Chapter 173
Volume 1: Chapter 105, Imperial Knights
The wind on the rooftop was quite noisy.
Sōken Ishida's flowing silver hair was blown into a mess.
Fortunately, the hairspray from Soul Society is of truly top-notch quality, thus sparing Haruto from the troubles of windy days—whether it's male pattern baldness or patchy hair loss, the biggest opponent when you're out and about is never the amount of hair you have, but the wind direction.
This isn't just a realization that most middle-aged people have gained through half a lifetime of pain; even the coolest guy can lose his good looks without the right hairstyle.
So...
The high monk that Princess Gaoyang took a liking to must have been incredibly handsome.
"Cough."
Haruto pulled his wandering thoughts back to reality.
If this continues to veer off-topic, it might even lead to thoughts of Muken, Haruto is worried about whether he can control himself from uttering a few famous lines.
"Ishida- kun."
Haruto watched Sōken Ishida's back as he gripped the gap in the barbed wire fence with one hand.
What do you want from me?
This is only the second day since I transferred schools.
Whatever scene unfolds on the rooftop, it seems incongruous with this student's identity—having quietly killed a Vice-Captain-level Quincy, the latter should either intensify the search or simply find an opportunity to evacuate Karakura Town.
Haruto doesn't mind if the other party chooses to take the initiative, but if they just leave like that... it will be troublesome to some extent.
"Kotetsu- kun."
Sōken Ishida turned around.
Her fine, smooth silver hair, combined with the setting, could easily lead people to mistake her gender... if it weren't for that pointed chin.
Your surname is...
"They're pretty famous in Soul Society, aren't they?"
"!"
The surprise in Haruto's eyes lasted only a moment.
Just like the little trick Sōken Ishida used during his self-introduction, since Haruto could see through it, there was no reason for the other party to misread Haruto's pseudonym.
When did you find out?
Haruto casually asked an extra question, just to make himself seem a bit clueless.
"From the very beginning."
Sōken Ishida's answer was as expected.
"... Then we should be about the same."
Haruto agreed with a smile.
"Then why insist on clarifying things now? It won't do you any good, will it?"
Given the relationship between Soul Reaper and Quincy, how could Sōken Ishida be so certain that Haruto was so easy to talk to?
Furthermore, even if the relationship doesn't start with mutual hostility, it doesn't mean that Haruto who can communicate has the right to make the final decision.
It would be unwise to expose it in this way.
"To avoid causing unnecessary misunderstandings."
Sōken Ishida habitually adjusted his glasses.
"Um?"
Before Haruto could understand what he meant, Sōken Ishida continued to add:
"Kotetsu- kun..."
I'll continue to call you that for now.
Sōken Ishida quite out of character for his cool image:
"I am not a traitor to the Quincy."
"Uh-huh?"
Isn't he a traitor to the Quincy?
That statement seems a bit problematic—if you want Soul Reaper to accept you, wouldn't it be better to say you're a traitor?
That's what you're saying...
It was almost like explaining something to one's own people.
The moment Haruto had this thought, he heard Sōken Ishida say decisively:
"Yhwach is the true traitor to the Lichtreich."
"The day Yhwach truly regains his powers, all Quincy except him will be wiped out."
Sōken Ishida immediately dropped a bombshell.
If these words hadn't been said to Haruto, both Soul Reaper and Quincy would probably have been completely dumbfounded.
"Although the Sonnen Galerie is closed, traces of that battle from eight hundred years ago can still be found in fragments of text."
"I know this may be hard to believe, but only if we Quincy unite can we possibly break this fatal curse."
"..."
Haruto felt like he was being misunderstood.
Why not ask Soul Reaper for help?
However, he continued speaking in the same vein as Sōken Ishida.
"It's already a miracle that the stubborn and closed-off Soul Society doesn't cause any trouble. After witnessing the foolish actions of those idiots in the World of the Living, it's even less likely that the Soul Reaper will offer us any help."
"..."
"Ishida- kun."
Seeing Haruto's expression turn serious, Sōken Ishida felt that his advice had worked.
"Speaking."
Who do you think I am?
"... The assassins sent by Schubert to eliminate me."
"..."
Haruto fell silent.
He probably figured out Sōken Ishida's thought process: it wasn't that he was completely wrong, but it was at least completely off-track.
But!
From the other party's perspective, this guess is the closest to the correct answer: Haruto's Shinigami spiritual pressure is completely concealed. If he didn't actively release his aura or reveal his identity, even his colleagues in the Gotei 13 probably wouldn't recognize him.
Under these circumstances...
Aren't you afraid of making the wrong judgment?
"Impossible."
Sōken Ishida shook his head.
"Although you concealed your presence very well, the Quincy's Silver Cross Quincy Medallion... even through spatial manipulation, I can still sense its presence."
A silver pentagram emblem slipped from Sōken Ishida's sleeve, shimmering brightly in the sunlight.
"... I see."
Haruto understood.
The Silver Cross Quincy Medallion he kept in the Kukai Box, although different in appearance (cross shape), was also obtained from Miralles, a veteran Quincy. Although Miralles himself was not a pureblood, his ancestors were most likely Pure-Blood Quincy fled from the Lichtreich.
The fact that Sōken Ishida was able to leave the Lichtreich unscathed demonstrates that he has considerable experience in the construction and use of the Reishi Space...
Spatial artifacts cannot escape his detection.
Furthermore, Haruto mentioned the surname Kotetsu.
--If it weren't for the Quincy of the Empire hiding in the shadows of the Seireitei, it would be difficult to observe and understand the Fourth Division nobles, who are proficient in the Soul Society Kaidō.
So.
This explains why Sōken Ishida would make this guess.
"It is a pity."
Haruto said with a hint of apology.
I am not --
Haruto didn't finish his words.
"Trying to mistake Soul Reaper for Quincy?"
"!!"
Dark gold patterns spread out like a spider web directly above the rooftop, while mocking voices rang in everyone's ears at the same time.
"Has your mind become dulled since you left the Empire?--"
"Sōken Ishida?"
The spatial patterns converge and transform into a landscape resembling a zipper.
Then...
"Buzz."
From the suddenly opened space, a trio dressed in white military uniforms slowly walked out.
The one right in the middle.
The military cap had a very clear three-star insignia, and a dark red half-cloak was tied to the shoulder with gold tassels.
The Western-style military sword worn at his waist was particularly eye-catching.
"Schubert."
Sōken Ishida solemnly read out the name of the visitor.
Haruto had no recollection of this Quincy, but the fact that he could construct Reishi space for teleportation, and that Sōken Ishida looked as if he were facing a formidable enemy...
This guy isn't weak even among Captain-level.
As for the people accompanying him, they were probably the other two Quincy who massacred the 11th Division last time.
"Sōken Ishida."
The Quincy named Schubert drew his sword from his waist.
"Unauthorized departure from the Order of Knights, escape from the Lichtreich, and spreading rumors about His Majesty to mislead the people."
The intense Reiatsu Flow along the sword's blade made the already gloomy sky even more oppressive and somber.
"Any one of those reasons would be enough to send you to the gallows."
"Call out!"
With a gentle flick of his silver saber in mid-air, the trail left by the Flow Reishi quickly coalesced into a crescent-shaped arc.
"Snap."
Sōken Ishida, without anyone noticing, put on pure white gloves with Reishi particle patterns.
"I!"
The new moon continuously absorbs Reishi from the atmosphere.
The size of the weapons quickly exceeded that of traditional bows and arrows, becoming similar in size to ancient siege weapons.
This is the Quincy's signature ability, Reishi Subjugation —in Jūreichi like Karakura Town, its effect is no less than that of Soul Society or Hueco Mundo.