His answer caused everyone to freeze, including Iemura. He was surprised and looked at his fellow Shinigamis before looking at the Ryoka in front of him.
"... I can't allow you to see the Captain." Iemura said firmly, gripping his sword tighter.
Shirou didn't say anything. His gaze moved to another Shinigami that stood behind him.
A graceful woman with long hair appeared from behind the 4th Division's officer. Her gentle eyes observed Shirou calmly. Unohana Retsu, the captain of 4th Division and the most powerful woman in Seireitei.
Behind her was her Lieutenant, Kotetsu Isane. She looked nervous when his eyes met hers.
"Lower your swords, Iemura Yasochika. Let me speak with him."
"But Captain! He's dangerous and the culprit of the injuries of our former comrade, Abarai Renji!" Iemura argued.
"It's okay, I can take care of myself. Don't worry." Captain Unohana reassured her subordinate with her gentle smile, "Now, Iemura Yasochika. I'm your captain, aren't I?"
"... Understood, Captain." He bowed down and sheathed his sword.
All the Shinigamis followed his movement and stepped aside to let Unohana walk toward Shirou. Both of them faced each other silently for a few seconds, studying one another.
"Your name is..." Unohana broke the silence with her gentle tone.
"Kurosaki Shirou."
"Kurosaki-san?"
Shirou nodded at that.
"Yes. I came without any hostile intention." He said, "I want to negotiate."
Unohana didn't look surprised. She nodded and gestured to him to follow her, so they could speak privately in the meeting room. Only three people were present, they and Isane.
Once they were alone, the Shinigami Captain spoke first. "What do you wish to speak with me about?"
"Before that, I have two questions."
"Ask away." She said, smiling. "I will answer it to the best of my ability."
"Am I the prime suspect behind Captain Aizen Sousuke's death?" He asked. He needed to confirm this so he could decide whether to escape Soul Society or stay.
"Hmm, let's say the majority of Captains didn't believe that. However, they didn't want to admit that there is someone more dangerous that could kill a Captain without leaving a single trace behind."
Just as he and Yoruichi had expected before. Gotei 13 needed a scapegoat to reason with Captain's death, and it was Shirou who they would use as the culprit. The western swords found piercing the Captain's body was a great excuse.
It wasn't surprising, really. It was natural that no one would admit that their own people had a traitor among them. Shirou himself would definitely not accept that truth if he was a Shinigami. He wanted to trust his friend.
However, they didn't know about something.
"Captain Unohana, I believe Captain Aizen's body as well as the swords are in this building, right?"
She narrowed her eyes but still maintained her smile. Isane, on the other hand, was visibly shocked that he had known about the location of Aizen's corpse. Unohana nodded, her smile faded and her gaze hardened slightly.
"Yes, they are."
"May I ask a favor of you?" He looked her in the eyes, not flinching when her intense stare pierced through him, "I know you have a lot of questions for me, but I believe I can help with your investigation. My ability is quite special, but let me summarize it for you."
"I can analyze the structure of an item by viewing it or touching it."
That caught both of them off guard. Isane's mouth opened wide in shock, and even Unohana widened her eyes.
"And I wish to use my ability to investigate the swords, if you're willing to lend it to me for a while."
He added before quickly changing his sentence.
"No, you don't need to lend me. Just let me see it. That way, I can find out where that weapon was made and the person who made it. This can definitely narrow the investigation and we might find the real culprit behind the Captain's death."
Silence reigned between them for a while, before Captain Unohana nodded and smiled gently.
"Interesting. I can't believe such an ability exists in the living world. But... Why should we trust you?"
"Because," He said with a grin, "You know that you have to catch the real murderer, not framing a random person like me. You're the Captain of the 4th Division, the division responsible for the injured soul. And I'm a doctor's son, I can understand that."
"Captain, this is absurd."
Isane looked at her captain in worry, clearly not agreeing to his suggestion. She looked tense and afraid.
"I can't trust this person, he might try to do something dangerous. Please reconsider it-"
"Isane, it's fine." Captain Unohana reassured her Lieutenant, who immediately became quiet and looked down, "I'll take responsibility if he tries something dangerous. Besides, I was also suspicious of something. I hope it's just my imagination."
Unohana looked at Shirou. There was no trust, only determination.
"If he agrees, I'll let him examine it."
Shirou nodded without hesitation and they moved.
With Unohana leading the way, the two went down the hall with Isane following closely behind them. All three of them arrived at the basement floor of the building.
There, a room where the body and the swords were located, hidden away from anyone else.
Captain Unohana opened the door. Inside, there was a bed, some machines, and a body lying lifelessly beside two swords. Unohana looked at the body for a second and stepped away, letting the confused Shirou to enter.
He looked around for a second and tilted his head.
Then he turned to the Captain.
"Captain Unohana, may I ask something?"
"Yes?" She smiled gently.
"Where is the body or the sword?"
"Huh?"
Both Captain Unohana and Isane raised an eyebrow at his words. Isane looked at the body, confused.
"But it is there?" She asked, pointing to the body and the two swords lying next to it.
"This?" He pointed to the bed.
They nodded.
Shirou stared at the bed again, still not believing that this was the scene. Then something clicked in his mind.
Right now, he was greatly confused. He couldn't see the said Captain's body that should've been laid on the bed. Not to mention, he also couldn't see the sword, but the two people with him said that he could see it.
And he was sure they didn't lie.
"... You don't actually see it, do you?"
"Yes, I can't see anything at all, so... I think I know the problem now." Shirou said hesitantly, not believing that his guess was true. "Someone must be using some type of illusion to fool you and everyone else."
There was no other explanation.
But then, Yoruichi also got fooled because she saw the body. Shirou stroked his chin, thinking hard. Everyone was fooled and was under a spell—a strong spell enough to affect Captain-class Shinigami.
After a second, he raised his head again and looked at Captain Unohana straight in the eyes.
"Captain Unohana, will you put your trust in me?" He asked.
"Yes, but only for a moment."
She answered without a moment of hesitation, causing him to blink. He was expecting the woman to doubt his words.
Shrugging that thought aside, Shirou raised his hand and said, "Trace, on."
Following his short chant, a strange sword—an iridescent and jagged dagger appeared on his hand. Isane immediately became cautious and raised her hand to him, preparing Bakudou to blow him off.
However, Captain Unohana raised her hand toward her.
Shirou sighed in relief before explaining it.
"This dagger allows me to break any spell inflicted on an individual, so if my theory is right, I can dispel the illusion on your sight. Do you allow me to use it?"
Unohana and Isane looked at each other before the Captain of 4th Division nodded at him.
"Do it." She offered her left hand to him.
Nodding, Shirou stabbed her hand with his dagger.
The effect was immediate.
As soon as he pulled the dagger out, the wound disappeared immediately, and he could feel that he successfully broke something on her. Isane was shocked, and her eyes widened in worry. However, before she could do anything, Unohana suddenly spoke.
"It seems that you were telling the truth, Kurosaki-san."
The Captain's eyes widened, staring at the bed in shock. Nothing lay there—not the body nor the swords.
"We have to tell everyone about this." She said to her Lieutenant.
***
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We have reached chapter 86 in pat -reon / ShuviLily.