Souls can die too.
And death means complete annihilation.
Their bodies, including their clothing, would dissolve into spiritual particles and disappear.
However, this process usually takes some time.
As Ikkaku Madarame had pointed out, for them to start dissolving into spiritual particles immediately after death... there could only be one explanation.
The force that caused their deaths had far exceeded the tolerance limits of their souls.
A mere disturbance in spiritual particles could not have caused this.
The atmosphere at the scene was heavy with tension.
At this moment, the captain of the 3rd Division, Gin Ichimaru, unexpectedly arrived.
"Captain Ichimaru!" The gathered team members greeted him with respect.
"Oh my, oh my, it seems something quite serious has happened here..."Gin's hands were hidden within his sleeves as he took a step forward, positioning himself right in the middle of the corpses.
"How terrifying... The bodies are already starting to dissolve so quickly..."
As he spoke, he suddenly seemed to notice Tōshirō Hitsugaya, showing a surprised expression. "Oh, Captain Hitsugaya? You're as swift as ever, I see."
Hitsugaya gazed at him coldly, remaining silent.
Rangiku Matsumoto lowered her eyes without saying a word.
At this moment, Gin's gaze shifted to Segawa Shigure, and he smiled. "The situation here seems quite tricky. So, newly appointed Vice-Captain Segawa... do you have any clues to offer regarding this tragedy that befell your team members?"
His words immediately drew the attention of many.
Before Shigure could respond, Shion Fushimi quietly answered from the side:
"Captain Ichimaru... When we were attacked, Vice-Captain Segawa had been summoned by Captain Hitsugaya, so he wasn't at the scene..."
Upon hearing this, Gin's eyes opened slightly, and his smile widened.
"Oh, is that so? What a coincidence... At the exact time when the team members were attacked, the vice-captain responsible for leading the patrol team suddenly left his post..."
His words caused a noticeable change in the expressions of several people.
Gin's statement was a clear insinuation, directing suspicion towards Shigure.
At this moment, Hitsugaya spoke, his gaze sharp. "Gin, are you accusing him?"
Gin immediately made an exaggerated gesture, quickly replying, "Ah, Captain Hitsugaya, no need to look so scary... It's just that this does seem like quite the coincidence, doesn't it?"
Hitsugaya's face remained dark and somber, and he did not respond.
He had originally sought out Shigure to discuss matters concerning Momo Hinamori, which was why he had decided to pull Shigure aside for a private conversation.
But no matter how he looked at it now, the timing of this incident was far too coincidental.
Shigure looked calmly at Gin, who continued, "So, Vice-Captain Segawa, do you have any explanation for such a coincidence?"
Shigure's face remained composed, and he did not respond.
Because he understood—this was no coincidence.
When he heard Gin's earlier words, Shigure became even more certain of his previous suspicion.
This was a scheme.
Aizen Sōsuke, Gin Ichimaru, Kaname Tōsen...
Although he didn't know which one of them had killed those six team members, it was undoubtedly one of them.
With their Reiatsu Concealing Attire, they could easily hide their spiritual pressure and presence, launching a stealthy and unnoticed attack.
And with their captain-level strength, it was natural that their attacks would far exceed the tolerance limits of those 5th Division members' souls.
Gin and Shigure locked eyes, and the atmosphere grew tense as no one spoke. The scene felt as though it might erupt into conflict at any moment.
Just then, a gentle voice broke the silence.
"Captain Ichimaru, please refrain from casting such doubts on my vice-captain."
Shun!
As the voice fell, a figure clad in a white captain's haori appeared on the scene with a flash step.
The number on his back was "5."
It was the 5th Division Captain, Aizen Sōsuke.
Upon seeing him, the team members from various divisions immediately bowed and greeted him loudly.
"Captain Aizen!"
Gin's expression, however, remained unchanged. "Ah, Captain Aizen, this is quite the significant incident involving the deaths of Gotei 13 members. You wouldn't let personal bias... shield your own team members, would you?"
Aizen smiled gently. "Captain Ichimaru, allow me to correct your misunderstanding. Without concrete evidence, please refrain from using the term 'shielding.' "
He then turned to Hitsugaya and asked, "What do you think, Captain Hitsugaya?"
Hitsugaya raised his eyes slightly and replied calmly, "I trust Segawa."
At the end of the day, Hitsugaya felt he bore some responsibility for this incident.
If he hadn't insisted on taking Shigure away, perhaps this tragedy could have been avoided.
After all, with Shigure's strength, Hitsugaya believed he would have been capable of protecting those team members.
Hearing Hitsugaya's words, Shigure smiled faintly.
Gin, however, suddenly adopted a tone of mock disappointment. "Oh dear, it seems my perspective isn't very welcome here..."
His face remained an enigmatic smile, devoid of any clear emotion.
But Shigure understood.
Gin's earlier remarks had already influenced the judgment of many present.
And this... was likely part of their plan as well.
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