Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Secrets of the Past
(T/N: Third and final Chapter of today! Hope you guys enjoyed the read! and Thanks for the support!!
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Nanatsuki met with Hikifune Kirio in the laboratory and asked her for information about the former 3rd Seat of Squad 12.
"You’re looking for information on Miyamoto Tetsuya?" Hikifune Kirio seemed a bit surprised.
Nanatsuki nodded. "Yes. You should know, Miss Kirio, that the Captain-Commander and I encountered the ’Gate of Hell’ in the Rukongai, and later, Batsu’unsai told me some things about Hell."
"I realized that Miyamoto Tetsuya might be connected to something that can communicate with Hell..."
Nanatsuki briefly told Kirio about the disappearance of the ’Sound of Hell,’ but didn’t disclose the source of the information.
Miyamoto Tetsuya’s disappearance wasn’t exactly a secret. A vice-captain going missing was a serious matter within the Gotei 13. Any older Shinigami would know that Miyamoto Tetsuya went missing without a trace.
And Kirio was well aware of the loose management within squads that had no acting captain. She planned to have someone from Squad 9 verify the missing status of the ’Sound of Hell.’
Kirio recalled, "I remember Miyamoto Tetsuya. He was originally the 3rd Seat of Squad 12 and was later transferred to Squad 13 as vice-captain."
"But not long after his promotion, he went missing during a mission in the World of the Living."
"Later, when Captain Ukitake took over, he came to ask me about Miyamoto Tetsuya too. After all, the disappearance of a vice-captain-level Shinigami is no trivial matter."
"He investigated the incident specifically, but even he couldn’t find out what happened."
"I still have access to the mission logs from when Miyamoto Tetsuya served in Squad 12."
Kirio stepped up to a device and operated it, projecting a screen of Reishi in the air.
As her fingers slid across the interface, rows of Reishi-formed text flowed through the air like data.
"Miss Kirio, your lab’s technology is really advanced. If only this kind of data storage could be used across all squads!" Nanatsuki exclaimed.
He felt this lab’s Reishi tech rivaled 21st-century technology from the World of the Living.
His own lab still used paper files—nothing like this Reishi-projection interface that resembled a computer.
"That’s difficult. This Reishi tech still has plenty of room for improvement, and it has a steep learning curve. Most squad members don’t have enough Reishi control to operate this kind of equipment," Kirio replied with a soft laugh.
"Found it. Miyamoto Tetsuya’s personnel file and mission logs. Though, I only have logs from his time in Squad 12," she added.
"Miyamoto Tetsuya, former 3rd Seat of Squad 12. Later transferred to Squad 13 as vice-captain... Everything looks pretty standard so far."
Kirio continued reviewing the logs, until her finger paused over one particular line on the screen.
"December 21st: Spiritual body of Kirinji Tenjirō successfully destroyed..."
"December 22nd: Spiritual body of Shutara Senjumaru successfully destroyed..."
"December 28th: Spiritual body of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto successfully destroyed..."
"In charge of destroying the spiritual bodies..." Kirio frowned slightly and murmured, "When Captain Ukitake investigated this, we didn’t consider this angle..."
Nanatsuki’s eyes sharpened. "Spiritual body disposal? Can you tell me more about that?"
Kirio gathered her thoughts and replied, "Actually, this matter involves you quite a bit, Nanatsuki."
"You’re already aware of the ’Captain Completion Plan,’ right?"
"The plan’s main goal was to create captain-level spiritual bodies to reinforce the Gotei 13’s fighting strength."
"Later, when Batsu’unsai’s condition worsened, Kirinji Tenjirō proposed developing a spiritual body for her, paired with a treatment involving a replacement of her Spiritual Pressure Core."
"The ones in charge of spiritual body development were me and Shutara Senjumaru."
"But back then, the spiritual bodies we created had major flaws. They lacked mental faculties and couldn’t grow."
"We calculated the time needed to improve the technique, and came to a disappointing conclusion—Batsu’unsai wouldn’t survive long enough for the improvements to be completed."
"On top of that, Central 46 opposed continuing spiritual body research. Many believed that successfully creating spiritual bodies equal to ordinary souls would disrupt the balance of the Three Realms. They feared this technology could bring about the destruction of Soul Society."
"So, the project was sealed away."
"During the ’Captain Completion Plan,’ we produced many spiritual bodies using the Reishi of captains and vice-captains."
"But once the plan was terminated, all those spiritual bodies had to be destroyed."
"Before that, however, Senjumaru took one of Batsu’unsai’s spiritual bodies back to the Royal Guard. That body became your current Reishi body."
"When I saw you again and found you had become Batsu’unsai’s younger brother, I couldn’t believe it."
"I don’t know what Senjumaru did to transform a flawed, non-sentient spiritual body into someone like you—a being indistinguishable from a regular soul. There’s a secret in you that I don’t understand."
Kirio wasn’t aware of the process involving the shadow of the Soul King being grafted onto the spiritual body.
"Anyway... once the plan was halted, all spiritual bodies from that period had to be destroyed."
"And the one responsible for the destruction was Miyamoto Tetsuya, the former 3rd Seat of Squad 12."
"When Captain Ukitake first investigated Miyamoto’s disappearance, there had been no incidents of spiritual body leakage or the descent of Hell’s Will, so he never thought to look in this direction..."
"But now, it seems Miyamoto Tetsuya is highly suspicious. He was skilled in spirit-body techniques back in Squad 12 and had mastered spiritual body research."
"I see." Nanatsuki nodded. "If Miyamoto deliberately disappeared, then the spiritual bodies that infiltrated Seireitei or hid in Rukongai could very well have been made by him."
"Exactly. I think we need to reopen the investigation into Miyamoto Tetsuya’s disappearance," Kirio sighed. "But it’s been over a decade. Tracing him now will be difficult."
"Is Miyamoto Tetsuya from the Miyamoto family?" Nanatsuki asked, vaguely recalling the surname.
"He is, but Captain Ukitake already investigated the Miyamoto household during the first case. Nothing unusual was found."
Kirio smiled. "Thanks to your intel, Nanatsuki, we now have a new direction. Hopefully we can trace Miyamoto Tetsuya by following the thread from the spiritual bodies hiding in Rukongai."
Before this, neither Kirio nor Yamamoto had considered looking into a vice-captain who disappeared more than ten years ago.
After leaving Squad 12, Nanatsuki passed through the Garganta with Aizen Sōsuke and arrived in Hueco Mundo.
Nanatsuki needed to find materials for reconstructing the ’Sound of Hell.’ Aizen, meanwhile, wanted to collect soil suitable for cultivating fungal Hollows and expand his experience of Hueco Mundo.
The two emerged into the endless white desert.
"Sensei, the books at the Academy made it sound like Soul Society was tightly defended. I thought entering the Garganta would be a real challenge."
"Pointing out the holes in a net is meaningless, Sosuke."
Aizen narrowed his eyes toward the horizon.
"The Reishi density here is incredible..." he murmured, feeling the particles in the air. "Even higher than most regions in the Rukongai. It’s just that the Reishi here isn’t as ’pure’ as Soul Society’s."
"In Hueco Mundo, Hollows constantly devour one another. Every second, a Hollow dies. Most of the consumed Reishi becomes part of another Hollow, but a small amount escapes into the air. That’s why the air and soil here are saturated with Hollow Reishi," Nanatsuki explained softly.
"Pathetic creatures, ruled by instinct, evolving by cannibalizing their own kind." Aizen scoffed at the Hollows.
"Not all of them rely on instinct. Some gifted Hollows can evolve just by absorbing the ambient Reishi in the air." Nanatsuki smiled.
The variation among Hollows could exceed that between Shinigami and regular souls.
Some small-animal-type Hollows were born with no sentience and formed the bottom of the food chain, with no chance of evolving.
Others, however, were born with the power of a Menos Grande.
"There are Hollows who evolve without devouring others... The Academy never mentioned that." Aizen hadn’t learned much about Hueco Mundo yet—most of the noble district’s books focused on Soul Society’s history and structure.
"The Academy’s description of Menos Grande mostly refers to the Gillian class. Regular Shinigami can’t even deal with those, let alone anything above." Nanatsuki replied.
After arriving in the desert, Nanatsuki expanded his spiritual sense to the maximum, searching for nearby Hollows.
His range was vast—back in Seireitei, his spiritual perception could cover the entire city.
This method couldn’t detect spirits actively suppressing their Reiatsu, but it worked perfectly for locating lesser animal-type Hollows who weren’t adept at hiding.
"The soil here’s ideal for fungal Hollow reproduction." Aizen took out a tool from his Reishi Pocket and began collecting samples.
"Sensei, since it’s not hard to reach Hueco Mundo, why don’t we set up a lab here? It’s more discreet than Soul Society, and it’s easier to gather materials." He scooped more sand. "Our research into Hollows and spiritual bodies would be troublesome if discovered, right?"
"I had the same thought. Research into Hollowfication and the reverse is dangerous. Even if our lab is shielded by Sakkise, it’s not foolproof."
Nanatsuki shared part of his plan.
"Once I finish teaching your class, I intend to become Squad 12’s captain."
"Then we’ll conduct conventional research in the squad lab and move all risky Hollowfication work here to Hueco Mundo."
"Sensei, you really do think ahead," Aizen said with a soft chuckle.
"An Adjuchas?" Nanatsuki suddenly furrowed his brow. He sensed the presence of an Adjuchas-class Menos.
That was rare—this was the desert, not the Forest of Menos.
"Sosuke, let’s go. You haven’t seen what a live Adjuchas can do, have you?" Nanatsuki smiled.
"Nope. Everything I’ve seen was either just a corpse or under strong tranquilizers," Aizen replied, intrigued.
They quickly reached the location, and the Adjuchas appeared before them.
"So this is an Adjuchas..." Aizen studied the Hollow.
It was a half-human, half-antelope type. Its head was completely encased in a skeletal ram’s skull, while its body was flesh—a strange hybrid.
"Sh-Shinigami!!" the Hollow stammered.
Her voice was sweet and melodic—completely at odds with her terrifying mask.
The moment she saw them, she turned and ran.
Nanatsuki blinked, not because she ran, but because of the name that popped up on his Status Interface:
Name: Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck
Talent: S
Reiatsu: Lv81
Reputation Level: Stranger
Status: Afraid (Terrified of Shinigami!!!)
With a Shunpo, Nanatsuki flashed in front of her, blocking her path.
"Miss Hollow, would you stay for a little chat?" Nanatsuki asked calmly.
"Shinigami! I remember your Reiatsu!" she exclaimed.
"Oh? We’ve met before?" Nanatsuki raised a brow. He didn’t recall encountering her.
"A few years ago! My companions and I tried to enter the Forest of Menos, but we felt an overwhelming Shinigami Reiatsu there!" Nelliel looked around frantically, trying to find a way out.
"Ah, right..." Nanatsuki recalled the graduation exam back then. He had released his Reiatsu in the forest during that time.
"Sensei, not all Menos are mindless. She hasn’t attacked us on sight. I’ve encountered two Hollows in the Rukongai who couldn’t even assess our relative strength." Aizen caught up, observing her like a test subject.
"She likely evolved on her own into an Adjuchas. That makes her different," Nanatsuki said with a smile.
He was deeply curious—if it were possible to take in a Hollow as a student... what kind of rewards would that bring?