"Captain Kyoya…"
The Shinigami guarding the 12th Division's gates immediately straightened and bowed upon seeing Kyoya.
"I'm here to see your lieutenant, Sarugaki Hiyori. Is she available?"
Though Kyoya could sense Hiyori's Reiatsu within the 12th Division, he wasn't sure if she would agree to see him. It was better to have these two inquire first.
He wasn't Kisuke.
Besides, the coming days would be busy, leaving him little time to focus on Hiyori.
If she refused his help, Kyoya wouldn't blame himself for depriving her of Hollowfication.
After all, the so-called Hollowfication of the Visored had been an imperfect experiment using Aizen's incomplete Hogyoku.
While gaining power, they also faced the constant threat of their inner Hollows consuming them.
After their battle with Aizen, the Visored members who returned to the Seireitei rarely used their Hollow powers again.
Now that Hiyori had lost her Hollowfication, she was also free from the fear of being devoured by her inner Hollow.
It's a trade-off that was hard to call a loss or a gain.
"Understood, Captain Kyoya! I'll go ask Lieutenant Sarugaki right away."
"Hoh? If it isn't Captain Kyoya."
Just as one of the Shinigami was about to turn back into the division, a voice rang out, causing the guard to stiffen and immediately snap back to attention.
"Now that our Captain has been branded a traitor to the Gotei 13, what business does Captain Kyoya have with the 12th Division?"
Kyoya frowned, as he recognized the speaker.
This was the current third seat of the 12th Division, its future captain, and one of the key figures in the Thousand-Year Blood War-
Kurotsuchi Mayuri!
However, Kyoya hated the way Mayuri was looking at him.
Without hesitation, Kyoya raised his head, a flash of golden light gleaming in his pupils.
"Gah-!"
Mayuri suddenly let out a shriek, clutching his face as blood seeped between his fingers, "I remember you. You're that guy who used to follow Urahara around… Kurotsuchi Mayuri, was it? "
"I don't like the way you look at me. This is your first offense, so I'm just giving you a warning."
"I don't like the way you're looking at me. Since this is your first offense, I'll let you off with a warning."
"But if I ever catch you eyeing me like that again, I'll kill you on the spot."
"Not even Captain-Commander Yamamoto will be able to save you. That's a promise."
Kyoya stepped closer to Mayuri, who was writhing on the ground, and delivered his warning coldly.
This guy had completely dropped any pretense of restraint after Kisuke's departure.
He'd even set his sights on him.
The fact that Kyoya had only destroyed Mayuri's eyes was already an act of mercy.
After all, Kyoya knew Mayuri was the kind of man who wouldn't hesitate to experiment on himself.
Backup brains, a modified Zanpakuto-
An injury like this would be crippling for anyone else.
But for Mayuri, a flesh-replenishing potion would be enough to restore him.
With a cold snort, Kyoya ignored the terrified expressions of the gate guards and strode into the 12th Division, heading straight for Hiyori's Reiatsu.
After navigating the winding corridors, Kyoya arrived at the Captain's office.
Without knocking, he pushed the door open.
Click-
Sunlight flooded into the darkened room as the door swung wide.
Hearing the sound, Hiyori, who is curled up in a corner, jerked her head up, a flicker of hope flashing in her eyes.
But the moment she saw who had entered, that light died, and she buried her face back into her arms.
"What, has Urahara already died? Are you mourning him already?"
"…Huh?"
Hearing Kyoya's words, Hiyori's pupils trembled slightly before she lifted her head to stare at Kyoya.
"You didn't know yet?"
"Two days ago, Captain Shihoin stormed the Central 46's Compound and broke out Urahara and Tsukabishi during their trial."
"Later, investigations by the 8th and 10th Divisions confirmed that not only Urahara and Tsukabishi, but also Captain Hirako and the others, who had already been sentenced by Central 46, had vanished."
"Most likely, they've already fled to the human world through the Senkaimon."
"…You're serious?"
Hiyori's voice was hoarse as she scrambled to her feet, gripping Kyoya's sleeve.
"You're not lying to me?"
"Of course not."
Kyoya nodded.
"You've been locking yourself in here, so you wouldn't know what's been happening in the Seireitei."
"But if you just stepped outside and asked anyone, you'd get the same answer."
Hearing Kyoya say this, Hiyori felt slightly relieved.
Although it was still a loss, at least Kisuke wasn't dead… he had just escaped from Seireitei.
For Hiyori, that's enough!
Just like when Kirio was promoted to the Zero Division, Kisuke had merely moved to a different place to live.
As for whether Kyoya was lying to her, Hiyori had some self-awareness about that.
First, Kyoya wouldn't fabricate a lie that could be easily exposed.
The Sokyoku Hill was where Seireitei executed criminals sentenced to death. If Kisuke and the others had been sentenced to death, they would have been executed at Sokyoku Hill.
Such a major event would have shaken the entire Seireitei, and anyone could confirm it with a simple inquiry.
Second, Hiyori didn't believe she was important enough for Kyoya to bother lying to her.
Though she hated to admit it, she recognized the reality.
Her dislike for Kyoya and the fact that they weren't on the same level were two separate things.
"Why are you here?"
Wiping the remaining tears from the corners of her eyes, Hiyori looked up at Kyoya and asked, "That baldy Urahara isn't the Captain of the 12th Division anymore. Even if the things he made for you broke, I don't know who could fix or remake them."
"I came here for you."
Kyoya didn't beat around the bush, "Since Urahara's left Seireitei, I imagine your position in the 12th Division will be awkward from now on."
"Hah?"
Hiyori's eyes widened in disbelief.
Indeed, after Kyoya's reminder, Hiyori naturally thought about her future and felt some unease.
But at the same time, she was curious why Kyoya had come to see her.
'Could it be…?'
"Don't flatter yourself!"
Though Kyoya's Observation Haki hadn't yet developed to the point of mind-reading, just from Hiyori's expression, he could guess what the girl was thinking.
"Urahara, at the very least, made quite a few things for me."
"During the last mission, he asked me to look out for you."
"Now that guy's become a wanted criminal in Seireitei and left the Soul Society. The favor I owe him will probably fall on you."
"That's why I came to the 12th Division… to ask you whether you want to stay here or come with me."
"I'll go with you!"
Faced with Kyoya's question, Hiyori didn't hesitate for long.
Though she had spent her entire life in the 12th Division, she knew she was an outlier there.
When Kirio and Kisuke were around, they tolerated her willfulness and let her remain as the Lieutenant of the 12th Division. But now…
She shook her head, not letting herself dwell on it.
Kyoya's appearance had given her a second option.
At the same time, after the changes involving Kirio and Kisuke, Hiyori had come to a realization.
No matter how important or kind someone was to her, they would eventually leave.
Only by becoming stronger herself could she face any crisis without fear and handle any change.
Staying in the 12th Division wouldn't help. Most of the Shinigami here were researchers… great at studying what they loved, but completely clueless when it came to guiding Hiyori's training.
"Then let's go."