh my, as expected of Captain Hitsugaya. So mature and steady. If I were a criminal, I would hate to run into someone like you. It feels like it would be terribly troublesome. I wonder if there is any way to make people like you less terrifying. I will have to think on it carefully. After all, the enemy may use such tactics one day, and if I can figure it out in advance, I can guard against it."
Gin did not even glance their way, instead showering Toshiro with backhanded praise, his tone so smooth that it was impossible to tell whether there was any goodwill in it.
"Ichimaru…"
Toshiro frowned, wanting to respond, but Gin only shook his head and walked off.
His departing figure was just like a snake gliding away after a probing strike, leaving Toshiro with a lingering unease as he hurried back to his barracks.
Kaname Tosen and Sajin Komamura turned and left together as well.
The last one remaining was Suì Fēng.
She stood just inside the gate, yet she felt as if she were the one shut out.
Her slender figure looked lonely.
But her blood was boiling.
Emotions accumulated over the years surged to the surface, screaming for an outlet.
And so…
Back mountain stone forest, Second Division barracks.
Boom.
An explosion split the air.
Suì Fēng, now wearing the sleeveless, backless battle uniform of the Punishment Force, had high density, burning white Reiatsu wrapped around her hands, feet, and even her shoulders. Every movement she made carried terrifying destructive force.
Each casual strike was on par with a high level Bakudo.
It would not be an exaggeration to call her a walking Kido cannon, with ammo equal to stamina and spiritual power.
Within several kilometers, almost no stone pillar remained intact.
Yet in the middle of that storm of destruction, one figure moved through the dust nearly untouched.
Takeru Shimiya.
"Captain Suì Fēng does not seem to be in a very good mood. Maybe we should stop here for today. In any case, your Shunko is already complete, right?"
"Shut up."
A streak of white lightning shot toward him.
Takeru slipped aside with practiced ease.
"I sensed a lot of Reiatsu gathering at the Hakutomon. Ichigo messaged me to ask what happened. I told him some acquaintances from the World of the Living came to visit."
"Those are criminals. Ryoka who drag calamity into Soul Society. And when did you get this good at dodging?"
Suì Fēng's rapid fire attacks were punctuated by angry, gritted curses.
"Well, my Shunpo is not special in any grand way. Its only notable feature is stability. That one advantage is more than enough, though."
Takeru suddenly slapped aside Suì Fēng's incoming right fist, then turned, his body twisting into a smooth back whip kick.
To be able to shake off a Shunko infused strike with nothing but bare hands and Reiatsu, even after seeing it many times, was still hard to believe.
The edge of anger in Suì Fēng's heart finally dulled, and her thoughts settled.
But it was already a step too late.
She bent forward and ducked, barely avoiding the arc of the whip kick. Her hands hit the ground, and she flipped, bringing her heel down like a guillotine.
The strike was sharp and fast enough to split stone.
Takeru had already moved.
The insights he had gained from Shihōin Chiyori had greatly improved the stability of his Shunpo, letting him connect any movement fluidly and without wasted motion.
Applied to close combat and Hakuda, that stability translated into exceptional bodily control.
Even if his raw speed was lower than the opponent's, he could still react second, yet act first. Dodge, then counter.
Especially when the enemy was agitated, it was almost impossible for him to fail.
Offensively, Takeru had yet to develop anything concrete.
But at this point, his style could already be called a top tier self defense technique.
By the time Suì Fēng regained her footing and caught sight of him again, the first thing she saw was a flash of sword light.
No matter how many times she witnessed that light, it always took her breath away.
For a fleeting instant, she felt as if she had died.
"Feels like a release, does it not?"
Takeru relaxed his grip on the hilt.
His posture did not even show that he had drawn the blade, let alone swung it.
"… "
Suì Fēng drew in a deep breath.
She did not want to admit it, but the turbulent emotions that had been raging inside her had indeed evaporated the moment her instincts perceived death.
As if silently proving that everything weighing her down was insignificant in front of life itself.
"Thanks."
Thud.
Something dropped to the ground.
Suì Fēng glanced down, then froze.
It was the ring snake braid on the left side of her head, her symbolic ring bell snake braid, cleanly severed by that last stroke.
"How about… you take back that thanks from a moment ago?"
Because her emotions had been off balance, she had exposed too many openings.
Too many openings had made Takeru overestimate her reaction speed, and his "miss" had cut more than he intended.
Suì Fēng shot him a glare.
"It is only hair. I was the one who dragged you into this match. Even if I were seriously injured, I would have no right to blame you."
She hesitated for a heartbeat, then grabbed the remaining braid and tore it off with her bare hands.
Now her hairstyle was symmetrical again.
The slight loss of weight at the sides of her head made Suì Fēng feel strangely light.
She stared down at the two braids for a moment, then tightened her grip. The strands burned away in a flash of Kido Reiatsu.
"You said earlier that an acquaintance from the World of the Living came. Who did you mean?"
"A girl with orange hair and a big sword."
"I see. I did not really look at her. My eyes were on the one I told you about. I did not even spare a glance for that other criminal."
"Although I only saw her from far away… she really was exactly the same as before. Not changed at all."
"Is that not a good thing? Or were you hoping to see her reflect on herself? You cannot tell something like that from a person's face."
"It has nothing to do with that. It is just that when I see her unchanged like that, I remember how she was back then, and how I felt back then, and I find I cannot calm down. If she had changed a lot, maybe I would not be this angry."
"But if she had, you would just be disappointed instead, because she would no longer be the person you knew."
Takeru's words hit right where they needed to.
"… "
Suì Fēng paused, then gave a faint, self mocking smile.
"Maybe you are right. It seems I will probably live in her shadow my entire life."
"Why are you so sure?"
"Because it was decided from the very beginning… Hey, what are you doing?"
Under Suì Fēng's exasperated gaze, Takeru slid his Soul Pager back into his pocket.
"I was going to play a recording that suited you, but I do not think it is necessary anymore. Just look at yourself. You are too vivid to be someone living in a shadow."
"In fact, when you ask questions, when you fight, when you handle your duties… are you still thinking about her? Obviously you are not. You cannot possibly think about her every second. You are using the phrase 'live in her shadow for your whole life' far too lightly."
"… "
Suì Fēng parted her lips, but no retort came.
"If you truly think of her as a friend, and if she truly thinks of you as a friend, then you should do everything you can to drag her back."
"Even if you have to break her leg, you bring her back."
Takeru said it with absolute conviction.
"…Break… her leg? No, that… I think Yoruichi running away was not necessarily wrong."
"If that fails, then just kill her. Cut down your old self, sever your old ties. There are countless ways to escape a shadow, in my opinion."
"No, killing her is absolutely out of the question. She… sigh, forget it. Whatever."
A wave of exhaustion washed over Suì Fēng.
Compared to Yoruichi, the guy in front of her who kept making trouble for her did not seem that much easier to deal with.
Maybe… Yoruichi's personality was simpler after all.
Beep beep beep.
Just then, the Soul Pager in Takeru's pocket rang.
He took it out, glanced at the display, and spoke up.
"My teacher needs me. Captain Suì Fēng, if you will excuse me."
"Ah? Oh. Take care. Wait. Things have not been peaceful lately. Be careful and do not run around aimlessly. Even if you are strong, there are some things you should not be the one to face."
Suì Fēng quickly called out to him, adding a few words of warning.
"Sorry."
"…Why are you suddenly apologizing?"
"I feel a little guilty for making you worry."
"It is nothing. I owe you plenty of favors anyway. I wanted to repay some of them, but I just keep stacking up more debts. You really are a handful."
"That is the secret to dealing with people. Do not mind it too much. If you get annoyed, just punch me. I promise I will not complain you are being unreasonable."
"You said it."
"I did. See you."
Takeru waved over his shoulder without looking back and vanished in a flash of Shunpo.
The small warmth Suì Fēng had felt from his promise faded with his departure.
She lifted her gaze to the setting sun.
Living in a shadow, yet being able to feel the warmth of the sun.
That did not sound quite right, did it.
"Do you not think so, Takeru?"
Her face, tinted red by the sunset, seemed to bloom into a quiet smile once more.
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