Seireitei, 3rd Division Barracks — Captain's Quarters.
This was the sixth time Gin Ichimaru checked his reflection today.
"The collar feels too loose here... and the Zanpakutō looks okay in this spot..."
If any of the 3rd Division officers saw this, they'd think the sky was falling.
Their ever-elusive, inscrutable captain—nervous?
Unbelievable.
More shocking than the sun rising in the west.
But it was true.
Because today, Matsumoto Rangiku was returning.
Gin silently thanked his own foresight—for using a clever trick to ease Higashi Shuuichi's suspicions of him.
If he hadn't, Shuuichi might not have allowed Rangiku and the others to return so soon.
It was clear: Shuuichi must've deemed Soul Society safe enough before calling them back.
That's what Gin believed.
And from how things played out, he wasn't wrong.
Gazing into the mirror, Gin's mind conjured a vision of another person within the glass—
"...Rangiku. Welcome back."
No. Too flat. Too dull.
He shook his head violently. That won't do.
Besides, he didn't even know if Shuuichi had told Rangiku the truth about him.
If, in her eyes, he was still the man who nearly caused Shuuichi's hollowfication...
Then those words might just provoke more disgust.
"…I'm sorry, Rangiku…"
Again, Gin whispered—but dismissed it instantly.
No good. That'd be admitting guilt outright.
And while it was the truth, this wasn't the moment to self-incriminate.
"Here, Rangiku—these dried persimmons are just for you..."
He reached toward the mirror, and suddenly, it wasn't a reflection anymore—
It was a memory.
A time long ago, in the slums of Rukongai.
Just the two of them, scraping by, depending on each other.
Back then life was hard—
But not this suffocating, wordless kind of pain.
"Rangiku, I didn't want to do it either…
I know Shuuichi-sama is a good Shinigami.
But to avenge you—
To gain Aizen's trust—
I had to.
Forgive me, Rangiku…"
Words buried deep in Gin's heart, now finally released—spoken to the little Rangiku in his mind.
He reached forward just a little more, wanting to place the persimmon in her hands like old times—
But the vision shattered.
Only the mirror remained.
Only his hollow, fragile reflection stared back.
Time stopped.
Or rather—his body stopped.
He stood frozen, gazing at a version of himself that wasn't him.
Couldn't be him.
The Gin who sought revenge for the near-death of Rangiku…
Would never look like this.
At last, he twisted his lips into that familiar, snake-like smirk.
Yes.
This was him.
This was Gin Ichimaru.
Until Aizen was dead—
Until justice was done—
There must be distance between them.
This was fine.
...
No one else knew what had just unfolded inside the 3rd Division Captain's quarters.
To most of Soul Society, today was just another routine day.
Very few knew that Matsumoto Rangiku and Kisaragi Shūsuke were returning.
One who did was Soi Fon, Captain of the 2nd Division.
"Shuuichi-sama… are you really planning to let Shūsuke and Rangiku join your Sword Hunt Corps?"
As a captain, she naturally had access to this kind of intel.
After all, for Shūsuke and Rangiku to return through official channels, they first needed the approval of the current Captain-Commander.
At first, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni was vehemently opposed.
He already saw Higashi Shuuichi—a "rehired" Shinigami—as a disgrace to Soul Society's image.
Bringing back two more branded as traitors?
How would the Central 46 or his own authority recover from that?
It would mean admitting that they—he—had made a colossal mistake.
But when Shuuichi clarified his stance—that he merely wanted to restore their Shinigami status, not their old positions—
Yamamoto relented.
Of course he did.
Because in truth, the old fossil just couldn't stand hollowfied Shinigami.
In his eyes, a hollowfied Shinigami wasn't a Shinigami at all.
Calling them that was being charitable.
"They don't have anywhere else to go, do they?
For Shinigami like us, with a 'record', there's no future under the current 13 Court Guard Squads."
Shuuichi watched as the 12th Division prepared the senkaimon gate.
"You could assign them to my 2nd Division," Soi Fon said, half-pleading. "I swear—I'll treat them fairly."
She didn't want Shuuichi forming a real squad.
Because if the Sword Hunt Corps remained empty, there was still a chance—
A chance that Shuuichi might return to the 13 Court Guard Squads.
But once he gained subordinates of his own?
Knowing Shuuichi, he'd feel responsible for them.
Even if he was invited back, he wouldn't abandon them.
So Soi Fon tried.
And failed.
As long as Yamamoto held the post of Captain-Commander—
Shuuichi would never rejoin the Gotei 13.
"I understand how you feel, Kozue.
And I'll pass your kindness on to Rangiku and Shūsuke.
But they're not going back to the Gotei.
Nor do they want to."
Shuuichi smiled gently.
Just then, the senkaimon finished activating.
"They're back!"
A bearded man stepped through first.
When he saw Shuuichi, he broke into a jog.
"Shuuichi-sama!!"
The four syllables rang with force.
"Welcome back, officially—Shūsuke."
Shuuichi's voice carried warmth.
No one was made of stone—not even Higashi Shuuichi.
Shūsuke had been his pupil.
One he'd poured time and effort into.
And Shūsuke responded the only way he knew—
Fire Geyser!
He unleashed his zanpakutō's shikai, flooding the area with raw reiryoku.
He wanted all of Soul Society to hear:
Kisaragi Shūsuke is back.
And his teacher—Shuuichi-sama—will no longer stand alone.
Anyone who threatens him, threatens me.
"…Tch.
I thought we'd at least get a proper welcome party or something."
A sultry voice from behind.
Matsumoto Rangiku.
She followed Shūsuke through the gate, eyes scanning the area like a hawk.
Looking for something.
Or rather—someone.
Shuuichi knew immediately.
She was looking for Gin Ichimaru.
Days ago, when he asked if she wanted to return to Soul Society, she'd agreed on one condition:
That she could finally drink for days on end.
Of course Shuuichi said yes.
Money wasn't an issue.
But this wasn't the time to spoil her—especially not with sake.
"Two captains personally welcoming you—isn't that extravagant enough?"
He put on a serious face.
"…Okay, okay, I get it, Shuuichi-sama."
But truthfully, she hadn't been looking for booze.
She'd been looking for Gin.
Her childhood friend.
The man who rose to captain after she left Soul Society.
The one who might have betrayed them… or might not have.
Shuuichi had already told her: Gin might not be guilty.
But Rangiku needed to hear it from Gin himself.
She'd already decided:
If he came forward and explained—
She might forgive him.
But he wasn't here.
She searched the crowd, and found nothing.
Could it be he didn't know?
No—that was impossible.
Shuuichi had told her all captains were informed well in advance.
If Gin wasn't here, then it could only mean one thing:
He didn't want to see her.
Why?
That wasn't the Gin she remembered.
She felt like he had become a stranger.
The Gin in her memories—
He'd be here.
So if he wasn't… the only explanation was guilt.
Too ashamed to face her.
But then again, that contradicted what Shuuichi had told her.
Who was right?
She didn't know anymore.
What she didn't realize was—
Gin had been watching the whole time.
From a distance.
He never moved.
He just wanted to see—was she doing okay?
Was she… happy?
After hearing her lively exchange with Shuuichi, Gin felt at peace.
Rangiku had fared well in the World of the Living.
Better than Shūsuke, even.
Then he turned and left.
Without a word.
Without a trace.
...
Meanwhile, far off in South Rukongai, a spatial rift tore open.
From it stepped a man and a woman.
"So this… this is Soul Society?"
The woman wasn't beautiful, but she was covered in strange machinery.
None of it hindered her movements—
She was visibly thrilled.
"Yes.
We made it safely.
Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Rimi."
The Shinigami beside her closed his notepad and smiled.
"No need to thank me, Oshū-kun~
In fact, I should be thanking you.
Sorry—I just got distracted by the scenery..."
Nagazawa Rimi bowed.
Thanks to Shuuichi's guidance, she understood how difficult it was for a Fullbringer like her to retain both consciousness and form after soul burial.
Most Shinigami couldn't manage it.
Only captain-level or noble-blooded ones could do such a thing.
Yushima Oshū was the latter.
His zanpakutō allowed him to move freely through the Dangai, guiding Rimi's soul—now fused with a piece of the Soul King's body—through safely.
Shuuichi had no intention of wasting this experiment.
He had sent Oshū in his place so he could record every detail of Rimi's transformation.
Why?
Because to wield Fullbring—
You needed a human soul.
And that, for Shuuichi, was the hardest part.
Until now.
Now, the path had finally opened.
"It's fine.
I already sent your coordinates to Shuuichi-sama.
Just wait here—he'll come for you soon."
Oshū nodded and vanished with a flash step toward the inner court.
He needed to write down all his thoughts while the data was still fresh.
And with that—
Every member of Shuuichi's old Osaka squad was finally back in this strange new Soul Society.
Except one?
Not really.
Dōma Sayako was already at home, sipping tea.
As head of one of the Five Noble Houses, she'd never been branded a traitor.
She could return anytime, however she pleased.
And today—
She was meeting with Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.