Total Volume Wk: 5,012
Chapter 87: Untitled
Words: 1.25k
Somewhere within Soul Society, in a very vague location and an even vaguer point in time, somebody was out there doing something. But we're not really interested in that person and what they were doing, our attention will instead be focused on a point within a small apartment within Rukongai. Granted, this is a person, and he is doing something, so he could be the person mentioned at the start. But that's beside the point. Who's telling the story here? Me or you?... Never mind, Don't answer that question... Back to My story kthnxbai. (yeesh.. Such rude people going and ruining my careful narratio... are you still listening to me? Go back to reading already!!)
He'd never cared too much for having a large estate, or some grand property that was supposed to be fitting for someone of his rank and standing within their ranks. Having a massive hideout only gave a greater chance of having it discovered. Exactly why he opted for having multiple safe houses instead of a single location. It gave him the freedom to move around, to not be shackled to a single location.
That fool Ue was too short sighted to ever understand subtlety, he was quick-witted yes, but he lacked the patience to develop a plan beyond the linear. It was also this lack of a sole sanctuary that kept him off of his subordinate's radars. It helped to keep them guessing on his intentions while he was able to keep track of theirs.
The floor and chairs within this apartment were littered with files and scrolls, every one of them from within the walls of Seireitei, or containing what very few people had access to. He wasn't even sure what he was looking for, but it didn't change the fact that the sheer amounts of research done within the walls of Seireitei offered up countless opportunities for anyone with a hint of imagination.
He was currently looking through single folder, containing the Gotei's comprehensive collection of the reports and missions completed by one captain. How he had changed so from the war was beyond him. He'd been little more than a berserker when they'd fought together. Now... If that part of his history was contained within the biography as well, it would seem to tell the story of two completely different people.
But here it was, the timeline of a man who graduated in a time of geniuses, over the course of a year slowly working himself through the ranks before finally ascending to the Captain's seat. Something had happened to bring about such a change in the man, something powerful enough that it would change his entire outlook on existence and the value of life.
A mirthless chuckle escaped his lips once more before he found something that piqued his interest. The mission file wasn't spectacular in itself, it was merely a C-Rank hollow that had been purified by Rei and another Shinigami. But it still had information that he deemed to be valuable in itself. Blood-Runes for controlling hollows? Or on a more general view, could it be that they had more to do with the darker aspects of the soul? This definitely needs some more investigation... Simply put, combining this information with other pieces of research it could prove to be would likely be profitable, it was just a matter of putting the pieces together..
There was no sounds as he entered the room behind his master, nothing at all that would have let a normal person know that there was a new presence in the room. But Mugen could feel the man wherever he went, could feel the... absence, created by his very personage in the room. It was the only way to explain what the man created wherever he went. Every soul in existence created a presence by simple virtue of their emotions and perceptions. It was that presence that experienced fighters could pick up on and react to based on what they felt.
Chuurei on the other hand had no such aura around him. There wasn't even a feeling of presence surrounding him. A void was the only term that could be used for Chuurei as he moved through a crowd. It made him the perfect assassin when the need called for it. "There's been a development." His voice was like dried leather to the ears, making it that much more surprising when he ever broke his silence to the others. He never spoke without reason to others besides Mugen.
The white haired man never spoke to break the silence, still reading through the notes he'd unearthed while waiting for his subordinate to continue. Chuurei, who'd never bothered to reveal if he even had a last name, dusted his coat as he spoke, the open hakama revealing the numerous scars on his chest. "The captain you ordered to be observed has left Seireitei, apparently has been gone for some time."
What? How did something of this magnitude happen without his knowing? Why didn't any of those other bungling idiots alert him to this? Especially after he'd ordered him observed closely. Inside of his head he was furious, both at the fact that none had observed this rather glaring absence until now and that he simply didn't know. Outwardly, the only signal he gave that he was angered by the news was a narrowing of the eyes so miniscule that even the most observant person would miss the movement altogether.
Chuurei had been serving Mugendai long enough to recognize the signs, but was comforted in knowing that Mugen didn't have the flaw of killing the messenger that most evil villains tended to have. Still though, stepping cautiously couldn't hurt. "I've done some checking around for his location but it seems the list is short of people who actually know where he is... shall I check more... in-depth?"
Which meant he was asking permission to break the no-contact clause he'd ordered on the man. Their presence was too important a secret to have broken for anything other than the most subtle of observations. There had to have been something major to have made Rei leave... something... "Is he the only one who's gone missing from Seireitei?"
A brief quizzical expression was soon engulfed by the bland neutrality that Chuurei had perfected. It was easier to read the thoughts of a stone than this mans. "No sir. Four other captains disappeared around the same time. Seshiro, Junichi Terada, Jinsoku... and Shinkou Masaru." A slow steady breath was needed to keep Mugen calm in light of that. The timing of their disappearances might just be coincidence, a near impossible coincidence, but Mugendai had learned to not disregard anything straight out, especially chance happenings. If Rei did in fact leave with the man... it opened up all sorts of disturbing possibilities that would make things difficult in the future.
Which unfortunately called for more information than they had... he tapped his chin in thought before waving his hand dismissively. "Be discreet about it, it wouldn't be prudent to go this long without him knowing only to draw his eyes onto us because of your hobbies..." By the time his hand was back on the table tapping in thought, Chuurei was already gone, leaving only the shadows in his wake.
Looking through the papers and thinking on Chuurei's new mission, a dark grin that never touched his eyes crosses Mugen's lips. Now... how do these pieces go together...
Chapter 87: Untitled
Words: 1.25k
Somewhere within Soul Society, in a very vague location and an even vaguer point in time, somebody was out there doing something. But we're not really interested in that person and what they were doing, our attention will instead be focused on a point within a small apartment within Rukongai. Granted, this is a person, and he is doing something, so he could be the person mentioned at the start. But that's beside the point. Who's telling the story here? Me or you?... Never mind, Don't answer that question... Back to My story kthnxbai. (yeesh.. Such rude people going and ruining my careful narratio... are you still listening to me? Go back to reading already!!)
He'd never cared too much for having a large estate, or some grand property that was supposed to be fitting for someone of his rank and standing within their ranks. Having a massive hideout only gave a greater chance of having it discovered. Exactly why he opted for having multiple safe houses instead of a single location. It gave him the freedom to move around, to not be shackled to a single location.
That fool Ue was too short sighted to ever understand subtlety, he was quick-witted yes, but he lacked the patience to develop a plan beyond the linear. It was also this lack of a sole sanctuary that kept him off of his subordinate's radars. It helped to keep them guessing on his intentions while he was able to keep track of theirs.
The floor and chairs within this apartment were littered with files and scrolls, every one of them from within the walls of Seireitei, or containing what very few people had access to. He wasn't even sure what he was looking for, but it didn't change the fact that the sheer amounts of research done within the walls of Seireitei offered up countless opportunities for anyone with a hint of imagination.
He was currently looking through single folder, containing the Gotei's comprehensive collection of the reports and missions completed by one captain. How he had changed so from the war was beyond him. He'd been little more than a berserker when they'd fought together. Now... If that part of his history was contained within the biography as well, it would seem to tell the story of two completely different people.
But here it was, the timeline of a man who graduated in a time of geniuses, over the course of a year slowly working himself through the ranks before finally ascending to the Captain's seat. Something had happened to bring about such a change in the man, something powerful enough that it would change his entire outlook on existence and the value of life.
A mirthless chuckle escaped his lips once more before he found something that piqued his interest. The mission file wasn't spectacular in itself, it was merely a C-Rank hollow that had been purified by Rei and another Shinigami. But it still had information that he deemed to be valuable in itself. Blood-Runes for controlling hollows? Or on a more general view, could it be that they had more to do with the darker aspects of the soul? This definitely needs some more investigation... Simply put, combining this information with other pieces of research it could prove to be would likely be profitable, it was just a matter of putting the pieces together..
There was no sounds as he entered the room behind his master, nothing at all that would have let a normal person know that there was a new presence in the room. But Mugen could feel the man wherever he went, could feel the... absence, created by his very personage in the room. It was the only way to explain what the man created wherever he went. Every soul in existence created a presence by simple virtue of their emotions and perceptions. It was that presence that experienced fighters could pick up on and react to based on what they felt.
Chuurei on the other hand had no such aura around him. There wasn't even a feeling of presence surrounding him. A void was the only term that could be used for Chuurei as he moved through a crowd. It made him the perfect assassin when the need called for it. "There's been a development." His voice was like dried leather to the ears, making it that much more surprising when he ever broke his silence to the others. He never spoke without reason to others besides Mugen.
The white haired man never spoke to break the silence, still reading through the notes he'd unearthed while waiting for his subordinate to continue. Chuurei, who'd never bothered to reveal if he even had a last name, dusted his coat as he spoke, the open hakama revealing the numerous scars on his chest. "The captain you ordered to be observed has left Seireitei, apparently has been gone for some time."
What? How did something of this magnitude happen without his knowing? Why didn't any of those other bungling idiots alert him to this? Especially after he'd ordered him observed closely. Inside of his head he was furious, both at the fact that none had observed this rather glaring absence until now and that he simply didn't know. Outwardly, the only signal he gave that he was angered by the news was a narrowing of the eyes so miniscule that even the most observant person would miss the movement altogether.
Chuurei had been serving Mugendai long enough to recognize the signs, but was comforted in knowing that Mugen didn't have the flaw of killing the messenger that most evil villains tended to have. Still though, stepping cautiously couldn't hurt. "I've done some checking around for his location but it seems the list is short of people who actually know where he is... shall I check more... in-depth?"
Which meant he was asking permission to break the no-contact clause he'd ordered on the man. Their presence was too important a secret to have broken for anything other than the most subtle of observations. There had to have been something major to have made Rei leave... something... "Is he the only one who's gone missing from Seireitei?"
A brief quizzical expression was soon engulfed by the bland neutrality that Chuurei had perfected. It was easier to read the thoughts of a stone than this mans. "No sir. Four other captains disappeared around the same time. Seshiro, Junichi Terada, Jinsoku... and Shinkou Masaru." A slow steady breath was needed to keep Mugen calm in light of that. The timing of their disappearances might just be coincidence, a near impossible coincidence, but Mugendai had learned to not disregard anything straight out, especially chance happenings. If Rei did in fact leave with the man... it opened up all sorts of disturbing possibilities that would make things difficult in the future.
Which unfortunately called for more information than they had... he tapped his chin in thought before waving his hand dismissively. "Be discreet about it, it wouldn't be prudent to go this long without him knowing only to draw his eyes onto us because of your hobbies..." By the time his hand was back on the table tapping in thought, Chuurei was already gone, leaving only the shadows in his wake.
Looking through the papers and thinking on Chuurei's new mission, a dark grin that never touched his eyes crosses Mugen's lips. Now... how do these pieces go together...