The 1st Division captain's office was steeped in tension, as if an invisible shadow loomed over the room.
Yamamoto sat upright at his desk, leaning on his cane. His brow was deeply furrowed, his gaze as sharp as a blade, and a few more wrinkles seemed to have etched themselves into his forehead.
Seated nearby, Masatsuki Aozaki and Shunsui Kyōraku appeared relaxed, their expressions unreadable. In contrast, Jūshirō Ukitake wore a troubled look, weighed down by concern.
As the only one to have fought the intruder and survived, Masatsuki Aozaki began his report, recounting the entire chase in meticulous detail. By blending a small portion of truth with a sea of misleading information, he made the events appear convoluted yet undeniably thorough.
When he finished, Yamamoto finally spoke.
"You are certain the intruder used Bankai?" His voice was deep, carrying the faintest trace of doubt.
Masatsuki Aozaki responded casually,
"Absolutely. I distinctly felt his Reiatsu surge dramatically."
His tone exuded confidence and certainty.
Yamamoto raised his hand slightly, signaling for the Inner Court Troop—who had been standing by—to withdraw. Once they had left, he spoke again, his voice even heavier than before.
"Do you have any idea what kind of abilities his Bankai possesses?"
A Shinigami who had achieved Bankai represented a significant leap in power. Compared to those who merely had captain-level Reiatsu, such individuals were far more dangerous.
Masatsuki Aozaki shook his head slightly, his response firm.
"No. When he used Bankai, I didn't notice any distinct changes to his Zanpakutō."
"But his Reiatsu undeniably increased to a level characteristic of Bankai."
"A Bankai without any visible changes to the Zanpakutō?"
Yamamoto frowned, murmuring under his breath.
Masatsuki Aozaki's words instantly brought to mind Sōsuke Aizen, the newly appointed Third Division Captain.
That man's Zanpakutō could manipulate mist and water currents, yet its physical form remained unchanged.
However, this similarity alone wasn't enough to confirm anything.
At best, it indicated that the intruder's Zanpakutō also remained visually unchanged in its Bankai state. As for its exact abilities or the extent of its power, there was still no way to know.
"Since we have no concrete leads, we'll set aside the Zanpakutō for now," Jūshirō Ukitake said gravely.
His voice was cold and resolute.
"But there's something even more concerning about this incident."
"I fear there is an insider within the Gotei 13... or worse, the intruder himself is one of us."
This conclusion wasn't difficult to reach.
After all, the enemy who infiltrated the Tsunayashiro Clan displayed an unsettling level of familiarity with the Gotei 13's operations.
The fact that they began their retreat before the Gotei 13 even arrived meant they had access to privileged intelligence.
Shunsui Kyōraku adjusted the brim of his straw hat, his gaze deepening as he frowned and said,
"The intruder isn't just familiar with the Gotei 13's combat tactics—he also knows the inner workings of the Tsunayashiro Clan inside and out."
"If that's the case, then he must hold a significant position. It's highly likely he's hiding among the higher ranks of the Gotei 13, or at the very least, a Seated Officer."
In the Gotei 13, only those ranked Seated Officer or higher were considered part of the true leadership.
Ordinary squad members merely followed orders, charging into battle with their swords. Many of them might not even be aware of the Gotei 13's deeper operational strategies.
So, if a traitor did exist, his status was anything but ordinary.
That realization stirred unease and vigilance in both men.
Yamamoto furrowed his brow, silently contemplating.
A high-ranking officer within the Gotei 13. A Bankai that showed no visible transformation.
These two factors brought to mind the recently promoted Third Division Captain.
But suspicion alone wasn't enough to condemn someone. In fact, even considering him a suspect based on this was a stretch.
"Masatsuki," Yamamoto said gravely, "According to the 11th Division's report, do they believe there was more than one intruder involved in this incident?"
Masatsuki Aozaki nodded slightly.
"I only ran into the thief by chance after receiving intel from the squad members."
"Before that, we discovered several corpses on the far side of the Tsunayashiro estate—bodies that were already dissolving into Reishi."
Yamamoto sighed lightly. The situation was becoming increasingly complicated.
If there was more than one intruder capable of using Bankai, then this incident was far more dangerous and troublesome than it initially seemed.
What was once assumed to be a simple noble family conflict was now clearly something much bigger.
Jūshirō Ukitake hesitated slightly before speaking.
"Master, in my opinion, this matter must be thoroughly investigated."
"But allowing an enemy to remain hidden within the Gotei 13 is an incredibly dangerous risk. We should take measures to prevent something from happening again."
Yamamoto's frown deepened, suspicion flickering in his expression.
"Do you have any concrete suggestions?"
Jūshirō Ukitake responded seriously.
"I've heard that the 12th Division has developed a new surveillance tool."
"Oh? You mean the Rokureichū (Spirit-Recording Bugs)?" Masatsuki Aozaki raised an eyebrow.
Typical of Ukitake-senpai—always the cautious one. Kūgo Ginjō hadn't even been acknowledged by Soul Society yet, and the Substitute Shinigami Surveillance Plan hadn't officially begun, but here he was already proposing monitoring the Gotei 13 itself.
Jūshirō Ukitake nodded without hesitation.
"Exactly. Rokureichū. If we plant them within the Gotei 13, we could use them to monitor for any unusual activity."
Yamamoto was silent for a moment, lost in thought, before finally speaking.
"Hmm... Let Chōjirō handle this."
As he spoke, the tension in his expression gradually eased.
Masatsuki Aozaki, standing off to the side, smirked slightly, deep in thought.
His own experiments were already halfway complete—the necessary Shinigami souls were nearly all accounted for. If he could gather a few more Rukongai souls as additional materials, he'd be able to move forward without issue.
Next, his research would shift its focus to Hollows.
Meanwhile, Aizen was preparing to initiate his Hollowfication experiments. But with the Rokureichū and other surveillance measures about to be deployed, they were bound to cause him some headaches.
The thought amused Masatsuki Aozaki, and he couldn't help but grin mischievously.
Stretching his arms, he stood up and said,
"Well, old man, if there's nothing else, I'll be heading out. I need to focus on mastering Bankai."
Yamamoto, Shunsui Kyōraku, and Jūshirō Ukitake exchanged knowing smiles.
It seemed that facing an enemy with Bankai twice in a row had lit a fire under him.
p@treon com / PinkSnake