Watching Aizen's departing figure and thinking about his earlier words, a powerful impulse rose within Renji.
'So someone is manipulating the events surrounding Rukia from behind the scenes?' Renji thought to himself.
The more Renji thought about it, the more plausible Aizen's words seemed.
'That would mean Rukia is innocent. The reason she's in this situation is because someone is framing her from behind.'
'In that case... then... I must save Rukia!'
'Yes! I will save Rukia!' Renji firmly resolved.
At that moment, the announcement for the emergency Captain's Meeting sounded once more.
'Right! If there's a Captain's meeting... Lieutenants have to attend too!' Renji suddenly realized.
Although Lieutenants couldn't participate in the Captain's Meeting, they needed to accompany their Captains to the 1st Division and attend a separate Lieutenant's Meeting presided over by the 1st Division;s Lieutenant.
Thinking this, Renji had to temporarily set aside the matter of Rukia and hurriedly head towards the 1st Division.
…
1st Division.
Renji rushed down the corridor, heading towards the Second Waiting Room.
"Really, what's with calling a meeting and making us wear the Lieutenant's insignia?" Renji grumbled as he ran, fastening the insignia to his left arm.
Renji hadn't been carrying his insignia earlier, so he had to make a special trip back to the 6th Division.
"Tell me about it. This is the first time I've encountered being forced to wear the insignia too," The one who spoke is Iba Tetsuzaemon, the Lieutenant of the 7th Division. He's catching up to Renji as he ran.
"Oh, right. The order said Lieutenants must wear their insignias and report to the Second Waiting Room, correct?" Tetsuzaemon asked.
"Yeah, that's right," Renji replied.
Second Waiting Room.
"What's going on? No one's here. Are we the first ones?" Seeing the empty waiting room, Renji couldn't help but comment.
"Who could blame them? Captains and Lieutenants are scattered all over the Soul Society, busy with their duties. Gathering everyone would take at least half a day, right?" Rangiku said as she walked in.
"Our Captain is unreachable too. It's so annoying. I don't even know if he'll make it to the Captain's Meeting on time," Rangiku tugged at her golden hair, sounding somewhat irritated.
"Don't worry, Lieutenant Matsumoto. I think I saw Captain Hitsugaya earlier. He should be arriving soon," Tetsuzaemon tried to console her.
"Then the Captain's Meeting should start soon too, right?" Renji said.
Captain's Meeting Room, not far from the Second Waiting Room.
Toshiro and Kyoraku walked in together.
Yamamoto glanced at the two, then said gravely, "Is everyone here? Good! Then I shall explain the matter regarding this meeting."
"Captain of the 3rd Division… Ichimaru Gin!"
As soon as Yamamoto's words fell, the meeting room doors opened again, and Gin, who had been waiting outside, walked calmly into the midst of everyone.
"What's the matter? Summoning us so suddenly, making such a big fuss..."
"All you Captains responsible for various districts of the Soul Society... surely you haven't gathered just for me...?" Gin said with his eyes narrowed, feigning a flattered and surprised expression.
"Ara? The Captain of the 13th Division doesn't seem to be here. What happened to him?" Gin looked around the room and asked calmly.
"He is on sick leave," Mayuri, Captain of the 12th Division, said flatly.
"Oh? Still not better? He should take more care, then," Gin said, pretending concern.
"Enough! We weren't summoned here to listen to your small talk."
Zaraki walked up to Gin, his expression unfriendly. "Let me ask you... didn't you go to deal with the Ryoka on your own earlier? And it seems you didn't eliminate them. What's the meaning of this? For someone of your level, dealing with four or five Ryoka shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"Ara? That kid... didn't really die, did he?" Gin pretended to be surprised.
"What do you mean by that?" Zaraki asked.
"Ah, I thought he was definitely dead at the time. Has my intuition grown dull? Ahahaha... My apologies." Gin rubbed the back of his head apologetically.
"Kukukuku..."
Mayuri, Captain of the 12th Division, suddenly laughed mockingly. "Don't spout such boring jokes. Captain-level figures like us would surely know whether the opponent's Reiatsu has vanished. Could it be you were simply incapable from the start, so you claimed negligence?"
"Ara ara, really now. You make it sound like I deliberately let him off," Gin said with a smile, his eyes narrowed.
"That's exactly what I mean!" Mayuri said with a hostile tone.
"Hey! You shut up, Kurotsuchi. Can't you see I'm talking to him? Get out of the way!" Zaraki stared at Mayuri with a challenging expression.
"Of course, if you want to kill me, that's a different story!" Zaraki grinned ferociously.
Seeing the three of them arguing endlessly, tensions rising, the Captains of the other divisions reacted differently.
Sui-Feng said indifferently, "How boring."
Kyoraku said helplessly, "Yare yare."
Byakuya showed an aloof expression.
"Alright! Zaraki, Mayuri, both of you stop arguing!" Toshiro suddenly spoke up.
Then, Toshiro walked over to stand beside Zaraki and Mayuri. "You two wait a moment. I have something to ask him."
"Ara ara, what does the Vice-Captain Commander wish to ask me?" Gin revealed a fox-like smile.
"I heard you injured Jidanbo?" Toshiro said with a cold expression.
As Jidanbo had said earlier, he and Toshiro were indeed good friends.
Toshiro's home was in Junrinan District, the 1st District of West Rukongai. Jidanbo guarded the White Road Gate, the very gate leading from the West Rukongai into the Seireitei.
During his free time, Toshiro often returned to the Rukongai to visit his grandmother, who lived alone. Therefore, he passed through the White Road Gate frequently. Over time, he became acquainted with Jidanbo.
Although Jidanbo was much older and bigger than Toshiro, he was a very simple person with a pure heart. Interacting with him was quite pleasant.
After they became friends, Jidanbo often visited Toshiro's home to help his grandmother.
Although since Toshiro became a Shinigami, his family no longer had to worry about livelihood, his grandmother was elderly after all. Living alone inevitably had its inconveniences, and Toshiro couldn't bring his grandmother to live within the Seireitei.
It wasn't that Toshiro lacked the authority. In fact, as Vice-Captain Commander of the Gotei 13 and Captain of the 10th Division, bringing someone to live in the Seireitei was a trivial matter.
But Toshiro's grandmother was just an ordinary soul with no Reiryoku, while the Seireitei was filled with Shinigami possessing powerful Reiatsu. Bringing her to the Seireitei would be practically wishing for her early demise.
So, Jidanbo frequently helping Toshiro's grandmother at home was a great assistance to Toshiro. Therefore, Toshiro was very grateful to Jidanbo.