Chapter Seven: The Death of Shiba Kaiyan

Chapter Seven: The Death of Shiba Kaien

[Night—Sixth Division Barracks]

“It’s so late; aren’t you going home yet?” Shiba Kaien gently approached Suìfēng, who sat propping his head with his hand. Having just finished reviewing some documents, Byakuya picked up a haori that had fallen to the side and draped it over Suìfēng’s shoulders. “Aren’t you cold? Is your habit of tossing clothes everywhere learned from that feline youkai? Though this is a cheap garment…” The last remark, if heard by the Captain-Commander, would surely provoke his ire.

“Yeah! If you don’t leave soon, I’ll have to kick you out!” a copy of Shūster teased from the side.

“Hey, brat, your main body can’t even beat me, let alone you!” Suìfēng glared up at the towering Shūster. His opponent’s duplication technique had indeed caught him off guard. The mention of “cat youkai” earlier had made him forget what he wanted to say—perhaps their fates were just incompatible.

“Tch!” Suìfēng smirked, diverting the conversation. “So, what do you all think about the captain’s meeting today?”

“The expedition squad joining, huh?”

Byakuya poured a cup of tea and handed it to Suìfēng, taking a sip himself. He recalled the Captain-Commander’s words earlier: recently, countless massive Hollows called Vastordes had mysteriously appeared in the Hollow Realm, stretching the front lines thin. A few captains were to be stationed there permanently—possibly for fifty years or more. Among the applicants were Aizen, Tōsen, and Ichimaru Gin—the so-called underground “Iron Triangle.” Aizen justified it by saying the Fifth Division was originally a rescue unit, Tōsen claimed it was for his sense of justice, and Gin joked about seeking some excitement away from the monotony of the Seireitei. A bunch of lunatics.

Those three were planning to establish a foothold in the Hollow Realm. Shūster’s duplicate mused that it might be best to disrupt their plans.

“You want to join?” Byakuya asked Suìfēng, reading his expression.

“I have to…” Suìfēng scratched his cheek. “Scouts are indispensable in war. As the commander of the Second Division’s reconnaissance squad, this mission is mine. But don’t worry, I’m only gathering intelligence; the fighting’s not my concern. By the way, brat, are you coming? You’re better suited for reconnaissance than I am!”

“Tch! I’m faster than you, but watch out—when I use Flash Step, even that blind guy can see me,” Shūster retorted, drawing a scowl from the “blind guy.”

At that moment, a face-covered, black-clad reconnaissance soldier knelt half-bowed outside the door.

“Come in!” Suìfēng called softly. The soldier presented a scroll, which Suìfēng accepted with a wave, then the soldier withdrew.

“What happened?” Byakuya poured more tea into Suìfēng’s cup, eyes narrowing as he watched him read the scroll.

Folding it away, Suìfēng frowned. “There have been frequent disappearances of souls near Ryūkō Street lately. Some say it’s caused by Hollows crossing from the other side of the dimensional rift. Since the Second Division is short-staffed, this morning I borrowed personnel from the Thirteenth Division under Ukitake to investigate the rift. But unexpectedly… everyone sent this morning, except Kaien’s wife, Tomiko, was wiped out…”

“Clatter!”

A sharp noise drew both Suìfēng and Byakuya’s attention. A shattered teapot lay on the floor, hot water steaming from the mess. Looking up, they saw Shūster’s main body, pale-faced and staggering. Suìfēng reached out to steady him. “Brat, what’s wrong? Are you burned?”

No response came from Byakuya, but his mind raced with images: disappearing souls, invading Hollows, Tomiko, the reconnaissance mission, total annihilation… Shiba Kaien!

Without hesitation, Shūster drew his Thunderbolt Zanpakutō and dashed out at Flash Step speed.

Seeing this sudden move, Ukitake Byakuya and Suìfēng understood the gravity of the situation. They activated their own Flash Step and pursued after Shūster.

Damn it! How could I forget! Have these past few years been too peaceful?

…

“Let the waters swirl backward! Twisting Bloom!” Kaien’s liberation chant burst forth, his hands gripping the tentacles of the Hollow before him. Never before had he been so furious. Meiko, this fiend was controlling her body, using her own hands to strike his subordinates, trampling her honor! And worse, devouring her… unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable!

His wrath transformed into spiritual pressure, but as he activated his Zanpakutō’s Shikai, it shattered into droplets of water that dispersed instantly.

“What!?” Kaien’s shock was profound. Unaware that his enemy’s tentacles could destroy Zanpakutō, he was swept away by a whip-like strike beneath the Hollow’s mocking mask.

Reeling backward, Kaien stared in disbelief. Yet fueled by rage, he charged forward without hesitation.

So it had such power… but so what? Without my Zanpakutō, the fire in my heart will be unleashed through my own hands!

Seeing their captain halt and stop Rukia from stepping in, Kaien silently thanked him. He resolved to fight with his own hands, for his men, for himself, and above all, for Tomiko’s dignity!

“Hadō No. 31: Red Fire Cannon!”

Pure kidō magic tore through the air, their blood staining each other’s hands as wounds were inflicted on both sides. Yet the pain only fueled Kaien’s resolve. “Hey, what’s wrong? Running out of strength, Hollow?!” he grinned fiercely, blood splattering his face. Usually gentle, now his expression was filled with lethal fury.

“Tch! Damn it!” The Hollow’s tentacles swept across his back, flinging Kaien again. Seizing the moment, it leapt several meters away, licking the blood from its mask with a sneer. “Heh… What’s the matter? Don’t want your comrades’ help?”

Without his Zanpakutō, Kaien relied solely on hand-to-hand combat and kidō. After prolonged fighting, his stamina waned rapidly. Panting, he said, “Enough noise. I can handle you alone!”

Hearing this, the Hollow suddenly found amusement. “Is that so? Then you’ll share the same fate as your beloved wife! I’ll control your body and force your consciousness to kill your comrades! What fun! Hahahahaha!”

Growing more excited, the Hollow erupted like a firework, bursting from its body a mass of red tentacles aimed at Kaien.

Startled, Kaien instinctively raised his left hand. The red tentacles slithered through the wound on his wrist and entered his body.

Dark clouds veiled the moon. Ukitake and Rukia stared in stunned silence at Kaien’s transformed silhouette.

“Captain Kaien…” Rukia’s voice trembled with shock.

Kaien slowly turned, his face now sallow and cracked into a grim smile. “Calling for me, little girl…”

“Captain Kaien!”

The scene shifted to Shūster rushing at full speed.

Byakuya and Suìfēng arrived at the Thirteenth Division in an instant, only to find bloodstains scattered across the ground and squad members collecting their fallen comrades’ bodies.

“Vice-Captain Ukitake!” Kiyone shouted upon seeing Shūster.

“Enough talk! Which direction did Captain Kaien, Rukia, and Captain Ukitake pursue?” Shūster barked.

“From the northern woods!” Kiyone replied, but Shūster was already gone.

“Kiyone! Quickly send a Hell Butterfly to alert all captains!” Suìfēng ordered upon arriving with Byakuya moments later. Then they set off in pursuit of Shūster.

Bursting from the forest, Shūster found Ukitake staggering, coughing up blood from a relapse of an old injury. Kaien, now a Hollow, lunged from the air toward Rukia, who stood frozen, clutching her sleeve in shock.

Had the worst come to pass? No, at the very least…

“Sorry, Rukia. I haven’t been a good brother,” came a voice behind her. Turning in confusion, Rukia saw Shūster rushing toward her.

Under the silver-blue moonlight, through the mist, Rukia’s eyes cleared. Her brother was here—he could save Captain Kaien. Kaien… Captain Kaien…

“Huh?” The dark red liquid splattered in the air caught Rukia’s gaze. Some droplets fell on her face, warm and hot. Trembling, she raised her hands to touch her cheeks. Blood? Whose?

“What… what are you doing, brother?!” she cried out.

The night wind scattered the fog, the moonlight illuminating those on the ground with perfect clarity.

“Judgment! Thunderbolt!” As if ignoring Rukia’s words, Shūster called out his Zanpakutō’s release chant. Lightning crackled, enveloping Kaien’s entire body. He coughed violently, blood speckled with a small cluster of tentacles spilling forth.

“Cough, cough.” Blood stained Shūster’s pristine haori as he stood with a sinister air beneath the moonlight. Yet his sorrowful eyes betrayed no malice.

“Brat…” Suìfēng arrived just ahead of Byakuya, witnessing the scene with a stunned expression.

“Shū…” Byakuya was equally taken aback.

“Brat, huh?” Kaien shivered at the word, then leaned gently against Shūster’s shoulder. Gazing at the dazed, weeping Rukia behind him, he smiled faintly. “Sorry, Rukia. I wanted to die by your hands, but I knew that would hurt you… cough… thank you, brat.”

“Not…” Shūster’s lips quivered as he spoke with helpless sadness, “Not a good outcome at all. You idiot. How am I supposed to explain this to Rukia? You big fool!”

“Heh… cough! Sorry…” Kaien smiled bitterly. “…And Captain Ukitake, sorry. I won’t be able to help you with the work anymore. Thank you for letting me fight alone to the end…”

“Kaien…” Ukitake looked at the faint smile on Kaien’s face, his heart heavy with regret. He hadn’t expected Kaien to go before him. “May you rest well…”

“Ah…” Kaien smiled faintly at Ukitake and the others, then looked up at the misty moonlight filtering through the rain. Quietly, he closed his eyes. “Good night…”

“Good night. Sweet dreams…” Shūster withdrew his Thunderbolt Zanpakutō, removed his vice-captain haori to wrap Kaien’s lifeless body, and carried him gently. Avoiding Rukia’s still-traumatized gaze, he slowly departed.

P.S.: Damn it! I forgot to write this part! Damn!