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

Chapter 188, Section 186: The Unexpected Person
"Is that all you know?"

Sitting in the lobby of Koizumi Izakaya, Higashino Shuichi took a sip of his iced kikyo and looked at Rukia in front of him.

"Yes, Lord Shuichi, I just asked my colleagues at the izakaya, and that's all they know."

Rukia said somewhat timidly.

This was the first thing Higashino Shuichi did after promising to help her arrange a meeting with her sister, so Rukia naturally saw it as a test.

However, the answers I submitted on this exam paper were, to put it mildly, very poor.

Aside from the fact that Ukitake Sama was a Shinigami of the 10th Division and a lower-ranking nobleman, she knew nothing else.

The same goes for my other colleagues at the izakaya.

As for guests like Ukitake Sama, who usually don't cause trouble or have any particular quirks in izakayas, they really don't have any special impression of them.

Not to mention trying to find out information about Ukitake Sama and the others.

But this puzzled Shuichi Higashino.

According to the investigation report from Kisaragi Shusuke, Ukitake Sama and his friends who are still missing are a group of like-minded "office workers" who just lie around doing nothing. Their daily routine consists of going to work on time and leaving get off work on time. Apart from occasionally getting together at this izakaya, they don't have any other hobbies.

If they didn't offend someone in this izakaya, then it couldn't be a coincidence that they were being targeted, could it?

Higashino Shuichi didn't believe such a thing, because Ukitake Sama had only died after alerting the guards at the south gate of Seireitei.

In a typical non-premeditated crime, there's no need to take such a huge risk, especially when death could be at any moment, by choosing to kill Ukitake Sama.

Especially since this is the Soul Society, not the human world, for someone with the ability and absolute confidence to kill Ukitake Sama, a member of the 10th Division, before the guards at the South Gate can react, Higashino Shuichi has reason to believe that he must also be able to take Ukitake Sama's body away, thus delaying the time for the matter to be exposed.

But that person didn't do that.

This is enough to show that the person had their own considerations.

So, whatever their purpose in doing so, it is enough to show that Ukitake Sama and his friends were definitely not just targeting them on a whim.

But now, according to Rukia, Ukitake Sama and his friends are behaving normally in the izakaya. So, what is the reason that the person who killed Ukitake Sama targeted him?
"Shuichi, I remember now. That guy named Ukitake Sama seems to have a few friends in our izakaya. I can go ask them for you!"

Seeing Higashino Shuichi's troubled expression, Rukia thought he was criticizing her for not trying hard enough, so after racking her brains to recall something, she volunteered to Higashino Shuichi.

Does he have any other friends here?

"Higashino Shuichi asked."

This was information he hadn't yet obtained.

Wasn't it said that Ukitake Sama and his friends were all introverted people?
How can you make new friends in a place like this?

After listening to Rukia's explanation, Higashino Shuichi's lips twitched slightly.

No, Rukia, the definition of a friend isn't something you can just call a stranger after exchanging a few words.

Higashino Shuichi was finding it hard to keep up.

Actually, judging by the timeline, Rukia should be quite old, probably in her teens or twenties, right?

Compared to the long lifespan of Death, you're just like a child. It doesn't mean you're really an innocent little girl!

Well, Higashino Shuichi didn't intend to dampen Rukia's enthusiasm, so he simply let her try her best.

If this matter were to be truly resolved, all that would be needed is for Higashino Shuichi to produce alibis for Matsumoto Rangiku, Kisaragi Shusuke, and Nagasawa Satomi at the time of the incident. Given the current rules of Soul Society, proving innocence is actually quite simple, and most people would accept it without even bothering to delve into its deeper rationale.

However, Higashino Shuichi always felt that there was something fishy about Tsunayoshiro's attitude.

No matter how much he looked down on Tsunayoshi Tokinada, Higashino Shuichi still had to admit that the latter had some insight.

Therefore, Higashino got up, not intending to waste any more time in this izakaya. Since there were some things he couldn't understand in a short time, he wouldn't force himself to.

Higashino Shuichi himself doesn't have any obsessive-compulsive tendencies about doing everything himself. He could simply ask Aizen Sousuke to do something for him, which would be just as good.

As for Rukia, there's no need to wait until she finishes asking her questions.

Because through Rukia's description, Higashino Shuichi already knew that they were just a group of strangers who had a brief exchange with Ukitake Sama. What useful information could those people possibly have?
Higashino Shuichi planned to tell the other bartenders at the izakaya that he had already left.

However, just as Higashino Shuichi reached the door and was about to push open the curtain, the door to the private room in the corner opened, and Rukia came out while apologizing.

Of course, that's not the point. The point is that, after avoiding Rukia's figure, Higashino Shuichi saw a familiar figure that shouldn't be here.

"Why is he here?"

Higashino Shuichi thought, puzzled.

Then he withdrew his hand from the door curtain.

What is the best way to resolve confusion?
Higashino Shuichi replied, "Face it."

So Higashino Shuichi went straight to that room.

"Lord Shuichi? What brings you here? Oh, no, no, Lord Shuichi! This private room has been reserved by that guest."

Rukia was surprised to see Higashino Shuichi walk straight over, but when she realized that he had bypassed her and was heading straight for the private room, she immediately became nervous and tried to stop him.

If she lets other guests into the private room and a conflict breaks out, she can forget about getting her job at the izakaya afterwards.

But how could Rukia possibly be faster than Shuichi Higashino?

"There were no seats available outside, and I happened to see that your place was quite empty, so I took the liberty of coming in. I hope you don't mind."

Captain Gin Ichimaru~

Higashino Shuichi went directly to the private room and sat down opposite the silver-haired man, smiling as he spoke.

“Of course I don’t mind. In fact, this position was reserved for you, Commander Shuichi Higashino~” Gin Ichimaru seemed completely unsurprised by the arrival of Shuichi Higashino, his narrowed eyes holding his usual venomous smile as he spoke.

Little did anyone know that Rukia, who was at the door preparing to apologize to Gin Ichimaru for Higashino Shuichi's sudden intrusion, was completely stunned after hearing the way the two people addressed each other inside.

She was no longer the ignorant little girl who was just living a miserable life in the 78th district. After nearly a year in the first district of South Rukongai with Renji Abarai, Rukia had a clear understanding of the existence of the Shinigami and what the word "captain" meant in Soul Society and among the Shinigami.

Not just anyone can be called a captain.

As for the Great Sword Hunter, needless to say, thanks to the tireless propaganda offensive of the Tsuna-Yashiro family after Higashino Shuichi's return, who in the Soul Society doesn't know that there is a sword hunter in Seireitei who is at odds with the Gotei 13?
Rukia even heard that many notorious villains from the four major Rukongai outskirts were clamoring to join the Sword Hunters and fight against the Shinigami of the Gotei 13!

As the captain of the Sword Hunters, the title of Great Sword Hunter is not something that can be accepted by just anyone.

And now, what did Rukia hear?
Without Higashino Shuichi reminding her, Rukia immediately slammed the door shut.

"This must be a dream. Yes, I am dreaming. Otherwise, why would my sister, who has been missing for so long, suddenly reappear now?"
Otherwise, why would a captain of the Grim Reaper and a renowned sword-hunting commander of the Sword Hunters both come to this tiny izakaya I'm staying at?

Rukia leaned against the door, one hand covering her flat chest that seemed about to lose control, and whispered.

But it was clear from her trembling body that even she herself did not believe the lie she had just told herself.

"So what was I just doing? Worrying about a big shot like a Grim Reaper captain?"

Rukia felt that even if she told Renji everything that happened tonight after she got home from get off work, he might not believe her.

However, Rukia soon realized that her worries were not unfounded, since everyone was saying that the Sword Hunters were going to fight against the Gotei 13.
So, what kind of sparks will fly when the leader of the Sword Hunting Division and the captain of the Gotei 13 meet alone?
Lucia swallowed hard, feeling that with her limited imagination, it would be difficult to picture that scene.

In the worst-case scenario, they might be able to raze this izakaya to the ground.

No matter how turbulent the outside world was, the atmosphere inside remained strange from the moment Higashino Shuichi sat down and Rukia closed the door.

"Left for me? I'll just take that as a belief for now~"
"May I ask Captain Ichimaru a question? How did you know I was coming? We didn't arrange anything beforehand, did we?"

Higashino Shuichi took a wine glass and placed it in front of him, saying...

"Well then, you'd better not believe me, Commander Xiu Yida. But it's an honor to have you have a drink with me. At least, this should be considered the beginning of clearing up the misunderstanding between us?"

Gin Ichimaru poured half a glass for Shuichi Higashino and said.

Although Gin Ichimaru had planned to patch up his past mistakes in front of Shuichi Higashino several months earlier, Higashino only showed a relenting expression in front of all the captains on that day, without making any further promises, let alone taking the initiative to reconcile with Gin Ichimaru later.

Therefore, Gin Ichimaru's words may well contain some of his own true thoughts.

But there's only one.

At least from Gin Ichimaru's tone, Shuichi Higashino didn't detect a single hint that he wanted to make peace with him.

The reason Ichimaru Gin did that was simply to make it easier for him to ask Higashino Shuichi about Matsumoto Rangiku later.

Now that Matsumoto Rangiku has returned, whether or not the misunderstanding between him and Higashino Shuichi is resolved becomes irrelevant.

"Misunderstanding? Is there a misunderstanding between us?"

Higashino Shuichi replied with a forced smile.

In the current context, this sentence can be interpreted in two completely different ways.

One possibility is that Higashino Shuichi believed Ichimaru Gin's previous explanation and chose to believe that Ichimaru Gin was framed. So, by saying this now, he is giving himself a way out, which means he has reconciled with Ichimaru Gin.

The second possibility is that Higashino Shuichi simply didn't believe Ichimaru Gin's nonsense. Ichimaru Gin's misleading words that day had no effect on Higashino Shuichi. Higashino Shuichi always insisted that Ichimaru Gin was the culprit back then, so there was no misunderstanding between the two, and their feelings were genuine.

As to how to interpret it specifically, Higashino Shuichi handed the choice to Ichimaru Gin.

"Mmm, delicious~ Is this ice crystal lily root?"

Higashino Shuichi took a small sip of the wine in his glass and let out a sigh.

"Yes, it's Ice Crystal Bellflower. Speaking of which, Commander Xiuyi, you came here to investigate the noble murder case from two days ago, right?"

Gin Ichimaru was a smart man. He knew that he absolutely could not answer this kind of question. Before Shuichi Higashino had fully expressed his opinion, any answer he gave would be extremely disadvantageous to him. Therefore, Gin Ichimaru chose to change the subject.

However, this way of changing the subject was a little awkward, but fortunately, Higashino Shuichi had received professional training.

"What else could I possibly want to do by suddenly visiting this izakaya in Rukongai?"

"I can't possibly end up like you, can I?"

Higashino Shuichi was still pulling at it.

But Gin Ichimaru ignored it.

"Well then, I have a little bit of information that I've gathered that I hope can be of help to Commander Xiuyi Dadao. That's my answer, how about it?"

Higashino Shuichi looked at the booklet that Ichimaru Gin handed him. It contained some notes that Ichimaru Gin had written down, and it couldn't possibly have been forged on the spot.

So, Gin Ichimaru is also investigating this izakaya?
That would be really interesting.
Doesn't Higashino Shuichi know who Ichimaru Gin is?
For Gin Ichimaru to be involved in an investigation, it could mean either that Aizen instructed him to do so, or that this izakaya (Japanese pub) is related to Aizen.

However, considering that Gin Ichimaru has always adhered to the principle of killing Aizen himself, even though this matter seems to fit Aizen's style of doing things, Shuichi Higashino automatically ruled out the latter.

If it were truly related to Aizen, then Gin Ichimaru would never have been so generous in sharing the information.

So the answer is obvious: Aizen instructed Gin Ichimaru to come and investigate.

What exactly happened that alarmed even Aizen?

Higashino Shuichi discovered that there was indeed more to this matter than met the eye.

It's no wonder that even Tsunayoshi Tokinada, who may have already seen some of the events through the film screenings, found it interesting.

Higashino Shuichi felt that he would have to find a way to meet Aizen tonight, otherwise he wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully.

(End of this chapter)