Chapter 162
Just as this matter was about to be finalized—
"..."
A jet-black Hell Butterfly flew out of the void and slowly landed on Haruto's shoulder.
"A mission?"
Judging from Haruto's expression, Chōjirō Sasakibe knew that Haruto had something to do.
"I'm sorry, Vice-Captain Sasakibe."
Haruto smiled apologetically.
"This is a mission for the Thirteenth Division, and it was directly ordered by Captain Ukitake. I need to return to the barracks immediately."
"I'm afraid I'll have to bother you about the flowers another time."
Haruto apologized and prepared to leave.
"Um..."
Chōjirō Sasakibe interrupted his actions.
"If you don't mind, I can help with the flowers."
"Oh? How could I possibly accept this!"
"Nothing."
Chōjirō Sasakibe waved his hand.
"The First Division hasn't had much work lately; they've basically finished everything by the time they got to Chōjirō."
"Besides, I consider myself somewhat shameless when it comes to sending flowers... You came here specifically to choose them, so that must be one of your considerations, right?"
Chōjirō Sasakibe intended to make a trip for Haruto, something the latter hadn't anticipated—although the young soldiers mostly lacked understanding of this First Division vice-captain, the captain and the nobles with long-standing traditions all had to give him face.
"As expected, it couldn't escape your eyes."
Haruto sighed softly.
"Then leave it to me, the idle one. Things on Ukitake's side are more important; otherwise, I wouldn't have used the Hell Butterfly to deliver the message."
"Then I'll give you the address..."
Haruto had barely begun speaking when Chōjirō Sasakibe took over the conversation:
"The Fourth Seat the Fourth Division, the eldest daughter of the Kotetsu Clan, right?"
"..."
It's no wonder he's served as Yamamoto's second-in-command for thousands of years; the intelligence he's gathered is probably even greater than that of Shunsui Kyōraku.
Right now...
This did indeed recover a significant portion of the losses caused by the initial unpreparedness.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
――――
The Thirteenth Division, at the entrance of Ugendo.
"Whoosh!"
After receiving a promise from Chōjirō Sasakibe, Haruto immediately used Shunpo to rush back to the barracks.
Jūshirō Ukitake was already sitting upright and waiting there, and not far from him stood the Third Seat, Shiba Miyako.
A gentle and elegant heroine, a considerate wife, and a brilliant Soul Reaper —both of these descriptions are well-deserved for her.
"Haruto."
Given their respective positions, Haruto should naturally take the initiative to greet them. Judging from Captain Ukitake's anxious demeanor, he must have encountered some trouble.
"Captain Ukitake, Third Seat Shiba."
Haruto nodded to the two of them.
"Are you in some kind of trouble?"
Something bad has happened in the World of the Living.
"!"
Haruto's heart skipped a beat.
Although more than two months have passed, Ayaka and Yayahara Yuyu are still in the World of the Living carrying out intelligence gathering missions.
Captain Ukitake specifically called him over...
"You said."
Haruto forced himself to calm down.
"During the battle to eliminate the Quincy, the 11th Division encountered an accident."
"..."
Although it wasn't a good idea to think that way, he was relieved that it wasn't one of his own people who got into trouble.
Captain Ukitake continued:
"Six high- Seated Officers of the 11th Division have perished, and the vice-captain's injuries are extremely severe, even rendering him unable to cross the Senkaimon."
"The Fourth Division has already dispatched personnel to the World of the Living for rescue."
"!"
The 11th Division is supposed to be a combat unit, with only eight high- Seated Officers. How come only two of them are left, relying on each other for survival?
Wrong.
It seems that only six people from the 11th Division were sent to the World of the Living.
In other words...
"The entire 11th Division of the World of the Living has been wiped out?"
"Right."
Ukitake gave Haruto a positive reply.
"The Quincy did this?"
"That's right, but they're not the Quincy we're based on."
"What's the meaning?"
"According to the information provided by your friend regarding the Eighth Division's return to Soul Society, three Vice-Captain-level Reiatsu launched a surprise attack on the 11th Division's base at the time. They happened to be holding a strategy meeting... Clearly, the 11th Division also had an oversight in their intelligence."
Ukitake helped Haruto summarize the latest news.
For the Quincy out in one fell swoop, either they were so arrogant that they made no attempt to hide it, or Quincy for a long time.
Luring the enemy deep into our territory?
The 11th Division doesn't have that kind of brain.
"Three Quincy at the Vice-Captain-level?"
"If I remember correctly, this 11th Division vice-captain who calls himself 'Kanmuri Yasu' is Fourth-Class Spiritual Pressure. Even if he can't win, he shouldn't be completely wiped out, right?"
Haruto has recently read a lot of case files, which has deepened his understanding of the Gotei 13 and the World of the Living.
"Didn't he Limitation Release?"
"No."
Ukitake shook his head.
"During the war against the Quincy, captains Vice-Captain-level did not have their Limitation Seal when they went to the World of the Living."
"That shouldn't be the case..."
Ukitake's words puzzled Haruto even more.
Putting aside character and such, given the lousy atmosphere of the 11th Division, one couldn't possibly hold onto the position of vice-captain without some real ability. Haruto had fought two Quincy at the Vice-Captain-level just half a year ago, so logically, given Kanmuri Yasu's abilities, he shouldn't have been beaten like this.
"The three Quincy in the intelligence report only massacred the Seated Officers and soldiers; the one who truly severely injured the 11th Division Lieutenant..."
"There is a Captain-level among the Quincy."
"!!"
Captain-level Quincy?
The Thirteenth Division has been operating in the World of the Living for so long, yet they have never revealed this kind of information. Now that they are fully engaged in war, Captain Ukitake is even less likely to conceal it... This can only mean that he was unaware of this information before.
"Should I go and fight this Captain-level?"
This was the first thing Haruto thought of.
"How could this be!"
Ukitake immediately denied it.
"Currently, World of the Living is a joint operation by three divisions. Although their desire to claim credit played a part, only the 11th Division suffered heavy losses. If we don't make a statement, it certainly won't be acceptable to the Central 46 Chambers."
"Lieutenant Sarugaki of the Twelfth Division has taken over the situation, so naturally we should also send a Vice-Captain-level fighter to the World of the Living to assist."
Although Haruto is only Fourth Seat holder, his record speaks for itself, and he is more than qualified to fill that spot.
Who will deal with that Captain-level?
"... The Central 46 Chambers has its own arrangements."
"..."
"Haruto."
Perhaps worried that Haruto might misunderstand, Shiba Miyako chimed in to help Ukitake.
"The captain genuinely doesn't know who the Captain-level secretly sent is, and this matter carries a great risk."
"You've only been in the team for a short time, so if you have any concerns..."
Shiba Miyako quietly moved his hand to his Zanpakuto.
"Don't!"
Haruto quickly stopped him.
"If the Third Seat of the Shiba were to go to the World of the Living, the Thirteenth Division would be out of a job."
Haruto dared not let Shiba Miyako leave the Thirteenth Division.
If anything happens to her, Kaien Shiba will definitely go crazy, and then Captain Ukitake, without a successor, will probably also be devastated for a long time...
The Thirteenth Division couldn't be any worse!
"I'll take this task."
Haruto had been accumulating Reiatsu for over two months. If it was just a Captain-level Quincy who couldn't even instantly kill a lieutenant...
He believed he could handle it.
"Captain Ukitake, I can set off now... Where?"
Haruto was just asking casually.
However, Ukitake's answer made Haruto shudder:
"Karakura Town."
"... where!?"
――――
Volume 1: Chapter 99, The Old Land
In the World of the Living, Karakura Town.
Thump.
The door that opened in mid-air was eerie, but thankfully it wasn't something that humans in the World of the Living world could see.