THE EXECUTION

Sano stood among the audience, having not much else to do given the recent destruction of the Maggot's Den. Although the man who was slain before him was a co-conspirator of Yuu Yashin, there was some loss of satisfaction in knowing that the true mastermind was still allowed to walk amongst the living. Especially since that man in particular was most certainly responsible for the disappearance of Zhi Mubiao.

His eyes mulled over the crowd, seeking a certain face. He could not explain it, but he had a feeling that lightning would strike twice in his life. It was then that he sensed it It was the same powerful presence that took the Maggot's Den off the map. Just as the Detention Unit had been eradicated in a single moment, so had the Sōkyoku and the very ground that held them. Sano didn't even need to actually sense the culprit to understand it was Sumanai. Clinging to whatever composure he had, Sano would utilize his agility and the debris from the explosion to get to safer ground. Naturally, upon finding himself out of danger, the presence of the culprit was hidden to him.

"...Back again, stranger?" he mused aloud. It seemed something else drew the center of tension and, given that he had no way of tracing the culprit, he decided to give it his attention. Just when he had thought he had seen enough, the plot thickened. Perhaps his mentor before him would have eliminated the traitor right there, in broad daylight, just to send a message. But Sano found himself in a bit of a slump. At that moment, he wondered if he were as capable as he had thought of himself before. As embarrassing a defeat as he was handed days prior, he couldn't help but wonder just how convoluted his perception of his own strength was. Was he guilty of such conceit?

He chose to ignore his own question. It was something to meditate on when he wasn't in the middle of a crowd. For now, he would observe and retain. Perhaps much more would come to light. 

It was beautiful. The furious, covetous flames that emerged from the collective efforts of the Kidō practitioners beckoned forth the glorious phoenix. Its power was incomparable and its grace undefined and unobstructed to the comprehensive mind—even for the Shinigami. Normally, he would have shared with Jingu and Kariya, the only two Taichō remaining—outside of Shi’Kuyo—who could bask in such an experience. They had shared ample time together, and while all held stultified roles in his life now, even the Seiryū couldn’t discredit their worth. This was a startling revelation that only manifested near the point of death; nothingness gave birth to some humility.  

But in the briefest of moments, this beauty was stripped from not only Itada, but the entirety of the Soul Society. The grand construct that gave way to the certain incineration was dealt a crippling blow and the subsequent explosion rocked the mountain’s edifice. The concussive force rattled the world as rock shattered and cracked and each and every individual spirit in the instant area was hit with its brunt. Residue and fragmentation rocketed outwards and if not for his hardened Dragon scales, Itada would have fell victim to such an act of subversion.  

Simply knocking off his frame, the now cracked features of the Captain’s body diminished all adverse damage before his eyes turned to the Subordinate of his peer. Muscles tensing as veins pulsed from his features Itada wrinkled his face and widened his eyes at the explanation itself.  

“Don’t you dare use me as an excuse..” While others talked and interjected, Itada’s voice was commanding, loud and most importantly—stern. “Don’t you dare justify supporting the man who killed the Sōtaichō with my shortcoming..” Walking at a gradual pace, the Captain’s digits soon took ahold of his Zanpakutō, Seken Chōdairyū literally screaming to cut into the man’s body as sparks of reiatsu ripped off his visage. 

“Your responsibility and allegiance was to that of the Soul Society in whole, not a single man, regardless of your opinions. … You’ve committed the highest act of treason, and against a Noble family. While this is Kariya’s subordinate, this is the totality of my Division’s existence. You will fall to my blade, traitor.” He had enough; the excuses, the doubts, and the failures that seemingly all flooded at once. In his absence, so much had happened, events he could have stopped; beyond his pride, Itada was hurt. Hinaai was the closest thing he had to a mother and her loss affected many, not any more than her relatives and the Taichō of the seventh division. Though he wouldn’t voice such personal wounds; he would simply execute the onuses of his Division; to protect and enforce punishment against those who portend the Noble families.  

His blade now drawn in a right-handed grip, the tip pointed down soon arched, moving out to his side as the Long mane of the Captain swayed in his walk. He was going to kill this boy and no one was going to stop him. How easily did the ignorant forget the fangs of a Dragon dug the deepest.