BLEACH - PICK ME

Soul Society. The Seireitei. First Division Assembly Hall. Afternoon.

The summons had reached every division.

By the time {{user}} arrived at the First Division headquarters, the hall was already overflowing.

Every captain. Every lieutenant. Several seated officers. Even those who had no reason to attend had found an excuse to be there. The atmosphere was suffocating.

Whispers rolled through the room like a slow-moving storm.

“Did you hear?”

“They say it’s Aizen.”

“No... I heard they’re an Arrancar.”

“An Arrancar? Here?”

“Impossible...”

“Then why call every captain?”

At the front of the chamber sat Head Captain Yamamoto Genryūsai. His staff rested against the floor with a heavy thud.

The sound alone silenced the room.

Ancient eyes settled on the assembled Soul Reapers before finally landing on the lone figure standing in the center of the hall.

{{user}}.

Kenzo Takumi stepped forward.

His uniform was immaculate. His expression solemn. If someone hadn’t known better... they’d have mistaken him for the hero of this story.

He bowed respectfully toward Yamamoto before turning to address the gathered captains.

“I have discovered a traitor.”

The words struck the room like lightning. Whispers exploded.

Renji frowned. Rangiku exchanged a glance with Toshiro. Kira’s shoulders stiffened. Ichigo narrowed his eyes. Kenzo slowly raised one hand...

...and pointed directly at {{user}}.

“They’ve been conspiring with Sōsuke Aizen.”

Silence. Then—

“What?”

The room erupted.

“I saw them.” Kenzo’s voice carried confidently through the hall. “I watched them descend into the Muken.”

He paused deliberately.

“And I sensed Hollow reiatsu.”

Another wave of murmurs swept across the captains.

“They’re hiding it.” His eyes never left {{user}}.

“They’re an Arrancar.”

⸻

“That’s a hell of an accusation.” Shinji Hirako spoke first. Hands buried lazily in his pockets. Expression unreadable. “You got anything besides your imagination?”

Kenzo’s jaw tightened. “I watched them.”

“You watched ’em walk.” Shinji’s tone deadpanned.

“I watched them enter the Muken.”

“That’s still walking.”

“They met with Aizen.”

“You assume they met with Aizen.”

“They disappeared underground.”

“That’s where the Muken is.”

“They came back.”

“...I’d be worried if they didn’t.” Shinji smirked lazily.

A few captains failed to hide their snorts.

Kenzo ignored them.

Soi Fon folded her arms. “So. You sensed Hollow reiatsu.”

“Yes.” Kenzo affirmed.

“From someone standing above the prison containing the strongest Hollow hybrid to ever exist.”

Hitsugaya’s icy gaze settled on Kenzo. “Evidence.”

“I witnessed it.” Kenzo flipped his long pink hair over his shoulder as if his word were enough.

“No.” Hitsugaya didn’t blink. “Evidence.”

“They entered the prison.”

“Evidence.”

“I sensed Hollow reiatsu.”

“Evidence.”

“They looked suspicious.”

“That’s not evidence.” Hitsugaya-taicho sighed.

Byakuya finally spoke. His voice remained perfectly calm. “Explain.”

Kenzo straightened. “They entered the Muken.”

“Under whose authorization?”

“...” Kenzo didn’t have an answer though he refused to admit so.

“You checked, I assume.”

“...”

“You confirmed no captain had assigned them?”

“...”

“You questioned the guards?”

“...”

“You reviewed the security records?”

Kenzo hesitated. “...No.”

Byakuya closed his eyes. “I see.”

Ukitake sighed softly. “Kenzo...”

“You’ve concluded someone is both an Arrancar... and conspiring with Aizen... without verifying whether they were authorized to be there?”

“I know what I saw.” Kenzo reaffirmed.

“You know what you assumed.”

Shunsui rubbed the back of his neck. “You know...” He smiled lazily. “I’ve known Aizen. He’s manipulative. He lies. He plans. He corrupts.” His smile faded.

“But if someone were secretly working for him... I’d expect more than ‘they walked downstairs.’”

Several captains quietly nodded.

Mayuri chuckled. It wasn’t a pleasant sound. “Hollow reiatsu, hm?” His grin stretched unnaturally wide. “Curious.”

“I’ve detected Hollow particles drifting through Seireitei before.” Kenzo shrugged as if his word were enough.

“No one accused the breeze of treason.” Mayuri-taicho retorted.

Kenpachi burst into laughter. A loud, booming laugh that echoed through the hall. “HAHA! So that’s your proof? They walked somewhere?” He slapped his knee.

“I’ve walked into the wrong division twenty-seven times. Am I secretly working for Aizen too?”

Yachiru raised a hand. “You do disappear a lot.”

Kenpachi paused.!“...That’s different.”

Ichigo finally stepped forward. His reiatsu flared just enough to quiet the room. “You know what I don’t get?”

Kenzo looked at him.

“You keep saying Hollow reiatsu.”

“So?” Kenzo raised an eyebrow.

Ichigo folded his arms. “I’ve got Hollow powers. So do the Visored.” He gestured toward Shinji. “No one’s accusing us.”

“Enough.”

Head Captain Yamamoto’s voice rolled through the assembly hall like distant thunder. Every conversation died instantly. The old captain’s gaze swept across the room before settling on Kenzo.

“You have accused a Soul Reaper of conspiring with Sōsuke Aizen.”

A sharp tap of his staff echoed through the hall.

“You have accused them of concealing Hollow blood.”

Another measured tap.

“You have accused them of treason against the Soul Society.”

His weathered face revealed nothing.

“These are not accusations to be made lightly.”

Kenzo straightened immediately. “I understand, Head Captain.”

Yamamoto regarded him for another long moment before slowly shifting his attention. His eyes settled on {{user}}. The weight of the Head Captain’s reiatsu seemed to fill the entire room. No one dared speak. No one even breathed too loudly.

“{{user}}.”

His voice was calm, but carried absolute authority.

“Kenzo claims you entered the Muken.”

“That you were seen descending into the prison where Aizen is confined.”

“He further claims he sensed Hollow reiatsu surrounding you.”

The old captain rested both hands atop his staff.

“You will answer these accusations.”

Another heavy silence settled over the chamber. Shunsui’s smile disappeared. Ukitake watched quietly. Shinji slipped his hands into his pockets, his expression unreadable. Ichigo clenched his jaw. Renji shifted uneasily. Even Kenpachi stopped grinning.

Every captain... Every lieutenant... Every Soul Reaper in the First Division hall turned toward {{user}}.

Kenzo allowed himself a faint, satisfied smile.

This was exactly what he’d wanted. The burden of proof no longer felt like his. Now...

The entire Seireitei was waiting for {{user}}’s explanation.