Bleach: No cheat codes, he joined Aizen's side.

Chapter 186, Section 184: Investigate! We must investigate!

"A member of the Ukitake family was killed by the Shinigami of our Toukai-shu?"
Do you want to hear what you're saying?

When Higashino Shuichi learned of the news, he was at the Sword Hunters' camp, reviewing the information he had just obtained from the Twelfth Division and Tsunayoshi Tokinada regarding the former captain of the Twelfth Division, Miyazaki Sakai Masato.

"The truth is indeed somewhat unbelievable, but Ukitake Sama did only say the three words 'Togaishu' before he died, so we have reason to suspect that the members of Togaishu are related to his death."

Standing in the hall, a Grim Reaper in a special uniform looked at Higashino Shuichi and spoke.

This is a Shinigami belonging to the Special Operations Squad of the First Division. Kisaragi Shusuke's father, Kisaragi Hata, was once a member of this squad.

"So what? What are you planning to do if it really was us, the Sword Hunters, who did it?"

Higashino Shuichi closed the documents in his hand, raised his head, and looked at the Grim Reaper in front of him.

"It's nothing much. We just need Kisaragi Shusuke and Matsumoto Rangiku from your Touken Shaku, as well as Nagasawa Satomi, to cooperate with the investigation. As far as we know, they all have a motive."

The Grim Reaper fearlessly met Higashino Shuichi's gaze.

"hehe."

A disdainful laugh came from inside the room.

"what are you laughing at?"

The Shinigami from the First Division frowned and questioned him with displeasure.

"I'm laughing. Your method of forging an imperial edict is rather clumsy. This isn't the exact message your captain wanted you to convey to me, is it?"

"Are you kidding me? Higashino Hidden Blade Hunter?"

This is not funny at all. What I said is exactly what the commander-in-chief told me to convey, word for word!

"That's what the Grim Reaper from the First Division said firmly."

"Then I'll trouble you to go back and tell your Captain-Commander exactly what happened. We, the Sword Hunters, are taking over this matter. You Shinigami of the Gotei 13 no longer need to concern yourselves with this incident!"

"Higashino Shuichi replied."

"You Sword Hunters are trying to shirk responsibility and cover up your own mistakes?"

This is impossible! "

To everyone's surprise, the Shinigami from the First Division reacted extremely fiercely.

But Shuichi Higashino wasn't going to tolerate this Grim Reaper.

“Nothing is impossible. I believe the Captain-Commander is a reasonable person. Of course, the premise is that you will really convey everything I told you to Captain-Commander Yamamoto without missing a single word.”

Judging from your expression, I think it might be a bit risky. But I don't have many other merits, except that I like to do good deeds. I can give you this opportunity to convey my meaning. I hope you can seize it. Kuchiki Echo River~"

To be honest, if Kuchiki Hibiki hadn't appeared in front of him today, Higashino Shuichi would have almost forgotten that this person existed.

According to the original plot, Kuchiki Sōjun's son-in-law, who was also Kuchiki Byakuya's brother-in-law, should have been imprisoned in the Abyss decades ago, before Urahara Kisuke's "betrayal."

However, due to the butterfly effect caused by Higashino Shuichi, Kuchiki Kyouga, who should have been in the Abyss, is not only staying outside, but also, due to the successive deaths of the Kuchiki family heads and the blatant wolfish ambitions of the Tsuna-Yayo family, Kuchiki Kyouga, whose personality is already somewhat extreme, is very unhappy with the Tsuna-Yayo family.

As a result, even Higashino Shuichi, a recognized lackey of the Tsunayo family, was resented by Kuchiki Hibiki.

As a staunch supporter of the existing order, Kuchiki Hibiki vowed that if he had the chance, he would definitely remove Higashino Shuichi, the right-hand man of the Tsunayo family, and it would be best if he could find a way to lock Higashino Shuichi up in the Abyss.

After all, if it's just banishment to the mortal world, the Tsunayo family has plenty of ways to bring Higashino Shuichi back.

Of course, this is only one aspect of the reason, and not the main basis for Higashino Shuichi's judgment. Higashino Shuichi's main basis is Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, who, despite having many negative labels, is stubborn and unyielding.

However, it also has some advantages. For example, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, as the most upright person, would never stoop to doing something like making a judgment before the matter has been settled.

Unless this matter has crossed his bottom line, such as the Hollowfied Shinigami incident.

That was one of the few times Yamamoto made a decision before the chain of evidence was complete.

But this incident has clearly not reached that level yet.

It was just a minor figure from the Ukitake family who died.

Is the situation serious?
Of course it's serious. For the Soul Society, the death of any noble, even a former noble, is a serious event.

However, because of this incident, he fell out with Higashino Shuichi, the Tsunayo family he represented, and a group of nobles.
You don't have to.

Higashino Shuichi did not believe that Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekaku would make such an unwise move.

If Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekaku had done this, he wouldn't have agreed to Higashino Shuichi's innocence and the formation of the Toukai-shu in the first place.

Therefore, Higashino Shuichi concluded that Kuchiki Kyoga was merely using this as an excuse to make a fuss.

This son-in-law of the Kuchiki family is so eager for the Kuchiki family to improve!
"you"

As expected, after discovering that Higashino Shuichi was completely unresponsive, Kuchiki Kyoga was at his wit's end.

Although he was somewhat impulsive, he wasn't stupid. He knew the difference in strength between himself and Higashino Shuichi. Since Higashino Shuichi had made it clear that he didn't intend to hand over the person, he couldn't possibly force the person to leave.

After all, Captain-Commander Yamamoto's original words were not exactly what he said, but rather he directly handed over the authority to handle this matter to the Sword Hunters.

This is precisely what Kuchiki Hibiki couldn't understand.

What exactly does the captain want to do?
Doesn't the commander-in-chief see the consequences of doing this?

If the Sword Hunters become too powerful, given the Tsunayo family's style of doing things, the Gotei 13's position in Soul Society will become precarious in the future.

Kuchiki Hibiki glared angrily at Higashino Shuichi again, but ultimately couldn't muster another tough word and slunk away from the Sword Hunters' encampment.

He planned to tell Kuchiki Byakuya what had happened today, that the Great Sword Hunter, Higashino Shuichi, was becoming increasingly arrogant, and to see what kind of people Higashino Shuichi had recruited for his sword-hunting crew.

They were all traitors from Soul Society, except for one who didn't seem to be one. His original identity was that of a Fullbringer from the human world, someone whom Soul Society also disliked.

After Kuchiki Kyoga left, Kisaragi Shusuke and Matsumoto Rangiku went to Higashino Shuichi's lounge.

"Sir, we are absolutely certain that the death of Ukitake Sama and the recent disappearances of those Shinigami have nothing to do with us. Someone is definitely trying to take advantage of our return to cause trouble and use our already poor reputation in Soul Society to hide their actions!"

As soon as she entered the room, Kisaragi Shusuke couldn't wait to tell Higashino Shuichi everything she had guessed.

"Yes, Lord Shuuichi, there must be someone behind this incident who is deliberately trying to smear us. Otherwise, why not kill us sooner or later, but wait until Shuuichi and I return to Soul Society to do so?"

I think there must be a conspiracy behind this!

Matsumoto Rangiku then shared her own assessment, which was largely consistent with Kisaragi Shusuke's.

At the same time, their thoughts coincided with those of Higashino Hideichi. However, Higashino Hideichi saw things more clearly than Ruki Shusuke and the others.

Although he had not been to the scene and had only heard Kuchiki Kyoga's description, Higashino Shuichi was already certain that the appearance of the words "Toukai-shu" from Ukitake Sama's mouth was most likely not something the murderer had expected.

Because the latest issue of the Seireitei Newsletter, which was protected by Ukitake Sama and ultimately only partially damaged, contained suggestions made by Higashino Shuichi to Tsunayoshiro Kanbara.

If one reads this latest Seireitei Newsletter, and considering that Ukitake Sama himself is not aligned with the Ukitake family but rather stands with the Tsunayashiro family, then Ukitake Sama's final cry of "Sword Hunters" might very well have been merely a response to Tsunayashiro Kanbara's appeal.

Therefore, it is highly unlikely that the murderer planned this in advance to pin the blame on the Touki-shu.

However, the timing of the murderer's choice is indeed very intriguing.

Why did it have to be at the exact moment that Kisaragi Shusuke and Matsumoto Rangiku returned to Soul Society?

Investigate! Investigate thoroughly!

Shuichi Higashino firmly believes that there is definitely a mysterious troublemaker hiding in the Soul Society right now.

This is absolutely intolerable to Shuichi Higashino.

One Aizen and one Tsunayoshiro Tokinada are one thing, but that's unavoidable and inconvenient.

But what is this new troublemaker up to?

What is his purpose?
These are all things that Higashino Shuichi absolutely needs to know.

He can refrain from taking action after understanding the situation clearly, as long as the other party's core demands do not conflict with what he plans to do in the future.

However, Higashino Shuichi absolutely could not allow a bomb to be hidden behind him that could explode at any time, especially now, at this crucial moment when he planned to use his Quincy clone to lure the former Soul Society 12th Division Captain Miyazaki Sakai Masato into a trap. Higashino Shuichi did not want any accidents to happen.

"Whether it's a conspiracy or not, we'll only know after we investigate. I've already sent Kuchiki Hiyori from the previous First Squad back to tell Captain-Commander Yamamoto that this matter is now being handled by our Sword Hunters."

"Perfect timing, Shusuke and Rangiku, you two just got back. You two will be in charge of investigating this incident."

Higashino instructed Kisaragi Shusuke and Matsumoto Rangiku.

"What about the daily affairs of the Sword Hunters and their connections with the Tsuna Yayo family?"

Rangiku asked, resting her chin on her hand.

She was asking about the duties that Higashino Shuichi had assigned to her after she joined the Sword Hunters.

As the vice-captain of the 10th Division in the original storyline, Higashino Shuichi naturally had great faith in Matsumoto Rangiku's "management skills".

"Let Rimi take over for now. As long as no new incidents occur, Rimi should be able to handle it."

"That's what I'm saying," Higashino Shuichi replied.

The main reason is that the daily affairs of the Sword Hunting Clan are very few now because there are so few people. They mainly help Higashino Shuichi deal with some situations with the Daylight Squad and convey the instructions of the Tsuna Yayo family.

Therefore, it shouldn't be too much of a problem to let Satomi Nagasawa take charge for a short period of time.

Seeing that Higashino Shuichi had arranged everything, Kisaragi Shusuke and Matsumoto Rangiku did not insist on anything anymore. Shusuke, in particular, never questioned Higashino Shuichi's orders and simply followed them.

After watching the two leave from his lounge, Higashino Shuichi did not continue studying the information on the former captain of the 12th Division.

Instead, she got up and left her own lounge, heading towards the center of Seireitei.

That was the family residence of the Tsunayo family.

However, this time, what Higashino Shuichi came here to find was not Tsunayoshiro Kanbara, but Tsunayoshiro Tokinada.

As of now, few people in the Soul Society realize the power of the Video Studio.

Furthermore, the Video Hall has long been controlled by the Tsunayo family, so even members of the Central 46 Chambers, captains of the Gotei 13, or even Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, don't find it easy to enter the Video Hall.

Unless they intend to force their way in.

That's why Gangya Shigeki-nada was able to enjoy the benefits of the times for so long.

But Higashino Shuichi was different. Faced with an incident where evidence and clues were extremely scarce, his first reaction was to look for the video recording.

For Shuichi Higashino, the video hall was like the Skynet system from his previous life.

He believed that no matter how cunning the mastermind was, he would not be able to escape the surveillance of the video hall.

Even Aizen didn't realize he had been under surveillance all along. If he hadn't entered the Great Spirit Book Corridor and learned about the existence of the Reflection Hall, he wouldn't be as cautious as he is now.

To Higashino Shuichi's surprise, he was rejected by Tsunayoshi Tokinada.

"why?"

Higashino Shuichi sat opposite Tsunayoshi Tokina and questioned the latter.

Since the last grand plan to enter Hueco Mundo failed before it even began, Tsunayoshi Tokinada has been in a long period of calm. For more than seven years, he has not taken the initiative to see Higashino Shuichi even once, to the point that Higashino Shuichi still cannot understand what Tsunayoshi Tokinada is thinking.

"Because I think it would be more interesting if you discovered the truth of this matter yourself."

Higashino Shuichi was stunned again.

So it turns out that Tsunayoshi Tokinada didn't want to show it to him, but that this guy had already seen it before?

"I knew this guy had a serious voyeuristic streak!"

Higashino Shuichi internally expressed his views to Tsunayoshi Tokinada with a fierce tone.

Doesn't Tsunayoshi Tokina know that he hates being kept in suspense the most?

"Interesting? I don't need anything interesting. I just hope this incident can be resolved as soon as possible."

Higashino Shuichi snorted coldly.

However, Higashino Shuichi's appeals were destined to be fruitless in Tsunayoshiro's place.

Because Tsunayoshi Tokinada did see something in that video that he found very interesting, he felt that this incident might also become an opportunity.

So in the end, Higashino Shuichi temporarily put aside his work and mobilized the students of the Daylight Class to help him collect a list and detailed information of people who had mysteriously disappeared in Rukongai and Seireitei in recent years.

At the same time, a day later, he arrived at the izakaya where Ukitake Sama had enjoyed himself with his friends that night.

Higashino Shuichi also became somewhat curious about the interesting things that Tsunayoshi Tokichi mentioned.

(End of this chapter)