"Emergency treatment..."
"Too much blood loss..."
"Increase output! Don't give up at a time like this!"
"Use spiritual power to form pathways, mimic what Captain Arima did before... at least we need to maintain the heartbeat first!"
"What? Can't do it? I... damn it! Can't we Soul Reapers even do something like this?!"
"Hey! Someone brought Quincies over. Quickly make way!"
"How can we let enemies help us at a time like this?! Don't talk nonsense, quickly take these people away! If you interfere with Captain Unohana... I'll kill you all right here!"
"But there's no other way now, right? Don't insist on such meaningless things, saving people is the most important thing right now!"
"Move aside... everyone move aside! Captain Kuchiki, this isn't the time to be willful!"
"Huh? Wait wait wait... arguing shouldn't be at a time like this! Make those two who are already fighting stop!"
"Why can they argue over eyebrows? Captain-Commander, where did the Captain-Commander go?!"
...
In a daze, Seiya felt his body constantly rising and falling, drifting.
He seemed to be soaking in gel-like liquid, his body slowly, gradually sinking with gravity.
But it was as if countless hands were grasping his body at this moment, constantly pulling in the opposite direction...
His body felt like it was about to be torn apart, waves of sour and swollen pain coming through.
Fatigue...
The powerlessness welling up from the depths of his heart, and the hollow feeling as if after 'achieving his goal,' completely wrapped around Seiya's thoughts at this moment.
He really wanted to keep sinking like this, wandering in this boundless freedom.
But those voices that faintly emerged made his mood change subtly.
'Don't die...'
He couldn't tell who was speaking.
How many faces flashed before his eyes?
Seiya looked at these faces, some familiar, some strange, including some that seemed familiar... until finally his body suddenly became light.
His entire being seemed reborn, welcoming a rising sense of lightness.
Opening his eyes again.
What met his gaze was an extremely unfamiliar ceiling.
Seiya's gaze was somewhat vacant, as if he were a time traveler completely unable to accept or understand the current situation, just staring blankly for a long time...
Until bits and pieces of memory surfaced, only then did he belatedly turn his head to look beside him.
It wasn't hard to see this was a temporarily constructed camp.
Whether it was the tent used for shelter or the tables and chairs placed beside it, everything emphasized an 'emergency' posture.
Seiya didn't care much about these things. After observing for a while, he quickly withdrew his gaze.
What he cared about was another person lying beside the bed.
It was a woman who didn't exist in his memory.
Her hair was tied in a bun, she was petite, leaning toward a more frail posture.
Her face showed visible fatigue, as if she was now resting briefly due to physiological needs.
Seiya saw the wooden nameplate hanging on her right arm.
It had the character '5' written on it.
"..."
Was this person taking care of him?
Before he could say anything, an abrupt voice came from above.
"Already awake? Faster than we imagined."
"Worthy of that man's final arrangements... it seems your body still has more research potential."
"But before that, please come over first, we have many things to discuss with you."
...What person?
Seiya silently raised his head.
He saw a speaker-like device placed right in the center of the ceiling.
At the same time.
In the laboratory, staring at the screen in front of him, Mayuri, who no longer had the leisure to apply makeup, was now holding his communicator.
Continuing to speak.
"I know you have many doubts, so to exchange information and reach consensus as quickly as possible... I think we should all hurry up."
"Although it's a bit late, self-introduction is also an essential part."
"It probably isn't our first meeting, I'm called Mayuri, and I'm also the captain of the 12th Division."
Momo, who had been dozing nearby, was almost instantly awakened.
She made "ah ah ah" sounds somewhat at a loss, but quickly noticed Seiya's gaze, swallowing back all the remaining sounds.
"Um... Captain Ar... ah no! Mr. Seiya, are you awake?"
Without immediately answering, Seiya just stared at her face, then frowned slightly and said:
"Do you... know me?"
Visibly.
Her expression became indescribably vacant, as if she had received some blow. Her lips immediately pressed tight, and her body began to tremble slightly.
Disbelief?
Perhaps even this wasn't enough to describe one thousandth of her current state.
After a brief yet lengthy pause.
She raised her slightly lowered head again, forcing a smile from the corner of her mouth. Seiya could see the slight glimmer of tears in her eyes.
"Yes, I know you!"
"I've heard of your deeds, and I know what you've done."
"I, I... I can get to know you again, and I think, this is also good."
A somewhat indescribable sourness in his heart.
But he couldn't investigate it deeply, because at the same time...
A rustling sound came, the door beside him was pushed open, and another tall, cold woman stood there.
Different from traditional Soul Reaper attire, her hip-hugging skirt outfit was quite eye-catching... but it only caught Seiya's attention for a moment.
Because his expression began to look somewhat strange.
Raising his right hand slightly, he gently pressed his temple, letting out a thoughtful sound.
Here it comes again... this familiar yet strange sense of unfamiliarity.
"Mr. Arima, I am Captain Mayuri's assistant, Nemu. I'm now here to take you to where the captain is... are you available?"
No room for refusal.
Seiya lowered his right hand, nodding slightly in response.
The two left the room without looking back, with Momo following far behind, seeming to want to say something but unable to find an opening.
After stepping into the corridor outside.
There were... surprisingly many people outside.
All were people dressed quite strangely. Compared to the 'Soul Reaper' image in his memory, these people's attire seemed more casual.
Seiya showed quite curious eyes.
But these people all avoided his gaze, as if they were ashamed, or more like some subtle emotion was brewing in the crowd.
With strange thoughts, Seiya left the corridor like this.
"Mr. Arima, you're quite curious, aren't you?"
Nemu suddenly spoke. After pondering for a moment, he nodded slightly and said:
"Yes... I don't understand why you all show such expressions."
"Because everyone thinks they owe you something... I think the same way about this."
Is that so.
But unfortunately.
"I have no memory of this aspect..."
Raising his hand, pointing to his temple.
Seiya's tone had an indescribably subtle feeling.
"I can feel that some things have been clearly removed from my memory. This should be content related to you all, right?"
Within the known range.
No one could do such things.
Unless one did it to oneself... precisely because of this, Seiya came to the following conclusion.
"My main body, no... or rather, before the split, I should have done something beforehand... although I don't understand the meaning, but he must have had his purpose."
Although Nemu hadn't turned back, her tone now carried some emotional fluctuation.
"Regardless of your thoughts, even if it's just these people's self-redemption... they will spontaneously reflect on their behavior."
"Is that so?"
Pausing for a moment.
Seiya no longer dwelled on it.
"Then do as you please."
Not far behind.
A woman with trimmed silver short hair and tall figure seemed unable to endure the emotion in her heart any longer, covering her face with both hands at this moment, beginning to sob softly.
A woman with a compassionate appearance beside her sighed lightly, embracing her and beginning to comfort her quietly.
A guy with a fox head seemed unable to tolerate this atmosphere.
Snorting at this moment, he stepped forward toward the direction Seiya had left.
But before he could take two steps, another guy with yellow hair blocked his path.
"Komamura, what are you going to do?"
This guy showed quite a ferocious expression, just like a canine about to go crazy and bite people.
"Move aside! Shinji! I want to make that guy remember his former companions, this situation is too unreasonable!"
Shinji calmly raised his head, his tone showing no fluctuation at this moment.
"Although I want to do the same thing. But from our position, can we still say such shameless things now...?"
Pausing for a moment.
He softly added:
"The death sentence for Seiya was the result of everyone's vote, right? In other words, it was our choice that got that guy hanged. Now... do we still want him to get to know us again?"
Although thick skin is also a talent.
But...
"I always feel this kind of thing is too underhanded, right?"
We're the ones who did wrong, and now we still want to use a kind attitude to cover up past events... such shameless behavior.
Really despicable.
Komamura fell silent for a moment, his expression becoming increasingly ferocious, his fists clenched and trembling.
"Then, then just watch these people be sad?!"
Another short man stepped forward, crossing his arms while frowning and saying:
"Discussing such things is meaningless... since that guy has already awakened, we have other things to be busy with. Don't crowd around here."
Hitsugaya turned his gaze to his side.
His lieutenant Matsumoto nodded slightly, running into the room to bring out Momo, who was also starting to wipe away tears.
Everyone began to disperse, except for one pale-faced man who still stood near the corridor.
His body was wrapped in multiple layers of bandages, and even wearing a loose haori couldn't hide the wounds and scars on his neck.
His lips, pale from blood loss, even had a slight dazed feeling.
Renji said carefully beside him:
"Captain... shall we go back too?"
"You go first."
Byakuya leaned against the corridor, slowly closing his eyes. His lips pressed inward, as if enduring something...
Until faint blood traces spilled from his lips.
"..."
Renji began to struggle again, scratching his head.
Although directly following the captain's orders to leave would be the correct choice, he quickly remembered Rukia's request.
—My brother easily makes impulsive and irrational behaviors in such matters, so I can only ask you at times like this!
No choice.
The combination of brother-in-law + immediate superior was just this troublesome!
On the other side.
Seiya, unaware of so many things happening behind him, after a winding journey, also learned from Nemu about everything that had happened during his unconsciousness.
It had already been a full two days.
"To wake you up again, Soul Reapers and Quincies reached a cooperative relationship."
"We used almost everything we had, and finally succeeded in repairing the defects in your heart..."
"This was a complex surgery completed through cooperation between Captain Mayuri and Urahara Kisuke. According to both parties' descriptions... even if it can't compare to the original, the effect and compatibility are definitely above 99%."
Injuries.
Seiya belatedly lowered his head to look at his chest.
The chest that had originally been pierced, showing a hole, had now been completely filled and returned to its complete contour.
Except for slight changes in skin due to pigment deposits, almost no 'differences' could be seen.
Very impressive technique.
While impressed, Seiya didn't forget to continue asking:
"What about Yhwach?"
He had personally defeated him, even beaten him into pulp at the end... these memories were still in his mind, naturally making it a matter of considerable concern.
Nemu said without turning back:
"Unfortunately, he escaped."
"...Why?"
"Not clear, and this is also an important reason why we need you to discuss."
She suddenly stopped, and after operating at the door in front, the emergency isolation door opened.
Seiya met the gazes of the people inside.
Mayuri at the front half-turned his head, saying in a flat tone:
"I heard all your discussion, so... let me announce a result first."
"What can currently be confirmed is... that guy escaped back to the Wandenreich through unknown means."
"At the same time, the device we implanted in a certain royal guard member's body also gave feedback."
Pausing for a moment, Mayuri said word by word:
"Yhwach has been revived again."
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Powerstones?
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