Captain Arima's memory had problems.
—Even without anyone's reminder, Momo could clearly perceive this problem.
Not just herself, Captain Arima had completely forgotten Senior Isane and everyone from Squad Five...
Although she felt unwilling about this result, and even when seeing Seiya's somewhat confused face, Momo's heart would surge with a slight sourness and an impulse similar to tears welling up.
Somewhat wronged.
But more than that was a kind of similar indignation.
The facts had already proven Seiya's innocence, so next they just needed to clear his name... Captain Arima should be able to return to Soul Society, right?!
It didn't matter if he lost his memory.
After all, people who cared about Seiya were here. They just needed to recreate these things once more, just like before.
There would definitely be enough time.
Just thinking about this, Momo's steps unconsciously became much lighter.
A smile unconsciously appeared on her face, humming a tune that calmed the mind in her mouth, beginning to quicken her pace.
—Because of their previous time together, she naturally knew exactly where Seiya would go.
The girl at this moment was weighing her choice of words.
Constantly reflecting, reconstructing her language, trying to give the best impression when meeting the other party again.
But all these expectations came to an abrupt halt at a certain moment.
Momo saw the two people embracing closely in the distance.
"..."
It was hard to say what the girl's state of mind was at this moment.
Was it sadness, sorrow, or that inexplicable sense of loss?
There was some of each, but for the current Momo, it was more of an inexplicable sense of loss.
Even she herself couldn't explain this emotional change.
She just pursed her lips, standing at the edge, while not interfering with the other party, slightly pressing her chest...
What was this feeling about?
Even Momo herself found it hard to explain.
Until rustling sounds came from behind, the Squad Five lieutenant quickly organized her appearance.
Turning around and walking out, she happened to meet the returning Seiya and his companion.
"...?"
Candice looked toward Momo, the light in her eyes seeming more like scrutiny than disgust.
But this process didn't last long.
She just glanced briefly, then withdrew her gaze, turning toward Seiya behind her.
"Then I'll go back first... don't forget to come over quickly later."
"Mm."
Candice turned and quickly left, leaving only the two of them present.
Seiya and Momo briefly exchanged glances, the former's indifference and the latter's confusion presenting a strange interweaving, yet immediately looking away.
"I have a place I want to see... could you trouble yourself to show me the way?"
Since there was a request, there was no reason not to respond.
Momo hurriedly wiped away the faint tear marks on her face, nodding vigorously at this moment.
"No, no problem!"
Then let's set off.
—Although he didn't say this.
But Seiya silently walked ahead, at this moment brushing past Momo.
Just for an instant.
Just after this momentary pause of confusion.
The girl completely understood... just how naive and childish her thoughts really were.
This person...
Was not Captain Arima.
If it were that gentle and strong Captain Arima, he wouldn't just ignore someone else's tears like this, showing such a cold expression.
Ultimately, she had been thinking too naively.
Those who had already died could not be revived, and no matter how similar, this absolutely was not the 'Seiya' she knew.
This was a different soul contained in the same body.
He had his own goals, his own thoughts, yet was completely different from the Captain Arima in her memory.
No wonder.
Senior Isane hadn't come to find him, and even former Captain Kuchiki had no contact either.
Everyone understood... this was just a 'substitute' that was similar in form but not in spirit, not the gentle man from their memories.
So in the end.
Was it still Momo herself who hadn't seen clearly?
A somewhat sour emotion welled up in her heart, her eyes slightly heating up, forcing the girl to raise her right hand and gently brush over her eyelids at this moment.
She didn't want to cry.
But her body had already involuntarily reacted.
Clearly she was the one who should least feel wronged, after all, it was Seiya who had given everything, while she was ultimately just the simple 'beneficiary'.
But at this moment, Momo still couldn't suppress the emotional fluctuations in her heart.
She really wanted to say sorry.
She shouldn't have yielded to circumstances at that time, finally just lobbying among captains as Captain Shinji suggested without taking actual action.
No one understood, when Seiya died...
He must have been very lonely.
Tears burst forth, Momo began crying silently.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...
Weak as I am, I shouldn't show such an expression at this moment. But just thinking about these things, my emotions become excited to an uncontrollable degree.
Although there was no sobbing sound, her steps had become somewhat unsteady after all, so Seiya, who had originally been ahead, stopped his pace.
He half-turned around.
He saw the disheveled Squad Five lieutenant, at this moment hurriedly wiping the tears on her face.
"..."
Not understanding the other party's current emotional fluctuations.
But Seiya would still ask out of politeness, selectively at this moment.
"Do you need help?"
Momo shook her head repeatedly.
As if apologizing for her own loss of composure, she bowed deeply, stepped back two steps, forcefully...
Just like that, forcefully wiped away the traces on her face.
Her sleeve heavily ground across her cheek, violent wiping marks remained on one side of her face, the pressed bright red marks extremely conspicuous.
"It's fine, it's fine!"
After a pause, after a forced smile, came Momo's deliberately slightly forceful, then disguised high-pitched tone.
"Please excuse my unseemly behavior!"
Seiya didn't immediately respond.
He just calmly looked at the other party, those eyes that were beginning to become firm, then thoughtfully stepped back a few steps.
Nodding slightly.
"I was overthinking... sorry."
"How could that be, I just feel like I showed you something unsightly, I'm sorry."
Momo ran over in small steps, staying at a distance of three steps from Seiya, following behind at a moderate pace.
The two walked like this for more than ten meters.
Then, Seiya said in a low voice.
"The former me... had a good relationship with you?"
"Yes, you were my former captain. My current achievements and personality are all thanks to your cultivation."
"...Is that so."
"That's right."
"The former me cultivated you very well."
After a pause, Seiya said softly without turning his head.
"You're a strong and independent warrior. Although you look fragile... you're already more capable than many people."
Momo's mouth couldn't help but droop down.
The twitching pain in her heart made her tear ducts contract again.
However, this time, compared to sourness... it was more of a courage that made her straighten her chest.
Seiya was right.
The former Captain Arima had indeed cultivated her in many, many ways.
That's why she was standing here today.
Not to find shadows of the past, but to prove that the other party's efforts hadn't been in vain.
Tear marks and shallow red prints intertwined together, yet made Momo's resolute expression become increasingly serious.
Her lips trembled slightly, at this moment finally speaking a heartfelt sentiment.
"Yes, so I'll become even stronger!"
Seiya beside her paused slightly, then said with a smile.
"I believe you can do it."
...
"Only one day remains. Although special training is too late, we should still discuss tactical matters, right?"
Kyōraku's suggestion was not unreasonable.
After all, with limited combat power, their group's strength was equivalent to cards in hand. Playing corresponding cards at appropriate times, maximizing the use of their side's combat power...
As a mature strategist, these were indeed necessary qualities and abilities.
Even the silent old man agreed with this.
But things went against their wishes.
Looking at just those few people who came to the meeting, the current Captain-Commander was already getting a headache.
He raised his hand to press his nose bridge, looking like he was about to faint from anger.
"Nanao-chan, please explain... what's with this meeting attendance?"
Before Nanao beside him could speak, Hitsugaya, with his arms crossed over his chest, had already spoken.
"You don't need subordinates to report such things to understand, right? Everyone has their own things they want to handle."
After a pause, Hitsugaya's tone softened slightly.
"After all, after tomorrow, no one can guess what will happen to Soul Society... right?"
You couldn't blame this guy for saying discouraging things.
After all, from the facts, it was indeed so. Yhwach's first invasion alone had almost cleared out Soul Society's high-level power.
So after an unprecedented Auswählen, what level would his power reach?
Without exaggeration, many people were prepared to sacrifice themselves tomorrow... that's why they chose to stand in this place.
"Those who want to confide in people, hurry to see long-lost friends and relatives."
"Those who simply want to pursue power on their own rather than act together with us..."
"Even those who have their own calculations, thinking that talking to us is casting pearls before swine."
Hitsugaya enumerated these things, finally spreading his hands in a very helpless gesture.
"No matter from which angle, I find it very difficult to communicate with these people."
As the other party said.
At this point, even someone as smooth-talking as Kyōraku temporarily couldn't find appropriate words.
It was getting a bit awkward.
But it was fine.
Urahara said with a grin nearby.
"Well~ this should be what they mean by 'each having their strengths', right? Rather than forcing everyone to act together, I think this degree of freedom is quite necessary."
After all...
"This is also an unprecedented joint force with no prior examples, right?"
Soul Reapers, Hollows, Quincy.
Even under Ichigo's leadership, some Fullbring users born among humans had appeared in Soul Society.
"At this time, it can be said... almost all beings with combat ability from the three worlds have gathered here."
"I have reason to believe this is the response to our choosing the correct path."
"We, as this world, are mounting the proper resistance against Yhwach."
Urahara's tone was as usual. At this moment, even being watched by everyone, he could still maintain the most calm attitude.
"Although I won't say any grand principles, I think our approach is absolutely correct... so rather than deployment and military formations..."
"It would be better to just go all out and let everyone use their most skilled methods."
"What do you think, Captain-Commander?"
Having said all the nice things before kicking the ball back?
This was basically equivalent to leaving Kyōraku no room for maneuvering... really, even though he'd been away from Soul Society for so many years, this cunning nature hadn't diminished at all.
However...
Well~ since they were kindred spirits, Kyōraku didn't dislike it.
Showing a bland yet helpless smile, Kyōraku scratched his mouth corner and said softly.
"What Mr. Urahara said is quite reasonable."
The meeting continued.
Compared to the relatively stiff and rigid topics from before, the atmosphere had obviously relaxed considerably.
Kyōraku even took the opportunity to pull out sake he'd treasured for a long time.
Nanao naturally began jumping up and down in fury.
She looked around seeking help, but couldn't find the old man anywhere... the old guy had already sneaked away after Urahara finished speaking.
He was now finding Unohana to carefully taste tea.
Using actions to hint at indulgence.
In the end, this current Squad One lieutenant had completely given up on 'principles'.
Go ahead and make trouble, who can control you anyway?
But Nanao couldn't escape either, because just as she walked out of the meeting room, she was caught by Rangiku.
"Girls' gathering, just later... Arrancar and Quincy will all come, you can't be left out!"
So when exactly had it happened?
Had this group of people already become one big happy family?
Under this bustling atmosphere, Urahara quietly left the crowd.
He retreated to an empty corridor nearby, then took out his portable phone... it showed several missed calls, and now was the time to call back.
"Sorry~ although the new phones can be used across dimensions, they're still somewhat unstable in the end."
"So so, how's the work on your end? I know finding people in the living world is troublesome, but I can only trouble you at such a good time..."
"Oh? Good news? Is that so..."
A smile unconsciously appeared on Urahara's face.
"With this, our chances of winning... no, I shouldn't say it like that."
Simply weighing his words, Urahara's mind quickly constructed possible scenarios that might happen tomorrow, as well as many predictable developments.
Images like this rolled through his mind, until finally, like quicksand, they converged toward the sunken outlet.
"With this."
"We have a real 'chance to turn the tables'."
"Of course... if possible, it would be better not to use it."