User blog comment:Sokatsui/What Lies Beyond/@comment-1393830-20120924214552/@comment-1604252-20120927030831

I don't think the stern ritter was "staring" at his corpse. I think he just sensed Byakuyas spiritual energy fade or go down to a level where he thought he was dead since he and the Vandenreich Leader were quite far away from Byakuyas battle. I think that's happened to a few other characters before and later they turned out alive. But like you said, until he appears alive and well, we're just to assume he is dead.