Unohana returned to the 4th Division and imdiately saw Katori Nanatsuki chatting with Hoshino Rie in the courtyard.
"Captain, welco back!" said Hoshino Rie.
"Katori-kun, are you here to visit Rie?" Unohana asked with a smile.
"I’m actually here to see Captain Unohana," Nanatsuki replied.
"You needed sothing from ?" Unohana tilted her head curiously. She knew Nanatsuki wasn’t the type to visit without a reason—he definitely wasn’t here just to chat.
"I’ve made so progress recently and wanted to discuss swordsmanship with you," Nanatsuki said bluntly.
"Oh~ Then I’ll have to see how much you’ve improved, Katori-kun." Unohana smiled, surprised that Nanatsuki had taken the initiative to seek her out for a spar.
"I’m fine with sparring, of course, but I need to handle so work first." Unohana began walking inside. "Co with , Katori-kun. There’s sothing I should tell you as well."
Nanatsuki followed Unohana into a storage room.
"Sothing major happened today. The Execution Captain has gone missing—and it’s highly likely he’s already been killed," Unohana said gravely.
"Captain Nobutsuna Shigyō?" Nanatsuki was visibly shocked. "Didn’t he just go on leave not long ago?"
Before leaving Seireitei, Nobutsuna had even visited the Katori-ryu Dojo to thank him and gifted him two original Kidō spells.
To now hear the man had possibly been murdered—it left a bitter feeling.
As Unohana reviewed the records of dicine in and out of the storage room, she continued, "All the traces at the scene point to the current 7th Division Lieutenant, Asayu Tetsuya."
"It’s possible he drugged Captain Nobutsuna and then killed him."
Nanatsuki watched Unohana checking the records and quickly grasped her intent. "I see. The drug used to harm Captain Nobutsuna probably wasn’t a common one, right? So you’re verifying it against the inventory?"
Unohana nodded. "A powerful anesthetic strong enough to render Captain Nobutsuna defenseless could only co from the 4th Division, 12th Division, or the Shin’o Spiritual Arts Academy’s Kaido Departnt."
"The Detention Squad is currently interrogating Asayu Tetsuya. Kyōraku Shunsui went to investigate the Kaido Departnt. Hikifune Kirio and I are checking our own divisions’ dicinal stores."
"Captain Nobutsuna even went out of his way to visit at the dojo after being discharged to thank . I never imagined sothing like this would happen." Nanatsuki stepped forward to help Unohana go over the records. "Captain Unohana, do you really think Asayu Tetsuya did it?"
"There were too many flaws left at the scene. It’s suspicious. And the strange thing is—Asayu Tetsuya was the one who reported the incident. Logically, he had enough ti to erase all traces before doing that." Unohana shook her head. "But you never know... maybe he really is just that stupid."
Asayu Tetsuya was originally only the 3rd seat of the 7th Division. Neither Unohana nor the other captains knew much about him, so they’d need to ask mbers of the 7th Division for more insight into his character.
"But if Asayu Tetsuya didn’t attack Nobutsuna Shigyō, then we have a serious problem." A hint of concern appeared on Unohana’s face. "Katori-kun, you’re already aware of the Reishi Shell situation—Reiatsu fluctuations can no longer be treated as definitive proof."
Nanatsuki raised a brow. "You think it was a Reishi Shell impersonating Asayu Tetsuya? That would explain the matching Reiatsu signature."
Unohana explained, "I was attacked once by a Reishi Shell made from my own Reishi."
"Rember the incident that happened during the Kaido Advanced Class lecture?"
"The Reishi Shell had swapped the Hollow Poison vial, which led to the accident."
"She underestimated —Hollow Poison alone isn’t enough to kill ."
"But that incident proves soone in Soul Society is collecting our Reishi data and using it to create Reishi Shells."
"So even if another Asayu Tetsuya appears as a Reishi Shell, I wouldn’t be surprised at all."
"Soone is gathering Reishi data to make Reishi Shells?" Nanatsuki tried recalling fragnts of his past life. He vaguely rembered sothing similar occurring in the future.
But the current tiline seed too early. The Modified Soul technology would need to be perfected before Reishi Shells could have any real combat value.
Right now, creating a Reishi Shell of a captain was aningless—it wouldn’t hold up in battle.
Then a thought struck him. Could soone privy to the truth have noticed that his current Reishi Shell body was capable of growth, and restarted the research?
"Captain Unohana, besides the Royal Guard, who else knows I’m a Reishi Shell of Batsu’unsai?" Nanatsuki asked.
The matter of the Soul King’s shadow should’ve only been known to the Royal Guard—even Katori Batsu’unsai and Unohana Retsu hadn’t been inford.
But the process of creating the Batsu’unsai Reishi Shell might’ve involved more people.
"You don’t have to worry, Katori-kun. Other than the Royal Guard, only Hikifune Kirio and I are aware of this," Unohana reassured him.
"That’s true. If whoever was making these Reishi Shells did know about , they’d be very interested. I doubt they’d sit still—they would’ve already co after ." Nanatsuki nodded.
After reviewing the inventory records, Nanatsuki and Unohana also cross-checked the actual stock. Everything matched—no anomalies were found.
Unohana picked up the Hell Butterfly communicator and sent a ssage to Kyōraku Shunsui and Hikifune Kirio. "I’ve finished the inspection here. The anesthetic didn’t leak from the 4th Division."
Hikifune’s voice ca through the communicator: "All clear on my end as well."
Kyōraku Shunsui added, "I’ve found a lead—but... sothing feels off."
"The records show that Asayu Tetsuya bought a drug called ’Pierce Point’ anesthetic from the Kaido Departnt just yesterday."
The communicator continued broadcasting Kyōraku’s frustrated voice: "Seriously—how can such a dangerous drug be purchased directly!?"
"This whole situation feels fishy. I’m going to trace Asayu Tetsuya’s movents from yesterday and today, see if he has an alibi."
Unohana frowned slightly. "It looks like Asayu Tetsuya will have a hard ti clearing his na."
Since he was the one who reported the incident, and he was the only one at the scene, it would be difficult to prove his innocence.
There was too much evidence stacked against him. Even if he wasn’t the culprit, walking away from this unscathed would be nearly impossible.
Unless—soone could find proof pointing to a different killer.
Nanatsuki stroked his chin. "Asayu Tetsuya doesn’t seem like the type to leave such obvious evidence behind..."
He leaned toward the idea that soone else was the real perpetrator—but the overwhelming amount of evidence suggested this killer had planned it all in advance. Finding the true culprit would not be easy.
Unohana let out a soft sigh. "Speculation alone isn’t enough to clear Asayu Tetsuya’s na."
She could already foresee what was coming. Once the Central 46 saw all this evidence, they would surely convict Asayu Tetsuya without hesitation.
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