Naruki City · Etsuhide District — One Hour Earlier
Chishima Hidenori had sensed the abnormal spiritual pressure coming from the Uzuhara District the moment Grand Fisher appeared.
Judging by the distance alone, the fact that he could feel such sinister Hollow reiatsu from so far away meant only one thing—
It could only be a Gillian-class Menos Grande!
So when Watanabe Junzō rushed over from the distant Enbā District, hoping to join Chishima Hidenori in reinforcing Fūjin Taichi, the latter sternly stopped him.
"Don't be reckless, Junzō!"
"What?"
"By now… there probably is no Fūjin Taichi left…"
Chishima Hidenori frowned as he gazed toward the Uzuhara District and spoke slowly:
"Let's do what we always do—wait for Soul Society to send someone to clean up the aftermath."
"But, Hidenori—"
"There's no 'but'."
Chishima Hidenori sighed and said wistfully:
"To be honest, I actually liked the kid. He was young, handsome... given time, he surely would have become one of the Seireitei's renowned heartthrobs. Just like Kōga of the Kuchiki family back in the day—marry into a Great Noble house and your career reaches the clouds!"
"Yeah… what a shame."
Watanabe Junzō let out a sigh, abandoned the idea of helping Fūjin Taichi, chatted briefly with Chishima Hidenori, and then left.
"Fūjin Taichi…"
Chishima Hidenori shook his head slightly and sighed.
"My apologies… I truly was powerless."
...
Back at the Yasutama Cemetery in Uzuhara District.
Fūjin Taichi sat atop a gravestone, breathing lightly.
He had just released his Zanpakutō and wiped out dozens of Hollows in one go—feeling tired was only natural. After all, not every Shinigami was a freak like Kurosaki Ichigo.
Beside the gravestone stood Zanpakutō · Kyūjūkyū, its streamlined blade planted into the ground, gleaming brilliantly under the sunlight.
"Big brother! What were those monsters, anyway?!"
Milk-tea girl ran in from outside the cemetery, holding a cup of clear water. She took small sips as she asked.
"A bunch of souls that abandoned even base instincts… they're called Hollows."
Taichi looked at her and noticed she was still drinking water. Curious, he asked:
"Milk-tea girl, are you really that thirsty?"
"My name isn't 'Milk-tea girl'! It's Tsuyomi—Saitō Tsuyomi! Eldest daughter of the Saitō family, the richest family in Naruki City!"
After finishing her water, she huffed angrily.
"And I'm not thirsty—I'm hungry! But I can't find anything to eat!"
"Huh? You feel hunger?" Taichi asked in surprise.
"Huh? Is that something a normal person says? I'm not dead, of course I'd be hungry... wait, I think I actually am dead..." As she spoke, her voice suddenly grew quiet.
"In that case… you're a Plus with spiritual power." Taichi said seriously.
"Staying in the World of the Living is too dangerous. I should send you to Soul Society."
As he spoke, he picked up his Zanpakutō, preparing to perform Konsō.
"Big brother! Are you going to kill me too?!"
Fear flashed across Tsuyomi's face as she stumbled backward.
"Konsō is just a ritual. It guides you to Soul Society—
In other words, what you call 'passing on'."
Taichi explained patiently.
"Is that so…"
Tsuyomi stared at the pommel of his zanpakutō—
It was shaped like a flower, resembling a begonia blossom.
"Yeah. I never lie."
"But big brother…"
"I want to attend my own funeral—and see my father and mother.
And my little sister and brother… and my uncles and aunts, my older uncles and older aunts…"
She counted on her fingers as she spoke.
"Saitō, why don't you go see the Great Wall and the Old Summer Palace while you're at it?"
Taichi couldn't help but complain.
"Yay! Yay! I've heard the Great Wall is really beautiful!"
She clapped excitedly.
"Big brother, will you take me to see it?!"
"..."
Taichi glanced down at the gravestone he was sitting on.
It read: 'Grave of Abe Kinzo.'
For a moment, he felt just how bizarre the Bleach world truly was—
a high-ranking leader of a large island nation had apparently met a tragic end on the streets here...
"Big brother… please take me with you." Tsuyomi pleaded softly.
"All right… but just this once."
The moment Fūjin Taichi said it, he realized something was off—
what ordinary Plus would ever receive Konsō twice?!
"Thank you, big brother. My funeral… I think it's in Sakurase Valley." Saitō Tsuyomi tried to recall.
"Alright... let's go!"
With Tsuyomi tucked under one arm, Fūjin Taichi vanished with a whoosh, racing toward Sakurase Valley in Naruki City.
Before long, they arrived at a cemetery.
Cherry trees were planted all around the grounds, and petals drifted through the spring breeze like a rain of pink blossoms falling from the sky…
"Wuuuh… wuuuh…"
A mournful funeral horn echoed softly through the cemetery.
Under the priest's chanting, the men and women of the Saitō family cast chrysanthemums one by one into Saitō Tsuyomi's grave.
Taichi noticed that this seemed to be the Saitō family's private burial ground—
row after row of gravestones bore the inscription: "Grave of Saitō XX."
One of the oldest headstones read:
Saitō Jūshirō.
Wait—what the hell?! Saitō Jūshirō?!
That Saitō Jūshirō—the Kidō instructor who always had it out for me?!
"Huh? You're a descendant of Instructor Saitō too?" Taichi asked in disbelief.
"Huh? Big brother, which Instructor Saitō are you talking about?"
"Saitō Jūshirō…"
"What?! That sounds like my great-great-great-grandfather… or something!
Ugh, I can't remember!"
Tsuyomi counted on her fingers for a long while but still couldn't sort out the family relation.
"Wuuuh…"
A noblewoman dressed in black mourning clothes held a young girl in her arms and sobbed softly.
The sorrow in her voice made Taichi's chest ache as well.
"Mom… Tsuyoyao…."
Tsuyomi couldn't help but cry quietly too—
like a lost kitten calling out for its mother in the middle of the night.
"..."
Taichi couldn't help thinking of his past life—
when "Embers" had just… faded away.
Were his family and friends also missing him?
"Big brother."
After a long while, Tsuyomi finally stopped crying and spoke softly.
"You're a Shinigami, aren't you?
Showing up here… was really just to reap my soul, right?"
"No! I'm not called a Shinigami!"
Taichi said seriously.
"My name is Fūjin Taichi—a Shinigami who acts purely on personal interest!
And I'm not some stupid skeleton monster that just swings a scythe around!"
"All right… Brother Taichi!"
No matter what, thank you!"
Tsuyomi closed her eyes tightly and lifted her forehead slightly.
"You've misunderstood, Saitō.
I really am just performing—Konsō!"
Fūjin Taichi raised Zanpakutō · Kyūjūkyū and gently pressed the pommel against Tsuyomi's forehead.
At once, a begonia-shaped light bloomed, radiating a soft pink glow that slowly enveloped her.
Moments later, a black Hell Butterfly emerged, circling Taichi three times before guiding Tsuyomi away—
and together, they vanished into the air.