Chapter 157
"No..."
Haruto, stunned, released Kyokkō and Tōzanshō.
"This isn't firewood!"
Two minutes later.
Haruto finally explained why he was carrying that thing.
"I see..."
Kirio Hikifune also sighed softly.
"Twelfth Division has caused you trouble."
"I've been so focused on my research that I haven't had time to deal with any team matters... I actually thought that vice-captain who got in was pretty good."
"I never imagined the Twelfth Division's image had deteriorated to this extent."
Although he lacked self-awareness, Kirio Hikifune was, after all, the captain personally appointed by Captain-Commander Yamamoto, so he still had a basic sense of responsibility.
"I'm so glad that you think that way, Miss Kirio."
That was all Haruto could say to comfort her.
Her skill level far surpasses that of ordinary members of the Twelfth Division, and even the scientists at the Seireitei Research Institute are far inferior to her. Standing in such a position, it is indeed difficult to imagine the plight of her subordinates.
Vice versa--
After all, Haruto's attempts to figure out her thoughts had mostly ended in failure.
"But..."
Kirio Hikifune looked troubled.
"Didn't I already appoint Little Hiyori as the vice-captain? She should be quite adept at handling these matters."
Kirio Hikifune asked, puzzled.
"... Was Kiryu -Miss Kirio's appointment as vice-captain announced via Hell Butterfly?"
Is there a problem?
Kirio Hikifune's face was full of doubt. "Isn't using Hell Butterfly common sense?"
In fact.
While communication via Hell Butterfly is convenient, it still consumes a certain amount of Reiatsu. For formal occasions, more traditional letters are used.
"Lieutenant Sarugaki is still in the World of the Living coordinating the relationships between the divisions, while your Twelfth Division... seems to be completely unmanaged right now."
"..."
"This... this is really bad!"
Haruto rarely saw a slightly panicked and cute expression on Kirio Hikifune's face, although it was a little hard to accept given his size—this had nothing to do with judging people by their appearance, it was purely due to physical discomfort.
"Yes, that's right!"
Kirio Hikifune was well-versed in the key to shifting topics.
Although this performance was a bit stiff, as long as the following news is explosive enough, there's no need to worry about this small detail being noticed.
These have already been integrated together.
Ignoring the Shisō Kekkai on Sakai Shukugo's body, Kirio Hikifune used his round palm to vigorously rub his back—with enough force to peel off the skin—and the tiny, translucent spider, smaller than the palm of his hand and encased in bubbles, was instantly ripped off.
The entire process was seamless; the seal of the Shisō Kekkai was not even broken, and Sakai Shukugo showed no reaction to the outside world.
Judging from that effortless move he just displayed, he must be at least at the level of a level 90+ in the Bakudō.
"They definitely can't be separated, but they're more efficient at burning."
"... But I clearly destroyed the Tsuchigumo completely with the Kurohitsugi?"
Haruto still remembered what Sakai Shukugo had said about the Tsuchigumo's weakness.
"No."
"Although Little Kaku only learned the basics, this is, after all, a technology from the Shutara era that I modified."
... Little Kaku?
Haruto selectively ignored Kirio Hikifune's outrageous nickname.
Sakai Shukugo believed it was the result of his painstaking research, but he never expected it to be built on the shoulders of the Hikifune giant.
"The Kidō can only disrupt the connections between souls and cause the soul's 'shell' to enter a cooled state that is difficult to reshape."
"To truly annihilate these souls, it's impossible even to kill the caster."
"But..."
Kirio Hikifune fiddled with the little thing in his hand that looked like a jumping spider doll.
"The firewood used for roasting the Soul King's organs is indeed excellent material."
"..."
The events unfolded too coincidentally, Haruto even suspected that there might be someone else behind this scene; but then he thought that since this matter was already related to the Soul King, there seemed to be no need to hesitate any longer.
"Wait for me for half an hour."
Kirio Hikifune forcefully pulled off the spoon-shaped hair accessory on his head.
"Bang!"
A long-handled spoon, about the length of a naginata, appeared in Kirio Hikifune's hand.
Haruto was right; this was indeed the opponent's Zanpakuto, and it had never been released from its Shikai state from the beginning—perfectly circumventing the Shibari that Captain-level cannot release their Zanpakuto within the Seireitei.
Time is a measure of a researcher's professionalism.
No more, no less.
When Kirio Hikifune, having ventured deep into the laboratory, reappeared before Haruto, she had transformed back into the true Kirio Hikifune, the older sister.
When I was cooking for Haruto before, there was no sign of his Reiatsu decreasing at all, but now it has been completely consumed as his fat has decreased.
The finished product, which took so much effort to create, lies perfectly round in the Kirio Hikifune spoon.
"This is..."
"Lion's head?"
Haruto was somewhat incredulous.
Don't worry.
With Kirio Hikifune spoon, the fragrant meatballs fell into Haruto's hands.
"Although the organs of the Soul King also have physical forms, they are more of a concept. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to survive independently after leaving the Soul King, and even develop independent wills... just as they don't disappear with the death of their holders."
"I made it as hamburger patties because that's a dish I'm quite good at."
The two people address each other slightly differently, but they are actually the same person—a big meatball.
"..."
Silence stood between the two.
Aren't you going to eat?
Kirio Hikifune was clearly curious about Haruto's reaction after eating it.
"... Is there no medication guide for this?"
"Ugh! Look at my brain!"
Kirio Hikifune patted his head with a spoon, and then shrunk his Zanpakuto back into a hair ornament and put it back on his head.
"The nature of Hakusui should have been explained at the Shin'ō Academy, right?"
"Um."
Haruto nodded to indicate that he understood.
"That makes things easier."
There are two points to note!
Kirio Hikifune held up two fingers and said:
"One!"
"After fusing with the Soul King Hakusui, your reproductive drive will increase dramatically, but the success rate will decrease significantly."
The location of the Hakusui is in the lower dantian, specifically the Mingmen point. This area is involved in the formation of essence and blood, so it's no surprise that it's related to reproduction.
"Good."
Haruto nodded to indicate that he understood.
"Two!"
"This organ appears to have been sealed for a long time. As the organ that generates Reiatsu, it requires an enormous amount of Reishi to reactivate."
"The soul transformed into firewood only makes it absorbable; you must overcome this shortcoming yourself."
"... good."
Haruto nodded and immediately added.
"Could I ask Miss Kirio for this?"
In terms of Reiatsu replenishment speed, no one can compare to Kirio Hikifune, not even Sister Hana's Kaidō.
Two conditions.
Kirio Hikifune had just lowered his fingers, raised them again.
"... You said."
The real big shot is waiting for Haruto here.
Volume 1: Chapter 96, Hollow, Soul Reaper, Fullbring
Firstly.
Seeing that Haruto agreed so readily, Kirio Hikifune no longer hesitated.
"While I'm away from Soul Society, I hope you can help Hiyori and the Twelfth Division."
"Huh?"
The conditions proposed by Kirio Hikifune were somewhat "out of the ordinary".
When she wasn't in Soul Society?
Haruto wouldn't interpret this as something like Kirio Hikifune involved in an accident or dying in battle.
She had already made some speculations about the possibility of entering the Soul King Palace in the future.
"..."
That's not impossible.
After all, Senjumaru Shutara originated from research conducted in Seireitei, so it's only natural that he would leave behind information in this area.
However, based on the timeline, that would be at least a hundred or two hundred years from now.
"Good!"
Haruto promptly gave a positive reply.
By then, Haruto estimated that he would already be Captain-level, and might even have advanced to the First-Class Reii.
Secondly.
Kirio Hikifune paused briefly.