Chapter 3

What the hell is going on?

You're saying that when a captain lookalike is spotted and then starts fighting, they somehow change forms?

And we're next in line, huh?

Looks that way. It's happening across the Seireitei, no, all over the Soul Society.

All over the Soul Society?!

We don't have time to mess around. Let's finish this.

This charade's gone on long enough.

If it's all a charade, then why'd you start it?

We weren't the ones who wanted to start this.

What're you talking about?

I'm not saying that it's all your fault. But then again, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you.

It doesn't seem like he's going to pour his heart out just because you two look alike, huh.

Of course not. You can't seriously think I'd be so reckless?

Well, I at least had to consider the possibility.

Now, then.

It looks like we can do whatever they can do, too. It's nice to know my theory was correct.

Sorry about this, Shinji.

What's that?

It's the same thing that I gave to the Head Captains.

It's a momentary illusion of sorts.

I don't really get what's going on, but I won't get anywhere by just staring at myself. I'll go along with it.

Do you really think you'll be able to defeat an enemy you couldn't beat until now just by changing forms?

Fighting battles you know you can win is a great tactic, you know.

I'm not the one you'll be fighting, anyway.

If I don't have a choice, I'll just have to do it. No other way around it, right?

............

So, this is what was meant by them vanishing, huh?

I wasn't there when it happened, but I figured that was probably the case.

So, what do they even want? Are they doppelgangers that want to replace us?

That urban legend from the world of the living saying you'll die if you see your doppelganger? Well, it's something like that anyway.

A while back, there was a big uproar about a fake squad of departed spirits who tried to replace the 13 Court Guard Squads. Originally, it was the continuation of an experiment in the Department of Research & Development.

So, now it's happening again?

No, there's no way that would happen twice. However, there are still plenty of people, like me, who remember it happening.

The very nature of the Department of Research & Development means they've accumulated a lot of secret technology and knowledge.

There might not be anyone who knows about all of it, but you can't completely erase an incident like that.

I'm certain that's where the solution to this problem lies, and that's why I took the actions I did earlier. It seems to have had the desired effect, anyway.

I'm not sure how the others have fared, though.

Well, there's no point in standing around here talking about it.

Yeah. Let's make our next move.