Chapter 119
"No, it's a small pill invented by Captain Hikifune."
Haruto replied.
As for anything else, he obviously couldn't reveal that.
"Kirio Hikifune of the Twelfth Division?"
Chikane Iba has the right to address Captain Hikifune by her first name, since there seem to be very few Gotei 13 who are older than her.
No wonder...
"Is this stuff you're eating already in mass production?"
"No, due to limitations in raw materials, it seems only three were made... It appears I'm the only one capable of achieving this effect."
Haruto shook his head and denied it.
What is so precious?
"A fragment of Vasto Lorde's Reiatsu."
"... No wonder."
These three simple words confirmed Haruto's earlier speculation that Captain-Commander Yamamoto had defeated his opponent with Hakuda strike.
"Unfortunately, this is not an area I can challenge."
"The most recent Vasto Lorde recorded in Soul Society was killed by Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, the then captain of the 11th Division."
Mentioning Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's name Chikane Iba's eyes as when talking about Captain-Commander Yamamoto.
It's obvious.
Chikane Iba's dissatisfaction with the current 11th Division stems from the huge sense of disparity.
The 11th Division captains before Kiganjō were all super strong individuals worthy of Kenpachi's name... including, of course, Sōya Azashiro, who had just been imprisoned in the Muken a few years ago.
"Haruto."
Chikane Iba quickly abandoned his unrealistic idea.
She was well aware of the gap between herself and Vasto Lorde, and that Menos Grande of that level almost never appeared in Soul Society; to actively seek him out in Hueco Mundo would be tantamount to suicide.
"Your mastery of the Shunpo is quite good."
That's emotional intelligence.
Haruto's Shunpo technique is only average; his speed is slightly faster than a regular Shunpo, entirely due to his physical advantages.
"Why not try breaking through the second and third levels in one go?"
"..."
Haruto remained silent and pondered for a long while.
I appreciate your kindness.
"However, these two stages..."
"I still want to study Bone Strike carefully on my own first, otherwise I'll be relying on you to guide me in everything..."
"I'm worried that by then, the final fourth layer might become addictive, which would be bad."
He ultimately declined the offer from Chikane Iba.
"..."
"Good!"
Instead of showing any displeasure, Chikane Iba praised Haruto with great pleasure.
"If everyone had your level of awareness, my foolish son would be far more accomplished than he is now."
"Haruto."
"Wait until your Bone Strike reaches the fourth level..."
Even with the strength of the Chikane Iba was a little embarrassed to say it out loud.
"Don't worry, I will report to you then."
"Need not."
"Ah?"
Chikane Iba's refusal was truly unexpected.
"When the time comes, you can go and ask Captain-Commander Yamamoto for advice."
"I'll write you a letter of recommendation. Just give it to the Vice-Captain Sasakibe, and he'll help you get in touch."
"..."
Haruto didn't respond.
As for referrals, Haruto has experienced quite a lot today.
Chōjirō Sasakibe, Vice-Captain of the First Division.
As Captain-level Soul Reaper who has served under Captain-Commander Yamamoto for over a thousand years, he is one of the three longest-lived Shinigami in the Seireitei in terms of lifespan.
In front of Chōjirō Sasakibe, Chikane Iba was no different from a little girl.
However, in the context of the entire Soul Society... a young girl who lived a relatively long life is indeed Chōjirō Sasakibe should remember.
"Whether I can get to that point or not is not important, as long as Bone Strike can gain Captain-Commander Yamamoto's approval--"
That's enough.
"I can't help but sigh," said Chikane Iba.
"... I see."
Haruto left the Third Division barracks.
It's a pity.
Haruto didn't want to do this either, but he had indeed lied a lot today... even though it was all out of good intentions to prevent people from having a mental breakdown.
When Haruto was practicing the Bone Strike earlier, he wasn't strengthening his skin at all; he was working on it from the outside in!
That's right.
After taking Heavenly Bedding Pills for more than half a year, Haruto's body has almost perfectly adapted to the Bone Strike training method.
The entire process was smooth and unimpeded.
"Bone Strike..."
I've basically mastered it.
Haruto has already understood all the principles behind Bone Strike techniques.
The four steps that Chikane Iba divides into each stage are precisely the respective enhancements to the Soul Reaper's own defense, strength, and agility.
As for the fourth level of Bone Forging...
It doesn't actually make cultivators more robust and resilient, but rather greatly enhances their body's recovery ability.
Promote--
To put it simply, it's like bone marrow hematopoiesis.
By strengthening their bones, cultivators can rapidly convert Reiatsu into "blood," thus achieving High-Speed Regeneration of their bodies; although not as exaggerated as the speed of Menos Grande, it definitely surpasses the realm of the Soul Reaper themselves.
"The Bone Strike ability is actually beyond Chikane Iba's comprehension; it's completely different from Captain-Commander Yamamoto's Ikkotsu Technique..."
"If that's how you think, then I'm being incredibly arrogant."
Haruto gave a bitter laugh.
He glanced at the arm hidden beneath the long sleeve, where the most important reason he had to leave early lay:
Hardening of the skin.
To put it more clearly, a pale white substance, resembling Visored, has just appeared on Haruto surface. It is indeed very strong in defense, but it looks really strange, the kind that would likely lead to arrest if discovered.
"My Bone Strike..."
"The root cause of its mutation lies in the Heavenly Bedding Pill."
Haruto had never taken anything related to the Menos Grande except for this.
"Power derived from Vasto Lorde, combined with Vasto Lorde's training or fighting style, ultimately made his abilities similar to Vasto Lorde's."
"..."
I really don't know whether this is good or bad.
Haruto rubbed his arm vigorously.
The "bone armor," weakened by the lack of Reiatsu replenishment, was quickly crushed into powder and detached from the body surface.
The bad thing is that this move is difficult to use in public, but the good thing is... Haruto has, to some extent, broken down the boundaries between Soul Reaper and Hollows.
The method was a bit playful, and the process was so unrigorous that it was impossible to replicate.
"If it weren't for the strange thing not covering my face, I would have gone to turn myself in to Grandpa Kuchiki right now."
"..."
"It seems..."
Haruto stretched out his arm.
The skin, which was originally dark and rough, began to become smooth and delicate near the area where the bone armor was attached.
"Several times I've felt like I'm recovering too quickly, it's neither due to Reiatsu nor a hallucination."
Haruto recalled his battle with the Giant Hollow in District 66. At that time, he had just taken the medicine and it was when the effects of the Heavenly Bedding Pill were at their peak.
"But speaking of which..."
"This is only half of the blueprint for the Chikane Iba."
Haruto put his hands in his pockets.
He did not continue to try to strengthen it, after all, this was inside the Seireitei, and the operation method mixed with the Reiatsu of Menos Grande would be easily detected.
"I've mastered the 'training' method from the outside in; the next step is the 'fighting' method from the inside out."
"Although Chikane Iba didn't say it, this should be a publicly known technique of the Third Division. I'll go find someone I know..."
"Togakushi Tōma."
Haruto immediately thought of a familiar name.
Togakushi Tōma did not attend the previous Noble Assembly, but his image was ultimately used by Satō Tsunayashiro to deceive Haruto.
The ability of the Bone and Flesh Craft is indeed abnormal, but after communicating with Byakuya, Haruto also learned about the weakness of this Zanpakuto: the prerequisite for completely imitating Soul Reaper is that the target must be a creature that the wielder is very familiar with.
This weakness is easily overcome by Satō Tsunayashiro, but for the Soul Reaper she's toying with...
That would be a very serious vulnerability.
This is probably the easiest way to break through and acquire the 'fighting' techniques.
"This guy is absolutely perfect."
Haruto decided to return to the Shin'ō Academy first and ask Togakushi Riku to pass on a few words to his dear brother.
Five months later.
The number of Soul Reaper) in charge of East Rukongai has been decreasing recently.
It's not that the other areas have become busier; it's simply that the activity of Hollows in the first thirty districts of East Rukongai is decreasing dramatically.
Not long ago, the attack on the noble mansion district by the Menos Grande caused widespread panic and led to a large number of nobles relocating.
In just six months.
The situation changed so suddenly that even the Grim Soul Reapers, who were already on edge, were now completely bewildered.
"Boom!"