Aizen's instructions to Seiya were simple and direct.
There was only one sentence in the letter:
"Conquer your fears, face the powerful figures of the past… and challenge Kiganjō once more, Seiya."
Seiya stared at the letter, dumbfounded.
Wait, what? Fight Kiganjō again?
Sure, he had improved a bit since their last encounter, but he was far from reaching the level required to take on a Captain head-on. A direct confrontation with someone like Kiganjō would be a guaranteed disaster.
Was Teacher Aizen serious?
No matter how hard Seiya tried to wrap his head around it, he couldn't fully grasp what Aizen was thinking.
"...Is he sending me to my death?"
Despite his frustration and confusion, Seiya knew that pondering over the letter wouldn't yield any answers.
There was only one thing he could do — meet Aizen in person.
"Leaving the Second Division early?"
Seiya nodded. "Yes. It's a bit sudden, I know. But I have other things I need to see and learn. Staying here any longer won't do me much good."
Unlike the grand feast that welcomed Seiya to the Second Division, tonight's farewell gathering was smaller but still full of formality and warmth.
Nearly every notable member of the division was present, gathered to bid Seiya farewell.
At the head of the table, Omaeda stepped forward, giving a subtle hand signal to the seated officers.
In perfect sync, they all rose from their seats and quietly withdrew from the room.
Only two people remained.
Yoruichi sat at the main seat, silent, her gaze steady.
Yūshirō, however, looked confused and a little anxious. He leaned forward, hands braced on the table in front of him.
"Why are you leaving? There are still four days left in your internship. Why not stay a bit longer?"
There was a pleading tone in his voice, more emotional than formal.
It wasn't surprising, though. As a member of the Four Great Noble Clans, Yūshirō had lived a sheltered life, burdened with his family's legacy.
He didn't have many people he could call friends.
And among those few, Seiya stood out.
Not only was Seiya someone who could keep up with him in sparring, but he was also someone Yūshirō could truly talk to.
The idea of losing that connection clearly unsettled him.
"Why don't you just join the Second Division, Seiya? That way, you can stay here all the time."
Yūshirō's eyes were wide and hopeful, his expression bordering on desperate.
Seiya felt his heart twist a little at the sight.
The boy wasn't good at hiding his emotions, and it was clear that he truly didn't want Seiya to leave.
"I'm sorry, Yūshirō," Seiya said softly.
Before the conversation could continue, Yoruichi's voice cut through the air, calm and commanding.
"That's enough, Yūshirō. Seiya has things he needs to do. And besides…"
She glanced at Seiya, a small smirk playing on her lips.
"You'll see each other again. This isn't goodbye forever."
Though Yūshirō looked like he wanted to protest further, he ultimately bowed his head and quietly left the room.
Once again, it was just Seiya and Yoruichi.
"Sorry about that," Yoruichi said, reclining casually on her seat. "Yūshirō's still young… I've never really taught him how to handle friendships."
Seiya shook his head.
"It's fine. Even noble families have their own struggles. I can understand that."
Yoruichi chuckled.
"Talking to you is always easy. No need for formalities or roundabout nonsense. You get straight to the point."
She stretched lazily before giving Seiya a mischievous grin.
"As the Captain of the Second Division, I approve your request to leave. Pack your things and get out of the Four Great Noble Clans' estate."
"Thank you, Captain."
"But before you go…"
Yoruichi leaned forward slightly, her tone turning more serious.
"Stop by the Twelfth Division first."
Seiya blinked in surprise. "The Twelfth Division? Why?"
"Urahara wants to see you. He sent word yesterday, saying that you should swing by if you have time."
That caught Seiya's attention.
Urahara? What did he want?
Was it related to Aizen's plans?
Though it was late, Seiya decided not to waste any time.
By dawn, he would need to face Kiganjō again.
The journey to the Twelfth Division was swift, thanks to the Four Great Noble Clans' travel permits. The gates of Seireitei opened for him without question.
Noble privilege, it seemed, made life far easier.
After speeding through the streets of Seireitei, Seiya finally arrived at the Research and Development Bureau.
Unlike his last visit, the atmosphere this time was tense and hurried. Researchers moved about with urgency, too preoccupied to pay him any mind.
Soon enough, Akon arrived to escort Seiya inside.
"Seiya. It's been a while."
"Yeah, Akon-san. You seem busy."
Akon nodded, his usual stern expression softening slightly.
"Follow me. There's something you need to see."
Curious, Seiya followed Akon down the dimly lit corridors of the bureau.
Eventually, they arrived at a dark room that smelled faintly of rot.
"Mayuri-sama, I've brought Seiya Arima."
With a sharp metallic clink, Mayuri Kurotsuchi emerged from the shadows.
His gaze swept over Seiya with a clinical detachment, like a scientist inspecting a lab rat.
"Ah… you're the one."
Seiya felt a shiver run down his spine.
Mayuri's eyes held no warmth, no humanity.
"You're here for this."
Mayuri gestured to a small vase on a nearby table.
Inside the vase was a single lock of hair — Seiya's hair — soaking in murky water.
A sickly-sweet odor filled the room.
"She called it a flower," Mayuri said flatly. "Your hair."
"…What?"
"The girl. My test subject. She thought your hair was a flower. She put it in a vase and kept it by her bedside."
Mayuri's tone remained indifferent.
"She's dead now. Cells stopped dividing. No warning. No chance to intervene."
"She left your hair on her bedside table."
Seiya's heart clenched painfully.
The image of the small girl — the one he had mistaken for Nemu Kurotsuchi — flashed in his mind.
Mayuri's cold, detached words echoed in his ears.
"Throw it away. It's yours, after all."
Mayuri turned to leave, but Seiya couldn't hold back any longer.
"Wait!"
Mayuri paused, half-turning to glance at Seiya over his shoulder.
"What is it?"
"That girl… she wasn't just an experiment. She was…"
Mayuri's gaze darkened.
"She was a failed prototype. Nothing more."
With that, Mayuri disappeared into the shadows, leaving Seiya alone with the rotting flower.
"…I should have given her some of my curry that day."
The thought struck Seiya suddenly, painfully.
And for the first time in a long while…
He felt a deep, aching regret.