The once-beautiful character of Bleach that many fans adored had finally died.
Something like this was a big deal. Yoruichi was a key ally for a lot of characters, not just Ichigo. Her absence would forever leave a void in the Soul Society. As an emotional fallout as it might have been to some, had they discovered this incident, Silas by no means held any bond with her.
He managed to use her excellently, analyzing her techniques and understanding how to use the flash step more effectively. For some time, he had been communicating with Zangetsu, telling his Zanpakutō of her strengths and weaknesses. Why he waited so long to slay her was because he needed the tenshintai. Without it, it would prove difficult to awaken his Bankai.
Now that she was dead, there would be a great shift in power dynamics. The loss of her knowledge and skills might serve as a long-term consequence, but Silas hadn't thought that far ahead. Yoruichi was nothing more than a stepping stone. If he couldn't even erase her from this world, he'd have zero chance of doing the same to others like Yhwach or Genryūsai.
Zangetsu's body began to gradually turn into spirit particles. It looked at Silas with a satisfied grin and said, "Looks like you passed, huh?" What the spirit was implying was its requirement to be subjugated for Silas to learn Bankai!
Most, if not all, Zanpakutō required submission in order for its wielder to achieve the next stage. To do this, one had to battle their weapon. But Zangetsu was unlike others. Rather than Silas needing to battle him, the sword's requirement was to battle others. It yearned for the feeling of striking down its opponent, sipping its steel edges into their blood.
A crimson tide of light washed over Zangetsu and Silas. He closed his eyes, hearing his weapon utter its second release.
• • •
The midday sun was high in the sky within the Seireitei, turning the pristine white buildings into giant reflectors.
Uryū crouched behind a plump bush, waiting for a moment to leave. Sweat trickled down his neck as sunlight beamed off his glasses. When the coast seemed clear, he pulled a small telescope he'd "borrowed" from squad twelve. "Come on, come on, show me something interesting," he muttered, his telescope wobbling in his shaky hands.
Across the wide plaza, Sous Reapers and scientists alike paced diligently. Many of them wearing white lab coats scurried to and fro, carrying beakers of glowing liquids and muttering equations under their breath. Uryū scanned the windows, hoping to catch a glimpse of something useful.
From what he recalled, Silas originally asked him to hack into their systems to see if he could open up a senkaimon. Although Yoruichi refused, Uryū sought to help his friend out more.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over him. Uryū froze, his heart hammering against his ribs. He slowly peeked through a gap in the leaves to see. It was an overgrown squirrel wrestling with a harmless butterfly. He sighed in relief, slumping back against the bushes. "I best not overthink things while I'm here. Wouldn't want to bump into another lieutenant like last time."
As if on cue, a loud voice boomed from within the compounds. "Alright, everyone, coffee break!"
Uryū's eyes relished the news. This was his chance! He leapt up, startling the squirrel in a comedic fashion. Ignoring it, he sprinted across the plaza, avoiding any unnecessary attention. He then burst through the nearest open door, nearly colliding with a woman in a lab coat who was holding a beaker full of what looked like rainbow glitter.
"Excuse me, ma'am," Uryū gasped, waving a hand frantically, "Do you know where they keep the... uh... spare bifocals?"
The woman squinted at him, her brow furrowed from having almost dropped her supplies. "Bifocals? You mean glasses? Are you lost or something? This is the cafeteria."
Uryū blinked. He'd just sprinted through the technological development department for lunch? Face contorting in a mix of mortification and frustration, he stammered, "Oh, right, of course! Cafeteria! Just looking for... The self-cleaning dishes!"
He beat a hasty retreat, his cheeks burning, leaving the woman confused. As he slunk out of the cafeteria, he found himself in a corridor. If he made it this far, surely he could find what he was looking for.
Passing through a corridor, he heard more scientists coming his way. So he opened the nearest door and locked it. A glint of light caught his eye. Nestled on a chair lay a pair of spectacles, gleaming like forgotten treasure. He hesitantly tried them on, believing this to be a sign.
His world became sharper. Not perfect like his original pair, but enough to at least see clearly. To him, these glasses had become intel-gathering superweapons!
Some time had passed. Uryū now had a sleek lab coat on, as well as a notebook overflowing with scribbled notes and diagrams. The room to access the precipice world was heavily guarded, so he wasn't able to hack into anything. But the notes he "found" proved to be useful.
At the first hint of sunset, he strolled out of squad twelve's district. Today seemed quite rewarding for him. A new pair of glasses, a fashionable new garment, and a notebook labeled "How to Use a Senkaimon." Score!
Smiling triumphantly, Uryū pocketed the notebook and slinked into the shadows. Maybe spying in broad daylight wasn't his best idea, but sometimes the best intel comes when one least expects it. And besides, who'd think to look for a Quincy in squad twelve's cafeteria at sunset? After all, everyone knows that's prime omurice time.1
• • •
Walking along the dimly lit corridors of squad twelve was a researcher named Akon. He was a tall man with short, spiky black hair that flared out the sides. His most distinguished traits were the three small horns protruding from his forehead and the fact that he lacked any eyebrows.
Crossing his side was Nemu Kurotsuchi, an enhanced artificial soul created by Mayuri. She was also the lieutenant of the squad.
"Excuse me, lieutenant, have you seen my glasses?" Akon asked.
"I thought you didn't wear those."
"Today I thought it'd be a nice change of pace, so I bought them this morning but forgot where I left them."
"Maybe it's a sign you shouldn't have them," Nemu replied, walking away with an indifferent attitude. The response caused Akon to slump back.
1 Japanese Omelet Rice