"Big Brother... I'm not going to make it out of this alive, am I?"
Inside the detention room attached to the Tenth Division barracks, Saitō Tsukiyomi hugged her arms tightly and curled up in the corner, staring blankly out the window.
"Don't say something so silly, Tsukiyomi."
Fūjin Taichi leaned against the iron bars of the cell and replied with deliberate double meaning:
"You're already the 'heroine' now. You won't die that easily."
"Is that so…"
Tsukiyomi withdrew her gaze and looked at Taichi.
"But… privately giving one's power to a human is a grave crime, isn't it?
Even back then, I already foresaw the situation I'm in now… and yet I still lent my power to Ichigo without hesitation. Big brother—did I really do something wrong?"
"Of course not!"
Taichi glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, then lowered his voice and explained:
"This whole thing is suspicious to begin with… it's as if someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes!
The more I think about it, the more I feel that no matter who went to the Human World at that time, the same thing would've happened. So you don't need to feel guilty, Tsukiyomi."
After all, in the Bleach storyline, Aizen—acting as the mastermind—personally orchestrated the birth of
'Hollow + Shinigami + Quincy = Kurosaki Ichigo,'
and had been carefully observing Ichigo's growth ever since.
Later, when Ichigo was in his first year of high school, a series of coincidences led him to encounter Kuchiki Rukia—followed immediately by the appearance of a high-level Hollow that even she couldn't defeat!
In the end, Ichigo obtained Shinigami powers through Rukia, and from the moment he stepped into Soul Society, he officially entered Aizen's field of vision…
"Is that so? But—"
A bit of life returned to Tsukiyomi's eyes as she was about to ask more, when hurried footsteps suddenly approached from afar.
Moments later, Tenth Division member Shimada Genzō rushed into the detention room in a panic and shouted to Taichi:
"This is bad, Lord Taichi! They're here!"
"Who's here?"
Taichi looked up—and saw seven imposing, dark-skinned Shinigami enter the detention room in perfect formation.
Their faces were covered with white cloth masks, they wore jet-black Shihakushō, and on the left side of their chests was emblazoned a white poppy symbolizing 'Oblivion'—
They were members of the Ninth Division, the unit in charge of prisons and confinement.
"Saitō Tsukiyomi—for the commission of a first-class crime, you are to be executed in twenty-five days at the Sōkyoku Hill! Your identity has been verified; you are now to be transferred to the Repentance Cell!!"
The lead Shinigami loudly read out Tsukiyomi's sentence. Immediately afterward, the remaining six bound her in stone restraints forged from Sekkiseki and escorted her out of the detention room.
"Big brother… goodbye."
Tsukiyomi turned her head and smiled at Taichi one last time before being carried away by the Ninth Division guards.
"Wait!"
Taichi flashed forward and blocked their path, demanding:
"The Central 46's ruling didn't state that Saitō must be confined in the Repentance Cell, did it?"
"Vice-Captain Fūjin,"
the Ninth Division Shinigami replied coldly,
"Central 46 is only responsible for judging criminals. Once the verdict is issued, where the criminal is detained is decided by our Ninth Division."
"Given the extreme severity of Saitō Tsukiyomi's crime, our captain has ordered that she be confined in the Repentance Cell until the day of her execution!!"
So even before death, the criminal must be made to feel profound loneliness and despair—
how very characteristic of Kaname Tōsen's usual style!
Fūjin Taichi let out a soft snort and thought to himself:
Tōsen's own love life went to hell, so he ended up hating the entirety of Soul Society—
then he followed Aizen into rebellion, keeping company with fallen Hollows… and he calls that justice?
Heh—justice! What a sanctimonious word!
"No… the reason I ordered the criminal confined in the Repentance Cell is precisely because I hope she will feel 'remorse' for the crimes she has committed!"
Accompanied by a cold, clear voice, Tōsen Kaname, wearing a captain's haori and protective goggles, slowly walked into the detention room, speaking each word with deliberate emphasis:
"It is only through the existence of 'repentance' that 'justice' may be upheld.
And through repentance, her soul will be cleansed of sin—thus attaining salvation after death—"
"..."
Fūjin Taichi said nothing. He merely stared at Tōsen Kaname in silence, thinking inwardly:
Tōsen, you really have the nerve to talk about 'justice'.
Just because your feelings were unrequited in your youth—because you secretly loved a married woman, Kakyō, and couldn't have her—you began to hate all of Soul Society—
Then, in the name of so-called 'justice,' you broke with your longtime friend Komamura, resolutely followed Aizen in defecting to Hueco Mundo, and even accepted Hōgyoku modification to become Hollowfied—
And you still dare to talk about 'justice'? Are you worthy of it?
"Ahahaha… Captain Tōsen makes a very convincing argument!"
Shiba Kaien, who had followed closely behind, scratched the back of his head and laughed, then said to Taichi:
"Saitō really should spend some time 'repenting' in the Repentance Cell—
if that sort of thing actually works, that is."
Then he turned serious and continued:
"Alright, Taichi. This isn't something a vice-captain like you can decide.
Let's… leave it to Captain Tōsen to take Saitō away."
"I understand…"
Fūjin Taichi stepped back several paces, allowing the Ninth Division guards to escort Saitō Tsukiyomi out of the Tenth Division together with Tōsen Kaname.
"Don't push yourself too hard, Taichi."
Shiba Kaien patted him on the shoulder and said:
"I just got word that even the Saitō family's petition for leniency was rejected by Central 46…
Looks like Saitō really is doomed."
"..."
Taichi knew very well that Soul Society was currently in the early stages of upheaval.
If he wanted to save Saitō Tsukiyomi, the only chance would be to seize the opportunity created when Kurosaki Ichigo storms Soul Society—and formally declare war on Aizen's faction.
In truth, ever since mastering Hollowfication, Taichi no longer feared Aizen.
Instead, he longed to test himself against Kyōka Suigetsu.
The only reason he had endured until now was because the current Aizen was still regarded as a "pillar of righteousness" within Soul Society—
and was also the captain of the Fifth Division of Seireitei.
As for Taichi?
He was nothing more than a vice-captain in name only.
So what if he knew Aizen was the "final villain"?
So what if he knew Aizen would inevitably "betray" Soul Society in the future?
Aside from the sly Urahara Kisuke and the Visoreds barely clinging to survival in the Human World—
who in all of Soul Society would believe that Aizen was a traitor?
Even Shiba Kaien, who had already learned the "truth" from Kurosaki Isshin, only harbored suspicions toward Aizen—unable to confirm that he was the hidden mastermind lurking within Soul Society.
Thus, ever since transmigrating into the world of Bleach, whether enduring humiliation or laying low,
Fūjin Taichi had been waiting—for one single opportunity.
And as everyone knows, that opportunity would come when Kurosaki Ichigo invades Soul Society.
At that moment, Aizen and his group would officially set their rebellion into motion—
and their "fake deaths" would be the signal.
In other words—
When the alarm announcing "Ryoka Invasion" echoes across the skies of Soul Society,
that will be the day Fūjin Taichi stakes his life, throws caution to the wind,
and sounds the horn of war against Aizen Sōsuke.