"Kuchiki Rukia."
"For the grave crime of transferring Soul Reaper powers to a human, the Central 46 has reached a verdict."
"Death."
"To be carried out twenty-five days hence, under the witness of the Gotei 13."
"Burn her sin-laden body in the flames of the Sōkyoku."
A cold sentence.
And yet, somehow, Rukia didn't feel surprised.
—In fact, rather than fear or dread, there was a strange sense of relief.
'Ah… so that's how it is.'
It felt like the conclusion she had long expected.
Maybe… this was the end she had been hoping for all along?
Thinking it through, perhaps that was the truth.
The title of adopted daughter of the Kuchiki Clan was a label stuck onto her. Whether in joy or sorrow, she was expected to accept it with grace.
So she had to appear strong, unafraid.
But was that truly the life she wanted?
Her sister had found her own happiness. Byakuya-nii was a reliable man worthy of trust.
If she remained in their world, she would only continue to disrupt their lives.
And so… this was fine.
This was enough.
Even though she hadn't had time to apologize to either of them, and was deeply ashamed for tarnishing the Kuchiki name with her impulsive actions—
It was too late. Her death would make all the gossip and rumors disappear.
Her thoughts and emotions tangled with faint regrets.
They dissolved into a quiet resignation as she lowered her head.
"I accept my guilt."
Thud!
In the underground chamber.
Within the Central 46—the highest authority of Soul Society—a consensus had been reached.
"Then, for your dereliction of duty—"
"To uphold history, maintain order, and serve as a warning to others, we reaffirm the sentence."
—Death.
…
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!!!"
Abarai Renji slammed the teacup onto the floor. Porcelain shattered, fragments scattering in every direction.
Tea splashed like blood, prompting those passing by to stop and peer inside.
But soon—
They all lowered their heads and hurried away.
Why?
Because the confrontation inside the room was between the Captain and Lieutenant of the Sixth Division.
Even seeing a valuable piece of porcelain destroyed, Kuchiki Byakuya showed not a hint of emotion.
"Transferring Soul Reaper powers to a human is, by law, a serious crime. However…"
Renji found himself momentarily at a loss.
There were things he understood deep down—but saying them aloud changed everything.
"In any case, Rukia shouldn't be sentenced to death!"
You could say Renji wasn't the most brilliant—but sometimes, that worked in his favor. He didn't overthink, but he knew when something felt wrong.
"Captain! Something's off about this! Someone's clearly trying to set up Rukia—we need to…"
"What should we do?"
Byakuya calmly took over the question.
Seated with his gaze lowered to the cup in his hand, he responded flatly.
"Do you know who's behind this conspiracy against Rukia? Or is this just your speculation? No proof, and yet you assume someone's guilt?"
His string of sharp questions pierced Renji like needles, leaving his expression twisted in frustration.
"B-But…"
He couldn't reply.
After all, he was facing his captain.
Kuchiki Byakuya—an esteemed noble known for his pride and grace, and someone Renji deeply respected.
In both presence and strength, he couldn't compare—so even now, when they stood on opposing sides, Renji still faltered.
"If we let this happen, Rukia's going to die, Captain!"
A tense silence.
Byakuya closed his eyes slightly before speaking again.
"The Central 46."
"…?"
"Do you know where the name comes from?"
"…No, I don't."
"It is a council formed of the most esteemed minds in Soul Society—individuals whose wisdom rivals that of the Head Captain."
Renji didn't know why this was turning into a lecture…
But he chose to stay silent and let Byakuya speak.
"They are wise. Their judgments are not made lightly, but reached through careful deliberation."
"So now… are you trying to say their reasoning is inferior to yours and mine?"
Abarai Renji.
"Don't let arrogance cloud your judgment."
"…"
Pressure.
Though nothing physical manifested, Byakuya's words alone carried a suffocating weight.
He really was strong.
In every way, Renji still had far to go.
In the past, he might have given up the argument here—after all, his words couldn't outmatch his captain's.
But now—
That blond man, the so-called instigator, came to mind.
Retreat would solve nothing.
Backing down was just an excuse for cowardice.
Even someone so weak had stood up for what they believed—so what about him?
This wasn't about proving anything. It was about standing up to the doubt in his heart.
Renji didn't give up. He summoned his courage and asked in a low voice:
"So… it's okay for Rukia to die like this?"
"…"
Surprise? Shock?
Maybe a little.
A trace of emotion flickered across Byakuya's face—but it vanished in an instant.
After a pause, the Sixth Division Captain stood up and turned to leave.
"Cool your head, Abarai Renji."
"I'll pretend this lapse in decorum was an accident."
"So don't let it happen again."
Never again.
For the proud Byakuya, this was the gravest warning he could give.
Renji trembled, fists clenched, but couldn't speak another word even as Byakuya's figure disappeared from sight.
Was it anger at himself for being weak?
Or something more intangible, unreachable…
The Sixth Division's Lieutenant let out a furious roar:
"Damn it!!!"
Hearing the echo of Renji's helpless fury behind him,
Byakuya's face remained stoic.
As a noble. As the head of the Kuchiki Clan. As the face of the Sixth Division—
Byakuya had long since frozen his emotions into a rigid mask.
A mask so flawless it concealed every weakness.
Only without weakness could one be invincible.
But… was it really that simple?
Was he really so indifferent to Rukia's death?
What a joke… how could he not care?
But Byakuya was no longer young.
Once, he had defied everything for love.
Now? Could he repeat the same mistake?
He couldn't.
Back then, he could pray for his grandfather's forgiveness.
But now… if he was wrong again, who could absolve him?
Even Hisana couldn't.
Not even Byakuya himself could justify it.
He had no answer.
Only confusion. Uncertainty. A foggy stillness called despair.
Where should he go? What should he do?
In a daze, he found himself standing somewhere familiar.
"Captain Kuchiki…"
A voice called his name.
He turned reflexively—and saw members not from his division watching him from afar, full of awe and caution.
"You've come to visit the captain?"
"…"
Who?
Looking up, the facade of the Fifth Division came into view.
For a fleeting moment, Byakuya's expression softened in surprise.
He hadn't even realized it.
Like a lost child, he'd instinctively wandered to the only harbor he could trust.
Perhaps this was the only place that could still offer him understanding or comfort.
But… could he still allow himself that?
He wasn't young anymore.
As the head of the family, he shouldn't depend on others.
It was shameful.
He turned away, unable to reply.
But before he could leave—
A familiar voice spoke behind him.
"Cough cough… Since you're already here, why not come in and see me?"
He froze, expression flickering.
Half-turning, he saw a familiar figure standing in the doorway, flashing his signature smile.
Captain of the Fifth Division—Seiya.
One hand raised to his mouth, coughing slightly as he took a step back.
"Come in. You've probably got something to say, right?"
Without waiting for an answer, Seiya closed his eyes and added:
"And besides, looking the way you do now… if old man Ginrei saw you, he'd say it was unacceptable, wouldn't he?"
That was the decisive blow.
Byakuya looked slightly ashamed, lowered his head, and walked toward the Fifth Division entrance.
"Then, pardon my intrusion."
"Yeah, come on."
Patting Byakuya's shoulder, Seiya called out to nearby members:
"You few, go inform the Sixth Division. Tell them their captain's here—not to worry."
The message was trivial.
But the real goal was to send a signal to the Kuchiki Clan.
Byakuya had once again turned to a trusted elder… and maybe, just maybe, Hisana's lingering anxieties would ease a little.
They moved quickly through the corridor and into the reception hall.
Inside, Hinamori had just finished setting the table, and greeted them with a smile.
"Please have a seat, Captain Kuchiki."
"…"
Looking at the tea and snacks, Byakuya's face tensed.
Had they anticipated his arrival?
It felt almost prophetic.
"Yeah, I figured you'd show up," Seiya said frankly, pouring himself tea.
"Even if you hadn't, I'd have eaten the snacks anyway—no waste."
Byakuya said nothing.
His face still stiff, but this time, it was shame.
"Apologies… for troubling you."
Seiya waved it off with a sigh.
"It's fine. The Central 46 caused quite the stir—this topic's spreading among the captains already."
"Captain Ukitake and Captain Kyōraku are the most outspoken. They're filing a joint appeal for review of the verdict."
"Even Captain Unohana voiced support… which is rare. She usually stays out of things."
"Old man Yamamoto's shut himself away recently. Who knows what he's planning, but he's clearly shaken."
Hearing Seiya's quiet recounting of events,
To his surprise—
Byakuya felt the tightness in his chest slowly ease.
"Captain Aizen is gathering support for a petition among the rank-and-file."
"Captains Komamura, Tōsen, and Gin have all expressed support too."
"And of course, I'm backing them."
With a small smile, Seiya continued:
"So don't carry it all yourself, Byakuya. It's a heavy burden, but that's no excuse to shut out your emotions."
"You care about Rukia, don't you? But if you keep hiding that feeling, pretending you don't care—"
"You'll just end up hurting even more in the end."
Maybe no one else could say it so directly.
But Seiya could.
He had earned that right.
"Being head of the family is your duty, yes. But that doesn't give you the right to ignore your own feelings."
"Even if it's just a small push—even if you have to look a little pathetic, so what?"
"This is what you really want to do, isn't it?"
Silence.
Byakuya's lips parted.
His throat felt tight—he had a thousand things he wanted to say, but under Seiya's gaze, all he could do was bow his head.
His long hair hid his face.
But even so, a quiet, clear voice escaped:
"…Thank you."
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Powerstones?
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