Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero.

"Yes! That's the only explanation! The source of that golden power is very likely the Royal Seal!"

"During the transfer of the royal seal, for some unknown reason, its power was leaked, and Hyōrinmaru unfortunately became the recipient of this leaked power!"

At this point, all the clues were pieced together perfectly, like jigsaw puzzle pieces.

The source of the mysterious golden power was accidentally leaked during the transfer of the royal seal.

The reason Hyōrinmaru lost control was that his will was invaded and distorted by the power of the Royal Seal.

The truth about the "Twin Hyōrinmaru" has come to light.

Chapter 25 Aftermath

A few days later, Seireitei, First Division.

Inside the solemn and imposing council chamber, the atmosphere was heavy. Captain-Commander Yamamoto sat in the main seat, with Vice-Captain Chojiro standing beside him.

Standing in the center of the hall, Yanagawa recounted the investigation process of the "Twin Hyōrinmaru" incident, the battle with the fully-formed Hyōrinmaru, and the information obtained from it.

The conclusions drawn from the information about the transfer of the royal seal provided by Isshin Shiba were fully reported to the Captain-Commander and the captains present.

He didn't exaggerate the intensity and danger of the battle; he simply stated the facts objectively.

However, just from keywords such as "complete Hyōrinmaru," "golden power interference," and "leakage of the royal seal's power," everyone could sense the turbulent waves hidden behind this matter and the seriousness of it far exceeding that of ordinary events.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto listened with his eyes closed the entire time, and only slowly opened his eyes, which seemed to contain molten lava, after Yanagawa finished reporting.

His gaze lingered on Yanagawa for a moment, then swept over Shiba Isshin, before finally speaking in a deep voice:

"Now that the matter has been investigated and found to be related to the accidental leak during the transfer of the Wang seal, it is not the fault of Hitsugaya Toshiro and Kusakabe Sojiro. This is the responsibility of the Central 46th Division."

I will personally explain that the two men will be released immediately, and their reputations and freedom restored.

The order was concise and powerful, a final decision. It involved Wang Yin, and even the Central 46th Bureau, with the chief commander personally setting the tone and the evidence pointing clearly, was powerless to insist on its cruel "duel" plan.

"Yes." Chojiro Sasaki bowed and accepted the order.

"As for the leakage of the King's Seal's power," Captain-Commander Yamamoto's tone turned cold.

"This is top secret. The contents of today's discussion must not be leaked. Do you all understand?"

"Yes!" the captains present responded in unison, their expressions solemn.

The order was issued quickly.

The heavy stone door to the underground cell in Central Chamber 46, where Hitsugaya Toshiro and Kusakabe Sojiro are imprisoned, opens once more.

This time, it wasn't a repressive interrogation, but a notice of release from detention.

As the two boys walked out of the dark and cold corridor, one after the other, their steps slightly unsteady, and were once again bathed in the relatively soft light of the Seireitei, they both felt as if they had been transported to another world.

Hitsugaya Toshiro's white hair seemed to have lost some of its luster, and his youthful face showed signs of fatigue, but the stubbornness of a genius in his eyes had not been extinguished; on the contrary, it had been tempered by this experience.

He immediately looked for Hinamori Momo and, seeing his friend safe and sound, a look of relief flashed in his eyes.

Behind him, Kusakabe Sojiro was even paler, his long black hair was disheveled, and in addition to exhaustion, there was an indescribable emptiness and loss.

He subconsciously gripped his waist—where his Zanpakuto still hung.

However, when he pulled the sword out half an inch, the blade became dull and lifeless, no longer possessing the restrained yet powerful icy spiritual pressure that had flowed before. It was cold to the touch, but only the temperature of ordinary metal, no different from any unawakened Asauchi.

“Kusaka, your sword…” Hitsugaya Toshiro noticed his friend’s actions and asked in a low voice.

Kusakabe Sojiro gave a bitter smile, sheathed his sword completely, and said in a hoarse voice, "As expected, Hyōrinmaru has completely disappeared. Now it... is just an asabu."

He paused, glancing at the Zanpakuto at Hitsugaya's waist. The faint, familiar yet strange chill emanating from it made his expression even more complex.

"Perhaps, this is what it was originally meant to be. I... should never have possessed Hyōrinmaru."

Looking back, that was indeed the case.

Although Kusakabe Soujiro has good aptitude and is considered one of the best in the Shinigami Academy, the gap between him and a genius like Hitsugaya Toshiro, who is a once-in-a-century talent with an astonishingly powerful innate ice-type spiritual power, is obvious.

The fact that the two of them could awaken their Zanpakuto, which is said to be the strongest ice-type sword, "at the same time" is the biggest illogical thing.

Now that the truth has come out, it was all just a mistake caused by external interference.

Just then, Yanagawa and Shiba Isshin appeared at the other end of the corridor.

They were clearly there to handle the aftermath and personally check on the two individuals' condition.

Upon seeing Yanagawa, both Hitsugaya Toshiro and Kusakabe Sojiro instinctively straightened up, their eyes filled with gratitude and respect.

From the prison guards in charge of the release and Hinamori Momo who arrived, they had learned that it was Yanagawa, the senior from the Zero Division, who had investigated the truth and turned the tide, rescuing them from their desperate situation.

"Yanagawa-senpai, Captain Shiba." Hitsugaya Toshiro bowed respectfully, and Kusakabe Sojiro quickly followed suit.

Yanagawa waved his hand, indicating that there was no need for formalities, and then turned and left with Shiba Isshin.

As Yanagawa and Shiba Isshin's figures disappeared around the corner, the outcome of the "Twin Hyōrinmaru" incident began to spread throughout Seireitei.

Initially, when Yanagawa was announced as a reserve member of the Zero Squad and taken over the investigation, although shocked, there were voices of doubt and observation in private.

After all, Yanagawa has been too "low-key" in the past. Apart from his excellent performance at the Shinigami Academy and his status as a member of the Kido Clan, he has not had many outstanding achievements or well-known influence.

The invitation from Squad Zero is certainly surprising, but until the results prove it, some people will always doubt whether there are other considerations involved, or whether Yanagawa can really shoulder such a heavy responsibility.

However, when the incident ended in this way, involving top secrets such as the Royal Seal, a direct confrontation with the fully-formed Hyōrinmaru took place.

They ultimately succeeded in dispersing the external forces, rescuing the two individuals involved, and forcing Central 46 to change its decision.

All previous doubts and hesitations vanished in the face of irrefutable facts.

This young Grim Reaper named Yanagawa proved with his actions that he deserved this honor.

He demonstrated not only formidable strength, but also a calm and wise mind, and a profound insight into rules and phenomena.

When the captains and vice-captains of the Gotei 13 looked at Yanagawa again, their gazes were completely different from before.

Chapter 26 Tosen's Past

Deep within the Seireitei, in a hidden room shrouded by multiple layers of isolation barriers.

The room was dimly lit, and three figures sat around an old-fashioned stone table.

Seated in the center is Aizen Sousuke, the captain of the Fifth Division.

He had already removed the gentle and refined smiling mask he wore during the day; behind his glasses, his eyes were like an unfathomable, icy pool.

Unconsciously, his fingers traced light strokes on the smooth surface of the stone table, as if he were deducing an invisible chess game.

On the left, the Third Division Captain, Gin Ichimaru, still wore that foxy smile that seemed to be forever on his face, his narrowed eyes occasionally flashing with a sharp glint in the dim light.

He leaned back in his chair with a relaxed posture, one hand supporting his chin, the other fiddling with the hilt of the spear at his waist.

On the right, the captain of the Ninth Division, Kaname Tosen, stood upright. Although he was blind, the swastika earring trembled slightly, indicating that he was perceiving everything around him in a way that transcended sight.

“…The Royal Seal.” Aizen spoke slowly, breaking the silence.

His voice wasn't loud, but it possessed a unique magnetism, echoing clearly in the enclosed space; each word seemed to have been carefully considered.

"The power of the royal seal is indeed not to be underestimated."

Gin Ichimaru let out a soft, ambiguous laugh:

"Oh dear, that sounds dangerous~ What if that power hadn't landed on Hyōrinmaru, but instead landed on some unlucky guy in Seireitei?"

Or... if some opportunistic person happens to seize the opportunity, that would be quite a mess, wouldn't it, Captain Aizen?

His words were loaded with meaning, and he narrowed his eyes as he looked at Aizen.

Aizen remained noncommittal, simply stating, "There may be those who are willing, but to catch and control that level of power is no easy task."

It's clear that Aizen wasn't actually that interested in the royal seal.

He paused, then shifted the topic to another key figure in the incident: "As for that newly promoted member of the Zero Squad, Yanagawa... Gin, what do you think?"

Gin Ichimaru stopped toying with the tsuba (handguard) of his sword. His smile remained, but the flippancy in his tone lessened slightly:

"Yanagawa-kun is quite an unexpected guy. He's been unknown in the Kido Clan for ten years, yet he's stirred up such a huge storm with just one move."

However, Tosen Kaname, who was sitting to Aizen's right, did not respond immediately, nor did he express his compliance with silence or a brief affirmation as usual.

He lowered his head, lost in some deeper thoughts.

Song Kuang.

That name, like a pebble that had been dormant at the bottom of a cold lake for many years, surfaced in his dark "vision".

That gentle, kind woman who firmly believed in the duties of a Shinigami and the order of the Soul Society, was his most important friend and also an indelible wound in his heart.

She died in the line of duty, killed in a Hollow attack—this is the official record, the cold and simplistic conclusion given by the Seireitei.

But he knew that the truth was far more complex and dark than that.

What killed Kagura was some deep-rooted corruption and injustice within the Soul Society, disguised as "rules" and "privileges".

What punishment did the real murderer who caused Kagaku's death, the man from the prestigious Tsunayo family, one of the five noble families, ultimately receive?

There were no serious crimes, no fair trials, and even public accountability was rare.

Simply because he was a member of the Tsunayoshiro family, his crimes were lightly covered up and downplayed, and ultimately went unpunished.

So-called "justice" and "law" appear so pale and powerless, so hypocritical, in the face of aristocratic privilege.

Do these 46 rooms truly represent "justice"?

Is the "order" and "rules" they keep talking about truly for the stability of Soul Society, or are they for protecting their own vested interests and privileged status, as well as those of the privileged class behind them?

This problem, like a poisonous thorn, has been buried deep in Tosen Kaname's heart for many years.

The "Twin Hyōrinmaru" incident serves as a mirror, once again reflecting the disgusting face of the 46th Chamber.

In order to eliminate anomalies and maintain stability, they can decide without hesitation to have two innocent Grim Reapers engage in a life-or-death duel.

The winners survive, the losers are utterly annihilated.

If it weren't for the intervention of Yanagawa, a variable with the identity of the Zero Squad.

The fates of Hitsugaya Toshiro and Kusakabe Sojiro are predictable.

Liu Chuan's interference disrupted the established script of Room 46.

He not only saved the two boys, but also, in a sense, mocked the seemingly irrefutable rules and authority of Room 46 through his actions.