Chapter 108

Dankū is capable of catching all Hadō below number 90 without taking damage. Apart from Bankai, Haruto couldn't think of any reason why Byakuya would make such a boast.

However, it has only been a little over half a year since Byakuya mastered Shikai, so talking about Bankai is a bit of an exaggeration; and as for the Zanpakuto that couldn't Bankai... apart from Ryūjin Jakka, it seems that none of them can demonstrate power comparable to the 90th Hadō when in Shikai.

No, it's just—

Haruto was mocking him so directly, but Byakuya acted as if he didn't hear it at all, which is very inconsistent with his character.

"My Reiatsu is about to break through."

"... What!?"

"I'm almost at the Fourth-Class Spiritual Pressure!"

"..."

"Grass!"

Haruto immediately blurted out a curse word.

When did this happen?

"The next two years."

Byakuya fidgeted a couple of times in a very affected manner.

"... Is this what you mean by 'almost there'?"

Two years?

That scared the hell out of me!

"Going from Fifth Class rank to fourth rank in just two years? Have you ever heard of anyone else making such a rapid improvement?"

"The Thirteenth Division Lieutenant, Kaien Shiba."

"... Can we still have a proper conversation?"

Jokes aside.

Byakuya's rate of progress is truly astonishing.

It's important to know that after breaking through to the Fifth-Class Reii at the Vice-Captain-level, the speed at which Reiatsu accumulates will begin to slow down significantly; if one's talent is even slightly lacking, one may even be stuck at that stage for life.

Byakuya said he would be able to break through to the Fourth-Class Spiritual Pressure within the next two years...

Who made the judgment?

"My father."

"... Then it seems pretty much true."

Due to his physical condition, Kuchiki Sōjun had been stuck between the fourth and Fifth-Class Reii for a very long time, so he had a considerable understanding of this level. His judgments for Byakuya were unlikely to be wrong.

Just then--

"Um?"

A Hell Butterfly, its wings fluttering slowly, flew in through the window.

A dark and mysterious creature landed on Haruto's sun-darkened hand.

Your news came at just the right time.

Haruto joked towards Byakuya.

"The invitation has arrived?"

"Right."

"Where?"

"Rukongai, the East District 15."

"... Do you need me to look after you?"

"There's no need."

Haruto shook his head and declined Byakuya's offer.

He recalled what Mutsuki- sensei had said: Ginrei Kuchiki, who hadn't intervened in the matter, probably didn't want Byakuya to be involved in this incident.

"That's Fourth-Class Spiritual Pressure vice-captain, not like the small fry you killed before."

"Of course I know."

With the background of one of the Four Great Noble Clans and the rich experience of the Gotei 13, this vice-captain is definitely not someone to be trifled with.

Byakuya wasn't worried that Haruto wouldn't be able to escape; rather, he was afraid that Haruto might become reckless and refuse to leave.

"You may not have the chance to use a 90th or higher-ranking Hadō, so don't pin all your hopes on Senju Kōten Taihō."

"You're going in the wrong direction."

Haruto smiled and shook his head, saying:

"If you had seen my battles in the World of the Living, you wouldn't think that way."

"... It seems I really have missed a lot of good shows; you can't truly appreciate their brilliance just by listening."

While the two were drinking tea, Haruto had already given a general account of his battle with the Quincy.

"If I ever encounter Quincy again, I'll let you know... if there's enough time."

"Is it a deal?"

Byakuya raised his arm, Haruto extended his fist.

It's a deal.

The two touched each other lightly.

Do you wish for a resounding victory or a period of great military success?

"... Goodbye is fine."

Volume 1: Chapter 68, Nobleman, Survival!

Haruto stood up.

"..."

He picked up the Zanpakuto beside him, bound it, bid farewell to Byakuya, and walked out of the dormitory.

"You wouldn't happen to be a cursed sword, would you?"

Haruto suddenly muttered something to himself.

As he gripped the Zanpakuto, a strange and murky longing surged into Haruto's mind; this feeling was not unfamiliar to him, it had been building since last summer break, but this time it seemed particularly intense.

When Haruto first killed Onizuka, Soul Reaper from the 11th Division, after obtaining Asauchi, his Zanpakuto briefly trembled.

That kind of thing would be mistaken for an illusion.

After that.

Each time Haruto kills a Soul Reaper who possesses Shikai Zanpakuto, Haruto's Zanpakuto will exhibit subtle reactions depending on the strength of the defeated opponent.

That's right.

The prerequisite is that the Soul Reaper 'Zanpakuto has been unleashed.

This faint yet subtle feeling reached its peak when he killed Munechika —even though Munechika wasn't particularly strong, the feedback he received at that time was especially intense... Haruto finally confirmed that his previous feedback was not an illusion.

The problem is...

That feeling that something was about to sprout stopped completely after that, and Haruto even began to doubt its reality again.

Until...

When Haruto killed the Giant Hollow and even Quincy in the World of the Living, this feeling returned from his Zanpakuto.

As for the ordinary Hollows lured by the Hollow Bait, and the Quincy who haven't mastered the Heilig Pfeil Transformation Technique, they are just like the squadron-level Soul Reaper, unable to elicit a reaction from their Zanpakuto.

So.

Haruto began to wonder if there was something wrong with his Zanpakuto... like it liked to devour delicious souls or something.

If that's the case, then it's an even more "demon sword" than Kōga Kuchiki's Muramasa, and if it's discovered, it might be sealed away by Soul Society.

"..."

"It's so short."

The intense feeling lasts only a moment.

If Haruto's mental strength hadn't been so powerful, he would never have been able to sense these special fluctuations emanating from his Zanpakuto.

"I hope you're not that kind of Zanpakuto."

Haruto had also wondered if his soul from before his transmigration was lacking, which was why his Zanpakuto couldn't be released for so long. He even wondered if the Zanpakuto itself wished to come back to life and complete itself in this way.

But considering my exaggerated Reiatsu and mental strength, this guess doesn't seem very reliable.

"Never mind."

Haruto shook his head and closed the dormitory door.

"A little movement is the best thing; at least it means the Zanpakuto isn't dead."

"Whoosh!"

There's no rush regarding the Zanpakuto.

Haruto needs to focus his energy on getting through the immediate troubles first.

Don't be fooled by Haruto's seemingly easy victory over Vice-Captain-level; his Reiatsu base is undeniable. Given the two-level difference in strength, defeating Satō Tsunayashiro, Fourth-Class Spiritual Pressure, will require careful planning.

Of Haruto's techniques, only Senju Kōten Taihō can deliver a fatal blow to someone of this level.

However, just as Byakuya said, without the advantage in Reiatsu and Shunpo, his opponent would never give him the chance to use this level of Kidō.

"My strongest control technique right now is the Three-Step Binding Bakudō... The version with the Eishōhaki probably won't buy much time."

The prison was Rikujōkōrō, Hyapporankan, and Sajō Sabaku.

Haruto's most powerful control skill is using these three moves to simultaneously Shibari the opponent.

"Multi-singing?"

"No... reciting two moves simultaneously is already the limit; trying to do three at once just puts too much strain on my brain."

Although Haruto spoke to Byakuya with great confidence, he didn't actually have a foolproof way to win; he was just saying that to keep Byakuya out of the picture.

"I need to think of another way..."

Haruto pondered as he used Shunpo.

"Whoosh."

When he arrived at the main gate of the Shin'ō Academy--

"Haruto."

The blond Grim Soul Reaper with his slicked-back hair called out to Haruto the moment he landed.

"Who are you...?"

"I am Togakushi Tōma, the Fourth Seat of the Third Division. I will be your guide to this Noble Special Joint Assembly."

"Hello, Togakushi- senpai."

"Guide" is a euphemism; in other words, it's like escorting someone.

However, based on Byakuya's previous explanation, this Togakushi- senpai should be considered one of his own—his statement about the Noble Assembly was already a tacit revelation to Haruto.

And...

Togakushi Tōma's Reiatsu was probably around Sixth-Class Spiritual Pressure, posing no threat to Haruto at all.

Don't feel pressured.

"It was just a simple question. If the internship issue hadn't blown up so much, I wouldn't have needed to come in person."

Togakushi glanced around discreetly, then quietly leaned closer and whispered in Haruto's ear: